Vellian descended the stairs and spotted Astelle standing at the end of the corridor. She appeared to be engaged in conversation with one of the emperor's servants.
Although he could only see her from the side at this distance, her typically calm and elegant demeanor seemed unusual. Her complexion was pallid and unsettling.
Approaching her in surprise, Vellian called out, "Lady Astelle?"
Astelle turned to face him with a slight delay, her expression returning to its usual composure. She smiled calmly at Vellian.
"Oh, Count. Nice to see you again."
Upon closer inspection, her face appeared unchanged-not unusually pale or disconcerting.
'Did I misinterpret something?" Vellian wondered silently.'
He turned his attention to the servant who quickly provided an explanation of the situation.
"His Majesty took Young Master Theor to the hunting lodge, and I was just discussing it with Lady Astelle."
"What?"
Vellian was bewildered. The hunting lodge was situated in a remote location deep within the forest. It was constructed for the emperor's use in case he couldn't return to the castle during a hunt.
It didn't seem like a suitable place to bring a child, especially considering Kaizen's general indifference towards children.
"Why would he do something so unexpected?" Vellian wondered.
Feeling perplexed, Vellian examined Astelle, who stood in silence, and a realization dawned on him.
'Could it be because of her?' he thought.
Astelle, still standing quietly, posed a straightforward question to Vellian.
"Count, how long does it take to reach the hunting lodge from here?"
"If you ride a horse as quickly as possible, you can get there in about an hour."
Astelle knew she had to act quickly if she wanted to reach the hunting lodge in time. The one-hour journey was already pressing, and the medicine's effectiveness was a ticking clock. Her fingertips trembled with anxiety, but she managed to conceal her unease under the long cuffs of her gown as she turned back to face Vellian.
Maintaining her composure was essential, especially in front of this observant man. Astelle worked hard to maintain her calm exterior, reminding herself not to panic and that the full extent of the situation remained unknown.
With an unwavering smile, she calmly continued her explanation. "As I mentioned earlier, the child recently suffered from a severe bout of flu..." She emphasized the importance of timely medication. "So, I brought along a box of pills."
Vellian nodded in recollection. It was common for young children to require supplements or nutritional pills for extended periods after an illness. Astelle's impromptu excuse was plausible, given the circumstances.
Creating an excuse had been a challenge, but apart from that, there seemed to be no other justification for her sudden decision to find the child.
"I'm not in a hurry, but can I accompany and administer the medicine?" Astelle asked, prompting a hint of surprise in Vellian's expression. Outside, the threat of rain hung in the air.
Considering the circumstances, her decision to venture to the hunting lodge to provide the child with medicine didn't appear to be an extravagant display of devotion. Vellian couldn't help but speculate on her motives. Did she doubt the emperor's ability to care for the child? Or was there a deeper fear of losing him?
Although Kaizen was a capable ruler who managed the country effectively, he had never demonstrated a particular affinity for children. It wasn't as though he disliked them, but it was clear that childcare was not his forte. While there were undoubtedly knights and attendants at the hunting lodge, the situation remained somewhat unusual.
Vellian saw no reason to decline Astelle's request; he wanted to maintain a positive relationship with the dignified former empress. He had also noted the young emperor's apparent interest in her.
"Very well," he agreed, considering ordering a carriage for their journey. However, Astelle interrupted with an unexpected preference.
"No, after a long time, I'd prefer to ride a horse instead of taking a carriage," she said with a smile. Although her request wasn't particularly strange, it did strike Vellian as somewhat peculiar given the circumstances.
Vellian hadn't known the former empress for an extended period, but based on his observations, it seemed out of character for Astelle to suddenly express a preference for horseback riding in this situation.
Why the sudden urgency? What was prompting her to rush to the child?
He scrutinized Astelle closely, attempting to discern any signs of deception or hidden motives behind her warm smile. However, her composed expression gave away nothing suspicious. There was no sense of urgency or any telltale signs of impatience.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Vellian nodded and acquiesced to her request.
"Very well, Lady."
~• 🌼 •~
The cold rain continued to pelt the window relentlessly. While it had been fine when they arrived at the villa, as soon as they entered, a deluge seemed to burst forth from the sky.
Kaizen and his entourage found themselves stranded inside the villa due to the downpour.
"It's raining heavily again..." Theor mumbled listlessly as he dangled from the window. His small hand left a dry imprint on the frosted glass.
Sitting in the villa's study room and gazing out at the relentless rain, Kaizen chuckled at the child's lack of enthusiasm.
"How about I show you the bear right here?"
"Is there a bear here?"
At the mention of a bear, Theor's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Kaizen grinned and stood up from his seat.
"Indeed, there is one."
Filled with hope, Theor followed Kaizen to a hall that was used as a dining area. The room was adorned with various decorations, including a large ornament against one wall.
Underneath the wall adorned with crossbows and hunting guns, a life-sized bear sculpture reached up to the ceiling.
To be precise, it was a stuffed bear, standing at over 2 meters tall, with thick brown fur and sharp claws.
"Is this a bear...?" Theor stared at the bear with a blank expression. The bear stood with its paw as large as a dinner plate. In its gaping mouth, he could see sharp fangs. The bear in Theor's mind was nothing like this.
He had imagined something much fluffier, cuter, and with a gentle smile, like a teddy bear. However, this bear looked more like a terrifying and menacing beast. Theor turned to Kaizen with a skeptical look.
"Is this... a bear?"
"Yes, have you never seen a real bear before?"
It was indeed a real bear. It was very different from what Theor had imagined, but he cautiously approached the bear. No matter how big the bear was, when Theor reached out his hand, his fingertips could barely touch the bear's waist.
Theor grabbed the bear's leg with both hands. The stiff brown fur brushed against his skin. He tried to push the bear's leg gently, but it didn't budge. He pushed again, this time with more force, but the leg remained immobile.
The bear stood still like a stone statue, with its arms out and its mouth open. Theor removed his hand from the bear and asked Kaizen again.
"Why doesn't the bear move?"
"Of course, it doesn't move."
"Why?"
Theor blinked his innocent blue eyes at Kaizen, awaiting an explanation. Kaizen hadn't anticipated how his words might affect the child, so he replied without much thought.
"Because it's dead."
Theor was utterly astonished, his breath caught in his throat as he looked up at Kaizen. His eyes widened, his lips parted slightly, and he froze in place, resembling a stone statue.
The child's blue eyes trembled significantly, and his tiny lips quivered. At this point, even Kaizen felt a twinge of embarrassment.
Theor, still staring at him, finally managed to speak, his voice trembling with shock.
"...Why did the bear die?"
Kaizen, who had led armies in war at the age of 20 and ruled as a powerful emperor, now found himself at a loss when confronted by a young child trembling with shock, tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't find the courage to admit, 'I killed the bear.'
"Oh... uh, yes, look over here. This is the hunting rifle my grandfather used."
Embarrassed, Kaizen pointed to a long hunting rifle hanging on the wall behind the bear, trying to divert the child's attention.
"It's an old-fashioned firearm gun. It broke down a long time ago, so I removed the detonator inside and left only the outer shape."
Kaizen, still attempting to engage the child's interest, explained the gun's condition and purpose.
"I'll take it down so you can touch it. I can't put a bullet inside anyway, so you can play with it safely."
The rifle hanging on the wall was just a decorative piece, posing no danger even if the child handled it.
However, no response came from Theor. Despite Kaizen's efforts to point out the gun and offer explanations, Theor remained silent, his mouth slightly agape as he looked at Kaizen.
It dawned on Kaizen that the child didn't understand the concepts of hunting guns or bullets and had no inclination to learn. Theor was still fixated on one overwhelming fact: the immensely large bear before him was dead.
In light of this, Theor showed no interest or joy in the hunting gun Kaizen offered to show him. He simply gazed up with eyes that had begun to fill with tears, and it was becoming apparent that the child might cry soon.