Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 8 - Part 2

Chapter 8 – Part 2

Usually, Leonard was the one who woke up first in the morning.

Although he wasn’t originally a light sleeper, he tended to wake up early, even without someone to wake him up. On the contrary, Tenere usually woke up late and lingered in bed even after opening her eyes.

He never felt inclined to wake her up or leave her alone while she was asleep, so Leonard always waited until she woke up.

Sometimes he read a book while lying in bed, reviewed documents he had prepared in advance, or just watched her quietly until she opened her eyes.

Leonard looked at Tenere, lying quietly next to him.

Maybe today was warmer than the day before. Or maybe it was because of the well-stocked fireplace. She didn’t seem to need much warmth today.

It felt a bit… empty.

Leonard gently touched her tousled hair and gazed at her sleeping face.

He listened to her quiet breathing and watched her chest rise and fall with each exhalation.

The fact that she was lying next to him felt like a dream.

Even though two years had passed, her sleeping figure hadn’t changed. Except for the slightly roughened fingertips.

The rhythmic breathing, the peacefully sleeping face, and her tightly wrapped body under the blanket were the same.

“Ugh.”

When his fingertips brushed her cheek, Tenere turned slightly, as if ticklish.

Leonard quickly withdrew his hand as if burned. But seeing that her closed eyes didn’t open, he reached out again, feeling relieved.

He observed her soft hair, neatly arranged eyebrows, long eyelashes cascading down, a well-defined nose, and those thin lips.

He touched her lips carefully. When was the last time they kissed? When she shyly smiled after the last time they embraced,.

‘……Whenever it was, it doesn’t matter.’

Leonard mumbled to himself.

Now that he has a healthy heir, a kiss, or anything else for that matter, is pointless.

But part of him wondered how she would react if he tried to kiss her now.

Tenere had never rejected him before.

Would she accept a loveless, purposeless kiss, and if so, what would it mean?

“…Your Majesty?”

The sudden voice startled Leonard, and he withdrew his hand, looking at Tenere, who was blinking sleepily.

“Josie……”

“He’s still sleeping.”

Leonard replied, looking at her slightly parted lips.

Tenere yawned long and blinked with half-closed eyes. Even though it seemed like she was trying to wake up by widening her eyes, she soon seemed to dissolve into drowsiness, as if she would bury her face in the pillow again at any moment.

“You slept early last night.”

“…Yes.”

Tenere chuckled as if she found it amusing.

Sharing a room with Joshua meant both Leonard and Tenere went to bed at a similar time. Still, she was embarrassed that she was the only one getting up late.

“I heard you were horseback riding yesterday, so you must have been tired.”

“Yes.”

It was somewhat amusing to hear her elongating her words like a child.

Leonard tucked her fallen hair behind her ear and sat up.

“Sleep a bit more. I need to continue my rounds and inspections.”

“I’ll get ready too. I can’t just lie in bed as the empress.”

Tenere got up with a stretch. Her voice still sounded sluggish, as if she were half asleep.

“You haven’t been formally reinstated, so you don’t have to push yourself until we enter the palace.”

“But Your Majesty treats me as the empress even without reinstatement.”

“I’m the emperor; I can do as I please.”

“…What?”

When he joked, a confused tone returned.

Leonard chuckled softly and gently grabbed her shoulder, laying her back down on the bed.

“Your Majesty…”

“Now that the weather has cleared up, I’ll take Josie with me today. You seemed to be in a light sleep last night, so you should rest more.”

It was a subtle suggestion for her to relax in the room today since his son would be taken care of.

Tenere hesitated and couldn’t easily respond. Her hesitant silence seemed to convey a sense of dissatisfaction, and he let out a soft chuckle.

“Are you afraid I might take Joshua away? Or are you still uneasy because I’m still a little clumsy?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that he might disturb your inspections.”

“It’s something that needs to be done later anyway. Learning early would be helpful for Josie in the future.”

Even though the one-year-old wouldn’t remember today’s events, Leonard said it with a shameless smile.

Tenere seemed to want to say something similar, but he got up faster.

“Joshua, being a clever prince, will undoubtedly be a great help.”

Even Tenere faintly smiled at his words. She pulled the blanket up and spoke.

“…Don’t give him too many snacks. You should let him take a nap around three.”

“I understand. And don’t skip any meals, either.”

After tucking Tenere’s blanket up to her neck, Leonard left the room.

Not long after, a servant came in and helped prepare Joshua for his outing.

Tenere watched this scene and slowly closed her eyes.

***

The sound of breaking objects was familiar. The shouting voices of her father and mother were equally familiar.

Lowly bloodline, useless woman, a parasite who only eats but has no skills, stupid, sentimental, and inferior.

Ludwig scolded Tasha, and Tasha didn’t disagree.

“If you were going to be like this, why did you propose? Did you marry me without knowing that I grew up in the forest? You should have married a noble and elegant lady as you wished!”

“Do you even know how much the dress you’re wearing costs? What about the necklace you have on? Don’t you dare talk back to me; you are wearing things you couldn’t even imagine in the forest!”

“Who asked you to buy these things? If you like them so much, wear them yourself. I hate wearing such uncomfortable clothes!”

“This is real…!”

“Why? Are you going to hit me again? Are the noble culture and dignity all about raising your hand when you have nothing to say!”

When the sounds of shouting echoed through the house, the nanny quickly took Tenere to her room. Sometimes, if luck was not on their side, they could hear the sound of a slap.

“Oh dear, did the young lady get scared? It would be much simpler for Lady Tasha to just apologize quietly instead of dragging it like this.”

The nanny muttered while handing Tenere a fairy tale book to read.

“It’s been several years since I came to the marquisate, but why is the lord’s temper still so rough? My lady, when the marquis scolds you, just apologize sincerely. Got it?”

“But Nanny, Father was the one who spoke harshly first.”

“Shh. I told you not to respond like that, right? It’s all for your sake. If you argue back like that, even a simple story could escalate into a fight. Everyone feels uncomfortable when the atmosphere in the mansion becomes unpleasant because of Madam.”

The nanny was a kind person who covered Tenere’s ears whenever her father’s shouting could be heard, but she didn’t like to argue.

Every time the atmosphere in the mansion improved, she would grab Tenere and complain.

“What if Father hurts Mother again?”

“I don’t think it hurts that much, seeing as how he’s always hitting her like that. Since the marquis’s mood is not good, wait until it calms down, then go and comfort him, act cute, and so on.”

“…It’s scary, though.”

“Daughters are supposed to do that. Since Madam can’t do it, you should relieve the marquis’s stress with pretty actions. Understand?”

Young Tenere listened well to the nanny’s words. When she received the signal from the nanny returning from outside, she would rush to her father.

Embracing her father’s neck with a frightening face, kissing his cheek, and showing drawings she had done or clumsily embroidered handiwork. Among them, what pleased Ludwig the most was Tenere’s ‘noble’ behavior. When she presented greetings, she learned from the etiquette teacher, walked gracefully without dropping the thick book on her head, or refrained from reaching for her favorite snacks until they were offered.

During those times, Ludwig would sarcastically grumble to Tasha that their daughter was better than her.

Tenere couldn’t remember what expression Tasha had when she heard those words.

Perhaps she didn’t want to remember.

“Tenere, my dear.”

Tasha was always loud when talking to Ludwig, but she wasn’t a fussy person.

She was affectionate and kind to Tenere, Eric, and even the servants.

Tenere wished her father had been kinder to her mother, but somehow she felt she shouldn’t have said it, so she kept her mouth shut.

“Are you okay, Mother?

Extending her small hand to touch the injured area, Tasha sometimes had a tearful face, but she quickly composed herself and kissed Tenere.

“Of course. I’m okay.”

It was impossible to know if it was really okay, but Tenere hugged her mother just like she did with her father.

“Tell me an old story.”

Tenere knew what her mother liked. Tasha’s eyes always sparkled whenever she talked about her life in the forest.

The story of when she first met the kind Frederick, the first time he lent her his back, the first hunt and the family celebrating it, the blazing bonfire and the dancing around it with her friends, the lively singing.

The stories Tasha told were always like fairy tales.

In Tenere’s imagination, her mother wandered through the forest on horseback. She caught prey and brought it home. She danced and sang with family and friends around a roaring bonfire.

In those stories, her mother was always the protagonist.

“In the forest, I was the best archer among the Partonas, so I was able to save your father from the wolves.”

“But why don’t you shoot arrows now?”

“We don’t need to gather food ourselves here. Besides…”

Tasha trailed off. She didn’t finish her sentence, but it was clear that it had to do with Ludwig’s pressure.

“Mother, do you want to go back to the forest?”

“Where would I go, leaving my baby behind?”

“I’m not a baby. I’m a child.”

When she spoke petulantly, Tasha laughed and hugged Tenere tightly.

How warm that embrace was, and what kind of scent came from her mother, was now faint and distant.

Was that regret? Or… Was it longing?