Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 10 - Part 8

Chapter 10 – Part 8

“……Calm down, Alaina.”
 
Callian soothed her.
 
“I’m not trying to take your place. I’ve only been entrusted with this because I’m older than you. Even if my brother decides to give me the title of Marquis, I’ll still pass it on to you.”
 
“How can I believe that!”
 
“Write up an agreement, then.”
 
Alaina’s mouth stayed shut at Callian’s words. He smiled gently at her.
 
“Was there ever a time when I didn’t give you what you wanted?”
 
Alaina couldn’t argue with that.
 
She hadn’t often begged her uncle, who wasn’t really her father, to buy her anything, but Callian was the kind of person who would go out of her way to give her anything she wanted.
 
As Alaina’s agitation subsided, Callian seemed a little relieved.
 
“If you wish, I can write an agreement right now and have it recognized by the emperor. But now my brother is in prison. Not only my brother, but others may also become involved. Now is the time to save yourself; act like an innocent young lady who knows nothing.”
 
“…….”
 
“You know how much your father loves you, and the last thing he wants is to put you in danger.”
 
Callian’s voice was straight, as if he meant it.
 
He didn’t seem like the type to conspire against his niece or brother to snatch away his niece’s title.
 
But how outrageous the content of this situation was!
 
“How can someone who loves you do such things?”
 
“Alaina.”
 
“I thought he said the Emperor was his child. How can he marry off his own blood?”
 
Seeing Alaina’s outburst, Callian was silent for a moment, remembering his brother’s words.
 
“I need you to watch her and make sure she doesn’t pull any stunts.”
 
Was it a relief that she felt ashamed when she tried to blame her actions on her father?
 
Callian laughed softly, inwardly relieved.
 
“Go back to your room for now.”
 
“….I have to go into the office.”
 
“Is there anything you’re looking for in there? ”
 
Alaina hesitated at the straightforward question. But only for a moment; she soon raised her head defiantly and asked back.
 
“So, Uncle, is there anything you’re hiding in there?”
 
Two pairs of identical eyes looked at each other. It was a persistent gaze, as if trying to unearth a hidden truth.
 
Without a word, Callian opened the door to the office.
 
“Let’s have some tea together.”
 
“…….”
 
“Come in.”
 
Alaina stepped through the open door without answering.
 
The office has been unchanged since her childhood.
 
She sat down across from him and looked around the office carefully.
 
Callian pretended not to notice and pulled the rope to call the servant. The two were silent until her maid brought her tea.
 
“Can you tell me what you are looking for?”
 
It was Callian who broke the long silence, looking lovingly at his hesitant niece.
 
“I can’t help it if you don’t want to tell me, but… I might be able to help you.”
 
“……It’s no big deal.”
 
“Okay.”
 
Callian replied nonchalantly and picked up his teacup.
 
“I don’t know what you need, but I can’t refuse to give you what you want.”
 
“…….”
 
“I’m not going to look, so go find it. Tell me if you need anything.”
 
Callian said, his back to the desk in the office.
 
Alaina pushed herself to her feet without looking up from her full teacup.
 
Jab. Thud.
 
She stopped in front of a desk strewn with papers, but Callian didn’t look back.
 
“…Since we’re already here, will you bring me next month’s budget proposal? I’m getting bored with nothing to do.”
 
Alaina shuffled through the stack of papers without a word.
 
Though she hadn’t been to the study since her return, she still remembered where her father used to keep certain documents.
 
“Here. I also brought the last three years for your review.”
 
“Thank you.”
 
After that, there was silence. There were occasional loud noises, but Callian never looked back.
 
* * *
 
Back at the Rose Palace, Tenere was lost in thought as she bathed.
 
One was because of the rumors surrounding Leonard, and the other was because of what he had said.
 
‘There’s no way she came to the palace just to say she would no longer support her father.’
 
The Duke was being held in a dungeon for high treason.
 
And as he was being led away by the guards, he’d made a ridiculous claim that he was the Emperor’s biological father.
 
With all eyes in the capital on that family, why would she risk being noticed and come to the palace just to say something like that?
 
‘And me? ’
 
What she couldn’t understand more was the fact that she wanted to meet her separately.
 
Before the late Emperor’s death, she had approached her several times, but she had always acted coldly towards her.
 
Whenever Tenere approached and tried to talk, Alaina would respond with a few words, then suddenly look at her intently.
 
“Is that all you have to say?”
 
The cold tone of her voice would scare her away.
 
She was pretty sure she didn’t like Tenere. So much so that she wondered if she’d misheard her when she’d suggested they go hunting together.
 
After meeting Leonard again and hearing that Alaina didn’t dislike her, Tenere still didn’t think it was affection.
 
Not disliking someone doesn’t necessarily mean liking them.
 
She thought it was a similar kind of feeling to the one she had for Laura.
 
A feeling that was bothersome and troublesome, but one that didn’t make her want to ignore the misery in front of her, but didn’t make her want to get too close either.
 
When he said that Alaina did not hate her, she simply took it to mean that she tolerated her for taking the position of empress.
 
‘But if Duke Salvator really meant to harm Josie… … .’
 
Then how can he be so sure of the complete innocence of his daughter, Alaina?
 
She tried to think in several directions, but each one seemed to lead to a dead end.
 
Leohard seemed to be hiding something.
 
‘Am I not trustworthy? ‘
 
A sudden thought made Tenere pause. The maid, who had been rubbing her body, quickly noticed her discomfort and stopped what she was doing.
 
“Empress, are you uncomfortable?”
 
They called her Empress as if it were a matter of course, but somehow it felt foreign to Tenere.
 
If she were really the empress, what could she not say?
 
“……No, I was just thinking about something else.”
 
Tenere’s lips curled up in a familiar smile, and the maid began to massage her body once more.
 
A large bathtub big enough for four people and efficient servants who knew their duties well.
 
Why do things that should be familiar again feel so foreign?
 
* * *
 
After her bath, Tenere went straight to Joshua.
 
The child, who loved people, seemed to have taken a liking to his nurse as well. Before fully opening the door, giggles could be heard.
 
“Where is our prince? Where did he go?”
 
“Kaaaah.”
 
It seemed like just yesterday they were playing peek-a-boo, and now they were playing hide-and-seek. Laura, sensing movement, turned her head.
 
“Oh, Your Majesty, the Empress is here!”
 
“Mommy!”
 
“Oh, I found the crown prince!”
 
Joshua poked his head out at the sight of his mom, and Laura exclaimed as if she’d been waiting for it.
 
The child giggled and ducked back behind the curtain.
 
The hand clutching the curtain and the foot peeking out from underneath it were clearly visible, and Tenere forgot about her troubles and let out a small laugh.
 
“Um, I heard a voice just now. Your Majesty, have you seen His Highness the Crown Prince anywhere?”
 
“Yes. I think I saw him earlier, but he was so sneaky, I don’t know where he went.”
 
Tenere looked up and down at Laura.
 
He poked her head out again, as if to ask her to hurry up and find him, and when their eyes met, he giggled before hiding his face again.
 
Laura, still scanning the area, approached the curtain where Joshua was hiding.
 
After searching for a while, she finally couldn’t resist her curiosity and quickly hugged him when he showed his face.
 
“I found you!”
 
“Gah!”
 
Laura tickled the child playfully.
 
Joshua giggled and squirmed, then ran to his mother and hugged her. Tenere picked him up and pushed herself up.
 
“You’ve had a long day; aren’t you tired?”
 
“Not at all. He’s so obedient…”
 
Laura replied, clapping her hands.
 
“At first, he seemed a bit shy, but he’s naturally affectionate. When I bumped into the corner of the desk earlier, His Highness came over and comforted me.”
 
“Oh, no, you weren’t hurt?”
 
“It was a little red, but it healed up quickly after the prince gave me a hug, didn’t it?”
 
Laura smiled, and Joshua giggled at her.
 
Laura continued to play with him for a while, then glanced up.
 
“Have you spoken to His Majesty?”
 
“Yes.”
 
Tenere nodded but didn’t elaborate.
 
Laura knew that Tenere hadn’t brought her here because she trusted her completely, but she didn’t show any signs of regret.
 
“Don’t worry too much; it’s probably just a rumor anyway, and I’ll think of something to put it to rest quickly.”
 
“Thank you.”
 
Tenere nodded, but she didn’t think she would need her help.
 
It was the Duke’s side that needed to prove their case, not hers.
 
It was the ramblings of a cornered man, and it was unlikely he had any proof.
 
“…But, Laura, why would Salvatore’s daughter want to meet me?”