When I Took Back My Beloved Child Who Had Been Taken From Me, My Husband's Obsessive Love Began. Why? - Episode 48

I can tell that Aman is surprised and following me.

However, Lucienne did not stop and headed towards her destination—the courtyard where she often walked with Leoldo.

The courtyard is a garden that spreads out under the balcony, surrounded by high walls, making it difficult for anyone other than royalty to enter casually.

Of course, there are regular patrols, but the courtyard and the royal building where Lucienne and the others live are always protected by Craig’s strong barrier, making it impossible to intrude from the outside.

That’s why Craig is probably searching for the hidden passage.

Lucienne hadn’t been informed about the secret passage, but she naturally assumed there would be one.

Because it is also in the detached palace.

I had no complaints about not being informed by Craig; for now, as long as Leoldo was safe, everything else was trivial.

“Lucienne-sama, do you really think His Highness went out alone?”

“If it’s the usual child, they wouldn’t do something so foolish. That said, they’re still only two years old. They might do something unexpected.”

Finding Leoldo’s favorite picture book, Lucienne considered one possibility.

That picture book is a children’s fairy tale, but there is a scene where a fairy reveals a special secret to a princess who had been lamenting because she and her prince kept missing each other.

――If you collect and drink three drops of morning dew from a fairy flower, your wish will come true.

What kind of flower is this fairy flower, and is it in this courtyard as well? Leoldo, unusually for him, had been asking quite a lot of questions.

Lucienne looked at the flower depicted in the picture book and thought it might be a white bellflower because of its small, bell-like shape, and answered accordingly.

The season was just right for the white bell flowers to bloom, so I suggested we go see them together tomorrow—well, today at noon.

But what we need is morning dew…

I never would have thought that Leoldo would believe in fairy tales, but he is still only two years old.

There is a possibility that they did something reckless because they had a wish they wanted to fulfill.

It wasn’t certain, but as Lucienne stepped out onto the balcony, thinking that perhaps Leoldo had believed in the fairy tale and gone out to the courtyard, she thought she saw a figure and ran.

“Lady Lucienne, is it true that His Highness is here…?”

“I don’t know. It might have been a patrol soldier. But I can’t help but hope they are there.”

Arriving at the courtyard, Lucienne, out of breath, answered Aman’s question.

Then, slowing down and glancing around in all directions, I head towards my destination.

The white bellflowers are planted a bit further in—a place not visible from the balcony.

Lucienne looked up at the room they had just been in and began to feel distressed, thinking that it was indeed impossible for Leoldo to have come this far without being found by anyone.

At that moment――.

“Let go!”

Hearing a small cry, Lucienne started running again.

And then, suddenly, I stop in my tracks.

Leoldo, who was in the flowerbed planted with white bells, was restrained by Claudine and was resisting.

“Leoldo!”

“Oh my, isn’t it a bit late considering our precious son is gone?”

“……Claudine, I appreciate you finding me, but Leoldo is suffering. Could you let him go?”

Lucienne suppressed her urge to scream and spoke slowly to avoid provoking Claudine.

Around Claudine, there are three men who look like knight guards, and the flowerbed has been ruthlessly trampled.

Normally, there would be no need to be this cautious, but Claudine’s current demeanor was so intense that Lucienne felt tense.

This courtyard is restricted to a select few, but the candidates for the position of consort were allowed to enter, including their attendants.

Originally, she should have been eliminated as soon as she was no longer a candidate, but Claudine must have been left as is.

“Claudine, please let Leoldo go?”

“Oh, have I ever done anything for you before?”

“……I’ve never asked you for anything in the first place.”

“That’s true too.”

Lucienne kept her eyes on Claudine, who was restraining Leoldo, and replied as if they were just making small talk.

Leoldo was fidgeting, but eventually calmed down and turned a sad, apologetic face towards Lucienne.

“Mother…”

“Leoldo, it’s okay. But you’ll have to explain later why you snuck out on your own.”

When told that the current situation was nothing to worry about and that he would be properly scolded later for his mischief, Leoldo looked dejected.

It’s much better than a sad face.

Lucienne shifted her gaze from Leoldo to Claudine and asked again.

“So, what brings you here, Claudine? I’m surprised to see you up so early.”

“Oh, really?”

If it were the usual Claudine, it should still be dream time.

That outfit is also well put together.

Then I noticed that Claudine was dressed for travel.

“Were you planning to go out?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m planning to go abroad. That way, I can unexpectedly bring back souvenirs, and both Father and the people I visit will be pleased.”

“……Where are you planning to go?”

“Haven’t you heard from His Majesty? If that’s the case, then you really are just a mere caretaker.”

I had listened to the story, but I still couldn’t believe Lucienne.

My uncle has been in cahoots with the neighboring country of Tranji for a long time, and he even orchestrated the accident that killed Lucienne’s parents.

Moreover, the fact that Claudine is hinting at her uncle’s connection with the Tranji Kingdom means that she herself was aware of it.

But more than that, right now, it’s Leoldo in Claudine’s arms.

Since Craig’s protective magic is in place, they can restrain Leoldo but cannot harm him. They also cannot leave the palace.

Even though I understood, there was no way I could feel at ease in front of Leo, who was captured by the terrifyingly intense Claudine.

Originally, it was no coincidence that Leoldo escaped on the very day Claudine was set to leave for the Kingdom of Tranji early in the morning.

As I suspected earlier, there is an informant among us.

(But, really…?)

Lucienne still had a feeling of not wanting to believe the sad betrayal.

As if mocking Lucienne, Claudine called out to Leoldo in a sweet, cat-like voice.

“Your Highness, if you use magic here, won’t it also affect your precious ‘Mother’? The more advanced the magic you handle, the more your magic power will become unstable, and ‘Mother’ will suffer, won’t she?”

“Ah…”

It seems that Leoldo, who tried to escape using magic, turned pale after being warned by Claudine.

Perhaps, the time when my magical power went out of control has become a trauma.

“Leoldo, you don’t have to worry about Mother. My magical power is strong enough, so I can protect myself.”

While telling herself that she didn’t need to worry about Leoldo, Lucienne wondered if she would be able to cast a defensive spell again after such a long time.

If Leoldo goes on a magic rampage, I intend to replenish his magic power at any time.

But the problem is that Claudine knows that Lucienne can heal Leoldo’s magic rampage by supplementing his magic.

Moreover, it was strange that the most crucial piece of information—that the Crown Prince had disappeared—spread so quickly within the palace.

I thought I had transferred the servants under Claudine’s influence, but still…

From Leoldo’s demeanor, it is clear that leaving the room was his own decision.

Even so, considering that Leoldo usually avoids causing trouble for those around him and doesn’t create problems, his actions this morning were truly unexpected.

Anyway, I have to take Leoldo back from Claudine’s hands…

Lucienne briefly averted her gaze from the two people in front of her for the first time and glanced at Aman, who was silently watching for an opening from behind.

Aman smiles with just his eyes, as if to encourage.

Lucienne nodded lightly, steeled herself, and turned back to face Leoldo and Claudine once more.