Chapter 121 – Epilogue
“Okay then, let’s proceed with the cutting ceremony. “Your Majesty, Chairman, please cut it together.”
A reporter holding a magic projector looked at me and Astur, the crown prince who was now the emperor, and spoke.
At his signal, the emperor and I cut the ribbon.
“We announce the opening of the 15th DG Department Store, Ovilleon branch!”
Pop! Pop! Boom!
Fireworks exploded.
Ovilon Point.
A new department store was built on the family estate of the emperor’s mother, the empress.
It was a geographical environment that did not seem very profitable, but it was the result of a political deal.
“Thank you. Thanks to our Chairman Dojin Kim, I have become a son who is worthy of even my mother’s shame.”
A smile appeared on the emperor’s face.
“This is my reward for sending Chloe to our department store.”
Haha! I didn’t send it expecting anything in return. “She just sent me because she wanted to work with you.”
The emperor smiles happily.
There didn’t seem to be any worry on his face.
Although he has a friendly smile, he was the one who beheaded Duke Voltegg two months ago.
The previous emperor passed away four years ago.
It’s been two months since our wedding.
The emperor died and the empire went through a week of mourning. In the process, Crown Prince Astur became the next emperor and rose to the position of absolute ruler of the empire.
Astur ascended to the throne and many policies changed.
Unlike the previous emperor, who advocated an anti-aristocratic policy, he slightly expanded the guarantee rights of nobles as long as they did not cross the line.
Although it was not a pro-aristocratic policy, it was a policy aimed at minimizing noise in the process of succession to power.
Voltegg took advantage of this and made quite a lot of profit.
He started many businesses under the name of Empress Charlotte, and succeeded in securing a significant amount of influence in the process.
The crown prince just watched as his size increased considerably.
During that time, I was promoted to a major contributor and even received the Duke of Duchess.
Duke Dojin Kim.
But there was no territory.
Department stores are all I have.
There was no need to ask for territory. Instead, what he requested from the emperor was the right to contract with the upper level of the empire. We requested exclusive contracts for some of those items.
Voltegg refuted that periodically.
The external reason was that monopolies should be prevented, but behind the scenes, he also had a desire to be granted exclusive contract rights.
The emperor had no intention of listening to that.
He trusted his brother-in-law more than his in-laws.
And that was the seed of anxiety.
Even though Voltegg was on the Emperor’s side, he often feuded with the Emperor.
He used to oppose things that he felt would not benefit his family.
The emperor mostly respected his wishes.
After three years, the emperor suddenly took out his sword.
He said he would punish nobles who profited excessively from the nobility guarantee.
Volteg’s fate came to an end when all the bribes he received in the name of the Empress and because he was her maternal relative were taken away.
Her son, Charlotte’s brother, received the title of duke.
The Voltegg family lost a significant portion of its territory.
In this way, Voltegg, who almost became the greatest family in the empire, collapsed.
Charlotte did not say anything during the process.
Since she was also a person deeply involved in Volte’s corruption, she kept her mouth shut in order to survive.
That’s how Voltegg fell.
He’s a scary person.
The type of person who sharpens a knife behind his back while smiling.
The fact that he didn’t care who the other person was reminiscent of a landmine.
I thought it was nothing and exploded the moment I stepped on it.
I expected it.
Voltegg may not have been intoxicated with his power.
“Thank you. I feel relieved by your help.”
“It is thanks to His Majesty’s kindness.”
If you know, you should be careful.
Avoid stepping on landmines.
“Why are you talking like that?”
Chloe asked.
She was pregnant and came to me, holding her swollen belly.
“It’s not a big deal. I just had a small talk with my brother-in-law. But I was very hungry. “Isn’t it about time?”
“There are only a few days left.”
“Why did you come out when you were resting inside?”
“It’s about opening a branch in my mother’s hometown. “She can’t come because she’s my daughter.”
Haha, right. “That’s what family is.”
After finishing speaking to the emperor, Chloe glared at me.
“And honey, wasn’t your expression too unnatural during the cutting ceremony earlier? “I’ve done it 14 times now, but it’s time to get used to it.”
“Camera anxiety is not easily cured.”
“I always avoid saying such strange things, but now I need to slowly change it. “You can’t appear in the newspaper forever with an awkward face.”
“Why are you suddenly saying that?”
Chloe glared at me for a moment and then sighed.
“I recently heard a story from a social circle. “The princess married an ugly man, so she suffered a lot.”
“Ugly man?”
“Of course. Since I became an aristocrat, I didn’t go out in social circles, and the only thing I saw was pictures of me smiling awkwardly, so everyone misunderstood me. He looks so handsome. “How can you call him an ugly man?”
Chloe stroked my face.
As I pressed her cheek, her lips came out of their own accord.
Chloe kissed me on the mouth.
“So, if you don’t want to be called ugly, practice.”
“Okay.”
“Or is it not because of frustration? I don’t think we’ve done it recently… Should I do it by hand?”
Chloe waved her hand up and down secretly so that no one could see
I swallowed my saliva without realizing it at her light hand play.
“Can you do it? It’s a real frustration.”
“Are you sure you want it? Then it’s possible at any time.”
The reason I often see her like this after getting married is probably because I am often embarrassed by her pranks.
“Hmm, how about making love between husband and wife out of sight?”
The emperor cleared his throat to brighten the mood.
It was then.
“Meet His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Hey!”
Luna and Elena came holding the child’s hand and bowed to the emperor.
Unlike Chloe, who postponed her pregnancy plans to take care of the empire’s internal affairs for three years after getting married, Elena and Luna had their first child shortly after getting married.
I remembered being jealous of Chloe every time I saw the little children growing up.
Elena’s daughter Rihanna had brown hair that resembled Elena and black eyes that resembled mine.
She was a very affectionate child, so every time I came home, she was cute and toddled to greet me.
Luna’s son, Raphard, was a well-behaved child who didn’t cry much, but he had an especially high nose that was impressive, perhaps because he resembled me. He was looking at me with black hair and sparkling black eyes that resembled Luna.
Recently, he seems to have become interested in swords, and it was cute to see him whining every day to lift a wooden sword bigger than himself.
“Oppa, congratulations on your 15th store. I guess I haven’t been able to help out lately because I’ve been taking care of the kids…”
“Congratulation. “Honey.”
I smiled at the words of the two people who brought the child.
“Just being together like this is helping. “Isn’t that right, Rihanna?”
“Yes!”
“Maza!”
Rafferd also shouted as if he would not lose.
“But where is Sylvia?”
“He will come soon. He said he would come after finishing work over there.”
“Finishing work? No, what is a pregnant woman…”
“She’s only four months old, so they say she can work now. We tried to stop him too…”
Ha.
I knew very well that it would be difficult to stop Silvia from being so stubborn.
“Then, when you come, I’ll have to say something.”
It was time to sigh.
“I’m here!”
Sylvia, whose speaking style she used to use at the convenience store had now become ingrained in her mouth, came holding her swollen belly.
“I told you not to push yourself too hard.”
“It’s not unreasonable. “I can do this much.”
Seeing Sylvia smiling brightly brought a smile to my face without me realizing it.
They say they can do it with a smile like that. How can they stop it?
“You look happy. “I laughed a lot.”
“That’s right. I am very happy.”
“In the past, I was a guy who didn’t know how to smile. “It looks like you’ve found real happiness now, since you always greeted me with a fake smile when I went to the convenience store as a customer.”
“I am truly happy.”
Isn’t this happiness?
I have my own home, a pretty wife and cute children, a family to protect, and my business is doing well.
Where can there be more happiness than this?
“You probably didn’t forget my warning last time, right?”
“Chloe, there will be no tears in your eyes.”
As soon as I finish speaking.
“Ahh!!!”
Chloe screamed in pain and clutched her stomach.
“What’s going on?”
“It must be labor pain!”
“Oh my, wait a minute. Chloe, take a deep breath. Take a deep breath.”
The emperor widened his eyes.
“Collic pains, doctor! “Hurry up and call the doctor!”
“Yes!”
There was chaos in an instant.
A doctor and a midwife came rushing in with Chloe’s labor pains, and with Sylvia’s magic, they headed to a hospital not far away.
Although the Ovilon territory was not a large city, there was still a small hospital.
“It looks like my water broke.”
“It must be done! Did you understand?”
The doctors strengthened their resolve at the emperor’s cry.
I held Chloe’s hand as she climbed onto the operating table while she was in pain.
This was my third time, but my heart still trembled.
I was anxious.
I’m afraid I’ll miss out on the happiness I found so hard.
“You will be able to do well. Because I wanted a child. “I hope I have a cute son who looks like you and me.”
Chloe smiled at those words.
Even though he was sweating profusely from the pain, he seemed to be trying to reassure me.
“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’m hurt anywhere. I’m waiting outside. “I don’t want to show any more pain.”
“Okay.”
I walked out, kissing the back of Chloe’s hand one last time.
“It’ll be okay, right?”
“It’ll be okay.”
“Is it my son? “Is it a daughter?”
The emperor seemed more excited than I was.
“It looks like you have a lot of expectations.”
“Of course. Even though it is not my child, my nephew is being born. Having another child with royal blood is something new.”
“Does Your Majesty not want to have children?”
“Hmm… It’s not like I don’t have any thoughts at all, but Charlotte avoids me. It must be because I killed her father.”
“Take a second wife.”
“I’m worried. But I don’t want to do something like that again.”
When I say it’s a hassle, I’m talking about eliminating Duke Voltegg and other maternal relatives.
“If a good candidate comes along, I’ll think about it.”
The crown prince said that and left.
He said it was not suitable for him to be here, so he headed to the lord’s castle.
She’ll probably be shaking her legs as she waits for news of the baby.
“Are you worried?”
I nodded to Elena’s question.
“Were you shaking like this when we gave birth?”
“Of course. “That day, his hands were sweating so much that he had to wipe them before going into the delivery room.”
“Cute. I’m so nervous.”
When Elena pinched her cheek, Rihanna, who was hugging her, smiled and pinched her other cheek with her little fern hand.
Rafferd toddled over and pinched my leg.
“So, my husband, are you this nervous even on my birthday?”
Sylvia laughed mischievously.
“I guess so. “It is the day my fourth child is born, but Sylvia, you are the first to give birth.”
It’s inevitable to be nervous about giving birth for the first time.
“Turn off !!!”
We waited anxiously in front of the delivery room, listening to Chloe’s screams that were often heard.
And how long has it been?
“Mite! Mites!”
I heard a child crying.
“Congratulations. “It’s my son.”
I heard the voice of a female doctor.
“What about the mother?”
“You are healthy. You are holding a child right now. Would you like to come in?”
As soon as I heard those words, my legs gave out, and I couldn’t get up for a moment.
“Whew. Thank goodness.”
I entered the delivery room and saw the son who had just come out of Chloe’s body.
“Honey…”
“Chloe, you’ve worked hard.”
I kissed her forehead.
There were tears in the corners of my eyes.
How difficult was it?
She held her hand tightly and bit her lip.
“This is our son. Hug me.”
It was blonde, the same color as her hair.
I could see black pupils between the eyes that had not opened yet.
“You look good.”
“As for the name, as I said last time, I plan to take the name of the first emperor.”
“Marco, you mean?”
“Yes.”
I hugged Marco.
It was small.
It was tiny.
The way it was twitching was very cute.
A feeling of joy welled up in my heart.
I have to work as hard as I can to support my growing family.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Today was the birth of my son, Marco the Great, who will become the next emperor in the distant future.
Why is it called chachagi?
Who was the next emperor?
I won’t tell you who that is.
-Fin
