Side Story 09. [After Story] Autumn Festival (3)
Crossroad, the Lord’s Manor.
“It’s so unfair…”
Sitting on the bed and staring out the window, Evangeline grumbled.
“I worked so hard preparing for this festival, and I can’t even enjoy it at all… It’s just so unfair…”
The grass sledding hill, Gourmet Street, the orchard experience…
All the new events she had introduced this year were a resounding success, but Evangeline herself couldn’t even see them because she was stuck recuperating after childbirth.
“I understand it’s disappointing since you worked so hard on it.”
I said, chuckling as I tried to comfort her.
“But you need to rest right now. You’ve already done something as important as the festival itself.”
“Ugh…”
Evangeline let out a groan as Lucas diligently peeled an apple and offered it to her.
“The festival is running just fine because of all the effort you put into it. Don’t worry about it and just eat this apple.”
“Enough, stop giving me apples already… I told you I’m not hungry… munch munch…”
Despite her words, Evangeline kept eating every slice of apple Lucas handed her. Of course, it was impossible for her to lose her appetite.
Meanwhile, Lucas was turning the apples into works of art. As expected of the Empire’s finest swordsman, he put extraordinary care into every apple he prepared for his wife.
Perfectly sliced pieces of apple were shaped into little rabbits, dolphins, and even adorable heart shapes. For someone with the physique of a bear, Lucas was surprisingly adept at cute gestures when it came to his wife.
The problem was that Evangeline, completely oblivious to these details, just stared out the window as she devoured the apples. It seemed like I was the only one noticing Lucas’s artistic efforts.
“As long as my lady appreciates them, that’s enough for me.”
Lucas said, nodding solemnly as he handed me an apple slice shaped like a crescent moon. I couldn’t help but admire it quietly—if there were a championship for apple carving, Lucas would surely win.
Just then, Evangeline shot us a sharp glare.
“Hey, are you peeling apples for some random man instead of your wife who just gave birth?!”
“Well, you told me to stop… said you weren’t hungry…”
Lucas shrank back, looking sheepish, while I muttered under my breath.
“And by the way, ‘some random man’? Sure, I’m not exactly family, but still…”
But the ruler of this household was Evangeline!
Having just given birth to twins and being in her recovery period, she wielded absolute power. Naturally, we couldn’t argue any further and quietly submitted to her rule. This time, I brought her freshly washed grapes, feeding them to her one by one, while Lucas busied himself massaging her arms and legs.
“Ah, that feels so nice! Hahaha!”
Seeing her laugh so heartily, it seemed her recovery was going well.
In truth, Evangeline and Lucas had had quite a tough time even after the childbirth. Of course, with newborn twins, how could they not struggle?
“The babies cry so much at night, it’s impossible to get any sleep. Just last night, I didn’t sleep a wink. Huaaah~”
Evangeline let out a big yawn.
The twins, Emerald and Sapphire, were lying side by side in their little crib nearby. Fortunately, they were sound asleep now.
When we first arrived, the babies had been crying non-stop. But as soon as Serenade began rocking the crib and singing a lullaby, they fell asleep as if by magic. Was Serenade’s voice still imbued with the powers of the Merfolk?
Thanks to that brief respite, Evangeline and Lucas had been able to relax and chat with me. Serenade, meanwhile, was still softly rocking the crib and humming gently.
“Cute, cute, so cute~”
“…”
My wife… she must really love babies.
‘Hang in there…’
Anyway, leaving the baby talk aside for a moment, I wanted to discuss the festival with the current lord, as her predecessor. Smiling at Evangeline, I said,
“You put a lot of effort into this festival. Honestly, I’m impressed.”
Evangeline had come up with innovative ideas, established new trade routes with nearby countries like the Lake Kingdom, and even personally restored an orchard. Her dedication was evident in every detail.
The culmination of all that effort was this Autumn Festival. It was bound to succeed.
“During those three years of fighting monsters, the Autumn Festival became a really good memory for me.”
Evangeline admitted, looking a bit bashful.
“Having a moment to forget everything and just enjoy ourselves during those suffocating days… looking back, it’s such a cherished memory.”
At her words, everyone present briefly recalled those times.
Yes.
It was moments like those that had helped us endure those difficult days together.
“I hope this festival can be a moment like that for people—where they can set aside all their daily worries and just relax.”
“It will be.”
Indeed, Crossroad was bustling with visitors from nearby towns and cities. The festival was a resounding success.
But Evangeline, her face now serious, shook her head.
“For now, we’re seeing a surge in visitors because of the festival, but that’s not enough. We need people to come here even when there’s no festival.”
“So, you’re planning to develop Crossroad into a proper tourist city?”
“With its identity as a military and fortress city fading, we’re in desperate need of a new and sustainable future. Tourism might be the answer.”
Evangeline faced me with a serious expression, her earlier playfulness completely gone.
“The harvest from the newly cultivated southern fields isn’t bad, and trade with the Lake Kingdom is growing, but… it’s still not nearly enough.”
The main source of Crossroad’s income—the processing and sale of magic stones—had completely halted, and with the war over, the industries that catered to mercenaries were shrinking as well.
While Crossroad’s identity as a military city responsible for guarding the southern edge of the Empire would remain, the primary enemy—the monsters—had been eradicated.
As the new lord in this new era, Evangeline was doing everything she could.
“Lucas has been keeping me updated on everything.”
I’d been concerned about Crossroad’s situation, so I’d been hearing about it through Lucas. I’d even considered offering my help.
But in the end, I didn’t. I chose to simply observe how Evangeline would develop Crossroad on her own.
Part of it was because I wanted to see her grow as a lord, but the bigger reason was this:
“You’re doing well, Evangeline.”
Evangeline was handling everything so competently that she didn’t need my help.
“You’re achieving what was once my dream—a tourist city out of Crossroad. As the former lord, I’m proud of you, and I’m grateful to you.”
“…”
Evangeline, her lips trembling slightly, hesitated before carefully asking:
“Am I going in the right direction?”
“That’s for the future to decide. It’s history that will judge whether we chose correctly. All we can do is pick a direction and move forward with determination.”
“…”
“And above all else, from where I’m standing… Crossroad seems like a pretty great city right now.”
The familiar faces who once stood beside me in armor on the front lines… now had dirt on their hands instead of gunpowder, raising their voices to attract customers rather than shouting orders to fend off attacks.
After governing Crossroad for three years, then overseeing the Bringar Duchy for five years, I’d been leading cities and regions for eight years in total. I could tell the state of a place just by observing the expressions of its people and the atmosphere in the air.
Right now, Crossroad was doing just fine.
“In any case, since you’ve set your direction and laid the groundwork, the next step would be…”
I snapped my fingers.
“Marketing!”
“Haha, exactly, my lord.”
Serenade chimed in, her eyes sparkling as soon as the subject of commerce came up.
“Packaging is everything when it comes to selling a product.”
Advertising!
With Crossroad’s tourism products seemingly well-prepared, it was time to start selling them properly.
“But… we’ve already been promoting diligently throughout the southern regions. What more can we do?”
Evangeline asked.
Serenade and I exchanged a knowing smile.
I had all the insidious—I mean, effective!—advertising techniques I’d learned in 21st-century Earth, and Serenade had the talent and ability to execute them flawlessly.
It was time for the husband-and-wife marketing team to take action!
“If you’ll allow me, Evangeline, I’ll lend a hand just a little.”
I offered.
While the future of Crossroad would ultimately depend on Evangeline and its people, I could at least give them a gentle push in the right direction.
‘And if the benefits trickle over to the Bringar Duchy, that wouldn’t hurt either!’ I thought, picking up a long bun from the plate beside me and taking a bite. Delicious.
“But let’s talk more about that later.”
I said.
“You’re looking like you’re starting to feel better. How about going out to see the festival tomorrow?”
I expected Evangeline to eagerly nod and accept, excited by the suggestion. But instead, she looked at her babies for a moment and then said,
“…No. I think I’ll trust in the preparations I’ve made and in the people around me.”
She smiled maturely.
“The festival will do just fine without me being there. For now, I’ll stay here with my babies.”
“…”
I blinked in surprise, my mouth slightly agape.
Was this really Evangeline?
Becoming a lord and a mother… she had grown so much. She seemed so much more mature now. It was a bit startling.
“Instead, let’s all have dinner together tonight!”
Evangeline continued, her face lighting up in a mischievous smile more reminiscent of her old self.
“I’ve already invited Junior and Damien. Let’s have a reunion with the main party and eat together!”
Beaming, she turned to Lucas and barked an order with her usual impish charm.
“Hey, go to Gourmet Street and buy a bunch of food from different stalls! Enough for everyone to share!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Lucas immediately sprang to his feet, bowing deeply before heading out the door to fetch the food.
Was this really Lucas?
Becoming a father… he was completely whipped now. It was almost unrecognizable.
That evening, the dining room of the Lord’s Manor.
For the first time in a long while, the five members of the main party were gathered around the same table.
Serenade, who had been looking after the twins, had somehow managed to keep them asleep all day. She volunteered to watch them for a little while longer during dinner, with Elize, Daram, and Hecate accompanying her.
And so, it was just us.
Me, Lucas, Evangeline, Damien, and Junior.
The five of us, who had once fought together to protect the world from monsters, now reunited in this peaceful era, laughing and sharing a meal.
“How have you been lately, Junior?”
Evangeline asked.
“I’m still studying. Since the Jupiter Foundation is trying to dig into sensitive parts of history, I have to be well-versed in existing historical records to avoid unnecessary attacks.”
“Where do you study?”
“They’re letting me use the Ivory Tower. Dearmuid has been very accommodating. The Ivory Tower was recently converted into a historical research foundation focused on magic, so it aligns well with our goals.”
For a while, the conversation revolved around Junior and the Jupiter Foundation.
As expected, since I’m the chairman of the Jupiter Foundation. This foundation, which aims to reinterpret the continent’s history from a new perspective, is the first project I’ve initiated under the name of the Crown Prince.
However, we’re still short on manpower, and more importantly, His Majesty, the Emperor, isn’t particularly enthusiastic about this project. Because of that, I’ve been proceeding cautiously, carefully keeping an eye on his reactions.
Eventually, I’ll become Emperor myself, and when that happens, I can fully implement the project without restraint. For now, I’m taking things slow and laying the groundwork.
The topic at the table shifted from Junior’s current activities to Damien’s recent journey. Everyone was curious about Damien’s adventures at the western edge of the world.
After hesitating for a moment, Damien slowly began to speak.
“My journey… well, that’s one thing. But there’s something else I need to report to His Highness first.”
“Hm?”
“While traveling west across the continent, I heard a rumor. I kept heading further west to confirm its validity. Eventually, I reached the westernmost edge of the world… and I met them.”
Them?
Everyone except Damien blinked in confusion, unable to follow the context of the story.
“I debated whether I should keep this information to myself… but I’ve decided I need to tell you, Your Highness.”
Damien looked at me, his face resolute.
“At the westernmost edge of the world, they’re alive.”
“Alive? Who is?”
And then, with Damien’s next words, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in shock.
“…The wife of First Prince Lark, and their three children.”
–TL Notes–
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