Obviously, It’s My Child - Chapter 196

“Anyway, we have a few days. Even if the head lady-in-waiting Augusta comes here, there’s no guarantee she’ll find you right away. That should be fine, right, Erich?”

“Sure.”

Erich didn’t seem particularly eager, but he agreed.

“As long as you don’t teach Elliott any bad words or habits.”

Claire smiled at that condition.

Linus looked at her again, feeling discomfort in his chest.

* * *

At that moment, Augusta had already arrived at the Ludendorff estate.

Having taken the last train, it was already dark by the time the carriage reached the estate.

“No, Sister! What brings you here so suddenly without any notice?”

Marquis Ludendorff rushed out of his office as if he was about to tumble over.

Augusta, who had been directing a servant to unload her bags, turned to face him.

“It’s been a while, Clothilde. I heard there have been many things happening lately.”

“There was no reason for you to rush over, Sister.”

Marquis Ludendorff replied, a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead.

It was Augusta who had revived the declining family.

Given their age difference, she had educated the Marquis in place of a tutor during his childhood.

He found her to be a capable and strict older sister, not just because she was the Empress’s lady-in-waiting.

Augusta spoke calmly.

“I received a letter from Horst.”

“Pardon?”

“He mentioned that the Duke and Duchess Klausener are staying here.”

“Oh, yes. They decided to rent a villa to see the sea during their honeymoon.”

Marquis Ludendorff replied calmly on the surface, but inside, he was seething.

‘Damn it! This is all because of Barony Bloom’s matters! Why does Horst pass along such trivial matters to my sister?’

He was convinced that the family’s reputation was tarnished in front of Klausener.

Augusta was always striving to restore the family.

The Marquis believed she had even sacrificed her own happiness for marriage. Thus, he felt obliged to respond to that sacrifice, which was both uncomfortable and burdensome.

Augusta had not come due to the worries the Marquis had about the situation.

Of course, she felt anger at the disgrace the Ludendorff family had suffered because of the Marquis and his wife.

However, she had long since given up on expecting anything from her brother.

What was important now wasn’t that issue. Nothing was more critical than the disappearance of Prince Linus.

Even the cold and emotionless Empress showed signs of fatigue regarding this matter.

[Duke and Duchess Ernst are doing their best.]

The informant said this, and Augusta agreed.

While Duke and Duchess Ernst weren’t particularly remarkable, they were certainly not as useless as her younger brother and his wife.

From Augusta’s and the Empress’s perspective, Duchy Ernst had indeed been making every effort.

Yet Linus’s whereabouts were still a mystery—whether he had risen into the sky or sunk into the earth.

If someone had rescued him, he would undoubtedly have been found somewhere nearby.

However, there were no such rumors.

[It seems certain that he threw himself into the sea, so at this point, we must assume he has drowned and drifted far away.]

[You mustn’t give up yet. There’s a possibility he could be alive and hiding or has been rescued somewhere and is concealing his name and whereabouts, right?]

[Linus?]

The Empress let out a hollow laugh.

[If that boy had the ability and composure for such things, do you think I would have sent him to Ernst?]

[Your Majesty…]

[Now, it wouldn’t be right to blame Heinrich for poorly raising the child. His timid nature was inherited.]

[Now that he’s an adult, he should be different from before.]

[I had hoped so, but given that he threw himself into the sea, I have little expectation now.]

The Empress removed her glasses and rubbed her tired face with her palm while lamenting.

[Really, issues with children never go as planned. It would have been nice to have three or so.]

[You were in a situation where that was not possible.]

[I think it’s time to explore other means.]

Augusta received a letter from Horst around that time.

Horst’s letter was almost a form of gossip. He mentioned that Hermann was receiving good evaluations due to his connections with Archduke Victoria and Duchess Klausener, and that his father was supporting Hermann in getting closer to them because of the mining business.

Augusta paused when she saw Klausener’s name.

With Linus’s abilities, it was impossible for him to completely vanish while alive.

He didn’t have that ability. Besides, there was no one to help him, and nothing had been taken.

However, if Klausener got involved, the situation would be different. It would be natural for them not to find him in Ernst.

And there were valid reasons for that.

There had been a lady-in-waiting named Renate who had hinted at this before.

[Up until now, it has been known that Duke Klausener has shown no interest in the imperial throne, but the issue with his son is another matter. I don’t believe he will raise him to be his child until the end.]

[Erich was close to Jared.]

The Empress responded with a stoic expression while keeping her gaze on the report.

[It’s not just about raising him as an adopted son, is it? This matter involves Duke Klausener’s title.]

The Empress cast a quick glance at Renate over her glasses.

Augusta already knew that the report she was looking at was about Grand Prince Aeren.

She was also aware that new information about Duke Moore was coming in.

[You can’t provoke Klausener carelessly. The ones we need to cut off are not them.]

The Empress tossed the report toward Augusta. Augusta skimmed through it and organized the situation.

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