Chapter 20 : Beside Him

 

Unlike Fabian, who was locked in the past, Evelyn had no idea.

She knew how indifferent his ex-husband was in the first place, and she had no hopes of him.

“You sleep well.”

What was important to Evelyn was Adrian, who was sleeping in her arms now, and her own peaceful daily life.

“You’ll hurt your shoulders. Let him sleep in the cradle.”

Miriam came up and took Adrian from Evelyn’s arms. Adrian was a little sleepy, but then he quickly went back to sleep, breathing quietly as he lay down in the cradle.

“Adrian is very good, he’s not crying a lot and he’s sleeping like this, as soon as he’s lying down.”

“It was the same when you were young, too. When you were asleep, you would forget to eat and sleep for half a day.”

Evelyn laughed at her mother when Miriam said it was just a while ago.

“The Emperor….. didn’t he say anything?”

“Yeah, I’ve written down what I’ve seen because he doesn’t like to waste time.”

“I see.”

For the King and Miriam, the situation was very complicated as it was not pleasant to see the Emperor living in the same palace with his divorced daughter. Besides, they had to be careful about everything for fear that Adrian ‘s identity would be exposed.

“Don’t worry too much. By nature the Emperor is a senseless person and he probably doesn’t really care about Adrian.”

“so ······?”

Evelyn nodded. Miriam couldn’t tell whether to rejoice or be sad about it, so she just smiled faintly. The blurred picture of Evelyn’s past marriage only hurt her.

“Yes, he’s busy, so he won’t have much time to stay in the palace.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried because your Majesty found you….”

“Because I’ve seen the Wyverns up close.”

Miriam looked closely at her daughter’s complexion.

“But when the Pope and everyone were gathered together, the Emperor only asked you how you were doing.”

“Really? I don’t think there’s any point to care about that.”

Evelyn really seemed to think that way.

“Actually, at that moment, when he saw Adrian’s figure, I was worried about it. But seeing that he didn’t say anything else today, I don’t think he cares.”

“Yeah, he’s not supposed to know.”

In fact, from the start, Miriam had already noticed the wedding ring the Emperor wore on his ring finger and had a glimpse on Evelyn.

However, given by Evelyn’s usual behaviour, especially when she remembered her grandson Adrian’s safety, perhaps Evelyn had never seen the ring before.

“I heard that the Emperor was very clever, so I thought ….”

If the Emperor had found that Adrian was his son, he would immediately be taken away by the Imperial Family. Miriam was shaking with unspeakable fear. However, if she showed him, Evelyn was going to be mad, her daughter would only burn inside.

“We’ve been prepared for that.” Evelyn said calmly.

“Yeah, it’s really nice to hear that.”

Miriam seemed a little relieved and relaxed her expression. When Evelyn talked for the first time, she felt it was too much to think over, but when she thought about it again, but when she thought about it again, Evelyn was also right.

“He can’t doubt Adrian’s birthday because it’s winter.”

“Yes. Even if he suspects one thing, he will start looking from there.”

Miriam nodded. Adrian was born late in the summer, but Evelyn hid the fact thoroughly and took Adrian out of the palace only after the winter had passed. So, according to the paper, Adrian was believed to be a child born after winter, and it was unlikely that he was suspected of being the Emperor’s son.

“Rather than that, I should thank the Duke of Akshire. When all the knights froze, he used his body to protect me.”

“I know, it’s not easy. Lady Rebecca must have been very shocked.”

“If this situation settles down, I must repay the Duke of Akshire.”

“Yes, that would be great.”

The shock of the Wyverns’ attack gradually faded, and the sound of a refreshed breath of the sleeping Adrian echoed the room. The two women prayed for a peaceful daily life to return as soon as possible.

★★★

It was around the evening that Serus had finished his investigation of Adrian ‘s birth.

“Your Majesty, I have figured out what you’ve been looking for.”

Fabian stared at Serus and raised his eyes.

“Prince Adrian just turned one year old and was baptized by the Pope at a grand festival. Perhaps the King was trying to cover up his dishonorable birth.”

“I see.”

But there was something persistently stuck in Fabian’s mind.

“But the child had a black hair.”

Although only for a moment, Fabian remembered the child he saw when Evelyn rolled the cloth in the basket. It was a short moment, and the baby didn’t cry, but somehow his impression of that child was very deep.

“The whole Felice’s family have a blond hair….”

“I think the mother has black hair because he was a child born outside the palace.”

“Is black hair common outside the Imperial Palace?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist at all.”

Black hair was a symbol of the Imperial Family in the Empire. It was very disturbing when Fabian saw the child’s black hair. Even in a moment when the child had made eye contact with him, he had the same black eyes as Fabian.

“Even with black hair and black eyes?”

Serus, who had guessed Fabian’s innermost thoughts after he raised doubts again, carefully opened his mouth.

“It’s not too impossible. Beside, the prince was born last winter and is only one year old now.”

Fabian was lost in thought for a moment. It could be when Evelyn left him. If there was any possibility at least, it was expected to be last summer when the child was born.

“I see.”

It was a small possibility, but it didn’t mean that it didn’t exist.

“What about the child’s mother?”

“I heard that she died after she had given birth. That’s why the queen officially registered as his mother.”

“······okay.”

Fabian felt like he’d lost his mind because he’d been thinking deeply about Evelyn for so long. Fabian decided to wipe the little prince out of his mind at this point.

It felt strange when he made eye contact with the child, but maybe because Fabian didn’t see the child close up.

“If you want, I’m going to investigate it further.”

“No, It’s done.”

Fabian shook his hand. There was more than one tiredness in many ways.

To investigate the suspicious activity of the Vatican and the demons, he left the Imperial Palace and crossed the Black Veil Forest. But after coming this far, he had lost the evidence in front of his eyes.

“This time, the journey was too long. The Empire is also anxiously waiting for His Majesty.”

“I would pretend to like that.”

It was an indifferent answer.

“The nobles and the Imperial Family are the happiest when their ‘luggage’ is gone because their lives will be very comfortable. They’re just looking for the ‘luggage’ only by mouth.”

“No, it isn’t like that” Serus had passively denied it.

Fabian wasn’t a fool either. The most enjoyable moment for servants was when their masters were away. It was the same for both the imperial family and the nobles.

“Ah, is that so?” Fabian suddenly uttered a random sound.

“Yes?”

“It’s comfortable not to have a ‘luggage’ beside them.”

Fabian already knew such people. One of them was Evelyn, who said that she couldn’t breathe comfortably on his side.

“It means that the time with me is uncomfortable.”

Come to think of it, it was kind of funny. The nobleman, the Imperial Family, and even the Empress Dowager, who gave birth to him, all felt uncomfortable to be with him, and Evelyn was no different.

“How dare they felt comfortable without your Majesty. That’s disloyalty.”

“I know.”

The Emperor was a ruler, not a man to be comfortable with. The Emperor had to be generous but feared by everyone. Fabian had only lived as an emperor.

“Serus, you must be uncomfortable with me too.”

“I have been given a mission to serve you since I was born. I don’t carry anything other than my mission.”

“Sure…”

What he could have received as an emperor was one-sided loyalty or fear. If he hadn’t received that, he wouldn’t be able to last long on the throne.

“At least, have you got used to me?”

It was a question that Fabian had never asked before.

“How dare I harbor such complacency over your Majesty.”

“I see.”

Looking back, they all seemed to have a hard time with Fabian. Even before Fabian had sat on the throne, his mother, the Empress, had never hugged him.

His father, the Emperor and his mother, the Empress didn’t even look at each other. For Fabian, all relationships with other people were like that.

“This is proof that Your Majesty is a great Emperor. My parents said that you have been extraordinary since you were a boy.” said Serus, added a word for Fabian.

Fabian was raised by Serus’ parents when he was young.

It was because it was common in the Empire to entrust the noble to raise the prince. Naturally, the noble’s second son would serve the prince for life. That’s precisely what Serus did right now.

“But no one chose me….”

Fabian spat a strange word. Not everyone who raised Fabian wanted him, nor did they choose Fabian because they wanted to. And Fabian wasn’t even choosing them. For the rest of his life, the only relationship Fabian ever had was his marriage to Evelyn.

“Well, that’s better.”

Fabian came to a lonely conclusion. He thought it might be better not to choose anyone once he recalled the relationship that he had chosen with his own hand broke apart.

“Your Majesty, our journey is getting too long, so let’s go back to the Empire.”

“The knights must also be tired.”

“Yes, it’s too much.”

But suddenly, Fabian was lost in thought for a moment.

“I will stay here until I recover.”

“You mean here? in the Felice Kingdom?”

“There’s nothing I can’t do.”

It was, in theory. King Felice had no authority to refuse, and it was difficult to say that because of Evelyn’s divorce. Besides, apart from personal relationships, it was the Emperor’s order.

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“I will instruct King Felice to do that.”

Fabian nodded. He felt unfamiliar fatigue.

Somewhere in his heart, Fabian felt cramped and oppressed. This feeling was unfamiliar to him, and there was no clear reason for it.

★★★