I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 55
Just as Lia and Jeshuan were about to conclude their walk and return to the Star Palace, they heard the sound of footsteps.
Jeshuan, noticing them, turned his body to avoid them, but their reaction was quicker than his attempt to evade.
“I greet, the Empire’s little light, the Empire’s hope, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Startled by seeing Jeshuan, they quickly composed themselves and saluted as if nothing had happened.
However, no matter how adept they were at hiding their emotions, they couldn’t completely conceal the underlying feelings.
Especially Jeshuan, who was keen on sensing others’ emotions.
Since he learned to think and walk on his own, he had to endure the fearful glances of others.
Even the closest caretakers were afraid of him and were extremely wary of touching him.
Therefore, for Jeshuan, recognizing the fleeting emotions that passed by in that brief moment was remarkably easy.
‘Tsk.’
Sensing the disdainful gazes directed at him, Jeshuan internally scoffed.
Being with Lia and facing them felt like plummeting from the clouds to the ground in an instant.
However, it was bearable, as the warmth in his hand comforted his mood.
The only concern was the unnecessary comments they might make, exposing information Lia shouldn’t know.
He didn’t want Lia to find out yet. She was the only one treating him as a person, not a monster.
And he didn’t want to lose that.
Clinging to this thought, Jeshuan reluctantly let go of Lia’s hand, not wanting to show them any favorable scenes.
Revealing their hand-holding in front of them was not something he desired.
The fear of losing Lia, the one person treating him as an individual, loomed over him.
Displaying their connection in front of those aristocrats wouldn’t serve any good purpose.
Especially not for Lia.
While Jeshuan was accustomed to the fearful glances and gossip, Lia wasn’t.
Considering her young age and the responsibilities of her position, he couldn’t subject her to baseless rumors because of him.
“It seems Your Highness was enjoying a stroll.”
Unlike Jeshuan’s wish for them to pass by without much interaction, the aristocrat engaged with a sharp, guarded tone.
“…Yes.”
Jeshuan kept his words brief; lengthy conversations would only make him appear as tempting prey.
As they weren’t close and extended talk would only create an opportunity for the aristocrat to throw tantalizing bait.
“Beside you is… Duke of Sithran, I presume.”
The aristocrat immediately recognized Lia beside Jeshuan, having met her at a previous ball.
It would be odd not to recognize her since they had already crossed paths.
The aristocrat cast a peculiar glance at Jeshuan and Lia.
A combination of a prince and a duke; if they strolled alone like this, they must be quite close.
“Nice to see you, Count Khieran.”
Lia extended polite greetings, ensuring to address him properly. Whether he recognized her or not, making her identity clear was a matter of courtesy.
“Hehe, I never expected the Duke to be enjoying a stroll with His Highness.”
The casually spoken words, accompanied by a light laugh, seemed ordinary, but Jeshuan detected the underlying probing.
“Just a coincidence meeting while taking a walk.”
He had no intention of unnecessarily exposing the relationship between him and Lia. It was the same with the deals that had transpired between him and Lia in the past.
Lia was already struggling to solidify her position as a duke. Revealing her connection with him would only complicate matters.
A slightly bitter expression crossed Jeshuan’s face.
He felt a stark realization of his situation and position.
“I never knew Your Highness enjoyed taking walks.”
Beneath the seemingly light words, the aristocrat harbored an unmistakably displeased sentiment.
It carried a nuance of belittling, suggesting that walks were too extravagant for someone like him.
It was subtle and sophisticated enough for Jeshuan to understand, but likely lost on others.
Regardless, the recipient was a prince.
Even if he were a count, openly displaying disdain towards a prince was out of the question.
Despite the precarious situation of the prince’s standing, until the emperor had another heir, the throne would inevitably pass to him.
Unless the emperor had other offspring, no matter how perilous the prince’s position appeared, the next imperial heir was clear.
Hence, the nobles fervently implored the emperor to take another empress to secure the succession.
They couldn’t bear the thought of the monstrous heir inheriting the throne.
It wasn’t a favorable decision for the empire either.
“Sometimes, taking a stroll like this isn’t a bad idea.”
Jeshuan never disliked strolling.
Remaining confined within the Star Palace all the time, spending hours alone – how could that be enjoyable.
It was simply the discomfort of people’s gazes that kept him secluded in his room.
“But shouldn’t you consider your surroundings? Especially when thinking about Your Highness’s well-being.”
In other words, it was a warning against someone potentially dangerous wandering freely.
Jeshuan clenched his fist.
Yes, he was well aware.
So intentionally avoiding going outside and lingering only in the room wasn’t just about him.
It was because he didn’t want someone becoming a needless danger because of him.
He didn’t want to harm anyone with his own hands.
But thanks to Lia’s proposal, a rare occasion brought him outside.
In such a situation, hearing the noble’s words wasn’t pleasant.
He couldn’t refute what was said.
So, as Jeshuan maintained his silence, Lia spoke up.
“Count.”
The quiet tone in Lia’s voice drew the noble’s attention.
“Unless you are too old to even go for a walk, you need to take a moderate walk for your health.”
Implicitly questioning if he was unaware of aging to that extent, her words carried a subtle tease.
Lia didn’t intend to provoke him to this extent.
Yet, the peculiar tension between Jeshuan and Count Khieran hinted at their relationship not being as positive.
Especially whenever Count Khieran spoke, Jeshuan seemed tense, almost flinching.
It might be her own unfounded misconception, but Jeshuan appeared uncomfortable, like a child who had done something they shouldn’t have.
So naturally, she could not look upon Count Khieran favorably.
Jeshuan was merely taking a walk.
Just that. There was no reason for Jeshuan to be concerned about Count Khieran’s reaction.
“Of course it is. But aren’t there such a thing as circumstances?”
“Yes, that’s true. That’s why His Highness needs the walk even more.”
In response to Lia’s words, Baron Khieran let out a dry laugh.
It was a laugh filled with a sense of absurdity, as if he had heard nonsense.
“Well, Your Highness, what do you think?”
Count Khieran directed the arrow of his question towards Jeshuan.
It was indeed a malicious act.
Jeshuan himself intended to imply that a walk was an excessive desire.
Lia didn’t grasp this fact entirely.
She wasn’t aware of Jeshuan’s condition.
However, she could sense that the intention behind such a question was far from benevolent.
Hence, Lia seized upon Count Khieran’s question.
“It’s strange. Walking is the equivalent of nothing, so why do you have to personally ask His Highness’s opinion like this?”
“I was just worried. As you know, a walk doesn’t seem like a good option for His Highness.”
If the opponent’s status had been slightly lower, Count Khieran might have dared to interfere.
But the opponent is a duke. She may be of lower status than the crown prince, but as a count, he was not someone who could do anything carelessly.
Especially through the last ball, didn’t he learn that she was not someone to be taken lightly?
“Although His Highness is weak, it is not so much that he cannot even take a walk.”
“Hah. His Highness is weak?”
Count Khieran let out another incredulous laugh.
“I don’t know where you heard such a rumor, but His Highness is by no means a weak person. In fact, the opposite is the problem. So, His Highness, wouldn’t it be better for you to go in now for your sake?”
The words were said as if they were for Jeshuan’s sake, but in reality, the meaning behind them was to stop endangering others and go back to your place.
“This is the Imperial Palace. It seems inappropriate for you to intervene in where His Highness goes or what he does.”
He was just taking a walk. However, the count was driving Jeshuan as if he had done something he should not have done, and was trying to send him back to his palace.
In this vast Imperial Palace, it appeared that Jeshuan’s only place was Star Palace.
Lia found the Count’s attitude immensely displeasing and disagreeable.
“Of course that’s true. But if it endangers those around him, wouldn’t I have no choice but to tell him, at least for his sake?”
“Your words sound as if you’re implying that His Highness is a dangerous presence. Is it just my imagination?”
In the tense atmosphere, Lia stared sharply at Count Khieran.
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