Side Story 3.9

Ian stroked Sophie’s short hair and whispered in her ear.

“Even without a child, our life won’t change. I’m happy as we are. If we truly need a child, we can adopt.”

Sophie, resting with her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling above was lit by the gas lamp of the hotel room, though it was still daytime and the light was off.

“Ian…”

Eventually, Sophie’s small lips parted.

“I wanted to have a child who looked like you. Whether a boy or girl, they’d be beautiful if they resembled you.”

Ian smiled and poked his wife’s soft cheek with his finger.

“I hope they’re cute like you…”

Sophie rolled her eyes at Ian’s words, but he didn’t mind and gently stroked her eyes.

“Let’s live happily, just us two. To me, you’re the most precious person in the world. I’m happy as long as I have you.”

He meant it. He didn’t need a child. If he could show Sophie the truth in his heart, he’d even split open his chest and take out his heart.

“I feel the same. Being with you is already a miracle—I think I was too greedy.”

Sophie closed her eyes. It was time to return to the Lisner residence. Ian’s heart ached at Sophie’s lonely words.

‘You can want more, anything you wish.’

Ian wanted to say it out loud, but he kept it quietly in his heart.

* * *

Ian’s words about not giving their child the Aliph family name came true. After finishing all their business in Lohandra, the two of them traveled to Relsingfors. They enjoyed a wonderful time at their old favorite places, attended the autumn festival, and stayed at the Modotos Procia Hotel as before.

And just over a month after returning from Relsingfors, Sophie discovered something she could hardly believe.

“You’re pregnant. Congratulations, Mrs. Aliph.”

Despite being told she was infertile, Sophie was now expecting a child.

“See! I told you, that doctor was a quack!”

Milia was as happy as if it were her own news, and Sophie cried with joy for a long time.

“With current medical technology, it’s impossible to determine infertility with certainty. Whoever that doctor was, it was truly reckless to tell such a young woman she couldn’t have children.”

Before learning she was pregnant, Sophie’s new physician, Pierre, introduced by Milia, gave her a hopeful diagnosis that she was not infertile. And in the end, Sophie succeeded in having a child.

During the celebration, Pierre called Ian aside for a private consultation.

“Honestly, it’s a miracle.”

It was different from what he’d told Sophie before.

“I can’t judge another doctor’s opinion, but it’s clear your wife is not someone who can easily conceive. Her cycles are so irregular she has fewer than four periods a year, and she’s very physically weak. Childbirth may be very hard for her.”

“Then we won’t try for a second child.”

The doctor nodded quietly.

“And I’ve thought about this for a long time—the Aliph family has never had many children. Even if my wife and I were infertile, I don’t think the cause could be found in her alone.”

Ian slowly shared his thoughts with the doctor, and Pierre listened silently, nodding.

“What you said makes sense.”

* * *

As soon as Sophie became pregnant, Ian went straight to Caincridge City Hall to apply for a surname change. He requested to change from ‘Aliph’ to his wife’s family name, ‘Crayble’. Thus, Sophie returned to her maiden name, Sophie Crayble, and Ian became Ian Crayble.

When news spread that Ian had changed his surname, the Dowager Duchess burned all of Ian’s portraits remaining in the mansion. She chose the most timid and kind young man among the distant relatives of the Aliph family and adopted him as her heir. This news spread from Lohandra to Caincridge, and the most likely candidate for Duke, Guillaume, never became Duke. Robelia didn’t become Duchess either.

“Did you regret not becoming Duchess?”

Ian’s sudden question startled Sophie.

“I didn’t want the title. It’s just…”

“Just…”

“It suited you.”

“What suited me?”

“The name Duke Ian Aliph. No one fit that name as well as you did.”

Sophie still remembered Diana’s desperate face on the last day she saw her, crying out to Sophie. As Diana had said, no one fit that position like Ian. He was the true heir. But Ian gave up that place and his name to be by Sophie’s side.

“Should I just buy one?”

“What?”

“If you really want a title, we could buy a bankrupt family’s title. Or pay the King a hefty sum and get one granted.”

Either way, it was just buying a title.

“Please don’t do that.”

“I enjoy being a merchant more than being a noble.”

Ian was no longer a noble, but lacked nothing. The Aliph family fortune had grown thanks to Ian, and as a merchant, there were few in Caincridge wealthier than Ian.

* * *

Time passed, and Sophie gave birth to a small, beautiful girl. The difficult birth made the doctor warn her that she might never have another child. Ian didn’t mind, as he hadn’t planned for a second anyway, but Sophie was deeply saddened.

“Your name is Riviola, Riviola Crayble.”

Ian always carried his young daughter around the mansion, showing her every corner. The mansion was so large it took days to see it all. Nathaniel, Sophie’s father, watched with regret. He still felt it was a shame that Ian had given up his title. If he still had the Aliph name and dukedom, Riviola would have been Riviola Aliph, growing up as the precious lady of a ducal house.

“She’ll be raised just as preciously in the Crayble family, what’s there to regret?”

Molly scolded her husband. When Ian first said he’d take their family name, she hadn’t understood why he’d give up a dukedom. But once Ian changed his name to Crayble, the Crayble Trading Company’s value soared.

“Titles and status don’t matter anymore.”

Ian had no noble title or status, but he could give his daughter the greatest wealth in the world.

Molly Crayble spread a stack of invitations across the table. In Lohandra, they’d barely managed to get into various parties and gatherings through connections, but after Ian changed his name, invitations poured in from nobles eager to associate with the Crayble family.

“Now, which family’s invitation should we accept next?”

Molly’s fingers reached for the envelope with the finest paper.

* * *

“Riviola seems to be ahead in everything.”

Milia shook her head watching Riviola try to toddle around. Not yet a year old, Riviola was ahead of other babies in every way—rolling over, crawling, sitting up, and even speaking early.

“She must take after her father. I was slow at everything.”

Sophie smiled as she watched Riviola plop down on the grass.

“She’s so cute. Girls really are adorable in anything.”

Milia often envied Sophie for her chubby, adorable daughter. After having twin boys, Milia lost weight quickly without trying. The boys weren’t as sensitive as Viktor, but they were wild. She always had to be alert, ready for trouble, and move quickly.

“I want a daughter too. But I’m afraid I’ll just have another son.”

“I want a son.”

Sophie remembered the doctor’s words that she might not be able to have another child. She’d heard the infertility diagnosis several times since Lohandra, and it made her a little sad.

“Milia, should we arrange a marriage between our children?”

“Are you joking or serious? If it’s Riviola, our family would absolutely welcome her!”

“Of course, the children’s wishes matter most. But I do wonder about arranging an engagement early. You and Theo looked so good together.”

“We’re a bit…”

Milia still felt embarrassed thinking about marrying her close friend. Even now, it was awkward to think about friends becoming lovers.

“Then who would be a good son-in-law for us?”

At that moment, a low voice suddenly echoed from behind, sounding like it came from a cave. Even though this wasn’t the first time, Milia was startled.

“Ah! I told you not to scare me like that!”

Ian, who had developed a habit of amusing himself by startling Milia, laughed cheerfully even when she got fiery mad.

“The Manders family’s three sons would all be fine, but we should hear what Riviola thinks first.”

“My poor sons, do they have to wait to be chosen?”

The adults watched the babies toddling around on the lawn with pleased faces. Viktor, who wasn’t interested in playing with his siblings, was busy admiring the flowers in the garden with a maid. Only the twins and Riviola, who were close in age, played together, pushing and grabbing each other. Then, Riviola grabbed the hair of Edmund, the eldest twin.

“Waaah!”

When Edmund started crying loudly, Riviola joined in and cried as well.

“I can’t stand it, really.”

Milia got up and headed toward the babies. Now that she was the mother of three, she quickly calmed them down.

“Doesn’t it seem like Riviola especially follows Edmund around?”

“So it was Edmund, not Raymond. You can tell them apart so easily.”

People often couldn’t distinguish between the twins, Edmund and Raymond. Even Ian, who had a good eye, sometimes got confused. The only people who could reliably tell the twins apart were their parents, Milia and Theofield, and Sophie.

“Their faces are a bit different. Edmund looks more delicate, and Raymond looks more boyish.”

“Whichever one becomes our son-in-law, I’ll be strict with him.”

At Ian’s somewhat solemn remark, Sophie frowned slightly.

“Didn’t you say before you wanted one of the Manders brothers as a son-in-law?”

Sophie glared, asking if he wasn’t fond of them.

“Being fond of them is one thing—daring to become Riviola’s husband is another matter entirely.”

Ian lifted his chin proudly. Clearly, to a father with a beloved daughter, no man would ever seem good enough. Unless, perhaps, he was a man like Ian himself, who had even taken his wife’s surname.

“Hold on, as the father of the Manders brothers, I can’t just let this pass. I’ll need to hear my sons’ opinions too.”

Theofield, who had been gathering up the toys scattered by the children all over the garden, jumped in belatedly. Of course, if adorable Riviola became his daughter-in-law, he’d be delighted, but as a father, he couldn’t ignore his sons’ feelings.

“Captain Manders.”

Ian playfully tapped Theofield on the shoulder and asked,

“Would your boys really object, even if the bride is the wealthiest young lady in the country?”

“Whoever Riviola chooses, I’ll gladly send him as your son-in-law.”

At Theofield’s immediate answer, Ian and Sophie burst into cheerful laughter. Sophie, annoyed by her hair constantly falling into her face, tied it up tightly with a ribbon. With childbirth and childcare keeping her busy, Sophie’s hair had grown long enough to touch her shoulders.

“Should I cut my hair short again?”

Sophie looked up at Ian standing beside her and asked.

“Whatever you want.”

“I just want to look pretty for you. Which hairstyle do you like?”

Sophie pouted and begged, and Ian smiled softly.

“You’re beautiful no matter what hairstyle you have. Of course, seeing your short hair reminds me of before we got married, which I like, but your hair now is pretty too.”

With a light kiss, Ian’s lips touched Sophie’s forehead and then parted.

“Then what about my hair? Should I keep it like this? Or should I cut it too?”

Ian grabbed his long hair and pulled it in front of Sophie’s face as he asked. Sophie couldn’t help but laugh.

“Do whatever you want. You’ll look great no matter what.”

Sophie reached out and pulled Ian’s face toward her. Their lips met softly. Warm sunlight poured down onto the families, making the scene on the garden lawn look blissful.

END Side Story <The Lohandra Scandal>