Civil Servant in a Romance Fantasy - Chapter 990



990 – Reassemble – 4

Meeting my cousins ​​for the first time was, of course, awkward. I can laugh with people I meet for the first time in public, but I’m not the kind of person who can have a warm conversation in private. Rather, I’m more of an introverted hikikomori who likes to be alone.

But I guess I should be thankful for this, because all three of my cousins ​​were younger than me. My father was the eldest of seven siblings, so he was the first to get married, and he became pregnant with me right after he got married, so I was said to be the oldest among my cousins.

What a blessing. He is the head of the household and the eldest of the second generation. His authority has been properly established.

‘I’m about the same age as Erich.’

I sighed in relief and looked at Carolina, Johan, and Maurice.

After gaining authority, I felt a sense of awkwardness belatedly. They are all younger than me, but Carolina is the same age as Erich, and the other two don’t have much of an age gap. This means that if they had gone to the academy, they could have been Erich’s classmates or juniors.

But why didn’t he know that his cousin was in the Academy? Was it because his last name was Deast, not Crassius, and because Uncle August kept his distance from Crassius at the time?

‘Or are they also preschoolers?’

I was curious, but I didn’t ask directly. I know the sadness of preschool better than anyone else.

And if they’re my cousins, they don’t need an academy diploma or anything. They’re my family that I met thanks to my father becoming a real family with my uncles and aunts, so I’m willing to help them with their desired career paths.

Isn’t a letter of recommendation more important than a diploma? It’s natural in a class-based society. I started my career as a civil servant with the power of bloodline.

“Oh, dad.”

“huh?”

So, while my three cousins, Eric and I, were having a ceremonial conversation together as second-generation children, Pedi came running up to me and clung to my leg.

“I know your father, but who are your brother and sister?”

At those words, he lifted the pedi that was attached to his leg.

Our Pedi. I was curious about my cousin and great-aunt. It’s a very appropriate curiosity.

“Hello. My older sister here is Pedi Danggomogo, and my older brothers are my uncles.”

“Auntie Dang? Dangssuk?”

Pedi tilted his head at those words.

I understand. To be honest, uncle and aunt are not words we use often in our daily lives. So, to Pedi, who is 6 years old, aunt and uncle would feel like unfamiliar words.

“Yes. They’re my father’s cousins. To our Fedi, they’re like Robert and Eduard.”

“ah!”

Pedi’s eyes sparkled as he gave a concrete example.

Following this, other children who had been looking at this side with curious eyes also started to flock in. It seems that the formula ‘Robert and Eduard = good younger brothers = father’s good younger brother = something like Uncle Erich’ was established in the children’s heads.

“Tanggomo! Tangsuk!”

“Hello!”

“Daddy’s little brother! Daddy’s little brother!”

“Oh my.”

I burst out laughing at the mini waves that came rushing in in an instant.

“You like me so much, why don’t you at least say hello?”

“Is that so?”

Then, when I suggested it to my cousins ​​who were blankly watching the kids, Carolina, the eldest of the three, nodded with a bewildered expression.

Although this situation is embarrassing, it doesn’t seem like they hate children. Since all three are still single, I was worried that they might be reluctant to have children, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“You’re Pedigo, you’re…”

“Maria!”

“Yes, Maria. You have very pretty ears.”

Maria’s ears perked up at Carolina’s compliments.

Starting with that fluttering, the awkward second-generation meeting became smooth. When children barged in, the atmosphere became heated, and when a nephew I was seeing for the first time wandered around, he would ask me, his biological father, about this and that.

‘thanks.’

I stroked Pedi’s head, which was in my arms.

Thanks to our Pedi asking questions at the right time and the other kids joining in as if they had been waiting for it, the tense conversation that could have ended at any moment became stable.

If the 2nd generation of Crassius become friends, it is all thanks to the 3rd generation. I will never forget this favor.

“Big brother? You came first?”

At that very moment, news was heard that added fuel to the growing warm atmosphere.

Aunt Elin, the youngest of seven siblings. In a way, she is the one who made the decision for the father to hold the seven siblings’ banquet, so she is the hidden protagonist of this banquet and the connecting point for the seven siblings.

“Elin.”

“Oh, Elin is here too. Your youngest brother-in-law, please come too.”

I watched my father and Uncle August approaching my youngest aunt directly, then turned my gaze to my new cousins ​​who had come with my youngest aunt.

‘I’m going crazy.’

I sighed inwardly at the appearance of the welcome but most awkward guest.

My youngest aunt’s children are cousins ​​I’ve never met in person, but I’ve had a connection with them once. Unfortunately, for a not-so-good reason.

When a large-scale inspection was conducted on the judicial aristocracy, including the Narzen Counts, those cousins ​​were also handed over to the Inspectorate’s Intelligence Department. They were only questioned formally and sent home immediately, but it was a bit much for children of noble families who had grown up peacefully to visit the Inspectorate.

“Pedia.”

“yes?”

“Do you see the brother and sister over there that you’re seeing for the first time? They’re our paternal uncles and aunts, so go and say hello.”

“yes!”

“You guys are really nice, so have fun. Okay?”

“Aratsser!”

So I put Pedi down on the floor and sent him towards Aunt Elin.

Our all-powerful Pedi. Please cleanse this father of his original sin…!

At lunchtime, all those with Crassius’ blood gathered together.

1st generation, 7 people including the father.

2nd generation, 22 people including me, Erich, and Teresa.

3rd generation, 14 people in total, led by Pedi.

‘This is amazing.’

There are 43 people who have purely Crassius blood. Excluding Crassius’ spouses, there are a whopping 43 people.

What’s even more amazing is the number of the third generation. 14 is not a small number, but those 14 are the number of my children and Erich’s children combined.

‘They gave birth to only us.’

I exchanged awkward glances with Erich without thinking. He must be thinking the same thing because he was looking at me.

Of course, my father was the eldest of seven siblings, so it was natural that we got married and had children earlier than our other cousins. But I never thought that out of 22 second-generation children, we would be the only ones to have three generations.

No, to begin with, weren’t both Erich and I married at the end of our prime marriageable age or a little past it? And yet we’re the only ones?

‘Why on earth?’

I can’t understand. I thought at least 5 or 6 of the top 22 people would have children. It’s rare to see anyone married, let alone have children.

‘Is it because of trauma?’

The most likely hypothesis is that it is the trauma of the uncles and aunts.

He grew up in a gloomy environment due to his oppressive and cold father, and as he grew up, he was sold into marriage. Although he is doing well in the place he was sold to, it is not without shock.

So, if you have the mindset of, ‘I shouldn’t be a pushy parent to my children,’ then you can understand this strange situation.

‘Your karma is thick.’

At this point, it’s almost laughable.

The influence of someone who passed away 20 years ago is still so strong. I wonder when all traces of it will disappear. Should I exert my strength as the current head of the household?

“I only got to greet you today, but I’ve heard of your fame since long ago.”

While I was silently contemplating these things, I came to my senses at the sound of Maurice’s voice.

“My reputation… you mean?”

“Yes. As soon as you became an adult, you chose the path of a bureaucrat and broke the records of youngest department head and minister. You pioneered a new path to the point where it was embarrassing to even be jealous, so I deeply admired you.”

“Haha, that’s embarrassing. There are many other excellent officials besides me.”

“There may be a great bureaucrat, but there are no living saints.”

My mouth closed again at those logically perfect words.

That’s true. If you look at history, there are many, many civil servants who are better than me, but I’m probably the only living saint who is also a civil servant.

“I don’t even dare to hope for success on the level of my brother, but I feel embarrassed because I haven’t achieved anything.”

“You’ve just graduated from the academy. It’s only natural that you have nothing at that age. It’s just that Erich and I are special.”

“Is that so? It’s comforting to hear you say that, hyung.”

I looked at Maurice, who was smiling slightly, and then looked around at my other cousins.

Naturally, among the second generation, only Erich and I had jobs. Even my uncle August’s children, the second of seven, had not been able to settle down properly, so how much worse must it have been for the other cousins.

But that’s not wrong. As I just said, it’s normal at that age, and children of noble families often help out with family affairs rather than choose to become civil servants.

…

“Brother Maurice?”

“Yes, brother.”

“Is there a dream you would like to achieve that you haven’t achieved yet?”

After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth carefully.

Children of noble families often help out with family affairs or estate management. But if Maurice has a dream, wouldn’t it be a good idea to quickly move in that direction?

Maurice is the youngest of three siblings. As the youngest of a family of counts, he will likely inherit a lot, but he is still far from the title of count, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take the civil service or military route.

“That’s what I mean.”

Maurice’s eyes widened at my words, then he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

“Actually, I want to become a commander or staff officer leading the Imperial Army. My father recently… You know, brother?”

“Oh, of course.”

I nodded immediately because I thought I knew what he was trying to say.

Uncle August is the first generation of instructors at the military academy that Jeon Seung-gong is building. If his father was hired as an instructor at the military academy, it is not surprising that his son would be interested in the Imperial Army.

‘Imperial Army.’

After storing my cousin’s future hopes in my head, I asked the other siblings the same question.

Since it’s come to this, we should at least figure out what our younger siblings want for the future.

***

While talking with my younger siblings, sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law, I quickly turned my gaze to where the children were.

Fortunately, thanks to Carl’s leadership, the kids were able to have a conversation. It felt a bit awkward, but it couldn’t be helped since it was their first meeting.

‘You’ve had a hard time.’

Rather, I feel both grateful and sorry to Carl for leading the conversation in that awkwardness. The son is suffering because of his incompetent father.

‘hmm?’

However, Erich’s expression next to the knife was strange.

He kept his mouth shut and rolled his eyes here and there, but his brows were furrowed slightly, as if he was noticing something.

Or an official who witnessed a terrible sight but failed to report or stop it. It was something like that.

‘why?’

I’m confused. What on earth are they talking about that makes them make that face?

But the other children’s expressions are normal.