Chapter 123 - Adrian’s Tears

The Royal Felice family’s warship voyage was continuing at a normal pace. Meanwhile, without knowing the current situation, the Vatican entourage also headed towards their destination, the Imperial Palace.

Both of them went to the same place for a different purpose, it was a sign that the storm was still serene.

“All right. That’s what I thought.”

Fabian, who was talking to Liam, nodded. Actually, suppose it wasn’t because of a woman. Both of them might get along well because they had a lot of compatibilities.

But surely, Fabian would kill Liam if he had that kind of feeling.

“The Elders helped me a lot. The interpretation of ancient books is the result of their hard work.”

Whether or not he knew what was written on it, Liam loosely placed a bunch of papers on the table.

“The Senate Elders come from the founding family of this Imperial dynasty. They’re the descendants of five sage who came to this place with their families. That’s why I wish that the Senates, who are called Imperial intelligence, will do a good job in this matter.”

“How about Your Majesty?” Liam always asked what he wanted to know.

If the legends written in the ancient books proved true, then Fabian was a descendant of the blood-madness King who carried out the massacre.

“All I care about is my Empire, my omnipotence and power, and my family.”

Liam unwittingly stared him in the face, in response to his unexpected answer.

“Why, are you amazed?”

“To be honest, it’s more than that.” Liam’s green eyes were filled with relief as well as the scars of his first love that were still left.

Sometimes, Liam still couldn’t believe it. Fabian was a cold guy when he had a private meeting with him in the past, but now he seemed a little different.

Perhaps, Evelyn came back to his side because she saw the change in him.

“But… …I believe your judgment is right”, said Liam.

“Good for you.”

After the dry conversation, they went back to their respective jobs.

Especially Liam, who looked quite busy, as he knew there would be a hubbub at the port if King Felice and his wife came on a warship in this current situation.

“What about Evelyn?”

“She’s having a tea time with Lady Rebecca.”

Fabian’s expression was puzzled when he heard that. Now, he was wondering, if divorce, divorce annulment, and remarriage were men’s business?

“What time is it now?”

“It’s 3:00 p.m.”

“Tell her that one more guest is coming to her-tea-party.”

The Chamberlain looked perplexed, but his job was to obey the Emperor’s orders. So he set an example and dashed to the Empress Palace.

The biggest and most luxurious living room at the Empress Palace was totally different from Fabian’s expectations.

There were no suspicious crowds, no flower decorations, no orchestras, and anything else that always followed Rebecca.

Furthermore, the Palace’s atmosphere was as quiet as the parliament, when Fabian scolded the nobles.

“Your Majesty…? There’s no tea party today.” Evelyn looked at Fabian with widened eyes when he unexpectedly came to her Palace.

“You two just sit there, no need to give an example.”

Evelyn and Rebecca, who was about to get up, seated back again. Fabian was served a cup of tea prepared by Lily and sat on the best sofa in the room.

“What’s that colourful papers piled up on the table?”

“Those letters were sent by noblewomen from all over the country. Because the Princess will become the Empress again.”

“You can burn it in the fireplace if you don’t need it.”

“It’s okay because some are useful.” Evelyn smiled and sorted the letters into several categories. Rebecca was also helping her.

“After I’m finished sorting this out, I’ll send out wedding invitations. It’s mostly Rebecca’s job.”

“Princess, it’s not a job for me, it’s an honour.”

For some reason, Fabian felt a little unsure when he saw the two women taking care of wedding preparations. Their current marriage situation wasn’t normal, so it wasn’t an easy job to do.

But, as if she had read Fabian’s expression, Evelyn smiled faintly. She said, “I’ll be the Empress again … It’s a big deal requiring an agreement between the Vatican and the Imperial Congress.”

Their marriage this time was sure to be twice as difficult and was more opposed than their first marriage.

“You and Sir Liam are dealing with the Vatican, so I volunteered to deal with the nobility because I wanted to.”

“…you right.” Fabian could read Evelyn’s mind only from their short conversation.

It seemed like a fun-job for women at first glance, but Evelyn and Rebecca had to figure out who was on their side and who was on the Metis’ side.

Instead of driving the enemy away, Evelyn wanted to twine them together and turn the tide, leading the flow.

“My father and mother are coming soon, right.”

When Evelyn asked him with pinkish cheeks, Fabian almost dropped the teacup without realizing it. “That…..yes. With a vast fleet.”

“They insisted on having a celebratory party ….. on behalf of my parents, I’m sorry.”

Honestly, he was still confused, if the fleets they brought just to fire a salute?

Even though he knew that Arthur was a childish man, but Fabian was worried about losing Evelyn and Adrian because of him.

“Oh, Your Majesty, I have a request…….”

“Tell me, anything”, said Fabian. His response seemed to have changed the situation between the questioner and the listener.

“Adrian was actually born in August, but then …… I didn’t want to let you know, so I announced he was born in winter.”

“I know.”

“So, can we celebrate the Empress’ coronation and Adrian’s first birthday together?”

Her sweet-warm voice softened Fabian’s eyes, “Evelyn.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t think about it before.”

Rebecca tried to cover her ears, but she couldn’t hinder her hearing because none of the men’s words in this world attracted her besides the Emperor’s.

Fortunately, Evelyn changed the topic quickly as if she already knew Rebecca’s thoughts.

“Oh Your Majesty, Adrian is with Nora now, so go and find him.”

“… … That’s it.” Suddenly, there’s a shadow cast over Fabian’s face. “I wasn’t lying. It’s just that there’s a little problem.”

Evelyn didn’t understand why Fabian spoke like he was making an excuse.

“The black hawk that I’m supposed to give Adrian…… died.”

Fabian spoke sorrowfully. It’s unfortunate, Evelyn and Rebecca were sad to hear that too, and they prayed that the poor hawk would rest in peace.

“That… …how to explain it to Adrian… so I mean……I don’t have a hawk to give to Adrian right now.” He murmured, babbling a little. Rebecca was also shocked seeing another side of the Emperor, but she pretended not to know.

“Just tell him honestly”, said Evelyn.

“How? There’s no black hawk? Your hawk is dead?”

“But that doesn’t mean he won’t have it forever.”

When he thought of Adrian’s wishful eyes, Fabian could hardly keep his mouth opened.

“Princess, I’ve finished sorting out the invitations. My friend Lady Daisy is helping me somewhere else, so my work will be finished sooner!”

Fabian glanced with gratitude to Rebecca, who quickly pushed Evelyn away. Rebecca, who saw it was mesmerized for a moment and quickly turned her head, looking peeved.

Gladly, Fabian and Evelyn overlooked that and walked to Adrian’s place.

Rebecca was again busy with her work and grumbled to herself. “Don’t get too close to Princess Evelyn…… Is that a threat? Huh, he thought I would be afraid of such a threat!”

Fabian and Rebecca, when those two self-centred people met, the results were already known. Now was the most typical example.

***

“Fa-ther!”

As soon as Fabian entered the room, Adrian laughed happily and welcomed him with his small opened arms.

Seeing that cute-lovely figure, how could he not hold him? Fabian then hugged Adrian gently and embraced him in his arms.

“You’ve learned that word now.”

“Yes, Adrian can say it too! Fa…fa-ther.”

Fabian and Evelyn looked at each other and smiled faintly. It was a gaze that only parents could understand, saying that Adrian still had more to learn.

“”Come on! Fa-ther! to give me the black hawk? Did you come?”

There’s something that still needed to be corrected. But it concerned the honour of Sir Hans, who was Adrian’s tutor.

He was initially the Imperial’s physician and the chief student of Sir Philip, the most competent ex-doctor and researcher in the Empire.

Considering how many disciples followed Sir Philip, Hans was one of the most talented among his disciples who could be called as his successor.

“Adrian, said… … Wrong… … ?”

The child looked at Fabian and Evelyn in turn.

“Do you think so, Adrian?”

Adrian fell into deep thought when Evelyn asked him.

“I’ve learned…! Adrian has learned five…six books…….”

Obviously, Adrian looked even more upset because he had studied hard. At this point, perhaps the problem was his teacher. But if they looked closely, there were other reasons, and it was unfair to blame Sir Hans for that.

Since he grew up so freely in the Felice Kingdom, Adrian was more hyperactive than the noble children in general.

Although his way of speaking was already polite, the language used in the Empire and Kingdom was somewhat different. And, as could be seen, Adrian lacked the will to learn more ‘formal’ words than those he had mastered.

“It’s alright, you’ve improved a lot. Indeed, you’re my son.” Fabian patted the sad-depressed Adrian and raised him high.

Seeing Adrian burst into laughter, Evelyn was still amazed to see Fabian was able to handle his son so well.

“You can learn to speak slowly even if it’s a little late”, Fabian said softly.

If he was the ‘old’ Fabian, he couldn’t possibly do something like that.

“Adrian, you’re so brave and strong, so you’ll be able to do better when you grow up.”

“Like fa-ther?” Adrian’s words were still stuttered. But always, his parents thought he was adorable.

“Yes.”

Fabian didn’t demand Adrian to be able to speak perfectly according to etiquette like other noble children. On the other hand, in Fabian’s eyes, the first impression he saw from Adrian was that the child was free-spirited.

Adrian had broken that stereotype, so Fabian didn’t want to raise his son like him.

“Then, can Adrian get the hawk?”

At that moment, Fabian gulped down his dry saliva. Even when he was on the battlefield, he had never felt this kind of fear.

But, the black hawk he wanted to give Adrian was dead, and it was such a rare bird that he couldn’t find the substitute.

“Adrian, that’s…….”

Seeing Fabian’s face stiffened, Evelyn quickly approached him and said something to him.

Listening to her advice, Fabian felt hesitated for a while. But his heart became calm when he smelled Adrian’s baby scent who hugged him tightly.

***

“I see you, Your Majesty!”

The place they visited now was the Palace’s breeding aviary where black hawks were professionally bred.

The black hawk was Fabian’s favourite animal. So the birds were handled very well by the Imperial family.

“Adrian, you should walk by yourself now?”

When Evelyn encouraged him to come down with a smile, Adrian showed his childish nature by hugging Fabian’s neck tighter as if he still wanted to be pampered.

“Leave him be, he’s light as a feather.” Fabian grinned. In his whole life, no one ever hugged his neck. If so, he would definitely remember it.

“Your Majesty, you must teach him to be self-reliant.”

“Then, I’ll do so from tomorrow.”

Evelyn stopped grumbling after looking at Fabian’s wry smile smeared with bitterness.

“Here’s the breeding ground that prepares the hawk for you,” said Fabian

Seeing the owner was an Emperor, it wasn’t surprising that the aviary was more spacious and cleaner than a human residence.

“The black hawk! Where’s my hawk?”

As the child started jumping with joy, Fabian gently put him down to the ground.

However, even though Adrian had already searched around, there were no hawks he could find, except the strands of black feathers that scattered everywhere.

No matter how brave and strong he was, Adrian quickly burst into tears when he found out that the thing that he longed for all this time was gone.

At that time, Fabian immediately knelt on the ground and looked deeply at Adrian in the eyes.

The servants, cage keepers, including Evelyn, were astounded when they saw the Emperor knelt in the breeding aviary.

“Adrian, your hawk was here.”

“No, it’s not here!” cried Adrian, his face moist with tears.

“Yes, it used to be, but it’s gone now. Do you know why?”

Adrian shook his head, wiping his teary eyes with his hand.

“The mother hawk laid five eggs, but the baby only hatched two and the condition too weak…”

Fabian blurred the last words of his sentence. He had said the word “death” several times and had the child recalled his trauma.

Then, Evelyn calmly approached him and bent her body.

“Adrian, your hawk went to heaven with his brothers. They will play with you later. But Adrian must grow up bravely first.”

Soon, Adrian’s tearful eyes looked very confused.