Hiding the Emperor's Child

Chapter 36

The Marquis glanced at Astelle, surprise flickering in his eyes. Astelle stepped in to reassure her grandfather.

"Grandpa, His Majesty has come to check on your condition."

Sitting on the bed, the Marquis initially seemed baffled but then offered a gentle smile to express his gratitude. "It is a great honor for me to have Your Majesty come in person."

Kaizen asked about his health. "How is your body?"

"Thanks for your concern, I have improved a lot." The Marquis responded with politeness and dignity.

Kaizen remembered his prior encounters with the Marquis, perceiving him as stubborn and haughty. He hadn't known Astelle's maternal grandfather well until recently. Recalling their earlier meeting, he pondered, 'You didn't seem very ill, yet you vexed everyone by being rude for no reason at all.'

Astelle's tears welled up at the news of her grandfather's illness. As Kaizen reminisced about that time, he struggled to find comforting words.

Addressing Astelle, who stood silently, Kaizen changed the subject. "Where is Theor?"

"He's playing with the dog in his room."

Kaizen, attempting to maintain a cordial atmosphere, turned to the Marquis. "Theor is truly a kind and polite child. I've never seen such a gentle kid before."

The Marquis remained silent for a while, then fixed a sharp gaze on Kaizen. In the last six years, he had held no regard for the emperor. This young ruler had been nothing short of an adversary to him. The mention of Theor sparked an intense reaction in the Marquis.

'There was a moment when everyone lost their composure.' For the Marquis of Carlenberg, this was that moment. After a brief internal conflict, the Marquis spoke, his tone controlled yet pointed.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Theor indeed resembles my grandson, so he is incredibly gentle and well-mannered. Had he not been reminiscent of my grandson, he might have lacked proper etiquette and been impolite." He emphasized the phrase 'like my grandson' once more.

"I consider myself fortunate. He looks so much like my grandson," remarked the Marquis, his words carrying a weighty undertone that caught Astelle off guard, prompting a raised eyebrow. Yet, the Marquis subtly avoided his granddaughter's gaze.

Thankfully, Kaizen remained oblivious to Astelle's reaction. "I see," he replied calmly, unaware of the veiled insult hidden within the Marquis' words. The Marquis's words carried a hidden message-a candid curse directed at Kaizen: 'I'm relieved he doesn't resemble someone impolite like you but takes after Astelle.'

Unaware of the intended slight, Kaizen remained composed. However, he inwardly cursed the old Marquis, feeling a surge of disdain.

This man had expelled his grandson's mother, a maid, then passed the baby on to Astelle, forcing her into the role of caretaker for five years without even having the means to hire help.

'What a detestable old man,' Kaizen thought to himself. His disdain for the Marquis grew further as he pondered the man's arrogance in boasting about Theor not resembling his birth mother, a mere maid, but rather embodying the esteemed Carlenberg lineage.

At this point, labeling him 'trash' seemed insufficient. 'Indeed, you are the father-in-law of the Duke of Reston.' Kaizen pondered if Astelle would truly shoulder the responsibility of caring for this arrogant old man, given all the trouble he had caused.

Administering the medicine to the Marquis wasn't particularly challenging. It reminded Kaizen of the routine back at home, almost as if Astelle were his maid. The old man's behavior irked Kaizen to the core.