The Gap Between You and Me - Chapter 169

Berlin was genuinely concerned for her father’s wellbeing. He should have drunk three cups of milk and chewed the pie roughly before swallowing it. But he only drank one cup of tea. Moreover, throughout the tea time, his expression, not even his eyes changed.

Edwin raised his eyebrows. Then he leaned back against the chair and crossed his arms.

“Isn’t that a good thing? I love the pie your Mom made for me.”

“…… Dad, I really can’t stand you.”

Berlin shook her head in disgust towards Edwin’s nonchalant response.

She had forgotten for a while what kind of person is the man sitting in front of her. He was the kind of person who would be willing to lie on the floor and pretend to die if his wife, Herietta, wanted so. His unusual love for his wife, as blunt as cut out of a rock, was already famous in town.

“Dad, I have a question for you.”

Berlin said, straightening her posture.

“Why does Dad always lose to Mom?”

“Lose?”

“Like before, even when the two of you have different opinions sometimes, in the end Dad always follows Mom’s opinion……. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dad say anything unpleasant to Mom.”

In Berlin’s eyes, Edwin was a very remarkable figure, not because he was her father. Not just his appearance, but the knowledge he possessed, the extraordinary ability to turn heads, and his physical abilities, made him distinctly different from other people.

Sometimes she wondered why such a man with such outstanding abilities was letting his talents rot by living in such a small town.

Edwin, who had been quietly listening to Berlin, shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s of course, because your Mom is right.”

“Not once or twice, always?”

“Then I guess your Mom is always right.”

Edwin gave a simple and clear answer without much thought. Berlin looked dumbfounded.

“It’s not just that. Dad always spoke respectfully to Mom.”

“The same goes for your Mom.”

“That’s true, but Dad uses extremely respectful titles for Mom. You sometimes call Mom ‘Miss Herietta’.”

Calling his wife with ‘Miss’. It was strange no matter what. Especially since Edwin was older than Herietta.

“There are strange rumors going around town.”

“Strange rumors?”

“There are rumors that Mom and Dad are actually a noble lady and a servant who fled from a distant country.”

Hearing his daughter’s words, Edwin laughed out loud.

“Well. I don’t think it’s a very wrong rumor.”

“Dad, please!”

Berlin, thinking that Edwin wasn’t taking her words seriously, rolled her eyes at him.

“I really want to know!”

“Berlin, what others say, what your Mom and I have done in the past, they don’t matter.”

“They don’t matter?”

“Yes. Because what matters right now is the present.”

Edwin nodded and said.

“Look, Berlin. You, me, and your Mom are living happily together like this. Could anything be more important to us now?”

Berlin glanced inside the house to Edwin’s question. Through the window, she could see Herietta busily making something. Did she feel Berlin’s gaze? Herietta lifted her head and looked out. She smiled as she saw her daughter looking at her.

“Life is like going on a journey. An endless journey with the process of finding what is important to you and what is precious. Through that journey, you will gain a lot of experience, and build up various opinions and judgments. But be sure to keep this in mind. If you pay too much attention to the useless things, you will miss out on the things you should cherish in moments that truly matter.”

“…….”

“So always remember. What is the most important thing in your life? What things do you want to cherish?”

“Then, is Mom the most important thing to Dad?”

Berlin asked, feeling the emotions welling up in her heart.

“Yes. Not just your Mom, but you too, Berlin.”

Edwin turned his head to see Herietta through the window. Almost ready, sending a signal through her mouth. The love that could not be hidden seeped into his eyes as he looked at her.

“Berlin, your Mom deserves respect.”

Edwin said without taking his eyes off Herietta.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for your mom. So do you, Berlin.”

“…….”

“She is everything in my life.”

Edwin’s expression was as serious as it could be. Words with all his heart poured in.

Berlin looked at him blankly and smiled silently.

“They say couples look alike, that must be true.”

Hearing her murmur, Edwin asked what it meant. Berlin held her chin, resting her elbows at the table.

“Mom said that too before. Dad is everything in Mom’s life.”

At that time, when her daughter asked what Herietta liked about Edwin so much, Herietta shyly replied that she couldn’t just point to one thing. Despite being together for more than a decade, the two are still passionate and genuine towards each other.

“You two look so alike that people might mistake you for twins.”

Even Berlin, their child, would be jealous.

She grumbled, pretending to be sullen, but a loving smile bloomed across Berlin’s face.

She hoped that one day she would be able to love like her parents.

The twelve-year-old girl sincerely hoped that her wish would come true.

* * *

If one were to choose the greatest king of Velicia, the majority would choose the 17th King, Bernard Cenchilla Shane Pascourt. Becoming king at the young age of thirty-one, he contributed greatly to the development of Velicia into one of the greatest empires on the continent.

Listing the achievements Bernard had done during his reign would be endless, It would be difficult to go through them all. However, his life, which was admired for being so great, was not always smooth.

To give one example, he had a history of causing a lot of controversy by living a prodigal life in his younger days. As a result, despite being born as the only heir to the royal family, he lost the position of crown prince to his older brother, Siorn Violetta Shane Passcourt.

As the head of a royal family that values succession above all else, having a successor was one of the essential responsibilities he had to fulfill. However, he was also the only king in the history of Velicia who insisted on remaining unmarried until his death.

Numerous ministers objected to Bernard’s decision and tried to persuade him. However, his stubbornness was like that of a bull, and in the end no one could break it.

In the end, after a long-standing dispute, the crown went to Bernard’s nephew, Eubillion Lecid Shane Pascourt. In the year 4766 of the Hermannian calendar, Eubillion succeeded Bernard as the 18th King of Velicia.

There have been many speculations as to why Bernard insisted on being single.