Faced with everyone's persuasion, Moritz's stubborn heart finally seemed to soften.
"...Is it truly alright for me to find happiness?"
Elsa was the one who answered.
"In fact, you must be happy....Sister-in-law Helena would surely think so too. Besides..."
"...Besides?"
"You have a duty to make Sister-in-law Ingrid and Rietta-chan happy."
"...Ah, I see....Yeah, you're right..."
The troubled cast on Moritz's face cleared, as if a heavy weight had finally lifted.
Right then, Empress Emerita Hilde made her declaration.
"That's right. After all, I've already been thinking of a grant-name."
Her words clearly came as quite a shock.
"Y-Your Majesty is?!"
"My, are you displeased that it's me?"
Empress Emerita Hilde teased, but Moritz turned pale.
"N-No! Th-That is not it at all! I merely feel it is far too great an honor..."
However, Empress Emerita Hilde remained entirely composed, remarking that since the child would be the niece of the Magi Craft Meister and a Reichsarzt, this much was only natural.
"I-Is that perspective really acceptable...?"
"Yes, perfectly acceptable."
In truth, Moritz had considered asking to adopt a child from either Jin and Elsa or Fritz and Gloria to succeed House Randol.
Of course, in that scenario, he had even thought of retiring—perhaps renouncing his noble status entirely—to live a modest life alongside Ingrid, Henrietta, and the others.
However...
"Big Brother, we have no idea when we'll have children, or if we'll even have more than one," Fritz warned, as if seeing right through Moritz's thoughts.
"Mm....Yuu and Mio belong to the Jin Nidou family. Ani-sama, if you're thinking of the family's future, please pass it down properly to a child of the direct line."
Elsa, too, indirectly made it clear that she had no intention of giving up her children for adoption.
"Ha... hahaha..."
Moritz let out a feeble chuckle, his eyes misting over.
"Everyone... is so kind... to someone like me..."
Then came the final push from Empress Emerita Hilde.
"If you'd like, should I adopt Ingrid as my daughter before she marries into your house?"
"Y-Your Majesty, p-please refrain from taking things that far."
Flora quickly stepped in to stop her, pointing out that marrying someone tied to the Shouro Imperial Family, even through adoption, would be far too disproportionate for a baronet and would hardly do Moritz any favors.
Just then, a voice announced another arrival.
"Pardon the interruption while you are conversing. Lord Reinhard has just arrived from House Randol's head house as a congratulatory messenger."
"Hey, Reinhard. You look well!"
"Rai-nii, welcome."
"Oh, so Jin and the others were here after all! Good to see you doing well too."
Jin, Elsa, and Reinhard warmly celebrated their reunion.
With that, all those connected to House Randol gathered together in one room.
"Y-Your... Majesty... thank you... for coming."
There was Elsa, Moritz, and Fritz's father, Georg, as well as...
"So lively~"
"Lots of people~"
Jin and Elsa's children, Yuu and Mio.
And along with them...
"U-Um, what is about to begin...?"
Henrietta and her mother, Ingrid, were present as well.
"Ahem. To everyone gathered here," Moritz began.
"A baby girl was recently born to Ingrid and me, and we have named her Henrietta."
Applause broke out across the room.
"...Thank you. And allow me to make an announcement. As soon as Ingrid's health recovers, I intend to take her as my wife."
The applause erupted once again, and then...
"H-Husband!"
Ingrid paled in sheer astonishment.
Moritz gently took her hand.
"I have decided. You are my wife, and Henrietta is the eldest daughter of House Randol."
"Husband..."
Grasping the full weight of his words, tears welled in Ingrid's eyes.
Even louder applause filled the room, offering the couple their heartfelt blessings.
And then...
"I shall bestow the grant-name 'Rubella' upon Rietta-chan," Empress Emerita Hilde declared.
"Thank you very much."
The entire room applauded, and Moritz offered his deepest, most respectful bow.
Since Ingrid alone still looked utterly lost, Moritz leaned in and whispered softly in her ear.
"(...She's Her Majesty the Empress Emerita, traveling incognito.)"
"E-Eeeeeeek?!"
Sure enough, Ingrid was completely struck dumb.
As she looked on the verge of fainting, Moritz gently supported her.
(Her Majesty the Empress Emerita granting her a name means Rietta-chan has been officially recognized as the eldest daughter of House Randol.)
Elsa whispered this into Jin's ear.
(I see. I'm really glad, then.)
(Mm. I want Sister-in-law Ingrid and Rietta-chan to be happy.)
(Yeah, of course. That too, but that's not the only reason I said I was glad.)
(?)
(I'm talking about you, Elsa....You were seeing Mother-in-law Mine and yourself in Ingrid-san and Rietta-chan, and worrying about them, weren't you?)
(...You could tell?)
(Well, yeah. I am your husband, after all, aren't I?)
(...Mm.)
Elsa clung tightly to Jin's arm.
Watching the two of them, Yuu and Mio chimed in:
"Papa and Mama get along so well~"
"Papa and Mama get along so well~"
Oh, their pronunciation improved without us even realizing, Jin and Elsa thought.
"Jin, Elsa. It's wonderful that you two are so close, but still..." Reinhard remarked with a wry smile.
Naturally, it went without saying that everyone else in the room was watching the two of them with warmly amused expressions as well.