The day was so bright that when Kasallin looked out the window, the world seemed entirely white.Thanks to going to bed early the previous night, a rare occurrence, Kasallin woke up with a clear mind and stretched refreshingly.
Today, for some reason, she had instructed Nigel to clear her entire schedule for the day, so there was nothing to rush for.
However, that didn’t mean she planned to roll around in bed until the sun was high in the sky.She had an unofficial schedule to attend to.
Kasallin rang a small bell connected to the wall.Then, Loren Logia and the maids came in, carrying various supplies.
“I greet Your Majesty the Empress. Today is the day, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It took quite some time to arrange for both His Majesty the Emperor and me to clear our schedules at the same time.”
“It’s the day to capture the most beautiful moment in a painting, so we’ll take extra care to adorn you.”
Kasallin washed her face with water infused with herbs, combed her tangled hair neatly, and adorned it with accessories studded with emeralds.
She wore small, understated earrings and a necklace, along with a green silk dress embroidered elegantly with fine lace at the front.
After finishing her preparations and standing in front of a full-length mirror, she saw her reflection, brightened to match the season.
“How do I look?”
“It’s perfect. Everyone did well.”
Kasallin tucked a handkerchief into her pocket and glanced at the clock.The appointed time was approaching.
She left the Empress’s Palace with light steps, accompanied by Loren Logia.As they passed through a garden lined with tall cypress trees, familiar footsteps and voices came from a fork in the path.
From the west, Kayan was almost running, holding the hand of a nursemaid.From the east, Parnes Escalo approached leisurely, wearing a loosely fitted white shirt.
Coincidentally, the three met at the same spot and, without anyone taking the lead, smiled brightly at each other and gathered together.
“I hope I’m not too overdressed on my own.”
As Kasallin awkwardly spread her skirt, Parnes, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her, shook his head with a chuckle.
“Overdressed? Not at all.”
“Really? Do I look alright?”
“It’s not just alright—it’s almost too beautiful, that’s the problem.”
Parnes muttered with a serious expression, devoid of any exaggeration.Kasallin quietly blushed and fidgeted with a strand of hair that had fallen loose.
Then, Kayan, who had been staring at the two with a curious expression, gently tugged at his mother’s hand.
“Mother, you look like a tree fairy. You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you. Our Crown Prince looks very handsome too. It seems you’ve grown taller since a few days ago.”
Kasallin held her hand horizontally above the child’s head, as if measuring his height.At the mention of growing taller, Kayan jumped with joy and puffed out his chest like an adult.
“Gilbert Roman said that in five years, I’ll be able to ride a horse on my own. So, I decided to practice hard with Gilbert.When I can jump over puddles and mountains, I’ll take Mother on a long picnic.”
“Is that so? With our dependable Crown Prince, this mother has nothing to fear.”
As Kasallin fondly patted his head, Kayan looked up at his father with a proud expression.
Seeing his son, Parnes let out a soft laugh, as if the air had been let out of a balloon.
While they chatted, a coachman brought a small open carriage used within the palace, and the three climbed aboard to head to their destination.
Riding a carriage for a long trip was nice, but taking it for a leisurely ride within the palace grounds felt pleasant too.
The silver spires of the palace piercing the sky, the curtains gently swaying in the breeze, and the gardeners busily trimming bushes in the garden passed by slowly.
In the past, Kayan would have clung to the armrest, unable to keep his legs still, but this time he sat quite calmly.Unable to contain his curiosity, Kayan asked,
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to the flower tree garden to make a family portrait.”
Parnes, sitting across from him, answered.The child, who had never been there, asked what the flower tree garden was.Parnes smiled faintly.
“It’s the place where this father first met your mother.”
“The first…?”
Kayan tilted his head, his large, round eyes growing even rounder.He seemed to struggle to understand Parnes’s words.
That was understandable, as Kayan likely assumed Kasallin and Parnes had always been his mother and father as they were now.
At his young age, it was hard to fully grasp that the two came from entirely different countries with no prior connection and had overcome numerous events to finally make a lifelong vow.
“We’re here.”
The carriage, rolling along slowly, stopped at the wide entrance to the garden.Parnes got off first and naturally offered his arm to help Kasallin step down easily.
Kayan watched with interest and followed diligently behind them with his short legs.
In the time since their last visit, the leaves had grown lush, spreading widely along the path.As they passed the trail, a familiar open clearing appeared, and as expected, Kayan gasped in awe, his mouth agape.
A massive old tree, so grand it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a giant, stood scattering white petals in all directions.
To a child not yet five years old, it must have been a breathtaking sight.
“M-Mother.”
Suddenly, Kayan waved one hand, reaching for Kasallin’s.Kasallin took his hand and asked what was wrong.
With a mix of confusion and curiosity on his pale face, Kayan asked,
“Mother, are you really a tree fairy?”
“What?”
“Father just said it’s where he first met you. That tree is so pretty, and you’re so pretty, so did you live in that tree?”
Kayan rambled excitedly, as if wondering if his mother was a tree spirit, whether he might also be one.
Realizing what he meant a moment later, Kasallin burst into hearty laughter.
Kayan looked at her seriously, puzzled why she was laughing when he had asked earnestly.
“No, darling. Mother came from a place a bit farther away. The real owner of this tree is actually Father.”
Her answer, meant to preserve his innocence, seemed to strike Kayan differently.Shocked, he looked at Parnes in disbelief.
“Father is the tree fairy? That… doesn’t seem right.”
The child’s expression grew subtle.Parnes, with his sturdy and dignified build, didn’t quite fit the image of a flower tree spirit.
Kasallin quickly added,
“Look, dear. That flower tree is very strong and grand, isn’t it? Its roots, buried in the soil, are probably so thick they hold up the entire land around here.Doesn’t that suit Father, who steadfastly supports the Rennel Empire?”
“Oh.”
Kayan let out a sincere gasp, as if it made sense when he thought about it.Kasallin and Parnes exchanged quiet, fond glances, unnoticed by the child, and headed toward the shade under the tree.
Under the tree, a garden table was set with a tablecloth and simple refreshments, and nearby, the Court Painter had already arrived.
The Court Painter greeted the three respectfully but then, with a slightly puzzled look, confirmed,
“Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the Empress. I know it may be presumptuous, but is it truly alright to paint a family portrait in a place like this?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s not a problem, but usually, palace family portraits are painted in a grand hall with a solemn atmosphere.”
“The Empress has said she doesn’t want a formal family portrait. There’s no need for rigid formality—just paint what you see.”
The Court Painter bowed silently and began mixing paints slowly.Meanwhile, Parnes, Kasallin, and Kayan sat cozily around the table.
Kayan drank a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice sweetly, then ran to a nearby maid and asked for a bag.
Wondering what bag it was, Kasallin watched as Kayan pulled out two cats with both hands.
“You brought them too?”
Kasallin asked in surprise, and Kayan nodded as if it were obvious, placing Molly and Marie on the table.
“It’s a family portrait, so Molly and Marie have to be here too.”
Parnes shook his head slightly, as if he couldn’t stop him, but poured some milk from a picnic basket into a dish and slid it toward the cats.The cats eagerly lapped at the dish, their whiskers and noses covered in white milk.
In that moment, Kasallin looked around at her surroundings with a newfound gaze.
The lonely clearing she had once stumbled into by chance had transformed into a warm garden filled with her family’s laughter.
Parnes was no longer a wounded figure, and she herself would no longer lose her way.The child born between them was growing up healthy and strong.
Was it because of spring? Her heart felt strange, as if warm waves were rippling within her chest.
As Kasallin fidgeted with the lapis lazuli ring on her finger, lost in thought, a large hand gently covered hers.
She looked up to see Parnes gazing at her with a tender expression.A single look spoke more than a hundred words. Without a doubt, they would be happy for a long time.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
