Yerhan, who stuck in a shocking remark, looked down at Illian.
It didn’t sound convincing to the little kid, but from the look on his face, it seemed that he understood enough.
Yerhan loosened his arms.
Either way, he needed Illian’s help to turn Rosena’s mind around.
He needed to get Illian on his side.
Yerhan whispered as he reached for Illian.
“If you cooperate, I’ll let you live with your mom.”
The skill of seducing gently was not something he had done merely once or twice.
But Illian is Yerhan’s son.
No matter how young he was, he was not a child who fell for sugar-coated words.
When Illian refused to answer, Yerhan pulled out his hand.
“If you don’t like it, I can’t help it.”
There seemed to be a bloody war over Rosena.
Yerhan looked at Illian with an emotionless face.
Illian looked so much like himself, but his paternal love toward him could not have suddenly sprung up.
For him, Illian was just a tool to hold Rosena.
Moreover, Illan was like him, who apparently behaved cleverly and hogged Rosena’s affection.
“Lastly.”
Illian, who was still in shock, slowly met his eyes.
Yerhan’s mouth went up upon seeing the red eyes that resembled Rosena’s.
Seeing Rosena’s traces, his body reacted naturally.
“You’d better pretend to be as retarded as you were just now.”
“…..”
“Or the empress will try to kill you.”
The empress is a shrewd woman.
All those who were in the way of the crown prince were cleared by her.
In Yerhan’s case, he was kept alive for the conquest of the monsters, but Illian was different.
It was best to reduce the potential heirs to the throne as much as possible.
As Illian grabbed the quilt without a word, Yerhan shrugged lightly.
“Take care of yourself.”
The look on Illian’s face screamed unfairness.
This was the first time Illian was feeling a successive sense of defeat.
He stared at Yerhan, and when he was about to say something, he heard a knock.
“May I come in?”
All the bloody energy disappeared at Rosena’s voice.
Both of them changed their expressions in an instant. It was a change that made them almost become a different person.
Yerhan walked toward the door and opened it.
Then Rosena carefully came inside.
With a worried face, she looked alternately at Yerhan and Illian.
“Did both of you have enough time to talk?”
When Rosena nervously and cautiously asked, the two nodded reflexively.
Rosena sighed with relief, it seemed like she was worrying outside.
Then Yerhan let out a calm voice.
“He is a gentle and kind kid.”
Rosena’s face got much better because of his unspeakable lie.
Illian secretly glanced at Yerhan and blinked innocently as usual at Rosena’s gaze.
“We’re already pretty close.”
Yerhan reached out to Illian as if to show it to Rosena.
Illian hesitated for a moment and eventually grabbed his hands.
The two hands shook together.
“Ah…”
Rosena blinked slowly at the two showing such a sight.
It had only been a short time, but the relationship between the two seemed very close.
Did Illian miss his father’s existence?
Rosena looked at Illian with a slightly apologetic face.
“Pwease, hug me.”
Illian, who was stuttering, stretched out his arms.
Rosena immediately approached Illian and hugged him.
Then Yerhan, who was watching it disapprovingly, said,
“Come to daddy.”
Daddy?
Illian, who was in Rosena’s arms, looked at him with a face asking if he was crazy.
Then he dug into Rosena’s arms.
You can’t do this, can you? Then Illian stuck out his tongue.
Rosena, who didn’t see it, said while stroking Illian’s back in her arms.
“He must still be shy.”
Yerhan swallowed a fake smile as if he was speechless.
***
A day after Illian woke up, Rosena left the palace while holding Illian’s hand around late afternoon.
They weren’t able to walk for a long time, so she was going to take him for a light walk.
Yerhan seemed to want to follow, but he couldn’t accompany them because he had something to do.
Rosena looked down at Illian, who held her hand and walked enthusiastically.
Still, in Rosena’s eyes, Illian was like a baby.
There was a lot of time left for this little kid to grow up.
In the meantime, she had to stay here with Yerhan.
Maybe he felt Rosena’s gaze, Illian looked up.
His round eyes opened wide, and then he laughed.
Rosena, who smiled in unison, said, holding Illian’s hand tightly.
“Illian, there will be a lot of things that’s going to happen in the future.”
“…..”
“It’s hard for you to understand right now, but… Mom will always be there for you.”
Illian smiled at the words.
It seemed like he only understood that his mother would be next to him.
Rosena looked back after lightly stroking Illian’s hair.
Now that they’re a little further away from the palace, she could see it objectively.
The palace was as small as an annex attached to the main palace.
The roof was stained blue with rainwater, the walls of the building were left unattended for a long time and became yellowish.
Even the garden surrounding the palace was out of reach of the gardener, and weeds had grown tremendously.
It was to the point if she played hide-and-seek, she could hide in the bushes.
For a moment, Rosena was lost in thought.
What the hell is Yerhan’s existence like in the imperial palace?
Living in a place like this seemed like he was never treated as part of the royal family.
Come to think of it, she didn’t even know if Yerhan was his real name.
Rosena swallowed the bitterness and looked around.
Either way, this place was where Illian would stay.
It would not be good for a child to grow up isolated like this.
Rosena decided to change the place bit by bit during her stay here.
She was going to renovate the palace and decorate the garden.
It may be hard to do it alone, but she will be able to change it little by little like wet clothes in the drizzle.
How long did they walk, that she could now see the towering wall.
There was a fence surrounding the palace as if disconnecting it from the world.
In addition, the moss grew thick, creating a spooky atmosphere.
Rosena hesitated for a moment.
Can she go outside?
Yerhan didn’t tell her not to go out, so she thought it would be okay.
Carefully sticking her head out of the fence, a completely different world unfolded.
Unlike the dim backyard where Rosena stayed, the outside of the fence was filled with beautiful light.
Flowers that can’t raise their heads due to abundant petals and well-organized pathways.
Rosena finally took Illian by the hand and completely escaped the fence.
As Rosena and Illian stepped outside, the passersby stopped what they were doing and looked at Rosena.
Their expressions looked as if they were looking at a ghost.
Receiving their gazes, Rosena clenched Illian’s hand.
She didn’t want little Illian to be intimidated.
But Illian held Rosena’s hand tighter.
Rosena smiled at Illian and walked out with dignity.
If she gave in to these gazes, she would never cross the fence.
Since she was a stranger to the Imperial Palace, it was only natural that the eyes on her were not good.
The women dressed as maids passed by, and whispered about Rosena.
“She’s the one who just came into the Imperial Palace, isn’t she?”
“Looking that she was coming out from the third prince’s palace, that must be true.”
Third Prince.
Rosena tried not to listen, but their stories naturally streamed into her ears.
She couldn’t believe Yerhan is the third prince.
So far, she thought he is a relative of the royal family, but she didn’t think that he is directly related?
Rosena listed rumors about the third prince she had heard so far.
A lunatic, ugly, ghost, ill-tempered, bad personality…
The rumours were way different compared to the real Yerhan.
“As expected, for the purpose of raising status…”
While Rosena was lost in thought, the maids chattered incessantly.
Then Illian, who was holding Rosena’s hand, turned his head.
The women stopped talking and shut their mouths as they felt a gaze on them.
He was just a small child, but his stare was terrifying.
Only then did the women leave in a hurry.
However, their gazes at Rosena had not disappeared at all.
After a moment of agony, Illian bent his knees and sank to the floor.
“Mom… my leg…”
Hearing his whine, Rosena hurriedly lowered her head.
“Does your leg hurt? Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride?”
“Nggh. No.”
Illian shook his head. Rosena agonized and asked again.
“Shall we go back?”
Perhaps he heard the answer he wanted, for Illian nodded lightly.
Rosena stretched out her arms straight away, recalling that Illian had walked for the first time in a long time.
“All right, let’s go back.”
With Illian in her arms, Rosena turned away.
On her way back to the palace, Rosena’s mind became complicated.
If Yerhan was the third prince, then the imperial treatment was far too much.
A palace that hadn’t even been renovated, a garden that hadn’t been maintained for a long time, and there wasn’t even a proper servant.
In addition, the servants of the imperial palace spoke ill of the third prince.
Perhaps he was almost thrown out of the imperial family…..
Rosena recalled the face of Yerhan.
She remembered him being restless in case Rosena was cold.
“Who do you sympathize with?”
Rosena, who spoke to herself, let out a faint smile.
She wasn’t in a position to sympathize with anyone now.
She was in a more miserable situation and stuck in the Imperial Palace.
Rosena got herself together again.
She won’t dwell on Yerhan. The Imperial Palace was just a place to live in for a while.
Rosena walked into the fence and walked through the garden.
Rosena blinked at the person standing in front of the palace as she returned.
It was Yerhan.
“Is the walk over?”
Leaning against the wall, he immediately approached Rosena and asked.
Rosena was about to say something, but his gaze was on Illian.
Rosena hastily shut her mouth.
“I’ll hold him.”
Yerhan stretched out his arms. Then Illian turned his head and hugged Rosena a little tighter.
Yerhan, who saw it, said quietly.
“I think you’re having a hard time carrying the child for a long time.”
Illian quietly loosened up at the words that his mother was struggling.
But Illian stood up on his own, not going into Yerhan’s arms.
Yerhan looked down at Illian with a look of bewilderment, and soon stared at Rosena with a light smile.
Before they entered the palace, he opened his mouth, having thought of something.
“Ah, and the wedding date has been set.”
Illian’s serene face crumpled horribly.
Yerhan, who stuck in a shocking remark, looked down at Illian.
It didn’t sound convincing to the little kid, but from the look on his face, it seemed that he understood enough.
Yerhan loosened his arms.
Either way, he needed Illian’s help to turn Rosena’s mind around.
He needed to get Illian on his side.
Yerhan whispered as he reached for Illian.
“If you cooperate, I’ll let you live with your mom.”
The skill of seducing gently was not something he had done merely once or twice.
But Illian is Yerhan’s son.
No matter how young he was, he was not a child who fell for sugar-coated words.
When Illian refused to answer, Yerhan pulled out his hand.
“If you don’t like it, I can’t help it.”
There seemed to be a bloody war over Rosena.
Yerhan looked at Illian with an emotionless face.
Illian looked so much like himself, but his paternal love toward him could not have suddenly sprung up.
For him, Illian was just a tool to hold Rosena.
Moreover, Illan was like him, who apparently behaved cleverly and hogged Rosena’s affection.
“Lastly.”
Illian, who was still in shock, slowly met his eyes.
Yerhan’s mouth went up upon seeing the red eyes that resembled Rosena’s.
Seeing Rosena’s traces, his body reacted naturally.
“You’d better pretend to be as retarded as you were just now.”
“…..”
“Or the empress will try to kill you.”
The empress is a shrewd woman.
All those who were in the way of the crown prince were cleared by her.
In Yerhan’s case, he was kept alive for the conquest of the monsters, but Illian was different.
It was best to reduce the potential heirs to the throne as much as possible.
As Illian grabbed the quilt without a word, Yerhan shrugged lightly.
“Take care of yourself.”
The look on Illian’s face screamed unfairness.
This was the first time Illian was feeling a successive sense of defeat.
He stared at Yerhan, and when he was about to say something, he heard a knock.
“May I come in?”
All the bloody energy disappeared at Rosena’s voice.
Both of them changed their expressions in an instant. It was a change that made them almost become a different person.
Yerhan walked toward the door and opened it.
Then Rosena carefully came inside.
With a worried face, she looked alternately at Yerhan and Illian.
“Did both of you have enough time to talk?”
When Rosena nervously and cautiously asked, the two nodded reflexively.
Rosena sighed with relief, it seemed like she was worrying outside.
Then Yerhan let out a calm voice.
“He is a gentle and kind kid.”
Rosena’s face got much better because of his unspeakable lie.
Illian secretly glanced at Yerhan and blinked innocently as usual at Rosena’s gaze.
“We’re already pretty close.”
Yerhan reached out to Illian as if to show it to Rosena.
Illian hesitated for a moment and eventually grabbed his hands.
The two hands shook together.
“Ah…”
Rosena blinked slowly at the two showing such a sight.
It had only been a short time, but the relationship between the two seemed very close.
Did Illian miss his father’s existence?
Rosena looked at Illian with a slightly apologetic face.
“Pwease, hug me.”
Illian, who was stuttering, stretched out his arms.
Rosena immediately approached Illian and hugged him.
Then Yerhan, who was watching it disapprovingly, said,
“Come to daddy.”
Daddy?
Illian, who was in Rosena’s arms, looked at him with a face asking if he was crazy.
Then he dug into Rosena’s arms.
You can’t do this, can you? Then Illian stuck out his tongue.
Rosena, who didn’t see it, said while stroking Illian’s back in her arms.
“He must still be shy.”
Yerhan swallowed a fake smile as if he was speechless.
***
A day after Illian woke up, Rosena left the palace while holding Illian’s hand around late afternoon.
They weren’t able to walk for a long time, so she was going to take him for a light walk.
Yerhan seemed to want to follow, but he couldn’t accompany them because he had something to do.
Rosena looked down at Illian, who held her hand and walked enthusiastically.
Still, in Rosena’s eyes, Illian was like a baby.
There was a lot of time left for this little kid to grow up.
In the meantime, she had to stay here with Yerhan.
Maybe he felt Rosena’s gaze, Illian looked up.
His round eyes opened wide, and then he laughed.
Rosena, who smiled in unison, said, holding Illian’s hand tightly.
“Illian, there will be a lot of things that’s going to happen in the future.”
“…..”
“It’s hard for you to understand right now, but… Mom will always be there for you.”
Illian smiled at the words.
It seemed like he only understood that his mother would be next to him.
Rosena looked back after lightly stroking Illian’s hair.
Now that they’re a little further away from the palace, she could see it objectively.
The palace was as small as an annex attached to the main palace.
The roof was stained blue with rainwater, the walls of the building were left unattended for a long time and became yellowish.
Even the garden surrounding the palace was out of reach of the gardener, and weeds had grown tremendously.
It was to the point if she played hide-and-seek, she could hide in the bushes.
For a moment, Rosena was lost in thought.
What the hell is Yerhan’s existence like in the imperial palace?
Living in a place like this seemed like he was never treated as part of the royal family.
Come to think of it, she didn’t even know if Yerhan was his real name.
Rosena swallowed the bitterness and looked around.
Either way, this place was where Illian would stay.
It would not be good for a child to grow up isolated like this.
Rosena decided to change the place bit by bit during her stay here.
She was going to renovate the palace and decorate the garden.
It may be hard to do it alone, but she will be able to change it little by little like wet clothes in the drizzle.
How long did they walk, that she could now see the towering wall.
There was a fence surrounding the palace as if disconnecting it from the world.
In addition, the moss grew thick, creating a spooky atmosphere.
Rosena hesitated for a moment.
Can she go outside?
Yerhan didn’t tell her not to go out, so she thought it would be okay.
Carefully sticking her head out of the fence, a completely different world unfolded.
Unlike the dim backyard where Rosena stayed, the outside of the fence was filled with beautiful light.
Flowers that can’t raise their heads due to abundant petals and well-organized pathways.
Rosena finally took Illian by the hand and completely escaped the fence.
As Rosena and Illian stepped outside, the passersby stopped what they were doing and looked at Rosena.
Their expressions looked as if they were looking at a ghost.
Receiving their gazes, Rosena clenched Illian’s hand.
She didn’t want little Illian to be intimidated.
But Illian held Rosena’s hand tighter.
Rosena smiled at Illian and walked out with dignity.
If she gave in to these gazes, she would never cross the fence.
Since she was a stranger to the Imperial Palace, it was only natural that the eyes on her were not good.
The women dressed as maids passed by, and whispered about Rosena.
“She’s the one who just came into the Imperial Palace, isn’t she?”
“Looking that she was coming out from the third prince’s palace, that must be true.”
Third Prince.
Rosena tried not to listen, but their stories naturally streamed into her ears.
She couldn’t believe Yerhan is the third prince.
So far, she thought he is a relative of the royal family, but she didn’t think that he is directly related?
Rosena listed rumors about the third prince she had heard so far.
A lunatic, ugly, ghost, ill-tempered, bad personality…
The rumours were way different compared to the real Yerhan.
“As expected, for the purpose of raising status…”
While Rosena was lost in thought, the maids chattered incessantly.
Then Illian, who was holding Rosena’s hand, turned his head.
The women stopped talking and shut their mouths as they felt a gaze on them.
He was just a small child, but his stare was terrifying.
Only then did the women leave in a hurry.
However, their gazes at Rosena had not disappeared at all.
After a moment of agony, Illian bent his knees and sank to the floor.
“Mom… my leg…”
Hearing his whine, Rosena hurriedly lowered her head.
“Does your leg hurt? Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride?”
“Nggh. No.”
Illian shook his head. Rosena agonized and asked again.
“Shall we go back?”
Perhaps he heard the answer he wanted, for Illian nodded lightly.
Rosena stretched out her arms straight away, recalling that Illian had walked for the first time in a long time.
“All right, let’s go back.”
With Illian in her arms, Rosena turned away.
On her way back to the palace, Rosena’s mind became complicated.
If Yerhan was the third prince, then the imperial treatment was far too much.
A palace that hadn’t even been renovated, a garden that hadn’t been maintained for a long time, and there wasn’t even a proper servant.
In addition, the servants of the imperial palace spoke ill of the third prince.
Perhaps he was almost thrown out of the imperial family…..
Rosena recalled the face of Yerhan.
She remembered him being restless in case Rosena was cold.
“Who do you sympathize with?”
Rosena, who spoke to herself, let out a faint smile.
She wasn’t in a position to sympathize with anyone now.
She was in a more miserable situation and stuck in the Imperial Palace.
Rosena got herself together again.
She won’t dwell on Yerhan. The Imperial Palace was just a place to live in for a while.
Rosena walked into the fence and walked through the garden.
Rosena blinked at the person standing in front of the palace as she returned.
It was Yerhan.
“Is the walk over?”
Leaning against the wall, he immediately approached Rosena and asked.
Rosena was about to say something, but his gaze was on Illian.
Rosena hastily shut her mouth.
“I’ll hold him.”
Yerhan stretched out his arms. Then Illian turned his head and hugged Rosena a little tighter.
Yerhan, who saw it, said quietly.
“I think you’re having a hard time carrying the child for a long time.”
Illian quietly loosened up at the words that his mother was struggling.
But Illian stood up on his own, not going into Yerhan’s arms.
Yerhan looked down at Illian with a look of bewilderment, and soon stared at Rosena with a light smile.
Before they entered the palace, he opened his mouth, having thought of something.
“Ah, and the wedding date has been set.”
Illian’s serene face crumpled horribly.
