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nTL: Lilac | PR: Luna, Joe

nOnly the old Marquis requested for an audience.

nAstelle did not take a single step out of the annex after the ball.

nHowever, Kaizen was reluctant to go there for no good reason.

nHe was just spending a few days idling.

n‘Shall I use this opportunity to visit her?’

nKaizen looked at the documents and struggled.

nAfter waiting for his answer for a long time, Vellian gave up and opened the papers again to just work.

nThen Kaizen muttered.

n“Okay. I can’t just leave her alone with an old man and a child in the forest.”

n“Yes. For the safety, Your Majesty should go with Lady Astelle.”

nVellian quickly agreed with the Emperor’s words.

nKaizen put down the papers and stood up.

n“I’m going on a picnic, so tell the servants to prepare.”

nAstelle took Theor’s hand and came out. In one hand she was holding a picnic basket.

n“Aunt Astelle, are we going by walk?”

n“No, it’s too far away, so we have to go by carriage.”

nAstelle came out of the annex and stopped when she saw the carriage in front of the garden.

nThe servants were loading unknown luggage bags on the carriage.

n‘What are those things?’

nThen a familiar voice called out to Astelle.

n“Lady Astelle! long time no see.”

nIt was Vellian.

n“Count. What is this?”

nAn ominous feeling slowly rose.

n‘I don’t think I’ve ever had a good relationship with this person.’

n“This is His Majes—”

n“I’m ready to go on a picnic with you.”

nBefore Vellian answered, a calm low tone took over the answer.

nI turned around in surprise and saw Kaizen walking this way.

n“Your Majesty!”

nTheor released Astelle’s hand and ran to Kaizen.

nKaizen stroked Theor’s hair.

n“You have completely recovered your energy.”

nThe last kidnapping has made Theor even closer to Kaizen.

nAstelle stopped on the spot and watched Kaizen silently.

nIt was her first meeting since the day of the ball.

n‘I thought it would be very uncomfortable if we met again, but now I am so embarrassed that I have no time to feel uncomfortable.’

n“Your Majesty, where… are you going? A picnic?”

nShe must have misunderstood, but Kaizen answered without hesitation.

n“Yeah. Picnic.”

n“……”

nNo, why?

nWho invited you?

nThe Marquis who came out of the annex belatedly found the emperor. With a bewildered look, he set himself up.

n“I see Your Majesty the Emperor, the lord of the empire.”

n“Oh, yes. You seem much better.”

n“Yes, I am completely healed after being here for a long time.”

nThe Marquis expressed his gratitude very politely.

nBut in that tone of voice, there was anger at the constant rejection of audience requests for the past few days.

nKaizen also felt it, so he had a slight wrinkle on his forehead.

nAstelle stepped forward to prevent a bad mood between the two of them.

n“Are you really going to go with me?”

nAs if she had asked too directly, there was an unpleasant look in Kaizen’s red eyes.

n“Why? Should I not go?”

n“……”

n‘Yes, I wish you hadn’t come.’

nI wanted to say frankly as happened at the ball not long ago.

nYou refused my grandfather’s request for an audience, and I don’t know why you want to go with me.

nAstelle let out a short sigh, holding back what she wanted to say.

n“It is an infinite honor for Your Majesty to attend.”

nInstead, she bowed her head with a polite smile.

n“But I am afraid because Theor is too young and if he will be disrespectful to Your Majesty. If you allow me, I will stay with Theor in the annex.”

nIf you want to go on a picnic, go alone.

nThat’s what Astelle meant.

nKaizen’s eyes became harsh.

nAstelle could see the anger, irritation, and resentment that passed through his red eyes.

n‘I understand if you getting angry, but why are you so disappointed?’

nVellian, who was not able to see, intervened while looking at the two of them.

n“Hey Lady Astelle, don’t do that…”

nAstelle tried to ignore him. But at that moment Theor hung on the hem of Astelle’s skirt with a passionate gaze.

n“Aunt, why are we not going? Can’t we go together with His Majesty?”

n‘Oh.’

nTheor grabbed the hem of her skirt with a small hand and looked up at her.

nWithout missing this opportunity, Vellian spoke again.

n“Even the young master wants to go like this, so let’s go together. It’s not good to stay indoors when the weather is so nice.”

n“……”

nAstelle doesn’t want to go out with Kaizen no matter what the weather is. But…

nSeeing Theor, she sighed.

n“Okay. Let’s go together.”

nKaizen, who was watching her, let out a small smirk.

n“Thank you.”

nAstelle walked over to the carriage ignoring him.

nIn the end, the simple picnic that the three of them, Astelle, Theor, and grandfather were going to go to, became a large-scale outing including Kaizen Vellian and the knights protecting the emperor.

nTheor rushed to Kaizen and took him by the hand.

n“Then, Your Majesty will go with me?”

n“Yes. We are all going together.”

nAstelle watched the two of them, then she took Theor and got on the carriage first.

nThe party went to the forest with the knights accompanying them as escorts.

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n***

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nThe forest on the north side of Denz Castle was really beautiful.

nThe clear water flowing from the east formed a stream and crossed the forest.

nGreen leaves and soft grass were full among the trees that soared high into the sky.

nHaving a picnic at a place like this would be very enjoyable.

nSandwiches and sweet fruit pies under the sunny sun.

nBrunch with fragrant wine.

nChildren run and play in the forest.

nAdults sit on the grass and chat while eating snacks…

nA picture of a happy picnic flashed in everyone’s mind.

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n*

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nrain pouring sfx

nThe cold sound of rain pouring the forest.

nVellian looked up at the gray sky and muttered in vain.

n“It’s raining……it keeps coming.”

nObviously, it was sunny and clear when they left.

nAs soon as they entered the center of the forest, as if they had been cursed, it started to rain.

nThe party hurriedly took out the tent from the luggage to manage to avoid the rain.

nIt was provided by servants to be used as a shade awning.

nVellian looked up at the wide curtain above his head.

nThe poorly erected tent wobbled precariously in the wind.

n“Still……the servants brought this, and it’s worth ten million.”

nWithout this tent, everyone would have been hit by the rain.

nThe carriage has been parked outside the entrance to the forest.

nThe knights were also guarding the entrance.

nOutside, the rain that fell on the forest was so strong that anyone couldn’t see an inch ahead.

nHeavy rain fell constantly on the tent.

nIt seemed that it would be difficult to get out of the forest at this rate.

nBored Theor was watching a little tree frog at the end of the tent.

nThe poorly erected tent swayed greatly in the wind and rain.

nThe rainwater that had been stagnating on the tent fell down like a waterfall.

n“It’s raining……”

nAstelle called Theor inside.

n“Theor, please come inside so you don’t get wet.”

nKaizen, who was sitting in the tent, was annoyed.

n“In any case, it rained as soon as we arrived……”

n‘I came to this forest by a carriage to have a picnic or something, but suddenly it rained.’

nIt was an odd situation.

nKaizen looked at Astelle, who was sitting a little further away.

n‘I was trying to have a good conversation with Astelle.’

nTaking a walk in the refreshing forest and chatting……

nHe saw the opportunity and wanted to tell what happened that night.

nIf he starts a conversation in a sunny forest, maybe her heart would open up a bit.

nFor that purpose, he was semi-forced to follow a picnic, but all in vain.

nCold rain and wind blew through the gray clouds.

nThe rain that was pouring down like a pole was blown away by the wind, reaching the place where Vellian was.

n“Ugh……”

nVellian also hated it and ran away inside.

nThe five of them sat together in a cramped tent to pass the time mercilessly.

nTheor was scribbling on the floor alone.

nAstelle asked Theor, “Aren’t you hungry? Do you want a snack?”

n“Yes. I’m hungry.”

nAstelle asked the three men who were dazed.

n“Can I take out a snack and eat it?”

n“Yeah. I’m hungry too. Let’s eat something.”

nVellian also took a well-packaged meat pie and a bottle of wine from the basket.

nThere were also sandwiches with savory chicken and colorful fruit tarts.

nIt was a snack provided by the servants because the emperor was going on a picnic.

nVellian took out a few and handed it to Kaizen.

n“Your Majesty, please have some snacks.”

nBut Kaizen didn’t even touch it and looked at Astelle.

n“Come on, let’s have a sandwich.”

nAstelle took a sandwich from the basket and handed it to Theor.

nIt was just an ordinary sandwich with ham and cheese.

n“It’s delicious!”

nTheor took the sandwich Astelle had given him and ate it little by little.

nAstelle brought out another sandwich……

n……and Kaizen unconsciously stretched out his hand.

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