“Have you heard anything yet?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
Then there was the silence. Jerald seemed to be concentrating on his work again. But it was really only for a moment.
“Is there still no news?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
There was another silence. Jerald focused for just two lines on the paper and asked again,
“Is there still no news…”
“Your Majesty, there is none.”
Eventually, the servant who couldn’t bear it, recommended,
“It might be best if you went to check in person.”
“Is that really okay?”
“…It probably won’t be, but…”
But wouldn’t it be better than continuing to be restless here? The servant swallowed his true feelings.
“Who knows? It will be possible if Madame Korsol understands.”
“All right. That’s a good idea.”
Jerald didn’t refuse and got up from his seat immediately. He then walked quickly as if he were running to the empress’s palace.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here…?”
Aruvina gasped when she saw Jerald in the birthing room. For the first time in his life, Jerald felt embarrassed, but he didn’t let it show.
“I couldn’t wait because I was worried.”
“…Your Majesty, this is against the protocol.”
Aruvina glared at Jerald with her eyes. Jerald knew, but pretended not to.
“Please return to the central palace.”
“The news to the central palace is too slow.”
“If anything happens, I will inform you immediately.”
“Even so, it would be slower than hearing it here.”
“…Aren’t you attending to state affairs?”
“Even if I return to the central palace, I wouldn’t be particularly focused on work.”
“Still…”
“Ah!”
At that time, a scream rang out from inside. Both Jerald and Aruvina looked surprised and looked at the delivery room with startled expressions.
“What is it? Has something happened?”
“Your Majesty, giving birth is a very painful process.”
It was a reminder not to overreact. Aruvina, as if she had no more time to spare for Jerald, ran back into the delivery room.
But Jerald was on the verge of losing his mind due to the anxiety of the situation. His heart pounded hot and fast, and he struggled to breathe. Seeing this, Christine cautiously approached Jerald.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?”
“Oh, Lady Lamont…”
“Well, don’t worry too much, you can return to the central palace now…”
“No, I must stay here.”
Jerald shook his head with a serious expression.
“Nothing is as dangerous as childbirth. Maybe Pristin needs me.”
“…”
Christine thought it probably wouldn’t happen, but she didn’t dare argue with the emperor.
Eventually, the two of them were sitting comfortably in the couch, waiting for the birth to end.
—Thump, thump, thump
The loud footsteps from the distance began to grow louder. Jerald and Christine turned their heads toward the sound with a puzzled expression.
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
It wasn’t hard to see who was running toward them, shouting.
“Where is Her Majesty the Empress? Your Majesty!”
It was Claret. Christine replied,
“She’s in labor now, Your Highness the Princess.”
“Labor? Already?”
A startled Claret turned around and complained to the maid,
“No, why did you wait so long to tell me, she’s already in labor!”
“Her water broke so unexpectedly… it took us by surprise.”
Christine looked at Claret, who must have rushed over out of concern for Pristin, with a sympathetic gaze and asked,
“Did you come here because you were worried about Her Majesty?”
“Of course. I’ve learned that giving birth is extremely difficult.”
After explaining clearly, Claret soon asked with a voice full of worry,
“Will Her Majesty be able to endure such a difficult process? I’m so worried.”
In fact, that was how all three people gathered there felt. Christine smiled and answered,
“Of course. The empress is a strong person. She will definitely endure…”
“Ahhhhh!”
But before she could finish her sentence, a scream was heard. All three of them flinched, and it was Jerald who was hit hardest.
“Should I, should I go in, Lady Lamont?”
“No, Your Majesty. Please calm down.”
“Then I’ll go in and check on the situation.”
“No, Your Highness. It’s not possible right now.”
Unintentionally, Christine took charge of the situation.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, please calm down and wait for Her Majesty to deliver the baby safely. Right now, what she needs is not us.”
Her calm and realistic words made the two siblings nod in agreement. In the end, the three of them decided to sit together on the couch and wait for the birth to be over.
— Knock knock knock
— Thud thud thud
The intermittent sound of leg tremors from both sides beside her was getting on her nerves. But Christine didn’t dare to point it out, so she decided to put up with it.
And so it was that she slowly became accustomed to the sound of footsteps on either side of her, the occasional scream from within the chamber, and the groans that followed each time.
“Your Majesty!”
Aruvina burst out of the chamber, her face beaming with excitement. Jerald was the only one she called out to, but all three of them instinctively jumped to their feet, realizing that a baby had been born.
Aruvina smiled broadly.
Aruvina said with a big smile,
“Congratulations. It’s a prince.”
“And the empress? What about the empress?”
“Both Her Majesty the Empress and the crown prince are in good health,”
Aruvina said, bowing her head in front of Jerald.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
“Can,can I go in?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, of course.”
“I want to go in too!”
“Claret, I’ll go first.”
Though the siblings were close, Jerald couldn’t yield this time.
As he entered the delivery room, he saw Pristin lying there, looking utterly exhausted.
She seemed to have lost half her weight compared to the last time he saw her, and Jerald’s expression turned to one of shock.
“Pristin.”
He approached Pristin with a serious look on his face.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
But contrary to the answer, Pristin looked quite troubled.
“It’s all right.”
So Jerald couldn’t believe Pristin’s answer.
“No, you look… you look like you might faint any moment now.”
“That’s because I just had a baby, and it’s been hard.”
“Are you sure you’re really okay?”
Jerald held Pristin’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with worry.
“You have no idea how much I’ve been worrying.”
“What were you so worried about?”
“That something might go wrong during the delivery.”
Jerald’s voice trembled as he answered.
“It’s not uncommon. You have no idea how much I care…”
“Shhh.”
Pristin slowly reached out and gently placed her finger on Jerald’s lips. Jerald stood there, as if spellbound, unable to move.
“It’s all right, Your Majesty. I’m fine, and so is the prince.”
“…”
“So rest easy. It’s all over now.”
“…Yes.”
The words were strangely reassuring, and Jerald was able to calm down a little then.
But still, as if he couldn’t get rid of the shock, he touched Pristin’s hand silently.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
Pristin looked as though she didn’t understand the hesitant question.
“What are you talking about?”
“I was hoping I could be of some help.”
“Ah.”
Pristin explained with a quick smile.
“Though I’m sure the sight of your face would have calmed me down.”
“Would it have?”
“I’m not confident that I wouldn’t have grabbed Your Majesty’s hair and rip it off.”
“It would have been okay if my hair was ripped off. What’s the point of that.”
“How dare I do that. I would have regretted it later.”
“Did you miss me?”
“…Yes. Honestly.”
Pristin nodded with a faint smile.
“There’s no way I wasn’t afraid. It’s my first time.”
“I know. I wanted us to endure it together.”
Jerald’s throat swelled up and down.
“I feel so bad because I feel like I left you struggling alone.”
“From the look on Your Majesty’s face, I can tell you’ve been through a lot yourself.”
Pristin stroked Jerald’s face with a deeper smile than before.
“You look so pale.”
“You look even worse than I do.”
“You’ve suffered alongside me.”
Pristin whispered as she tightly held Jerald’s hand,
“Your expression tells me everything. Just that is enough for me.”
“…All right.”
“You should see the baby.”
Jerald gazed at Pristin intently.
“Our baby.”
“…Yes.”
“Madame Korsol, please bring the prince.”
The two of them waited with racing hearts for their first child. And a short while later.
“It’s the prince.”
Aruvina handed over the crown prince to Pristin. Pristin accepted the crown prince with a trembling hand. Finally, she looked at the child with a face full of wonder and joy, as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Baby.”
She didn’t mean to cry at all, but tears flowed naturally.
“It’s Mommy, Mommy.”
Whether the baby was naturally calm or just didn’t know how to cry yet, the infant remained silent.
With a face glowing with joy, Pristin spoke to Jerald.
“Your Majesty, please say hello too.”
“…Hello, baby.”
Jerald’s voice trembled, reflecting the same emotions both of them were feeling. Pristin looked at him with affectionate eyes.
“Daddy. Do you remember Daddy’s voice?”
The baby, still unable to open its eyes, showed no reaction, but it didn’t matter. To them, the fact that the baby was alive and breathing was the most significant response.
Jerald, with reddened eyes, continued to gaze at the baby and then embraced Pristin tightly.
“I love you, Pristin.”
“I love you too, Your Majesty.”
“And I’m so grateful.”
In this moment, it was the confession that best expressed his feelings.
