“How have you been?”
It was the same question he had asked before. Anastasia doubted he had forgotten and wondered why he was asking it again.
Perhaps he sought a more detailed response now that they were alone. Previously, her response had been quite formal.
However, Anastasia was reluctant to deviate from her earlier response just because they were alone now.
“It was… as usual, just like I mentioned before,” she responded.
“I’ve heard about your project to build a school in the Asterim area,” Wilhelm remarked.
“Ahh…”
There was no way he wouldn’t receive a report.
In a faint tone, she replied, “I intend to allocate the funds earned from the auctions towards meaningful endeavors.”
“I’m surprised. I didn’t anticipate you doing all of this. I assumed you would spend the money on dresses and jewelry.”
“…”
“Did you forget about me?”
Anastasia looked at Wilhelm with a startled expression, feeling flustered by the sudden inquiry.
Adding to the unusual nature of the question, Wilhelm continued in a casual tone, “You never visited the Central Palace during the winter.”
“Should I have come to see you?” Anastasia inquired with a puzzled tone.
“I realize I didn’t visit you previously,” she admitted.
“That’s correct,” he replied, his expression showing a hint of disapproval.
“But considering what I mentioned last time, I thought you might have stopped by to say hello,” he added.
“I believe I’ve provided sufficient answers to that.”
‘And let’s leave it at that,’ she added internally.
“Your Majesty didn’t visit the Empress’ Palace even once during the winter, correct?”
“…What?”
“Are you implying that only you have the right to question your spouse?” Anastasia countered, though she refrained from directing these words explicitly at Wilhelm, who had never made an effort to seek her out.
She spoke out of disbelief that he would question her absence when he himself hadn’t visited.
However, Wilhelm seemed to interpret her words differently. He murmured with a sense of realization.
“…Then I can go?” He inquired.
“What?”
“I’m not saying I haven’t considered it,” Wilhelm clarified.
He simply waited, as Anastasia had not explicitly agreed to pretend to be a happy couple in front of others.
In any case, pretending to be a happy couple wasn’t something he could decide on his own.
“If you push too hard, Her Majesty might completely avoid you,” Colton advised. “You wouldn’t want to worsen your relationship further here, would you?”
However, he figured it wasn’t worth paying attention to either way. After all, they weren’t even in a romantic relationship, so what was the point?
Wilhelm nodded as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“I understand, that was a complaint. Very well,” he acknowledged.
“What? No, Your Majesty. It wasn’t a complaint…” Anastasia began to protest, but Wilhelm interrupted her.
“Next winter,” he interjected, promising with a peculiar smile.
“I’ll be the one to seek you out first,” Wilhelm declared.
“…”
“But there’s plenty of time before winter arrives again, so consider it before then,” he continued.
“What do you mean?” Anastasia asked, puzzled.
“Even if I don’t seek you out first, you’ll come to me first,” Wilhelm asserted.
“…”
Anastasia was momentarily speechless, but soon she grinned and responded confidently, “That’s not going to happen.”
Wilhelm frowned slightly, but Anastasia continued to dance with a relaxed expression.
Her words were sincere; she had always wanted to be the one to approach him first.
However, she couldn’t do so, and it would remain that way.
‘Because that’s the will of the Goddess,’ she thought to herself.
It was at that moment when someone remarked, “Oh, he’s…?”
“Indeed. How did he manage to arrive here?”
The hum of conversation filled the banquet hall, prompting Wilhelm and Anastasia to follow the direction of everyone’s gaze.
Before long, a familiar face emerged before the pair. Anastasia gasped in surprise, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
‘That kid…’
Meanwhile, a woman caught Anastasia and Wilhelm’s attention as she held the boy’s hand and approached them.
As the dance between the Emperor and Empress concluded, the orchestra naturally ceased playing.
Shortly after, the woman gracefully bowed and began speaking in a clear voice.
“I see the only sun and moon in the Empire. May the Goddess’ protection be eternal in Rosenberg.”
Shortly after, she turned to the boy holding her hand and prompted him kindly, “Now, greet Their Majesties, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“…”
The child hesitated briefly, but then, under the woman’s gaze, slowly spoke up. “I see the only sun and moon of the Empire.”
Anastasia regarded the child in front of her with a puzzled expression, not even considering acknowledging his greeting.
His luscious blond hair, his eyes gleaming as if adorned with peridot, and his adorable facial features all resembled those of Louis Rosenberg, as she remembered.
‘… How is this possible?’
A character who had perished both in the original work and before her return…but here he was, alive?
Anastasia couldn’t conceal her astonishment, unable to tear her gaze away from the child before her.
“Louis Rosenberg greets the Emperor and Empress,” the child said, introducing himself.
“You…”
Anastasia’s senses snapped back into focus when she heard the greeting, and she addressed the child with a tremor in her voice.
“You’re… Louis?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the child replied.
“Really..”
Though Louis displayed signs of surprise, Anastasia remained oblivious to them.
“You’ve grown so much.”
Soon, Anastasia embraced the child before her without any intervention from others.
The child in her embrace appeared startled and tense, but Anastasia paid no mind, gently loosening her grip around Louis.
“I never imagined you would grow up to be so handsome,” she remarked.
Louis was the only blood of the late Alexander the Great. As Wilhelm’s nephew, he had become Anastasia’s nephew as well.
After the Sun Emperor and his wife passed away on the same day at one o’clock, he left to recuperate on Schweig Island. However, around that time, his health deteriorated further, leading to the eventual demise of the child.
He was just six years old. This fate mirrored the original narrative and remained consistent before her return.
Because of her awareness of the tragic events in the original timeline, Anastasia showered Louis with exceptional affection.
Whenever she had the opportunity, she accompanied Wilhelm to Schweig Island to visit the child.
Despite the dissolution of her relationship with Wilhelm, there was still a significant reason for her actions.
Regardless of her attempts to keep her distance, the child followed her closely, leading to a fairly good relationship.
‘Even so, he grew up so quickly that I could hardly keep track of it year after year, always waiting for the next one…’
‘At six, you’re already like this.’
Anastasia couldn’t help but feel surprised, her eyes filled with emotion as she released him from her embrace and gazed at Louis’ face.
“Ah….”
This was because Louis’ expression – as he looked at her – was far from pleasant.
“…Louis?” Anastasia unconsciously called out to the child, feeling embarrassed.
She recalled Louis’ cheerful expression as he greeted her with joy before the regression, but the face before her now was anything but that.
‘Of course, I understand that Anastasia in the original narrative wouldn’t have interacted with Louis until my return, so I understand his discomfort, but…’
Nonetheless, it was astonishing that such a young child, only six years old, could cast such a hostile gaze towards others.
‘Did I hug him hard?’
Anastasia glanced at Louis, feeling embarrassed as he still appeared upset.
“It’s been a while, Louis,” Wilhelm’s voice interrupted from the side.
Anastasia turned her head to look at Wilhelm. He appeared relaxed and unperturbed, as if he had anticipated this scenario.
‘I wonder if Wilhelm received prior information.’
Returning her gaze to Louis, she noted that his expression remained somewhat embarrassed.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”.
“You’ve grown quite mature now. After all, you’re six years old this year,” Wilhelm remarked, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
“You don’t have to be so formal with me. Just call me uncle,” he suggested.
“No, Your Majesty.”
Louis flatly refused.
“Before my uncle, you are the sole sun in Rosenberg. I cannot disobey,” Louis declared, his words far beyond those of a typical six-year-old.
Anastasia glanced at the child, who spoke with such clarity, feeling a sense of awkwardness.
Indeed, being born into the aristocracy meant undergoing strict education, regardless of age.
‘Your manner of speech seems more fitting for a 16-year-old than a 6-year-old…’ Anastasia pondered to herself.
She changed the subject, studying Louis closely as he stood with his hands clasped together, his expression serious as if the world had come to an end.
“Why did you suddenly come to the palace, Prince? Or perhaps you missed us…”
“Do you hate that I’m here?”
He cut her off; Anastasia regarded Louis with a blank expression.
The image of a six-year-old child, with his youthful countenance, staring back at her with an expressionless face, felt somewhat unsettling.
He didn’t appear to be a typical six-year-old child.
“Oh, no, not at all. It’s wonderful. I was just so overwhelmed with joy that I couldn’t help but hug the prince,” Anastasia replied, her words slightly stuttered but clearly expressing her denial.
“I just wanted to make sure… Did it make you uncomfortable?”
“Perhaps… Were you offended?”
“Rather than that.”
Louis maintained his stern expression.
“It’s uncomfortable to engage with strangers,” he stated.
A stranger…
While not entirely inaccurate, the words pierced Anastasia’s heart like thorns, causing her pain.
Nonetheless, Anastasia smiled without showing it on her face.
“I apologize. I was just so delighted to see you that I just… I didn’t expect to see you here. I’ll be more mindful in the future,” she expressed sincerely.
“Yes.”
The response was cold. Anastasia considered asking again with a sheepish expression.
“So, what brings you to the palace…?” she started, but Wilhelm cut her off in a hushed tone, simply stating, “Louis.”
With no time to display her frustration at being interrupted twice, Wilhelm’s remark caught her off guard, leaving her feeling embarrassed.
“You’re being quite impolite to your aunt.”
