What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 168

“If you ever again let your emotions run unchecked….”

Knock, knock, knock.

“Your Majesty, this is the Chancellor. There is an urgent matter requiring your immediate review; may we have an audience?”

At the sudden sound of the knocking that cut in abruptly, Ysaris fell silent. It was then that I realized Kazhan had, out of the blue during work hours, come and engaged in a lengthy conversation with her.

“…Attend to your work. We can discuss the rest later.”

Ysaris, as if seeking my permission, sighed and spoke—not even glancing at the door, but looking solely at Kazhan. He remained fixed on her for a moment before nonchalantly sweeping his hair back and issuing an order toward the outside.

“Come in.”

Soon, a brief word of thanks was muttered by Jebiken as he entered the office, carrying several documents in one hand.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for intruding while Her Majesty is also present. As we need to send someone out urgently, we must, if possible, swiftly obtain the Emperor’s seal…”

For a moment, Ysaris’s body tensed at the scent of Jebiken’s cologne as he approached. A strange, alien sensation swept over her, bending her frame, and then vanished, as if the contents of his subsequent words felt exceedingly distant.

“Duke Jebiken Barillio?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

There was not an ounce of room for any deviation in that polite reply. Ysaris, without even realizing that I had interrupted the conversation between the Chancellor and the Emperor, simply stared blankly at Jebiken.

He was a man who exuded an overall aura of sophisticated grayness. Though she had seen him at the welcome banquet before, it was her first time conversing with him, so it was only natural that he felt unfamiliar.

But why did such a sense of déjà vu overwhelm her.

As if she were facing someone she could never forget….

“…No, forgive me, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave then; please, attend to your work in peace.”

Lost in a peculiar reverie, Ysaris suddenly noticed my persistent, red gaze fixed upon her and turned around. As she left the office, leaving behind the promise of a later conversation, she could feel the sweat that had gathered on her back.

An inexplicable chill ran through her, one whose cause was hard to discern.

“…….”

Ysaris paused, overcome by an indescribable unease, and then shook her head. With nothing immediate she could do, she resolved not to waste any more time here.

It was time for Mikael to wake from his nap.

* * *

Ding-a-ling!

“Mom, look at this! This is so cool!”

“Yes, it’s pretty. And it sounds nice too. Do you like it?”

“Yeah!”

Ysaris naturally smiled in response to Mikael’s beaming face. The sight of her happily content son always warmed her heart.

The new toy, which produced clear, tinkling sounds and sparkled brilliantly every time it was shaken, did not leave Mikael’s grasp for a long while afterward. Watching him enjoy it from different angles, producing a variety of sounds, she couldn’t help but wonder…

Could it be that our child has a talent for music? What if he suddenly insists on learning an instrument? Is that an appropriate hobby for a Crown Prince?

In truth, as Ysaris watched Mikael—who was merely shaking the toy as he pleased—lost in thought, she glanced around. It turned out that Kazhan hadn’t ordered just one toy; there was a whole pile still unopened.

She found herself at a loss on how to interpret her husband’s actions—here were toys the child had only touched once or twice, left untouched and piled up in a corner, yet Kazhan had ordered as many as these. Calling it waste was too extravagant for royalty, yet being overly grateful didn’t sit well either. All the while, the true intentions behind his actions remained suspect.

But….

“Mikael, do you like Daddy?”

“Mmm? Yeah!”

Since the child likes him, perhaps it will be alright.

Without a word, Ysaris gently patted Mikael, a soft smile crossing her face. Having grown up loved by a harmonious pair of parents, only to lose her mother and be neglected by her father thereafter, she did not wish to subject her own son to the same sense of loss. She sought to present this fragile relationship in the best light possible, preserving his happiness for as long as she could.

If Kazhan does not cross the line, perhaps it could work.

“Your Majesty, a designer who will craft a new dress for the New Year’s banquet has arrived.”

“I will be leaving shortly.”

Ysaris replied to the maid and picked up Mikael in her arms.

No matter what her state of mind, the New Year’s festival was already upon her. This would be her first official appearance before the people of Uzephia.