In truth, Vellian had never paid much attention to the former empress until now. Her whereabouts had not been a pressing issue. After all, nobody knew that the southern provinces were owned by the imperial family, so there was no urgency in locating her.
Vellian had taken his time to locate the former empress, ensuring that her disappearance wouldn't become a topic of gossip.
Had the situation been urgent, he would have ordered a widespread search throughout the country. Vellian was well aware that Kaizen held no special feelings for the former empress.
"His Majesty sent her dresses and jewelry..."
This was a shocking revelation for Vellian, who had observed Kaizen for years. Over the past six years, Kaizen had not shown any interest in special lovers.
There had been no women in his life, despite many attempting to capture his attention. He had never sent any gifts to anyone. Of course, during this time, he had been consumed by his duties and had little time for such matters.
Vellian pondered why His Majesty had sent presents to the former empress and invited her to dinner. Could it be out of guilt for their divorce?
Lost in his thoughts, Vellian remained silent. Kaizen, who had been quietly reading the documents, finally spoke without looking up.
"Is it such bad news that you can't find the words?"
"No, not exactly..."
Vellian cleared his throat and continued with his report.
"Lady Astelle declined the gifts and stated that she couldn't attend the dinner because she needed to take care of the child."
Kaizen's hand, which had been turning over the papers, came to a stop.
He recalled seeing Astelle talking to Marianne when they arrived at Maern Castle. Initially, he had been astonished by Astelle's appearance, but when she faced Marianne, her demeanor had turned more serious.
In the world of nobility, ladies had separate dresses for everyday use, formal events, outings, travel, and hunting. The fashion and style of each dress were distinctly different.
For Kaizen, who had spent years observing noble ladies, Astelle's clothing had appeared to be that of a beggar.
Kaizen had initially thought that Astelle would require appropriate clothing for her trip to the capital, so he had instructed the attendant to provide her with suitable attire. However, he hadn't anticipated her response.
"Bring the servant who delivered the presents," Kaizen commanded, wanting to hear what Astelle had said in her response.
The middle-aged servant who had conveyed Astelle's message entered the room and recounted her words, "Yes, Lady Astelle mentioned that she needed to ensure the child's proper mealtime as he is still young.
She acknowledged that she could leave it to the maids, but she felt uncomfortable entrusting such a task to maids she had just met. She explained that she didn't have time to go over the child's habits..."
Vellian, who had been observing the situation with a curious gaze, found himself in agreement with the former empress's reasoning. It was evident that the child, though about five or six years old, couldn't be left alone in a room.
Even among ordinary aristocrats, leaving a young child alone with a maid for less than an hour was uncommon. It was a matter of common sense.
However, not everyone seemed to understand this common-sense principle. The servant, who recounted Astelle's message, could sense genuine anger in the emperor's fiery eyes. In the heavy silence that followed, the servant bit their lower lip in unease.
