I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

Did someone look after Carlisle while I was gone?

"We must go to thank him!" Carlisle moaned as if he was incredibly annoyed that he didn’t have a chance to come back and say thank you.

"Well, if you think so," Jeremy spoke now, "The common people here all look the same. Even if we go back, how do we find that guy?"

And Jeremy was right about that.

It's a shame, of course, but this was already impossible.

"Carlisle. That uncle must have gone home by now. Thanks to him, of course… Don't worry, your mom will tell him from you."

So I begged Carlisle not to make another drama.

But my son kept glancing in the direction of the market.

However, it must be admitted that this ‘uncle’ was good.

"Yes, mom."

Looking into the distance for some more time, Carlisle still buried his face in my neck and calmed down.

And then Jed's voice was heard:

"Ellie!"

Jed, who had gone to the other side of the market, has now returned to us. Jed saw Carlisle in my arms and breathed out in relief.

"So you’re okay now. Indeed, that's so lucky. But where have you been?"

Now I see that Jed was also very surprised. How his face turned white…

"I was in the market."

"Are you okay?"

"Fortunately, Carlisle wasn’t hurt."

"Okay, that’s okay."

He turned to the side, and suddenly froze. Looks like he spotted Jeremy next to me.

Should I introduce them?

"Oh, Jed, this is Jeremy Drua. Heir to Duke Drua. And we are close."

Jed was still silent and stood like a pillar.

Still not recovering from the shock of Carlisle?

But I told Jed about the previous incident at the appointment. He also knew about our adventures in the Lund Kingdom.

Nothing has happened here worthy of such surprise.

At that moment, while Jed stood with his mouth open, succumbing to wild embarrassment, I heard Jeremy's voice.

"Jed is the head of the Phoenix organization, isn't he? I worked as a mercenary and have often heard your name. It's nice to meet in person."

Jeremy reached out to Jed. Then Jed winced and grabbed Jeremy's arm.

"I… yes, I’m Jed, the same head of the Phoenix. That is… nice to me too, lord Drua."

"This is a private conversation, and your courtesy is unnecessary."

"Ah… Well, of course."

Jed smiled awkwardly.

I alternated my gaze between the two.

Only Jed was acting strange, Jeremy wasn’t worried.

Is there something going on here that I don't know about?

Did you catch my eye on you? Jeremy smiled and turned to me.

"Ellie. It's too late already, I'd better go."

"Uncle Jeremy, are you leaving already?"

Carlisle looked up from me and asked.

"Well, your uncle still has work to do today. Sorry."

"And when will we see you again? I want to play."

Carlisle looked at him as if it was a regrettable break with Jeremy, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Looking at Carlisle, he told me with an awkward smile:

"Ellie, can I come see Carlisle?"

"Of course."

I answered without thinking, but after a second I regretted it.

"Oh, but … Carlisle is leaving the Empire soon."

"Leaving?"

"Yes. I decided to send him to the Lund Kingdom Academy."

Jeremy smiled as if he understood why I made this decision.

"Okay. I'll be busy with something important tomorrow, so I'll come play with him the day after tomorrow? And in addition, I will have something to tell you."

"I'll send someone to guide you to the mansion."

"Well, thanks for that. Jed, see you next time."

"Yes."

"Carlisle, see you the day after tomorrow."

"Are you sure to come? You promise?"

"I promise."

Jeremy smiled and stroked Carlisle's head.

He turned and walked away.

I have the following question:

"Jed, did you hit your head or what?"

"No, I just didn't know, how did I know that I would meet Drua's son here?"

He murmured, scratching the back of his head.

"I almost lost my mind from all this."

"Me too, I just can't…"

It was the first time I lost Carlisle, so after all I was just exhausted.

"Ellie, we need to leave immediately."

The disappearance of Carlisle really struck him, so much so that this bear sighed endlessly about fatigue.

I walked out of the night market with Jed, holding Carlisle tightly by the hand, still anxious.

* * *

The Sun Palace of the Agrita Empire.

Upon arrival, Raymond turned towards the study, not the bedroom. How can he sleep now when his head is about to burst?

"Where at all…"

…Ellie could have children?

Words he couldn't even speak.

Carlisle, Ellie and Jeremy.

Even after the departure of this trinity, he still stood in the same place, like a sculpture made of ice.

I can't believe what I've seen with my own eyes.

A child with purple eyes, a woman who rushed to hug him. A man with platinum hair that resembles the hair of a child.

Raymond replayed this brief moment over and over in his weary head.

Maybe it's just a stupid dream?

Or have I finally lost my mind, and I have hallucinations?

I wish I could brush aside the scene that is now firmly embedded in my mind.

But I must admit that everything I saw was real.

Ellie has a child.

A child I don't know.

In addition, the child looks like five or six years old. Could it be that this is my child?

However, I didn’t see the features of my family in him.

The blood of the royal family of the Agrita Empire was strong.

Children who inherited the Emperor's blood, almost all of them were born with black hair and black eyes at the same time.

Sometimes it may be so that only one of the signs manifested itself. But Carlisle had none of them…

Now I wonder if his appearance was changed with the help of magic, just like Ellie herself changed faces. But Carlisle's hands holding the doll had no ring or bracelet.

Magical tools that change appearance were large because they required great amounts of force to sustain the technique.

Even if you made a small bracelet or ring, you need to embed a large stone into it.

But there wasn’t such a thing on Carlisle.

That is, Carlisle's appearance was real.

He had really purple eyes and blonde hair.

After all… the child wasn’t mine.

The appearance of Carlisle, who was in Jeremy's arms, came to mind.

At that moment, a hellish flame flared up inside me.

Something hot, like lava, melted my heart and seemed to devour me from the inside.

No. It can't be.

Holding my breath to contain my anger, I tried to find a connection.

Everything that I have seen so far is just a brief scene, in which there is nothing iron.

And now the main thing I need to do is see the big picture.

"Carter."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I remember, it was reported that the son of Duke Drua had been in the Lund Kingdom?"

"That’s right."

"Learn all about the life of Drua and Lady Croft in the Lund Kingdom. Find out if they've been together."

"Yes, sire."

Just as the knight was about to leave, Raymond moved his lips again.

"One more thing. Find out if Phoenix or House Drua has a secret abode in the capital."

There was no sign of children on the Croft estate.

Besides, Ellie never once mentioned her son.

The conclusion here is simple, she deliberately hid him.

The child must have been given a separate mansion.

"Carter, don't miss a single thing."

"I'm on my way, sire."

Raymond squeezed his hand over his heart, which was still incessant.

* * *

"Come on inside, Jeremy."

Two days later, Jeremy visited the mansion as promised.

He arrived earlier than expected and stopped at the door with his hands full of gifts.