When I Took Back My Beloved Child Who Had Been Taken From Me, My Husband's Obsessive Love Began. Why? - Episode 35

“I never thought Leo would be considerate of me…”

“Yes?”

A brief silence passed between the two, but when Craig began to speak cheerfully, Lucienne looked up in surprise.

Suddenly, I am met with a gentle gaze.

Even when their eyes met earlier, Lucienne had never been looked at so gently before, and her heart raced and quickened once again.

“Um, Your Majesty…”

“Could you call me Craig?”

“Well, but…”

“Weren’t you calling me that back in the day?”

In a gentle voice that seemed to reminisce, Lucienne was almost inclined to agree.

However, I quickly reconsider.

If you are treated this kindly and even called by your name, the love you had given up on will start to grow again.

If I don’t keep a certain distance, not only will I suffer, but Leo will be dragged into it too, she reminded herself, taking a small deep breath and smiling apologetically.

“Thank you for your kind words, but… things are different now, so please allow me to decline.”

“What is different from the past?”

“It’s each other’s position.”

“Are we in the position of emperor and empress?”

“— Yes”

That’s not all.

Craig has a beloved person named Claudine.

Due to the issue of magical power, Lucienne was chosen as the queen, but originally, they should have welcomed Claudine as the queen.

Nevertheless, because Leoldo adores and is attached to Lucienne as a mother, we must spend this kind of time.

Even during this time, Craig might want to spend it with Claudine.

Unlike the rumors, Leoldo disliked Claudine.

When Lucienne first visited Leoldo’s room, she mentioned “that scary person,” and although I couldn’t confirm it at the time, I am now certain that she was referring to Claudine.

Perhaps Craig also sensed it and chose not to divorce Lucienne and remarry Claudine.

Even though Lucienne had thought it through to that extent, she still felt down.

Once again, silence fell, but this time it was quite awkward.

“……If you are considering your position as a consort, do you have any intention of returning to the Empress’s quarters?”

“That is…”

“You can’t stay here forever, can you?”

It was indeed Craig who broke the silence, but his words pierced Lucienne coldly.

What Craig says is not wrong.

In fact, even now, there are many people who are still gossiping about Lucienne, who continues to live in and out of Leoldo’s room.

I heard that Craig is refusing to let Lucienne return to the empress’s room, and that Lucienne is staying in the palace citing the prince as the reason.

Furthermore, many people sympathized with Claudine, who couldn’t meet Leoldo due to Lucienne’s presence.

“…If Your Majesty permits, I will return to my room a little later.”

“Go ahead and do that.”

When Lucienne answered hesitantly, Craig responded coldly.

I thought it was cold, but it might have just been Lucienne’s paranoia; I didn’t have the courage to look at Craig and confirm.

If Craig’s handsome face were to return to its usual expressionless state, I don’t think I could bear it.

On the contrary, if I saw disbelief or anger, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to recover.

I knew it, I must have been hoping for it somewhere deep down…

If Craig had asked me to return to my room as the Empress, I might have still held onto hope.

But that was just a confirmation of intent.

Lucienne couldn’t bring herself to be positive about Craig due to her past experiences.

As Lucienne was on the verge of despair, wondering if she would have to spend an agonizing time until Leoldo woke up, one of Craig’s secretaries entered hesitantly.

It seems that an urgent matter has come up.

Craig was speaking quietly with the secretary near the door, but he kept glancing at Lucienne in between.

Lucienne, seizing the opportunity, stood up and approached Craig to make her offer.

“Your Majesty, please leave the matter of Leoldo to me. He may be disappointed, but he will understand. Therefore, please make it up to him in other ways.”

“……Understood. I’m sorry, but please take care of Leoldo.”

“Understood.”

Craig hesitated slightly at Lucienne’s offer, but ultimately accepted it.

I already understand well enough that Craig cares about Leoldo.

Breaking a promise with someone like Leoldo must be quite a serious matter.

Lucienne understood from watching their interaction that it was never to escape this awkward moment.

Watching Craig leave with a lingering sense of regret, Lucienne let out a sigh of relief and sat down on the long bench.

Recently, I often found it enjoyable to spend time with Craig, but for the first time in a while, I felt uncomfortable, and all the strength seemed to leave my body.

Even so, since I don’t feel any disturbance in the magical energy, it was simply just nerves.

Leoldo probably tried to be considerate because he wanted his parents to get along.

Thinking about it makes me feel sorry, but I once again realized that I need to keep a certain distance from Craig.

At that moment, the sound of knocking on the door echoed again.

It was now Leoldo’s nap time, and while surprised that the guards had allowed a visitor, I watched as the maid attended to them.

Who could it be? Lucienne, worried that it might be an urgent message from Craig, was informed that it was Claudine’s visit.