Aleksis would be marrying Nicolae next month, yet again, she was reminded of Alaric today. Her eyes looked down, not daring to look at Nicolae due to her guilt of thinking of another man in front of her future husband. Nicolae, who saw her getting awkward, immediately distracted the girl by kissing her hair.
"Hmm... My wife is very beautiful today." He then sat next to Aleksis as if nothing had happened. "So, let's split the job. I'll read the names, and you'll write them on the cards."
Aleksis smiled at Nicolae's understanding attitude and nodded. "Alright... But I'll be the one to read, and you'll be the one to write. Your handwriting is much better than mine."
"How come? I'm a doctor, you know... My handwriting is notoriously ugly." Nicolae scratched his head that didn't feel itchy at all. Aleksis shook her head and took a pen and a paper to prove that her writing was worse than Nicolae's.
The two looked at each other.
"Gosh, your handwriting is indeed ugly," Nicolae commented. "Mine too. I'm afraid these people will feel offended if they can't read their own names on the invitation cards."
Even though it was the modern times and most people chose to send e-invitations or e-mails, the Schneider family always chose to use traditional handwritten invitations because it showed the prestige of their family.
High-class and opulent families maintain a tradition of sending invitations like this because they look personal, classy, and luxurious.
That was why both of them were also following the old family tradition, writing their own invitations for their wedding party next month. Unfortunately, both Aleksis and Nicolae were both "gifted" with such handwritings.
"How about we ask Vega and Altair to do it? Their handwritings are much better than mine," Aleksis commented, "We can give them a reward after."
Nicolae chuckled at Aleksis' suggestion and nodded, "Okay. They've been whining non stop asking for a puppy. I can give that as a reward for them taking care of this invitation."
"Puppy?" Aleksis was stunned. She suddenly missed her long-deceased dog. Little Prince Siegfried died of old age two years ago, and she and her children were aggrieved because of that.
Ah... Yeah. It's been two years, maybe it's time to give a new dog to Altair and Vega.
"Alright, good idea." Aleksis nodded. She then called Altair and Vega, who were digging something in the yard. "Hey... Kids, come here. What are you two doing?"
"Chasing a rabbit, Mom," answered Vega enthusiastically. "We just saw two!"
"Oh... Would you like to have a new puppy?" Aleksis asked with a smile.
"What? Puppyyy???" The two children exchanged glances. A moment later, they sped towards Aleksis, leaving their rabbit chase behind.
"I'll get you whatever puppies you want if you sit here for an hour and help Dad write something," Nicolae explained when the two children arrived in front of him.
"Is that true???" I want it!!! "Vega had jumped happily towards Nic who just arrived." I want a Great Dane!!"
"I want a mini-bulldog like Little Prince Siegfried," Altair voiced, clinging to Nicolae's arm.
"Why? Do you miss Little Prince Siegfried?" Nicolae asked attentively. Altair nodded. Nicolae stroked the boy's head, who then also nodded. "Alright. We'll look for a dog that resembles Little Prince Siegfried later. But you must help Mom and Dad to take care of the wedding invitations. We both have awful handwriting."
The twins didn't think twice and immediately agreed. They picked up the pens and invitation cards and began to work while Nicolae read the names of the invitees.
Aleksis just looked at the three while smiling. Her children had started calling Nicolae "Daddy" since Aleksis finally accepted Nicolae's proposal last summer, after four years of thinking about it.
She still remembered how excited Altair and Vega were when she and Nicolae invited them to dinner together and told them that Mommy Aleksis and Uncle Nic would get married, and Nicolae would soon officially become their father.
Vega even had tears in her eyes as she approached Nicolae and sobbed in his chest, while the more restrained Altair only hugged Nicolae for a long time.
"From now on, if you don't mind, I want you to hear you call me Dad... What do you think?" Nicolae asked, stroking the hair of the two children in his arms.
Vega's cries grew louder at Nicolae's request and the entire front of his shirt was wet with her tears.
That was when Aleksis was convinced that her decision to accept Nicolae's proposal was the best decision. She could vividly see how her children were very happy to accept Nicolae into their lives.
After informing their children of Aleksis and Nicolae's decision to get married, the couple told their family.
Caspar only heaved a sigh of relief and Finland immediately embraced Nicolae as a sign of gratitude for being so patient in waiting and convincing her daughter.
She knew that it was impossible for another man to be as patient as Nicolae in dealing with Aleksis and waiting for ten years for her to open her heart to him. Finland was relieved and happy, knowing that Aleksis would finally find happiness with a man who loved her so much.
"Congratulations, you're finally going to get married too," London hugged his sister with overflowing happiness. He then put his arm around Nicolae's shoulder. London was now 27 years old and his attitude was very mature, no longer as childish as when he and Rune often teased Nicolae with their silly attitude. He had led the Schneider Group office in Berlin to replace his father.
Rune also congratulated the couple. "I have a wedding present for you. A baby translator machine. You 'll be the first parents to know what's inside the baby's head before they can speak! I've been researching this for three years."
Rune already had his own lab in Aldebar's residence. He was given the freedom to experiment with anything, so he had started making small machines. And just like Aldebar, nine out of ten of his machines had no clear use.
Aleksis laughed and brushed off her overly excited brother's head. "Sssh... We're not married yet. We haven't thought about babies either."
"We're not in a hurry," Nicolae added. He and Aleksis exchanged glances and smiled. Both could read each other's minds and agreed to avoid the topic of having children as long as Altair and Vega were still small.
"Well then..." Rune looked a little disappointed, "I'll think of another present."
"Hey... It's okay, you don't need to give us anything, sweet brother," Aleksis exclaimed. "We already have everything."
Aleksis was right. Even if she didn't receive any inheritance or gift from his father and Lauriel, which was unlikely, she wouldn't lack anything being Nicolae's wife, because he had accumulated sufficient wealth during his 104 years of living in this world.
He was still the best hacker in the world, in addition to his position as the heir to the legendary Medici family. They could live in luxury for hundreds of years to come.