After the engagement ceremony, Jin and Reinhardt were unusually sitting around the table together at the Randall residence.
"Oh, I'm so tired."
It was Jin who was tired, not physically but emotionally.
"But I was a little surprised by Jin's remark," Reinhardt teased as he sipped his wine.
Reinhardt says in a teasing tone over a glass of wine.
"Don't say that ......."
Jin blushed, saying that he had been somewhat incoherent himself.
* * * * * *
"Elsa, you look happy.
"Yes, mother."
Erza and her mother, Marlene, were talking across from each other.
"Are you kind to me, Jin-san?"
"Very much."
"Very. Yes. ......You have been looking forward to this day ever since you rebuilt the house of Randall, haven't you?"
If the current head of the family, Elsa, marries, she will need a successor. She was thinking of her older brother, Moritz.
Now that the betrothal is officially made, the application to the government will surely be accepted.
This would restore the Randall family, which had once been destroyed by the scandalous actions of Elsa's father Georg, to its rightful place in the family.
"...... Speaking of which, where's my father?"
Georg has been left disabled after a stroke and Marlene has been taking care of him all day long.
"He is much better nowadays. His speech is faltering, but he can stand up if he has something to hold on to. I'm sure he will be happy when I tell him about your engagement.
"...... I guess so."
In Elsa's mind, when Georg had gone crazy under the influence of Marcus Grinwald, who was controlled by the demon tribe , he had said, <
At that moment, something shattered within Elsa. Was it the unparalleled trust in her parents, or was it the bond between parent and child?
Either way, Elsa was traumatized by her father.
After that, Georg was unconscious, and thanks to Erza's efforts, he managed to recover and became calm as if he was a different person.
However, deep in his heart, the fear of his father's rejection still lingered.
* * * * * *
How are you feeling, father?
Fritz, on the other hand, was alone with his father. Fritz is alone with his father in a large room that serves as both bedroom and living room.
The doll in his care now is an automata, <>, prepared by Erza. She is a platinum blonde with a short bob and light blue eyes. She is the same model as the one given to the Marquis Theoderic.
It was given to him in February of this year in exchange for Edgar, who had left it in his possession.
"Flippin' ......ツ. You've grown ...... strong. You look ...... like you've had a good tan."
"Yeah, I just got back from the Kingdom of Cerroa. Yeah, just got back from the Kingdom of Celuloa. You look pretty good too."
Georg's face is calm as he enjoys listening to his son who is now also a soldier.
"Oh yes, Elsa brought her fiancé here today..."
"A ...... fiancee?"
As soon as he heard the word, Georg's face seemed to frown for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal.
"A ...... man named Jin Nido or something like that?"
"Oh, you know him, don't you? Yes, that Jin Nido.
Yeah, right. ......
Georg closed his eyes as if trying to remember something. Fritz said nothing and stared at his father's face.
"......He seemed happy, huh?"
After a while these words escaped from Georg's mouth.
"Oh, the happiest I've ever seen.
"Oh, I'm glad to hear that."
"...... I must tell you, Jin-dono, you are now the , and are relied upon by many nations. He has the confidence of His Majesty. And ......"
"......" Don't say that. I know. If ...... she's happy, that's all that matters."
Dad.
I've done more to her ...... than I should ever have to face.
Fritz understood his father's feelings when he realized that he too had been under the spell of suggestion.
"But you should see him at least once. He's your father."
Fritz said these words and left the room.
Fritz then went to the guest room. Jin and Reinhardt were staying in the guest room, which was a two-bedroom apartment.
He knocked, waited for an answer, and opened the door.
"Sorry to bother you this evening.
"Welcome."
Jin and Reinhard greeted Fritz.
"I just came from visiting my father."
Reinhardt set out a new glass and Jin poured the wine.
"Thank you."
Fritz took a sip of the wine offered to him and began to talk.
"My father was getting better. "My father has improved a lot, but only in terms of his ability to speak and to feed himself," he said.
He is also able to do daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and toileting with some help.
"That's good to hear."
Reinhardt chimes in.
"And..."
Fritz put down his wine glass and turned a serious face to Jin.
"Go see your father. Take Elsa with you."
"What?"
Jin was not quite sure what was going on since he was the first to draw a conclusion.
"He doesn't say it out loud, but he's sorry too. I think he wants to apologize, ......."
"......"
Reinhardt didn't say anything, but he had been around when Erza's father had gone off the rails, so he could understand how he felt.
So he waited to see what Jin would say.
"Well, I'll have to go there in the morning.
Without a hint of hesitation, Jin answered, "I guess I'll have to go there in the morning.
"After all, you are Erza's real father, aren't you?
"Jin, that's just like you."
Reinhardt was a little relieved to hear Jin's unconcerned manner.
"Oh, then I'll go with you tomorrow."
Fritz says happily.
"See you tomorrow, brother-in-law.
Fritz leaves the table after finishing the rest of his wine.
"Yes, brother-in-law."
Jin replied in a similar tone.
"Should I talk to Elsa later tonight?"
After Fritz left, Jin consulted Reinhard.
"Well, I don't know. I think we should leave him alone tonight, don't you?"
"I don't know.
Mother and daughter, we have a lot to talk about, Reinhard said.
"Okay. Then let's do as Mr. Fritz says and leave it for tomorrow.
And that was the end of the story. But Reinhardt was not finished.
"Jin, now that we're done with that story, tell us about the ruins that were under the Elrud mine, and about the golem you recovered from there!
"Yeah, sure."
Jin smiled at Reinhardt's Reinhardt-ness and began to explain.
"The most characteristic feature of the golem is that it has a control core in its head. It is true that it is not wrong in the sense that it imitates a human being. ......"
"Well, that's interesting."
"Well, that's interesting." "What's interesting is the material. It's a metal called orichalcone, an alloy of copper. ......"
The discussion among the craft idiots continued until late into the night until Reiko stopped them.