Chapter 95

Today is the third update.

On a certain night of a full moon.

Two women went into labor at the same time.

"Ah, why are both of them in labor at the same time!!"

"Well, what can I do about it..."

"Your Majesty, you're in the way, so please leave."

I was worried and pacing back and forth between them, but the sorcerers and midwives kicked me out.

What a bunch of rude people. Sure, there's nothing I can do, but...

"What should I do!!"

"Calm down, Your Majesty. Your panic won't help the babies be born."

Raymond, you're so annoying. I know that already.

"Just calm down. Have a drink or something."

"O-Okay. Thanks... But why are you here, Bartholomew? Weren't you supposed to be sealed at the border with the Kingdom of Dorgal?"

"I heard that your children were about to be born, so I was on standby. After all, I want to be the first to see the noble's child."

"Is that so... What did you do when your daughter was born?"

While drinking, Bartholomew answered with a troubled look.

"What could I do... Men can't do anything. Childbirth is only hard by hearsay and our imagination. I couldn't do anything, so I just drank."

"Aah, I see..."

Yeah... There's nothing I can do either...

I taught them antiseptic techniques and the Lamaze method to reduce pain, but...

There's still the possibility that the child might have a disability.

Ah, why didn't I go to medical school in Japan?

If I had become an obstetrician, I might have been able to do something.

But there's no point in regretting it now.

"Bartholomew... Give me a strong drink."

"Sure thing."

I chugged the drink Bartholomew passed me.

...It doesn't even taste good.

"Drinking won't help."

I stopped drinking.

It doesn't distract me at all. Bartholomew's method doesn't work.

"Hey, tell me a story to distract me. Or make me laugh. It's an order from the king."

"An unusual royal command."

Raymond and Bartholomew looked at me with exasperated faces.

Shut up, just tell me something.

"Then, how do you make two women give birth at the same time? Did you do them both at once?"

"...One in three times, we did it together..."

"You must be very understanding."

Raymond let out a surprised voice.

Well, I thought it was impossible... but I said it offhandedly.

Surprisingly, they both took it well...

"My wife would go ballistic just hearing about other women. I'm so envious."

"That's tough."

I'm so lucky.

Lady Yuria, Lady Tera. They're amazing.

While we were having this silly conversation, I heard a cry.

It was the cry of a baby.

This means...

"Your Majesty!! It's a boy!! Lady Tera!!"

My body moved before I could think.

I went straight to the room where Tera was.

"Almus..."

Tera was smiling.

Her face was drenched in sweat, and her hair was stuck to her cheeks.

She was holding a baby wrapped in a clean cloth in her arms.

"A healthy boy. Hold him."

"...Okay."

I picked up the baby... my child.

He's pretty heavy... I can feel the weight of life.

"His hair looks like mine. His face looks like yours, especially the cheeky part."

"Rude."

I reached out to the baby's small hand, and he gripped it tightly.

Ah... He's so cute... I want to eat him.

"Give him a name."

"Okay... His name is Anks. Anks As."

"Good name. Anks... The fruit of our love..."

Tera smiled with a silly grin.

At least he seems fine.

Just as I was feeling relieved, I heard a cry from the next room.

This means...

"Go to her."

"Okay, I understand."

I handed Anks to Tera and rushed to Yuria's room.

Is she okay...

"Yuria!!"

"Ah, Almus..."

Yuria smiled at me.

She didn't have a difficult labor like Tera, so she didn't look as exhausted.

But there was a hint of worry in her expression. A mix of joy and concern...

"Here. A healthy... girl."

Yuria handed the baby to me. Her hands were trembling slightly.

Really...

I kissed Yuria's lips.

"Good job. Thank you. I'm so happy."

When I smiled and said that, her expression brightened a bit, and the worry seemed to lift.

"What should we name her... Can I choose?"

"Sure. It's your right as the father."

Got it. Then...

"Fiona. Fiona Rosais. That's her name."

"Fiona... Yeah, I like it."

Yuria smiled happily.

I looked at Fiona.

Her hair was a deep purple, and her features resembled Yuria.

She'll probably grow up to be beautiful.

I'm happy. I'm a little sad that I can't see much of myself in her.

Ah, she's so cute.

What if someone asks me to give her away in marriage? I'd be in trouble.

"I won't let her marry anyone."

"...You're saying that even though she just got born."

Yuria laughed out loud.

I'm glad she's feeling better... Yuria.

After a while, when Yuria and Tera had fallen asleep, I was alone on the palace balcony, looking at the beautiful full moon.

I drank alone.

"Leader..."

"Rong. You're a bit late."

"I was a bit busy. I'm a bit late. Congratulations, by the way."

Rong quietly came to stand next to me.

"Sorry, I only have one glass."

"No, it's fine. And... you seem a bit troubled."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes... It's about Yuria, isn't it?"

You can see right through me.

Well, it's something everyone thinks, so it's not surprising.

The next king will be Yuria's son.

That's the unspoken rule. Everyone in the country knows it.

Of course, if I tried to give the throne to Tera's son, the country would split in two.

Especially the Rosais family. They would oppose it outright.

I know that, so I didn't give Anks the Rosais family name.

He has no right to the throne. That's what I wanted to show.

Yuria gave birth to a girl, and Tera gave birth to a boy.

It's a bit of a complicated situation.

But Yuria's position won't be shaken by this.

However, if this keeps happening, it will become a problem.

In other words, if Yuria keeps giving birth to girls and doesn't have a boy.

I could choose not to be with Tera until Yuria has a boy, but I can't do that.

I don't want to make Tera wait that long, and besides, Abraham... that old man would complain.

If that old man wasn't around, things wouldn't be this complicated.

I heard that the sex of the baby is determined by the sperm. So it's my fault, right?

But I also heard that the woman's body plays a role.

Both are at fault... No, that's not the right word. There are causes.

"Well, I'm honestly happy. I wanted both a girl and a boy. The odds are 50/50, so it won't keep happening."

"Yeah, I agree. Yuria and Tera... They're both important to me. I don't want to see them fight."

"Me neither. I won't let it happen. Absolutely not."

I glared at the full moon.

The full moon continued to shine brightly, ignoring me.

Peaceful days passed, and it became June.

I strengthened my vigilance against the expected invasion and encirclement by the Kingdom of Dorgal.

And as expected, peace ended.

What I didn't expect was that...

The peace was broken not by the invasion of the Dorgal army, but by internal strife in the Kingdom of Dorgal.

___________

Chapter 95.5: First Meeting

"So cute... Grandpa!!"

"..."

Fiona looked at her step-grandfather curiously.

Fiona, who had just been born, had almost no vision. However, it seemed like she was looking at her step-grandfather, and he was delighted.

"Yeah, she looks just like Yuria. Yuria was this small when she was a baby... I can't believe she grew up to have children..."

Suddenly, her step-grandfather started crying. It seemed like he had flipped a strange switch.

"By the way, where is Tera As?"

"Tera? She's in the other room with Anks."

She probably felt like she was in the way...

Tera said that and went to the other room.

Neither Yuria nor I minded, but Tera seemed uncomfortable. There was no particular reason to force her to come.

"That's not good. Go get her."

Her step-grandfather said that and called a slave to bring Tera. Tera came quickly. She looked nervous.

Anks was sleeping soundly in her arms.

I motioned for Tera to sit next to me, so I could protect her if needed...

Her step-grandfather smiled and said,

"Let me hold the baby."

"Wh-What!?"

Tera looked surprised. I probably had the same expression.

Of course, there was no blood relation between Tera and her step-grandfather.

I thought he would give some advice or something.

"Yuria's husband is my son. His wife is my daughter. Her child is my grandchild, right?"

Her step-grandfather smiled.

Tera looked confused but quickly stood up and brought Anks to her step-grandfather.

"Here you go..."

"Thank you."

Her step-grandfather picked up Anks as if he were handling a fragile object.

He looked at the baby and said to Tera,

"Yeah, he's a good boy. He'll probably be very wise."

"Thank you..."

Tera said with a slightly blushing face.

Her step-grandfather returned Anks to Tera and dismissed them.

Then he was alone with me.

For a while, silence dominated the room.

Her step-grandfather was the first to speak.

"Understand this. Whether they want it or not, conflict will arise. There will be people who will try to raise them up."

"I understand."

I will protect the two of them and their children, as a husband, a father, and a king.

"I've seen my grandchild. But I can't rest until I see the crown prince."

"...I'll do my best."

The next king will be Yuria's son. That's absolute. Otherwise, the country will split.

My original purpose was to produce a male heir from the Rosais family.

"In the worst case, Anks and Fiona will have to marry. I'd rather avoid that."

"I understand. Ha..."

In the worst case, it will be incest.

I don't know whether to lament or to be glad that there's a last resort.