I Raised an Obsessive Servant - Chapter 184
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* * *
To start with, Reynard was tormented by the four Tessie siblings all day. He was only able to break free from the Beagle-like siblings when dinner time arrived. But it didn’t end there.
“I’m going to marry Reynard,” Sarah abruptly declared while eating the salad served for dinner. The dining room, filled with light chatter, went silent as if a cold bucket of water was poured over it.
Aiden, who was enjoying his homeland food after a long time, halted in shock with a piece of southern-style raisin bread in his mouth.
The third and youngest siblings, who had been excited about the plentiful food due to the rare visit, didn’t even pause their enthusiastic meat-eating at Sarah’s surprising declaration.
The most bewildered one was Reynard who was suddenly picked on.
‘Why all of a sudden?’
The two of them had only met today. Talking about marriage out of the blue, not even being close friends. Shouldn’t she ask about his intentions first? And, what’s with a thirteen-year-old girl talking about marriage?
While Reynard was rolling his eyes in perplexity, Sarah looked at him with a dazed look, clutching her cheeks.
“You’re the most handsome boy I’ve seen so far.”
“A man is not all about his looks!” Aiden quickly retorted, to which Sarah calmly added:
“He’s also very capable. Much better than any local boys around here.”
“Capability isn’t everything!”
“If it’s not looks or capability, then what should I consider for marriage?”
“Well…”
Aiden was lost for words, silenced by his logically confronting sister. He couldn’t even chew the bread in his mouth.
It was Sarah who spoke first, staring fiercely at Reynard.
‘What about me?’
Reynard silently grumbled in bewilderment, at which point Aiden swallowed the bread in his mouth and abruptly stood up.
“It’s about love! Yes, love! Marriage is about being with someone you love! What’s the use of looks or capability if there’s no love?”
“I like Reynard.”
“You just met him today, what do you like about him?”
“Oh my, brother. Haven’t you heard of love at first sight? What have you learned at the academy?”
Reynard secretly admired Sarah for her words, which had left Aiden speechless. The sudden marriage talk was disconcerting, but it was honestly a little amusing to see Aiden, who had never lost a verbal fight, on the losing end.
“You can’t just decide because you like him! You have to ask Reynard’s opinion!”
“Then, let’s ask. Reynard, what do you think of me?”
Reynard, who had barely managed to suppress his laughter at Aiden’s flustered face, swallowed hard at the sudden attention directed at him.
“…What?”
“I like you. What do you think of me?”
After meeting Aiden, Reynard thought he could handle any child. No child could be more troublesome than Aiden, he thought.
But he was wrong. The girl named Sarah in front of him was more audacious than Aiden!
However, after a moment of confusion, Reynard was able to confidently answer her question.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I already have someone I like.”
Unbeknownst to Yurina, it was the first day Reynard had been honest with his heart.
* * *
Now, Yurina, who had been listening to Reynard’s past recollections, propped up her chin with both hands and smiled meaningfully at Reynard. Of course, the quick-witted Reynard carefully omitted the part about Sarah’s marriage proposal.
But the even more quick-witted Yurina, reassured by her husband’s complacent smile, suddenly asked:
“So, is she the one, Sarah? The one who proposed to you?”
Reynard choked on his tea in surprise. Blair patted his father’s back, who was coughing.
“Is Dad okay?”
“How… how?”
“Aiden told me before. That his sister has fallen completely for you.”
Aiden, this guy. I won’t leave him alone next time.
Grinding his teeth inwardly, Reynard desperately tried to change the subject.
“Anyway, Tessie’s territory is really rural.”
Even though Yurina knew Reynard was changing the subject, she still listened to his story.
* * *
Every time Aiden would forget, he would grumble about the smell of cow dung coming from his mansion in the countryside.
Reynard, who only knew the noble’s mansion as Carthia’s, couldn’t understand how a noble’s mansion could smell like cow dung, no matter what.
So, he thought that the talkative guy was bragging.
However, the next morning after arriving at the Tessie mansion, the thing that greeted Reynard was a foul smell from somewhere.
“Ugh.”
As if to mock Reynard who instinctively covered his nose, the sound of a chicken crowing came from outside the window.
Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Reynard opened his mouth in surprise. This kind of nature-friendly environment was his first since living in the countryside when he was young.
Isn’t this too much for a noble’s mansion?
Hoping against hope, Reynard, who opened the window wide, was speechless at the sight outside.
He hadn’t seen it properly when he arrived last night, but what spread out in front of his eyes was a vast field. And not just any field, it was a field where herds of cows were grazing!
There was nowhere to be seen the well-organized garden, fountain, or statues that are common to see in a noble’s mansion.
What was even more ridiculous was Aiden, who was sleeping soundly despite this noisy sound.
Reynard climbed onto the bed and shook Aiden’s leg with his toe.
“Hey, Aiden.”
Aiden didn’t move at all, indicating how deep his sleep was.
“Hey, hey. Aiden.”
After a long shake, he groaned and buried his face in the pillow.
“Why?”
“I can hear the chickens.”
“So what?”
“I’m saying, I can hear the chickens here.”
“So what… yawn.”
As he was yawning, Aiden seemed to understand belatedly and nodded as if to say that it was obvious.
“That’s how it is here.”
“What?”
“I told you. Our territory is rural.”
“But even if it is a rural territory…”
“Nature-friendly, isn’t it nice? I’m going back to sleep.”
“Hey, hey. Wait a minute…”
As if the incessant crowing of chickens was part of everyday life, Aiden didn’t care and turned over his blanket.
Reynard looked at him with a dumbfounded expression for a moment and then buried his face in the pillow.
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo!
Even while Reynard was dumbfounded, the crowing of the rooster continued to come in through the window.
“Ahaha.”
* * *
After hearing the story, Yurina laughed while clutching her stomach.
At first, Reynard, who was worried that she might have a stomach ache, relaxed when he heard her laughter and laughed along.
“A very Aiden-like territory.”
“Right? Anyway, I was really surprised. A rooster crowing in a noble’s mansion. Can you even imagine?”
As they spoke, their carriage entered the Tessie territory. The landscape outside the window was exactly as Reynard had described.
The vast fields, the herds of cows grazing there, and the children chasing chickens.
Looking at the carefree scenery, Blair wiggled his hips as if he wanted to go out and play.
“Dad! Blair too! There are chickens! Chickens there!”
Blair’s eyes sparkled as he pointed at the chickens.
“Let’s play a little later.”
While Reynard was soothing Blair, the carriage slowly pulled up in front of Tessie’s mansion.
As soon as the three of them got out, Aiden came running.
“Oh my, Reynard!”
As soon as Yurina took Blair from Reynard’s arms, Aiden hugged Reynard tightly. The speed was so fast that Reynard’s sturdy body wobbled.
“Hey, hey, hey. Be careful, I almost fell.”
But Aiden didn’t care and began to speak.
“I did send a letter, but I didn’t know you would come. Hey, Reynard! You should have given me a heads up if you were coming! You surprised me by coming without a word.”
Yurina whispered to Reynard.
“Didn’t you reply?”
“I forgot.”
It wasn’t that he forgot, he probably didn’t send it on purpose.
Even though he didn’t say it, Reynard must have wanted to surprise Aiden.
“Uncle, Uncle!”
“Oh, Blair! Our Blair has grown so much! I can’t recognize you!”
This time, Aiden hugged Blair and rubbed his cheek on the baby’s soft cheek. Blair burst into laughter.
“Don’t do this here, come in. Please come in quickly.”
The four of them went straight to the reception room. The reception room was small compared to the mansions of Carthia and Felius.
However, it was a well-organized and cozy reception room.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve just been living as usual.”
The four of them were chatting, when a brown-haired woman shyly entered with a knock.
Aiden greeted her with a blushing face.
“Say hello. This is my fiancée, Jennifer.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Reynard. This is my wife Yurina.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Aiden’s close friend.”
Jennifer, with her round and charming eyes, had the complete opposite personality to Aiden. She was quiet and gentle.
Yurina thought that she and Aiden matched quite well.
Reynard shook hands with Jennifer, his eyes reddening.
“Please take care of our Aiden.”
Aiden whistled.
“Jennifer, did you hear that? He said ‘our’ Aiden. He’s not that kind of guy!”
“Quiet, Aiden.”
“Quiet, Uncle!”
Everyone laughed when Blair repeated Reynard’s words.
It was a happy day.
* * *
Aiden’s wedding day dawned. Blair was the one to hold the wedding ceremony again today.
The child wore a necklace with rings and walked down the aisle with great strength.
“Daddy, Blair is walking!”
“Yes, you’re doing great.”
“Blair, come here. Come to your uncle!”
When Aiden clapped in approval, Blair walked even more energetically.
Aiden took the ring from the newly arrived Blair and put it on Jennifer’s finger.
As soon as Jennifer put the ring on Aiden’s finger, Aiden kissed her on the lips.
Reynard quickly covered Blair’s eyes, but Blair, who had already seen everything, shouted.
“They kissed!”
People laughed at the child’s loud proclamation.
And a year and a half later, a beautiful daughter was born to Aiden and Jennifer.
Despite Reynard’s opposition, Aiden named his daughter ‘Reina Tessie’.
Of course, it was a name derived from Reynard’s.