n

n

n

n“I couldn’t find her. Didn’t you look for her?”

nAt Kaizen’s question, the duke shed tears again and pretended to be pitiful.

n“I tried to find her, but I couldn’t no matter how much I searched…… I spent six years in agony because my poor daughter might have made an extreme choice.”

nDramatically, at that moment, there was a report that Astelle’s whereabouts had been found.

n“Your daughter is in your father-in-law’s mansion.”

nKaizen laughed coldly as he read Astelle’s whereabouts in the note given by one of the knights.

n“Did you not know where your daughter is or where your father-in-law lives?”

nThe duke took off his sad mask in an instant and answered with a dissatisfied look on his face,

n“……It’s been a long time since we cut ties.”

n

nKaizen clicked his tongue as he recalled the memories of that time.

n‘That garbage man.’

nIt was obvious that the duke was behind the assassination.

nBut when it is revealed, the duke becomes a traitor.

nThen Astelle would be stripped of her peerage and punished for being the daughter of a traitor.

n‘I can’t do that.’

nI cannot kill the Duke of Reston as a traitor.

nInstead, Kaizen planned to secretly assassinate him.

nIn the past, he had never thought about it.

nOnly when a crime was charged and publicly executed could the duke’s family be properly removed.

nBut now there is Astelle.

nHe cannot make Astelle as the daughter of a traitor and suffer humiliation.

nInstead of disclosing the duke’s guilt and destroying the Reston family, he had to disguise it as an accident and get rid of him secretly.

n‘……will she be okay? ‘

nEven so, Kaizen still felt uncomfortable in a corner of his heart.

nAstelle from the past, as Kaizen remembers, was a good follower of her father, the Duke.

nShe lost her mother when she was young and had only a father, so it was natural in a way.

nAlthough she was expelled by her family, she would still be sad if her biological father died.

nThinking about it, he felt uncomfortable.

n‘Perhaps it is better for her to leave the capital until this work is over.’

nFor now, it wouldn’t hurt to send Astelle back to her countryside mansion.

nAfter the work is over, he can bring her back with a reason.

nIf the duke dies, Astelle will receive the inheritance and return to the capital to see her brother become a duke.

nKaizen did not give up on Astelle.

nHe intended to bring Astelle back to him after he had finished the duke’s work and removed all dangers.

n***

n“Theor.”

nAstelle approached Theor, who was still obsessed with the puppet show.

nKaizen also strode along behind him.

n“How long will you be here?”

n“So much fun. I want to see more.”

nOn the small stage, the rabbit and the bear were going for a walk again.

n‘I think they are doing the same thing again……?’ (Astelle)

nAfter one performance, it seems like they will do it again.

nStill, Theor stayed focused and watched the puppet show.

nHis brightly focused face was cute.

nHe has never seen a puppet show like this before.

n“Aren’t you hungry or thirsty?”

n“A little. I am a little thirsty.”

n“Then I’ll buy you something to drink. Wait here.”

n“Yes.”

nAstelle went to Kaizen. She couldn’t call him Your Majesty so she mumbled and asked, “Um……can you watch over him, please?”

n“Do not worry.”

nAstelle went out to the aisle of the square to buy some snacks.

n*

nKaizen was watching Theor.

nAfter a while, a woman came over here with a basket full of cups.

n“Freshly squeezed fruit juice. Please buy.”

nNormally, he would never buy anything from a place like this, but today he was thirsty for some reason.

nMaybe because he was upset.

nKaizen called out to the woman.

n“How much does it cost?”

n“One shilling per cup.”

nHe handed the money to the woman and picked up two cups.

nIt was a plain juice mixed with several common fruits and mixed with water and a little sugar.

nAfter taking a sip, the rich fruity aroma and sweet and sour taste floated in his mouth.

n‘This must be a flavor that children will love.’

nKaizen drank from the cup and looked at Theor who still couldn’t take his eyes off the stage.

nHe handed Theor another cup.

n“Come on, you said you’re thirsty. Drink this while watching the play.”

n“Thank you.”

nTheor took the cup with both hands and sipped the juice.

nHe still did not take his eyes off the puppet show.

nHe is really obsessed with it.

nKaizen wondered if he would end up staying here until the fair was over.

nStill, he thought it was a good thing he brought Theor out because he liked it so much.

nTheor was still looking at the puppet show while drinking the juice as his eyes were shining brightly.

n‘Cute boy.’

nI’ve never liked children in my life, but the more I look at this boy, the cuter he gets.

nKaizen drank the fruit juice by Theor’s side as he watched the puppet show blankly.

nA doll hanging by a string moves its limbs back and forth.

nKaizen was looking at the stage when something tumbled at his feet.

nPeople standing around began to murmur.

nTheor was crouching on the floor, shaking his body.

nAn empty juice cup was rolling next to him.

nKaizen was startled and raised him.

n“Theor!”

nTheor looked up at Kaizen with blurred eyes.

nThe child’s white forehead was wet with cold sweat.

nThe focus from his blue eyes looking at Kaizen was gradually disappearing.

n

n***

n

nAstelle was walking briskly through the crowd.

nShe was on her way back from buying some snacks for Theor.

nIn one hand she held a cup of milk with honey and vanilla, and in the other she held a small paper bowl filled with buttered and toasted round cookies and candied pickles.

nThe surrounding area was full of people visiting the fair.

nEvery time she took a step, she was hit by a person.

n‘I have to go back soon. He might be waiting.’

nI left Theor with Kaizen, still, I was not relieved.

nI get some snacks nearby and go back as soon as possible.

nI didn’t buy a lot, but there were fruits that Theor loved, so it would be fine for a quick bite.

nSince we came out after dinner, this should be enough.

nIt was when Astelle approached the corner of the square where the puppet show was while thinking like that.

n“Astelle……!”

nKaizen suddenly appeared and faced Astelle with a pale face.

n“Your Ma-”

nAstelle, who was startled and unintentionally called him by his title, saw Theor held by Kaizen and stopped.

nTheor had his eyes closed in Kaizen’s arms.

n“Theor?”

nAt first glance, it looked like he was asleep, but as she got closer, she could see cold sweat dripping from his white face.

nKaizen, who was holding Theor, spoke in an unfamiliar tone of dismay,

n“Theor……he had a fever and suddenly lost consciousness.”

nAstelle’s hands lost strength and she lost what she was holding.

nThe cups were scattered and the milk soaked the floor.

nThe colorful pickles fell on the floor and rolled around.

n“Theor……!”

nAstelle put a hand on Theor’s forehead.

nHis forehead, wet with cold sweat, was like a ball of fire. His weak breaths continued with difficulty.

n“I have the carriage ready. Let’s go back to the mansion now.”

nBefore Astelle could catch him, Kaizen headed for the carriage.

nAstelle hurriedly followed him.

nDuring the brief time the carriage returned to the mansion, Astelle felt like she was in hell.

nTheor did not come to his senses until the three got on the carriage.

nCold sweat dampened his pale forehead.

nEven though it was in a state of loss of consciousness, the corners of his eyes, which were closed powerlessly, trembled slightly.

n“What happened?”

nIt was only after the carriage moved that she was able to come to her senses.

n“I bought Theor some fruit juice while you went to buy food. He collapsed as soon as he drank it.”

nKaizen looked at Astelle who had turned white and answered carefully. Anxiety was also in his red eyes.

n“Fruit juice?”

n“It was plain juice. I drank it too.”

nAstelle wondered if there was any poison in it, but when she asked in, Kaizen said clearly.

nIf it’s just plain fruit juice, why is Theor like this?

nKaizen comforted the confused Astelle.

n“I told the guard to bring the cup, so we can check it out.”

nEven during that conversation, Theor was still fainting with his eyes closed.

nThe sound of ragged breathing, which was hard because of the heat, continued faintly.

nAt that moment, Astelle had something to point out.

n“……do you remember what kind of fruit juice it was?”

nKaizen, who had been wiping the sweat from Theor’s forehead with his hand, turned his gaze back to Astelle.

nA question appeared in his red eyes.

n“……I don’t know. It seemed to be a mixture of common fruits.”

n“I see.”

nAstelle struggled to hide her confusion.

nShe never told Kaizen, but actually, Astelle herself had a peculiar constitution.

nShe has an idiosyncratic constitution that suffers from a high fever when eating Lintail fruit.

n

nThe Constitution here means a person’s physical state with regard to vitality, health, and strength.

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