Chapter 11
‘If I reprimand him too harshly in front of Ae’r, he might shift his focus from his own mistake to someone else’s carelessness.’
For now, preventing a recurrence was the priority.
“Ms. Anne, you must have been quite startled as well. I’ll also instruct Ae’r at home about the dangers of acting independently.”
Estelle carefully composed her still-turbulent emotions and continued the conversation.
“That said, since we entrust the children to the teachers, I hope you’ll pay extra attention to the safety of the facility. The backyard connects directly to the forest beyond the fence, and children are prone to sudden impulses.”
“Yes, I will ensure it’s fully repaired by tomorrow and conduct additional inspections! Thank you for understanding, madam!”
Anne’s unexpectedly measured response relaxed her tension, and Estelle then calmly began disciplining Ae’r.
“Ae’r, didn’t Mommy tell you that you have to listen to your teachers at kindergarten?”
“Yes, Mommy…”
“Then, was it right to leave the kindergarten without permission?”
“No…”
“And what should you do if you make a mistake?”
“Apologize. Sincerely.”
“Then you need to apologize to your teacher, right?”
“Yes.”
Ae’r nodded and stepped from Estelle’s arms to approach Ms. Anne, his small steps heavy with regret.
Even at this serious moment, his little back was endearing. Estelle fought back a laugh as she observed him.
“Teacher, I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
Ae’r’s speech was slightly slower than usual, but each word was clear and polite.
Ms. Anne, her eyes gentle, accepted his apology, and Ae’r bounced up and down, beaming.
“And Teacher, thank you for immediately informing me when Ae’r went missing instead of hiding it.”
“It’s nothing. It’s something that must be done, madam. I’ll do better next time. Please go carefully! Ae’r, see you tomorrow~.”
“Goodbye, Teacher!”
Just then, the carriage driven by the following coachman arrived. Peter dismounted while greeting the teacher and mounted Estelle’s horse, followed by Estelle and Ae’r getting into the carriage.
If Estelle were alone, she might have ridden the horse back, but she could not risk placing young Ae’r atop a horse on his own.
“Ae’r, even though the forest has no dangerous animals, it would have been risky to go out alone. Why did you leave?”
Alone in the carriage, Estelle asked the child why he had wandered off from the kindergarten.
“A pretty bird chased me, Mommy! It had the same color as something you like.”
“A bird?”
He had mentioned a bird earlier, too.
“You know the pink gem you always treasured? That bird’s feathers were exactly that color, so I thought if it became my friend, Mommy would like it too… Ae’r is too young to buy gems, but I can make friends—so I did.”
‘Ah… I thought he was asleep at night, but he must have been watching.’
Estelle sometimes, during nights when her mind and body were weary, secretly took out the necklace she had hidden in a drawer.
The pink sapphire necklace, reminiscent of Empress Serena’s eyes, had been a memento left to Estelle in secret. She had sought the warmth of Serena’s presence through it.
‘Even though she was the one responsible for driving that person to her death…’
She felt self-disgust, but her heart could not be controlled by reason.
“I just wanted to show you, Mommy!”
Ae’r’s dangerous wander had been for her sake. Estelle felt her throat tighten with emotion.
“Mommy’s happiness comes from seeing you healthy and joyful. So next time, don’t do anything risky.”
“Yes!”
Ae’r responded with spirited affirmation.
Though not yet four, he had inherited Estelle’s composed and mature temperament, making communication relatively smooth. Even Peter, who had cared for many younger children, was impressed.
Estelle was grateful that Ae’r was growing up well outside the palace.
“Oh, Mommy, I met a knight in the forest! A real one, riding a white horse!”
“A prince?”
“Yes! More amazing than the prince in the story you read me! And the knight was awesome too!”
‘It seems he met a fairly handsome young noble. I don’t know why he ventured into a forest without prey, but…’
Children’s imaginations were boundless.
Estelle watched her excited child with affection, the little chatter capable of moving her from heaven to hell in an instant.
Of course, Kai’an had once held that place in her heart, but not anymore. No—it must not be. Estelle focused on her feelings.
“I got lost and was scared, but the prince brought me back to kindergarten!”
“Is that so? How kind of him. Mommy should have thanked him properly.”
“Yes! Next time we meet, I’ll introduce him!”
The child’s eyes sparkled with excitement. He seemed genuinely impressed by this ‘prince.’
‘Of course. A noble helping an unknown commoner child—he must have good character. Though unlikely, if we meet him again, I should repay him properly. Perhaps with a master-crafted glass goblet from Deutsche.’
The warmth of gratitude toward an unnamed prince shone over mother and child in the gentle afternoon sunlight.
“Waaah!”
“Oh no! Chase! You must behave properly in front of the Emperor—!”
At the palace’s grand banquet for the Founding Festival.
As always, a child from a noble family began to cry before the Emperor.
He was the five-year-old eldest son of Viscount Sough of Wagan.
Typically, children were not brought to palace banquets.
But the Founding Festival was an exception. On this day, children of prominent noble families, heirs to titles, often accompanied their parents to the palace—a tradition meant to celebrate the Empire’s future.
Moreover, this was the first proper Founding Festival banquet in four years since Empress Estelle’s ‘death,’ attracting many noble children.
Parents were busy boasting about their heirs while nervously ensuring their children did not offend the Emperor.
“I-I-I apologize, Your Majesty! The child is still very young—”
Viscount Sough and his wife, trying to calm their son, were sweating profusely, constantly watching the Emperor’s reaction. The Emperor was known for his severity, but his temperament was especially sensitive on this day.
Four years ago, on this very day, Empress Estelle had disappeared.
It was no secret that the Emperor harbored hostility toward the Astoria Duke and Empress Estelle.
Naturally, nobles had assumed he would rejoice at her death.
Yet after Estelle’s ‘death,’ the Emperor became unusually cold and sensitive.
Rumor even had it that her ghost haunted him nightly.
‘Hah… I should have left Chase alone. Trying to make an impression only puts the family at risk.’
Viscount Sough cursed himself for his own greed four hours earlier.
“Viscount Sough.”
‘Ah! I’m dead! Am I going to be expelled? No, that would be the least of it—if the family is demoted or—’
The viscount paled further at the Emperor’s call.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“How old is the child?”
“Eh?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, the viscount repeated it. Meeting the Emperor’s cold gaze, he suddenly realized how foolish he must appear.
“He’s… five years old, Your Majesty.”
“I see. You may leave now. The child seems frightened.”
“T-thank you, Your Majesty!”
Seizing the rare opportunity, the viscount hurriedly left the banquet hall with his crying child. The sounds of wailing gradually faded.
‘If a boy that age is already so strong-willed… I wonder how young Ae’r must have been.’
Kai’an involuntarily recalled Ae’r.
Such a spirited little boy—ever since the forest encounter, he kept coming to mind. Especially today, with so many children accompanying their parents, he was all the more memorable.
Among the children, the one roughly Ae’r’s age had started crying the moment he saw the viscount’s son.
‘He was much smaller yet composed. Not an ordinary child.’
Kai’an recalled the day in the forest. The small boy had boldly asked for help. Kai’an had escorted him only to the forest’s edge; no matter how quiet the forest, he could not leave a child alone.
“Sedric, let him ride with you.”
“I want to ride the white horse with the prince!”
Even while being helped, the child boldly made a request.
Daring to ride the Emperor’s horse—any noble in the capital would have been astonished. Yet the boy, unaware of the man’s true identity, was completely innocent.
