The Unemployed Prince Covets My Nephew - Chapter 14
βThat… that is… But itβs just fish! Thereβs no reason to treat us like this!β
At that moment, knights who had been searching the ship and warehouses came running with a slightly larger box.
The face of the loud-mouthed leader noticeably stiffened.
The box was securely locked with a large padlock.
As Hailey, unable to control her trembling body, tried to move forward, Axel stopped her and drew his sword.
In an instant, a blue aura enveloped the sword. With one swing from Axel, the padlock shattered into pieces.
Hailey rushed forward and opened the lid of the box.
βThe, Theo…? Theodore? How is this… why is it empty…?β
Inside, there was nothing. It was completely empty. This couldnβt be. Theo was supposed to be here.
But it seemed Hailey wasnβt the only one thinking this.
The Vasa merchants suddenly began to panic. They too seemed surprised by the unexpected situation.
Their innocence was proven by the empty box, but instead of feeling relieved, they were speechless with shock. Even the leader of the Vasa merchants, who had resisted fiercely, clamped his mouth shut.
Suddenly, Hailey lunged forward and grabbed the man by the collar.
βWhere is he? Where is my Theo?β
βLet go of me! How dare this woman…!β
Thud.
The sound was even duller than when she had struck the baroness.
The red-haired man with a large beard had his head snapped to the side. The man let out a groan.
The Eligos knights gaped in astonishment.
Hailey screamed at the top of her lungs, making the entire port echo.
βWhere did you put my child, you bastard!β
Unable to contain her fury, Hailey shook the man by the collar and punched him relentlessly.
The knights, seeing a noble lady swinging her fists so wildly for the first time, flinched but did not intervene.
βYour Highness! You need to see this!β
Hailey stopped hitting the man and ran after Axel.
A knight who had been searching around the warehouse picked up something from behind a pillar.
βThis was lying here. And there are footprints behind this pillar that seem to belong to a child.β
β…Yes, this is Theoβs candy.β
“……”
βI felt bad for leaving him alone, so I told him he could have three today. Grape flavor is Theoβs favorite…β
It seemed Theo had dropped it from his pocket while hiding behind the pillar.
Hailey took the candy from the knightβs hand and couldnβt speak any further.
βIt looks like he escaped.β
Quite the clever little boy.
Axel smiled inwardly, impressed.
βBut thereβs something strange. This warehouse canβt be opened from the inside. It can only be opened from the outside, so unless someone let him out…β
Throughout the ride to Lint Port, Hailey had been desperately hoping and was somewhat convinced.
She had kept her sanity by believing Theo would be here. But now, he had escaped.
Hailey was at a loss as to where to start looking for Theo.
Axel was certain those Vasa men had Theo. The Vasa language filled with bewilderment indicated they too were surprised the child wasnβt in the box.
Theo had definitely been here. Somehow, he managed to escape and seemed to have fled to a safer place.
βLoad them all up. And put the person in charge of this place in the underground prison immediately.β
Axel ordered the trembling immigration officer to be imprisoned for disobeying the princeβs orders and failing to perform his duties.
βThat day at the marketplace was Theoβs first and last outing. Heβs unfamiliar with the outside, let alone the roads. Where could he have gone…?β
βThen he might have gone to a place he visited that day. Was there any place that particularly impressed him?β
A place that particularly impressed Theo that day?
Hailey carefully recalled that day. The most mentioned thing in Theoβs diary that day was Hailey, and next wasβ¦
Hailey looked up at Axel blankly.
…That giant man.
βThere is one, but itβs not close enough for a child to find on his own.β
βWhere is it? Letβs start there, and if heβs not there, weβll search all of Ludvig.β
β…In front of the candy store.β
The candy store where they met the giant man.
βThe first place I saw that cheeky little boy and this woman.β
Axel smiled leisurely, as if to ease her worries and anxieties, and extended his hand to her.
βLetβs hurry. To find βour child.ββ
Haileyβs extreme anxiety about losing Theo forever was calmed by Axelβs confident and reassuring smile.
Hailey placed her hand on Axelβs strong hand.
* * *
The horse carrying Hailey and Axel sped off quickly. The Eligos knights followed closely, protecting them as they raced towards the marketplace.
β…Theodore!β
Axel helped Hailey down to the ground. Hailey looked around frantically.
The marketplace was dark and silent, shrouded in the night, making it hard to see anything. Even Hailey couldnβt distinguish where the candy store was.
It didnβt seem likely that a child would come here alone.
Hailey felt like tearing at her chest in frustration.
If anything happened to Theo, she wouldnβt let the baron and baroness go. She would find a way to kill them.
βTheodore!β
Hailey screamed Theoβs name until her voice was hoarse.
At that moment.
βI found him!β
One of the Eligos knights, who had been searching in front of all the shops, shouted loudly.
Hailey ran in the direction of the voice.
A young knight, who didnβt even look like an adult yet, was holding a much smaller child in his arms.
Hailey threw off her oversized slippers and ran. Her vision was blurred by tears, but she knew.
βThatβs my Theo.β
The knight handed the small, thin child to the running Hailey.
Hailey collapsed to the ground, holding Theo, who seemed to have fainted as if he were asleep.
The child, drenched in what seemed like cold sweat, was wheezing faintly.
Hailey wiped Theoβs sweat away with her palm over and over.
Theo, Theodore. She kept calling his name.
Then Theo slowly opened his eyelids.
Blinking a few times, Theo gradually came to his senses, recognizing the familiar, warm embrace and Haileyβs scent.
βHa…iley?β
β…Yes. Itβs me.β
“……”
βIβm sorry. I, Mommy… I was too late, wasnβt I? Iβm sorry.β
Tears welled up in Theoβs eyes.
Hailey reached out and wiped away Theoβs tears. Only then did Theoβs face, realizing he was really reunited with Hailey, crumple into sobs.
βUh, uh… Mom…β
Hailey hugged Theo with all her strength. For the first time in his five-year life, Theo cried out loud, calling βMomβ in Haileyβs arms.
Axel and the Eligos knights watched the scene in silence. Some even wiped away tears at the childβs sorrowful cries.
Even the renowned knights were moved by the reunion of the mother and child.
βIβm sorry, Theo. Iβm sorry, Mommy is.β
βUh… uh…β
Theo had been so scared. The fear of never seeing Hailey again.
The fear of being alone in the dark, empty place.
The fear that maybe Hailey was truly unhappy because of him.
βHa, Hailey. You wonβt abandon me? But if Iβm around, you wonβt be happy?β
βIf I donβt have you, every day will be a dark night. I need you to be happy. We promised, remember?β
βUh-huh, yeah. We promised… to be happy together.β
βYes. We promised to be happy together.β
Exhausted from crying, Theo answered with hiccups.
Hailey kissed Theoβs cheeks several times, comforting him.
Holding Theoβs hand, Hailey stood up and bowed to the knights and Axel.
“……!”
βThank you. Thank you so much.β
Although she hadnβt gone through all the official procedures, the prince had acknowledged her, so Hailey was a proper princess.
Her status was much higher than that of the knights. It was only natural to think they had done their duty. The knights themselves thought it was only natural.
Of course, Hailey knew she was now in a position to command the knights, but she wanted to express her gratitude to those who had found someone more precious than her own life.
Theo, with his swollen eyes, looked up at Hailey and bowed his head as well.
“……”
Seeing this, the knights all bowed their heads in respect to Hailey and Theo.
The dawn sun was rising in the distance.
Watching the scene, Axel extended his hand to Hailey and said,
βThe sun is rising.β
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ππ€§π€§ o comeΓ§o jΓ‘ Γ© assim, nem consigo imaginar como vai ser as tramas do final
Thanks for the translation π§π· πΈ π₯°