Wicked Husband-Chapter 150 - 149

At that moment, Cesare’s gaze lingered on the child. And that’s when she noticed him.

For a split second, Cesare felt a twinge of dismay. His experiences on the battlefield, starting at a young age, had left him with an air that often frightened children. This little girl, already lost and frightened, would likely be even more intimidated by him.

But instead of cowering, the child’s reaction surprised him.

Upon seeing Cesare, her already large eyes widened even further. A curious light filled her gaze, the gold and green in her irises shimmering like sunlight filtering through leaves. A breeze carried the scent of lilies as she suddenly dashed toward him.

Without thinking, Cesare crouched and caught her in his arms. She flung herself into his embrace, clinging tightly as she burst into tears.

Though her sobs were bitter and raw, there was a palpable sense of relief in her cries. She wriggled closer into his arms, her small frame radiating the warmth that was uniquely childlike, mingled with the faint scent of lilies and cookies.

Cesare’s brow furrowed slightly, an unfamiliar and unsettling sensation washing over him. It was a feeling he didn’t recognize, because he had never experienced it before.

After a while, her sobs quieted. She continued to sniffle, letting out the occasional hiccup, but now she was looking up at him with teary eyes.

In the clear gaze of the child, Cesare saw himself reflected—and the image felt alien. To see himself through such innocent eyes made him feel like a stranger to himself.

The child gazed at him as though he were an angel descending from the heavens. Meeting her awestruck eyes, Cesare found himself smiling faintly.

"You must be Lily."

This was the little girl his nanny, Baroness Elrod, often spoke of. She had mentioned her daughter was ten years old, though the girl seemed a little younger than that.

Baroness Elrod often exaggerated her accomplishments, treating her role as Cesare’s nanny as the crowning achievement of her life. She took immense pride in being able to frequent the palace under the pretense of her duties.

However, she lacked the means to truly thrive in the splendor of the imperial palace. To compensate, she wove small lies to embellish her life.

She painted a picture of a modest yet harmonious family: a loving, devoted husband and a brilliant daughter who was so endearing and precocious she was nicknamed Lily, after her favorite flower.

Despite her exaggerations, Cesare usually let her words pass without much thought. Yet, it seemed some of her claims were true. The girl’s unique gold-green eyes, shimmering like sunlight on moss, were unlike anything he had seen before.

Gently stroking her hair, Cesare decided it wouldn’t hurt to extend some kindness toward this child. It would be an easy way to offer the recognition Baroness Elrod so desperately craved.

At first, it was a casual thought—perhaps he could formally invite the child to the palace once.

But that initial meeting didn’t mark the end. Cesare found himself inviting her to the palace again and again.

When Eileen fluttered around, asking questions with boundless curiosity and laughing as though Cesare were the center of her world, he felt his exhaustion and ennui* melt away.

[E/N: Ennui is the feeling of being bored]

As Baroness Elrod had claimed, the child was indeed bright. She learned quickly and absorbed everything he taught her with remarkable speed.

Watching her soak up knowledge and skills was unexpectedly enjoyable. For the first time, Cesare understood why his former tutors had taken such delight in teaching him.

As he became more invested in her life, the child also began to seep into his own. Though Cesare was aware of the subtle changes within himself, he didn’t think much of them.

It was just a drop of water—not enough to alter the course of his life.

But that single drop continued to fall, over and over, until it eventually drenched him completely.

Through the child, Cesare learned what it meant to love. It was a feeling that only she could have taught him.

There were moments when he would wonder: What if I hadn’t stopped in that lily garden that day? What if I had simply summoned a servant to guide her back to her mother?

But such thoughts were meaningless. No matter what he had done, that little girl—Eileen—would have still run to him. To no one else but him.

As the one chosen by the child, and as the one who had chosen her in return, Cesare knew he bore a responsibility.

Later, after Eileen was executed on the guillotine and he sat alone in her empty home, reading her journal, Cesare made his decision.

He ordered all his forces to be assembled on the plains near the capital. His knights, who had fought beside him on countless battlefields, carried out his commands without question—even though they knew exactly what he intended.

When Lotan reported to him, Cesare listened in silence, idly gazing at the broken pocket watch in his hand. He tucked it away before responding.

"The decision won’t take long."

Dressed in full regalia, Cesare was followed by four knights as he walked through the palace. The sight of the armed group made even nobles and servants hesitate to approach.

"Your Grace, the Grand Duke of Erzette..."

The emperor’s chamberlain looked utterly flustered. Cesare’s sudden, unannounced appearance, flanked by armed knights, was enough to leave anyone stunned.

As the chamberlain fumbled for words, Leon appeared, looking pale and visibly strained.

"Cesare." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Leon’s voice wavered as he addressed his brother. Though he appeared to have suffered greatly, Cesare didn’t ask about his well-being.

"Imperator."

"...Grand Duke of Erzette."

Leon gazed at his brother, who had addressed him as Imperator rather than as family, with a look of despair. To Leon, Cesare seemed more like a stranger than his twin. His voice trembled as he asked:

"What brings you here? What do you want?"

Cesare answered without expression.

"I want the final letter of the condemned, Eileen Elrod."

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