The Husband I Thought Was Dead Has Returned - Chapter 52

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Husband Who Should Have Died Returns Episode 052
“Still, more troops are always better. Gather as many as you can. And send cooperation requests to the territories around the Southern Region. They’ll know the cycle has returned, so there will be those willing to respond. If they demand compensation, meet their terms as much as possible. Secure the Trading Company’s cooperation to gather grain and medicinal herbs, and lift import restrictions to bring in as much as we can. Of the three grain storehouses, maintain two as they are.”
While he was away, I was preparing for any unforeseen crisis. If the people of the territory starved to death, they would lose their reason to risk their lives. Borgus bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Cherez looked again at the red dots on the map. Borgus watched his back as he did so.
Borgus had seen that back countless times. When the Previous Duke passed away, when Cherez returned bearing his nephew. Those shoulders, always appearing as vast as the open sea, had been their hope and their only pillar of support.
Wills and Temmer’s gazes also turned toward Cherez. Their lord would never crumble.
Cherez was someone whose very existence became strength and solace to others.
This was why the Southern Region was so devoted to Cherez Bereidan.

* * *
Cherez had been visiting the Knight Order more frequently.
I heard he went to work without eating breakfast. A maid, sent early in the morning by Yureain’s orders, brought lunch only to leave with it untouched.
He wasn’t even eating proper meals.
I was worried, but I couldn’t just visit him without reason. He had important matters to attend to, and it meant he didn’t want to be disturbed.
So I decided to focus on what I could do.
I went out to the Garden with Hayden.
The spring sun of the Southern Region was warm. Across the warm earth, Hayden took his steps. It was a peaceful afternoon.
“Dede-dede-dede-dede! Papa, adaya-daya!”
Hayden held my hand and toddled along unsteadily. These days, when holding my hand, he could walk for quite a while. Whenever Hayden fell, he would get back up, and get back up again.
The child was growing faithfully.
His cheeks, bathed in spring sunlight, were full and rosy, and his two legs were steadily gaining strength.
Like spring greens sprouting up, Hayden grew a little more each day.
With his chubby little fingers that used to crawl about, he grasped at the grass and pulled hard. When it came free, he was delighted; when it didn’t, he grew frustrated. Once it came up by the roots, his face lit up with triumph as he held it out to me.
“Good job, Hayden. That was so cool!”
“Dede! Kyuin!”
Hayden burst into satisfied laughter. After rummaging through the grass for a while, he then spotted a butterfly. A white butterfly was perched on a rose. Hayden pointed at it with his finger, his mouth forming a perfect circle.
“Dede-dede-dede!”
He stood up and walked toward the butterfly. Of course, walking without support was still unfamiliar, so his feet tangled on the third step. Just as he was about to tumble forward, I caught him from behind. This small garden was an enormous world to Hayden.
The child was expanding his world with each passing day. Perhaps one day even this vast Empire would not be enough for him.
What was really funny was that Hayden and I didn’t share a single drop of blood, yet through him, I was thinking about and dreaming of the future.
“Hayden, butterfly.”
“Abyah?”
“Butterfly.”
“Abyah-byah!”
Yes, what did it matter? Hayden, whose attention was stolen by the fluttering butterfly, squirmed. He darted forward again and eventually tumbled, so I scooped him up. Hayden whimpered and wrapped his arms around my neck, burying his face in the crook of my shoulder.
“Ugh!”
A gasp escaped me as my throat was suddenly compressed. I thought I was being assassinated. Yureain let out a small laugh. Hayden’s embrace was always this clumsy.
Hayden giggled while hanging from my neck.
“You little rascal. You almost killed me just now.”
“Mama!”
I gently nibbled Hayden’s nose. The oblivious baby laughed even louder. Was it funny? I thought I was going to die.

* * *
Hayden had recently acquired a natural enemy.
The paper in my hands.
Children apparently wanted to do everything their guardians did, and that phase had arrived for Hayden. He was determined to snatch everything I held.
After playing with Hayden for a while, I took the opportunity to check on High Society news while he was absorbed in building blocks. Lately, I’d been focusing intently on High Society trends with Yureain to search for traces of the Harmony Society.
Hmm. Nothing particularly stood out. It even looked like a genuinely devoted charitable organization. That didn’t seem right. If things continued this way, I might have no choice but to wait for the Buarte Couple to arrive.
But the atmosphere changed.
Why had it become so quiet? He was definitely stacking and knocking down blocks, making that clicking sound…
“Mama!”
I turned to see Hayden had abandoned his blocks and was staring at me. The moment our eyes met, chills ran down my spine.
There were moments like this sometimes. Just meeting the eyes of an adorable baby, yet my spine would turn cold. When I’d put him down for a nap and turned around to find him awake and watching me. When I’d tucked him in at dawn only to find him sitting upright. And moments like this.
Hayden crawled toward me like a bullet on all fours. Often, I couldn’t even keep up with that speed. He approached without taking a single breath, his eyes sparkling. His chubby hands reached toward the paper I was holding.
“Hayden, you can’t have this. What if you cut your hand?”
I lifted the paper higher. Hayden stretched his arm. There was no way he could reach it.
“Ugh!”
Hayden pulled himself up. Using my leg as support, he stood with determination and looked up at me. Let’s see how far he’ll go.
Hayden toddled forward and reached out his hand. Wow! He might actually reach it!
I spun around quickly. Hayden followed, toddling after me. He reached out with a bright smile before tumbling down. I quickly caught him. When did he get so big!
In the process, Hayden finally snatched the paper.
“Bwahahaha!”
Hayden, the victor, stretched his hand triumphantly upward. Yes, well done.
“You’re the best, Hayden.”
You won.
Hayden turned away with a face that said he wouldn’t let it be taken. He seemed to particularly love paper. It made noise when he touched it and was easy to play with. Yes, do whatever you want. How could I stop you?
Looking at Hayden’s profound little head, I couldn’t help but smile.
Rip.
The paper in Hayden’s hands was gradually becoming smaller. Pieces scattered across the floor.
He rummaged through the scraps and picked one up. Then he turned and held it out to me with a very proud expression.
“Mama!”
“Th-thank you, Hayden.”
Without thinking, I accepted it, and he picked up another piece and brought it to me.
“Thank you…?”
Hayden clapped his hands and smiled brightly. Then he brought me pieces of paper one by one, stacking them in my hands.
“Kyuin!”
Hayden fluttered his hands.
Are you giving this to me? Wow, he must be a genius. I should look into Mensa enrollment right away, though unfortunately Mensa doesn’t exist here. Yureain paused as she entered with Hayden’s lunch.
“Gya! Dededede!”
Hayden chuckled warmly, picked up another piece, and held it out to Yureain.
“It’s a gift, madam. I think our child might be a genius—what should we do?”
“Th-thank you, sir.”
Yureain’s voice trembled with emotion as she spoke.
Indeed, no one in this household could match Hayden. He was the small emperor of this small world.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————