Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 8 - Part 3

Chapter 8 – Part 3

It was almost lunchtime when Tenere woke up.

The empty room remained silent without the sound of any child’s voice. How long had it been since there was such silence?

This time, there was no need to worry about whether her son would come looking for her or touch dangerous objects. It was a time when she didn’t have to be concerned about anything.

“If we depart now, we should be able to arrive in time.”

Laura’s words came to mind at that moment.

No, perhaps it has been happening since last night. Whenever she let her guard down, unnecessary thoughts would flood her mind.

“She’ll leave in two days at the earliest, three days at the latest.”

Tenere absentmindedly glanced at the clock.

It had already been overnight, which meant they would probably leave tomorrow or the day after.

How long did it take to get from Hale Estate to Albalero?

Tenere stared blankly at the empty baby crib.

“It’s not that far, but…”

As far as she remembered, there was a forest between Hale Estate and Albalero.

It would take at least two days to travel around the forest, and she wasn’t familiar with the terrain.

“Perhaps this might be your last chance…”

Still, the voice lingered because there was still a chance she could make it in time.

It would be too late to send knights, but with James, who was born and bred in the woods, she could still get there by tomorrow.

“Joshua, he’s too young to ride a horse.”

“Your Majesty, if there is anything uncomfortable, please let me know.”

Suddenly, a voice was heard, and Tenere was startled, raising her head. A maid was looking at her with a worried expression.

“Your complexion hasn’t been good. Is there any discomfort in your body?”

“Oh, no. I just had a restless night’s sleep. Thank you for your concern.”

“His Majesty has ordered me to take good care of the Empress. If there is anything you need, please let me know.”

“Of course.”

With a faint smile, Tenere replied, and the maid looked relieved.

Tenere looked again at the empty baby crib.

“You must be lonely without your child by your side.”

When she went hunting, she had no choice but to leave the baby with her brother, but it was only for half a day. Besides, except when she was unwell, she never left the cradle away from the bed.

“You’ll get used to it soon.”

The maid said it with a smile.

“Lady Laura was like that too. She worried a lot when she first started putting the young Master in a separate bed.”

“You mean she didn’t leave him to the nanny from the beginning?”

“There’s only one nanny who serves Lady Francia… until we hire another. During the breastfeeding period, the young madam took care of her brother personally.”

Being a noble didn’t mean that everyone lived a wealthy life.

Nannies were responsible for a child’s life and education until a tutor could be hired, and they naturally commanded a higher price than others.

So in cases like this poor rural estate, if there were several children, they either hired only one nanny, or in rare cases, the lady of the house personally took care of the child until the age when they would hire a governess.

‘She’d have had to look the other way’

Nannies had quite a bit of power because their work was demanding.

Firstly, the lord and lady trusted them enough to leave their child in their care, and the close relationship they had with the future successor gave them considerable influence.

Add to that the fact that she had raised twelve children, and it’s easy to see why the viscountess might never look down on their nanny or why the nanny might be bossy with the viscountess.

“My nanny was like that too.”

Though she didn’t realize it at the time, the nanny’s treatment of Tenere was not the way you would treat the daughter of a marquis.

Veronica, who had been living in the marquise’s mansion as Eric’s nanny, would not have been pleased with Tasha’s sudden arrival.

“How could she run away, leaving such a young lady behind? Don’t call her mother, my lady. It seems that woman lacks maternal love.”

“I’m not like her; I’ll stay with you, young master.”

The nanny gave her an accusatory look as she told her that her mother had run away.

She uttered words of disbelief several times, but every once in a while, she would say something about how she couldn’t fake her blood.

“No matter how you dress up in fancy dresses and adorn yourself with jewels, it doesn’t matter. It’s about being born from a low lineage. The Marquis didn’t scold her for no reason.”

“Even animals take care of their offspring; how can a person called a mother do such a thing? Our Marquis must be deeply saddened, so I should offer some comfort.”

The nanny, who always advised Tenere to speak respectfully to his father, left Tenere alone in her room and went to visit the Marquis.

When Tenere said she would go see her father, she firmly shook her head.

“He must be angry because of that woman, and it will be even more unpleasant for him to see a girl who looks so much like her. I will take care of everything, so wait in the room. If you behave well, I’ll bring you some candy.”

And that day, her nanny didn’t return to the room for quite a long time. Instead, a message came, saying that she couldn’t provide candy as it was too late at night.

Whether Tenere remembers that incident because she didn’t receive candy and felt disappointed, or whether she guessed the real reason for the nanny’s delay even at a young age is unclear.

‘Useless thoughts…….’

Tenere stopped eating with a fork and looked up. Whether the nanny and his father had any relationship was not something she wanted to think about now.

It wasn’t as if the nanny had given birth to an illegitimate child, and neither of them were in this world anymore.

She was determined not to be bitter toward the mother who had abandoned her, but why did she keep reliving the past?

“Laura Hale might have lied.”

Yes, from the beginning, the fact that she knew about Patrona’s whereabouts was suspicious.

Perhaps it’s a trap to eliminate her. Maybe she’s harboring a futile dream that if she disappears, she will become the empress.

It’s ridiculous to believe the words of someone who tried to humiliate her with her mother in the first place.

However, even though she thinks that way, she can’t help but be obsessed with passing time.

If what she said was true, she would never hear from Patrona again if she missed this opportunity.

Her mind raced with useless thoughts.

If she goes now, she could at least see her face one last time.

She hesitated, but Tenere eventually spoke anxiously.

“Would you call Laura Hale for me?”

The words came out impulsively.

What would she do if he met her? Regretting her impulsiveness, Tenere did not retract her words.

Her gaze touched the bow set against the wall.

***
Upon hearing the news that the Empress was looking for her, Laura quickly rose from her seat. In her hand was the map and identification papers.

‘I thought you wouldn’t come… … .’

She had already confirmed with the Information Guild that the men with the horses were Patrona.

If she arrived not too late, she was sure to meet her and perhaps gain the Empress’s trust.

Even if she couldn’t be granted entry as a palace maid, maybe she could at least say a word about her marriage to her parents or brother.

Laura stood in front of the door, tense. The guards standing by the door announced her arrival.

The sight of the royal guards made her feel as nervous as a thief.

“It’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.”

Laura reassured herself as the door slowly opened. Tenere, dressed in fine clothes, was waiting for her.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Laura politely greeted. Tenere lightly acknowledged her with a nod.

As she stepped into the room, the door closed.

With a thud, the world turned upside down. Tenere had pushed Laura onto the bed.

“W-What is this… gasp!”

Laura, who was stuttering in confusion, suddenly gasped as an arrow touched her neck.

In the dimly lit room, the sharp features of the shadowed face of the archer were watching her.

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“I have never missed a vital point while hunting. I can end anything with a single shot.”

A cold voice echoed from above. Laura struggled to push away the woman on top of her, but it was futile.

“So, be aware that deliberately missing the vital points is also possible. I can let you suffer in agony without cutting off your breath for as long as possible.”

The arrowhead, sharp and threatening, seemed to touch her neck with every word.

Chills ran down her spine with each cold touch. Laura whimpered in fear.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

“I am giving you a warning. If you have manipulated something for a certain purpose, you won’t escape unharmed.”

“…”

“If anything happens to my child in my absence, even a single hair on his head is harmed, you’ll think you’d have been better off becoming Viscount Vlache’s mistress. At least there, your limbs will be intact.”

Viscount Vlache was one of Laura’s suitors, and her eyes widened at the realization that she knew him.

“H-How did you know about him?”

“And how did you know that Patrona was nearby? Albalero is not even under the jurisdiction of the Hale Territory.”

“…”

“Tell me the truth.”

Tenere spoke firmly. Laura wasn’t foolish enough not to realize it was a warning. Desperately, she opened her mouth.

“I heard it. The person who brought the Emperor’s horse… saw Partona at Perdan’s Inn.”

“I didn’t realize Lady Hale was so rude and audacious enough to eavesdrop on the conversation between the Empress and her guest.”

Tenere spoke somewhat sarcastically, but there was a hint of relief in her tone.

Before Laura could speak again, Tenere continued.

“Don’t worry, my dear, I found out about your suitors by much more by legitimate means.”

“I, I was really trying to help the Empress…… you said you went to the north to find your mother.”

Laura sobbed, but Tenere didn’t seem to believe her, not surprised that one of her enemies would suddenly offer to help.

“I don’t care if what you said is true or not,” Tenere said, “because I’m confident that I’ll come back safe and sound, no matter what tricks you try.”

The arrow’s shaft tapped Laura’s neck. Laura nodded frantically, looking like she was about to cry.

Tenere pushed herself to her feet.

“Tell me, Lady Hale. Everything you know, everything you’ve found out.”

As the shadow covering her face was lifted, Laura struggled to stand.

Tenere did not release the arrow until Laura, with a trembling hand, pulled out the map.