How to Hide the Emperor's Child - Chapter 82
I did request an audience.
I requested over thirty times to ask to meet you just once, but only now I’ve been able to meet you.
Astelle asked frankly”Your Majesty, how long do I have to be here?”
“Are there any inconveniences about staying here?”
Astelle was speechless for a moment.
Is there any convenience felt by the person who is in confinement?
“There is no inconvenience except that I can’t go out.”
There was no inconvenience in the mansion.
In the dazzlingly splendid bedroom, meals comparable to palace meals were served, and the maids served with care all day long.
“But I do not want to stay in this mansion. I have to go back to the East now.”
“Stay here for a while.”
Kaizen gave orders as if he was saying the most obvious thing.
Astelle was stunned.
“Your Majesty, but I have family waiting for me at home.”
“I have sent knights to bring your grandfather and Theor back to the capital.”
“I beg your pardon?”
‘What did you do?’
I painstakingly made Theor leave the capital, but you’re going to bring him back here?
‘How could this be?’
If I could, I wanted to push Kaizen in front of me and get angry.
“Isn’t it enough for you to keep me in this mansion?”
Kaizen looked at Astelle’s resentful eyes and said pitifully,
“The child should be with you. Do you think making him leave the capital will solve your problem?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. What problem do you mean?”
Astelle asked, barely managing to contain the rising anger.
Now her biggest problem is Kaizen locking her up here and not letting her go home.
Kaizen bit his lip as he was about to say something.
Astelle knew what he was trying to say.
‘You, a princess, gave birth to an illegitimate child. Do you know what people are talking about right now?’
Maybe that’s what he wanted to say.
Astelle didn’t care what the world said about her.
As long as there were no rumors of Theor’s birth, she didn’t have to worry about what people were talking about.
After a while, Kaizen said carefully,
“I sent a proposal to your father.”
Now I’m tired of being surprised.
“The imperial court started preparing for the national wedding. At the earliest, in two months, we will get married.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. What part of the word ‘refuse’ did you not understand?”
Kaizen’s expression hardened at the cold response.
How dare she say this in front of the emperor.
However, Kaizen wasn’t mad at her at all.
He looked at Astelle with the light of his eyes that showed painful anguish.
“I can’t let you be insulted. This time, I will make sure you never suffer.”
It was a calm voice, but it contained a deep sincerity and regret.
He seemed to regret the past.
He foolishly divorced Astelle, who had been his fiancee for half her life, after their first night.
As a result, Astelle was expelled from her family and gave birth to a child alone, making her a single mother.
Kaizen blamed himself for all this because of his selfish behavior.
Kaizen took one step closer to Astelle, who was standing there without a word.
“It must be all my fault that this happened. Give me a chance to take responsibility and make things right.”
“Is that why you proposed to me?”
“It’s just a formal marriage. I will not force anything on you. You just have to get empress status and to become the hostess of the empire again.”
“……”
There is no way to undo the past.
Astelle thought so, but Kaizen was offering her the position of Empress as a reward for what had passed.
“If you allow me, I will make Theor my son and raise him as a prince.”
At this point, Astelle felt her heart pounding.
Astelle said in a low voice, “You don’t have to do that.”
She tried to speak as calmly as possible.
“What is important to you is also important to me.”
As she lifted her head, his deep red eyes stared at her.
He looked at her and asked earnestly,
“Give me one chance. A chance to protect you.”
“……”
Hearing Kaizen’s words, Astelle thought she had done something useless by hiding Theor from his biological father.
Astelle called him impulsively, “Your Majesty……”
Her voice trembled.
Astelle began to speak with difficulty as if to let out all the emotions she had been holding back.
“I have something to tell you.”
If not now, she thought she wouldn’t be able to say it forever.
Astelle instinctively felt that this was her last chance to tell the truth.
‘……’
Astelle calmed her mind for a moment.
She was almost ready to say it, but when she saw Kaizen’s eyes staring at her, she was speechless again.
Can I tell you this?
What Astelle is concerned about is losing Theor to the Imperial Palace, and Theor will be used as a scapegoat in the strife.
To prevent these two things, Astelle has been working hard for a long time by any means.
Can she get help if she confesses the truth to Kaizen?
He was a man who promised to raise an illegitimate child as a prince.
When he finds out that Theor is his son, he might do everything he can to protect him.
Kaizen would be able to stop Astelle’s father, the Duke, before he commits another dangerous attempt.
But on the other hand, Astelle still couldn’t trust Kaizen.
Now, he said that because he thought he loved her.
As time passes and the shallow feelings of love disappear, Kaizen will become indifferent to Astelle again.
When the emperor loses affection, Astelle and Theor will be abandoned.
“Astelle?”
Kaizen looked at Astelle with a questioning look.
“……it’s nothing.”
Astelle turned around and avoided his gaze.
For a moment, the urge to tell Kaizen the whole truth arose, but Astelle chose to keep her mouth shut.
“Astelle…… If there’s anything I can do to help……”
He came one step closer to Astelle.
It was close enough that he could touch her face with his hand if he wanted to.
Astelle avoided him without answering.
Kaizen stopped walking.
“Your Majesty!”
Then Lyndon opened the closed door and entered the living room.
Embarrassment flashed across Lyndon’s face as he saw Astelle trapped between the wall and Kaizen.
Astelle was a little relieved.
This is because the uncomfortable atmosphere disappeared thanks to Lyndon.
Lyndon greeted both of them.
“Your Majesty, Lady Astelle.”
“What’s going on?”
Kaizen asked with a nervous look.
“Your Majesty, I have something to report to you.”
Astelle didn’t miss the opportunity and was about to leave.
“Then, I will take my leave.”
After she slightly bent her knees, she quickly rushed out into the hallway before Kaizen caught her.
***
Kaizen’s regretful gaze followed Astelle’s back as she walked towards the hallway.
When he confessed his sincerity, traces of agitation appeared on her indifferent face.
It was proof that Astelle’s heart was changing little by little.
Kaizen turned to Lyndon.
“Tell me what’s going on.”
“Your Majesty.”
Lyndon looked at the hallway where Astelle had left with a worried look and reported,
“Young Master Theor has disappeared.”
“What?”
It was unexpected.
“What does that mean?”
Lyndon explained in a regretful voice.
The knights he sent went after the Marquis and Theor.
However, when they arrived at the inn where they were staying, Theor had already disappeared.
The Marquis who was with him was found unconscious with small wounds. And Theor is nowhere to be found.
Someone had attacked the marquis and kidnapped the child.
“How’s the condition of the Marquis?”
“He is receiving treatment at the official residence there. He was injured, but not to the point of being life-threatening.”
It was fortunate.
If that old man dies, Astelle will be very sad.
“Do you have any clue who kidnapped the child?”
Many nobles were dissatisfied with the decision to make Astelle an empress.
However, no matter how dissatisfied, no one would dare to kidnap Astelle’s child as long as the emperor declared that he would make Astelle the empress.
Lyndon reported in a cautious voice,
“After investigating the surroundings, it appears that the Duke of Reston’s men were nearby.”
“……”
However, there was a person who could do that.
Still, Kaizen felt a little relieved.
If the Duke kidnapped Theor, he would be safe.
‘Obviously, you kidnapped him to blackmail Astelle.’
The Duke must have been overjoyed to hear that Astelle would become Empress again.
But Astelle refused to marry Kaizen.
The Duke probably intended to use Theor to force Astelle to accept the emperor’s marriage proposal.
‘That disgusting man.’
How could you kidnap your only grandson to threaten your daughter?
It was just like the Duke of Reston.
Kaizen hated him.
He tried to get rid of him whenever he had the chance. The only reason he’s still alive is that he’s Astelle’s father.
“Go to the Duke’s mansion and find the child.”
He turned to Lyndon and ordered coldly,
“If there’s anyone who interferes, get rid of him.”
Comments for chapter "Chapter 82"
MANGA DISCUSSION
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Aish
What made you different from the Duke? You imprisoned Astelle. If you just let her leave after that ball then everything might have been different
Mxlx
My God, I hate him, all is his fault and he can’t even accept NO, he imprisoned her, sent a letter to a father that he knows she hates and is forcing her to marry him, God every chapter that passes I’m more disgusted with him
yennay
when kaisen finds out theor’s his son the duke is gonna regret
Ellie
Like you weren’t gonna kidnap him too… or at least force him back… the hypocrisy in the name of love is too much
jaellasster
Kaizen is willing to raise Theor as a prince even if he is an illegitimate son!!! i think it’s safe to re-marry him!! imagine if she told him that Theor is his son. he’d protect them both with his life!!!
Xie
God, am I the only one feeling fucking frustrated right now? Her opinions and feelings are literally being snubbed by these douchebags! She’s being forced to abide by their decisions and wants, and it doesn’t feel like she’s getting as angry as she should be! Like sis, let the anger loose so these idiots can get a fucking hint coz it doesn’t seem like they got even a bit of it.
Baokoo
Honestly I’ve been waiting for progress and maybe that Kaizen would finally realized that he’s no better than Astelle’s father like ??? Ok he wants to mend his mistakes.. but that’s way too much… let her live the way she wants! You had your chance and you lost it, now you’re forcing yourself on her solely because you want to have another chance.. that’s selfish af even going as far as wanting to force Theor back to the capital … bRUH… author did a great job for pissing people off lmao
Athy
yes your right!!!
Reafbsbsbdj
what are you talking Abt consider him as your son when he’s really your son you idiot!
Eve
JUST KILL THAT OLD BASTARD ALREADY, HE DOESN’T EVEN CARE ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER MUCH LESS HIS GRANDSON 😭😭😭 I HATE HIM SO DAMN MUCH!
Wayne
Dropping, if she actually gave a shit, she’d kill herself rather than submit to the garbage Emperor’s tyranny. And this is coming from a father.
Let's Think with Our Brains not our Hearts
What most people fail to see here is that objectively speaking, Kaizen’s confinement of Astelle is actually for her protection. Even his proposal at that timing was for her protection.
Here’s the thing: the Croychens already view Astelle as the enemy. The Marchioness has a grudge against Astelle for what Astelle herself chose to do. Astelle was bullied by both Lady Marianne and the Marchioness, but just as Vellian has pointed out in the latter case, Astelle had the option to not blow things up or else she’ll make enemies out of the Croychens. Still, she chose to fight back, rationalizing that there won’t be too much backlash because she’ll be leaving anyways.
However, contrary to her wishes, accidents that are mostly out of Kaizen’s control keep happening making her unable to leave. Not to mention, Astelle is oblivious but the people around her were aware that Kaizen was showing obvious favoritism towards her because he feels for her. Astelle never took Kaizen’s favor for her in consideration when she was counterattacking the Croychens…. And that counterattack of hers is actually what put Theor and her in danger regardless of what Kaizen would’ve done.
Even prior to Kaizen forcing Astelle to attend the ball, the Croychens already knew about Theor. Had Kaizen not set the ball as a stage, the Croychens would have found another way to tell the whole world about Theor just to get revenge on Astelle (in the Marchioness’s case) and to completely erase Astelle’s chances of becoming the Empress (in Florin’s case). Regardless of what Kaizen does, Astelle and Theor will be put into the spotlight, and it will reach the ears of her father, the most dangerous of them all.
Astelle’s father is the wild card of the wild card. In his anger, he might actually try to kill the stain in his family. Or, if he decides to be crafty, he might actually use Theor to wield Astelle as he pleases. Remember in earlier chapters how the Duke kept the Empress Dowager’s keepsakes in case he can use it against Astelle and how he wished he could’ve married off Astelle to some noble after her divorce? He might’ve used Theor to threaten Astelle to do what he wants, in the exact same manner he was doing now.
If Kaizen didn’t force Astelle to attend the ball and kept her in confinement, both Astelle and Theor might be under the Duke’s thumb now with no one to act as their shield. They’d be as good as puppets.
It’s actually Kaizen who draws the short end of the stick by proposing to Astelle:
1) He was tarnishing the dignity and face of the Emperor
2) He’s basically making an opening for the Duke of Reston to usurp the throne LEGALLY
Remember, Kaizen’s original plan was to send Astelle back to the East, clean up the Duke, then try to win her back. Because of events, things got messy and he’s instead prioritizing protecting Astelle in the best way he could.
Astelle thinking that everything will be fine if she goes home to the East — despite the truth that Theor is her biological son becoming known — was wishful thinking on her part. It will never happen. Her father is too greedy for that.
Like it or not, the one who’s actually making the better decisions for both Astelle’s and Theor’s safety at this point of the story is Kaizen. Had Astelle not sneaked out Theor and her grandpa in the first place, the Duke might not have been able to touch them.
All these things would never have happened if Kaizen didn’t show any favor to Astelle when they reunited? Is falling in love and acting on it such a sin? Kaizen doesn’t know Astelle’s circumstances. Though he knew what triggered the domino of Astelle’s misfortune was him divorcing Astelle, one would think that it was Astelle’s grandpa who is perpetuating her misfortune by taking advantage of her (not introducing her to a good man to marry, making her work as a maid, making her work as a nanny for her supposed nephew). Hell, even Vellian thinks so.
It’s okay to be sympathetic to Astelle, but that doesn’t mean we should turn a blind eye to the consequences of her own actions and push all the blame to Kaizen. Especially when he’s doing his best to alleviate Astelle’s and Theor’s circumstances of living. All our bias aside, Kaizen’s proposal of giving land and a mansion in the capital to Astelle is rationally advantageous to both Astelle and Theor.
Kaizen in the past had wronged Astelle plenty of times. But in the present timeline, if we remove our biased lenses and try to view things as someone who only knows what Astelle makes us believe (Theor is her nephew), Kaizen has never done anything bad towards her. On the contrary, he was showering her with too much favor.