I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 20
“Surprising. You’re the one who came to find me first.”
He was a son who intensely avoided encountering people.
So, he always spent time alone, stuck far away in the remote palace, away from the main palace.
Only when the emperor, his father, called him would he reluctantly step into the main palace, revealing his face.
Therefore, the emperor always felt sorry for Jeshuan.
Because the emperor knew why he was being so cautious.
So, the emperor hoped more than anyone for Jeshuan’s issues to be resolved, but as the emperor, there was little the emperor could do.
Until now, despite searching tirelessly, no solution could be found.
Knowing the sorrow etched on the emperor’s face, Jeshuan pretended not to know.
Knowing that Father cherishes and loves him more than anyone else, but just dealing with his own situation left Jeshuan with no room to spare for concerns.
Jeshuan slowly spoke. His expression seemed more serious than ever.
“I have a request, Father.”
“…. A request from me?”
The emperor’s expression showed surprise as if he heard an unexpected statement.
Indeed, until now, he had been a son who never made even a trivial request.
As if he had no will of his own, he simply accepted and followed whatever the emperor said, acknowledging his situation without expressing any personal desires.
Therefore, surprisingly, or rather for the first time, the emperor felt joy at the mention of a request from Jeshuan.
“I want to keep lady from Sithran duke’s by my side.”
“… Hm.”
The emperor made a small, unexpected sound at the content he hadn’t thought of at all.
“What does that mean?”
Although he wanted to grant any request from his son, the request Jeshuan brought up was something even the emperor couldn’t easily decide upon.
It is none other than the young lady of the Sithran Duke’s residence.
Just as Jeshuan was precious, the emperor also cherished and cared for the young lady of the Sithran Duke’s residence.
Moreover, by the young lord’s side, there was a grand duke.
Therefore, without knowing the intention, he couldn’t readily grant his son’s request.
“Exactly.”
“It seems a more precise explanation is needed.”
What the desire to keep by his side exactly meant, and the reasons behind it, required more accurate clarification.
“I simply liked the lady from Sithran Duke, and I thought it wouldn’t be bad to have someone close by. That’s all.”
Jeshuan’s calm yet indifferent tone touched the emperor’s sensitive heart.
The emperor, who empathized with Jeshuan’s situation more than anyone else, was in a difficult position.
Despite being a crown prince, he couldn’t reveal himself publicly, nor could he keep someone close.
Though Jeshuan never showed it, he must have been very lonely all this time.
How could it not be?
He had to spend that considerable, if not long, time alone.
“Surprising.”
“I just felt that now, I also need someone to share my feelings with.”
Of course, he didn’t request such a thing from the emperor for that reason alone.
Jeshuan understood his situation well and accepted it.
So, he didn’t want to harbor unnecessary desires.
He didn’t want to experience expectations turning into disappointments and hopes turning into despair anymore.
Therefore, he didn’t long for or hope for someone’s warmth.
Having someone by his side only made him more miserable.
He didn’t want to hurt his precious ones with his own hands anymore.
However, he wanted the young lady of Sithran by his side because she was special.
He didn’t know why.
At that moment, judging by her reaction, it seemed she herself might not know.
Anyway, I could only breathe properly when she was around.
In the midst of torment, her outstretched hand became a small yet crucial escape route.
That was the reason.
Although he tried not to harbor futile hopes or expectations, he couldn’t pass up the chance to find a moment of comfort in the hellish time.
So, for now, he considered keeping her by his side.
It didn’t have to be an intimate and deep relationship involving sharing feelings; just being there was enough.
After all, he didn’t wish for anything more.
‘But it’s still unknown.’
What outcome his current decision would bring.
As it was a somewhat impulsive decision, Jeshuan couldn’t predict anything hastily.
The only certain thing was that he felt pushed to the extreme, to the point where he needed to hold onto her even in this way.
It had become unbearable to endure any longer.
“You making a friend is something I can’t reject even as an emperor. It’s just hard for me to say something rash. Despite being young, your counterpart is the young lady of the Sithran Duke. You can’t wield authority just because you’re the emperor.”
“It’s my first and last request.”
If I tell the emperor everything, Father would undoubtedly grant my request in the end.
Once he understands why I want to keep her by my side and what her abilities are.
Although I don’t know the details of her abilities, at least one thing is certain.
She is unaffected by my abilities and can also calm my dangerous state right before an outburst.
That alone gave her great significance.
However, Jeshuan didn’t feel the need to tell the emperor about these facts.
Speaking about it hastily could lead to significant consequences.
Especially since, even if she helps me immediately, it’s uncertain whether she will continue to do so in the future.
Her abilities might be limited, and they could either not fully assist my condition or have only a temporary effect.
When everything becomes certain, that’s when I’ll speak.
At that time, what I wish for from her might also change.
Along with that, the relationship between her and him was bound to change.
“First, let’s think about a plan.”
It wasn’t possible to force her by the emperor’s command to stay with Jeshuan.
Instead, it might be possible to persuade her and make her choose to stay with Jeshuan on her own.
To achieve that, he would have to propose something that would be hard for her to refuse.
“… Understood.”
It wasn’t the definitive answer he wanted, but Jeshuan compromised to that extent.
Even if he didn’t receive a clear answer now, surely, as his father, the emperor would find a way to grant his request.
So, if he waited a little longer, he would eventually obtain what he desired.
Thinking about this, an unnoticed small smile appeared on Jeshuan’s lips.
It was an exceedingly tiny and fragile smile, as if it would disappear with the slightest breeze, but undoubtedly, it was a smile.
* * *
Since the unwelcome guests arrived, Lia spent a hectic and chaotic time.
With the seat of the young lady vacant for over a week, the piled-up tasks were more than one or two.
In addition to the accumulated work, there were many other tasks to handle.
After officially announcing Cassian as the guardian, Lia instructed those managing various noble households and territories to submit reports.
Starting a few years before Grandfather passed away, she needed reports summarizing all the situations up to now.
Considering the amount of each report she had to go through, and their sheer number, it was a considerable task.
Due to the significant influence of the ducal house, both the number of noble households and the size of the managed territories were substantial.
However, it was inevitable.
To perform the duties of the young lady properly, it was necessary to understand how the household was functioning.
Of course, there were other reasons for instructing the submission of reports.
Based on these reports, she planned to identify and eliminate individuals who were unnecessary or posed problems.
Keeping those who didn’t follow her orders or failed to do their duties properly by her side would serve no good purpose.
She intended to sweep away the dust of distant relatives who had been a continual nuisance and tidy them up as well.
As quickly as possible, before they made an issue out of Cassian’s association with her and created an annoying fuss about his guardianship.
For him, Lia spent the past few days buried in paperwork, foregoing proper sleep.
But even that had its limits after four days.
“Ah, I want to rest… I want to sleep…”
Why won’t the documents piled on the desk decrease no matter how much she works on them?
Lia stared blankly at the paperwork still stacked like a mountain with unfocused eyes.
But what could she do?
It was a choice she made for herself.
To persistently secure her position, even though it wasn’t necessary to go to such lengths.
With that thought, Lia made an effort to regain composure and moved the momentarily paused hands.
In her eyes, a letter caught her attention.
It was a letter from the imperial palace.
“Oh, come to think of it, I kept forgetting to check this.”
With so many documents to check, it was inevitable.
‘I should read it now.’
It was a letter from the imperial palace, so she couldn’t ignore it, and it might contain important information.
After reading the letter, Lia frowned irritably, as if she found it very displeasing.
“What damn ball are they talking about!”
As if she wasn’t busy enough, now she had to attend a ball.
In a situation where time was scarce, she didn’t want to waste her precious time attending a ball.
Unfortunately, it was not a situation where she could easily decline attendance.
It was a seat arranged by the emperor for Lia.
Due to her young age, Lia couldn’t formally hold the succession ceremony.
She still felt more like a temporary young lady than a formal one.
However, regardless of that, now that she had started performing the duties of a young lady, it was necessary to formally introduce Lia.
The imperial ball was the occasion for this. It was hoped that this event would signify the emperor’s formal recognition and support for her.
Therefore, she had no choice but to attend.
Lia, frowning like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, heard a familiar voice in her ears.
“Should I clean up?”
