What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 102
“Let go for a moment. Mommy will wipe your mouth.”
“Oooh.”
“Good boy… After you finish eating this, shall we go wash up?”
“Mmh.”
“You should say, ‘Yes.'”
“Meeeh.”
Despite still chewing on something, Mikael managed to respond, his eyes darting around. Though his belly was already full, the greedy child reached for one last fruit. However, his eyes widened when an unfamiliar hand grabbed the fruit from the other side.
“I’ll remove the seeds for you.”
“…Oooh.”
“Oooh?”
Kazhan wondered if that was a yes as he swiftly took the fruit. But Mikael, who had been calm until now, erupted into a wail.
“Waaahhhh!”
“Cain! How could you snatch food from a child?!”
“No, I was just going to remove the seeds—”
“Give it here!”
Before Kazhan could explain, Ysaris snatched the fruit away from him. He stared at her in bewilderment, but she was already focused on soothing Mikael.
“There, there, my baby. See? The yummy fruit is back. Shall Mommy feed you? Open wide, ahhh…”
“Oooo… Ahhh.”
“That’s my boy, Mikael. You’re eating so well.”
“…”
Kazhan watched the harmonious scene between mother and son and felt like an outsider. He had suspected this might happen even from a distance, but the reality stung more than he expected.
He was, without a doubt, an intruder.
Kazhan glanced down at his empty hands. It was such a trivial, almost laughable situation, yet he couldn’t shake the hollow feeling it left him with.
As he sat there, silently stewing in his subdued emotions, he overheard the continued flow of their conversation.
“Mommy will take out the seeds here. Mikael, you can eat this part, okay? Good boy. Isn’t this easier?”
“Mmh…”
“That’s what Daddy was trying to do. Next time, let’s wait patiently and give him a chance, shall we?”
“Ooo.”
“You should say, ‘Yes,’ my dear.”
“Meeeh.”
With a loving smile, Ysaris kissed Mikael on the bridge of his nose.
“Such a good boy, my son. You listen so well to Mommy.”
“Good?”
“Yes, you’re good. Mikael is the best and cutest boy in the world.”
Ysaris stroked Mikael’s soft cheeks with an expression that seemed unable to contain her affection. Only then did she notice Kazhan’s gaze. He was staring at her with a blank expression, and the realization made her cough awkwardly.
“…You startled him by grabbing it so suddenly. I’ve shown you how to do it now, so you’ll do better next time, won’t you, dear?”
Kazhan didn’t respond immediately. Ysaris’ deliberate effort to include him in their little world felt slow to sink in.
He wasn’t entirely sure what he was feeling at the moment, but one thing was certain:
No matter what he did, he could never truly separate himself from Ysaris.
Not for the rest of his life.
* * *
“Is there anything else to pack?”
“This is everything.”
Several days had passed, and it was finally time to return to Uzephia. With the palace already equipped with everything they needed, Ysaris had only packed Mikael’s cherished toys and a few changes of clothes. If anything, she had added only some accessories.
Ysaris glanced down at the ring on her pinky finger. There was one thing she had to do before leaving.
“Wait a moment. I need to write a letter.”
“A letter?”
“To the person who let us stay here. Her name is Lena, and I want to at least thank her.”
Ysaris couldn’t recall much of the conversations she’d shared with Lena, but she remembered the woman telling her stories of her mother’s childhood. Given their long-standing connection and the kindness Lena had shown in taking her in, it was only proper to leave a message of gratitude.
“Do you know who that woman is?”
“She’s the owner of this village, isn’t she? Why?”
“It’s nothing. Go write your letter.”
Ysaris looked at Kazhan curiously but shrugged off his comment.
How strange.
She returned shortly, holding a neatly written letter. Her slender fingers carefully folded the paper and placed it into an envelope, which she left on the dining table. With that, Ysaris had finished preparing for the move.
“All ready. Let’s go. Mikael, come here and hold Mommy’s hand.”
“This one.”
“Daddy will carry that for you.”
With one person injured and the other a small child, Kazhan would have carried all the luggage even if Ysaris had been perfectly fine. Without complaint, he tucked Mikael’s toy box under one arm.
Soon, as promised, a wizened old man with gleaming golden eyes appeared in the shaded area behind the clearing.
“You managed to convince her smoothly, it seems. Ready to leave?”
“Yes, Sage.”
Kazhan turned to Ysaris and Mikael, giving a nod. After a long week, it was finally time to return to Uzephia.
