Chapter 158 - How did Mommy and Daddy Meet?

Epilogue 4

What was the most difficult question a child could ask their parents?

Most people would probably ask, “Where was I born?” or “How was I born?” But for the grand ducal couple, the question asked by their daughter was much more difficult.

“How did Mommy and Daddy meet? How did you two know you liked each other?” Serenia Louine Arthas loved her parents dearly. She had always seen them live happily while respecting and loving one another. And this was what led to her suddenly wonder how her parents had met and how they had come to love each other.

When suddenly faced with the question, Agares hummed and avoided his daughter’s gaze. Meanwhile, Isabel turned pale as the reminder that she was caught while stalking her husband was shoved into her face. There was no way Isabel could tell her daughter about how their first meeting was actually her sleeping with Agares after he had been drugged.

Her daughter was probably expecting a beautiful encounter, but Isabel had nothing she could tell her daughter. So she cautiously asked, “Um, don’t you already know a lot about Mommy and Daddy’s story?”

“I thought about that, and I don’t think I know much at all. I’ve heard many people talk about how Daddy proposed to Mommy, but I don’t know anything about how you first met.”

Isabel was aware that her daughter was highly intelligent, but she had not been expecting such a sound argument from her. “My princess, I thought you didn’t like love stories very much?”

Unlike other children, their daughter was not interested in love stories and fairytales at all. So her sudden interest had caught them off-guard.

“I’m bored of storybooks now, but I still like Mommy and Daddy’s story.”

Oh, this was difficult. Their angel of a daughter was expecting a beautiful love story, but Isabel was tongue-tied.

“About that…” Agares had no choice but to intervene.

“Mhm?” Serenia cocked her head expectantly.

“It’s a secret.”

“Why?” Serenia whined.

“Because Mommy and Daddy want to keep our story to ourselves. You’ll understand once you grow up, Serenia.”

.Agares took a page from his mother’s book and used her beautiful memory as an excuse. His mother’s story was a touching tale. But his own story was not one that would suffice as an explanation that could protect his daughter’s childlike innocence.

But their daughter was an erudite. At the age of one, she could converse in full sentences, and by the age of two, she had developed the ability to read ancient texts without any need for help. Serenia had never been taught a foreign language, but perhaps after listening to Agares speak, she picked it up all on her own by the age of three.

Their daughter’s intelligence was clearly exceptional, and the academy professor they had invited had called her a genius. Her level of intellect was rare; only one or two people possessed such a talent in a generation.

“Was it a bad encounter?” Indeed, Serenia was as quick-witted as she was intelligent. The only thing one could fault her for was her inability to let something go.

Agares panicked and blurted out, “It wasn’t a bad meeting per se…”

Normally, he would have never made such a mistake. Agares shut his mouth right after, but it was already too late.

Serenia nodded as she accepted the answer. “It’s alright, you can just live happily in the moment.”

Agares turned to Isabel only to find her looking at him with a displeased gaze. He paled, realizing that he had blundered in front of two of the most beloved women in his life. “Serenia.”

“Still, Ishian might ask about it later, too. So you should prepare an excuse for when the time comes. He’s naive, so he might cry,” the girl advised her parents on how to deal with their four-year-old son.

Agares looked at Serenia and thought, ‘You’re only seven, too.’

Isabel sighed as looked at her overly clever daughter. The feelings she and Agares shared with each other were beautiful and pure, and their first meeting was a happy memory, too. But deep down she knew she absolutely could not tell her daughter.

“I knew it,” Serenia said to herself, “Reality is a different story.”

Isabel signaled Agares to do something about the situation. But what could the man do? Their daughter was so smart that no lie could fool her. But then their savior arrived in the form of their four-year-old son.

The sound of tiny feet slapping against the floor were followed by the nanny’s miserable scream, “Grand prince! It’s dangerous! You shouldn’t run!”

“Mommy! Daddy! Sister’s missing!” The door opened with a burst. “Oh, she’s here.”

“Ishian, your nanny told you not to run around. You must not trouble her.”

“Sorry…”

“Why were you looking for your sister?”

“Sister! Fairytale time!”

“Fine. Sister will read you a storybook.” Serenia took her brother’s hand in one hand and held onto the nanny with the other and left.

All the while, Isabel’s eyes pooled with tears.

* * *

After reading a storybook for Ishian, Serenia now sat next to Agares as she flipped through a thick book while her little brother took a nap. “Daddy.”

‘Just who did my daughter take after to be so smart?’ The thick, heavy book on his seven year old daughter’s lap was a legal code. She could remember anything just after reading it once; just that much was enough to prove her a genius. However, regardless of whether she was an idiot or a genius, to Agares, she would always be his lovely daughter.

Agares lovingly replied to her, “Yes? What is it, my princess?”