Hiding the Emperor's Child

Chapter 65

Astelle spent the night attending to Theor, monitoring for any signs of fever. Despite the doctor's assurance that Theor had taken antipyretics and the condition wouldn't worsen, his young age left room for concern. There lingered a fear that something might go amiss.

Exhausted from the night's vigil, Astelle drifted off to sleep briefly. Awakening to the soft glow of dawn filtering through the curtains, she sensed a foreign presence upon turning around. As she gathered her bearings, Astelle noticed a comforting warmth from a blanket draped over her shoulders.

"Lady Astelle," Hannah's voice broke the silence, confirming her presence beside her.

"Are you already awake, Hannah?" Astelle asked, noting that it was still dawn, yet Hannah was impeccably dressed in her maid's attire. It dawned on Astelle that Hannah had remained vigilant through the entire night, watching over them.

"Lady Astelle, we've prepared hot tea and soup. Please have some," Hannah offered, setting a tray with teapots and bowls of soup on the table near the window.

"Thank you," Astelle responded, rising from her seat to partake in the offered sustenance.

As Astelle approached the table, her gaze met Hannah's, revealing a depth and darkness in Hannah's eyes that struck a chord within her. It suddenly dawned on Astelle that Hannah, who had remained reticent since the previous night, held a crucial piece of knowledge.

Later, Astelle realized there were only four individuals privy to her sensitive constitution, her father, older brother, maternal grandfather—the marquis, and Hannah, her longtime maid of honor since childhood.

With calmness akin to the depths of an unknown sea, Hannah respectfully bowed to Astelle. "I won't ask any questions until Lady Astelle chooses to confide," she stated.

This left Astelle speechless, grappling with the decision of whether she could confide in Hannah.

'Can I tell Hannah?'

Astelle held the answer to her own question. In her eyes, Hannah was the epitome of reliability—the closest thing to family after her maternal grandfather.

"I can't keep hiding it. Hannah, it's as you might suspect," Astelle confessed, acknowledging that Hannah had likely already discerned the truth.

Hannah's calm brown eyes were moved by Astelle's admission, revealing a subtle tremor within her composure.

Her eyes, initially shaken in shock, gradually clouded with sorrow. Hannah shook her head, muffling any sound by covering her mouth with her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks, cascading to the floor.

"Don't cry, Hannah," Astelle implored, enfolding Hannah in a comforting embrace, her arms encircling Hannah's shoulders. Tears continued to flow from Hannah's eyes, dampening Astelle's shoulders.

"Lady Astelle... the fact that I wasn't there when you needed me the most... I'm deeply sorry," Hannah murmured, her voice heavy with regret.

In the serene bedroom, bathed in the gentle light of dawn, Astelle and Hannah found solace in each other's embrace, sharing a moment of quiet warmth.

Hannah refrained from probing about the child's father. Having observed Astelle's passionate love for Kaizen up close and witnessing her dethronement and departure after her marriage, she wondered about Astelle's subsequent journey but didn't voice those questions.

Astelle made a decision—to finally disclose the truth to Hannah.

She no longer wished to keep secrets from her loyal confidante.

"He is the emperor's son," Astelle whispered softly into Hannah's ear, breaking the silence with the truth she had held back for so long.

"Theor is His Majesty's son. I used a potion to alter his eye color. We must protect his identity. His safety depends on it," Astelle explained succinctly, conveying the gravity of the situation to Hannah. They needed to keep this secret until they were in a safe place.