CH 69

“Yes…”

It was not easy to tell the child who said he was okay, that he didn’t look okay.

Anastasia decided to wait and see for now. Because she didn’t know if she was just mistaken.

“But why aren’t you eating, Empress?”

Did he notice that he was eating it all by himself?

Louis belatedly asked her. Anastasia replied with a smile.

“Just watching Louis eat makes me feel full.”

“Oh, there’s no such thing.”

“It’s true. Seeing Louis eat so well is so pretty that I want to give you everything.”

“…”

“You must have had a hard time studying hard, right? You’re still young, but you’re so special.”

Louis’ expression shook greatly when he heard it.

It was because no one had ever given him such a compliment.

Olivia was not interested in how hard Louis studied and only praised him when he got a perfect score.

However, it was insignificant considering how much she scolded him when he failed to get a perfect score.

“Baby, if you want to become an emperor, a perfect score is only natural. How can you get two wrong?”

“The language is so difficult… … I’m sorry. I tried so hard…”

“What’s important about that? The results aren’t perfect. It’s not an effort. If it’s garbage, you won’t know the difference.”

Louis, who recalled what had happened on Schweig Island, asked.

“You’re complimenting me because I got a perfect score, right?””

“What?” 

“If it weren’t a perfect score… There would have been no compliments or dessert.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Louis.”

Anastasia said in a slightly embarrassed voice.

“Compliments and desserts are gifts for Louis who studied hard. I can’t deny that it’s better because it’s a perfect score, but that’s not the point.”

“…then what’s important?”

“It’s important how hard Louis worked to get a perfect score. That’s what studying is.”

“…”

As expected, Her Majesty was strange. She says the exact opposite of Olivia does.

As Louis’ expression became serious, Anastasia was worried about what she had said.

“Well, Louis…? Did I say something wrong?”

“…No, it’s not like that.”

Louis shook his head quickly.

“It’s just, I feel a little weird.”

“Well, is that so? Why do you feel weird…?”

At the words of the incomprehensible child, Anastasia caught his eye and picked up the chocolate placed in front of her.

“When you feel weird, you should eat something sweet. It makes you feel better.”

“I still feel good.”

“Yes…?”

But why did his expression look so serious…?

Anastasia thought Louis’ answer was a lie, but what he said was true. Louis was in a good mood now.

‘If I feel good… I can’t.’

Feeling good, it was a problem.

Not only at this moment, but also whenever he was with Anastasia these days, it was always like this.

He was scared that Olivia would be greatly surprised if she knew he was feeling this way.

‘Wake up, Louis. Her Majesty is the enemy of your parents!’

He figured the discipline had been loosened because they played together these days.

Louis grappled with his confused mind and bit the cookie in his hand.

~~~~

After Anastasia left, Olivia continued to be angry.

“That leech of a woman! Does she have nothing to do? I don’t know why she keeps coming back!”

When Anastasia was spending time with  Louis, her heart grew even more nervous because she didn’t allow her to enter his room.

“My baby, what did that wicked witch trick you with today?”

Olivia had always asked Louis this after Anastasia left, and from some point on, Louis felt irritated by the fact that he had to report every move.

“Just… … We played with toys. Drank tea…”

So, from a certain moment, Louis was reporting what had happened in a very awkward way.

But today, a lie was added.

‘I ate dessert… … But it should be kept a secret.’

If she had known, Olivia wouldn’t have left it alone.

Unaware of the lie, Olivia continued to swear.

“That’s easy. I’m worried about the future of the empire, having such a thoughtless woman in the position of the Empress. Why on earth did the goddess choose such a stupid woman as her Empress… What?”

Olivia, who had been organizing Louis’ desk while swearing at Anastasia for a long time, found something and narrowed her brows. At the same time Louis’ complexion turned white.

“That is…!”

What Olivia found in a large leather pen pouch was chocolate.

“If you’re having a hard time studying, eat one at a time, Louis.”

It was given to him by Anastasia as he looked at the chocolate leftovers with regretful eyes. Louis secretly hid it in a pouch.

Olivia immediately turned on her heels and stared at Louis.

“Baby, what is this?”

“It’s… I don’t know.”

Louis fibbed without realizing it. Olivia was angry.

“That wicked witch snuck this thing into my baby’s stuff, how dare she! To poison you!”

Olivia let her imagination run wild.

“I’m going to throw it away right away. There might be poison in here. No, I need to see the palace doctor to see if it’s poisonous. Yeah, I’m sure she did this to poison you. No wonder, there was a reason to come in and out of here! And then when you died, she will try to blame me for everything! Nasty thing!”

“Oh, no. I actually told Her Majesty…!”

Then Louis quickly covered his mouth when he knew he had made a slip of the tongue, but it was already late.

Olivia, who had been angry for a long time, stopped like a fuse had left, and stared at Louis with a creepy cold face.

At that moment, an inexplicable fear engulfed Louis, and he became immobilized and hardened on the spot.

“My baby…”

Olivia slowly approached Louis. She looked like a ghost in a white dress, and Louis hurried to beg for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“How can you do this to me?”

Before I knew it, Olivia, who came in front of Louis, grabbed Louis’ shoulder and pushed him with a scary face.

“Baby, how can you deceive me, how!”

“I’m sorry, aunt. Forgive me…”

“…is this a mistake?”

Without paying attention to Louis crying, Olivia asked persistently, increasing strength in her hand holding the child’s shoulder.

“My baby wouldn’t betray me. It must be a mistake. Right?”

Louis nodded desperately, whimpering.

“It was because the chocolate looked so delicious… I’m sorry, I beg your pardon…”

“…Okay, good.”

Olivia then patted Louis on the shoulder and laughed coolly.

“My baby, I’ll forgive you once. But not twice. I’m sorry to hear that you’re given something by someone else who hates you. I’m sure she gave it to you to harm you.”

Olivia said, wiping the tear marks on Louis’ cheeks with a blank face.

“My baby, don’t do that from now on, okay?”

Louis nodded hurriedly, and Olivia’s expression brightened up.

“Now go study, baby. You have to stay up all night doing your homework today, right? This is all because you’ve been playing with her and you’ve been losing your study time.”

“…”

“Hurry up and go.”

Louis bit his lips and struggled to walk to the front of the desk.

~~~~

“…Louis, are you sure you’re sleeping well?”

A few days later, Anastasia visited the palace and looked at Louis’ face with a serious look.

Not too long ago, it wasn’t that obvious, but now it was getting serious. It looked like he wasn’t in a good condition and anyone could tell.

“You look tired, are you sick?”

It was when Anastasia was about to touch Louis’ forehead with a worried face.

Slap!

Louis struck Anastasia’s hand in frightening surprise.

Anastasia was surprised by the hostile response after a long time.

“Louis…”

“…Don’t touch me, Your Majesty.”

Louis spoke in a sharper voice than usual.

“I’m fine.”

“…”

“It’s fine.”

But the words were not accepted at all.

It was when Anastasia was about to say that she should call the court doctor.

“Please go home for the day. I want to rest.”

Louis showed a stubborn refusal, and Anastasia realized that no toy could change the child’s mind now.

“Yes, Louis. I think you need more rest than play today.”

“…”

“Take a good rest. I’ll go.”

Anastasia struggled to smile and turn around, and walked to the door.

‘…Oh, I brought the chocolate that I got as a gift.’

Then she thought of it belatedly. It was the moment when Anastasia turned around to leave the chocolate.

“Louis, I actually brought you some chocolate…”

“…”

“…Louis?”

The child’s condition was not very good now, just by looking at his dim eyes.

Anastasia took a step closer to Louis with a frightened face.

“Louis, it’s okay…”

Thud!

At that moment, Louis, who was staggering, fell forward.