The Unemployed Prince Covets My Nephew - Chapter 23
It was truly an unbelievable situation.
Theo stared blankly at the hand, then smiled brightly and, as he had learned, lightly kissed the back of the Queen’s hand. It was such a small kiss that it felt like he barely managed to kiss the top of her finger.
Everyone around found the scene quite endearing, and Hailey felt relieved. The Queen also held the child’s small hand tightly with a smiling face.
“You are quite clever. Thank you for seeing this grandmother as pretty.”
“Are you on our side too, Grandma?”
“We shall see. Trust can sometimes be a wicked trick, you know.”
Theo looked up at the Queen blankly.
‘Pretty Grandma. She’s the second prettiest after Mommy Hailey. I don’t really understand, but it sounds cool!’
Theo didn’t really understand but nodded his head. It was a bit difficult for a five-year-old to grasp.
“If it’s alright, how about having tea together tomorrow, Your Highness?”
“Of course. Um… if it’s not too much trouble, may I bring the child along? I still get a bit anxious when we’re apart.”
“Oh, naturally. How could I possibly keep this lovely child away?”
The Queen turned around, looking delighted.
Theo, still with an innocent face, waved at the Queen and her following ladies-in-waiting until they were out of sight, with Hailey standing beside him, unable to leave her spot until the Queen was gone.
* * *
Queen Madelaine’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Marha, heard the queen’s hearty laughter after a long time. Though she couldn’t entirely let go of her suspicions about the mother and child, she felt somewhat grateful.
The Queen had lost her smile for quite some time.
Internally, she was in a fierce struggle with Duke Brahe’s family, and externally, her son was constantly at war, leaving her with no days of peace.
In the midst of that, there were ridiculous scandals with the King of Vasa, and her twenty-seven-year-old son, who seemed to be going through a belated adolescence.
There had been no reason to laugh, so the appearance of a young lady who seemed to have come from the countryside and an innocent, adorable child had piqued the Queen’s interest just by their presence.
“What do they say about the child assigned to the princess?”
“They say she’s a naive young lady but she seems quite intelligent. They say she doesn’t lose her composure in front of the prince and speaks her mind confidently.”
“For a young lady who grew up in the capital, her eyes are quite clear.”
The Queen liked Hailey’s gaze.
The look in her eyes as she held the child’s hand tightly, willing to do anything for the prince, showed no greed or pretense.
It had been so long since she had seen a young lady in the capital without those qualities.
The Queen herself had long since lost such a gaze, having become a person of the capital.
“She doesn’t seem to be her biological child. Some of Baron Langston’s servants say the child is not Miss Hailey’s but the eldest child’s.”
“It must not have been easy to take care of him. Maybe that’s why she has that look in her eyes. But you, be careful with your words. She is my daughter-in-law and the princess of this country.”
“I will correct myself, Your Majesty.”
It was extremely rude for Madame Marha, the lady-in-waiting who had lost her title of Viscountess, to call the princess ‘Miss Hailey.’
The Queen was a perceptive person. She had observed Lady Brahe, Axel’s fiancée, for a long time. She easily noticed the boldness and arrogance hidden beneath her gentle appearance.
She had long given up on Axel’s marriage, but to bring such a young lady.
Even though her son was a man of action, he would never have pushed for such a marriage if it were Lady Brahe.
“How old did they say the child is? Three?”
“They said he is five years old. They say he couldn’t even get proper meals at Baron Langston’s place. The lady herself had to cook for him.”
“They are despicable people.”
The Queen’s expression and tone, which she had shown in front of Theo and Hailey, disappeared as she coldly criticized them.
“Prepare someone to clean up, just in case. Even if this trial goes wrong, make sure they can never escape.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I cannot allow such people to breathe the same air under the same sky as my grandchild.”
Isn’t that right? The Queen’s smile as she said this made Viscountess Marha bow her head.
Axel’s occasional twisted smile was indeed inherited from his mother.
* * *
“What? Tea time with Mother? Why would she do that?”
“Well, because she is the Queen?”
Axel had a unique way of thinking in every aspect.
In everyday conversations, he would blurt out things that would make one think, ‘Are you really thinking that here?’
Khalid had gotten used to the prince’s unusual words and actions, and this was no different.
When he casually conveyed the news that the Queen had invited the princess for tea time, Axel responded more cynically than expected.
Axel sat with his long legs crossed, tapping the table with the tip of his shoe in dissatisfaction.
“Without my permission? This is overstepping her authority.”
“Traditionally, it is not. She is practically family now, not just to you but also to the Queen. It might be ambiguous when you leave this castle, but even then, as your mother, having a little tea time during the day does not constitute overstepping.”
Khalid finished his logical rebuttal and adjusted his glasses.
“Is the kid attending too?”
“Yes. Naturally, wherever the princess goes, the child would be there.”
“It’s annoying. The kid has nothing to do with my mother or father.”
“But officially…”
“Shut up. Official documents don’t matter. Family is something that cannot be explained by mere documents.”
‘Isn’t that a bit rich coming from someone who got married swiftly through official documents?’ Khalid wanted to retort but held back once again.
Axel was busy in many ways. He had to prepare for the trial, keep an eye on Duke Brahe’s side, and get ready to bring down the Duke. Since deciding to step down from his position as prince, he had been having the busiest days of his life.
In the midst of that, he thought of Hailey and that cheeky kid, planning to have lunch together and practice for whatever tea time they would have at the Winchester house, spending some cozy time as a trio. He felt proud and pleased with himself for thinking so.
But hearing that his mother had taken them away made him naturally feel rebellious.
‘Why not have tea time with Father and Anais? Why them?’
Even though they were his parents, they were different from a normal family.
This was the royal family. A battlefield where you don’t show your true feelings and deceive each other.
And in this battlefield, his mother was the best at psychological warfare.
Axel thought there was no way that tea time would be just a simple tea time.
‘Tea time is just an excuse.’
He couldn’t know what she might say to Hailey and Theo.
“I have to attend.”
“What…?”
“Tell her I’m attending that tea time too.”
“The Queen might be displeased.”
“Since the Queen intercepted it first, she should bear the responsibility.”
“Then how about you speak to her directly, Your Highness?”
Axel stared at Khalid without any response.
Then Khalid bit his lip and retorted angrily.
“The prince having tea time! You said that such things should be abolished from the world, didn’t you?”
“When did I say that?”
“Don’t you remember how many times you said that to Lady Brahe?!”
“Comparing that woman to Hailey. It seems it’s been a while since you sparred with me.”
Axel smiled evilly yet lazily.
After sparring with Axel, one would be bedridden for days. Khalid reluctantly answered, ‘I will ask the Queen.’
“Prince. I’m asking purely out of curiosity, why are you so proactive about the Princess Consort’s matters?”
“That sounds very disrespectful.”
“No, but really. I have never seen you talk this much except when declaring war.”
Inside the palace, the Prince was always languid and emotionless. He handled everything mechanically without any emotion, and those who opposed him were simply crushed by force. His hobby and specialty were publicly humiliating those who dared to speak against him.
Preparing for a trial. Tea time.
Anyone, not just Khalid, would think so when seeing the recent Prince.
Because Hailey mostly stayed within the Princess Consort’s palace, rumors spread among the palace people who hadn’t seen her, calling her an enchanting woman. They said she was an extraordinary woman who seduced the crazy Prince, proving that even the Prince was just a man.
But Khalid thought differently. Hailey was pretty, but his Prince wasn’t someone to be swayed by appearances.
“Khalid, you’ve never properly seen that woman, have you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hailey.”
“…….”
“That woman puts her all into everything more than anyone I’ve ever seen. She eats a piece of bread as if it’s the last bread of her life. Even though she could ask for more, she still shares her portion with the child.”