47 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
The Grand Duke's Bride is a Warrior of Hell 47
The refreshing night did not last long.
A dark night past midnight.
Knights holding torches visited the Grand Duke's Residence.
The procession of knights holding bright lights was like a long tail.
The head of the long tail was a messenger from the Imperial Palace.
The messenger from the Imperial Palace announced that the Emperor had ordered the Grand Duke to enter the palace.
The messenger had more business.
He said that the Empress had ordered Alisha to enter the palace.
The messenger from the Imperial Palace told the Grand Duke and the prospective Grand Duchess that knights would safely escort them to the Imperial Palace and then departed.
Knights holding torches followed behind him as he left.
The number of knights who left with the messenger was greater than the number of knights remaining in front of the Grand Duke's Residence.
"It's today."
Alisha said briefly.
Reikart, who had been puzzled, quickly understood.
Lady Goggins.
Lady Mode's labor was imminent.
Because labor had started today, far from the expected date, the Emperor had ordered a temporary siege of the Marquis Manners's family.
In addition, the Emperor summoned some members of the imperial family to the palace due to the unexpected progress, and some were placed under detention disguised as protection.
The moment when the Emperor's first child would be born was approaching.
The air in the Imperial Palace was bleak.
It wasn't just because it was dawn.
Lady Goggins had spent the entire day in labor.
The rooms around the Maternity Room were full of guests.
There were many people, but the atmosphere was quiet and cold.
The Emperor frequently entered the Maternity Room and spoke with the mother.
The reluctance he had felt because she was giving birth at a time completely different from the expected date had disappeared since last night.
The Empress and the Imperial Concubines were similar.
The unpleasant and resentful atmosphere towards the Imperial Concubine, who had suddenly entered, had changed to pity as the labor continued for a full day.
The Court Physicians were barely surviving under the pretext that it was her first childbirth.
Worries that something might go wrong were spreading like mold among the people.
The Court Lady Doctors kept shouting that they were doing well, but no one believed them anymore.
Alisha was in the room right in front of the Maternity Room.
When she first entered the room, the Emperor and Empress were there.
As the labor grew longer, the Emperor went to the Maternity Room.
Because it was right in front of the Maternity Room, she could hear everything the Emperor said to Lady Goggins.
The Emperor, who had several wives, kept a good line.
At the same time, it was felt that he deeply cherished Lady Goggins, who was in labor.
He came out of the Maternity Room and told the Court Physicians that if the situation did not improve and a decision had to be made, they should unconditionally give up the child.
Currently, the Emperor had no heir.
Because there had been no heir for quite some time, the Emperor was under pressure both internally and externally.
Being able to say to give up the child without hesitation was not an easy thing to do.
As time passed, members of the imperial family arrived one by one in the room where only the Empress, Reikart, and Alisha were.
The atmosphere, which should have been happy about the birth of an imperial grandchild, changed to a time of worry that a funeral might have to be held.
The atmosphere became even more grim because of Lady Goggins's desperate cries.
She asked for her family to be brought into the palace, as if she foresaw her death.
The Emperor, who had ordered a siege of the Marquis Manners's family, immediately granted permission.
"The Prime Minister and his wife have arrived."
Those in the room stood up silently.
Neither the Empress nor the imperial family followed imperial etiquette.
The court physicians were negative about the entry of outsiders, even family members, into the Maternity Room.
The Prime Minister's family desperately called Maud's name in front of the Maternity Room door.
The court physician said with a sorry face that the imperial grandchild would not be born until tomorrow at the current rate.
The Emperor first ordered the Empress to go to her residence and rest.
He told the remaining members of the imperial family that he would call them when the child was born, so they should rest in their private rooms.
The Empress conveyed encouragement to the mother's family and left the room.
The people who had arrived earlier left, and the people who arrived later remained in the room.
Alisha moved to the nearby room with Reikart.
Because she had been tense for a full day, her eyes closed as soon as she sat down.
The large chair with a backrest and armrests was comfortable, but Alisha's face was frowning.
Reikart quietly watched her sleeping face.
Alisha Reine, who was known to the world as an angel, was actually said to have a cold and sensitive first impression.
Reikart had not been able to sympathize with what people said.
But now, it seemed that sensitivity was evident on Alisha's sleeping face.
He could feel the prickliness on the face of the sleeping person, showing how much she was paying attention.
Alisha had always been relaxed, as if she knew everything.
The person who was leisurely even in front of the monsters that made Tessen call it the land of death.
Reikart realized that Alisha was also an ordinary person with her rare sharp reaction.
Her face, which had been frowning in her sleep, suddenly woke up with a start.
"Not yet."
Reikart said to Alisha, who had woken up and was gasping for a moment.
He cleared away the cold tea and refilled the teacup with new tea.
"Thank you."
Alisha murmured slowly, pulling the teacup forward.
Then, after a while, she fell asleep again.
And then she woke up with a start, as if she had been shaken awake.
It continued to happen like that.
Short sleeps and awakenings were repeated several times.
Reikart only cleared away the cold tea and refilled it with warm tea.
Alisha finally woke up, shuddering her shoulders, and checked the time.
It was early evening.
Pink sunset was spreading across the sky.
"Go and see."
Alisha, who had looked out the window, left the room.
Reikart obediently followed Alisha.
Just then, the Maternity Room door opened urgently.
"The baby is coming out!"
The Head Maid said to Alisha.
Seeing the Chief Attendant approaching to give orders to the attendants and maids, Alisha entered the room in front of the Maternity Room.
"It's now, madam!"
"You're doing well."
The voices of the Court Lady Doctors echoed beyond the Maternity Room.
The Court Physicians and interns diligently went in and out, carrying and bringing out what was needed.
A short cry from Lady Goggins echoed from the Maternity Room.
"She's born!"
One of the Court Physicians shouted.
There was no baby's cry.
Instead, the door to the space connected to the room in front of the Maternity Room opened, and a group of people appeared.
The scratching of quills constantly spread from them.
Those wearing hooded purple cloaks were men, and those wearing the same colored bonnets were women.
The men held small notebooks in one hand and short quills in the other, recording.
The women took off the lace gloves they were wearing and followed the Court Interns.
"……."
"……."
The Court Interns opened not the Maternity Room door they had been going through until now, but another door on the wall.
The one standing at the very front of the men followed the women.
He seemed to be the First Class Secretary of the Great Temple.
The room was in disarray due to the unexpected situation.
Only the suddenly appearing recorders of the Great Temple were calm.
The people in the room looked at each other.
At that time, the Maternity Room door opened, and the Emperor came out of the Maternity Room.
Almost simultaneously, a baby's cry rang out.
A Court Intern hurriedly ran out, bowed, and said.
"Your Majesty, congratulations on the birth of the Princess!"
The Emperor did not give the people in the room a chance to bow and returned to the Maternity Room.
The Emperor's joyful voice and words of gratitude to Lady Goggins were heard beyond the Maternity Room.
"Congratulations on the birth of the Princess."
As Reikart bowed, the others in the room bowed all at once.
"The child's name will be 'Dorothea'."
The Emperor's words to Lady Goggins in the Maternity Room came over again.
Reikart silently looked at Alisha.
The others in the room also exchanged glances.
It was rare for a child to be recognized as a member of the imperial family and even receive a name as soon as they were born.
It was an unusual event.
She might have been the princess who received her name the fastest in history.
The scribes made a scratching sound as they quickly wrote something.
Only Alisha was relieved there.
Reikart looked at her barely relieved face and bowed again.
Before he could finish speaking, the Emperor came out of the Maternity Room and hugged Reikart.
The Emperor's face was full of smiles.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
The Emperor patted Reikart on the back and approached Marquis Manners.
The Marquis and his wife were wiping away tears with moved faces.
The Emperor comforted them both at the same time.
Reikart ignored the gazes of his brothers who followed him and looked at Alisha.
"Get some rest."
"What about you, Your Highness?"
"There will be a celebration among the imperial family in the Grand Audience Chamber. I'll come to pick you up as soon as the preparations are finished, so get some rest."
Alisha had not slept even three hours in two days.
She had been mentally exhausted because of the long period of tension and sensitivity.
Alisha just nodded.
Reikart took Alisha close to the Empress and her maids, asked them to take care of her, and left the room.
The members of the imperial family followed behind Reikart.
Just as he had the task of the celebration, the other members of the imperial family also had things to do.
The Chief Attendant and attendants approached each of the members of the imperial family and urged them to do their jobs.
The cold and chaotic atmosphere quickly changed to a lively one.
The Empress looked at Alisha as if she had something to say, but she noticed her dazed face and closed her mouth.
Soon, an imperial order was issued to gather in the Grand Audience Chamber.
The Grand Audience Chamber was huge and luxurious.
The Emperor's face, sitting on the throne, was overflowing with smiles.
He raised a glass of wine and said.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate the birth of the Princess."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
As if holding up their glasses towards the Emperor, everyone in the Audience Chamber held out their glasses towards the empty space in front of them and shouted.
Smiles were all over the faces of the people holding the glasses.
Everyone looked happy.
"……."
To Alisha, that sight looked bizarre.
There was only illusion in the Grand Audience Chamber.
The real protagonist, the princess who had just been born, was not here.
The mother, who had been in labor for two days, wandering between life and death, was also not there.
Although members of the Marquis Manners's family were present, only Prime Minister Marquis Manners and the Marquis's son were there.
The Marquis Manners's wife could not come here because she was taking care of her daughter who had just given birth.
The real protagonists were not here because they were busy preparing for the future and for living from now on in the Maternity Room.
Here, there were only people with their own agendas, all wearing fake smiles.
Alisha herself was also a person with a special agenda.
Pop!
The Emperor, who had emptied his first glass, opened a new bottle of wine.
The Empress, who was sitting next to the Emperor, offered congratulations again and asked for a drink.
The Imperial Concubines spread flower-like smiles as they looked at the Emperor and Empress.
They clinked their glasses with each other and listed good words about the birth of the Princess.
It was doubtful whether the Empress could sincerely rejoice at the birth of the Emperor's first child.
Whether the Imperial Concubines could sincerely smile as they looked at the friendly Emperor and Empress was also questionable.
