Chapter 59

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Chapter 59

“Christian, wasn’t there a girl who had four children?”

Christian replied with a puzzled look to the sudden and unexpected question.

“That’s… I’m…”

The Empress and Rose’s expressions hardened as they quickly understood the intentions of the Emperor’s question. He was trying to find Christian’s illegitimate child, who may exist somewhere, and bring him to the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor gave an order to the Grand Chamberlain who was nearby.

“Grand Chamberlain, send out some men and find the child of the Imperial bloodline.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At his command, the Empress hastily dissuaded him.

“No, Your Majesty! How can you bring a child of low blood, who has no origin, into the Imperial Palace?”

“Just because I take him to the Imperial Palace doesn’t mean that I’ll make him a successor.”

“Then…”

“It could be used as a temporary substitute. And if he’s in the Imperial Palace, it’ll be easier to deal with it when an heir is born.”

The Empress, who listened to the Emperor, nodded as if she wouldn’t go against his will.

“Your words are wise. As expected, Your Majesty has the foresight to look a few steps ahead.”

“If you know, you should act accordingly, and from today onwards, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess will put more effort into the production of an heir.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Rose, who came out of the reception room with Christian after greeting the Emperor and the Empress for dinner, chewed her lips.

The Empress seemed to like the policy the Emperor had put forward, but Rose didn’t like it. Even if it is a temporary measure, a child whose roots are unknown will take the place of the successor until her child is born.

And in the meantime, she would be despised as the Crown Princess, who had not yet given birth to an heir. It was already said among the nobles that a concubine should be introduced secretly.

‘Elisha, wherever they talk about that girl, they will ignore me more in contrast.’

Rose bit her lips hard. When she thought that she would be compared to Elisa, her mind twisted.

Not only the succession issue but also during the hunting season, she brought out her business and showed off Rubellin’s influence, didn’t she?

‘I am the Crown Princess. I must be the most honorable and most influential woman in this Empire after Her Majesty!’

She couldn’t stay still like this. Rose recalled the Emperor’s words a while ago and brought up the story to Christian.

“My Lord, if you are not busy tonight…”

“Um, I’m a little tired today.”

Christian turned around before Rose could finish speaking. She looked at his back with blank eyes, then turned and headed into the bedroom. Her steps were heavy.

‘If he really has an illegitimate child…’

Rosé, who was biting her nails nervously, came up with one way out of her situation and stopped walking. Then her steps accelerated.

Arriving in the room in a hurry, she called her closest aide and gave an order.

“Tell the guild. Search the red light district to find the children of the Imperial Family, we have to find them before the emperor.”

“What if I find one?”

“Take care of it. Without anyone knowing.”

As if it didn’t exist in the first place. Rose’s eyes that said so shone confidently.

It had been a week since Elisha went handing out her snacks to the children. Meanwhile, she visited the temple once more and delivered summer clothes to the children.

She seemed excited when Aiden didn’t stop her from handing out snacks. This time the children were also happy to see Elisha visiting.

She provided not only the donation, but she made eye contact and listened to their stories, so the children fell for her kindness. Even Aiden couldn’t stop the children’s hearts from turning to Elisha.

‘Is this the day the Duchess is coming?’

A few days ago, he remembered hearing Elisha talking to the children. Aiden thought back on the memory and looked at the date.

At that moment, a priest’s voice was heard along with a knock.

“Sir, it is time for prayer.”

Aiden woke up from his thoughts only after hearing that voice, startled.

‘…Useless thoughts.’

He quickly collected his mind, got up, and headed for the chapel.

He had just arrived at the east side of the chapel and saw children huddled together in front of the chapel. Aiden asked the children with a puzzled expression.

“What are you doing here?”

“We’re waiting for the pretty older sister to come today!”

When Aiden heard the words ‘pretty older sister,’ he pondered for a moment who that person was, and only a beat later realized that the ‘pretty older sister’ was Elisha.

He initially tried to correct them, that it wasn’t appropriate to call her ‘pretty older sister’ and they should say ‘Duchess’ instead, but eventually he left it at that. It meant that Elisha was closer to the children, and the fact that Elisha didn’t correct them meant that she was comfortable with that title too.

At that moment, a child who was looking at Aiden suddenly asked.

“Did the Holy Father also come to wait for sister?”

Aiden flinched, he couldn’t refute that question quick enough. The priest who was next to him answered with a smile as if it wasn’t possible.

“The Holy Father was on his way to service.”

“Ah, I see.”

“When you see the Duchess, be sure to say thank you to her.”

“Yes!”

Aiden left the children behind and headed to the chapel. At that time, a priest came to all the children and told them the news.

“Children, today the Duchess is ill and cannot come.”

“Ugh! Really?”

“Is she very sick?”

“It’s not like that. It’s just that she’s not feeling well.”

Aiden, who was heading to the chapel, heard the priest’s words and stopped walking. She might be absent due to business, but she may have decided to say it was because of an illness because it was easier to explain to children.

Yet, the first moment he heard the news about Elisha, his heart sank. At the same time, he remembered what a priest had said to Elisha a week ago.

“Oh, it must be difficult for you but always take precious steps.”

Elisha came to the temple every few days to convince him. To win his favor and achieve the desired purpose.

Even though he knew it, he ignored it. Perhaps she might have been putting too much pressure on her body because she often went out at a time when she had to be careful.

“Your Holiness? What’s wrong?”

The priest, who was looking at Aiden who had stopped with a stiff expression, called out to him.

Aiden, who had always maintained a soft expression for anything, had a hard expression on his face, as if anxious. Seeing the priest’s concerned expression, he quickly changed his expression and moved forward.

“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Ahead of important national events such as the Emperor’s birthday and the founding day, nobles will gather in the meeting room of the Imperial Palace to have a meeting every day.

At the center of the meeting was Richard, the head of the Empire’s only Duchy and the head of the noble council.

“Today’s meeting will end here.”

At Richard’s declaration, the Imperial nobles seemed to have more to say, but they were overwhelmed by the momentum and left the meeting room without saying anything.

Richard also got up and left the meeting. Ansel, who was watching him, got up and followed him.

Richard was already at the end of the hallway, striding away with his long legs. Ansel followed him at a brisk pace.

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Richard got into the waiting Duke of Rubellin’s carriage.

Ansel left the building at a certain distance from him and got into the Count of Arden’s wagon. He instructed the coachman.

“Chase the wagon of Duke Rubellin.”

“Yes, sir.”

The coachman followed Duke Rubellin’s wagon as Ansel had instructed.

‘Are you going to the temple today?’

Just as Ansel was thinking so, the coachman suddenly turned the chariot in the opposite direction of the temple.

As if startled, the carriage suddenly stopped. Soon after, the driver’s bewildered voice was heard from the driver’s seat.

“Sir, His Grace the Duke has disembarked from the carriage.”

Ansel got up, leaning against the carriage, and looked out the window. As the coachman said, Duke Rubellin’s wagon stopped in front of the alleyway, and Richard was just getting off the carriage.

Richard glanced around him and headed into the alleyway.

‘Where are you going?’

Ansel watched the scene and immediately got off. He entered the alleyway that was connected in a straight line with the alley where Richard had entered. When he turned to the alley where Richard was, he could see the hem of Richard’s robe moving farther away.

Ansel quickly followed him and headed into the alleyway. But when he turned the corner, he couldn’t see Richard’s figure anymore

‘Did I miss him?’

Ansel frowned and looked around.

Suddenly, a cold voice reached his ears.

“Are you looking for me?”

Above his head.

Ansel felt a chill in his spine, slowly raising his head towards the direction the voice came from.

There, Richard was floating in the air and looking down at him with chilly eyes.

“Count Arden.”

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