Additional 107 — Adalbert von Lüneberg’s Activity Report

Additional Chapter 107: Adalbert von Lüneberg’s Activity Report

Author:

This is the story of Ritzhard’s paternal grandfather.

Time and time again, I was told that I have a ‘scary face’ from people close to me.

However, I thought that it wasn’t something to fuss over, and did not think of it for a long time.

But then I realised what those words meant my first child was born.

At first, I scoffed at the thought of children.

I really did think that because I did not have any experience with children.

However, when I saw my newborn, well, it was lovely.

I felt that my child was the loveliest thing in the world.

My wife held my son out to me, so I took him in my arms.

I was told that it was a child that did not cry easily.

However, the moment I embraced him, he was crying as though a fire was lit on him.

When I returned him to my wife in panic, he stopped crying.

He might have been in a bad mood. I had thought that back then.

However, even after that, my son cried greatly when I held him.

When that happened around ten times, I started getting cautious.

I realised that I had a face that was not loved by children.

As I spent busy days, my child grew quickly.

They were so small, but before I realised it, he started walking, talking and eating on their own.

I had been busy so I did not have many opportunities to spend time with my child.

When I saw them after a long time, he cried the moment our eyes met.

Meanwhile, my wife conceived our second child.

This time, I have to put in effort to not be hated.

I pondered greatly to how I should go about it.

They’re so cute, but it’s painful to be disliked.

To get a good idea, I went out of my office during lunchtime and spent time thinking in the park.

Children were running about happily.

I was watching the sight contentedly, yet when a child’s eyes met with mine he screamed and ran away.

So it’s the face after all.

I couldn’t really accept it for some reason.

The next day, I headed for the park again.

It was to understand and observe children.

Children were happily playing about yet again. There were quite a lot of adults too, unexpectedly. I wonder if everyone’s enjoying their leisure time.

When I sat down on a bench, a young woman around the age of my wife approached, asking if I wanted to buy some flowers.

The flowers she had were merely wildflowers organised into bundles.

I couldn’t believe that she would sell this. She did not even have the money to procure flowers.

The woman’s clothes were in poor condition as well.

They’re struggling to get by. It’s a sad story.

The bouquet cost ten pfennig. I didn’t have such small currency. I passed some coins I had in my pocket for the flowers.

When I took a closer look around, most of the adults in the part were women. They all had baskets, selling something.

I heard that the employment rate for women were low.

Even when they need money, they don’t have places to work at.

It really is a sad state of affairs.

Well, more importantly, the children.

They were playing tag happily. It seems that children like playing tag.

Indeed, I thought, and chased my four-year-old son, but I ended up making him cry for his dear life.

It seems like not all children like tag.

I continued to observe children at the park.

One day, I saw something great.

An entertainer with a strange appearance had captivated the children.

He was well-liked as ‘the moustache guy’.

Indeed, the way how his moustache was upturned was interesting.

Right, it’s the moustache, I realised.

A neatly trimmed my moustache and waited for my second child to be born.

Our second child was a girl.

Children really are cute.

I had a funny moustache, so I thought that it would be alright.

However, the result was a miss.

Just by me looking at her, she cried. What is this.

My daughter grew into a beautiful girl, but she did not like me at all.

When I peeked into the children’s room, my son and daughter were huddled up together in fear. It was a somewhat cruel thing.

I had thought that they might get used to it if I saw them every day, but unfortunately I had only one body to keep up with my busy schedule.

Two years later, another son was born.

My wife said that he was too quiet.

Even as I did not believe that, I held him in my arms.

As my wife said, our third child was too quiet.

He did not cry, but when I embraced him he cried while remaining expressionless.

Our third child was an oddball.

Hated by three children, I might have given up, but I didn’t do that yet.

I thought that I would have more leisure if my business was failing, so I started something new in a desperate mood.

I had thought that I would be able to spend more time with my family that way.

The new business was running factories with women employees.

I thought up the idea after seeing the women in the park.

People around me tried to stop me, saying that it was a foolish idea.

However, if there’s less work, I can spend more time with my family, so it’s a good deal.

Or so I thought, but my desperate business was very successful.

Of course, I became even busier, that I could see my family only once a month.

My first son grew into an adult before I realised it, with all traces of cuteness gone.

My first daughter was married off. She had grown into a beauty like my wife, but looking back I could count the number of times we talked with my two hands.

I’m sure about my second son.

The oddball was doing some research in university.

In addition, he’s not just any oddball.

I told him as well, but he was lacking emotions as a human.

I thought that his emotion did not change no matter what I did, but that wasn’t exactly so. If there was something he liked, he got so absorbed that he would forget to have meals.

Go study about people’s feelings, when I told him that, he started researching psychology or something.

I wanted to scold him that study does not necessarily mean research, but I patiently endured.

Then for some weird reason, he said that he will go on a trip and disappeared.

A few years passed after my second son disappeared.

My first son had married and had family.

The next year, my grandchild was born.

Of course, the baby did not like me.

I had already given up on the matter.

A few years after that, a letter detailing surprising events came from my second son whom I had forgotten about.

He told me that he married in a faraway land, and even had a child.

I quickly sent celebratory gifts, but nothing came back.

After that, I sent gifts every year, and saved up money for my grandson. I did not get careless about the preparing for the child I had not seen yet.

My grandson’s name is Ritzhard.

According to my son, he was cute like the snow fairy.

I told him to come with his wife and child many times, but apparently the father of the wife was reluctant to come to this country.

My wish was granted four years after that.

My son came back with his wife and child.

First and foremost, I was surprised at how my son had changed.

He felt softer, and could smile.

I could understand why from seeing his wife.

My son must have been greatly influenced by her.

My grandson was just as my son had described.

White hair like snow and blue eyes like sapphire.

I couldn’t see him as anything other than the snow fairy from fairytale.

Believe it or not, the child smile after seeing me.

“——Ha?”

A child smiling at me!?

I was dumbfounded for a moment.

When my son introduced me as his grandfather, my grandson trotted up to me and bowed.

“Grandfather, nice to meet you, I’m Ritzhard.”

“!”

After introducing himself, Ritzhard spread his arms open while fidgeting.

Whatever could that mean!?

My son said, “Father, won’t you hug him?”

I realised it after he told me. My grandson wanted me to hug him.

I cautiously approached.

When I glanced at him, his eyes were shining.

I embraced him quickly.

I was worried that he might suddenly start crying, but Ritzhard laughed joyfully.

What should I say, what an innocent child!

I thought that he was the cutest in the world.

I had thought that my efforts came to fruition, that I was now loved by children. However, my first son and my first daughter’s children still cried upon seeing me.

How regretful.

◇◇◇

“I was scared of father when I was little.”

I heard my son’s confession a decade later.

“At the time when you chased me, you appeared in my dreams for many day……”

He asked what I was doing that day.

I couldn’t tell him that I was trying to play tag.

The grandson feared me married as well, and had a child.

I did not expect anything, because if I showed up the child would cry and hate me.

Well, I could dote on Ritzhard, so I thought that was fine.

I did not have any regrets.

However, an unexpected change came for me.

The man who could not marry, Ritzhard had married, and the children at his wife’s place miraculously came to like me.

More miracles happened, as Ritzhard’s child was born.

I was happy just having a great-grandchild, but Ritzhard wanted me to name the child.

I felt moved that such a thing would happen.

I agonised for days and days, and decided on a name for my great-grandchild.

My grandson and his wife were happy too, so I felt great.

In addition, the great-grandson was the cutest in the world.

Another miracle occurred, as the child did not cry even when he saw my face.

What bliss.

That day, I thought that living long was not so bad after all.

I felt thankful to Ritzhard for making my dream come true.

I did not tell him in person, but I should show him my appreciation some time.