n

n

n

nVellian put on his coat and walked out the door of the office and sighed as he looked at the night sky through the window.

nIt was a gloomy night full of gloomy clouds over the indigo blue sky.

nVellian prepared to return to the mansion, rubbing his tired shoulders.

nHe was tired and not getting enough sleep, so he had a sore throat.

n‘Gosh.’

nHe had been working overtime for four days, and he might have to work all night tomorrow as well.

nThat alone was terrifying, but what was even more worrisome was the fact that Astelle was leaving for the East tomorrow.

n‘If Lady Astelle leaves, His Majesty will be in a bad mood again.’

nThe appearance of the emperor who was only working with an unpleasant expression suddenly appeared in his mind.

nVellian let out a sigh.

n‘Oh, I really don’t want to go to work tomorrow.’

nIt was when he walked down the hallway. Suddenly, a servant appeared from the other side.

nFor some reason, the emperor was there too.

n“Your Majesty?”

n“Vellian.”

nKaizen found him and stopped.

nHe was confused.

nFrom the moment he came out of Astelle’s mansion he was confused.

nHe couldn’t help but be confused.

nThe little boy collapsed because of the drink he gave him.

nThat alone was confusing enough, but Kaizen felt even more confused in the meantime.

nIt is because what happened today was in contact with the memories of the past that had been forgotten.

n‘Obviously, this happened.’

nAstelle didn’t seem to remember, but Kaizen had experienced something similar before.

nOne summer day when he was about twelve years old.

nThat day Astelle came to play at the Imperial Palace.

nAs always, twelve-year-old Astelle in a gorgeous dress and draped jewels followed Kaizen.

n“Your Highness, where are you going?”

n“Just for a walk.”

nAstelle smiled brightly and walked over to Kaizen.

n“Then let’s go to the garden.”

nThe two walked along the garden path.

nServants and nobles passing by found them and greeted them respectfully.

nSome people smiled slightly after bowing their heads.

nAs if a twelve-year-old princess chasing after a twelve-year-old young prince was cute.

nBut Kaizen was too bothered by Astelle chasing after him.

nReluctantly, he headed to Empress Dowager’s palace to leave Astelle.

nBecause Empress Dowager likes Astelle so much that when she finds Astell, she grabs her and doesn’t let her go.

nWell, he had left Astelle to the Empress Dowager several times before.

nHowever, it failed today.

n“The Empress Dowager went to the temple. She told me to serve refreshments for the two of you when you come.”

nThese were the words of the handmaiden of the Empress Dowager.

nThe handmaiden of the Empress Dowager took care of that young couple as if they were cute and brought tea, cookies, small cakes, and tarts to them.

nKaizen sat down with Astelle on the terrace of the Empress Dowager Palace without being able to run away.

nAnnoyed, Kaizen drank only the cool iced tea.

nAstelle ate the strawberry cake, carefully cut with a fork.

nKaizen took a piece of the tart.

nIt was a colorful tart topped with various fruits.

nHe ate one piece, and it was sour and tasteless.

nHis bad mood is getting worse.

nOn the other side, Astelle was still eating the cake very carefully lest she would smear the cake on her dress.

nIt was not eating cake, but a polite gesture as if holding a ritual. Kaizen thought.

nPointing to the sour tart, Kaizen said, “Astelle, you should try this too.”

nIt doesn’t taste good, so you should try it too.

nWhat a stupid act.

nAstelle, whose cheeks were flushed red, didn’t know Kaizen’s inner feelings.

nShe seemed to think that Kaizen took care of her.

nAstelle obediently took a piece of tart to her plate.

nBut she put it down on the plate and didn’t eat it, she just watched carefully.

n“What are you doing?”

nAstelle raised her head in surprise.

n“I was checking what fruit was in it.”

n“Why?”

nKaizen looked at the tart belatedly.

nIt was just a colorful tart by adding all kinds of fruits.

nThere were peeled grapes, apples, and plums.

nHe doesn’t know what it is, but it seemed that the small pieces of fruit were mixed inside as well.

nAstelle bit her lower lip slightly.

nIt seemed awkward to say, but Kaizen had no intention of being considerate of Astelle.

n“Why are you doing this?”

nAstele hesitated and finally answered,

n“Just……I’m afraid there are some fruits I don’t like.”

nIt was a pathetic answer.

nIt’s not like fish or vegetables that have a strange texture, but fresh fruits.

nKaizen himself hated eating some vegetables at that time, but Astelle’s words of not liking certain fruits sounded pathetic.

nAfter all, you are a picky princess.

n“Just eat it. Because it is delicious,” Kaizen insisted.

nAstelle hated it, so he wanted to force her to eat it.

n“Yes, yes, Your Highness.”

nAstelle thought he was angry and hurriedly lifted the fork.

nAnd she ate more than half of the tart in an instant.

nKaizen lost interest and looked out the window.

nIn the garden, fresh blue leaves are spread out like a dense forest.

nHe drank iced tea while watching the cool sight.

nA gasping voice could be heard from the side.

n“Your Highness……”

n“What?”

nIt was when Kaizen looked back indifferently.

nAstelle, who was sitting on the chair, collapsed to the floor.

nThen the maids came in, the doctor was called in, and a mess ensued.

nAstelle lost consciousness due to a sudden high fever.

nAfter a while, the duke sent a servant and a carriage to take Astelle.

nKaizen couldn’t understand why Astelle suddenly had a fever and collapsed.

nThe next day, the Duke of Reston explained the reason to the worried emperor and empress dowager.

nHe said, “It was just a sudden fever, Your Majesty.”

nThe Duke explained so.

nIt is said that Astelle suddenly fell sick with a fever.

nThe emperor and the empress dowager did not doubt his words.

nKaizen thought it was a bit odd, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.

nAfter all, after about a week, Astelle returned to the Imperial Palace with her usual face again.

nAnd after that, Astelle’s fever never rises again.

n***

nNow, Kaizen who became emperor was thinking about the events of that day.

nAt that time, it had passed insignificantly.

nIf it hadn’t happened that day, he wouldn’t have remembered it for the rest of his life.

nThe sight of Theor drinking from fruit juice and collapsing from a fever brought back memories of the past.

nKaizen remembered the memories of that day and realized them later.

nThe tart that Astelle ate at the time.

nThat tart had a Lintail fruit too.

nIt felt like his head was fading white.

n“I have something to find out quickly.”

nKaizen turned to Vellian and ordered.

nSomething that has been on his mind since the night of the fair a while ago.

n“Investigate Theor’s birth secretly.”

n***

nAstelle spent the night with Theor.

nWhile taking care of Theor, she had to watch if the fever rise up.

nThe doctor said that Theor had taken antipyretics and that it wouldn’t get any worse, but Theor was only five years old.

nIn any case, there was a good chance that something went wrong.

nAfter taking care of Theor all night, Astelle fell asleep for a while, and then she woke up.

nThe white dawn light was seeping through the curtains.

nAs Astelle opened her eyes and turned around, she felt something unfamiliar.

nWhen she came to her senses, she saw a warm blanket covering her shoulders.

n“Lady Astelle.”

nHannah was with her.

n“Hannah, are you awake already?”

nIt was still dawn, but Hannah was perfectly dressed in her maid’s uniform.

nAstelle realized that Hannah had spent all night as she watched the two of them.

n“Lady Astelle, we prepared hot tea and soup. Please eat some.”

nHannah placed a tray of teapots and soup bowls on the table by the window.

n“Thanks.”

nAstelle got up from her seat.

nAs she walked to the table, Hannah and her eyes met.

nHannah’s eyes looking at Astelle were deep and dark.

nShe suddenly remembered Hannah, who had kept her mouth shut since last night.

nAstelle realized later.

nThere were four people who knew Astelle’s constitution.

nHer father, older brother, maternal grandfather—the marquis, and……

n……Hannah, who has been her maid of honor since her childhood.

nHannah calmly bowed down to Astelle with eyes like the sea of unknown depth.

n“I will not ask any questions until Lady Astelle tells me.”

n“Hannah……”

nAstelle was speechless.

n‘Can I tell Hannah?’

nIt was Astelle herself who knew the best answer to her question.

nFor her, Hannah was the most reliable person in the world.

nLike her maternal grandfather, she was like her family to Astelle.

n“I can’t hide it anymore. Hannah, it’s like what you think.”

nAs she might have already guessed, Astelle gave her the answer, and Hannah’s calm brown eyes shook.

n