Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Chapter 8 – Part 4

In practice, hosting royalty in a poor territory was a significant burden. From meals to accommodations, clothing, and even the servants, preparing everything of top-notch quality that not even the lord and lady of the domain usually enjoyed was costly.

As a result, their expenses would increase significantly with the length of the royal stay, but they were always anxious that the money they spent was not enough to satisfy the royal family.

Therefore, unless they were very wealthy nobles, when the royal family visited a small estate, they would offer something far greater than their hospitality in return.

This could be as small as providing relief to the poor in their territory or as large as helping to build a reservoir, aqueduct, or road.

“It seems like there’s a shortage of water sources,” Leonard said, lightly patting Joshua’s buttocks. Lord Hale shook his head.

“Yes, Your Majesty. The areas with many rivers are not abundant, and they face great difficulties during droughts or floods. We need to expand the reservoirs, but the budget is insufficient.”

“I see.” Leonard nodded. The child in his arms tugged at his father’s clothes, pointing curiously here and there.

“Daddy, this. This. Water.”

“Yes, Josie. This is a stream. It’s used for living and farming, and as the viscount says, if there are not enough rivers or streams, reservoirs are built to fill in the gaps.”

While surveying the territory with the one-year-old child, Leonard explained in detail the incomprehensible words for the young prince.

Then he turned to Lord Hale and asked, “Does it seem like the prince understood my words?”

The viscount wondered how a child who couldn’t yet complete a sentence could possibly understand, but he knew that Leonard didn’t want an honest answer.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Your Highness is so bright and intelligent, I’m sure he’ll be well suited to lead the empire in the future.”

Smiling and nodding, Leonard moved his foot with great satisfaction.

Bringing a child who couldn’t fully understand his words for an inspection and inducing praise was a sign that young Joshua had been officially confirmed as the successor.

It also meant that the future emperor was here and not to be trifled with again.

Luckily, the viscount, who recognized the emperor’s intentions, was eager to please.

Not only did he bow down to him, but he also brought him all sorts of novelties and treats to pamper the young prince.

“Your Highness, these are doughnuts. The baker is very skilled, and my children often enjoy them.”

When Joshua was handed a doughnut with a hole in the middle, he opened his eyes wide and reached out toward it with a curious face. However, Leonard intervened.

“Isn’t it too big? If you feed him too many snacks, the Empress will be upset. Give him a moderate amount.”

“Oh? Uh, yes, yes.”

Hastily nodding, Lord Hale cut the doughnut in half.

After briefly glancing at Leonard, he cut the already-halved doughnut once more.

The look on his face made him want to ask who the Empress would be scolding, but he held back.

“I’m sure he won’t try any more tricks.”

Leonard had no intention of giving him the answer.

He could only imagine Tenere’s reaction when he returned to the castle and told her the story.

‘I’m sure she’ll be quite surprised.’

Perhaps her eyes would widen, and she might ask why he did that.

She might even wonder if he understood the situation as the Emperor being caught and scolded by her.

If he tells them he meant it, they’ll be very cautious, as they always are, and they’ll mention imperial dignity and suffering.

But if he is still brazen enough, she will not scold him.

Perhaps if they were at the Travell estate, he would have narrowed his eyes and promised that he would not do it again.

‘Why is it that I can’t stop thinking about her, even though she’s clearly not going to leave my side? ’

Leonard wondered if it was the guilt of not giving her what she wanted after all or the anxiety that she might try to leave him.

He’d stayed with them for their child, but he wondered if she might want to go somewhere other than the palace.

‘No.’

If she had stayed by his side only for the sake of their child, she wouldn’t have entrusted Joshua to him like this.

Handing over such a precious child meant she trusted him.

‘That’s why she called my name that morning.’

Leonard gazed at Joshua, who was holding a piece of doughnut with both hands.

It was funny how he could bite into it with his mouth wide open, and it would still shrink to the size of a fingernail.

“Your Majesty.”

Abruptly, Leonard turned his head at the unexpected call. The guard approached and bowed politely.

“Marquis Evan requests an audience.”

“The Marquis?”

Leonard looked surprised to hear that it was Eric, not Tenere, who had come to see him.

He didn’t like him very much and rarely sought him out in private.

“For what?”

“He said it’s related to the Empress.”

‘Is she unwell? Did she overexert herself while horseback riding the previous day, or did she accidentally fall? ’

If Evan came personally, it must be something unusual.

“Hurry and bring him in.”

Following Leonard’s order, the guard respectfully bowed and brought Lord Evan.

Evan greeted him politely, and Joshua extended his hand towards him.

“Marquis Evan, greetings to the ruler of the empire, Your Majesty.”

“Is something wrong with the Empress?”

Without acknowledging Lord Evan’s greeting, Leonard inquired directly. His expression was grim, as if there really was something wrong with her.

“Empress Tenere temporarily left the estate.”

“What?”

“We’ve discovered Patrona’s whereabouts, and she asked me to relay the news to you, as she’s pressed for time.”

It was a clear statement, but Leonard couldn’t easily comprehend his words.

‘Where had she gone without a word to me? ’

‘Wasn’t it the same with the Empress Mother? Rather than taking her, she chose to escape alone, like a lizard cutting off its tail and fleeing.’

The words echoed in his ears. Leonard muttered in disbelief.

“Why…”

“She apologize for not informing you in advance. She assured me she would return as soon as possible.”

Eric spoke calmly, but it didn’t register in Leonard’s ears.

She clearly didn’t say she wouldn’t go anywhere.

How could she leave as soon as she was separated from him, as if she’d been waiting for him to leave? The heart pounded with anxiety.

“Did the Empress… leave without even asking for permission?”

“When she was young, she separated and never met her birth mother until now, Your Majesty. This is her only chance to meet her birth mother after twenty years, so she left temporarily for that reason.”

“How many guards did she take with her?”

Leonard tried to dismiss unnecessary thoughts.

Yes, he was right; it had been twenty years. If she had the chance to see her mother, whom she hadn’t seen in such a long time, she would have jumped at the chance.

Moreover, she could have conveyed her message to her brother, and with skilled guards, there was nothing to worry about.

However, Eric didn’t give him a reassuring answer.

“She planned to cross the forest, and she said more people would slow her down, so…….”

“You mean she left with no guards!”

Unable to hold back, Leonard raised his voice.

This was the woman who would become Empress. Sending someone who had never received military training alone was absurd.

“How can you send her alone?!”

“Tenere took a bow with her. There should be no danger, so please don’t worry.”

“Is that what you call an explanation!”

He couldn’t understand the casual way he spoke.

Even if she was Partona’s daughter, she was still a woman alone. A bow could be taken away at any time, and there was a real possibility of being attacked.

The child giggled, but the anxiety he had delayed resurfaced gradually.

What if she really ran away? Is this person lying to help his sister escape?

‘That woman will surely run away like her mother. She knows neither gratitude nor maternal love, just like the woman who abandoned her! ‘

He searched for her for two years.

Trying to catch the scent of the incensed sachet in vain, constantly replaying old memories.

‘Why did she run away? What did I do wrong? ’

He blamed her for running away, blamed himself for letting her run away so easily, and spent his days in a constant state of thought, wondering what he could have done differently.

And now, she has finally found her

He was barely relieved to see that she hadn’t left him, even though she knew his love was false, so why did she disappear again in such a ridiculous way?

“I will quickly send knights to bring the Empress back.”

Using the opportunity, Lord Hale interjected. Leonard did not respond.

“Your Majesty…?”

“Where did she go?”

Leonard asked Eric while looking at him. Eric glanced briefly at the child reaching out to him.

“She said her mother was getting on a boat in Albalero; the exact location is…….”

“I’ll go myself.”

Leonard said, handing Joshua to Eric. Eric accepted the child, looking somewhat flustered.

Though the Viscount seemed to object, Leonard was faster to mount the horse.

“Please take care of the prince, Lord Evan.”

As much as Eric did not like Leonard, Leonard also did not like Eric.

However, he knew there was no one better to entrust the child to.