Chapter 60

“I think it’s too much.”

“I’m only going to stay for a day or two.”

As soon as the will was completed, Astelle wanted to return immediately.

Kaizen also allowed her.

Because of the assassination, Theor was forced to come all the way to the capital.

Astelle wished to leave as soon as possible.

So it didn’t matter where she stayed.

After entering the mansion, she couldn’t help but be surprised.

Inside, the mansion was much more splendid.

Clean marble floors and chandeliers.

Luxurious statues and ornaments.

It was more glamorous and luxurious than the Dentsu Castle where she stayed until recently.

It was more luxurious than the standard nobleman’s mansion.

Astelle whispered while looking at the statues lined up in the hallway.

“It looks new.”

As Astelle murmured while looking at the gold-decorated wall, the servant who opened the mansion’s door quickly answered,

“His Majesty has sent a letter in advance, ordering this mansion to be renovated.”

“……”

‘This……is really too much.’

It’s just a place to stay for two days, but to do it like this…… Astelle was speechless.

The bedroom was more glamorous.

Full of luxurious furnishings and bedding.

Everything was new.

It was a luxury that was not inferior to the empress’ bedroom, where Astelle had stayed for a day or so in the past.

When she entered the bedroom where she was staying with Theor, gift boxes were piled up like a mountain on the table.

“What is that?”

“These are gifts from His Majesty to the Young Master.”

‘For Theor?’

Theor grabbed a gift box with both hands and asked Astelle,.

“Can I open it?”

“Okay. Let’s rip it off.”

The box was full of silver finger-sized soldier dolls.

There was also a small cannon for the little soldiers.

It was a small, elaborately crafted, lifelike weapon with a set of artillery soldiers the size of a finger.

In another box, there was a sailing boat the size of a melon, made just like a real ship, and in a large box, there was an elaborate three-tiered castle.

“Wow……”

Theor looked at the toys and admired them.

Kaizen has been strangely good to him for a while now.

“You should say thank you when you see His Majesty later.”

“Yes!”

Astelle smiled, hiding her anxiety.

‘It doesn’t matter. I will only stay for two days. Two days only.’

As Astelle unpacked her luggage in the room, Hannah came in and helped her.

Hannah formally resigned from the Imperial Palace and she returned to the capital with Astelle.

When she was done here, she decided to go to the eastern countryside with Astelle.

“Hannah. I will organize my luggage myself. Go to your room and rest. You must be very tired.”

“No, Lady Astelle. I’m fine.”

“Okay. Then you don’t have to unpack everything.”

She would be leaving again in just two days, so there was no need to unpack everything.

Astelle only organized what she needed to use for the next two days and put the rest in the closet.

She spotted Theor playing in the garden outside the window.

He went out with the Marquis and Blynn.

When Astelle saw Theor’s bright face, she suddenly thought of Kaizen.

She hasn’t had a proper conversation with him since the last day at Dentsu Castle.

Even if she had a chance to meet him, he always seemed to be busy.

‘I’m glad. If we had met often, it would have been uncomfortable for both of us .’

Astelle decided to go to the temple the next day.

There, she would meet Kaizen and finish the Empress Dowager’s will, and there would be no more meetings.

‘Should I go back to the mansion or find a place to escape?’

Going to the mansion would prevent Theor’s identity from being revealed.

What would happen to the assassination case?

You’d never know what was going to happen.

If the truth about the assassination was revealed, Astelle wouldn’t be safe.

‘Shall I find a place to escape? However, if I were to suddenly hide myself, I might end up hurting my grandfather and Theor.’

Astelle put the luggage together while thinking about complicated things.

After packing up, she went downstairs to join Theor and her grandfather.

As she passed the living room, a maid approached her.

“Lady, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

Astelle, who had unintentionally turned to the drawing-room, noticed the man standing by the door and instantly stiffened.

“Ah……”

Facing the man, she was speechless for a moment.

Tall stature and a neat and handsome face.

She saw the familiar white blonde hair and light green eyes.

His pale green eyes filled with shock and joy.

His heart was pounding and his eyes were wet with tears.

On the contrary, Astelle’s eyes grew cold.

Her face, which looked surprised for a moment, rapidly became colder.

The man who came into the room, and after noticing Astelle’s cold expression, quickly stopped walking.

Astelle called out his name.

The name she’s almost forgotten for the past 6 years.

“Brother Fritz.”

It was Fritz, Astelle’s older brother.

Two-year older brother, he was her only sibling and the only person she considered to be family.

At the cold voice of his sister calling out to him, Fritz’s sculptural, well-groomed face was distorted with regret and remorse.

“Astelle……”

Fritz begged for forgiveness with a face that seemed like it would shed tears at any moment.

“I’m sorry Astelle. I made a mistake.”

“……”

To young Astelle, Fritz was a being that was too high to reach.

They had the same parents, but her brother who was the heir to the family from birth was the difference between heaven and earth from Astelle who was born as a daughter.

Besides, Fritz was a perfect son, smart enough to be acknowledged as a gifted child from an early age.

He was so great that she couldn’t even dare to be jealous.

Fritz, who resembled his father, was a cold and proud nobleman, but he was still a kind brother to her.

He would teach her to study, and if Astelle wanted to go out, he would take her with him.

Aside from Kaizen, the person Astelle loved most was her older brother, Fritz.

He was the only person she could rely on instead of her hard-hearted and greedy father.

Even when she got divorced and returned to the mansion, Astelle believed that her brother would understand.

But Fritz did not understand her.

‘Why did you get a divorce without our father’s permission?’

It was Fritz’s first words to Astelle, who returned with a tired face.

When she left the house feeling exhausted and about to collapse, Fritz grabbed her and got angry at her.

‘Don’t be stubborn and ask father for forgiveness.’

Her feelings at that time were so devastating that words could not describe them.

She felt as if the last rope she had managed to hold on to, had broken.

After that, Astelle abandoned all her hopes and left the capital.

“You don’t have to apologize to me. Go back.”

“Astelle……”

Fritz’s expression as he faced Astelle’s cold eyes was filled with sadness.

“Can’t we start over? Can’t you just give me one more chance……?”

“We haven’t spoken to each other in six years, so what opportunity do we need now?”

Astelle turned down Fritz’s request.

It was a calm voice that did not contain any emotion, but when Fritz heard those words, his expression became even more sorrowful.

He called out to her in a sad voice.

“Astelle…… I am……”

At that moment, the door opened with a crackling sound.

Both siblings looked toward it at the same time.

Theor was grabbing the half-open door and sticking out his face.

“Aunt Astelle……?”

Astelle looked at the child and was startled.

Her chest plummeted.

‘Will my brother find out Theor’s identity?’

Fritz has played with Kaizen since childhood.

Kaizen didn’t really like him, who was two years older than him, but he still couldn’t ignore him as the heir of the duke.

And since his younger sister, Astelle, was Kaizen’s fiancee, Fritz also visited the Imperial Palace from a very young age, and he was like a playmate with Kaizen.

If you look closely at Theor, you can tell that he resembles the young Kaizen.

Fritz seemed a little surprised.

“That kid is……”

Astelle responded quickly before Fritz finished his question.

“He is Theor. He is Sigmund’s son. Have you not heard of it? That Sigmund has a son.”

Fritz turned to Astelle.

For a moment, complex emotions appeared in his pale green eyes and then disappeared.

‘What? Maybe…… did you notice it?’

Before Astelle could say anything, Fritz approached Theor.

“Are you Sigmund’s son?”

Fritz smiled pleasantly and knelt down in front of Theor, at eye level with him.

“Nice to meet you. Your father was my cousin.”

***

‘Did you not notice it?’

Fritz and Kaizen were two years apart. When Kaizen was a child, Fritz was also young.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to remember young Kaizen very well.

‘Phew.’

Astelle, who was watching the two of them, was secretly relieved.