19 - Valentina's Paradise
The boy appeared quiet and docile, but he was remarkably intelligent, sharp, and had a sarcastic edge. Nora was more wary of young Duke Edered than the fussy and capricious Duke. Edgar entered cheerfully, joking.
"Indeed! It's truly a gathering of men! By the way, does that mean you won't let me sleep a wink tonight?"
"Of course. I trust you haven't forgotten someone eagerly awaiting your tales of adventure, Uncle?"
"Then what about the ladies of Nebulosa who are eagerly waiting for me, losing sleep over my arrival?"
"I'll provide them with some effective Sleep grass."
"Oh, nephew, if you offer ladies sleeping pills like that, you'll get slapped and rejected. This is a disaster. How am I supposed to marry off such a young one next year?"
The boy's face flushed red at those words. He glanced around, hesitated whether to speak or not, then sighed deeply and confessed in a small voice.
"Please don't tease me so much. I, too, sometimes lose sleep thinking about my fiancée. …Besides, I'm receiving instruction from my mother about various things needed for the wedding."
Edgar pressed his lips together, trying to suppress his laughter. I'm, in all my years, just dumbfounded.
"No, our Edeled is losing sleep thinking about a fiancée he's never even met? And he's getting nighttime education from my sister-in-law?"
Realizing his uncle was teasing him, the boy glared and raised his voice.
"It's not that I haven't seen her face. I saw the portrait sent from Florida."
"A portrait? You haven't met her to talk, haven't held her hand, haven't exchanged letters, and you're losing sleep over just a portrait!"
"You wouldn't say that if you saw the Grand Duchess's portrait."
Edeled's voice was short and cold. Nora waved her hand, quickly trying to smooth things over.
"Young master, this isn't the time to tease Gongzi, who you'll be marrying next year. The problem is Edgar! This isn't the time to just make ladies' hearts ache. You need to find a good woman and get married quickly."
"We beg you too! Young master, please meet a good person and get married soon!"
"Mom keeps nagging and beating us, saying, 'It's because of you dimwits that the young master can't get married!' We're already miserable because we can't date or marry, and we have to hear that too!"
William and James also chimed in, making a fuss. Edgar shook his head and said.
"Look, you guys should stop your mother. She's taking out her frustration of you not being married on me! I'm most afraid of your mother in the world."
Nora's voice rose sharply.
"It's not about taking out frustration, it's just the way it is! What did my sons learn from you that they act so clueless in front of women? I can understand William, but even James, who's supposed to be so smart! Ugh, it's frustrating."
"Why are you blaming me? It's unfair, Nora! My only sin is being popular with the ladies."
Then the brothers pouted and grumbled.
"Well, it's because you stole all our dating skills when we were young!"
"Young master, don't just talk big, get married while you're here."
"Look, I'll marry the best lady in the continent on my own, so you guys take care of yourselves."
"Yes, please! If possible, a lady who is beautiful, noble, eloquent, and powerful would be great! If you marry someone strange, we'll get our hair pulled and beaten by Mom for not taking good care of you!"
Edgar burst into laughter at James's earnest words.
"Am I really getting advice about women from you brothers? From guys who haven't even held a woman's hand? Oh, God. I've lived too long!"
The workers passing by also chuckled. Edgar brought such a cheerful atmosphere wherever he went, and many people liked him.
Edgar, who had been laughing loudly, hesitated as he turned his head toward the boy. The boy was staring at him without a smile. Had he been watching us all along? What is he thinking right now? The black eyes, devoid of any emotion, suddenly felt frightening.
Was the joke a bit too much? Edgar sighed and immediately approached the boy, bowing his head.
"I teased you too much, I apologize."
"……."
The boy's eyes widened slightly. He didn't seem to expect an apology. But seeing his nephew still not responding, Edgar sighed. The boy liked his uncle, but he thought too much, was too proud, and held grudges for too long once he was upset. He wasn't the type to shake off his feelings on his own.
"I really didn't mean to insult you or your fiancée. I just wanted to joke around with my nephew whom I hadn't seen in a while. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"Yes. I understand, Uncle."
Edeled accepted the apology with the word "understand" instead of saying it was okay. Only then did the boy's expression slowly soften. Edgar felt a little annoyed with the boy, but instead of showing it, he bent down and said affectionately.
"By the way, tonight it seems like I should be hearing your love story instead of my adventures? You have a face that says you have a lot to say."
"No. Uncle."
"Or, are you curious about the first night? Worried? You have to get married next year, but you don't know anything?"
"No, no, it's really not like that."
The boy hurriedly shook his head. Edgar laughed heartily, hugging him as if he were cute and stroking his hair. A low, soft voice flowed into the boy's ear.
"You'll naturally learn everything when you actually experience it. Don't worry too much."
The boy's eyes narrowed sharply. He struggled with all his might to get out of his uncle's arms, then straightened his clothes and raised his head high. With a flushed face, but firmly, he cut off the conversation.
"It doesn't seem like a very proper topic, so let's really stop talking about it. Uncle."
Meanwhile, in a corner of the kitchen, Nora was slapping William's back with a hand as big as a pot lid. The large iron pot had already been emptied.
"You're like a gluttonous demon possessed by that mouth of yours! Are you a bear or a person! You've eaten ten bowls and you're still clamoring for more! What am I supposed to put on the lord's table for dinner!"
"Ah, Mom! I didn't eat it all by myself, why are you only picking on me!"
But understanding that she couldn't beat up Edgar, who had eaten with him, William shouted again.
"I can cook it again! I was the young master's exclusive chef for two years, you know!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the kitchen became as quiet as a mouse. Edgar placed his hand on William's shoulder with a solemn face and said.
"Listen, William. Actually, God appeared in my dream a few days ago and said he would grant me one wish, so I could ask for anything. Do you know what I wished for then?"
"What did you wish for?"
"God, please just put our William's adventurous spirit, creativity, and courage in his pocket for a while when he's cooking. I've been tortured enough in the name of love and loyalty. Shouldn't I be able to eat something similar to what humans eat, at least when I come home?"
Laughter erupted, and William's face crumpled.
"So what did God say?"
"He said he'd rather recreate the universe."
"Wahahaha, ahahahahahaha!"
"But if he recreated the universe, there's no guarantee that I'd be born again as such a wonderful man. I thought this was a big problem, so I said, 'Forget recreating the universe, I'll just eat whatever William gives me.' Wouldn't you say I wasted the opportunity of a lifetime so futilely?"
The people gathered laughed again. The people of Nebulosa Castle really liked Edgar's unpretentious jokes.
After a while, as people began to leave one by one, Edeled also gave Edgar a light bow and left the kitchen door.
"...Then, Uncle, after you've rested from your journey, I'll see you again later."
"Ah, okay. Then let's reconvene our gathering of men tonight."
Seeing Edeled's figure disappear, Edgar smiled bitterly and opened his mouth.
"The Grand Duchess of Florida must be seething inside to have such a young child as her husband. Instead of a brave man winning a beautiful woman, a shy little boy is taking the continent's greatest jewel."
"That's right. The world is so unfair. If only the late Duke had given the second young master a share of the Nebulosa estate..."
Nora sighed and trailed off. In her eyes, Edgar was the greatest man on the continent. How wonderful it would have been if the late Duke had given his second son a share of the Nebulosa estate.
Edgar chuckled and changed the subject.
"By the way, how pretty is the Grand Duchess of Florida that that kid is making such a fuss over just a portrait? Is she the most beautiful woman on the continent?"
"According to James, she is indeed a great beauty."
"Hmm? James, have you also seen the Grand Duchess's portrait?"
"Yes, young master. The portrait is kept in the Bureau of Records, and Edeled always takes me with him when he secretly goes to see it. He needs someone to keep watch."
"Ah, he secretly goes to see his fiancée's portrait, does he? I wasn't saying something completely unfounded, was I. Goodness, he's barely dry behind the ears and he's doing all sorts of things, really."
Edgar laughed playfully, then said with a glint in his eyes.
"Then James, you must know very well where the portrait is hidden."
"……."
Edgar stood in a corner of the Bureau of Records, unaware of the passage of time. He held a portrait in his hand, and the five candles on the table dimly illuminated the portrait drawn on parchment.
He stared at the painting for a very long time with wide eyes and a hardened face. The muscles in his jaw were visibly tense, as if he was clenching his mouth.
"William."
"Yes, young master."
A thick, low voice was heard from the darkness. Edgar said in a voice completely devoid of laughter.
"Next time, let's pay a visit to Regio Florida."
That night, the 'gathering of men' that was supposed to meet in front of Nora's kitchen stove was canceled.
