What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 162

Ysaris glanced at Kazhan, then turned her gaze to Mikael. With a gentle smile, she stroked the child’s head and expressed her gratitude.

“It’s really delicious. Eat a lot, okay?”

“Hehe.”

Mikael, smiling innocently as if he had cooked the meal himself, stabbed another piece of meat and chewed happily. His big, sparkling eyes showed how much he was enjoying the food.

“He seems to like it more than I expected. It’s a type you can only get in winter, so eat as much as you can now.”

“Mine!”

“If you want, I’ll keep serving this until spring comes. But to avoid getting tired of it, it’s better to have it as a side dish in small portions.”

Kazhan continued to chat with Mikael about small things. Even when Ysaris wiped the sauce off the child’s mouth with a napkin, he didn’t spare her a single glance.

‘……What is he trying to do?’

Ysaris was growing increasingly annoyed by his attitude, which could only be interpreted as deliberately ignoring her. However, she didn’t want to have a sharp exchange with her husband in front of her son, so she chose to stay silent.

Instead, she quietly ate her meal, wondering how long he would keep up this behavior. It wasn’t until it was time to leave that Kazhan finally spoke to her.

“It’s cold, so take care of your health. I’ll invite you again next time.”

“…….”

‘Is that it?’

“Daddy, come again!”

“Take care, Mikael. Listen to Mommy.”

Ysaris didn’t even have time to express her disbelief. Mikael, who had already exchanged goodbyes with Kazhan, grabbed her hand and started swinging it back and forth, leading her away. She followed in a daze.

‘So…… is this how it’s supposed to be?’

Ysaris stopped walking, her doubts resurfacing. She considered turning back and confronting Kazhan, but then she met Mikael’s innocent, wide-eyed gaze.

“Mommy?”

“……It’s nothing. Let’s go back to the room.”

“Pudding later!”

“You’re full now, right? Let’s play for a bit, and if you get hungry later, we’ll have pudding as a snack, okay?”

“Okay.”

Ysaris tightly held the small hand and continued walking. The warmth she felt from it brought her some comfort.

‘Well, it’s not like this is the only chance I’ll get. If he acts like this next time, I’ll say something.’

But Ysaris soon realized she had been too complacent. Kazhan’s attitude didn’t improve the next time they met—it got worse.

He barely acknowledged her with a nod and a simple “You’re here,” and when it was time to leave, he just said “Alright” with a slight bow.

Ysaris was so stunned that she froze, only snapping out of it when Mikael tugged at her hand again, just like last time.

“Mommy, hurt?”

“……No, Mikael. Let’s go back to the room.”

Trying to ignore the déjà vu from four days ago, she steadied herself with a stiff expression. Not wanting to cause a scene, she decided to ignore Kazhan just as much as he was ignoring her.

But that resolve didn’t last long. During their third meeting, Mikael finally noticed something was off and tilted his head, asking a question.

“Daddy mad?”

“No. We’re just focusing on you.”

Mikael accepted the explanation without much thought, but Ysaris couldn’t let it go. She decided to talk to Kazhan alone while Mikael was taking his nap.

* * *

“What are you trying to do with me right now?”

“My lady.”

“Explain yourself. If anyone’s supposed to draw the line, it’s me. What are you trying to achieve by ignoring me like this?”

Ysaris fired off her questions coldly, standing in front of Kazhan’s desk in his study. She refused the seat he offered and stood her ground, demanding answers. He cleared his throat before responding.

“First of all, welcome to my study. It’s been a while since you came to see me on your own.”

“This isn’t the time for……!”

“Calm down, Ysaa. If you’re talking about me not engaging with you, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Ysaris fell silent, glaring at Kazhan, her eyes demanding an explanation.

“……You’re still uncomfortable around me, aren’t you? No matter the circumstances, to you, I’m the enemy of your friend.”

“So?”

“I was trying to respect the distance you asked for. Until you’ve sorted out your feelings.”

Who acts like this to maintain distance?

Ysaris was about to retort in disbelief, but Kazhan was quicker. His voice was serious as he carefully observed her.

“Actually, I want to ask you something. Did you want me to act as intimately as before in private? Calling you by your nickname, making eye contact, talking affectionately?”

“That’s……”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to do that.”