“Are you curious about how to become the godparent of the two?”
While staying in the empire, Banessa learned something useful.
It was that when unexpected problems arise, it’s best to cling to someone older!
Instead of worrying alone, if he went to Callisto and acted coy, the answer naturally came out.
Banessa decided to use what he learned in the empire in the principality as well.
The first person that came to mind, of course, was Ahwin.
Not only was he a higher wing than him, but he also fixed his leg.
Banessa had no doubt that he and Ahwin had a very special relationship.
“A godparent, that’s not an easy dream. It’s not something that can be achieved just because you want it.”
“That’s true. But isn’t there a way? Brother, you know how deep my loyalty runs, don’t you?”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
After listening to Banessa’s concerns, Ahwin fell into thought.
His long silver hair shone in the sunlight, and his white priestly robe gave off a mysterious atmosphere.
“As expected, it would be best to subtly ask the Saint.”
“Really? That’s the best idea, right?”
“Soon, I will meet the Saint and make a request. In fact, I thought it was too much of a desire for me, so I had given it up.”
“…Too much? Not for me, but for you?”
“All I have are shortcomings. That’s why I gave up the dream, but after hearing you, it seems it wouldn’t hurt to bring it up. If there are several candidates, it would also be a good thing for the Saint. She could choose the person who would be most helpful to the children as the godparent.”
Banessa asked, feeling incredulous.
“Several candidates? You mean for the godparent?”
“That’s right. For now, you and I are two, but it’s possible others could be considered. For instance, Prince Julios. Frankly, we wouldn’t even stand a chance before him.”
Banessa’s laughter cracked like breaking glass.
How could this be?
Ahwin was also aiming to become the godparent.
Moreover, because of Banessa, he was trying to revive the dream he had once given up. He had practically summoned her competitor!
“Prince… Julios…”
Even worse, it was Julios.
If it were Ahwin, he might stand a chance, but he had no confidence in beating Julios. How could he possibly outdo the uncle of the two royal heirs?
No, Julios wasn’t even his competition.
Banessa was a knight of the Principality of Genos. Julios was also someone he was supposed to serve loyally.
…Still, he couldn’t give up so easily.
Julios was indeed the most likely candidate for godparent.
But life doesn’t always go according to predictions.
For some reason, Julios might give up the position of godparent.
If so, that meant there was still a chance for him! After all, only those who are prepared can seize opportunities!
“Brother, wouldn’t it be quite awkward for His Highness if both of us went to the Saint? So let’s settle our ranking between us, hm?”
He had hoped to eliminate the competitor right in front of him, but Ahwin declined Banessa’s suggestion.
“This is not something we can decide. Whether there are two, three, or even more candidates, it’s the Saint who will make the judgment. We will simply follow that judgment.”
It was, indeed, the very essence of integrity.
At that moment, Banessa realized how much he longed for the position of the royal godparent.
In the Principality of Genos, being a godfather or godmother meant being like a second parent.
He had no desire to dare to become the parent of a royal heir. But what intrigued him was the role of a godparent.
A parent is someone who protects their child. No matter what happens, a parent is someone who must always protect their child.
Of course, he would do so as a knight as well. But as much as he adored the royal heirs, he also had a strong desire to be someone special to them.
So he couldn’t give up so easily.
Never!
* * *
Banessa’s persistence, which had once worn out Callisto in the empire, eventually managed to sway Ahwin to his will.
Ahwin, who could not resist Banessa’s constant pestering, finally accepted the challenge he wanted.
And that challenge was the card game the two were now playing.
“Are you going to give up?”
Ahwin grinned as he watched Banessa tremble while checking his cards. It was the relaxed smile that only a winner could wear. Banessa shouted in frustration.
“I’m not done yet!”
“Not yet? In a card game, there’s no such thing as ‘not yet.’ There are only two outcomes: win or lose. If you’re confident, show your cards.”
Confidence? That was something he definitely didn’t have. Banessa’s hand was a disaster.
But, unfortunately, he couldn’t afford to fold this round.
Through this card game with Ahwin, Banessa learned another thing about himself.
He had no poker face in his vocabulary.
Whatever hand he was holding, his expression revealed it the moment he saw his cards.
Unlike Ahwin, who could remain as calm as if he had a royal flush even with a terrible hand, he was the complete opposite.
“As expected, I win.”
The moment he wished he could delay forever had arrived.
Ahwin triumphantly laid down his cards after seeing Banessa’s hand. Banessa let out an animalistic groan as he buried her face in the table.
“Ughhhhh!”
Ahwin chuckled softly as he watched him.
Though he had been swept up in Banessa’s antics and ended up winning the match, the truth was, he didn’t really mind whether or not he became the godfather.
It would be an honor for him personally, but wasn’t it Leticia’s choice? He would simply follow whatever decision she made.
“Perhaps, Lady Leticia, could you become the child’s godmother?”
Ahwin’s smile faded slightly, as an old memory suddenly resurfaced.
It was the day he swore his loyalty to Leticia in the past.
He had made a request to Leticia.
If his child were to be born, he asked her to be the godmother. Leticia had accepted his request.
‘Damn.’
With Banessa still groaning in front of him, Ahwin smiled bitterly.
When Rehir died, he hadn’t doubted for a moment that his dream wasn’t far off.
He loved Noel, and Noel loved him in return.
Leticia had completely overcome her curse, and he believed that only a shining future lay ahead for everyone.
‘I need to let go of my desire, but it’s not easy.’
A completely unexpected barrier had appeared in front of him.
Noel had rejected his proposal.
It was something he had never imagined, but in the end, he accepted it.
He loved Noel, and he had to respect Noel’s choice as well. He didn’t want her to marry him out of a sense of obligation.
‘…Time will heal this.’
Even so, there were moments when he suddenly felt anxious.
There was a clear difference between a wife and a lover.
While both were relationships based on love, being lovers alone wasn’t enough to quench his thirst.
He wanted to hold onto Noel more firmly.
Of course, he knew that marriage didn’t guarantee a relationship. Still, he wanted to make their bond just a little more solid. He didn’t want Noelle to leave him.
He had confidence that he could be a good husband and a good father.
If Noelle could be happy within the shelter of a family, he would do anything.
The problem was that Noelle didn’t want that shelter.
So he couldn’t wish for it any longer. Forcing her into a shelter she didn’t need would be arrogant.
And yet.
Ahwin pressed his knuckles against his eyelids. He thought he had sorted out his feelings, but his desire kept resurfacing. He let out a deep breath to suppress his foolish desires.
Desires must be controlled. Otherwise, they would show.
The last thing he wanted was for Noel to notice his feelings.
He had already burdened her once with his proposal.
He didn’t even want to imagine Noel being conscious of his feelings or being forced to accept his proposal out of a sense of obligation.
Time would heal it.
* * *
Abel and Lihira.
The two children were growing rapidly, day by day. Leticia recently realized the truth of the saying that raising children is so enjoyable that time seems to fly by.
Raising children wasn’t always easy. At first, both she and Dietrian had struggled. It was because of Leticia’s desire.
“I want to raise the children myself.”
In the royal family, it was customary for a nanny to raise the children. This wasn’t just the case in the royal family but in most noble households. Parents would visit their children during scheduled times.
It was also common for the children’s rooms to be far from the couple’s bedroom, so the children’s cries wouldn’t disturb the parents’ rest.
“I’ve never experienced a mother’s love. So… I want to give them a mother’s love. I want to try to do it right.”
Those around her tried to dissuade her from her decision.
It’s not easy, they said. You need rest. You might have to get up every two hours. You’ll need the help of the palace staff.
But Leticia didn’t want to give up.
Time passes, and children grow up. She would never see today’s version of her children again. That’s why she was so determined…
But when she actually started, raising children was a real battle.
They said raising twins wasn’t just twice as hard, but ten times harder, and they were right.
Leticia felt embarrassed as she collapsed onto the bed, utterly exhausted. She had underestimated how hard raising children would be.
On the other hand, she came to have immense respect for mothers everywhere.
She also felt sorry for Dietrian.
He had fully supported Leticia’s decision to raise the children themselves. Not only that, but he had even taken the lead in childcare.
Whenever the babies cried, he would immediately get up to soothe them. Afraid of waking Leticia, he would carry the babies and pace up and down the hallways for a long time.
To the apologetic Leticia, Dietrian smiled broadly and said:
“These aren’t just your children; they’re our children. This time is as miraculous for me as it is for you. It will never come back again. So I won’t miss a second of it.”
As he spoke those words, there were dark circles under his eyes.
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