What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 76
It had been raining so much lately that she couldn’t step outside. Now that the rain had lessened, it was finally time to go out and buy food supplies.
‘Should I leave Mikael alone and go? Or should I wait until he wakes up and take him with me?’
Ysaris gazed at her son, who had finally fallen asleep after experiencing thunder and lightning for the first time, and her heart filled with worry. Under normal circumstances, she could just leave, but the memory of him crying his heart out the previous night made it hard for her to step out the door.
“…But I still need to prepare a meal.”
Ysaris closed her eyes tightly for a moment and then opened them, whispering to Mikael with a determined expression for the sake of a better breakfast. Her voice was so soft and gentle that it wouldn’t even reach the sleeping baby’s ears.
“I’ll be quick and only go right in front. Rest well.”
Of course, there was no reply. Ysaris looked at Mikael, peacefully breathing in his sleep, before she slowly moved.
Now fully accustomed to the life of a commoner, she didn’t take long to wash up, change clothes, and head out. Without the need for the elaborate grooming she used to endure in the palace, this part of her life felt easier in comparison.
“Liz, you’re out today! Did you sleep well last night? The weather has been dreadful lately, hasn’t it?”
“Hello, Mrs. Perry. Thankfully, the rain has let up today. Could you pack me some fruit?”
“Of course, I’ll throw in some extras for you! I missed seeing you the past few days. Haha!”
The owner of the shop closest to her home filled her basket to the brim with fruit. The next shop she visited gave her plenty of meat, and the one after that stacked a generous amount of bread. Several neighbors, greeting her warmly, added various snacks and a few light vegetables.
“Whoa, Liz, isn’t that too much? Can you manage that on your own?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Thanks for your concern, Jayne.”
Leaving behind the worried gazes, Ysaris quickly moved along. Holding an umbrella in one hand, she had to constantly adjust her posture to keep the items precariously balanced in her arms from falling.
Normally, it would have been wise to ask for help, but she’d managed on her own so far and was reluctant to ask. Besides, she preferred not to let others inside her home.
It was the one place where only she and Mikael were allowed peace.
<Don’t let anyone into the house. Even if you’re staying here, this is my home. If you really need to meet someone, do it outside.>
<I don’t plan on doing that.>
<Then don’t stay out either. I don’t like my space being violated, so keep that in mind.>
Being within the boundaries of Lena’s protection gave Ysaris a sense of security. It wasn’t just about trust; it was the satisfaction of knowing the space was entirely hers and her son’s. She didn’t want to disrupt that by inviting others in for any reason.
“…But it is heavy.”
Ysaris gritted her teeth, summoning strength into her trembling arms, and hurried her pace. Fortunately, she had only gone a short distance, and her cottage soon came into view. All she had to do was pass through the empty clearing at the village’s edge, and she’d be there.
That was when it happened. Not noticing a slight dip in the ground, Ysaris misstepped and stumbled forward.
“Oh…!”
Luckily, she quickly regained her balance with her other foot, avoiding a fall, but one of the small sacks at the top tumbled to the ground. It was the one containing Mikael’s favorite cookies.
“Darn it.”
Ysaris bent awkwardly, trying to pick it up, but she couldn’t reach it without spilling the rest of the food that was barely balanced in her arms.
What a mess.
Frozen in place, her face full of frustration, she suddenly saw someone reach out to help. She heard a splash as someone stepped into the puddle nearby and bent down to retrieve the bag of cookies for her.
It was a man in a black robe.
“Be careful.”
“Oh, thank you. The rain made it so—!”
Ysaris’s cheerful voice trailed off. As the man straightened up, she caught a glimpse of his face beneath the robe, and her blue eyes widened in shock.
Red eyes. Black hair. A chiseled face.
He was her husband—someone who should never have been in this place.
“How… how…?”
Ysaris’s mind went blank. The moment she realized who the man was, all the strength drained from her body, and she dropped the umbrella she had been holding. The food she had been carrying scattered across the ground.
Yet, she didn’t get wet. Kazhan caught the umbrella just before it hit the ground and held it up over her again, covering her with its wide canopy.
Raindrops pattered softly on the beige umbrella, just as Kazhan’s robe became more and more soaked with rain.
In the silence of the empty clearing, the two of them, man and woman, met once again.
