Extra Story 27. [After Story] Ash (3)
Thus, the chaotic morning passed.
After finishing breakfast, including dessert, and eating heartily from the morning…
Perhaps because she had woken up too early, Stella dozed off again, completely oblivious to the world.
Serenade held the soundly sleeping Stella tightly in her arms and smiled warmly.
“I’ll put her in bed.”
“Yeah, let her take a nap.”
Elize, Serenade, and Stella left the kitchen.
As soon as they were gone, Lucas and Daram turned sharply toward me.
“My Lord, don’t tell me the Duchess’s birthday party… ends with just this?”“What about the gifts we prepared?!”
“…There’s a party planned for the evening. We’ll do it separately. I haven’t even given her my gift yet.”
It was the Duchess’s birthday, so of course, more people were coming to celebrate. There were also external guests to consider.
At my words, Lucas and Daram both nodded in relief.
“By the way, My Lord, didn’t you eat a bit too much this morning? You need to exercise with me.”
Lucas’s comment made me shrug.
I had eaten a stamina-boosting meal in the morning, plus cake. My stomach did feel a bit heavy… But I really didn’t want to exercise.
“Uh… Can’t I just skip lunch? There’s another party in the evening, so I should be working now. I don’t have time for exercise today.”
“Hmm…”
Lucas, always waiting for an opportunity to drag me into training, narrowed his eyes sharply.
Fortunately, Daram saved me from this crisis.
“Actually… You really have a ton of work to get through today. If you want to enjoy your evening, you should get started right away.”
“Ahem. It can’t be helped, then.”
Lucas eventually backed off, and we headed to the office. I whispered to Daram on the way.
“Thanks, Sunflower Seed-Lover. You’re the only one I can count on.”
“…You’re calling me that on purpose now, aren’t you, Your Excellency?”
When we arrived at the office, we were greeted by a massive pile of work.
Wait a second—was this really saving me? Or did I just trade an exercise crisis for a work crisis?
“Sigh… Oh well. Let’s power through and have fun tonight, Daseed-Lover!”
“Stop randomly mixing my name with everything! It’s Daram! Daram! It’s been fifteen years—can’t you say it properly?!”
With laughter, we got to work.
The problem arose around lunchtime.
I was actually working diligently when Lucas suddenly burst in, panting.
“My Lord!”
“I’m not exercising! I told you, I’m working hard today!”
“This isn’t about exercise! There’s a serious problem!”
This gym rat, obsessed with training, was saying exercise wasn’t the issue? Just how serious was this?
Daram and I, buried in paperwork, turned to look at him. Lucas, looking pale, pointed outside.
“A very important guest has arrived! You need to come out immediately!”
So I went outside.
And there, before my very eyes—
“Father?!”
A black carriage adorned only with sword and rose insignias, escorted by the Imperial Guard…
His Majesty the Emperor had personally arrived!
‘Wait, isn’t he even busier than me? Why would he come unannounced…?’
The Emperor stepped out of the carriage, using his cane skillfully for balance, and grinned.
“It’s my daughter-in-law’s birthday, isn’t it? A father-in-law has to celebrate.”
“You never even celebrate my birthday…”
“How could you compare yourself to my daughter-in-law? Tsk tsk. Raising sons is pointless. Daughters-in-law and granddaughters are the best.”
As everyone rushed outside in shock, Stella, just waking up from her nap, yawned and walked out while holding Serenade’s hand.
“Oh!”
Then, spotting the Emperor, she boldly pointed her tiny finger at him and shouted.
“Grandpa!”
“Oho, my Lightseeker!”
At that moment, the Emperor’s expression softened into an unbelievably gentle smile.
Wait—he’s never made that face at me! That kinda hurts!
“Grandpa~!”
Stella, thrilled, dashed toward the Emperor.
The Emperor effortlessly lifted his granddaughter into his arms, his face glowing with the most benevolent smile in the world.
“You’ve grown again, my granddaughter. Have you been well?”
“Mm-hmm! I’ve been really busy. I’m studying something really difficult!”
Well, sure. Dictation and reading fairy tales can be tough.
Stella placed her hands on her waist and lifted her chubby chin.
“I don’t like studying, but I’m working hard! After all, I’m going to be a ruler one day, just like Grandpa and Daddy!”
“Such ambition already! Hahaha!”
At that moment, Serenade stepped forward and bowed deeply.
“Glory to the great Emperor. I pay my respects to the sovereign of the Empire.”
“Ah, daughter-in-law, just call me Father.”
“I cannot. How could I dare…”
“Tch. My daughter-in-law is perfect in every way, except for being too formal.”
Clicking his tongue, the Emperor signaled to an attendant. The servant stepped forward, holding a bundle of gifts.
“Here. Picked this up on the way.”
The birthday gift the Emperor had “picked up on the way” was a box filled with dazzling jewels. That could easily buy a mansion. Where exactly did he “pick this up”?
Serenade, holding the Emperor’s extravagant gift, bowed deeply.
“I am deeply moved by your boundless generosity, Your Majesty. This grace, I shall remember for a lifetim—”
“I’ll give you a massage, Grandpa!”
Stella suddenly interrupted.
Everyone froze in shock, but the Emperor beamed.
Look at that grin—he’s even showing his molars.
“A massage? For Grandpa?”
“Mm-hmm! Every time I get a gift from Dad, I give him a massage in return. I’m really good at shoulder massages! Dad gives me five stars every time!”
I did make sure to give her a five-star sticker each time.
Stella, brimming with excitement, continued.
“Since Grandpa gave Mommy a present, I’ll give you a massage!”
“Hahaha! Well then, let’s see what kind of massage my granddaughter can give me!”
Laughing together, the Emperor and Stella headed inside the Duke’s residence.
Serenade and I exchanged glances as we watched them go.
“Our daughter really seems to understand who she needs to impress and how.”
“Oh, come on. She’s just happy to see her grandpa, that’s all.”
Serenade covered her mouth and chuckled. I also struggled to hold back a laugh as I took her hand.
From inside, we could already hear the Emperor’s satisfied voice.
“Ah, that’s good! Harder!”
Because I had eaten too much in the morning, I had originally planned to skip lunch.
But could I possibly not serve a meal when the Emperor himself had come? In the end, another feast was laid out.
On top of that, the Emperor had brought a luxurious cheese cake from New Terra—Serenade’s favorite brand. Along with that, he had brought several bottles of expensive wine.
So, our lunch ended up including not just a full-course meal but also dessert and wine.
Throughout the meal, Stella sat beside the Emperor, babbling excitedly with a bright smile. The Emperor, Serenade, and Elize all smiled warmly as they watched her.
Lucas, likely pleased at the thought of forcing me to exercise later, was also grinning. Meanwhile, Daram, having completely resigned himself to the fact that today’s workload was doomed, smiled in a way that suggested he had let go of all worldly attachments.
‘Well, as long as everyone’s smiling, I guess that’s fine…’
And so, after a lively lunch banquet—
Once the attendants had been dismissed, the Emperor and I sat face to face.
Instead of wine, he had also brought a bottle of whiskey. He said he wanted to share a drink with me, just the two of us.
“May I pour for you?”
“Of course. Let me taste a drink poured by my son.”
I uncorked the whiskey bottle and poured it into his glass, then mine. The rich golden liquid swirled inside. It had a good aroma.
“Did you really come just for Serenade’s birthday?”
As I filled both glasses and sat back down, I asked.
The Emperor scoffed.
“How many times must I tell you? I can skip your birthday, but I will always celebrate my daughter-in-law’s.”
“You don’t even try to hide it anymore…”
“Besides, coming here lets me see my adorable granddaughter. Did you see her squirming in my arms? She’s so precious I could die.”
The Emperor grumbled about how he should have had daughters instead, saying that having only stiff-necked, unfilial sons had robbed him of this joy for years. I chuckled.
“You could’ve let us know, and we would have visited instead.”
“Unnecessary. What if that little one caught a cold traveling back and forth? It’s easier if I come.”
He swirled the whiskey in his glass, savoring its aroma, before speaking again.
“So, how is it? Raising a child?”
I smirked.
“There are happy moments and difficult ones. That’s just how it is.”
“Hold on to those happy moments. As time goes on, there will be fewer of them, and the hard times will only get harder.”
“Now you’re spoiling life itself for me…”
“Still.”
The Emperor gazed at me with deep, knowing eyes.
“It’s those memories of joy that keep parents going.”
“…”
The Emperor took a sip of his whiskey. I did the same, letting the aroma linger in my mouth.
After a brief silence, the Emperor looked down at his glass and spoke.
“My son.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what this whiskey is?”
Not being much of a drinker, I had assumed it was just some expensive liquor. Only now did I actually check the label on the bottle.
“Peacemaker Year One Imperial Whiskey… Wait, this is—”
I looked at the Emperor in shock. He nodded, inhaling the whiskey’s scent again.
“It was brewed to commemorate my coronation.”
“Peacemaker” was the Emperor’s middle name.
“Year One” referred to the first year of his reign.
In other words, this whiskey was made at the Imperial distillery to mark his ascension to the throne.
“…”
I remembered this whiskey.
Back when I was first assigned as the Lord of Crossroad, I had served it to the then-border duke in an effort to win his favor.
“This is a rare treasure… Is today some special occasion?”
“…”
The Emperor rolled the whiskey on his tongue before raising his sharp gaze to meet mine.
“The time has come.”
“The time… for what?”
“The time to brew whiskey in your name.”
My eyes widened.
That could only mean one thing.
“I’ve kept the throne warm long enough. It seems to me that you are ready.”
A faint smile formed on the Emperor’s lips.
“It’s time for you to inherit the crown, my son.”
“…”
“Become the next ruler of your nation.”
I had always known this day would come.
I just hadn’t expected it to be today.
As I sat there frozen, the Emperor casually shrugged.
“Of course, there is one thing that concerns me.”
“What is it?”
“If we name the whiskey after your middle name, it’s not exactly an appealing brand, is it? Born Hater Year One Imperial Whiskey… Doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it?”
With an amused twinkle in his eye, the Emperor continued.
“This could be a good chance to change your middle name. Dawn Bringar has a nice ring to it.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Meeting his gaze, I responded with equal playfulness.
“I’ll stick with Born Hater.”
“Any particular reason?”
“If the name sounds too grand, wouldn’t that be a problem? Alcohol isn’t exactly good for your health, after all.”
“…You insufferable brat.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue.
It seemed he still felt guilty for giving me the middle name Born Hater, a name that literally meant “one born to hate.” That was probably why he made such a suggestion.
But Dawn Bringar was the name I had used as the ruler of the Bringar Duchy. I couldn’t take that name into the Everblack Empire.
And more than anything…
‘For Born Hater to love the world—that is what truly holds meaning.’
Because Born Hater was, without a doubt, also me.
The Emperor said nothing more. He simply held out his glass.
Carefully, I raised mine to meet it.
The whiskey he had brewed in the year of his ascension—now, in the year he passed the throne to me—we drank together.
The end of the Peacemaker era.
The beginning of Born Hater.
History would mark this as a turning point.
But the two of us—without a doubt—remained connected, bound by a single shared drink.
–TL Notes–
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