"It would be an immense honor for Your Majesty to join," she conveyed with a respectful bow and a polite smile. "However, I'm concerned about Theor's young age. If he were to act disrespectfully toward Your Majesty, I'd prefer to stay with him in the annex."
Astelle's underlying message was clear, if Kaizen wished to go on the picnic, she preferred he go alone. The slight edge in her words didn't escape Kaizen's notice. His eyes hardened, revealing a mixture of anger, irritation, and resentment reflected in his crimson gaze.
'I understand if you're upset, but why the deep disappointment?' Vellian, unable to see the tension between them, interjected while observing their interaction. "Lady Astelle, I prefer you won't do—"
Astelle attempted to disregard Vellian's interruption, but Theor, gripping her skirt, gazed at her with fervor. "Aunt, why aren't we going? Can't we go with His Majesty?"
At Theor's earnest question, Astelle felt a tug at her heart. Vellian seized the moment and spoke up once more.
"Since the young master's eager, let's all head out together. It's a waste to stay indoors with such great weather," Vellian suggested.
Astelle remained silent, reluctant to go out with Kaizen regardless of the weather. However, upon seeing Theor's enthusiasm, she relented with a sigh. "Alright. We'll go together."
Observing her, Kaizen couldn't help but smirk faintly. "Thank you."
Astelle proceeded toward the carriage, paying no heed to him. What was supposed to be a simple outing involving only Astelle, Theor, and her grandfather morphed into a larger affair, now including Kaizen, Vellian, and the emperor's contingent of knights.
Eagerly, Theor rushed towards Kaizen and grabbed his hand. "So, Your Majesty is coming with me?"
Kaizen nodded. "Yes, we'll all go together."
Observing the interaction between the two, Astelle then took Theor's hand and boarded the carriage first. Accompanied by the knights as escorts, the group made its way towards the forest.
--**
The forest sprawling to the north of Denz Castle boasted remarkable beauty. A clear stream meandered from the east, weaving through the woods, adorned with lush greenery, tall trees, and soft grass beneath their lofty canopies.
The prospect of a picnic in such a picturesque setting seemed immensely appealing—sandwiches and sweet fruit pies enjoyed under the warm sun, complemented by the aroma of fine wine. Imaginations painted scenes of children joyfully frolicking amidst the trees, while adults sat on the grass, relishing snacks and engaging in conversation.
However, the idyllic scene was abruptly interrupted by the cold, relentless patter of rain echoing through the forest. Vellian glanced upwards, gazing at the now-gray sky, and muttered in disappointment, "It's raining... and it doesn't seem to stop."
The weather had been sunny and clear when they embarked on their excursion. However, upon reaching the center of the forest, an unexpected curse seemed to manifest, conjuring rain from the skies.
Hastily, the party retrieved a tent from their provisions in an attempt to seek refuge from the downpour. The tent, initially intended as a shade awning, was now their makeshift shelter, hurriedly assembled by the servants.
Vellian peered up at the expansive canopy above his head, observing the tent swaying precariously in the wind. "Even so... the servants brought this along, and it's supposedly worth ten million."
Without the tent, they would've been drenched by the rain pouring down. The carriage remained parked at the forest entrance, guarded by the knights. Outside, the rain fell so heavily that visibility was reduced to almost nothing.
The downpour relentlessly beat against the tent, making it seemingly impossible to venture out of the forest. Amidst the boredom, Theor found some distraction, observing a small tree frog near the tent's edge.
The tent, set up rather poorly, swayed violently in the gusty winds and heavy rain. Water pooled on the sagging fabric, cascading down like a miniature waterfall.
Astelle ushered Theor inside to keep him dry, while Kaizen, already seated in the tent, expressed his irritation. "It's raining as soon as we arrive..."
'We came for a forest picnic in a carriage, and now this sudden rain.' The situation felt out of place, to say the least.
Kaizen glanced at Astelle, who sat a short distance away. He had hoped for a pleasant conversation, a chance to stroll through the refreshing forest and exchange words.
This was the opportunity he had eyed to discuss what had happened that night. Perhaps amidst the sunny woods, she would be more open.
Being somewhat compelled into the picnic for this purpose, all his efforts seemed futile now. Instead of the envisioned sunny setting, they were met with biting rain and gusts of wind. The downpour, whipped by the gusts, reached where Vellian stood.
"Ugh..." Vellian groaned and hastily sought refuge indoors, clearly displeased with the weather.
The five of them found themselves cramped inside the tent, enduring the merciless passage of time. Theor occupied himself by scribbling on the floor, while Astelle, noticing his hunger, offered him a snack.
"Are you hungry? Would you like a snack?" Astelle asked Theor, who responded eagerly, "Yes, I'm hungry."
She turned to the three men who seemed lost in thought for a moment.
"May I take out a snack and eat it?" Theor asked.
"Sure. I'm hungry too. Let's have something," replied Vellian, retrieving a neatly packaged meat pie and a bottle of wine from the basket. The assortment included sandwiches with flavorful chicken and colorful fruit tarts, provisions provided by the servants for the emperor's picnic.
Vellian handed some snacks to Kaizen, urging, "Your Majesty, please have some snacks."
However, Kaizen made no move to touch the food, opting instead to gaze at Astelle.
"Here, have a sandwich," Astelle offered Theor, handing him a simple ham and cheese sandwich from the basket.
"It's delicious!" Theor exclaimed as he savored the sandwich Astelle had given him, taking small bites.
Observing Theor's delight, Astelle fetched another sandwich...
...and Kaizen found himself instinctively reaching out for it.
Astelle, without acknowledging Kaizen, passed the sandwich to her grandfather seated nearby.
"Have something to eat, Grandpa," she offered.
"Okay. Thank you," her grandfather responded gratefully.
Kaizen's hand hovered momentarily before he withdrew it, feeling a mix of disappointment and embarrassment.
Watching Kaizen's discomfort, Vellian extended the meat pie toward him cautiously.
"Your Majesty, please have this," he offered.
But Kaizen declined, opting only for the wine Vellian had poured. The four adults sat together, eating their food in an atmosphere filled with unease and shame.
Kaizen, Vellian, Astelle, and the Marquis were a complex mix of relationships. Astelle avoided Vellian ever since he invaded her privacy, creating an awkwardness between them.
The tension lingered, and no one found a comfortable topic to discuss. Consequently, an uncomfortable and weighty silence settled within the confines of the tent.
"Can I get another one? This tastes great."
Only Theor seemed unaffected by the awkward atmosphere, happily munching away.
"Of course, help yourself."
Theor indulged in another sandwich and a meat pie, savoring every bite.
Breaking the uneasy quiet, Vellian spoke up, "Have you met Sir Seibel at the ball, Lady Astelle?"
"The commander of the Lanberg Knights?"
"Yes, a childhood friend of mine."
"Is that so?"
The mention of Sir Seibel, a young man with silver hair and light blue eyes, surfaced in Astelle's thoughts. Despite his courteous demeanor leaving a good impression, learning about his friendship with Vellian reduced Astelle's admiration for him.
The Marquis, silently listening in, interjected with curiosity, "For someone of his age, being a knight commander is quite a feat. How did he attain such a rank?"
Vellian, exhibiting pride, nodded in agreement, "Indeed, he's exceptionally talented. And it's no surprise, considering his father is Count Ecklen, the minister of the military."
"Who?"
"Count Gerald von Ecklen. He's Sir Seibel's adoptive father."
As the name echoed, Astelle recalled something. "Oh, yes. Sir Seibel's father sent his regards to Grandpa. I completely forgot to mention it."
With so much happening after the ball, Astelle had unintentionally let it slip from her mind. Observing her grandfather's bewildered expression, she felt a twinge of surprise.
"Grandpa?"
"Gerald Ecklen became the minister of the military?"
"Yes, do you know him?"
After hearing Vellian's question, he regained his senses with a little startling.
"Ah, well... we used to know each other. He used to be my lieutenant."
"Is that true? That's the first time I've heard of it."
The Marquis still seemed to be thinking of something. Astelle was struck by her grandfather's strange reaction.
"The rain's stopped," Astelle noted, organizing the baskets while surveying the sky that was slowly brightening. Vellian, sitting beside Theor absorbed in his floor drawing, glanced up, observing the gradual clearing of the sky.
Theor peered outside the tent, eager. "Can I go play?" he asked.
"Sure," Astelle replied, and with excitement, Theor dashed out.
"I'm going to gather some herbs. Please watch over Theor."
"Sure thing. Take care," her grandpa replied. Astelle grabbed a basket and headed out. The recent rain had left the grass damp, glistening with moisture. Outside, a refreshing breeze brushed against her. With her basket in hand, Astelle ventured deeper into the forest. Once she had departed, Kaizen rose to his feet.
"Your Majesty? Where are you headed?" Vellian asked, but Kaizen didn't respond and continued walking toward Astelle's direction. Theor peered into the forest where the two had vanished.
"Where did His Majesty go?" he asked.
"Hmm... His Majesty seems to have something to discuss with Lady Astelle," Vellian answered with a hint of sadness in his voice. As he watched them leave, a sense of foreboding crept over him.
The Emperor's unusual attention towards Astelle was becoming increasingly peculiar, considering their continuous closeness. Astelle dismissed it as the Emperor's guilt, but his actions didn't seem merely driven by remorse.
The Emperor's undue interest had brought trouble upon Astelle before, putting even Theor in danger. Contemplating these events weighed heavily on Vellian, visibly affecting him.
'What sort of enemies could the Emperor and Lady Astelle have?' Vellian sighed deeply, troubled by these thoughts.
---***
While Astelle strolled through the forest, searching for herbs, the rustling of leaves was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. She turned to find Kaizen behind her.
"Astelle," his voice broke the silence.
"What brings you here?"
Kaizen's red eyes held a storm of emotions. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Complex feelings flashed across Kaizen's gaze, his response laden with unspoken sentiments.
Approaching her, he spoke calmly. "I apologize for last time."
Astelle appeared taken aback by the sudden apology.
"I wanted to express my regret for what transpired at the ball. I'm sorry for trying to restrain Theor out of my own desires. You were right, it was selfish of me."
Astelle remained silent, listening attentively until Kaizen had finished.
He worried she might react with anger, yet Astelle simply listened quietly until he finished. "You have nothing to apologize for."
Astelle responded bluntly after listening to him. "As the empire's ruler, Your Majesty must always act as you please."
"I don't want to hear your flattery," Kaizen retorted, struggling to contain his mounting frustration. Conversations with Astelle always stirred anger within him. How could a single word evoke such a storm of emotions?
Astelle regarded him impassively. "Then, will you permit Theor and my grandfather to return home?"
Kaizen found himself unable to refuse in this situation.