What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 144
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Smack.
“Got it.”
In one swift motion, Kazhan’s left hand deftly caught the bird by its neck. Kicking off from the branches in a zigzag motion, he descended to the ground. He aimed for the clearest area possible but immediately worried about whether Mikael might have been scratched during the chase. He reached up to pull the boy off to inspect him, but the child clung stubbornly to his head, refusing to let go.
“Daddy! More! More!”
“…….”
Did this mean he enjoyed it?
Kazhan paused at the unexpected reaction, then let out a small sigh of relief. At the very least, it seemed he wouldn’t lose favor with Mikael or, by extension, Ysaris for the day’s events.
“Bold for his size,” he muttered, noting the stark contrast to his expectations.
The boy looked every bit like his mother, so Kazhan had assumed he’d share her aversion to heights. His thoughts briefly wandered to teenage Ysaris, who once clung to him in tears, begging to be brought down when he’d taken her up a mere tree branch. The memory softened his expression with a faint smile.
“Still, he is my son,” he mused aloud.
“More!”
“If I try that again, your mother will scold me.”
“Humph….”
Kazhan could feel Mikael puff out his cheeks—a sensation distinctly tangible thanks to the way the boy leaned against his head. It was like warm dough rising under his palm. Soft, squishy, and oddly heartwarming.
What a funny little thing.
Kazhan silently added to his impression of Mikael. Perhaps he was even… a little cute. Suppressing the sentiment, Kazhan raised his left hand to display the squirming bird he had captured.
Chirp! Chirp!
“Birdie!”
“Yes, it’s a bird. Are you satisfied now that I caught it?”
“I want it! I want it!”
“If you try to catch it yourself, it’ll surely escape. I’ll let you touch it later when we’re somewhere it can’t fly off.”
Kazhan was starting to get the hang of communicating with his son. It wasn’t perfect—more guesses than concrete understanding—but the exchange felt cozy. Walking back along the path they came from, Kazhan spotted Ysaris and her maids sprinting toward them from the opposite direction.
“Hah… hah… Mikael!”
“Momma!”
“Ysaa?”
Out of breath and panting, Ysaris wiped her sweaty forehead with a trembling hand, relief flooding her expression.
“Thank goodness you’re not hurt….”
She’d feared the worst after hearing Mikael’s high-pitched screams echo in the distance. Fretful thoughts plagued her: had the boy fallen? Was it her fault for letting him ride on Kazhan’s shoulders? Overcome with worry, she had rushed to find them, and now she leaned heavily against a nearby tree, utterly drained.
“What exactly were you doing? Mikael was screaming so loudly!”
“I jumped between a few trees. I had to if I wanted to catch the bird.”
“You actually caught the bird? With your bare hands?”
“Here. Look.”
Chirp! Chirp!
Ysaris’ eyes finally registered the flapping creature in Kazhan’s hand. Her gaze dropped to his dirt-streaked pants, clearly a product of extensive maneuvering through the grass and bushes.
Hadn’t she asked him to take a light stroll instead?
Now she was torn. Should she praise him for fulfilling their son’s wishes or scold him for engaging in such risky antics with the boy in tow? As a new mother, Ysaris was still fumbling with such decisions.
“That aside, if running such a short distance leaves you gasping like this, you should build your stamina, Ysaa.”
“How often do you think I have to run?” she retorted.
“Even basic endurance is important… even in bed—”
“KAZHAN!”
What are you trying to say in front of the child?!
The unspoken words were written all over her face. Her already flushed cheeks deepened in color, her expression tinged with equal parts indignation and embarrassment. The sight left Kazhan helplessly smitten.
“Oh, if only you’d keep that mouth of yours shut….”
The reproach in her voice and the fire in her eyes only served to charm him further. Surrounded by flowers and trees, it was Ysaris’ scent that consumed him most.
Autumn’s edge was upon them, and the crisp breeze felt refreshing as it dried the sweat on his skin. Ysaris’ platinum hair floated weightlessly, catching the sunlight like threads spun from gold.
It was a world bathed in radiant colors—the way he always saw it through her presence.
“Darling?”
“Birdie!”
Hearing his wife and son’s voices call out simultaneously, Kazhan finally moved. A slow smile stretched across his face.
“All that running made me hungry. Let’s eat.”
What a perfect family they were. So much so that he wished this moment could last forever.
