Chapter After Story 23

The two then talked about the marriage of Celine, Lady Viscount Pescher.

The Empress Dowager originally planned to help Lady Viscount Pescher find a partner from a prestigious family.

To make a new connection and strengthen exchanges with noble families. It was absolutely necessary to rebuild a family that had once collapsed.

“But now that I think about it, I wonder if I have to.”

“Isn’t there a family in the South that could be used?”

“To say no is like spitting in my face.”

The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly.

“If I only think of them as a Viscounty, there would be a perfect partner, but my heart is not like that. If they are ambitious, the children will suffer.”

“Yes.”

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“Despite saying this, Gregor chose people really well. Just thinking about it, it’s hard to find someone like Count Eunice or Count Josiah.”

“I’ll think about it, too.”

Artizea said.

“If you don’t think about family traditions, it will be easier to find. It would be even better if they were in a position that needed the prestige of Viscounty Pescher, or if they were a commoner who had no titles at all.”

The Empress Dowager had a subtle face and then sighed. Although she knew the world was changing, her heart did not change easily.

Accepting a low-ranking person as a servant and accepting them as the husband of her foster daughter was different.

“I know what you mean. After all, the people don’t matter. The child will succeed Viscounty Pescher anyway, so that’s enough.”

“And Celine’s happiness is more important.”

“Right……. That’s right.”

The Empress Dowager lowered her gaze for a moment to hide her sad gaze.

The last thing the Empress Dowager had was too disastrous to call it a victory. But she was no longer trampled on by anyone.

All the doors were open, only the door to the ossuary where the dead were buried was closed.

So, now that everything has passed, she could say that it is nothing, and that life is meaningless, so living the given time happily is the most important thing.

“Gramma, gramma.”

As soon as the adults stopped talking, Leticia pulled her collar.

“Can’t I open the gift?”

“What? Aahh, you can open it then.”

The Empress Dowager smiled and picked up one of the items on the table and placed it in Leticia’s hand.

“It’s a gift for Ticia.”

“Thank you.”

Artizea spoke instead. The Empress Dowager shook her head.

“I left the souvenirs I brought with me aside. It’s nothing special. This is from the Crown Princess Iantz.”

Leticia tugged at the ribbon on the gift and tore the paper folded flower.

“Gramma, this, sniff, is, sniff, pretty.”

Leticia began to cry. The Empress Dowager took the gift box and ripped open the wrapping paper. She was looking forward to something pretty to come out that she forgot about the ribbon.

What came out of the box was a fist-sized ore shining in rainbow colors.

“Wow!”

Leticia instantly fell in love with the stone.

The Empress Dowager weighed it and placed it in Leticia’s hand, who begged her with an outstretched hand as hard as she could.

“Wow! Mom, this is snail! Snail shell!”

Leticia made a fuss and showed it to Artizea. It was an opalized fossil.

It’s not that expensive, but it’s not common to have such a pretty color in a perfect shape.

It was just something a child would love.

“If you drop it, it may break, so play with it carefully.”

“Yes!”

Leticia exclaimed excitedly.

“Mom, I show this to Ken.”

“Okay.”

Leticia jumped down from the Empress Dowager’s lap, holding the fossil. Then, fearing that she might even bang her forehead on the table, the Empress Dowager quickly grabbed her.

Leticia jumped out regardless of it. The Empress Dowager let out a sigh.

Artizea opened the other gift box on the table. Inside was a small jeweled headdress.

Artizea smiled. The pin looks like the headdress Natalia gave her a long time ago, but it was a child’s.

There was a letter,

Dear Your Majesty the Empress.

I recently received several pebbles as a gift from my mother, and I thought of the princess and sent it to you. She must have grown up a lot already, right? These days, it’s fashionable for mother-and-daughter to wear the same ornaments like this in Iantz.

Please stay healthy. I hope to see you again someday.

Natalia.

Like Natalia, it was a simple letter without rhetoric. Artizea smiled at it, seeing that this too had been written and rewritten by her many times after much thought.

In addition to that, there was one more necklace box made of the finest Southwest Sea tourmaline. It came in the name of Bernat, not Natalia.

Of course, the accompanying letter was also brilliant.

“This jewel is pretty good. Even if it is not enough to make it a national treasure, it is enough to pass it down to your daughter.”

“I hardly ever think the day will come when Ticia will wear a necklace like this.”

“She will grow much faster than you think.”

“Yes.”

Artizea smiled.

Knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door. Artizea told Leticia to just come in if something happened.

Lady Viscount Pescher came in with a tray. Sandwiches cut into bite-size pieces and baked ravioli about the size of a thumb were served casually.

“Today, the Empress hardly ate her lunch, so I had this made in the kitchen and sent here.”

Lady Viscount Pescher spoke politely and set the snack on the table.

The Empress Dowager looked at it with a happy face. There were a lot of things that she didn’t pay attention to because she was trying to hide it, but it was nice to see her behaving with dignity as she became a dignified lady.

Artizea’s complexion deteriorated. The Empress Dowager was trying to pick up the sandwich when she realized it and looked at Artizea.

“Ah, I’m sorry. The smell of ravioli. Ugh.”

Artizea was nauseous. The Empress Dowager had the trays cleared. Lady Viscount Pescher, at a loss, left the tray to the servant and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. But yesterday, you ate only a little light food.”

“It’s okay. You can go. Uugh.”

Artizea struggled to speak as the nausea did not sink easily. And she staggered to her feet.

Alice came quickly and helped. Artizea said, holding back her dizziness,

“I’m sorry, Empress Dowager. I haven’t been eating food lately. I will leave first.”

“Tia, you…….”

The Empress Dowager realized something by looking at her pale face and the thick shadows beneath Artizea’s eyes. She looked like she had lost some weight, too.

“Call Celine and have her take care of the Empress.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The servant replied politely. The Empress Dowager did not stop Artizea, who was rushing to go back.

She glanced at the atmosphere around her, but no one seemed to think of anything special. Lady Viscount Pescher said anxiously,

“She can’t eat well these days.”

“Is the Emperor not saying anything?”

“We have been given an order to remain silent from the Emperor. I think the doctor is paying attention.”

Lady Viscount Pescher wasn’t in a position to get involved in anything important, so she said so.

“She always has a bad stomach. Recently, it’s been a bit harsh.”

“I see.”

The Empress Dowager reclined her body comfortably on the sofa.

Although it was always the case that Artizea doesn’t eat well, it was the first time for her to leave like that, unable to hide her condition because she couldn’t stand the smell and nausea.

Maybe some good news will come soon.

“I should prepare a present.”

The Empress Dowager said with a happy feeling. Lady Viscount Pescher tilted her head, wondering why the Empress Dowager was preparing a present when Artizea was sick.

＊＊＊

She tried to vomit, but she had eaten nothing, so nothing came out, only pain.

After much pain, Artizea finally calmed down and laid down on the bed. Alice wiped her blue lips with a towel soaked in warm water.

The Empress Dowager had returned, and Artizea couldn’t help but greet her, but she couldn’t get out of bed.

“In Miss Leticia’s time, you ate well and slept well.”

Alice lamented. Artizea struggled to laugh.

“That time…… I felt comfortable until I was full.”

“I complained that Miss Leticia ate all of the nutrients alone, but this time the baby looks like the Empress.”

“You can’t even blame the baby.”

Still, it was a little better until two or three days ago. She felt a little nauseous, but the food went through one way or another. Even in front of Cedric, she could pretend to be calm.

But now it didn’t seem like she could pretend no more.

Sophie added the candied lemons to the warm water and said,

“Aren’t you going to tell His Majesty?”

“I will. After more certainty.”

“What could be more certain?”

“I wonder if I can have a baby.”

Artizea muttered, closing her eyes.

She first confirmed her pregnancy three weeks ago. She still doubted herself because she had months without her period.

But when it was the second time, she could be a little suspicious of herself. Since she sees the doctor almost every week anyway, the diagnosis was quick.

The doctor carefully advised,

[“Giving birth can be dangerous.”]

Artizea did not make hasty decisions. She knew early, so she had plenty of time.

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Alice and Sophie secretly made eye contact with each other. They couldn’t say no.

It wasn’t because they were unable to say such things to Artizea. The reason they were troubled was not that the number of the Imperial Family was too small.

There was a slight knock on the door. Sophie, who was standing next to the door, gave Artizea lemon water and opened it.

Mielle poked her head out and whispered,

“Is the Empress sleeping?”

“No.”

“Oh, that’s good. Miss Lysia has arrived.”

Sophie turned to the bed and said,

“I heard that Miss Lysia is here.”

Artizea handed the water cup to Alice and got up.