How to Hide the Emperor’s Child

The dazzling sunlight poured down over the blue lake. It was a sunny day that made you feel refreshed just by looking at it.

For two days after the imperial couple arrived, it was clear without a single cloud.

Sitting on the terrace, Astelle looked up at the clear light blue sky.

“Mom!”

Theor, who was drenched, waved his hands at Astelle.

Theor was playing in the water with Blynn by the lake below the terrace.

Astelle also looked down at Theor, waved her hand, and smiled.

“You can’t go too deep.”

Theor ran back to the lake as if he hadn’t heard her.

‘I think it’s okay because he’s not alone.’

As Theor was getting deeper into the lake, Kaizen, who was watching from the lakeside, called out to him.

Kaizen also smiled lightly as he met Astelle’s eyes.

‘He’s taking good care of him.’

This must have been his first time playing in the water, seeing him clumsily play with Theor.

On the other hand, Astelle could only watch from the terrace.

Astelle hasn’t been able to get out of the castle since the day when she nearly collapsed from dizziness.

The problem was that after that day, she strangely felt better.

As soon as she arrived, she was dizzy and caused a fuss. But somehow, right after that, she felt better and got her appetite back.

It’s only been two days, but she could feel her stamina improving.

‘Maybe it’s because I’m relaxed thanks to coming here.’

Also, I seem to have regained my energy thanks to the cool air and clear scenery here.

Although it’s a bit frustrating not being able to get out now even though I’m fine.

‘I’m bored here just watching.’

At that moment, she saw someone through the terrace’s glass door.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Brother Fritz, Sir Seibel.”

Astelle greeted the two of them warmly.

She said, “I thought you two went out to the lake.”

“I did it in the morning and came back because it was hot.”

Astelle hadn’t seen the two of them since morning.

After coming here, the party naturally split into two.

Kaizen is always with Astelle, with Hannah serving her. On the other side are Marquis, Fritz, and Seibel who often walked around together. Theor plays with both sides naturally.

‘Why are they divided like this?’

She suddenly had a question, but soon found the answer.

It was because of Astelle’s condition.

Since Astelle had only stayed in the castle from the first day and Kaizen was always around her, the bored others were looking around and hanging out by themselves.

“I’m going to see the Marquis right now, would you like to go with me?”

“Sure.”

Astelle quickly got up to mingle with others after a long time.

Her maternal grandfather, the Marquis, was on the terrace on the other side of the castle.

“Your Majesty the Empress. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I am much better now.”

Cool drinks and snacks were prepared on the table.

Astelle was eating the refreshing melon sorbet. Maybe because of pregnancy, she was drawn to sour fruits.

“I am glad that you seem to have recovered.”

Seeing Astelle eagerly eating the sorbet, the Marquis said with a little relief.

Fritz looked at Astelle and asked, “I want to go to the chapel in the evening, would you like to go with me?”

“Chapel?”

“Yes, there is an old chapel in the woods nearby.”

“Oh, I’ve heard it before when I came here. I’ve never been there.”

Hearing that, Seibel was a little surprised and asked, “Have you ever visited this place?”

“Yes, I came with the late Her Majesty the Empress Dowager several times when I was young.”

Empress Dowager wanted Astelle to accompany her whenever she came here. But she only played near the castle and never went far.

As she was reminiscing about the past, she heard footsteps behind her.

When the glass door opened, the three people who were seated stood up.

“Astelle.”

Kaizen came into the terrace.

Astelle also stood up from her seat.

She asked, “Where is Theor?”

“Mom!”

Theor, who came running late, fell into Astelle’s arms. His hair was still wet, but he had changed and put on new shoes.

He must have come late to dry himself and change his clothes.

“I brought you to the castle to rest and have a snack. But you had been playing in the water since morning.”

She was sure it was time for lunch.

“How are you feeling?”

“I am fine now. I am not dizzy today.”

She was about to say ‘I had a good meal too,’ but shut her mouth as she looked at the others. She was too embarrassed to say it because she sounded like a picky eater.

But Kaizen showed no sign of embarrassment at all.

“You sure seem to be eating better than before.”

Kaizen looked very relieved.

Astelle didn’t miss an opportunity to change the topic and spoke quickly.

“Sir Seibel is going to a chapel nearby, may I go with him? It’s frustrating to just stay in the castle.”

Even as she asked, she already expected that she would not be allowed.

After she almost collapsed, Kaizen pampered her even more. He never left her side except when he took care of Theor.

Kaizen glanced at Seibel sharply. But when he looked back at Astelle, his eyes were full of kindness.

“It’s still dangerous to go far. Besides, the chapel is old and there is not much to see.”

She knew he’d say that. Astelle gave up quickly after hearing what he said.

“I want to go too.”

But when Theor heard that, he grabbed Kaizen’s sleeve and asked, “Can I go too? I want to go to the chapel.”

Kaizen hardened his expression a bit but didn’t stop Theor from going.

“Can the crown prince go with you too?”

“Of course. It would be an honor for His Highness the Crown Prince to go with us.”

Seibel answered in an extremely polite tone.

He seemed to have noticed Kaizen’s unpleasant feeling.

I was just going for a walk, but why did I suddenly anger the Emperor?

Fritz felt sorry for him and cautiously intervened.

“If it’s alright, I’ll be going too. I’ve been to this castle before but never been around. You’re going too, right, grandfather?”

“Yes,” the Marquis replied indifferently.

Kaizen looked at Theor and asked, “Are you not hungry?”

“A little.”

He looked back at Astelle this time.

“I had Theor’s lunch prepared in your room. Let’s go together.”

Astelle stood up and walked out after saying goodbye to the three of them.

“I’ll be back later.”

Fritz who watched the situation felt surprised and bewildered at the same time.

In the past, he had a grudge against him because of Astelle. However, seeing Astelle become empress again and be happy, he no longer resents Kaizen.

In the meantime, as he watched Kaizen take good care of Astelle and Theor, his regrets melted away like snow.

Considering the death of his father, the duke, Fritz himself should have felt sorry for Kaizen.

However…… he was at a loss in how to react when Kaizen acted excessively in relation to Astelle.

In particular, Fritz was bewildered whenever Kaizen looked at Seibel with displeasure when he (Seibel) got close to Astelle.

At first, he was even a little apprehensive.

‘Does he doubt him?’

Seibel is the crown prince’s teacher and a person who helped Astelle a lot.

Wouldn’t it be weirder for the empress to treat such a person poorly?

Astelle is close to Fritz, but no one looks at him strangely except for Kaizen.

I don’t understand what’s wrong with him. Why is he doing that?

A little later, after Seibel had gone back to his room, Fritz told the Marquis what he was thinking.

“Enough.”

The Marquis clicked his tongue as if it wasn’t worth caring about.

“It’s an inferiority complex.”

The Marquis clicked his tongue again as he raised the teacup.

Fritz smiled embarrassingly as he listened to his maternal grandfather’s words.

The emperor seems to hate a man younger and more affectionate than him who is close to Astelle.

‘It’s not that I don’t understand.’

Fritz thought about comforting Kaizen but decided not to say anything.

Because if you intervene for no reason, it could have the opposite effect.

***

It was very boring to be sitting alone in a room in the evening.

After going to the chapel, the party returned to the castle at sunset.

“It’s older than what I heard.”

Fritz looked a little tired, perhaps disappointed by the appearance of the chapel.

Theor, on the other hand, enjoyed going to a new place.

“Mom, I saw rabbits in the woods!”

“Were there rabbits?”

“Yes! They were rabbits living in the woods, and there were many of them at every corner.”

Theor only talked about rabbits, probably more impressed by the rabbits he saw there than the chapel.

“Blynn tried to catch them, but I stopped him for fear of hurting them. Blynn tried to run whenever he saw a rabbit, so Uncle Fritz carried him.”

“Good job.”

A mistake would have exposed little Theor to a horrific sight.

Fritz looked particularly tired probably from carrying Blynn.

“We’re going to have dinner in grandpa’s room. After dinner, we decided to play checkers together.”

Saying so, Theor ran to the marquis’ room.

Theor is the one who enjoys his time here the most. But since Theor was hanging out with others, Astelle really had nothing to do.

‘I feel sad for no reason.’

While she was sitting in her room thinking that, Kaizen knocked on the door.

“Astelle.”

Kaizen in his indoor clothes approached Astelle.

“I’ve prepared dinner. Would you like to go out for a while?”

“Dinner? Outside?”

“I thought it would be frustrating to just stay inside, so I set it outside.”

The castle also has a terrace on the first floor. Did he set it up on the terrace?

Seems like a good idea to eat outside.

Astelle walked out with him. Before she knew it, the sky was getting dark blue. The lake, which used to be a clear blue color, was dark as darkness fell.

“That……?”

Astelle, who went out to the lakeside, saw a light on the side of the small dock and stopped.

A small boat lit by lanterns sits on the shore of the lake.

“It’s a boat.”

“I know that too…….”

A small boat decorated with small glass lanterns shining brightly on top of it is prepared to look around the lake.

Kaizen led her onto the boat.

Above the small boat is an awning supported by four pillars. Between the pillars, a thin cloth is stretched like a curtain.

The warm light from the lanterns illuminates the curtains and deck and overflows into the serene lake.

“Are we going to have dinner here?”

“You don’t like it?”

It’s not that I don’t like it.

As Astelle just stared at him awkwardly, Kaizen started the boat and slowly moved toward the middle of the lake.

On the lake, the yellow light from the boat spread out to the surroundings in gentle waves.

Under the blue night sky, a small boat with warm lanterns that illuminate the surroundings floats on the dark lake.

It is a beautiful and romantic sight.

Astelle just looked around blankly, and Kaizen who looked a little nervous spoke to her first.

“Do you like it?”

Astelle turned to Kaizen.

The warm light of the lanterns cast a languid shadow on his handsome face.

“It’s wonderful.”

Only then did Kaizen smile and take Astelle’s hand and sat her down.

“Here’s your meal.”

Under the boat’s awning, there is a table with a white tablecloth on it, and food is prepared on it.

The two of them sat facing each other with the table between them.

The night view of the shady lake is visible at a glance.

When did he prepare all of this?

“What are you thinking?”

“The servants must have had a hard time preparing all of this.”

Kaizen raised an eyebrow at her honest thoughts without adding to or subtracting.

“I thought it would be frustrating to just stay inside the castle.”

So, did he prepare all of this himself?

It’s a beautiful and romantic night on the boat.

The food prepared is few in number, but colorful and beautiful.

Crispy grilled chicken with honey and lamb ribs simmered in a sweet and sour fruit sauce. There are salads with fresh vegetables and pies with colorful fruits and nuts.

Astelle tasted the appetizing food little by little.

Kaizen smiled satisfactorily as he watched Astelle eat.

“I’m glad your appetite is back.”

***

After finishing the meal, Kaizen turned the boat around.

It was time to go back to the castle.

As Astelle tried to get some fresh air, her head was spinning again

Kaizen hurriedly caught her.

“Are you okay?”

I’m not even drunk. What’s wrong with me?

“Yeah……. I’m just a little dizzy.”

“Looks like you’re tired again.”

Kaizen lifted Astelle into his arms without hearing her response.

Astelle, surprised, struggled to get off.

“I’ll just stand.”

“And what if you fall into the water?” Kaizen asked, looking at the black lake.

Then I’ll just sit down.

He was already hugging her when the boat hadn’t even reached the shore of the lake yet.

As the boat cut through the black water and headed toward the shore, Astelle tensed her body, feeling the sensation of his stomach against hers.

“Aren’t I heavy?”

“I’m worried because you’re so light.”

Lie.

It’s ridiculous, I’m not even as small as Theor.

But Kaizen doesn’t seem to be struggling in the slightest, no different from when he was holding Theor.

His familiar body and warmth slowly made her sleepy. Her eyes slowly closed.

I’m not even drunk, but my eyes close so easily. I’m definitely not in good shape. I thought I was fine when I got my appetite back.

‘I can’t sleep right now.’

I have to stay awake until I get back to the castle and take a bath before going to bed.

With that in mind, Astelle endured her drowsiness.

“I’m sorry,” said Kaizen in a low voice as he watched Astelle doze off in his arms.

The sudden voice broke her sleep a bit.

“What are you talking about?”

“……because you seem to be having a hard time with your pregnancy.”

“You are taking good care of me. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“But during your first pregnancy…… I couldn’t.”

Astelle suddenly remembered the time she had Theor. She had a hard time hiding in the woods, but her maternal grandfather took good care of her, so she didn’t suffer much.

“At that time, my grandfather took good care of me.”

“I know. I heard from the Marquis.”

“Did my grandfather tell you?”

Kaizen turned his gaze to the lakeside without answering.

Astelle understood why he had such a dark expression.

‘Looks like you’re sorry thinking about those days.’

Of course, back then Astelle had feelings of hatred toward him. But now, there is not even a hint of such a feeling.

“You don’t have to be sorry anymore.”

Astelle smiled and buried her face in Kaizen’s chest.

A low mutter was heard along with faint breathing sounds.

“Because I am so happy right now.”

Kaizen hugged her tightly as if she would disappear in an instant.

A feeling of happiness welled up in his heart as he felt Astelle’s slender and warm body in his arms.

“I’ve said it several times, but thank you.”

To stay by my side.

They finally arrived at the lakeside before they knew it, and the Kaizen got off the boat.

Rippling water washed over the edge of the lake every time he stepped on shiny pebbles under the calm water.

Kaizen held Astelle in his arms preciously and entered the castle.