Chapter 90

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nKaizen turned around without saying a word and left the mansion.

nAs he left, his back looked lonely and bleak.

nAlthough he didn’t show it on the outside, he seemed deeply hurt by Theor’s ignorance of him as his father.

nBut Astelle, who was still hugging Theor, didn’t feel too bad about it.

n“Then see you next time, Lady Astelle.”

nAfter Lyndon also said goodbye to Astelle and Theor, he went out with Kaizen.

n“Mom? Why did His Majesty the Emperor talk about father?”

nAfter Kaizen left with the knights, Theor, who was still in Astelle’s arms, looked up.

n“Isn’t my father in heaven?”

nTheor tilted his head, confused by what Kaizen said.

n“Theor.”

nAstelle hugged Theor affectionately.

nAnd she put her lips to Theor’s forehead.

nAlong with the relief that the child had returned safely, there was anxiety about the future to come.

nShe said quietly as she embraced the child, “I was going to tell you later when you’re older.”

nAt least five or six years later, I was planning to explain the situation.

nThat’s when he will grow enough to understand the situation.

nBut now I had to tell Theor the truth.

nAfter Astelle becomes Empress, Theor will become Crown Prince.

nAt least he should know who his father is.

nAstelle sighed, hugged Theor, and went upstairs.

n“Let’s go up to the room first. Hannah, prepare Theor’s clothes.”

n“Yes, Lady Astelle.”

nHannah, who had been watching them quietly, came closer to Theor.

nTheor waved his hand at her.

n“Hello, Hannah.”

n“I’m glad you came back safely, Young Master Theor.”

nTears welled up in Hannah’s eyes.

nTheor raised his hand in surprise.

n“Don’t cry, Hannah.”

n“It’s because I’m so happy.”

nHannah smiled and held Theor’s hand.

n“Aren’t you hungry? I’ll prepare meals while you take a bath.”

n“Yes, I’m hungry.”

nHannah burst into laughter.

nAstelle also smiled as she went up to the second floor with Theor.

nHannah quickly went to prepare bath water and a change of clothes.

nAstelle sat Theor on the bed and bent her knees to meet his eye level.

n“Theor, you had a hard time, right? Everything’s okay now. It’s safe here.”

n“What about Mom and Grandpa? Grandpa put me in the closet, then he disappeared.”

nTheor looked worried.

nAstelle reassured him by patting him on the shoulder.

n“Grandpa is fine now. He will be here soon.”

n“Really?”

n“Of course.”

nMaybe when Theor was in the closet, the kidnappers had a fight with the Marquis.

nThen he must have been wounded.

nAt the thought of her wounded maternal grandfather, her anger at her father soared.

nwoof woof!

nBlynn, who was in the bedroom, found Theor and ran to him with a welcome bark.

n“Blynn!”

nTheor grabbed Blynn’s neck and rubbed his face against its soft golden fur.

nMaybe it was happy to meet Theor, its fluffy tail waving gently.

nTheor hugged Blynn and whispered in a desperate voice as if he had reunited his separated family again after a decade.

n“Blynn, I missed you.”

nBlynn licked Theor’s cheek as if in response.

nTheor laughed out loud.

n“Blynn missed you a lot while you were away.”

nEver since Theor left, Blynn has been lying down in Theor’s room without energy every day.

nWhen Hannah and Astelle tried to make it go for a walk, it lowered its tail and walked helplessly, and finally returned to Theor’s room.

nAstelle took out the ointment she had put in the drawer and looked at Theor’s neck again.

nUpon closer inspection, it was even worse.

nHe was bruised so badly that his veins burst.

nAstelle looked at the bruise and asked worriedly, “How did your neck become like this?”

n“A bad guy grabbed my neck.”

n“Who?”

nTheor replied without hesitation, “A man named Duke.”

n“……”

nI can guess what happened with just that word.

n‘What would have happened to Theor if he weren’t Kaizen’s son……’

nIf Theor were really Astelle’s illegitimate child, her father would have locked him up in the attic and left him unattended.

nConsidering her father’s cold and heartless personality, it was quite possible.

nAstelle applied herbal ointment to Theor’s neck.

n“I’ll apply this medicine first. Let’s apply it again after taking a bath.”

nTheor waited patiently for Astelle to apply the medicine.

nAstelle started to apply the grass-smelling medicine to Theor’s soft skin.

nThe child’s neck was thin and weak enough to be held in one hand.

nHer anger soared again.

nHow could he treat such a young kid so badly that he was bruised?

nHe is still his only grandson.

nWhen she divorced and was kicked out of the house, her affection for her father disappeared, but she still wanted her father to live safely for the past six years.

nIf her father got into trouble, Astelle herself won’t be safe.

nBut now things have changed.

nHe kidnapped and hurt Theor.

nI couldn’t forgive you.

nI won’t leave you alone.

nAstelle intended to usurp the title and power of her father.

nIn order for Astelle and Theor to live comfortably, the Duke had to disappear.

nAs she closed the lid of the ointment and rose from her seat, an innocent voice stopped her.

n“Mom.”

nTheor, who was petting Blinn, looked up at Astelle.

n“Why did His Majesty the Emperor say that?”

n“……”

nAstelle knelt down and looked at Theor.

n“Theor.”

nAstelle paused for a moment and took the child’s hand.

n“I haven’t been able to tell you until now because I’m afraid it will become dangerous if this fact becomes known.”

nAstelle paused again, choosing her words carefully to avoid hurting the child.

n“Actually, His Majesty is your father. You are the son of His Majesty the Emperor.”

nTheor widened his eyes.

nTheor was smarter than other children his age, but he was still at an age where he couldn’t understand how dangerous the imperial bloodlines were.

nTheor pondered and asked, “Is that why His Majesty also has red eyes?”

n“Yes.”

n“But why didn’t he live with us?”

nConfused, Theor tilted his head.

n“Does His Majesty not like living with us?”

n“……”

nAstelle hugged Theor gently.

nShe had no idea where Theor heard this from.

nHer heart ached as she looked into his clear ruby eyes, but she couldn’t tell the young Theor everything.

nInstead, Astelle said, “It’s not like that. His Majesty couldn’t live with us because he was too busy.”

n“Is that so?”

nAstelle stroked Theor’s dark hair.

n“Yes…… But now everything’s okay. We will now go to the Imperial Palace and live with His Majesty.”

nI didn’t want to go to the Imperial Palace, but it’d be better to move quickly.

nI do not know when it will be, but sooner or later I will enter the Imperial Palace.

nIt’s safer to stay in the Imperial Palace than this mansion.

n“Then are we not going home?”

n“……”

nAstelle did not answer the question for a moment.

nThe six years of living in the countryside were difficult but peaceful.

nShe and her grandfather lived happily watching Theor grow day by day.

nI will never be able to go back to those days again.

nMy heart ached at the thought that the peaceful and simple happiness had ended forever.

nAstelle looked at Theor and replied, “Yes, we are not going home.”

n***

nThe next day, Astelle invited Fritz to the mansion.

nIn fact, he didn’t even need to be invited.

nThis is because Fritz arrived at the mansion as soon as she sent the invitation.

n“You came early.”

nFritz stood by the doorway, staring at Astelle with heavy eyes.

nHis eyes were filled with worry, still not believing that his only sister had hidden such a secret.

nFritz asked, “How is Theor doing?”

n“He slept all night and is feeling better now.”

nEven though Theor looked tired, he was fine now.

nAfter taking a bath and having dinner, he fell asleep immediately.

nFortunately, after waking up in the morning, he regained his energy and played with Blynn in the room.

n“I’m sorry I couldn’t save Theor in advance. It wouldn’t have happened this way if I had brought him first.”

n“There is no need to blame yourself for what’s already happened.”

nAstelle will soon become empress again and enter the Imperial Palace.

nSo there is no need to regret what’s already happened.

nFritz looked at Astelle with a painful look.

n“I heard that you accepted the proposal.”

n“I wanted to meet you because of that matter. I have something to tell you.”

nAstelle continued calmly, “I want to make father step down from his post. So, please become the Duke of Reston, Brother.”

nFritz opened his mouth wide and was taken aback by the unexpected offer.

n“Would that be possible? Father will never step down from the position of head of the family.”

n“We have to make it possible.”

nOf course, the Duke would rather die than give up the title.

nBut Astelle knew her father well.

nHer father, the Duke of Reston, was someone who would offer a title or anything to escape the moment when his life was really in danger.

n“I need your help, Brother. I will tell you how to do it after I enter the Imperial Palace.”

nFritz seemed to be in conflict for a while.

nHowever, the time to ponder was short.

nHe was very sorry after Astelle left six years ago.

nNow, Fritz made a promise in front of Astelle.

n“Okay, I’ll help you.”

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