Confounded by the chaos unfolding, Astelle found herself at a loss for words. "Your Majesty... Why?" Her voice faltered, reflecting her bewildered state amidst the unexpected spectacle.
However, Kaizen paid no heed to the audience's incredulous stares. His focus was solely on Astelle, their surroundings fading into insignificance as he addressed her deliberately, each word enunciated with precision.
"Marry me, Astelle."
In an instant, the world seemed to grind to a halt.
'Did I just hear that correctly?'
Everything surrounding Astelle blurred into insignificance, the vibrant banquet hall and the passing of time fading away, leaving only Kaizen before her.
Kaizen stood with regal assurance at the center of the grand hall, an embodiment of strength and unwavering sovereignty in his emperor's attire. Amidst the bewildered hush that fell over the onlookers, it was Astelle who ventured to break the perplexing silence.
"Your Majesty, what does that mean?"
'I'm struggling to understand this kind of situation.'
Kaizen responded without a hint of hesitation, his words cutting through the stillness that enveloped them.
"I am proposing to you."
A palpable hush descended upon the banquet hall. Under ordinary circumstances, murmurs or even exclamations would have filled the air. Yet, this was no ordinary occurrence; it was a staggering revelation that the Emperor was proposing to his former empress, someone he had divorced six years ago.
The shock was so profound that it seemed to suffocate the room, rendering even the act of breathing a challenge for those in attendance.
Astelle, too, was seized by disbelief, her gaze fixed on Kaizen, trying to process the unexpected turn of events with the reality before her.
In the recesses of her dusty memories, a younger version of Kaizen emerged. A ten-year-old crown prince stood before her, offering a necklace adorned with sparkling blue jewels and earnestly presenting a proposal.
"Astelle, will you marry me?"
In her hazy recollections, the image of a young, smiling prince lingered vividly in Astelle's mind. Despite their engagement being a result of calculated adult decisions, she had found a peculiar happiness in that moment of youthful innocence.
A decade had passed, and now Kaizen was repeating those same words.
"Marry me, Astelle."
Doubt crept in amid the confusion.
'Why are you doing this?' Astelle couldn't fathom the reasons behind Kaizen's sudden proposal, especially considering he was well aware of Theor's presence, her son. The puzzle of his actions left her utterly baffled.
The first response to Kaizen's words came from the Marchioness of Croychen. Previously positioned in a corner, she swiftly dashed forward, her voice cutting through the air.
"Your Majesty!"
All eyes turned to the source of the sudden call.
"Your Majesty! Princess Astelle is harboring an illegitimate child, hiding it as her nephew!" The declaration resounded in the banquet hall, stirring a murmur among the attendees.
"Mother!" Florin intervened, rushing to stop the Marchioness.
Unlike Florin, who deemed such words unsuitable for the situation, the Marchioness appeared to have lost her composure upon witnessing the Emperor's proposal to Astelle.
Chapter 70
Start from the beginning
