"Your Ladyship! Give me more power!"
A midwife's cry was heard from the maternity ward, set atop the central temple. Medea squeezed her eyes shut. A cold sweat ran down her temples. Having already experienced it in her past life, she felt no fear or dread.
No, compared to the past when she had to endure the pain of being alone in extreme isolation and loneliness due to her husband's marriage or the expedition to kill the evil dragon, now she was closer to an undeserved blessing.
"If you can't stand it, you can scream! Just a little longer! Just hold on a little longer!"
Even though the gods urged her, Medea couldn't do it. And that's understandable.
"Damn it, do something, she's in pain!"
It was because the man standing next to her, holding her hand, was almost losing his mind.
"Cesare, I'm fine..."
"No, I'm sorry, Dea, don't tell me."
Cesare, whose expression was distorted, quickly erased it and tried to reassure Medea.
"It's okay. I'll be by your side. Don't be afraid."
He held her hand tightly with one hand and kissed her sweaty temple without stopping, comforting her.
But Medea thought that it was he, not her, who was truly terrified.
"I've already administered the holy water and the potion. Anything more could be dangerous for both mother and child."
The Druid-born god finally saw the infamous 'Black Devil' of the continent at dusk today.
The Druid-born god finally saw the infamous 'Black Devil' of the continent at dusk today.
But even that seemed to be human after all.
He looked like he was going to collapse, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was trembling nervously as if he was having a nervous breakdown.
"You're doing great. Just one more time!"
"Ugh..."
A cold sweat ran down Medea's temples.
The man next to her was hypersensitive, like an animal, and his expression became fierce every time Medea swallowed a moan, as if his own life was being cut short.
"Cesare, please, come to your senses—you're being so aggressive..."
Get out.
Only after Medea issued the banishment order did Cesare, fearing he might be driven from her presence, forcibly suppress his hysterics.
Waaaaah!
Finally, the child cried loudly.
"Your Highness, it is the Princess. She is a very brave and lovely baby!"
The woman who had been called smiled faintly and placed the same child in Medea's arms.
Medea lifted her head. A small weight felt under her arm, pressing down on her heart.
Medea took a deep breath.
“Ah, baby..."
For ten months, I've held you in my arms, and I've thought countless times: What kind of face do you have?
If I happened to see the two children I lost in your face, would I smile with joy, or would I be overcome with guilt? It's just not possible.
"Hello, baby."
Without Medea's knowledge, tears flowed down her face.
"Cesare, look..."
The warmth of Cesare's tears reaching the corners of his eyes reached her.
"Do you see it? The baby is watching us."
It was hard to believe that the baby had just taken her first steps into the world; her eyes were so bright and clear.
Black hair that looks just like Cesare and a brilliant green that looks just like Medea
The sight of her watching the world while wringing her small hands made the two fall in love in an instant.
"..."
Cesare also couldn't say anything.
Many words came to his mind, but none of them could fully express his current feelings.
The child of himself and Medea.
His clone, as if carved from his heart.
His first complete family, where he, who belonged nowhere, took root.
"Your Majesty, please choose the baby's name!"
Madame Tolin urged excitedly. Medea looked up at Cesare. She could understand why he seemed at a loss for words.
"Cheche, you decide."
Medea's whispered nickname, which she only used when expressing her deepest affection, tickled his ears.
Cesare blinked like someone waking from a dream, then carefully placed her hand near the child's little finger.
“Beatrice.”
The end of the low, ringing voice seemed to tremble slightly, but then fell clearly again.
"Beatrice would be nice."
"Blessing, that's a wonderful name. It's a name befitting of Your Majesty's child."
Mrs. Tollin immediately understood the meaning and let out a gasp.
“Beatrice.”
Medea met her clear green eyes.
"Welcome to Mom and Dad."
***
Valdina Imperial Castle.
A bright, clear wind, characteristic of the north, blew through the palace.
"Hello, Commander."
As D'Angel entered the palace corridors, muscular men were seen here and there, suffering from back pain.
Oh my, oh my, D'Angel, who had just waved his hand in greeting, turned the corner.
And after walking for a long time through the winding maze-like palace.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the door.
"Hey, Sissair, come out now unless you want to die from being crushed by paper!"
The spacious office that D'Angel entered was covered with a mountain of documents.
As expected from the prime minister's quarters, which were notoriously the busiest within the Valdina Palace, there seemed to be no room to even catch one's breath.
"What brings you to this distant administrative palace, Commander?""
A young man surrounded by piles of papers raised his head.
He was a handsome man who drew admiration even though his face was covered by a pair of glasses that were clouded by the light.
The sharp sensitivity revealed through the slightly frowning expression actually caught his attention.
"I heard from your aide earlier that you didn't go home this week and worked overtime again. Take it easy. What fun is there in living a life so obsessed with work?"
You need to get some fresh air, see some flowers, and meet some women, right?
D'Angel was worried.
Sissair, how many women in Valdina are eyeing that one man?
Even D'Angel, who knew him well, was constantly getting requests to set up a match.
'What am you going to do if you spend this good time hunched over at your desk, with that damned good-for-nothing attitude?'
But on the other hand, he thought he understood why Sissair was so preoccupied with state affairs, let alone socializing.
'It's because of Her Majesty Medea, you know.'
Since he returned from Katzen a year ago, that damn workaholic symptom has gotten worse.
"People tend to become more extreme when they have a brief moment of hope, and then it's taken away."
At D'Angel's words, Sissair immediately lowered his glasses back down to the documents and replied.
"I'll take care of it myself, so you can do whatever you want, Commander. You're already doing that enough."
Despite the cold response, D'Angel ignored it and pushed aside the pile of documents in front of Sissair.
As the pieces of paper fluttered in the air, Sissair's brow furrowed deeply.
But D'Angel was used to that kind of expression on Sissair's face.
"Huh. If you're not going to meet a woman anyway, why don't you go train with me?"
"D'Angel, don't tease him too much."
At that moment, Peleus, who was passing by the office, offered Sissair a helping hand.
"It's not like fate happens just because you want it to. It only happens when the person involved wants it to."
The young emperor, who seemed as cold as the north wind, actually felt quite sorry for Sisair.
It was because he thought that maybe he had stirred up a person who was living a good life, and made him wander.
But the leader of Agema, the strongest steel knight in Valdina, pretended not to hear this either.
"What would Your Majesty say? This guy, Sissair, is not the problem right now."
The target's focus has shifted.
D'Angel put down the mountain of documents and placed both hands on his hips.
"Even so, since Sissair has a father who has taken care of the household in his stead, Your Majesty must find a consort! Are you going to keep the position of mistress of this empire empty like this?”
"..."
"I'm not the only one worried! Marquis Gillifort also can't sleep every night, worried that his funeral will come before His Majesty's wedding!"
Peleus took a step back.
He realized that he had accidentally set off a bomb while trying to help his beloved subject.
However, that did not mean that he could avoid D'Angel's bombing.
"Your Majesty should have children like rabbits by now, but you don't have any children."
He couldn't find even a shadow of love near his lord.
D'Angel snorted like a rhinoceros.
"Aren't you going to get married? Who else is there in this royal family besides Your Majesty? If something happens to Your Majesty, who will lead this great nation?! This is an emergency!"
"Why is it just me? We have Via."
Peleus was the first to protest quietly.
Medea's one-year-old daughter, Beatrice, was greatly loved by her uncle Peleus.
Where did you hear the superstition that the more good deeds you accumulate, the more the goddess's blessings will be upon your child?
It all started with a joint operation between the three kingdoms, including the Facade, the Knights Templar, and Agema, which took place in the month that Princess Beatrice was born.
The allied forces of the three kingdoms annihilated the monster wave in the eastern part of the continent and wiped out the monster species.
Of course, the child's father also firmly believed in the superstition and cooperated with all his might.
This was the first time that the normally dry brother-in-laws had become one.
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