Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 5 - Part 3

Chapter 5 – Part 3

It took about an hour to travel from the village to Avila by carriage, and then over an hour from Avila to the Lord’s castle.

Although the two hours of travel were not strenuous, Leonard, considering young Josie, ordered a rest as soon as they arrived in Avila.

“Mom!”

As soon as Josie got off the carriage, he ran towards Tenere.

Seeing the thick-fur coat-clad child stumbling towards her, Leonard found himself chuckling involuntarily.

“It feels like just yesterday he was crawling, and now he’s already running around. He’s learned to say a few words too.”

Tenere kissed the child a few times and explained.

Leonard affectionately stroked the child, who resembled him.

“Josie, it’s Daddy.”

“Daddy. Daddy.”

As Tenere repeated the titles, Josie pointed to Leonard and mimicked her words.

Each time those small lips uttered those words, Leonard felt an indescribable warmth.

“Leon, when we go to the Duke’s castle, should Josie come along?”

“Yes, since the carriage is spacious, it would be better if Sir Evan came with us instead of wandering off on his own, but before that…….”

Leonard, holding Josie in one arm, took Tenere’s hand.

Tenere looked a bit puzzled, but she followed him willingly. Leonard led her to none other than a clothing store.

It wasn’t as large as the capital’s shops, but it was decent enough to find everyday clothes. Moreover, being in the northern region with severe cold, there were plenty of clothes prioritizing warmth, which would be beneficial for Tenere, who felt the cold easily.

“Leon, this is…”

“I’ve asked Lord Evan to buy clothes separately for himself, so let’s consider this our little date.”

Although it might not exactly qualify as a date with a child in tow, just saying it made Tenere’s heart flutter for some reason.

Leonard, in that place, made sure to buy outfits, outerwear, shoes, and even a few dresses for Tenere and Josie.

They weren’t as luxurious as the ones in the capital, but they were far better than the worn-out dress with frayed sleeves.

“We’ll need new clothes when we get to the capital anyway.”

“That’s later.”

Tenere was at a loss for words, but Leonard was stubborn. He bought a few brightly colored dresses instead of the dull ones with dirt on them, and sleek boots without high heels instead of clunky leather shoes.

He didn’t hesitate to buy clothes with separate tops and bottoms or long capes that covered her hips. Even so, the worn sleeves were an eyesore.

Moreover, Tenere had seemed to mind the raggedy clothes the entire time they were in the carriage, and he wanted to make sure she had something decent to wear.

“I’m sorry I haven’t done anything for you before, so please don’t say no.”

There were many ways to show love, but the most tangible one was material. Now that he had told Tenere he loved her, Leonard was determined to prove his words.

The most extravagant and beautiful dresses, jewelry that most nobles never even saw, and the most fertile lands. Anything she wanted to do, he would let her do; anything she wanted to have, he would let her have.

So that Tenere would never doubt his love. To never even think of leaving him again. But it was a rather steep price to pay for being a half-crazed maniac in love.

Even the finest dressmaker in Avila was out of his league, and the dress was for everyday wear, not for a banquet. Leonard hid his displeasure and tied the ribbons on the new boots himself.

“Leon, this is too much.”

“We’re not getting fitted for shoes here anyway.”

“Still…”

A laugh escaped her at the sight of his red face. Leonard tied the ribbons to the new boots himself.

“Leon, not to this extent…”

Looking at Leonard sitting on one knee on the floor, Tenere was still at a loss.

“It’s not like I’m kissing the instep here.”

“Such…….”

The flushed face made him laugh unnecessarily. Leonard finished tying the laces and pulled himself up.

The child tugged at Tenere’s sleeve.

“Mom, this.”

It seemed like the new clothes were a bit uncomfortable for Josie. He pulled at the ribbon around his neck and lowered the suspenders from his shoulders.

Tenere quickly picked him up.

“My little Josie, you look beautiful.”

She cooed at the child, adjusting his clothes. She even affectionately commented on different aspects of the new outfit—how there was a pretty ribbon around his neck, how there were suspenders on the pants, and how there were one, two, three, four, and five buttons.

Josie touched the buttons with his small hands, trying to imitate her. He clumsily followed along, saying “button, button,” and occasionally tried to mimic her.

Tenere clapped her hands and praised him. It felt amusing for a person who used to be as serene as a calm lake to be talkative, especially in front of a child. After playing with the child for a while, Tenere felt someone’s gaze and looked up.

When their eyes met, Leonard realized he had been staring at her too intensely.

“Leon?”

Tenere tilted her head, and Josie, too, widened his eyes, looking up at Leonard. For some reason, their innocent gazes made him feel breathless. Leonard decided to speak a bit hesitantly.

“I like this.”

He said it outright, and his heart thumped in his chest. It was a bit embarrassing to act like a madman in love, but his sincerity was undeniable.

If only he knew this love wasn’t a lie.

His mouth suddenly went dry. His late father’s voice echoed, now a useless piece of advice. It was wasted advice now.

‘Let nothing shake you.’

‘I could act like a jerk in love, as long as I didn’t mean it.’

Then he won’t hurt innocent people like his grandfather, he won’t make them sin, and he won’t pass on his anxiety to his child.

Leonard smiled as he watched Tenere look at him.

If this happiness, even if fabricated, makes her happy, that’s enough.

Leonard, looking at Tenere, laughed with her.

The carriage arrived at the mansion after a while. Samuel Travell, the lord, came out to greet Leonard and Tenere at the main gate. Seeing the child in Leonard’s arms, the lord’s eyes widened.

“It’s been a while, Duke Travell.”

Though she was to be reinstated, she was still once an Empress, so Tenere returned the greeting politely.

The Duke seemed equally unsure of how to address her.

“Please take good care of the empress so that she and the prince can stay comfortably.”

Leonard spoke first, implying that from now on, Travell should treat Tenere as the empress.

Tenere looked back at Leonhard in surprise.

“Your Majesty, I’m still not…….”

Tenere grabbed Leonard, but he only smirked.
.
“Do you dislike it?”

“…”

“I hate to see you not treated as you deserve, even for a moment.”

Leonard kissed the back of Tenere’s hand. Leonard’s action was undoubtedly a deliberate display of affection, considering the eyes around them.

And Lord Travell understood his intention very well.

“I will wholeheartedly serve Your Majesty, the Empress.”

The Lord greeted Tenere with the utmost politeness. Tenere seemed a bit embarrassed, but in the end, she nodded.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

Lord Travell, Leonard’s maternal grandfather, had a surprisingly handsome appearance for his age, which was over seventy. Under his platinum white hair, his golden eyes, resembling those of Leonard and Beatrice, stood out prominently.

Even though he was over seventy, he had a straight posture and clear eyes.

The tall stature, sun-darkened skin, and muscles that proudly displayed strength emitted an imposing presence. While Tenere didn’t often meet the Duke in the capital, the fact that he was Beatrice’s father was enough to gain her favor.

“Please come in. Dinner is ready.”

With the utmost politeness, the Duke guided Leonard, Tenere, and Eric. Even to young Josie, he addressed her as “Your Highness the Prince,” but Josie, not understanding the words, just stared with wide eyes.

Dinner proceeded in a peaceful atmosphere. Tenere and Eric, who were accustomed to taking turns eating while looking after Josie, found the leisurely mealtime somewhat awkward. Tenere kept glancing at the servant feeding Josie, and Eric did the same.

“With the Empress so close by, it’s a shame we didn’t serve her earlier.”

Throughout the dinner, Duke Travell maintained an amiable attitude. Perhaps due to the eyes resembling those of Beatrice, Tenere didn’t feel uncomfortable dining with him.

“While you were in the north, I considered hiring a nurse for the prince. Do you have any specific conditions in mind?”

The Duke asked. It was the nurse’s responsibility to feed and care for the child. When returning to the palace, hiring a nurse to care for the child was a natural course of action. However, Tenere was not ready to entrust her child to someone else’s care.

“I have never let him out of my sight since he was born. Besides, when we return to the palace, we can hire a new nurse. I would rather care for him now myself than leave him in someone else’s hands.”

Tenere spoke as she used to in the palace. Keeping her posture straight, not lowering her head, and maintaining an even tone without letting her words blur. As the empress, she had to act according to her station, for Leonard’s sake, and her son, now a prince.

“Your Majesty, are you alright with this?”

Duke Travell turned to Leonard. Tenere briefly hesitated, wondering why she needed Leonard’s permission to carry her own child. The empress was supposed to decide between hiring a nurse and assigning rooms in the palace.

“I’m fine with it.”

“It might be difficult for you to sleep comfortably.”

“He’s my child.”

However, the conversation between the two men was somewhat detached from Tenere’s concerns. After listening for a while, Tenere looked at Leonard as if realizing something.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Empress.”

“Do I share a room with His Majesty…”

The question was asked as if it were self-evident, and Leonard’s expression was one of confusion. Tenere felt embarrassed; why was she asking about something so obvious?