"Hahaha. Young master Axion is the sa as always. It seems just like yesterday when I first saw you at the winter ball."
Before stood a tall man with a long mustache. He was Count Dolkan, and he was in charge of overseeing a vast northeastern territory.
"Your words flatter , count. Still, you are the sa as the last ti I saw you.
Even as an adult, you were drinking the orange juice and you're still the sa." I smiled at him and he laughed again.
"Haha. It's my honor you rember that young master. But oranges are way better and healthy than that intoxicating grape juice." He was one of the few people famous for his dislike of alcohol in the empire.
It was an even more well-known fact because Dolkan county was famous for its fine wine production.
He was a unique person, but their land and wine factories were undoubtedly amazing. It was really fun when we went there.
"Right. I almost forgot." As if he suddenly rembered sothing, he looked to his other side.
"Maybe you already know, but this is my daughter-"
"Of course, I know lady Janet. We have t on occasions. But count…" I was smiling, but then my eyes beca sad.
"She already has soone she likes. I didn't think you would be the sa as those people."
There were few people in the hall as it was still early, but most of them were talking with their daughters, telling them the obvious things silently.
'And I don't even need Celes's clones to know their talks.'
Anyway, the count before had a confused expression.
"Ahh… no, no master Axion. I think you're mistaken about sothing.
I already know about them.
I wanted to say that Jan here is your fan. I an, she loves your book.
She wanted to et you for a while, and this was the perfect occasion. I hope you will hear her out."
'Right… he wasn't that kind of person to begin with.' Looks like this stuff with Rein really is making anxious.
He was famous and had good trade relations with my mom's rchant company, and his daughter was also a famous young literary critic.
She was beautiful, had dark gray hair like her father, and was beautiful. But she fancied baron Cava's son.
He was a nice person, pure like Alf.
And though he was clumsy and not much special or strong, he sure was famous for his classical poetry.
Few knew about them, and it was natural that her father would be one of them.
But it was interesting that a famous person like her still loved my year-old book.
"Father! You just…!"
She was angry at her father and as they chatted, I thought back to the chaotic ti when I first published my book, the epic we found in that evil spirit's tomb.
It was a genuinely hard ti, as the book beca so famous that the emperor wanted to award with a noble title.
It was difficult to turn him down, even more so to the three empresses who were still one of the top fans of that book.
It was a story that I didn't write, and there was little I did to spread that magnificent piece of literature to as many people as I can.
It was a book that was already noted down in history as the sales it had were off the charts for any general book in known history.
It was sothing that made as famous as I am now throughout the empire and continent. But eting a fan was still a weird task for .
"Umm… master Axion? C-can I have your autograph!"
She held out a copy of her book, one of the first editions for sure, and looked down. There was probably an embarrassed face she wanted to hide.
But still, just like every other fan I had t till now, my answer to her was the sa.
"I humbly decline, lady Janet. I believe you already know my reason." I smiled bitterly as she looked up, her face now painted with sadness.
"But still, you were the one to make it into what it is right now. I want your signature, the person who did all the work on his own. To decipher, edit, cut, and rewrite things from an ancient script all by yourself...
I know from experience how hard it is to do all that. And even more so when we are talking about an unknown language. But you did it. And for that… I respect you from the bottom of my heart."
She was sincere. But still, I can't do sothing I didn't believe in for so pretty words.
So I just shook my head without any words and she understood the negative answer. But still, she didn't lose hope, stored the book in her storage device, and took out a blue diary.
"Then can I at least have your autograph on this?"
It was her personal diary, a famous artifact she always carried with her.please visit
"Never thought I would get the chance to be on the sa list as those great people…"
I shook my head with a bitter sigh at her adamant behavior. She sure was a tough young lady.
"Ginger is a lucky guy…"
This diary was an artifact that contained autographs of almost all the finest artists on this continent. Sothing she had worked hard to create and maintain.
Only the best ones had their nas in this personal property that had value far beyond a collector's collection. So it was obviously an honor to be one of the people in the blue diary of the literature prodigy, Janet Jeremiah Dolkan Von Vionna.
"He sure is," she giggled with a bright smile. The two sure had a tough but beautiful future ahead of them.
"Here. Hope you both enjoy your ti here."
She was excited when she received my sign in her book. It was as much of an honor to have that for her as it was for to be on that list.
It will be fun to see them at the academy. They will definitely be a famous couple like uncle El and aunt Aug.
With a last smile, I left the two of them and greeted so other 'good' people in a way it seed I wasn't avoiding the interaction with the bastards camping in this hall.
Ti passed as my birthday night beca cheerful and the hall started crowding with people.
There was still ti for the thing to start though, so I waited for mom and other ladies with dad, two uncles, and grandpa. They all, like , were also a little too excited to see their partners.
It was a fine night, and each passing mont was tornting. The ladies were definitely teasing us by being late.
"Eon, what are they doing?" Dad asked while scratching his cheeks under his mask.
"They shouldn't take this long, even if they were making clothes by themselves." Uncle Theo mumbled under his breath with a subtle hint of impatience on his ever-calm face.
"Calculating their behavior pattern, adding the certain variables, and subtracting the unpredictability of their wills, I think they will be here in a minute or two." Uncle El was visibly in anguish. I could tell I wasn't the only one the ladies had teased.
"Haha, you all. Relax a little and give so advice to our little one… oh, right. It should be our grown-up little one now. Hahaha!
You all married adults should give so advice to the little brave one.
Can't you see his nervousness that isn't visible even while facing ?"
Grandpa laughed at all of us, mostly at the three of them, and patted my shoulder.
The three of them looked at him with a confused gaze, then noticed my faint signs of nervousness, exchanged so glances among themselves, and then shrugged.
"I don't think he needs it. He knows almost all the things, maybe more than necessary, so I think he will be alright." Dad had no doubt in his voice while saying that.
"We did try it yesterday, but we received a good class on relationships from him and ended up learning a few interesting things.
He's quite knowledgeable about certain stuff that none of us knew about." Uncle El was the sa as dad and uncle Theo nodded at his words.
"If anything, I think it should be us who need to worry about the aftermath after they are done." Uncle Theo sighed, and the other two nodded.
Grandpa was astonished at the three of their carefree behavior but then burst out laughing. The male trio of their house sure was as adorable as ever.
I smiled at the three of them, and their desperate gazes. Then I looked at grandpa and his subtle, very subtle, and almost unnoticeable eye movents.
'He's the sa as us…'
Age definitely wasn't relevant when talking about things like these. The two were pri examples of how love can be the sa even after such a long ti.
'And Rein's grandparents, too. It would have been perfect if they were also here.'
It was unfortunate, but there was suddenly a small problem in the south that required their attention.
I made sure they see everything with a live communication device, but it still would have been best if they were here.
'Damn the hoard of grasshoppers.'
It was a natural occurrence in the south and sothing which always happened on unusual occasions every year. And it started exactly before they all were leaving for the capital this ti.
Bastard insects.
'Haaa… it can't be helped now, anyway.'
I shook my head with a sad expression and they understood its aning.
But then I felt sothing different and my heart started beating a bit faster.
"They are here everyone," I spoke in a low voice and all five of our eyes looked in the direction of the stairs in unison.
We were speechless as we looked in one direction, the clock ticked, the sweat on our necks slid down gently, and as our breathing beca unusual, they appeared on the horizon…
"Gulp!"
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