Chapter 122
“I see. He didn’t say a word to me, but I guess he figured he could ask his sister for help. Don’t feel pressured to do it if it’s too much for you.”
“It’s fine. I’ve already sent a reply saying I’d do it. In exchange, I asked that I be allowed to visit the Grand Ducal Castle whenever I want, even after the new mistress arrives, and he was all for it. He even said he’s already in the middle of creating a space specifically for Rafi to rest.”
“No wonder Heitz hasn’t been able to wipe that grin off his face lately. Thank you, Ran. Truly, thank you. This will certainly help Heitz save face.”
A broad smile remained on the face of Grand Duke Ayla, who had left all his work to his son—currently embroiled in a fateful romance with a foreign princess who had visited the country by chance—to come here with such confidence.
His son, who had once avoided marriage while shouting about ‘destined love’ and the like, was finally about to wed. But more importantly, the daughter he never knew existed—the one who so closely resembled him and her mother—had accepted him and even blessed him with a lovely granddaughter.
Grand Duke Ayla’s smile never faded as he basked in Rafi’s charms.
“My little Princess Rafi, do you remember your grandfather? Next time I come, I’ll bring you a cute doll.”
“Could I ask for a plain doll, please? Rafi has already pulled out all the eyes of the dolls that had jewels in them.”
Ramona wasn’t sure whose blood it was, but the child’s greed for material things was no joke. Having stashed the plucked-out doll eyes under her pillow, the little one was busy giggling as if she knew nothing about it.
“Then what if I have a doll crafted entirely out of jewels…?”
“Absolutely not. You’ll only spoil her.”
At Adrian’s adamant refusal, Grand Duke Ayla had to withdraw his plan for a jeweled doll. He expressed his disappointment with his entire face, but Adrian remained firm. As the two engaged in a silent battle of wills, the carriage came to a halt.
“We have arrived at our destination.”
At the sound from outside, Grand Duke Ayla stepped out first and took Rafina in his arms. He then reached out to hold Ramona’s hand, making it easier for her to alight from the carriage.
“Mom, hurry up! Everyone is already settling in. Grandfather Duke, Dad, hurry! Hey! Toto, when did you crawl back into the basket?”
Adrian, carrying the basket Grand Duke Ayla had brought, quickly opened the lid at Raon’s words. Inside, a rabbit with a noticeably round belly was lying down, but upon meeting Adrian’s gaze, he quickly shook himself off, stood up, and perked his ears.
“Ah, and I personally made that salad for my daughter to eat…”
“It’s my fault for not keeping a tighter leash on Toto. Let’s just consider it as us having eaten it, so please don’t be too disappointed. I’ll ask for it again the next time we go on a picnic.”
Grand Duke Ayla, who had looked a bit heartbroken, brightened up instantly at the mention of a “next picnic.”
“Ran, what are you doing? Hurry over. The weather is wonderful today.”
Kaizen, whose eyes happened to meet Ramona’s, laughed and waved his hand. In that moment, he looked exactly like the late Marquis Caspian. Seeing Kaizen, who inherited the image of their father who—though not often—always took the family on outings two or three times a year, Ramona gave a bright smile.
“I’m coming! Just a second.”
Ramona took Rafina, who was struggling to get to her, from Grand Duke Ayla and wore a clear, radiant smile.
“I really don’t know whose blood she has, but she’s a literal picture. Brother! Do you remember? When we were little, you and Father would save a spot, and Mother would follow later holding Ran.”
“Titi, you were so young then, but I guess you remember everything.”
Because Ramona was so small, their mother had always arrived later than the others. By the time the family had spread the mats and set out the food, their mother would arrive carrying the infant Ramona.
Recalling their father urging them to hurry and their mother smiling back at him, Kaizen and Titiana were lost in the past for a moment.
“Stop with the reminiscing and hurry up and change our Rafi’s diaper. I think she peed. The diaper feels heavy.”
Ramona always seemed to hand Rafina to Kaizen at times like this. Perhaps the skill of changing the young Ramona’s diapers hadn’t grown rusty, as he wiped her bottom with a damp handkerchief and changed her into a fresh, dry diaper.
Seemingly pleased with the new diaper, Rafina immediately busied herself crawling after Toto. Seeing this, Tigre, Raon, and Leonel all ran over to play with her.
At a single gesture from his baby sister, Tigre collapsed dramatically as if he’d been struck. Ramona’s hand then pointed toward Raon and Leonel.
“Urgh, your big brother is defeated.”
“Our Rafi is so strong!”
Thud—
Seeing her fallen brothers, Rafina giggled and waved her hands up and down until her center of gravity shifted and she tumbled backward. Just as everyone was about to spring up and run to her, Toto—who had bulked up during his latest runaway stint—darted beneath her, acting as a cushion so she wasn’t hurt.
Everyone froze for a second, sighed in relief, and then a burst of airy laughter escaped from their lips.
“Pfft!”
“Puh-hah!”
“Hehe, Hahaha!”
Finding the situation hilarious, everyone sitting on the large mat burst into laughter together.
“Still, having children around gives us reasons to laugh like this. On that note, Ramona, isn’t it about time you moved back to our house? I’ve completely renovated a room for you two and a nursery for Rafi.”
“In-law, there is still time left on our agreement, so please wait. There are still so many things I haven’t been able to do for our Ran and Rafi yet.”
“Rather than that, why don’t you come to the Grand Duchy? I’ll build you a magnificent mansion. I can even embed the jewels Rafi likes directly into the walls.”
Every time they met, the three men vied for Ramona and Rafi’s presence. However, the woman in question seemed unbothered, leaning against Adrian’s shoulder and smiling as she watched the children.
“Honey, why don’t we move to whichever place gives us the most allowance and lets us rest the most comfortably?”
“Pfft! That sounds pretty good in its own way. If the pockets are heavy, the seat becomes heavy too.”
Ramona laughed and agreed with Adrian’s playful remark. The three men immediately began to recalculate. The rest of the family simply shook their heads at the sight.
“I didn’t raise my brother to be like that. I’m sorry, Sister-in-law.”
“You realize how big a mistake you made, raising him like that and sending him to me, right? So please be even better to me from now on. That’s the only way I’ll be able to keep living with this husband of mine.”
Titiana and Camilla were laughing at their own jokes when their eyes suddenly widened.
“Oh, oh…!”
Rafina had taken Raon’s hand, pulled herself up from the ground, and started to walk. Everyone stood up in shock and broke into bright smiles, which quickly turned to alarm.
The child had barely taken three steps before her body tilted dangerously to one side.
“No! Rafi!”
In an instant, everyone on the mat rushed forward. But Rafina was falling faster than they could reach her.
Just as cold sweat began to break, Toto—the master of the ‘foot-trip’—leaped in and gallantly became Rafina’s cushion once more. Tigre quickly scooped up Rafina, who had flattened the rabbit that seemed to have bulked up for this very purpose.
“You little one! You’re going to be a real troublemaker once you start walking.”
“I don’t care if she’s a troublemaker, I just hope she grows up healthy.”
“Still, our Rafi is very gentle at night. She loves it when I read to her. Rafi, brother will read you a storybook today, too.”
Relieved by the words of the three brothers, the adults finally calmed their racing hearts. They smiled softly as they watched the three boys, one girl, and one rabbit playing together.
“I never thought I’d see a scene like this because my husband was so ‘modest,’ but I’m so happy it turned out this way.”
“Me too. I think we’re seeing the benefits of my husband not ‘just holding hands’ at night.”
On this day, as the sunlight melted softly into the surroundings, they wouldn’t have traded the sound of the children’s laughter for a thousand gold pieces.
Ramona wore a serene smile as she watched her charming husband, her wonderful family, and the children—warm as sunlight—running around trying to catch Toto.
Adrian reached out and gently overlapped his hand with Ramona’s, a sight she couldn’t have dared to imagine just a few years ago.
Feeling the warmth of Adrian’s firm, capable hand, Ramona leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to his.
“Honey, shall we ‘not just hold hands’ tonight as well? You trust me, right?”
“Yes, I t-trust you. After all, I am a man with an always open heart.”
Seeing the flush on Adrian’s face, Ramona smiled with pure satisfaction.
<End of Story>
That was the ending, everyone! I wasn’t paying attention to the chapter numbers so the ending coming came as a surprise to me as well hence the extra two chapters this week. Figured I would just translate it so you guys wouldn’t have to wait an extra week for them (for those unlocking). This is definitely a more lighthearted story than my usual ones but the ending of Baron Andrew Grace felt so unnecessary. I already felt bad when it was revealed that he loved Ramona but the fact that they had past lives where he had to watch her and Raon die multiple times makes me so sad. I wish he got a happy ending as well. Oh well. I hope you guys enjoyed the story! See you in the next one!
