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Chapter 17




The emperor, Barmun, who was doing his duties, slowly rose from his seat and stood by the window.
He could see a large garden beyond the glass window, which was so large that he couldn’t cover it even if he stretched out his hands.
The red flowers that bloomed smoothly shook in the spring wind.
It looked as if a giant red dragon was wavering.
It was a rare sight, but Barmun seemed as if he was looking at a stone.
He recalled the news he heard a while ago.
– The third prince brought a woman and a child.
She is the missing eldest daughter of Count Estarot.
Pieces that had not been matched so far began to come into place one by one.
He could see why Yerhan, who had refused to become an imperial family member until now, offered a deal first.
Was it just to find a woman?
Barmun smirked. He never thought Yerhan would give up his freedom because of a woman and walked into the imperial palace on his own.
“Your Majesty.”
The servant standing at the door called Barmun.
He nodded lightly, not even looking at the servant.
“The third prince asks for an audience.”
“Let him in.”
It was just the right time.
Barmun turned, already knowing what business Yerhan had that made him come.
When the servant opened the door, Yerhan stepped inside.
A slim but firm muscular body, wide shoulders, close to white blond hair, and refreshing blue eyes.
The overall appearance resembles Barmun, but his eyes and lips resemble his mother.
Barmun briefly recalled the good-looking woman and then erased it.
“Long time no see.”
Barmun said, pretending to be a friendly father.
Then Yerhan greeted him with the imperial’s courtesy.
“I greet the emperor, the blood of the great divinity.”
“So what brings you here?”
Barmun jumped straight to the point, not even offering him a seat.
Yerhan also stood there and answered as if he had not expected his consideration.
“I’m here to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“I’m planning to have a wedding soon.”
It was more of a notice, not a request.
Barmun was going to wait and see what would happen to Yerhan, but he didn’t expect there would be a day for Yerhan to get married.
Barmun stood by the window, and slowly approached Yerhan.
The unhesitant gaze in Yerhan’s eyes really resembled him.
Barmun, who stopped walking, asked again.
“Which family is the lady from?”
Even though he knew the general situation, he pretended not to know.
“It’s Count Estarot’s eldest daughter.”
“Count Estarot.”
Barmun raised the corner of his mouth.
It was once one of the most prestigious families in the empire, but it was a family that was almost destroyed when they challenged the imperial authority without knowing their place.
Especially since the death of the previous Count, they became noble only in name.
Barmun slowly swept a finger down his chin.
This was a good thing.
He was already thinking about how to tie Yerhan’s leash.
He was a good sword for Barmun, but Yerhan can swerve and stab him anytime.
The woman and the child would play a role to keep Yerhan locked up.
Furthermore, because she’s a woman of a humble family, Yerhan could not expect foreign powers either…..
Barmun, who organized his thoughts, nodded.
“Do as you please.”
***
It had been two days since she entered the Imperial Palace.
All that time, Rosena took care of Illian and was unable to get out of the palace.
It might be boring being stuck in the room, but Yerhan often stopped by, so she didn’t have time for that.
And even now, Yerhan stood behind Rosena and watched the two of them quietly.
It was Rosena who split the silence that filled the room.
“Aren’t you busy?”
“No, I’m not.”
The silence fell again with a slow answer.
Rosena wriggled her fingers for no reason.
She still felt uncomfortable to be in the same place as him.
She couldn’t talk to him and laugh without much thought like that time.
Rosena, conscious of him standing behind her, touched Illian’s cheek.
Yerhan said he would open his eyes as early as today.
Rosena clasped Illian’s hand with her eyes closed.
“…Mom?”
Rosena hurriedly raised her head to a voice that sounded like a hallucination.
The tightly closed eyelids opened, and clear eyes were facing Rosena.
Illian, who was wiggling his fingers, called Rosena again.
“Mom…”
Rosena’s lips, which couldn’t say anything for a second, fell apart.
She hugged Illian with a face that seemed about to cry.
“Illian!”
As Rosena hugged him tightly, Illian smiled broadly.
A loud, clear laugh dug into Rosena’s ear.
At Illian’s voice, which had not been heard for more than two months, Rosena was thrilled and touched his cheeks.
“Engh, it tickwesh.”
Illian laughed with an inarticulate tone.
He just woke up from sleep, but Rosena’s reaction was extraordinary.
But Illian was enjoying Rosena’s arms to his heart’s content without missing an opportunity.
“That’s a relief.”
A bulging hand gently wrapped around Rosena’s shoulder.
Illian’s eyes, who watched that scene, grew bigger as if they would pop out.
Illian’s gaze gradually ascended to the hand on Rosena’s shoulder.
In the end, a huge man caught his eyes.
It was a big guy with bright blond hair like his own.
Who is he? Why is he touching his mother’s shoulders?
Illian, who had never seen Yerhan before, gave him a scary look.
But Yerhan spoke to Rosena calmly.
“Come to think of it, I don’t know the child’s name.”
Rosena let Illian out of her arms and stared at Yerhan.
“It’s Illian.”
“That’s such a nice name.”
Yerhan faintly whispered.
Rosena patted Illian on the head and called him by name.
“Illian.”
Illian, who was still staring at Yerhan, softened his face at his mother’s call.
He had to pretend to be an innocent kid who didn’t know anything.
“Mom, who is… this?”
Rosena hesitated for a moment and confessed the truth.
“This person is… your father.”
Illian looked at Rosena, his face a stark white.
He waited for her to tell him it was a lie, a joke, but Rosena never corrected herself.
“Sorry, you must have been very surprised,”
Rosena coaxed Illian who froze at her words.
How shocked the child must have been when the father, who he had never seen before and thought he never had, suddenly showed up.
It would take a little time to explain it slowly. She regretted revealing the truth so suddenly.
“May I talk to the child alone for a moment?”
Yerhan, who was standing still, asked softly.
At his polite request, Rosena slowly rose from her seat.
This was the first time the two met each other.
She thought it would be good to make room for a while.
“Then I’ll be out there.”
Before leaving, Rosena dabbed her lips lightly on Illian’s round cheek.
Yerhan’s forehead narrowed when he saw it.
The air in the warm room cooled down in an instant with the sound of the door closing.
Yerhan, who always had a soft look on his face earlier, erased his smile.
Half-sitting on bed, Illian also stared at Yerhan with a fierce look.
“Who are you?”
When Illian spoke clearly, Yerhan folded his arms.
The child who had been acting cute and talking in an inarticulate way until now was nowhere to be found.
“I’m your father.”
Illian crumpled his face in response to the short answer.
Then he spoke in an unaccepting tone.
“I don’t have a father.”
That was a very determined answer.
Illian had never missed his father’s figure in his life.
Rosena’s love was enough, and he was also worried that she might be taken away by someone else.
Rather, he resented the existence of his father when he saw Rosena, who sometimes looked lonely.
There was no way he could accept a man who suddenly appeared claiming to be his father.
“Well, whatever it is, I’ll have to thank you anyway.”
Yerhan, standing sideways, took a step toward the bed.
A huge shadow cast over Illian, who was wary of him like a cat with its tail up.
He bent slowly to narrow the distance between him and Illian.
His stiff mouth loosened, and the tail of his mouth went up smoothly.
“Thanks. I found her thanks to you.”
“What…”
Illian looked up at Yerhan with shaky eyes.
Instead of explaining every phrase, Yerhan explained briefly.
“From now on, this is your home. We’ll have a wedding soon, so don’t burden your mom.”
Illian was shocked, to the point that he couldn’t move his body.
It was ridiculous that his mother was getting married, not anyone else.
“…..”
Yerhan spat out a few things to Illian, whose face was white.
“And isn’t it time to graduate from being in your mother’s arms at this age?”
Illian, who couldn’t say anything, clenched his fist.
Then he looked straight up at Yerhan with a big frown.
“You.”
Yerhan’s eyebrows were bent at the title.
“Mom didn’t even miss you while she was living with me!”
Hearing what he said with his high pitched voice, Yerhan’s expression immediately darkened.
His relaxed expression broke, and his shoulders dropped noticeably.
Illian, who was elated at once, spoke clearly, inflating his small body to the fullest.
“I’m going to tell my mom that you bullied me.”
“…..”
“Mom is going to cancel the wedding because she loves me!”
Illian glared at Yerhan and huffed.
Yerhan looked at Illian and muttered with facial expressions erased like before.
“Then there’s nothing I can do.”
Yerhan slowly lifted up his body.
It looked like a big beast stretching.
“I have no choice but to let her go and live with you.”
What the hell is he talking about this time?
As if understanding Illian’s expression, Yerhan answered insensitively.
“But since you are an imperial family member, you cannot leave this palace.”
Illian’s mouth was wide open.