Chapter 171

Kaizen finished his meal and returned to the emperor’s palace. Disappointment enveloped him the entire time he walked down the hallway.

‘I failed today too.’

Over the past few days, Kaizen has been persuading Astelle to cancel the masquerade ball, and go to the summer palace to rest.

However, no matter how hard he tried, she always insisted that she couldn’t do that.

I understood what Astelle was thinking.

It’s only been a year since she became empress, and she experienced a lot of hardship during that time.

So she’s trying to do everything with all her heart so that others won’t blame her.

‘Is it necessary to care about that?’

Even though Kaizen was frustrated, he couldn’t insist on Astelle. It was because he was afraid that by arguing, he would hurt Astelle’s heart.

He couldn’t cause Astelle any worries.

He was happy when he heard the news of her pregnancy, but Kaizen immediately realized the reality.

Childbearing is a dangerous thing.

Astelle’s mother, the late Duchess, also lost her life due to postpartum complications. Kaizen’s mother, the former Empress, also died at a young age due to her health deteriorating after giving birth to him.

Kaizen was afraid that Astelle might have something bad happen to her. He wanted to force her to do nothing and rest all day in a safe and comfortable palace.

Theor, who followed Kaizen, asked, “Father, can’t we just go to the summer palace together?”

“What?”

Kaizen told Theor many times how beautiful and pleasant the summer palace was.

There is a small and splendid palace in the middle of the blue lake, and there is also a castle tower rising high into the sky.

If you go there, you can ride a boat and play on the clear lake all day long.

Actually, he was trying to persuade Astelle with Theor’s help.

‘In the end, I just gave my young son empty hopes and let him down.’

Kaizen stopped walking and stroked Theor’s hair.

“Do you really want to go to the summer palace?” he asked.

“Yes.” Theor nodded as he hugged Levin. “I want to go. It would be nice to go with mom too.”

Ever since he heard about the summer palace from Kaizen, he really wanted to go there.

Theor was happy when he heard that he was going to have a little sibling. He had long wanted a little sibling to play with, but gave up when he heard that his mother would be sick and would have a hard time with it.

‘It’s nice to have a little sibling…….’

The problem is, his mother has changed.

After announcing her pregnancy, his mother couldn’t eat well and she didn’t go out to the garden often.

The most notable change was the attitude of the people around him. Everyone, from Hannah, the maids, his grandfather, and his father were very careful and worried about his mother.

No one told him exactly, but everyone was very worried about his mother.

‘Is my mom sick because of my new sibling?’

According to his father’s words a little while ago, going to the summer palace would make his mother more at ease.

So Theor asked Kaizen once again. “If mom goes to the summer palace, will she be healthy? Then, shouldn’t we go there together now without waiting any longer?”

“What?”

Theor looked up at Kaizen with a worried expression.

“It would be good for my mom to go to the summer palace and rest.”

Kaizen listened to Theor and was a little surprised.

Now, it seems that Theor too was very worried about Astelle’s condition.

That’s probably why he listened carefully to the conversation between the two of them in the dining room.

Kaizen bent his knees, looking Theor in the eyes.

“Don’t worry too much. Even if your mom stays here, she will be fine.”

“Really?”

“Sure. The doctor is by her side, taking care of her wholeheartedly, and Gretel…….”

Kaizen paused.

Pharmacist, herb, garden.

As a few words ran through his head, a new idea came to mind.

There is a way.

“Okay. Then I’ll try to persuade Astelle again.”

“Really?”

Kaizen nodded his head and ordered the attendant who followed him.

“Call the gardener.”

***

“I’ll take care of you and stay by your side this time,” said Hannah to Astelle with a determined expression.

She still seems to regret all the time that she couldn’t be by Astelle’s side when she had Theor.

Hannah was trying her best to take care of Astelle this time.

She has been making bits and pieces of all kinds of food for Astelle, who has no appetite.

“All you have to do is take one bite at a time. If you do that, you will be able to finish one serving of food.”

In front of Astelle were so many dishes that there was not enough space on the table.

Everyone seems to be overprotective of me…….

Astelle did what Hannah said and took a bite of a well-cooked piece of venison.

The light meat melts in her mouth with the flavorful sauce. It tasted impeccable, but she strangely doesn’t feel like eating it.

‘When I had Theor, I didn’t lose my appetite this much.’

Maybe because it was my first pregnancy?

She grew up without a mother, and although she had never seen a pregnant woman around, she knew a lot about pregnancy and childbirth.

She had been taught from an early age by her nanny what a pregnant woman should be aware of.

Astelle was expected to become empress from the moment she was born, so it was a kind of pre-empress education.

But knowing it in her head and actually experiencing it are two different things.

‘I was scared and confused when I had Theor, but I thought I’d be fine this time.’

But now she has a particularly peculiar symptom, which confused her even more.

“I don’t know why I have no appetite.”

Despite Hannah’s efforts, Astelle still has no appetite.

As time went by, her appetite and stamina decreased.

Doctors examined her several times, but both Astelle and the baby in her belly were normal. They also said it could be the start of morning sickness.

She only had about a week until the masquerade ball. Though Kaizen urged her to call it off and asked her to rest whenever he had the chance, Astelle didn’t agree.

‘I’m not even sick, so I can’t cancel it.’

It’s not that I don’t eat at all, it’s just that I have no appetite. If I suddenly cancel the ball…….

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

As she was thinking about that, an attendant asked for an audience.

“What’s going on?”

The attendant who bowed his head had an ashamed expression as if he had made a mistake.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. There’s a problem with the masquerade ball.”

“What?”

“Suddenly, these things appeared in the garden,” said the attendant while holding out a wooden box full of small flowers.

“It’s Rainleaf.”

This is a rare flower in residential areas. This flower also kills plants around it.

For that reason, whether in gardens or in fields, people uproot and put away even the shoots.

“I found these growing in the fountain in the central garden.”

“This many?”

The box is full of Rainleaf.

Even with a rough estimate, there seem to be around 50.

“It’s not even half of them.”

“Are there so many……?”

It’s a wonder that so many appeared in an instant.

Rainleaf is not particularly dangerous to humans, but continuous contact with skin causes rashes and blisters in severe cases.

‘But you have to really stick the flower on your skin for a long time to get to that level.’

Nothing will go wrong if your skin just touches it briefly.

Granted it’s not that dangerous to humans, the problem is the garden. As this flower thrives, all other plants in the garden die. Its growth rate is so fast that if left unchecked, it would take over an entire garden within a month.

“Exactly how far has it spread?”

The gardener who came with the attendant answered, “Currently, it is only near the fountain in the central garden. But we’ll have to search further to see if anything has sprouted.”

This means you will have to wait and see for a few days as it is not yet known how far the seeds have spread.

It also means that the upcoming masquerade ball will have to be postponed.

“Since this happened, there is nothing we can do about it.”

Astelle nodded her head without much doubt.

‘This flower is rare in the capital, so where did it come from?’

Besides, why did it spread so suddenly? It’s really weird.

“I need to investigate the route the flowers came in. It could have come from food ingredients or maids.”

There were also concerns it would spread to places other than the central garden. But fortunately, the answer was quickly found.

As soon as Astelle gave the order to investigate the source of the seeds, the emperor’s new aide came and apologized.

“I- I apologize, Your Majesty. It is all my negligence.”

The young aide bowed his head, sweating profusely.

“It seems that the seeds were buried in the material that was brought in for the ongoing construction. I should have looked at it properly, I apologize.”

As a result of the investigation, he said that the seeds of Rainleaf were buried in the wood used for construction.

“The building materials must have come through another way. Why are the flowers blooming in the central garden?” Astelle asked with a puzzled look.

The aide stuttered, visibly embarrassed. “That, that…… since there are many people in the imperial palace, the seeds may have been moved elsewhere…….”

“…….”

The aide’s behavior was highly suspicious to anyone. But Astelle couldn’t understand why he did that.

In terms of common sense, why would an aide to the emperor ruin the garden of the imperial palace? Fortunately, the answer was easy this time.

As soon as word spread that the summer masquerade ball had been postponed, Kaizen came to Astelle.

“Since the ball has been canceled and the weather is hot, it’s best to spend some time in the summer palace.”

“…….”

Astelle had a lot to say, but she just kept her mouth shut.

At first, she thought it was just a coincidence.

Looking at the orderly situation as if it had been planned, she could clearly see what was going on. Kaizen’s handsome face with a satisfied smile was the clearest proof.

‘Anyway…….’

In her mind, she wanted to make it clearer to find out the culprit who planted strange flowers in the garden, but she just decided to put up with it.

Because the emperor cannot be arrested as a criminal.

“Well, since it’s already like this, there’s no problem in staying there for a while.”

When Astelle calmly agreed, a small smile tugged at Kaizen’s lips.

It disappeared in an instant, but the smile that seemed satisfied was extremely nasty.

“I will have a masquerade ball when the garden is cleaned.” Astelle gave him a quick glance and said nonchalantly.

“Okay.” Kaizen easily agreed.

The debate over whether to go on vacation or throw a masquerade ball ended up with taking a vacation first.

Astelle sighed and said, “Then I should tell the maids and servants to clean up the summer palace.”

Although it is the summer residence of the imperial family, it is managed by a few maids and servants when the emperor is not visiting.

There must be a lot to be lacking, so she should send more workers before the emperor’s party visits.

“Don’t worry. I’m ready to go anytime.” Kaizen reassured Astelle.

“…….”

Astelle was at a loss for words at Kaizen’s brazen attitude.

Do you have no desire to lie now?

Astelle knew it but decided to be fooled. Because she knew why Kaizen did this.

I’m not sick, I just don’t have much of an appetite.

“I’m relieved that you prepared everything in advance.”

As Astelle muttered nonchalantly, Kaizen kissed the back of her hand.

Astelle sighed, but she did not free her hand from him.

***