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n

n

nKaizen was showing a friendly smile, but his red eyes looking at Astelle were as cold as ice.

nHe said with a smile, “I’ll help you with the ball.”

n“Yes?”

nAstelle looked up in surprise.

nKaizen, not losing his smile, looked at her and said, “Two siblings fighting over such a good thing. I have a good idea. Let the ball of the late Duchess be held in the imperial palace. So you two don’t have to worry too much.”

nThe siblings exchanged glances hastily.

nFritz said in a polite tone, “Thank you, Your Majesty, but this is our family tradition—”

n“If it’s all about a charity party, wouldn’t it be better to be held more grandly in the imperial palace?”

nKaizen glanced back at Astelle and added, “Besides, you can’t even discuss the ball because of Theor, so it’s okay to do it in the imperial palace.”

n“Your Majesty, I……”

nAs Astelle tried to refuse, Kaizen turned to her.

nAstelle was speechless by his cold gaze.

nKaizen glared at her and gave her a gentle smile.

n“You’d better attend. It’s okay to take Theor along too.”

nAstelle said nothing.

n

n***

n

nAs soon as Kaizen returned, Astelle ran to the garden.

nShe found her grandfather, the Marquis of Carlenberg, who was walking in the garden.

n“Do you know how to sneak out of the capital?”

n“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why……?”

nAfter taking a walk while looking around the garden, the marquis was surprised to see the pale Astelle.

nOnly after seeing her grandfather’s reaction did Astelle realize that she was shaking and her face must be pale.

n“Follow me this way.”

nAfter that, the marquis took Astelle’s hand and headed towards the end of the garden.

nThere was a small gazebo at the end of the garden.

nUsually placed in the garden of a large mansion, the gazebo was a splendid place adorned with elaborate gold ornaments.

nThe gazebo in this mansion was as beautiful as other gazebos.

nHowever, there was one singularity that was not found in other gardens.

nIt was that water flowed all day on one side of the gazebo.

nAn endless stream of water fell down from the eaves of the dome.

nThe water flowed non-stop all day long.

nAs if one side of the gazebo was covered with a transparent wall.

nIt was a mysterious form, but in reality, it was just a water supply connected to the top of the roof so that it could flow down.

nThe marquis took Astelle there.

nAs soon as she entered the gazebo, Astelle noticed why her grandfather had brought her here.

n‘The sound of water……’

nUpon entering the gazebo, she felt as if she had entered a waterfall.

nThe sound of flowing water interrupted the surrounding sound.

nNo one could hear what the two of them were saying outside.

nAs soon as she stepped inside, Astelle brought up the subject, “I think the emperor has noticed something.”

nThe Marquis was also shocked.

n“What?”

n“He came to a little while ago.”

nAstelle remembered the meeting with Kaizen that had just happened.

n“You’d better attend. It’s okay to take Theor along too.”

nIt was not a strange word.

nBut those eyes……

nFerocious red eyes that looked like they were looking at their prey.

nAstelle barely regained her composure and tried to ask Kaizen.

n“Your Majesty, why Theor……”

nKaizen replied coldly, “Don’t you know what that means?”

n“…..”

n“The ball will be held in the imperial palace. I order you to prepare. On that day, you must also attend.”

nAfter saying those words, Kaizen went out.

nHe then met Theor in the next room.

nTheor smiled and said something, but Astelle heard nothing.

n“How did he know? Does the emperor know your constitution?”

nAfter hearing Astelle’s explanation, the marquis asked nervously.

n“I don’t know either. I never told him……”

nHer father, the duke, had kept it a secret, fearing that Astelle’s engagement with the Crown Prince would be in trouble if he found out that she had an unusual constitution.

nNone of the maids knew except Hannah.

nShe told the other maids that she just didn’t like the Lintail fruit.

nNo one thought it was strange.

n“Then did he notice everything? That he is his son?”

n“……I don’t know.”

nAstelle wasn’t sure either.

nDid he only know that Theor was Astelle’s son?

nOr maybe he knew everything?

n“Maybe he doesn’t know that he is his son……”

nAfter Kaizen returned, Fritz comforted Astelle with worried eyes. And then he said, “Astelle…… it seems His Majesty was angry to know that you have given birth to another man’s child.”

nKaizen has red eyes and Astelle has light green eyes, but Theor has completely different blue eyes from the two of them.

nHowever, Theor’s constitution resembles Astelle’s.

nIn this situation, Fritz seems to have come up with the simplest answer: Astelle had another man’s child.

nAstelle realized at that moment.

nMaybe Kaizen got it wrong.

nThe marquis, who had been watching the flowing water the whole time as he listened to Astelle’s explanation, turned to her and said, “Right. Had he thought he was his son, he would have taken him to the imperial palace right away.”

nAstelle nodded.

n“Yes, he is obviously unaware that he is his son.”

nBut that alone was difficult.

nEven a dense dam could crack little by little, and it collapses out of control in an instant.

nKnowing that Theor is Astelle’s son will make him think about who his father is.

nBy observing the child and digging for clues, there is a possibility that one day he will find out who Theor’s biological father is.

n‘No, you can’t do that.’

nAstelle made a decision while looking at the clear water flowing into the pond.

nIt was a decision she had been thinking about since coming here.

n“Grandpa, take Theor and leave first.”

n“What are you going to do?”

n“I have to stay here until the ball.”

nKaizen ordered Astelle to attend the ball.

nBut he didn’t ask Theor and her grandfather to attend.

n“I have to leave when Theor’s biological father is not known. He knows that Theor is my son, but he won’t be able to find out who his father is without Theor being here.”

nSo Theor had to leave here.

nAs soon as possible.

nAstelle explained her plans, “I will stay here and wait until the day of the ball. Grandpa, please leave two or three days in advance.”

nThe emperor had given permission for the marquis and Theor to return home. But it was delayed because Theor was sick.

nToday Kaizen ordered Astelle to attend the ball, but he didn’t ask her to come with her grandfather and Theor.

nSo Theor just needs to leave quickly before another order is given.

n“I’ll move Theor and Grandpa’s rooms to a separate annex. He won’t notice it even if you disappear in the middle.”

nThe mansion’s annex was located in a secluded corner of the garden.

nThere you will be able to avoid people’s eyes.

nThe marquis could not deny Astelle’s opinion.

nIt was the only way to protect Theor.

nAfter hesitating for a while, he turned to Astelle and asked, “Are you okay?”

n“……”

nAm I okay?

nWhat will happen when it is proven that Astelle is Theor’s biological mother?

nHow will Kaizen react?

nBesides, Astelle is his ex-wife

nIf she said that she gave birth to a child whose father was unknown, she would be dishonored and people would definitely point their fingers at her.

nBut Astelle’s answer was already decided from the time Theor was born.

n“I’m fine with anything that happens as long as I don’t lose Theor.”

n

n***

n

nThe sun was dimly dawning in the cloudy clouds beyond the window.

nKaizen watched as the white dawn light gently awakened the city.

nAstelle’s bewildered look when he brought out Theor’s name stayed in his head all night.

nAlthough he hadn’t heard the results of the investigation yet, Kaizen knew the answer to the question he was looking for at that moment.

nThat Theor is Astelle’s son.

n‘How the hell……’

nAstelle gave birth to a child.

nIt’s another man’s child.

nAs far as Kaizen knew, there were no men near Astelle.

nHe had already investigated and gathered information when he looked for Astelle.

nThen, who is the child’s father?

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