Chapter 55

Only the old Marquis requested for an audience.

Astelle did not take a single step out of the annex after the ball.

However, Kaizen was reluctant to go there for no good reason.

He was just spending a few days idling.

‘Shall I use this opportunity to visit her?’

Kaizen looked at the documents and struggled.

After waiting for his answer for a long time, Vellian gave up and opened the papers again to just work.

Then Kaizen muttered.

“Okay. I can’t just leave her alone with an old man and a child in the forest.”

“Yes. For the safety, Your Majesty should go with Lady Astelle.”

Vellian quickly agreed with the Emperor’s words.

Kaizen put down the papers and stood up.

“I’m going on a picnic, so tell the servants to prepare.”

Astelle took Theor’s hand and came out. In one hand she was holding a picnic basket.

“Aunt Astelle, are we going by walk?”

“No, it’s too far away, so we have to go by carriage.”

Astelle came out of the annex and stopped when she saw the carriage in front of the garden.

The servants were loading unknown luggage bags on the carriage.

‘What are those things?’

Then a familiar voice called out to Astelle.

“Lady Astelle! long time no see.”

It was Vellian.

“Count. What is this?”

An ominous feeling slowly rose.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever had a good relationship with this person.’

“This is His Majes—”

“I’m ready to go on a picnic with you.”

Before Vellian answered, a calm low tone took over the answer.

I turned around in surprise and saw Kaizen walking this way.

“Your Majesty!”

Theor released Astelle’s hand and ran to Kaizen.

Kaizen stroked Theor’s hair.

“You have completely recovered your energy.”

The last kidnapping has made Theor even closer to Kaizen.

Astelle stopped on the spot and watched Kaizen silently.

It was her first meeting since the day of the ball.

‘I thought it would be very uncomfortable if we met again, but now I am so embarrassed that I have no time to feel uncomfortable.’

“Your Majesty, where… are you going? A picnic?”

She must have misunderstood, but Kaizen answered without hesitation.

“Yeah. Picnic.”

“……”

No, why?

Who invited you?

The Marquis who came out of the annex belatedly found the emperor. With a bewildered look, he set himself up.

“I see Your Majesty the Emperor, the lord of the empire.”

“Oh, yes. You seem much better.”

“Yes, I am completely healed after being here for a long time.”

The Marquis expressed his gratitude very politely.

But in that tone of voice, there was anger at the constant rejection of audience requests for the past few days.

Kaizen also felt it, so he had a slight wrinkle on his forehead.

Astelle stepped forward to prevent a bad mood between the two of them.

“Are you really going to go with me?”

As if she had asked too directly, there was an unpleasant look in Kaizen’s red eyes.

“Why? Should I not go?”

“……”

‘Yes​​, I wish you hadn’t come.’

I wanted to say frankly as happened at the ball not long ago.

You refused my grandfather’s request for an audience, and I don’t know why you want to go with me.

Astelle let out a short sigh, holding back what she wanted to say.

“It is an infinite honor for Your Majesty to attend.”

Instead, she bowed her head with a polite smile.

“But I am afraid because Theor is too young and if he will be disrespectful to Your Majesty. If you allow me, I will stay with Theor in the annex.”

If you want to go on a picnic, go alone.

That’s what Astelle meant.

Kaizen’s eyes became harsh.

Astelle could see the anger, irritation, and resentment that passed through his red eyes.

‘I understand if you getting angry, but why are you so disappointed?’

Vellian, who was not able to see, intervened while looking at the two of them.

“Hey Lady Astelle, don’t do that…”

Astelle tried to ignore him. But at that moment Theor hung on the hem of Astelle’s skirt with a passionate gaze.

“Aunt, why are we not going? Can’t we go together with His Majesty?”

‘Oh.’

Theor grabbed the hem of her skirt with a small hand and looked up at her.

Without missing this opportunity, Vellian spoke again.

“Even the young master wants to go like this, so let’s go together. It’s not good to stay indoors when the weather is so nice.”

“……”

Astelle doesn’t want to go out with Kaizen no matter what the weather is. But…

Seeing Theor, she sighed.

“Okay. Let’s go together.”

Kaizen, who was watching her, let out a small smirk.

“Thank you.”

Astelle walked over to the carriage ignoring him.

In the end, the simple picnic that the three of them, Astelle, Theor, and grandfather were going to go to, became a large-scale outing including Kaizen Vellian and the knights protecting the emperor.

Theor rushed to Kaizen and took him by the hand.

“Then, Your Majesty will go with me?”

“Yes. We are all going together.”

Astelle watched the two of them, then she took Theor and got on the carriage first.

The party went to the forest with the knights accompanying them as escorts.

***

The forest on the north side of Denz Castle was really beautiful.

The clear water flowing from the east formed a stream and crossed the forest.

Green leaves and soft grass were full among the trees that soared high into the sky.

Having a picnic at a place like this would be very enjoyable.

Sandwiches and sweet fruit pies under the sunny sun.

Brunch with fragrant wine.

Children run and play in the forest.

Adults sit on the grass and chat while eating snacks…

A picture of a happy picnic flashed in everyone’s mind.

*

rain pouring [sfx]

The cold sound of rain pouring the forest.

Vellian looked up at the gray sky and muttered in vain.

“It’s raining……it keeps coming.”

Obviously, it was sunny and clear when they left.

As soon as they entered the center of the forest, as if they had been cursed, it started to rain.

The party hurriedly took out the tent from the luggage to manage to avoid the rain.

It was provided by servants to be used as a shade awning.

Vellian looked up at the wide curtain above his head.

The poorly erected tent wobbled precariously in the wind.

“Still……the servants brought this, and it’s worth ten million.”

Without this tent, everyone would have been hit by the rain.

The carriage has been parked outside the entrance to the forest.

The knights were also guarding the entrance.

Outside, the rain that fell on the forest was so strong that anyone couldn’t see an inch ahead.

Heavy rain fell constantly on the tent.

It seemed that it would be difficult to get out of the forest at this rate.

Bored Theor was watching a little tree frog at the end of the tent.

The poorly erected tent swayed greatly in the wind and rain.

The rainwater that had been stagnating on the tent fell down like a waterfall.

“It’s raining……”

Astelle called Theor inside.

“Theor, please come inside so you don’t get wet.”

Kaizen, who was sitting in the tent, was annoyed.

“In any case, it rained as soon as we arrived……”

‘I came to this forest by a carriage to have a picnic or something, but suddenly it rained.’

It was an odd situation.

Kaizen looked at Astelle, who was sitting a little further away.

‘I was trying to have a good conversation with Astelle.’

Taking a walk in the refreshing forest and chatting……

He saw the opportunity and wanted to tell what happened that night.

If he starts a conversation in a sunny forest, maybe her heart would open up a bit.

For that purpose, he was semi-forced to follow a picnic, but all in vain.

Cold rain and wind blew through the gray clouds.

The rain that was pouring down like a pole was blown away by the wind, reaching the place where Vellian was.

“Ugh……”

Vellian also hated it and ran away inside.

The five of them sat together in a cramped tent to pass the time mercilessly.

Theor was scribbling on the floor alone.

Astelle asked Theor, “Aren’t you hungry? Do you want a snack?”

“Yes. I’m hungry.”

Astelle asked the three men who were dazed.

“Can I take out a snack and eat it?”

“Yeah. I’m hungry too. Let’s eat something.”

Vellian also took a well-packaged meat pie and a bottle of wine from the basket.

There were also sandwiches with savory chicken and colorful fruit tarts.

It was a snack provided by the servants because the emperor was going on a picnic.

Vellian took out a few and handed it to Kaizen.

“Your Majesty, please have some snacks.”

But Kaizen didn’t even touch it and looked at Astelle.

“Come on, let’s have a sandwich.”

Astelle took a sandwich from the basket and handed it to Theor.

It was just an ordinary sandwich with ham and cheese.

“It’s delicious!”

Theor took the sandwich Astelle had given him and ate it little by little.

Astelle brought out another sandwich……

……and Kaizen unconsciously stretched out his hand.