Curiosity piqued, Kaizen asked Astelle, "What is the gift?"
Seibel pointed to the history book that lay on the table. Astelle picked it up and showed it to Kaizen, revealing the book that had been delivered.
Kaizen's expression soured, and he dismissed Seibel with a stern command. "Leave once your business is concluded."
Seibel respectfully acknowledged Kaizen's order, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Approaching Astelle, Seibel bid her farewell. "I hope to see you again in the future, Lady Astelle."
Astelle replied with a warm smile, "Yes, until we meet again."
After Seibel left, a heavy silence settled in the room, creating an atmosphere of tension. Kaizen, his eyes filled with displeasure and discomfort, fixed his gaze upon Astelle.
"Your Majesty, what have you come here for?"
"I did not come to see you. I came to see Theor," Kaizen answered with the hint of irritation.
"Theor?"
'What does Kaizen have to do with him?'
"Where is he?"
"He is with my grandfather."
Determined to meet Theor, Kaizen instructed the maid, "Call him," signaling his eagerness to speak with Theor.
After a short while, Theor hurriedly made his way to the library.
"Your Majesty!"
Upon spotting Kaizen, his face lit up with joy, and he rushed over to him. Kaizen, equally pleased to see Theor, scooped him up into his arms.
"How have you been?" Kaizen asked, his voice filled with warmth and affection.
Theor, still beaming, "I really like the gift you gave me. The silver soldiers are amazing!"
Witnessing the unexpected closeness between the two of them, a sense of unease washed over Astelle. She couldn't help but feel anxious about the impending separation. However, she reassured herself.
'It'll be fine.'
If Astelle were to depart the following day, it would mean that Theor and Kaizen would never have the chance to see each other again.
"I had promised to take Theor to the theater, but unfortunately, I couldn't find the time. And now, he will be leaving tomorrow." Astelle was taken aback by Kaizen's unexpected statement.
"When did you make that promise?" she asked, her voice filled with surprise.
Noticing Theor's disappointment, Kaizen playfully pinched the young boy's soft cheek. "The fair is open today. Shall we go take a look there?" he suggested.
Excitement sparkled in Theor's eyes as he eagerly replied, "Let's go!"
Astelle, still in a state of shock, exclaimed, "Wait, there's a fair?" The sudden revelation caught her off guard, and she turned to face the two of them.
"Well, since I made a promise to him, I'll take him."
Astelle couldn't hide her concern as she questioned, "Your Majesty and Theor are going alone?" The idea of them venturing out without any company worried her.
"The escorts will follow us," Kaizen assured Astelle.
Astelle, however, had a different concern in mind. She knew that when the emperor went undercover at a fair, the guards would secretly trail behind him. But it seemed as though Kaizen and Theor were left alone, without any visible protection.
The mere thought of letting Theor go to the fair alone with Kaizen was unthinkable.
Unable to ignore her maternal instincts, Astelle stepped forward and firmly declared, "I'm going too."
"You don't trust me?" A smirk graced Kaizen's handsome face as he responded.
Astelle remained silent, her hesitation reflecting her doubts. How could she entrust her child to someone who had never taken care of a child before?
While Kaizen was undoubtedly a capable emperor, he had never shown any inclination or experience in caring for a five-year-old. In her heart, she would rather leave Theor in the care of Vellian than with Kaizen.
Kaizen found it interesting that Astelle asked to accompany them. "Well, if you want to follow us, feel free to do as you please," with a low, benevolent smile, he replied.
Theor's face lit up with happiness upon hearing that both Astelle and Kaizen would be going together. "Is Aunt Astelle going with us too?" he asked excitedly.
Astelle let out a sigh. "Okay, let's go together." And so, the three of them set off to the fair.
• 🍁 •
Theor's eyes widened with awe as he took in the sight of the bustling crowd. Never before had he witnessed such a vibrant and lively atmosphere. His gaze darted around, captivated by the surroundings.
"Wow!"
Astelle, aware of Theor's fascination and the potential dangers of the crowded fair, held onto his hand tightly.
"Theor, be careful. Don't let go of my hand, no matter what."
As they rode the carriage through the bustling center of the capital city, Theor's attention was completely absorbed by the multitude of people around him. He was so engrossed in observing the crowd that he hardly spared a glance for Astelle.
"Yeah, I won't let go."
Understanding the potential risks in the crowded area, Theor held Astelle's hand tightly as they ventured into the midst of the bustling crowd.
With a curious expression, Theor looked around the eastern road of the square, where a constant stream of people came and went. The sight was entirely new to him, something he had never experienced before. Being someone who rarely ventured outside, everything felt incredibly fascinating and amazing to him.
His gaze fixed on the vendors selling colorful goods, Theor watched intently, captivated by the vibrant scene unfolding before his eyes.
Trailing behind the pair, Kaizen muttered, "The crowd is quite large." Astelle cast a glance over her shoulder at Kaizen, who was navigating through the throng of people, careful not to bump his head against the lamps hanging from the poles.
Despite the recent upheaval, the fall of the high nobility, and the outbreak of a civil war, the capital seemed to be thriving more peacefully than ever before. This tranquility was largely due to Kaizen's efforts.
"Have you visited this place before?" Kaizen asked.
"Yes," Astelle replied.
Kaizen appeared taken aback by her response.
"Why do you seem so surprised?" she asked.
"I just didn't expect you to frequent a place like this," Kaizen admitted.
"In the past, you seemed content to stay within the confines of your mansion. I can't imagine your father would have permitted you to venture to a place such as this."
Noblewomen typically don't come frequent places where commoners gather. Astelle murmured, avoiding Kaizen's gaze, "Well... I didn't exactly have my father's permission to come here."
In the capital, there were many noblewomen, but few had fathers who would willingly allow them to visit such places. "I used to come here with my brother, Fritz and Sigmund," she revealed.
Reflecting on it, she remembered that Fritz, much like Kaizen, had also grumbled about the crowd. "What's so appealing about this dusty marketplace? I just can't comprehend it," Fritz had once said.
Astelle could only offer a wry smile in response. Despite the dust and the crowds, she found herself longing to visit more often whenever the opportunity presented itself.
'Once I enter the Imperial Palace, I won't have the freedom to come and go as I please,' she thought.
Kaizen, who had been grumbling earlier, was taken aback to see a hint of loneliness in Astelle's expression.
Just as Kaizen was about to continue the conversation, Astelle abruptly pointed towards a corner of the square. "Theor, there's a puppet show happening over there. Would you like to go see it?"
"What's a puppet show?" Theor asked.
"It's a play, but with puppets," Astelle explained.
At the mention of a play, Theor's face lit up with excitement. "I want to go see it!"
Astelle accompanied Theor towards the puppet show. A modest stage had been set up in a corner of the square, where a play was being performed using puppets. In front of the stage, there were makeshift seats on the ground for the audience. A group of small children had gathered at the front of the stage, their faces filled with anticipation.
Astelle found a seat with a good view and settled Theor down, ready to enjoy the show.
"Stay here quietly and watch," Astelle instructed Theor.
On the stage, a rabbit puppet and a teddy bear puppet were hanging by strings, enacting a story reminiscent of a fairy tale, designed to captivate the young audience. The narrative unfolded, featuring a leisurely walk and a meal of delicious food.
Theor sat obediently on the bench, his attention riveted to the stage. Astelle stood behind him on the ground, watching the performance. Kaizen joined them, positioning himself next to Astelle.
After observing the play for a while, Kaizen broached a different topic. "Have you seen your father recently?" he asked.
Astelle couldn't help but wonder if he had been keeping tabs on her. After all, she was residing in the mansion gifted to her by the emperor, and it was likely that the servants had been gossiping. However, she also considered the possibility that Kaizen was not monitoring her, but rather her father, the Duke of Reston.
'How is the investigation into the assassination progressing?'
It must be her father.
The thought of the truth being revealed filled her with apprehension, as it would not only endanger her father but also Fritz. Astelle herself would be far from safe.
"Yes, I did meet my father."
"What did your father say?"
"We didn't discuss much," Astelle responded evasively. "It was mostly about household matters."
Upon hearing Astelle's vague answer, a frown formed on Kaizen's face.
Upon learning that the Duke of Reston had visited Astelle, Kaizen's mood soured. Several months ago, when Kaizen had inquired about Astelle's whereabouts, the duke had appeared distraught, tears welling up in his eyes.
"My poor daughter left the mansion and disappeared right after the divorce trial. It breaks my heart that the daughter I wholeheartedly raised has vanished from the capital..."
It was an image of a grieving father, seemingly devastated by the loss of his daughter. However, Kaizen couldn't help but feel that the duke was placing blame on him while feigning sorrow.
"I couldn't find her. Didn't you search for her?" Kaizen questioned, his tone filled with suspicion.
Once again, the duke let tears stream down his face, putting on a pretense of pity. "I did everything I could to find her, but no matter how hard I searched... I spent six agonizing years, fearing that my poor daughter might have resorted to extreme measures."
In a dramatic turn of events, a report suddenly arrived, revealing Astelle's whereabouts. "Your daughter is at your father-in-law's mansion," the message stated.
Kaizen couldn't help but emit a cold laugh as he read the note, realizing that the duke had been unaware of Astelle's location and her father-in-law's residence. "Did you not know where your daughter was or where your father-in-law lived?" he questioned, his voice laced with disdain.
In an instant, the duke discarded his sorrowful facade, his expression turning dissatisfied. "It has been a long time since we severed ties," he responded, revealing his true feelings.
Kaizen's thoughts drifted back to that troubling time, causing him to click his tongue in frustration.
The Duke of Reston's involvement in the assassination plot was glaringly obvious, but executing him as a traitor was not an option for Kaizen. He couldn't bear the thought of Astelle being stripped of her peerage and facing punishment for being the daughter of a traitor.
Instead, Kaizen devised a plan to discreetly eliminate the duke, disguising his death as an accident. It was a decision he had never contemplated before.
In the past, he believed that only through a public trial and execution could the duke's family be properly removed from power. However, with Astelle's well-being in mind, Kaizen couldn't subject her to the humiliation and suffering that would come with being the daughter of a traitor.
Yet, despite his resolve, a sense of unease lingered in a corner of Kaizen's heart. He remembered Astelle as a dutiful follower of her father, the Duke.
Having lost her mother at a young age, she had only her father left, making her loyalty understandable. Even though she had been expelled by her family, the news of her biological father's death would undoubtedly bring her sadness.
Contemplating the situation, Kaizen felt a growing discomfort. Perhaps it would be best for Astelle to leave the capital until the mission was completed. Sending her back to her countryside mansion would provide her with a safe haven and protect her from any potential harm.
With a heavy heart, Kaizen made his decision. For now, it was crucial to ensure Astelle's safety by sending her away. Once the mission was over, he could bring her back with a justifiable reason.
If the duke were to meet his demise, Astelle would inherit his title and estate, allowing her to return to the capital and witness her brother become a duke.
Kaizen's determination to protect Astelle remained unwavering. He was committed to completing the mission and eliminating all potential threats before bringing Astelle back to his side. He understood the importance of ensuring her safety and securing a brighter future for both of them.