Summer, which heats the soil beyond the spring air, has arrived.
The plants were radiating lush energy beyond freshness, but it was not a very helpful season for the expectant mother-carrying twins.
The hot sun was heating up the Empress's palace.
It was a summer not particularly different from last year, but Sepia had a hard time enduring the rising temperature because of the circumstances.
The Empress was losing energy with her body getting heavier and heavier.
Unable to bear this, the Emperor moved his residence to the northern villa for the Empress who was struggling with the heat.
The villa, located in a hunting ground close to the palace, had a large lake in front, so it was particularly cool under the lush vegetation.
Sepia was resting on a couch placed under a Zelkova tree.
Unlike the sunny area, the cool shade of the tree was peaceful with a light breeze.
"Are you feeling okay?"
When Sepia moved, Roxanne, who had been on vacation with her, handed her a glass.
Sweet chamomile tea with honey and ice was one of Sepia’s favorites these days.
She took a sip and her thirst was quenched.
Although her body was heavy due to her full stomach, she felt like she could fly just by the heat.
“Yes. It’s not that far from the Empress’s Palace, but it’s so different. It’s amazing.”
“The Piodin hunting grounds are famous for being cool. It’s also a villa that the royal family has enjoyed visiting for generations during the summer.”
Sepia nodded.
Roxanne, who was sitting on the couch, offered to be her pillow.
His knees were hard, but the refreshing pheromones calmed Sepia.
Pheromones can be reached through the respiratory tract, but overlapping bodies was the best way.
It was difficult to touch the skin in the heat, but after staying at the villa, she was able to be held in his arms to her heart’s content.
‘I feel lethargic.’
Her belly, already in her seventh month of pregnancy, was swollen to the point where it couldn't be covered by a dress.
Unlike the early days when she was pregnant with twins, it was unusual compared to other mothers of the same age.
One beastmen and one human.
Sepia's pregnancy was special.
The palace doctor pointed out not only her body shape but also the beastmen inside her belly as the reason for the early lack of signs.
'He's deliberately hiding his body for his bloodline.'
Even by normal standards, the beastmen's pulse should have been felt louder than that of a human.
However, the twins' pulses didn't show much difference from the early days.
That was because the beastmen inside her belly were regulating its own growth.
If the twins were unusually different in size, the lives inside the belly and the mother could be in danger.
The beastmen instinctively realized this and tried to hide himself as much as possible in his mother's belly. She first felt the fetus move when she was in her fourth month.
However, Roxanne said that the movement was probably a human baby because he felt the small fetus move.
Roxanne, who was stroking Sepia’s belly and blowing his pheromones, suddenly opened his mouth.
“The one who will be born as a divine beast may be very perceptive.”
“He will be a very kind child to both his bloodline and us.”
Sepia smiled brightly as she looked at her swollen belly.
The grandson who will be born and grow up in this world will inherit strong and kind blood and become a great Emperor.
Sepia’s expression, which had been smiling gently as she thought of the distant future, suddenly sank.
Roxanne, who noticed the momentary change, spoke to her gently.
“Why are you like that?”
“...I’m a little worried.”
The baby who will be born as a divine beast was guaranteed a future as the King of the beastmen from birth.
However, the life that would be born as a human was different.
He was the first human among the royal family of the beastmen empire.
Sepia was troubled and worried because she could not predict the future of the baby who would be born in a world with a different species.
She thought back to when she first set foot in the Beastkin empire.
The more distinct seasons and manners were different from those of her hometown of Huron, so she had a hard time because of the unfamiliarity.
However, she stubbornly accepted this unfamiliar culture.
'Because there was a reason to do so.'
It was a matter of life or death, so what could have been the problem?
However, it was different for a baby who was alone in an unfamiliar world. She had the opportunity to choose her own fate, but the baby in her womb did not have that opportunity.
'What if the baby can't adapt?'
She wondered if he would end up comparing himself to his bloodline, who would be born as a divine being.
The part that Sepia was most worried about. And when she thought of the worst at the same time, the Emperor asked,
“Empress, don’t you miss your hometown?”
“Not even a little.”
Life in Huron was confinement and suffering.
Now, the food and culture there were unfamiliar, and sometimes they were so faint that she couldn’t remember them well.
Rather, she felt like the Beastkin Empire was her hometown.
The Emperor, who had asked her a strange question, looked into her blue eyes and spoke.
“The soon-to-be-born grandchild is the Empress and my child. We will pour out fair love to the children, and we will share a heart that will not be swayed even if they are of different species. If the child who is born as a human grows up and has a hole in his heart, he will have a chance to choose. Also, no matter what the child chooses, our love for him will not change.”
The plants were radiating lush energy beyond freshness, but it was not a very helpful season for the expectant mother-carrying twins.
The hot sun was heating up the Empress's palace.
It was a summer not particularly different from last year, but Sepia had a hard time enduring the rising temperature because of the circumstances.
The Empress was losing energy with her body getting heavier and heavier.
Unable to bear this, the Emperor moved his residence to the northern villa for the Empress who was struggling with the heat.
The villa, located in a hunting ground close to the palace, had a large lake in front, so it was particularly cool under the lush vegetation.
Sepia was resting on a couch placed under a Zelkova tree.
Unlike the sunny area, the cool shade of the tree was peaceful with a light breeze.
"Are you feeling okay?"
When Sepia moved, Roxanne, who had been on vacation with her, handed her a glass.
Sweet chamomile tea with honey and ice was one of Sepia’s favorites these days.
She took a sip and her thirst was quenched.
Although her body was heavy due to her full stomach, she felt like she could fly just by the heat.
“Yes. It’s not that far from the Empress’s Palace, but it’s so different. It’s amazing.”
“The Piodin hunting grounds are famous for being cool. It’s also a villa that the royal family has enjoyed visiting for generations during the summer.”
Sepia nodded.
Roxanne, who was sitting on the couch, offered to be her pillow.
His knees were hard, but the refreshing pheromones calmed Sepia.
Pheromones can be reached through the respiratory tract, but overlapping bodies was the best way.
It was difficult to touch the skin in the heat, but after staying at the villa, she was able to be held in his arms to her heart’s content.
‘I feel lethargic.’
Her belly, already in her seventh month of pregnancy, was swollen to the point where it couldn't be covered by a dress.
Unlike the early days when she was pregnant with twins, it was unusual compared to other mothers of the same age.
One beastmen and one human.
Sepia's pregnancy was special.
The palace doctor pointed out not only her body shape but also the beastmen inside her belly as the reason for the early lack of signs.
'He's deliberately hiding his body for his bloodline.'
Even by normal standards, the beastmen's pulse should have been felt louder than that of a human.
However, the twins' pulses didn't show much difference from the early days.
That was because the beastmen inside her belly were regulating its own growth.
If the twins were unusually different in size, the lives inside the belly and the mother could be in danger.
The beastmen instinctively realized this and tried to hide himself as much as possible in his mother's belly. She first felt the fetus move when she was in her fourth month.
However, Roxanne said that the movement was probably a human baby because he felt the small fetus move.
Roxanne, who was stroking Sepia’s belly and blowing his pheromones, suddenly opened his mouth.
“The one who will be born as a divine beast may be very perceptive.”
“He will be a very kind child to both his bloodline and us.”
Sepia smiled brightly as she looked at her swollen belly.
The grandson who will be born and grow up in this world will inherit strong and kind blood and become a great Emperor.
Sepia’s expression, which had been smiling gently as she thought of the distant future, suddenly sank.
Roxanne, who noticed the momentary change, spoke to her gently.
“Why are you like that?”
“...I’m a little worried.”
The baby who will be born as a divine beast was guaranteed a future as the King of the beastmen from birth.
However, the life that would be born as a human was different.
He was the first human among the royal family of the beastmen empire.
Sepia was troubled and worried because she could not predict the future of the baby who would be born in a world with a different species.
She thought back to when she first set foot in the Beastkin empire.
The more distinct seasons and manners were different from those of her hometown of Huron, so she had a hard time because of the unfamiliarity.
However, she stubbornly accepted this unfamiliar culture.
'Because there was a reason to do so.'
It was a matter of life or death, so what could have been the problem?
However, it was different for a baby who was alone in an unfamiliar world. She had the opportunity to choose her own fate, but the baby in her womb did not have that opportunity.
'What if the baby can't adapt?'
She wondered if he would end up comparing himself to his bloodline, who would be born as a divine being.
The part that Sepia was most worried about. And when she thought of the worst at the same time, the Emperor asked,
“Empress, don’t you miss your hometown?”
“Not even a little.”
Life in Huron was confinement and suffering.
Now, the food and culture there were unfamiliar, and sometimes they were so faint that she couldn’t remember them well.
Rather, she felt like the Beastkin Empire was her hometown.
The Emperor, who had asked her a strange question, looked into her blue eyes and spoke.
“The soon-to-be-born grandchild is the Empress and my child. We will pour out fair love to the children, and we will share a heart that will not be swayed even if they are of different species. If the child who is born as a human grows up and has a hole in his heart, he will have a chance to choose. Also, no matter what the child chooses, our love for him will not change.”
An unchanging heart.
The low, calm voice pushed Sepia’s anxiety away into the distant sea.
‘Yes. That’s right.’
Someday, the moment of choice would come to this child as well. She now knew that showing unchanging affection was her only duty as a parent.
The heart that had been fluttering while imagining an uncertain future finally calmed down.
Sepia lay on his lap and looked up at Roxanne.
An infinite companion who would stay by her side, whether anxious or not.
She felt that anything would be okay if she was by his side.
So she hoped that the children who would soon be born would feel the same way.
Did Sepia’s wish reach the children?
A faint movement of the fetus stimulated the Emperor’s hand on her stomach.
“I think they have something to say.”
A gentle smile appeared on Roxanne’s lips.
He had his back to a zelkova tree with lush green leaves.
The sunlight shining through the leaves sparkled and blended with Roxanne’s smile.
Sepia, who was looking up at his face, smiled back.
“I’m happy.”
Ah, could there be a more ecstatic moment than this?
Such a beautiful summer shone down brilliantly on Sepia’s head.
It announced the arrival of fall, which would extinguish the summer’s energy.
Sepia, who returned to the Empress's palace at the end of late summer, finished preparing for childbirth.
The palace maids and maids were waiting all day next to the Empress's bedroom, and her heavy body, which contained two lives, had become too heavy to move for long periods. She could barely stand up with support, but there was anticipation that overcame the discomfort.
In the afternoon when the first maple leaves ripened red, the Empress, who was resting next to the Emperor, suddenly experienced labor pains.
The moment the maids hurriedly called the palace maids, her water broke.
It was the beginning of labor.
Ten hours had passed since the labor pains began.
The Emperor's face was filled with impatience, and the Empress's complexion was pale with cold sweat and pain.
The palace maids were careful even to breathe, and the maids who were waiting with clean clothes and warm water ready looked no different.
The moment the entrance finally opened, the tiny baby met the world for the first time with a loud cry.
The palace maid who cut the umbilical cord held a girl with black hair in her hands.
“You are a healthy Princess.”
The Princess was born as a human.
The joy was short-lived, and the difficult labor was just beginning.
The human body was narrow and long in structure to be born as a divine being.
When the Empress let out a painful groan, the maids sympathized with her pain and bit the flesh inside their mouths.
“Sepia.”
Roxanne clenched her hands with a distorted face.
She wanted to tell him that it was okay, but all that came out of her mouth was a voice full of pain.
At that moment, when the labor pains continued, the palace doctor confirmed that the path had opened.
“Your Majesty, please try a little harder!”
Then, the face of a young wolf appeared.
It was a male divine being with pale golden fur.
“Oh my, you are the royal guests.”
The maids washed the bloody body of the child with tears in their eyes.
Sepia was panting and following her child with her eyes.
“Child, let me see the children.”
Soon, the babies wrapped in clean cloths were placed in Roxanne’s arms.
She turned her head with difficulty and confirmed the appearance of the twins held by the Emperor.
She recalled the times when she had been thinking about the names of the babies.
After the pain of labor, she was finally able to decide on names for the twins.
“...Erhi, Drohan.”
The names of the Princess and Crown Prince, respectively.
The blue eyes that had not cried even during the long labor became wet.
The overwhelming joy soon turned into tears.
Roxanne kissed her forehead covered in cold sweat.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He was equally overwhelmed.
In fact, before the babies were born, he had a greater desire to protect the Empress than the grandchildren.
Only after she safely completed the natural birth did he see the babies properly.
The Emperor’s love was always one.
The twins resembled both the Empress and the Emperor. The ones Roxanne loved and had to protect.
That word soon expanded into the realm of family along with Sepia.
The low, calm voice pushed Sepia’s anxiety away into the distant sea.
‘Yes. That’s right.’
Someday, the moment of choice would come to this child as well. She now knew that showing unchanging affection was her only duty as a parent.
The heart that had been fluttering while imagining an uncertain future finally calmed down.
Sepia lay on his lap and looked up at Roxanne.
An infinite companion who would stay by her side, whether anxious or not.
She felt that anything would be okay if she was by his side.
So she hoped that the children who would soon be born would feel the same way.
Did Sepia’s wish reach the children?
A faint movement of the fetus stimulated the Emperor’s hand on her stomach.
“I think they have something to say.”
A gentle smile appeared on Roxanne’s lips.
He had his back to a zelkova tree with lush green leaves.
The sunlight shining through the leaves sparkled and blended with Roxanne’s smile.
Sepia, who was looking up at his face, smiled back.
“I’m happy.”
Ah, could there be a more ecstatic moment than this?
Such a beautiful summer shone down brilliantly on Sepia’s head.
***
It announced the arrival of fall, which would extinguish the summer’s energy.
Sepia, who returned to the Empress's palace at the end of late summer, finished preparing for childbirth.
The palace maids and maids were waiting all day next to the Empress's bedroom, and her heavy body, which contained two lives, had become too heavy to move for long periods. She could barely stand up with support, but there was anticipation that overcame the discomfort.
In the afternoon when the first maple leaves ripened red, the Empress, who was resting next to the Emperor, suddenly experienced labor pains.
The moment the maids hurriedly called the palace maids, her water broke.
It was the beginning of labor.
Ten hours had passed since the labor pains began.
The Emperor's face was filled with impatience, and the Empress's complexion was pale with cold sweat and pain.
The palace maids were careful even to breathe, and the maids who were waiting with clean clothes and warm water ready looked no different.
The moment the entrance finally opened, the tiny baby met the world for the first time with a loud cry.
The palace maid who cut the umbilical cord held a girl with black hair in her hands.
“You are a healthy Princess.”
The Princess was born as a human.
The joy was short-lived, and the difficult labor was just beginning.
The human body was narrow and long in structure to be born as a divine being.
When the Empress let out a painful groan, the maids sympathized with her pain and bit the flesh inside their mouths.
“Sepia.”
Roxanne clenched her hands with a distorted face.
She wanted to tell him that it was okay, but all that came out of her mouth was a voice full of pain.
At that moment, when the labor pains continued, the palace doctor confirmed that the path had opened.
“Your Majesty, please try a little harder!”
Then, the face of a young wolf appeared.
It was a male divine being with pale golden fur.
“Oh my, you are the royal guests.”
The maids washed the bloody body of the child with tears in their eyes.
Sepia was panting and following her child with her eyes.
“Child, let me see the children.”
Soon, the babies wrapped in clean cloths were placed in Roxanne’s arms.
She turned her head with difficulty and confirmed the appearance of the twins held by the Emperor.
She recalled the times when she had been thinking about the names of the babies.
After the pain of labor, she was finally able to decide on names for the twins.
“...Erhi, Drohan.”
The names of the Princess and Crown Prince, respectively.
The blue eyes that had not cried even during the long labor became wet.
The overwhelming joy soon turned into tears.
Roxanne kissed her forehead covered in cold sweat.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He was equally overwhelmed.
In fact, before the babies were born, he had a greater desire to protect the Empress than the grandchildren.
Only after she safely completed the natural birth did he see the babies properly.
The Emperor’s love was always one.
The twins resembled both the Empress and the Emperor. The ones Roxanne loved and had to protect.
That word soon expanded into the realm of family along with Sepia.
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