Hiding the Emperor's Child

Chapter 10

Astelle believed that Kaizen's fatigue was the reason behind his decision to stop hunting. She responded by laughing joyfully and placing a crown on her head in an attempt to lighten the awkward atmosphere.

Despite her exhaustion and pain, she continued to fulfill her role as the happy queen of autumn and even hosted the ball alone at night.

The following day, Kaizen apologized to Astelle for his fatigue the previous day, and she readily forgave him. However, she couldn't help but feel a deep regret that he had sensed her sadness, even if it had been temporary.

Those memories were now so distant that they had gathered dust in her mind.

"I recall how I struggled to sit all day, waiting for the contest to end. It feels like a distant memory now," Astelle said.

In response to Astelle's somber remark, Kaizen clenched his jaw tightly, and a heavy silence enveloped the table.

After a brief pause, Marianne, seemingly tormented by something, spoke in a blunt tone, "I can't remember anything from that time," her words tinged with bitterness.

Astelle replied, "Well, you can't be blamed for not remembering. After all, Lady Marianne was only an 11-year-old girl back then."

Although her words weren't overtly dismissive, Marianne bit her lips and her expression carried a hint of contempt.

The atmosphere quickly soured, causing discomfort for Kaizen, who sat at the head of the table, and Marianne continued to cast resentful glances towards Astelle.

In an effort to lighten the mood, Vellian changed the topic.

"Now that I think about it, there used to be many bears around here. Hunting was prohibited due to the danger, but if you ventured deeper into the forest, you'd find a hunting lodge. Sometimes, Your Majesty..."

"Do you have a bear?" Theor, who had been quietly listening to the adults' conversation, blurted out upon hearing the mention of bears.

Before Astelle could respond, Vellian shot Theor an intrigued glance and replied, "Yes, there are quite a few of them around here."

Excitement lit up Theor's eyes, and he eagerly exclaimed, "I want to see them."

Astelle gently placed her hand on the child's shoulder and said, "Theor."

As she looked at the adorable child, a warm smile spread across her face.

"It would be wonderful to show you, but it's too dangerous for you to see them in person," Vellian responded to Theor's enthusiastic request.

Just then, a servant approached the dinner table and whispered something to Kaizen. He attentively listened to the servant's words and abruptly stood up from his seat.

"Please excuse me for a moment," he requested before leaving the room, leaving everyone curious about the urgency of the matter.

Astelle had the intention of returning to her bedroom after dinner, but as soon as the emperor left, Marianne took a hostile stance, aiming her words like arrows at Astelle.

"These children may be cute, but they lack proper manners. It's unfortunate, but it's to be expected. Without strict parental discipline, children often grow up spoiled. There are limits to what relatives can do."

Marianne's words were sharp and critical. Vellian, sensing the escalating tension, quickly took a sip of water and interjected, "Did you have perfect manners at that age? According to my nanny's accounts, I simply grabbed food with my hands at that age..."

"These children don't have both parents, so there's only so much we can do," Marianne continued to mock, cutting off Vellian's words.

Marianne was indeed directing her criticism at Astelle, not Theor. Astelle had lost her mother shortly after her birth and had grown up under the care of her single father. Despite Marianne's sharp words, Astelle didn't show any signs of anger. Instead, she wore a soft, satisfied smile.