My Child's Father is The Emperor - Chapter 8.1
Knock knock.
“Mr. Ernst, I’m coming in.”
At the sound of knocking, Adele opened her eyes.
“Good… um, morning.”
Her throat was sore. The corners of her eyes stung.
Adele recalled the dream she had the night before.
“It hurts my heart.”
No matter who the Emperor himself was, for the past several years, he had been Adele’s love and husband.
Perhaps that’s why. Even in her dream, telling him they should part hurt her heart.
It was a deep, aching pain, like severing ties with a beloved lover. A peculiar sense of exhaustion overwhelmed her.
“Haaaah”
Adele sighed.
Yuria, watching her, examined her complexion.
“Maybe you should rest a bit more?”
“No, today I want to see Leo.”
Adele threw off the covers and swung her legs off the bed, placing her hands down.
“Huh?”
Something sparkling caught her hand.
“What’s this?”
She picked up the object, beautifully glittering in gold.
It was slightly smaller than a palm and had a golden chain attached.
“A locket?”
With a curious mind, Adele pressed the clasp.
Click.
A round lid opened, revealing not a portrait but a clock inside.
A clock. Adele was familiar with the item.
In the Dreyfus Castle, there was a clock tower that rang on the hour. It was the only clock in the domain.
Clocks are expensive and precious items.
Such a small and luxurious clock could only be made in a duchy called “Jettsen,” a vassal state of the empire.
“Why is this here on the bed?”
Adele, who hadn’t left the bed in days, tilted her head in confusion.
“Uh, Yuria. This doesn’t seem like it belongs to me.”
Suddenly, Adele felt afraid.
The most common tactic used by nobles to harass someone of lower status was to disguise it as ‘theft’.
It’s a common tactic to slip expensive items or jewelry into someone’s belongings and then accuse them of theft. Sadly, this planted evidence makes it difficult to prove innocence.
Yuria’s eyes widened as she saw the clock in Adele’s hand.
“Mr. Ernst, that clock belongs to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“What did you say?”
Adele was startled, prompting the maid to quickly speak up.
“Actually, His Majesty visited last night.”
“The Emperor did?”
The maid bowed her head nervously.
“That’s right… he was definitely in the corridor yesterday, but we didn’t see him enter. We were all surprised when he left.”
“I see…”
Adele gave the anxious maid a reassuring smile.
“It’s okay.”
Relieved, the maid’s face relaxed.
“So, this is…”
“Mr. Ernst, it would be best if you return it personally.”
Yuria quickly suggested.
“Yes. I will do that.”
Adele sighed softly.
She did not relish the thought of facing the Emperor.
Yet, the idea of someone else picking up the item and taking it to the Emperor didn’t sit well with her.
“You will have breakfast with His Majesty and His Highness Leopold.”
His Highness Leopold?
Leopold was still Adele’s son. Leopold Ernst. It was more appropriate to refer to him as Mr. Ernst.
The use of “His Highness Leopold” by Yuria immediately soured Adele’s mood, as it was reflective of the Emperor’s wishes.
“I have no interest.”
“His Majesty and His Highness Leopold are waiting for you.”
Her hesitation was brief. The mention of her child waiting swayed her, and reluctantly, she nodded.
‘So, after leaving in anger yesterday, he’s using Leo like this?’
No matter how she thought about it, everything the Emperor did now seemed spiteful.
Yet, the thought of Leo waiting to have breakfast with his mother made it impossible for her to refuse.
‘I dreamt of Van last night.’
The thought that the Emperor had visited felt strange to Adele.
‘What if I talked in my sleep in front of the Emperor?’
Adele revisited the content of the dream she had all night.
“Van. I love you.”
A groan inadvertently escaped her lips.
‘Surely, I didn’t let such words slip out, did I?’
“I guess I wanted to be loved by Van.”
Adele’s head began to ache.
“Now I can’t love you anymore, Van.”
Really, how many times had she declared her love in her dream?
Today, Adele chose a dress similar to what she always wore.
“With so many dresses here, how do you always find this one?”
Yuria tidied up Adele’s hair with a slight grumble.
Adele didn’t lack the desire to wear flashy and pretty dresses.
Who would refuse such allure?
But she feared that once she indulged in such luxury, not meant for her, she might lose herself.
Administrative Officer Adelaide Ernst.
She didn’t want to lose herself.
Wearing clothes similar to her usual work attire somewhat calmed her.
“Mommy!”
“Leo.”
Adele greeted her son with a bright smile.
“Your Majesty, good morning.”
“Sit down.”
The Emperor, as always, had an impassive face.
‘Phew, thankfully, I didn’t talk in my sleep or anything like that.’
Adele felt relieved.
Something in her had become clear after the dream last night. Van was a figment of Adele’s imagination.
The ‘Van’ she had known until now wasn’t the real Van.
The Van she met was this Emperor. That one night years ago was tender, but four years have passed.
It was too long a time to maintain memories of a fleeting encounter.
Adele decided to accept the situation as it was.
Although it was sad, Adele thought that one can’t part with someone who doesn’t exist.
With that thought, she felt a bit better.
