How to Hide the Emperor's Child - Chapter 102

Astelle woke up early in the morning.

A bluish light shone through the curtains.

Astelle got up and opened the curtains. The dark view brightened.

Kaizen kept his promise.

He returned to the Imperial Palace at dawn.

Astelle put on a shawl and opened the bedroom door.

As soon as she closed the door, she saw Kaizen lying in the lounge.

‘I thought you had returned to the Imperial Palace.’

At dawn, she heard the sound of the door closing.

At that time Kaizen who was in the lounge went out.

Feeling uneasy, Astelle thought about going back to sleep.

‘Why did you come back?’

Well, if the emperor goes to his palace on the first night of his honeymoon, there will be a lot of gossip.

Kaizen lay on the sofa and fell asleep.

He must be very tired.

Astelle walked carefully so as not to wake him up.

“Astelle.”

Just as she was about to walk past the sofa, his low voice stopped her.

Kaizen was slowly getting up.

Astelle bowed her head out of courtesy.

“Your Majesty, did you sleep well?”

To be honest, he didn’t sleep well.

But of course, Kaizen didn’t say it.

“The sofa is pretty good.”

He got up from the sofa and slowly approached Astelle.

In the warm morning light, his handsome statue-like face was clearly visible.

He just woke up but he looks handsome.

He only wore a shirt and pants, revealing his firm shoulders and stout body.

“Aren’t you tired?”

His hand reached Astelle’s messy hair.

Astelle hurriedly bowed before his hand could reach it.

“I am good.”

She didn’t want to be alone with him in this atmosphere again.

It was enough to be swept away by this kind of atmosphere once.

Astelle turned quickly.

“I will ask the servants to prepare breakfast.”

After saying that, Astelle went out.

His hand that couldn’t reach her fell helplessly down.

***

With the help of the maids, she bathed and changed clothes, then entered the restaurant attached to the Empress Palace.

A simple breakfast is served on the table.

“Mom!”

“Theor.”

From the other side of the hallway, Theor ran to Astelle.

Kaizen came first into the restaurant and was waiting.

He sat on a chair and was fully clothed like an emperor.

Kaizen sat Theor down next to him.

“You brought that teddy bear.”

“I slept with Levin. Blynn too.”

Although it was a simple breakfast, it was more luxurious than usual because the emperor was present.

Different types of pies and pancakes with meat and fruit.

A variety of freshly grilled fish with a sweet and sour sauce was prepared.

Theor, who was eating the pie Hannah had cut, looked at Kaizen and asked, “Your Majesty, are you living here now?”

“Yes.”

Theor asked innocently, “Why?”

Kaizen’s hand stopped in the air as he was about to put down his fork.

The servants also held their breath at the sudden change in the atmosphere.

Kaizen smiled again and asked, “You don’t like me living here?”

“……”

Theor didn’t answer.

He just looked up at him with his clear red eyes.

By that time, Kaizen seemed to be perplexed as well.

Then, Astelle intervened quietly.

“Your Majesty, you will be late for the government meeting.”

Kaizen looked at Astelle and stood up.

A short sigh was heard from his mouth.

“I’ll come back in the evening.”

Kaizen stroked Theor’s head with one hand and went out with the attendant.

Astelle, Hannah, and Theor remained in the restaurant.

Astelle cautiously asked Theor, who was stirring the soup.

“You don’t like His Majesty here?”

Theor answered without a second thought.

“No, I don’t.”

Astelle exchanged glances with Hannah.

“Why?”

“No reason.”

Theor didn’t look at the two of them and only looked down at the soup.

You don’t want to tell me?

It is said that the more children grow, the more secrets they have.

Theor followed Kaizen well until he found out that he was his father.

After realizing that he is his father, he treats Kaizen quite strangely.

Hannah, seeing Astelle’s worried expression, suddenly picked up the teddy bear lying on the chair.

Hannah knelt down on the floor and lifted the teddy bear onto the table.

Then she waved the teddy bear’s arms with both hands.

“Good morning, Prince. I am Levin.”

The teddy bear walked around the corner of the table, waving its soft hands.

The teddy bear also danced with its arms raised.

Theor who saw that, laughed cheerfully.

Waving its arm, the teddy bear asked, “Why do you hate His Majesty?”

This time, he answered.

“……because my mom hates him.”

The teddy bear, which was dancing gently, stopped suddenly.

Theor continued to look down at the soup.

“My mom, grandfather, and Hannah hate him either.”

“I do not hate His Majesty, Prince.”

Hannah poked her face out from behind the teddy bear.

She glanced at Astelle and said again, “I mean it.”

“……”

‘I didn’t know that Hannah hated Kaizen.’

Hannah was always calm and never showed her feelings.

She didn’t really have any reason to like Kaizen, though.

Theor lowered his head and stirred the soup.

“So I hate him too.”

“Theor.”

Astelle held out her hand to Theor, who was sitting across from her.

Theor hesitated and put his hand on Astelle’s.

Astelle grabbed his little hand tightly.

“It’s not that I hate His Majesty. I’m still awkward with him, so I’m just a little uncomfortable.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

You can’t fool children’s eyes.

I tried not to show it in front of Theor.

I didn’t know that young Theor was paying attention to my feelings.

Do children quickly realize what adults like and dislike?

“And you don’t have to hate someone just because someone else hates him. You have to be honest with yourself, whether you like that person or not.”

“Yes.”

He answered while stirring the soup again. Theor seemed to understand Astelle’s words.

“I hope His Majesty will come often.”

***

As Kaizen was walking down the corridor of the Empress Palace, he saw an old man walking from the opposite direction and stopped.

He is Astelle’s maternal grandfather, the Marquis of Carlenberg.

The old marquis approached him and bowed his head.

“Your Majesty, the lord of the empire–”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to be so polite.”

When Theor’s birth was revealed, the misunderstanding about old marquis was also resolved.

At that time, Kaizen thought Astelle was suffering alone because of this old man.

But it was all a misunderstanding.

It was the old marquis who suffered while caring for Astelle and Theor.

“By the way, I couldn’t say thank you properly. I heard you got hurt trying to protect Theor. Are you all right now?”

The marquis bowed his head with a grateful look.

“Thanks to Your Majesty, I recovered quickly.”

“Thank you for being with the Empress all this time. I hope you will live comfortably in the Imperial Palace from now on.”

The Marquis silently listened to Kaizen.

This young emperor was speaking as if he was giving him a great favor to let him stay in the imperial palace.

To be honest, the marquis wanted to return to his country house immediately.

He would not have returned to the capital if it had not been for Astelle and Theor.

‘But I’m relieved you seem to be in love with Astelle.’

He wasn’t very relieved.

Kaizen’s grandfather, the former emperor he served was also very fond of his wife, whom he had forcefully brought to the imperial palace at first.

But in the end, he quickly looked for other women.

At that moment, a low voice was heard next to the two of them.

“Your Majesty the Emperor.”

The Duke of Reston approached the two.

“Why are you here?”

“I came to visit my daughter–no, Her Majesty the Empress.”

The Duke looked very happy.

Astelle became empress, and he was delighted to have captured the wife of his nemesis, Croychen.

When Kaizen ignored him without answering, the Duke turned his gaze to the Marquis.

“Father, how’s your body?”

The old marquis frowned.

“Why am I your father?”

The Marquis asked a little annoyed, but the Duke replied with a small, relaxed smile.

“You are my wife’s father, and you are like a father to me.”

Kaizen also frowned.

The Duke’s words apply to Kaizen as well.

He also married Astelle, the daughter of the Duke.

If he could, he wanted to hit the Duke right now.

Suddenly, his eyes met the old marquis’. At that moment, Kaizen and the Marquis of Carlenberg found something in common.

Both of them hate the Duke of Reston to death.

***

“Is my father still in his study?”

Florin looked out the window and asked her nanny.

Her nanny quietly nodded her head.

Ever since her mother was taken to prison, her father stayed in his study and did not come out.

He seems to be discussing a solution in his own way with some nobles.

Florin rubbed her throbbing head.

Her mother was caught trying to poison the empress’ dress.

The emperor’s soldiers were guarding the marquis’ mansion.

There was no right solution to this situation.

The nanny looked at Florin with pitying eyes and said, “Lady, the maid sent to the duke’s mansion has brought important information……”

The maid who had infiltrated the duke’s mansion brought important information.

While the emperor was away on tour, the duke sent a secret letter and money to the lord of the west.

It is said that he secretly contacted the lord of the west and ordered something.

Florin understood the situation as soon as she heard the information.

“The Duke of Reston was preparing a rebellion while His Majesty was away.”

At that time, His Majesty was on tour, so the capital was vacated, and the Knights of Lanberg–the capital’s best power–were also sent to the north.

It was a golden opportunity for anyone to rebel.

I don’t know why but for some reason, he gave up halfway.

‘I have to make a deal with Astelle.’