In truth, Vellian had never paid much attention to the former empress until now. Her whereabouts had not been a pressing issue. After all, nobody knew that the southern provinces were owned by the imperial family, so there was no urgency in locating her.
Vellian had taken his time to locate the former empress, ensuring that her disappearance wouldn't become a topic of gossip.
Had the situation been urgent, he would have ordered a widespread search throughout the country. Vellian was well aware that Kaizen held no special feelings for the former empress.
"His Majesty sent her dresses and jewelry..."
This was a shocking revelation for Vellian, who had observed Kaizen for years. Over the past six years, Kaizen had not shown any interest in special lovers.
There had been no women in his life, despite many attempting to capture his attention. He had never sent any gifts to anyone. Of course, during this time, he had been consumed by his duties and had little time for such matters.
Vellian pondered why His Majesty had sent presents to the former empress and invited her to dinner. Could it be out of guilt for their divorce?
Lost in his thoughts, Vellian remained silent. Kaizen, who had been quietly reading the documents, finally spoke without looking up.
"Is it such bad news that you can't find the words?"
"No, not exactly..."
Vellian cleared his throat and continued with his report.
"Lady Astelle declined the gifts and stated that she couldn't attend the dinner because she needed to take care of the child."
Kaizen's hand, which had been turning over the papers, came to a stop.
He recalled seeing Astelle talking to Marianne when they arrived at Maern Castle. Initially, he had been astonished by Astelle's appearance, but when she faced Marianne, her demeanor had turned more serious.
In the world of nobility, ladies had separate dresses for everyday use, formal events, outings, travel, and hunting. The fashion and style of each dress were distinctly different.
For Kaizen, who had spent years observing noble ladies, Astelle's clothing had appeared to be that of a beggar.
Kaizen had initially thought that Astelle would require appropriate clothing for her trip to the capital, so he had instructed the attendant to provide her with suitable attire. However, he hadn't anticipated her response.
"Bring the servant who delivered the presents," Kaizen commanded, wanting to hear what Astelle had said in her response.
The middle-aged servant who had conveyed Astelle's message entered the room and recounted her words, "Yes, Lady Astelle mentioned that she needed to ensure the child's proper mealtime as he is still young.
She acknowledged that she could leave it to the maids, but she felt uncomfortable entrusting such a task to maids she had just met. She explained that she didn't have time to go over the child's habits..."
Vellian, who had been observing the situation with a curious gaze, found himself in agreement with the former empress's reasoning. It was evident that the child, though about five or six years old, couldn't be left alone in a room.
Even among ordinary aristocrats, leaving a young child alone with a maid for less than an hour was uncommon. It was a matter of common sense.
However, not everyone seemed to understand this common-sense principle. The servant, who recounted Astelle's message, could sense genuine anger in the emperor's fiery eyes. In the heavy silence that followed, the servant bit their lower lip in unease.
After a few tense seconds passed, Kaizen struggled to suppress his anger and finally spoke, "Then, tell her to bring the child."
• 🍁 •
Maern Castle may not have been very large, but its dining hall exuded its own brand of grandeur. Elegant carpets adorned the floor, and the tables were set with silverware, candlesticks, and vases filled with beautiful flowers, all set upon colorful tablecloths.
Theor, seated next to Astelle, couldn't help but flutter with excitement as he gazed around the opulent surroundings. While Theor was generally a quiet and attentive child, he had never before attended such an extravagant event. Even though a high chair had been provided for him, Astelle felt a sense of unease.
She couldn't understand why this was happening.
The surprise had begun when Kaizen had sent clothes and jewelry as a gift, but the order to attend the dinner was even more perplexing. She had simply wanted to have dinner with Theor in the privacy of their room, but she couldn't fathom why she was being compelled to attend.
"So, His Majesty commands my presence here."
But why? She couldn't comprehend the reason behind it. Astelle had initially been approached by Sir Lyndon, the head of the knights, who had appeared embarrassed as he conveyed the orders. He had even mentioned that she would be forced to attend if she refused.
"But why did His Majesty send Sir Lyndon for something like this?"
Lyndon had a blank expression as he struggled to find an answer.
"I'm not entirely sure."
Astelle wondered if people thought they were friendly because they had exchanged a few words on the street. In such a case, it made sense to send someone familiar to persuade her, but there was no one here who had any real closeness to Astelle.
'Is this some sort of revenge for refusing the gift?'
Astelle couldn't help but wonder as she was reluctantly forced to attend dinner, wearing the neatest dress she had, which happened to be a simple green cotton dress. It certainly wasn't a formal gown fit for such an occasion.
Of course, finding formal attire for a young child was a challenge in itself. Theor was dressed as neatly as possible, but his outfit was far from formal. There weren't even formal clothes for children of his age.
Theor clung to his fluffy teddy bear and looked up at Astelle, asking, "Can I bring Levin?"
Astelle nodded and replied, "Yes, you should put it next to you while you eat."
Quietly, the doll made from old cloth was placed on an empty chair beside the child. The emperor, Kaizen, didn't say anything out of the ordinary. The four adults at the table-Kaizen, Astelle, Vellian, and Marianne-focused on their meal, with only a few words exchanged about the food.
"It's delicious," Marianne on the opposite side of the table remarked. The venison, the main dish, was exceptionally tender and lean. The raspberry sauce drizzled over the grilled meat added a delightful, slightly sweet flavor.
The lightness of the meat combined with the richness of the sauce created a mouthwatering harmony. With each bite, the delicious venison, bathed in savory juices, danced on the taste buds. Astelle helped Theor with his meal, and fortunately, he ate quietly and obediently.
Marianne continued, "I remember last year's hunting competition. It was truly remarkable. I managed to bring in more than a hundred deer as tribute. I was even selected as the Queen of Autumn at that time."
The hunting competition held every autumn culminated in the selection of the Queen of Autumn from among the unmarried ladies-a significant social event in the fall season.
Marianne, clearly proud of her past achievements, turned her gaze toward Astelle.
"So, you've been away from the capital all this time? You mentioned being in the eastern countryside," Marianne asked.
Astelle confirmed, "Yes, I lived in the far east."
Marianne expressed her sympathy, understanding that Astelle had missed out on the grandeur of the hunting competitions. She spoke highly of the event, describing it as truly enjoyable.
Astelle had indeed organized hunting competitions every year until she reached adulthood. However, her own memories of these events were far from positive. She recalled a particular experience from when she was around seven or eight years old. At that time, she had attended the event dressed in an elaborate gown and a tightly-laced corset.
The experience had left her feeling stifled and frustrated, to the point where she had cried and prayed for the event to end. Later, she had been scolded for returning to the Duke and complaining in public.
Astelle couldn't help but find it ironic that Marianne cherished her memories of the hunting competitions while she herself had less favorable recollections. She observed Marianne with curiosity, noting the marked difference in their perspectives.
Astelle's curiosity led her to gaze at Marianne for a moment. However, the atmosphere changed abruptly when Kaizen, seated at the head of the table, made a casual remark.
"When we were 17 years old, the hunting competitions were even more magnificent," he stated indifferently.
An immediate silence descended upon the table as everyone froze in their tracks. Astelle, in the middle of eating her meal, looked at the emperor, her attention fully captured.
Kaizen, maintaining his composure, calmly asked Astelle, "Don't you remember?"
Astelle hesitated for a brief moment before responding, "I don't know." In reality, she remembered that year's hunting competition very well. It had been a grand event where Kaizen had displayed his exceptional hunting skills as a young prince.
She had sat in the guest's seat, waiting for Kaizen's return throughout the day, enduring the discomfort of wearing a tight corset and sitting still. Eventually, he had returned to crown her as the Queen of Autumn. However, she chose not to reveal these memories to the others at the table.
Throughout the day, Astelle engaged in polite conversation with the nobles who greeted her as if she were a contented fiancée. However, Kaizen did not return until sunset. When he finally did, he had to decide the recipient of the crown, as he needed to depart for the imperial palace immediately.
Kaizen picked up the crown and handed it to Astelle, who was seated right beside him. Then, he excused himself, citing fatigue, and descended from the platform to make his way back to the imperial palace.