Until The Real One Shows Up​

“Aren’t you more tired than usual these days?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you have an excessive appetite or none at all?”

“That’s true, too.”

“Do you get anemia often?”

“It’s right, my God!”

Anastasia was thrilled.

“Did I really conceive?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Congratulations. It’s been about three weeks.”

“Did you hear that, Will?”

Anastasia looked back at Wilhelm with an excited face.

“I have a child, Will. We have a child…”

The trembling voice did not end completely. It was because Wilhelm hugged Anastasia tightly at that moment.

Without a word, he was just hugging, but Anastasia felt his explosively fast heartbeat and smiled.

She could fully understand what he was feeling now without hearing it directly.

“… Thank you.”

It was long before he finally opened his mouth. He repeated in a terrible trembling voice.

“Thank you very much, Asha.”

“Thank you too, Will. I’m so glad you’re the father of my child.”

Anastasia still gave Wilhelm a big hug with a smile. Her trembling body told her frankly that she was now emotionally shaken.

“Actually, I was a little relieved to hear what you said this morning. You don’t seem to be in a hurry about the child, so I decided to relax a little…”

She didn’t know they had already come to me.

Anastasia smiled and stroked her still flat stomach.

“Are you still thinking about children?”

“Yes. But I still wish we could enjoy more time with just the two of us.”

Wilhelm smiled as he met Anastasia’s eyes.

“If we have a child, it would be just as good. Either way, it’s the most delightful and blissful thing for me.”

“Me too. Still, I am very happy to have a child.”

“Okay. If you like it, I like it too.”

But Wilhelm’s expression was not as bright as he said those words. Anastasia, excited by the news of her pregnancy, didn’t notice until then.

~~~~

The greatest honor of the royal doctors belonging to the Central Palace was to be the first to know the news of the Empress’s pregnancy.

For this reason, Dr. Faulkner, who diagnosed Anastasia’s pregnancy, was treated as a hero as soon as he returned to the palace.

Then, at some point, a secret call from the Central Palace was heard.

“Did you call me, Your Majesty?”

What’s going on all of a sudden at night? Dr. Faulkner stood in front of Wilhelm with a nervous expression.

“… Actually, I have something to confess.”

The doctor looked at Wilhelm with a bewildered expression at the outrageous words.

“Actually, I… The Empress and I shared the same bedroom until this morning. It has been going on for the past three weeks.”

“Ah. Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Is there anything wrong with the Empress’ body?”

Wilhelm added seriously.

“I’ve been worried about it. I couldn’t ask earlier because I was afraid the Empress would be worried. I’ll be honest with you.”

“Don’t worry too much. According to the previous examinations, both Her Majesty the Empress and the baby were in good health.”

“Ha…”

Then Wilhelm breathed a deep sigh of relief.

‘Somehow, I thought it was a little dark on his face, but maybe it was because of this.’

He had never even heard of an Emperor who took such care. 

Dr. Faulkner hurriedly opened his mouth to hide his pleased expression.

“But from now on, at least in the beginning, you must be careful, Your Majesty.”

Of course, Wilhelm was not going to touch her from today.

However, when he went to the Empress’ Palace to see Anastasia, the pledge was immediately shattered. 

“Here you are, Will.”

How can he not touch that lovely woman who smiled brightly at him for 9 months?

“I can’t stand it, really.”

“Huh? What?”

“Actually, I promised not to touch you from today onwards.”

Wilhelm approached Anastasia with an expression of impatience.

“It was a crazy pledge. Come to think of it, I think it’ll be okay if we don’t go all the way.”

“Oh, my…”

While Anastasia, embarrassed by the unexpected answer, smiled softly, Wilhelm kissed Anastasia with her cheeks wrapped gently.

In a friendly kiss that was not in the least extreme, Anastasia whispered to him with a smile.

“I love you, Will.”

At that moment, Wilhelm felt like a rope that was barely hanging over his head was snapped.

‘I have to endure it. I have to endure it…’

Wilhelm answered with a smile, drawing all his remaining patience.

“I love you too, Asha.”

“Will, is our child a daughter or a son?”

“Well, I’m fine either way.”

“You still want a son, right?”

Anastasia said with a gentle tone.

“That way, the succession will be stable.”

“Not necessarily. Because children can be born in the future. We are both still young.”

“It is. So you really don’t care about gender?”

“If I had to ask, I think a daughter would be good too.”

“Why?”

Did he want to see a daughter who looked just like her? As she was thinking about it, she heard an answer that she could not have imagined.

“Boys are born a little bigger.”

Wilhelm added seriously.

“I’m afraid it will be difficult.”

“Oh My God.”

Anastasia shook her head with her mouth wide open.

“It’s a newborn, but how much difference is there?”

“It’s better if it hurts a little less.”

Wilhelm was still serious.

“I want to give birth for you instead. I can tolerate the pain better.”

“Wow, thank you for the words.”

“I’m serious. So, if there’s anything you want, say anything. I can listen to everything.”

“It’s kind of dangerous to say that.”

Anastasia said jokingly.

“What if I make a really outrageous request?”

“I will still listen. Gladly.”

Wilhelm replied with the tone like it didn’t matter.

“Isn’t that what I should do for someone who has my child?”

“That’s enough. I still enjoy everything.”

“It is natural. Oh, we’re not alone, so I can’t work overtime in the future.”

It was fine up to that point, but after that it was a bit too much.

“I’d rather you stop palace work until the baby is born.”

“What? I don’t have to… As long as I don’t strain myself.”

“I think you’re going to overdo it because of your personality.”

“He is a precious baby to me. Don’t worry too much.”

But Wilhelm wanted Anastasia to forget about her work and just rest for a while.

‘Looking at those strong eyes, I don’t think that’s the case.’

It seems that he fell in love with that child. Wilhelm smiled.

“But don’t overdo it.”

“Sure. Don’t worry.”

“And if there’s anything you want to eat, something you want to have, or something you want to do, just say anything.”

“I know.”

But despite the answer, Anastasia didn’t ask for anything in particular after that.

It was just a normal day.

“Congratulations on your conception, Your Majesty!”

Gifts to celebrate her pregnancy poured in from the aristocrats, but Anastasia sought to use them better and instead used the gifts to help the poor, unless she or her baby could use them.

‘I’m glad I don’t have morning sickness…’

With no morning sickness or any symptoms that particularly bothered the mother, Wilhelm felt that the child in the womb was truly peculiar.

A child who practices filial piety from the womb. He was proud of them!

‘If you look at her being so gentle, is she definitely a daughter?’

One day of many that he was waiting in anticipation.

“Isn’t it going to be a while before peaches are back in season?”

This single word that Anastasia uttered was the beginning of the whole incident.

“Peaches?”

“No. Never mind.”

Anastasia hurriedly took back her words. Peaches were a typical summer fruit.

What she wanted to eat was an orange-pink peach that only grew under the summer sun. So it wouldn’t be found in Rosenberg currently, since it’s the middle of winter.

‘I said it wrong. It’s no use telling me that it’s hard to find now.’

Anastasia smiled and hurriedly changed the topic.

But Wilhelm’s eyes were already glowing strangely.

~~~~

And time went by again.

“Wow, you have a little belly now.”

Selene, who was picking the strawberry stalk next to Anastasia, looked at Anastasia’s stomach with a curious expression.

“I can’t believe a baby is growing up there. It’s so cute just thinking about it!”

“Selene, don’t you want to get married?”

“Oh, all of a sudden?”

“All of a sudden? You’re old enough to think about it.”

Anastasia stared at Selene, who still insisted on using the name she received after the secret of her birth was revealed. 

Last year, she was officially enrolled in the home of her mother, Daisy. It was a modest family, but the aristocracy was aristocracy anyway.

“Tell me whenever you have thoughts about it. I’ll make room for you.”

“I’m very grateful for you, but I don’t want to get married that way.”

As if that meant something, Anastasia blinked and looked at Selene. Then Selene opened her mouth, slightly blushing her cheeks. 

“In fact, I have a dream of having a touching relationship like Your Majesty. So I’m waiting.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a good partner, too. You don’t have to be so impatient.”

“Yes, one day…!”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

At that time, Mrs. Rochester entered the room with a puzzled face. 

“Well, you need to come outside.” 

Anastasia stood up in wonder. And when she went out, she was just as embarrassed as Mrs. Rochester was.

“It’s all….”

What unfolded in front of Anastasia was orange-pink peaches piled up like a mountain on a huge cart.

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