No one knew why Ophelia suddenly collapsed or the reason for the changes that occurred after that.
Not only Ophelia herself but also the doctors. Even famous wizards were called to hear their opinions, but the reason was never found out.
That’s why Roderick was worried, but Ophelia shook her head slightly.
“We just think it was heaven’s will. Thanks to you, we have a precious child.”
Ophelia pulled Roderick’s hand and placed it on her lower abdomen.
Even she wasn’t able to accept it that way from the beginning.
Because Ophelia lost something precious that she had kept all her life.
She cried for days and days, lost in tears.
Then she found out that she had a child. It was a child born as a result of losing what she had.
So she decided to accept it. This is God’s will.
“… … “I understand, Ophelia,”
Roderick replied. If that was the will of the one he loved, he had no choice but to accept it, even though it was difficult.
It wasn’t the time to feel the stomach or the fetus moving yet, but Roderick’s palms felt itchy for some reason.
* * *
The employees of the Duke of Weishafen in the capital were busy all day.
We cleared away the snow that had accumulated in the carriage area and swept and cleaned the already clean interior. This was because two important guests were scheduled to visit.
Two things stood out: first, Winfred, the Crown Prince of the Empire, was making his first visit to the mansion in a long time, and second, the Duchess’s longtime friend and director of the Tamora National Magic Academy, Candice Epocher.
Even in Tamora, known as the ‘land of wizards’, it was extremely rare for the director of the most famous National Magic Academy to visit another country in person, so not only the duke family but the entire Peles Empire was in an uproar over the incident.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s carriage will arrive soon!”
“what? “Are you not ready yet?”
Candice arrived a few days later, but the crown prince’s visit was just around the corner, so the employees moved urgently.
Although Winfred often came to the mansion, everyone was nervous as it was his first visit since becoming crown prince.
And after some time.
Winfred passed the entrance to the mansion in a carriage full of gifts.
“Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Peacock!”
When Winfred got off the carriage, Roderick greeted his former student with kind eyes.
Despite the fact that Winfred has given up and lacks skill or enthusiasm in swordplay, Roderick still regards Winfred as a youthful disciple.
“There was no need for you to meet me like this.”
“Your Majesty has personally come to visit, so you should come out and say hello. My wife has not been able to come out because she has to be careful. Please forgive me with a generous heart.”
“Forgiveness, what kind of absurd thing do you mean? Of course it is.”
Priest Gan, whom he met after a long time, greeted him in a very friendly manner. It was a sight that made even the viewer feel friendly.
* * *
“This is an herb that only grows on the top of Mount Primus, and they say it’s very good for pregnant women. This is an herbal tea from the Kingdom of Inselcorp, and it’s said to be quite effective in treating morning sickness. And this… … .”
Winfred excitedly explained each and every gift she had brought. Because there were so many, the explanation took a long time, but the Duke and Duchess expressed their gratitude over and over again with cheerful faces.
“… … And this. This can be said to be the highlight.”
Winfred spoke in an excited voice as he lifted the box, which looked like it was a precious gift and even had richly crafted jewels attached to it.
Ophelia has every right to be delighted about getting the present because the donor, not the recipient, is so happy.
“I’m looking forward to it, Your Highness. “What did you hear?”
Because it was Winfred who gave great comfort to Ophelia, who was in despair after losing Ayla, Ophelia opened the box with an incomparably warm smile.
“… … This.”
It was a rattle, a baby toy. The handle of the rattle was made by putting a bell inside a small ball made of leather to make a rattling sound, and there was also a luxurious tassel made of colorful thread attached to the handle.
“It is made by a famous rattle family that has been around for generations.”
In the Peles Empire, there was a custom that if you gave a baby a rattle as a gift, a healthy child would be born.
Even a luxury rattle could cost the price of a carriage, but since it was a rattle given by the emperor, it was a gift so precious that its value could not be calculated.
“Abama asked me to show off that it was a precious item that she personally ordered.”
“Haha. Those are your words. Thank you.”
Ophelia smiled brightly, remembering the playful emperor. Winfred was laughing at that scene and kept glancing at Roderick for some reason.
“… … “Why are you doing this, Your Majesty?”
“Oh, no.”
Roderick noticed this and asked the reason, but Winfred only answered suspiciously, saying it was nothing.
‘It looks like you have something to talk about alone with Ophelia.’
Since the two of them had often made up secret stories between themselves since they were young, Roderick was able to easily figure out the reason.
If it were anyone else, he would have no intention of giving up his beloved wife, but with Winfred, it was a different story.
Ophelia had no idea what that was and slowly blinked her purple eyes. That expression somehow resembled Ayla’s, and it warmed Winfred’s heart and encouraged her.
“Do you remember the magic box you gave me for my tenth birthday?”
“Of course. Just remember.”
“… … “I gave that gift to someone else. I’m sorry.”
He gave Ophelia’s gift to someone else without her permission and felt the need to apologize.
But Ophelia just smiled.
“It was an item I gave to His Highness the Crown Prince, so isn’t it up to His Highness how he used it? There’s no need to apologize to me at all.”
When she first gave it as a gift, she told them to do so if they wanted to give it to someone else and even gave me a transfer order. What’s the problem?
“… … still.”
Even though Ophelia said it was okay, Winfred’s expression was still not good, as if he was worried. Ofelia looked at Winfred with kind eyes.
“I’m a little curious about who you gave it to. I heard you gave the item you loved so much to someone else.”
He even put his finger on it and told her that it was their secret and that she shouldn’t tell anyone.
He was so pleased with the gift that he could tell that it was a bit surprising that someone would give such an item to someone else.
“… … Well, I can’t tell you that.”
Winfred’s face brightened, and Ophelia realized when she saw that expression.
“Cold coffee. I see you have someone you like.”
Winfred, whom she’s seen since he was a tiny baby, has grown up so much now.
Ophelia’s eyes became hot for no reason, so she looked out the window to keep from shedding tears. Hoping that the cool scenery covered in white snow would cool her eyes.
She watched Winfred grow up, but the fact that she couldn’t watch her daughter Ayla grow up.
He made it difficult for her who had barely managed to get her mind together.
At that time, Ophelia was distracting herself and trying to control her emotions. Winfred was also lost in his own thoughts.
He was thinking about the day he received that box from Ophelia.
He was very excited about being able to keep things he wanted to hide from his parents – well, not serious things, things like diaries – without anyone finding out.
So, He crossed his fingers with Ophelia and said, ‘It’s absolutely a secret from his parents and no one else!’ And she shouted.
That moment was still vivid in his mind.
Ophelia solemnly declared, holding his hand with a smile on her pretty face.
‘I, Ophelia Heiling Weishafen, hand over ownership of this box to Winfred Ulysses Vito Peles.’
Uh, wait a minute. Heiling?
Winfred looked at Ophelia with a dumbfounded expression, as if someone had hit him on the back of the head.
It was only then that he remembered where he had heard the name Hailing, which he had been unable to remember no matter how much he thought about it.
‘… … It was the Duchess’ maiden name!’
So, no matter how much he searches through the list of imperial nobles, he cannot find it. Because it was said that the duchess was not originally from the Peles Empire.
It was a little strange that Ayla said she was from the Peles Empire, but Winfred’s face turned red with excitement as he got closer to finding out Ayla’s identity.
‘So Ayla is a relative of the Duchess?’
Thinking about it that way, he found her vibe to be quite similar to Ophelia’s. such as the little face’s closely spaced features and delicate silver hair.
It makes him wonder why he didn’t notice it from the beginning.
