Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 4- Part 7

Chapter 4 – Part 7

The child, who had not been in the world for long, had much to learn and discover. Thanks to the constant protection of his mother and uncle, Josie was able to freely explore his curiosity.

For example, he escaped from the soft crib, wandering around the room and opening every drawer, or grabbing anything new he saw with his hands.

Knowing that to satisfy his curiosity, Josie should not be held in his mother’s or uncle’s arms all the time, he preferred to walk around with his own feet when they went out.

“Why, Josie. Do you want to walk?”

“This. Snow.”

“That’s not snow; it’s ice.”

“”Uh-huh.”

“Yes, that’s right. Snow is over there…”

In the spot where water had collected, there was ice. It was fun and fascinating to step on the ice, turning it white and making it crack.

After stepping on the ice for a while, Josie looked up. In the lively Avila, many colorful things caught the eyes of children.

And not far away, on a stall, various colors of yarn were displayed. Josie’s eyes widened.

Walking slowly, being pushed around by the crowd, falling on his bottom, waiting for a while, then getting up and walking again.

Before long, Josie could grab the colorful yarn in his hands.

“Mom.”

As always, Josie turned his head to his mother, holding a discovery.

“Mom, this. This.”

The meaning of the child’s “this” could be various.

‘What is this? ‘, ‘Look at this.’, ‘Take this.’, ‘I want this.’ Whatever the meaning of the words uttered, the mother would now tell him the name of it.

Josie pulled on his mother’s green fringe, expecting to hear her familiar voice.

But when the big woman in front of him turned her head, Josie could only be surprised.

It was supposed to be his mother.

It should be his mother.

“Oh, who is this?”

The tall and unfamiliar woman asked in a strange voice. Josie’s eyes widened.

“Sweetie, why are you alone? Where is your mom?”

The woman squatted down, looking Joshua in the eyes. It was a very affectionate face, but when she realized that his mother was missing, tears welled up in her large golden eyes.

“Mom, mom…”

As Josie began to cry, the woman awkwardly picked him up.

“Why, what happened? It seems like you lost your mom.”

The woman comforted Josie, patting his back, but he didn’t stop crying. The woman looked around helplessly.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’ll find your mom. Okay?”

However, finding a child’s guardian in the crowded and complex Avila was not an easy task.

The woman stood there, holding the child, not knowing what to do.

***

Leonard moved his feet slowly.

People in fur coats were walking along the streets of Avila.

Despite being a city with many outsiders, the streets were clean, and loud noises didn’t seem to carry well, indicating that public safety was well maintained.

“I heard that there has been an increase in the number of people entering the territory.”

“It’s true that when the cold is severe, more people are trying to enter the territory, but recently, the number has noticeably increased. It’s all thanks to His Majesty keeping an eye on us.”

Samuel Travell spoke humbly. Leonard looked around without saying a word.

‘It was so cold.’

Even for him, who was accustomed to the changes in weather, the winters in the north were particularly cold.

Whenever the cold wind passed by, he thought of Tenere, who would be hiding somewhere.

They had spent four winters together.

For Tenere, who felt the cold a lot, the Imperial Palace was warm even in the winter.

Still, she was cold at dawn, often burrowing into his arms in her sleep.

Waking up and seeing Tenere nestled in his arms, he would wonder who had hugged whom first.

And then, seeing her wake up with a bewildered face, he would smile a little.

The past came back to him so quickly and so freshly.

Leonard shook his head as if trying to shake off futile thoughts.

In his eyes, a child came into view at that moment. More precisely, it was a child in the arms of a city guard.

“Whose child is this?”

Leonard asked, looking at the small child, who seemed to have just started walking. The city guard quickly answered.

“It’s a child who lost his parents. We’re taking him to the orphanage after receiving a report.”

It was not uncommon in Avila, a bustling city, for incidents like children getting lost to happen.

Leonard closely observed the child’s appearance.

He was a typical black-haired child. His chubby cheeks, pressed against the guard’s shoulder, were reddened, perhaps due to the cold, and his puffy eyes were tightly closed.

If Tenere had given birth to a son, he might have looked like this.

Despite being a bit shabby, the thick fur coat was well-maintained, indicating that he was loved and cared for.

Leonard involuntarily reached out and gently stroked the child’s head.

When the guard cautiously spoke up, “Shall I wake him up?” Leonard, looking at the child’s tear-stained cheeks, said, “No.”

Although he wanted to see the child open his eyes, returning him to his parents took precedence.

“His parents must be worried. Hurry and take him.”

“Yes.”

The guard, holding the child firmly, shifted his weight.

Leonard watched for a while and then turned away.
***

Tenere moved her feet in a hurry.

Inside the thick fur coat, her body was damp with sweat.

“Josie!”

She shouted many times, but there was no answer.

“Josie!”

Since he started crawling, the child has become more curious. When he was playing with numbers in the room, he often wandered around, opened drawers, and messed up things.

Moreover, after he started walking on his own, he liked to walk on his own rather than being held by his mother or uncle when they went out. She had to be especially careful when going out.

“Josie!”

It was a momentary mistake, but the cost was too high.

After running for a while, there was no trace of Josie.

“Did you lose a child?”

A passerby, an old man, called out to Tenere. She quickly nodded.

“Yes. Have you seen him? He’s about this tall, with black hair, and…”

“Oh, I didn’t see him, but have you tried going to the orphanage at the end of the street? In Avila, if a lost child is found, they usually take them there.”

The old man pointed to the building at the end of the street. Tenere quickly thanked him and rushed off.