Louis puffed up both cheeks with a disapproving face.
Anastasia, who was scratching her cheek, quickly lowered her hand with an embarrassed look. But he had already seen it all.
“It’s difficult if you keep moving.”
“I see. I’m sorry, Louis.”
Anastasia replied awkwardly.
Louis was painting a portrait of Anastasia that he was supposed to paint last time.
But this wasn’t as normal as she thought.
“Well, Louis.”
“Go ahead.”
“How long do I have to stay still?”
“About another 10 minutes.”
“Well….”
Ten more minutes there…?
Anastasia was astonished to hear the answer, but when she saw Louis, who was absorbed in painting with a very serious face, she could not express it.
‘I’ve never seen such a serious face in my life…’
The way he moved his pencil around was quite like a little painter. Anastasia smirked unknowingly, and it was immediately pointed out.
“Oh, you can’t laugh.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Louis. This is very… difficult.”
“I’m still not good at it, so Your Majesty the Empress has to help out a lot…”
When Louis, who felt sorry for her, spoke in a somewhat sullen voice, Anastasia hurriedly waved her hand feeling as if she had become a criminal.
“Oh, no, Louis. That’s what models are good at. Now, I’m going to stay put.”
Anastasia sat with her eyes wide open and her back straight, and Louis laughed as he watched her.
It was around this time that only the sound of a pencil creaking could be heard in the quiet room again.
“Louis.”
Anastasia quietly called out the child’s name.
Louis replied without taking his eyes off the paper.
“Do you want to go to the bathroom?”
“No. Not that.”
After Anastasia smiled awkwardly, she asked.
“Perhaps… … Haven’t you ever thought about having a Mom and Dad?”
At those words, the hand that was used to draw on the paper stopped.
Anastasia looked at Louis with her nervous face. Thinking he had the same cryptic face as his uncle.
“…I don’t know. Why?”
“Just…”
Anastasia answered cautiously.
“I’m curious what Louis thinks. I wondered what Louis would think if someone else wanted to be Louis’ mom and dad.”
“…”
“It’s just a family.”
Anastasia added quickly, but there was still no reply from Luis.
As the silence lengthened, Anastasia regretted it because she thought she had asked for nothing.
‘Was it too premature?’
Two months until Avelin shows up. It was true that it was rushed.
Louis’ attitude towards her had improved a lot these days.
So she secretly asked… … She suppose she was too hasty.
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer…”
“Is Your Majesty going to be it?”
In a hurry to retract the question, Louis asked an unexpected question.
Anastasia stared at him blankly.
“My mom.”
“It’s….”
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
It was then that Selene’s urgent voice rang throughout the room.
“Oh, it’s trouble!”
Soon Selene gasped and appeared in front of Anastasia.
This was her second time making such a fuss. Anastasia asked with a strained look.
“What’s up, Selene?”
“That’s… I heard it while I was passing by the conference hall.… What the heck!”
“Oh, my God, I’m a step late.”
Another voice intervened behind the gasping Selene.
When Selene saw Wilhelm behind me, she bent down in a hurry, and surprised Anastasia jumped up from her seat.
“…Your Majesty?”
“Empress.”
Wilhelm asked after a short breath.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
~~~~
It was the same situation as last time.
No, it was worse. Last time it was a paramour, but this time the demand was a concubine.
A concubine was the wife of the Emperor, who was officially recognized by the imperial family, if not by the court.
Unlike the paramours, even if they had children, they would not be illegitimate, but recognized as the legitimate successor of the emperor.
So Wilhelm became curious. Indeed, how would she react this time?
Maybe, if it’s her… This time again, as if nothing had happened, “Do as you please.” No, this time the issue would be that she would say ‘It would be better to put Lady Fontaine as a concubine.’
When he thought of it, he suddenly felt bad, and when he realized it, he was horrified.
‘…why am I in a bad mood?’
There were no reasons to be. Rather, this marriage was welcome for Wilhelm.
If Olivia Fontaine became his concubine, he would have taken all of her closest aides, from Barantes to the Fontaines.
There were plenty of ways to keep each other in check, and in many ways it was beneficial for him.
He therefore had to be rather anxious. Worrying that Anastasia would oppose this marriage.
It was when Wilhelm was confused by the opposite emotion.
“I don’t agree.”
The unexpected answer made him even more confused.
He looked at Anastasia with an expression on his face to see if he had misheard.
Anastasia replied resolutely, as if she would say again and again.