Two months later, Cordelia’s child was born. After giving birth, Cordelia fainted and fell asleep. Vincent examined the child’s features carefully. The baby had silver hair and blue eyes.

“A girl?”

“Yes.”

At Vincent’s words, the maid bowed her head. When the baby giggled, she briefly overlapped with Cordelia in his mind. The corners of Vincent’s mouth lifted momentarily.

“…She’s a bit cute.”

He straightened his expression again and handed the child to the maid.

“Take good care of her. Keep her in the Empress’s palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, and name the child Angela.”

“Yes.”

Angela. Silver hair and blue eyes, features resembling Cordelia. Even her smile looked like hers. 

Vincent smiled with satisfaction and decided to keep the child close instead of sending her away. She didn’t resemble Benedict anywhere and actually looked exactly like Cordelia, which endeared her to him. 

Of course, the child would have no succession rights.

* * *

Cordelia recovered for a month before holding the child. Though a wet nurse mostly cared for her, the baby was lovely. 

Actually, the moment she fainted after giving birth, all her memories returned. Tears flowed at the thought that this child was actually her second. Vincent held her tightly through those tears.

“It was hard, wasn’t it?”

“…I’m sorry, Vincent.”

“Hm?”

“For not protecting our child…”

At Cordelia’s words, Vincent froze for a moment. He gripped her shoulders and looked at her face.

“Your memories came back?”

“…Yes.”

When Cordelia shyly lowered her head, Vincent kissed her lips. Vincent took the baby and gave her to the wet nurse, then immediately laid Cordelia on the bed. The wet nurse quickly disappeared with the child.

Cordelia moaned as she watched him kiss her thighs.

“Mmm…!”

“You kept asking me to send you to Benedict. It was hard, Cordelia. I’m your husband.”

“Ah…yes. I’m sorry…”

“You think saying sorry will make everything forgiven?”

“Ah!”

Vincent’s tongue invaded between her legs, into the split opening. He licked thoroughly with his rough tongue and said,

“I won’t forgive you… until we have our child. Understand?”

“Ah! Mmm…! Ah…! Y…yes. You’re… right.”

“How did Benedict hold you?”

“How can I… say that?”

Cordelia whimpered. When she had no memories, Benedict deceived her into thinking she was his wife. She knew nothing and even conceived his child. 

Though it was unfair, it was already in the past. Even though she wanted to forget, the acts with Benedict kept coming to mind.

“Tell me. You can say it now, can’t you?”

Vincent’s fingers moved in and out of her opening. The squelching sounds made Cordelia’s lips tremble. She covered her face.

“Benedict’s… was really big, so it was hard.”

Though he’d told her to speak, hearing her actually say it wounded Vincent’s pride. Cordelia really was oblivious.

He pressed a device shaped like a p*nis against her opening. It was larger than normal. When it forced its way inside, Cordelia opened her mouth.

“Ah…hng. It’s big… too much!”

“This size?”

When it moved, Cordelia shook her head.

“Ah…hng. It was similar to this. Vincent… are you trying to k*ll me?”

“Heh.”

Vincent removed it and inserted his own. When he slowly began pistoning, Cordelia panted pleasantly. Vincent whispered in her ear.

“Today I’m having a bit of trouble. I couldn’t be with my wife for a whole month. Next time you’ll have to properly beg my forgiveness.”

“Mmm. Ah. Y…yes. Ah!”

Vincent’s pace gradually quickened. Cordelia’s m*ans filled the room.

* * *

Vincent doted on Angela. Watching this, Cordelia felt somewhat relieved. Actually, remembering even his past life, seeing Vincent accept Cordelia who’d conceived another man’s child, and even care for that child, felt somewhat unfamiliar to her.

‘Heh. And he even named her Angela. Benedict used to call me Angel.’

She suddenly wondered what Benedict was doing with his life. She wondered why he’d refused the 10,000 gold coins and chosen to live with her instead. And naturally, Angela was stripped of imperial succession rights.

After her memories returned, Cordelia wondered about the cold looks Vincent’s close associates gave her. 

So she went to find Princess Rosemary. Somehow she felt the princess would know the reason. 

Because Rebecca had also sent quite hateful looks when pushing Cordelia off the cliff.

* * *

Rebecca resided in the harem, and she kept Edith and Marguerite firmly in check so they couldn’t assert themselves like before. 

Rebecca treated Cordelia very well. Perhaps because of the crime she’d committed, she always felt sorry toward her.

Cordelia carefully asked while drinking the tea a maid served.

“Actually, I’m curious. About why Vincent’s close associates dislike me.”

“…”

Rebecca hesitated for a moment.

But Cordelia was the Empress anyway, and she needed to know the reason to understand.

“Right. Um. This might shock you, but you’re… Emperor Gregory’s illegitimate child.”

“…What?”

Cordelia blinked. Rebecca spoke with slight difficulty.

“You know what Emperor Gregory did to the Kingdom of Pest, right?”

“Yes.”

“All the people of Pest, including Cairo’s close associates, will hate Emperor Gregory. And his children too, of course.”

“…”

Cairo was Vincent’s old name, and Rebecca used it when calling him. When Cordelia made a gloomy face, Rebecca stroked her head.

“But that’s all in the past now. Don’t worry about it. At least Cairo and I are on your side.”

“Yes…”

Cordelia felt deflated. As she left the harem, she stroked her belly. The reason Rebecca pushed her off the cliff. She thought that reason might be included.

‘…I’m Emperor Gregory’s illegitimate child.’

Count Robert, who’d been strict since childhood, wasn’t her real father. And Emperor Gregory, who’d been especially kind to her, was her real father. Perhaps Emperor Gregory knew this fact.

‘I should use contraception so I don’t get pregnant again.’

Cordelia sighed. What could she do about being born without knowing? Her daughter Angela’s life probably wouldn’t be peaceful either.

Though she was registered as a princess, everyone would call the child illegitimate. At least Vincent doted on and adored the child, so they wouldn’t do it openly.

‘…Let’s give up on having a child with Vincent. Angela is my only child now.’

Cordelia resolved again. Though it felt disappointing somehow, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t face such an incident again. They deeply hated her bloodline.

* * *

Conrad infiltrated the harem. He watched Rebecca sleeping in bed. When he deliberately poked her cheek, she opened her eyes.

“…Who? …Conrad?”

“…You were sleeping quite well.”

Seeing him dressed entirely in black reminded her of the old him. Rebecca stared at him.

“Why did you come here? Don’t you know other men are forbidden from entering the harem?”

“You’re not the Emperor’s concubine.”

“What? I’m…!”

Conrad grabbed Rebecca’s neck and began choking her. He licked her ear and said,

“I hear you’ve been having fun with Yanik lately? Rumors are rampant that you’ll remarry.”

“Ugh. Gah…!”

Conrad glanced at Rebecca’s belly for a moment, then released his choking hand. He looked slightly surprised. Her belly was noticeably swollen.

“Cough… Are you going to k*ll your child now too?”

“…How do you prove it’s my child? You slept with Yanik!”

Conrad had tried to k*ll Rebecca. She was a woman who betrayed and abandoned him. Even if it meant becoming a fugitive for life, he’d intended to k*ll her.

Rebecca’s throat was dry, so she poured and drank water. Meeting Conrad after so long made her body keep trembling. Memories of being violently treated by him frightened her.

“…I was pregnant the whole time. Since coming to the palace. I only ran away because I thought this child would miscarry too if I kept living with you.”

“…”

“I’m going to raise the child here. I won’t give it to you. It’s my child.”

“…”

Conrad’s feelings were complicated. How had he treated Rebecca all this time? Yet she insisted on bearing his child, didn’t she? No matter how much he tried to drag her down, her pride remained high, haughty, and lovely.

“I’ll go…”

Conrad turned back in emptiness. And he regretted turning away that day until his death. Because Rebecca died giving birth.

* * *

Rebecca’s child went to Conrad. Since the birth mother died but the birth father lived, perhaps it was natural. Cordelia wept bitterly at her funeral. Vincent looked somber, but those who looked even more somber were Conrad and Yanik Perez.

Vincent felt needlessly sorry toward Conrad. Since he knew nothing about Conrad’s violence, he wondered if he’d separated the two.

Yanik already knew everything, so his eyes toward Conrad weren’t welcoming.

However, since it was something Rebecca tried to hide, he kept it secret.

“Take good care of my sister’s child. That child has succession rights too.”

“…I understand.”

Conrad felt depressed.

‘What good are succession rights? What use is that? Rose is dead.’

Suddenly realizing Rose wasn’t in this world anymore made his heart feel empty. He hadn’t known when he went to k*ll Rose back then, but now that Rose was truly gone, the world looked gloomy and hazy. Tears flowed from Conrad’s eyes. It felt like crying for the first time in ages.

“Sob…!”

If only he hadn’t thought of using Rose, if he’d brought her from Gregory’s palace back then, would everything have remained the same? Then Rose’s heart wouldn’t have changed either. In the end, everything was a result brought on by his own selfishness.

When Cordelia didn’t get pregnant even after a year passed, Vincent grew suspicious. Though Angela was cute, he wanted to have his own child soon. 

In the midst of this, the fact that Cordelia was taking contraceptives was exposed.

“Cordelia… what’s this?”

“Um… well.”

Vincent’s mouth smiled, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all. Cordelia stumbled backward. But she soon hit a wall. When she looked at him pitifully with tears welling, Vincent averted his gaze.

‘Oh my. That doesn’t work.’

When her little trick didn’t work, Cordelia worried. She lowered her head again and wailed loudly, acting like she was wronged.

“Sob. Sniff. Waaah…”

Her brain had grown with the years, so she’d grasped some of Vincent’s weaknesses. Vincent steeled his heart against softening. He punched the wall like he’d break it and shouted at her.

“Why are you taking contraceptives!”

At those words, Cordelia flinched and trembled. Vincent grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

“Don’t you want to have my child? You had Benedict’s child just fine! Why!”

Vincent’s pride was deeply wounded. The reason they fought was always Benedict. Though he’d received reports that Benedict died in the labor camp, his shadow still lingered between them.

Cordelia swallowed hard. Somehow, seeing such a handsome man crumble because of her made her feel somewhat, very sorry.

“It’s… not that. Um. …I heard I’m Emperor Gregory’s illegitimate child.”

“What?”

Vincent looked slightly flustered. His close associates had agreed to keep quiet about it, so no one should have told Cordelia. He clenched his fists.

“Who told you?”

“…Princess Rosemary.”

If it was his sister, he had nothing to say. Cordelia lowered her head and confessed what had been troubling her for a long time.

“…I don’t want to do things your close associates hate because of my bloodline.”

“Hah…”

Vincent looked down at the deflated Cordelia. He lifted her chin. Looking at her eyes, they were bright red, seemingly holding back tears.

“Cordelia.”

Even as she aged, Cordelia remained cute, and Vincent felt he’d never escape from her. He kissed her forehead and gradually moved down, inserting his tongue into her mouth. One hand touched her br*asts.

“Mmm.”

Cordelia moaned softly. Vincent whispered in her ear.

“If you won’t bear my child, I’ll have to embrace another woman.”

At those words, tears streamed down Cordelia’s eyes. Cordelia wrapped her arms around Vincent’s neck.

“No! I don’t want that.”

“…You’re just greedy.”

Vincent already only looked at Cordelia, only held her. Even if many concubines entered, those concubines would grow old and die as v*rgins in the harem.

The concubines were desperate to serve him even for a day, yet she who always monopolized him secretly took contraceptives and told him not to go to other concubines?

Vincent lay on the bed and placed Cordelia on top of him. He spread Cordelia’s legs and forcefully thr*st his stiffly *rect member straight into her opening. Woman-on-top position.

“Ah!”

Cordelia cried out in pain. Something heavy like a well-heated iron skewer filled her completely. When Vincent grabbed her buttocks and shook her up and down, Cordelia bit her lips.

“Ah…! Haa…!”

“Now you need to move.”

When Vincent stopped moving completely, Cordelia hesitantly put strength in her thighs and moved up and down with his member inside her. Vincent leisurely watched her actions.

“Mmm…!”

Cordelia used his member to scratch her insides in the direction she wanted. Somehow it felt strange, like m*sturbating with a device. She sometimes masturbated alone with a device on days he wasn’t there.

“Haa… Mmm…!”

But this required considerable stamina. When her legs weakened and she panted, Vincent lifted his waist and thr*st powerfully upward.

“…This is too frustrating.”

If he left it to Cordelia, he wouldn’t *jaculate even after two days. Cordelia collapsed onto his chest. Grabbing her buttocks tightly, Vincent roughly moved in and out of her in that position. Cordelia panted.

“Ah…! Mmm…! Ahh…!”

The squelching sounds repeated as Vincent laid her down and climbed on top of her. He shoved his member into Cordelia and began slowly pistoning.

“You need to have many children, Cordelia. Don’t do presumptuous things like contraception. You’re the Empress. Don’t forget.”

“Mmm… Ah… Vincent…”

‘He’s not the one giving birth.’

Cordelia grumbled internally with dissatisfaction. Doesn’t he know about Princess Rosemary who died giving birth? 

How many women in the world died giving birth! She didn’t understand why only women had to risk their lives bearing children.

But she nodded with a shy face.

“Of course… Ah! Vincent…!”

“Cordelia…!”

“Mmm…! Vincent!”

“Ugh!”

Vincent *jaculated faster than expected. Cordelia felt his warm s*men wetting her insides. He held Cordelia and said, “…Somehow your face is full of dissatisfaction.”

“What? N…no!”

Vincent remembered Cordelia’s lips jutting forward when he told her to have a child. Her behavior when she had inner complaints was cute. He stroked her face.

“Are you dissatisfied because I came too quickly?”

“N… no. Not that!”

Vincent rummaged through the desk drawer and brought out a p*nis-shaped device made of wood.

“…Strange. I’ve never used it, but why does it smell familiar here?”

Vincent held the device and sniffed it with his nose. Cordelia’s face turned bright red as she pulled the blanket over her head. Vincent grinned and put his hand under the blanket to grab and pull out her legs.

“N… no!”

‘Why is that there? I hid it under the bed!’

Cordelia groaned internally. That was definitely something Cordelia used regularly.

But it was very embarrassing to be caught by Vincent.

‘He’ll think I’m so l*stful!’

Vincent spread her legs and gently pushed it into her split opening.

“Ah…!”

Hearing Cordelia’s excited m*ans, he was certain she hadn’t cl*maxed yet. Vincent’s mouth twisted upward.

“I’ll make you come with this.”

The device roughly moved in and out. Cordelia moaned under the blanket with only her legs sticking out.

“Haa. Mmm…! Ahh…!”

It was different from doing it alone. It moved in and out of her very roughly and quickly. The heavy, hard device mercilessly penetrated her, making Cordelia’s panting intensify. 

Moreover, Vincent was biting and licking her thighs.

“Ah! Mmm… No…!”

“Come, Cordelia.”

“Ah… mmm!”

From between Cordelia’s legs, from the split opening, her fl*ids gushed out. Vincent grinned mischievously and removed the device covered in fl*ids. Then he inserted his already hardened member into her.

“…Mmm!”

“Cordelia. You’ve become very… lewd. Hm? Playing with this behind my back.”

“…Mmm.”

Cordelia was too embarrassed to think of coming out from under the blanket. Finding it cute, Vincent kissed her navel. 

Gradually lifting the blanket upward, her perky br*asts appeared. He swallowed into his mouth her br*asts that had grown quite large after childbirth and gently rolled his tongue over the peaks.

“…Ahh!”

“How long can you hide your face? Hm? Cordelia.”

When he bit the pink n*pple with his teeth, Cordelia’s scream was heard.

“Aah!”

Angry, she removed the blanket and glared at Vincent. Vincent chuckled and kissed her lips. Then he thr*st into her increasingly faster. Cordelia’s eyes began to glaze over.

“…Mmm! Ahh…!”

“Cordelia…!”

Vincent wasn’t more composed either. He was never composed when having her. He just pretended to be.

“You’re still cute and beautiful, Cordelia…!”

“Vincent…! Mmm!”

And that was the same for Cordelia too.

Cordelia gave birth to a second child. This time also a daughter, with black hair and golden eyes. Her appearance greatly resembled Vincent.

“Hmm.”

Vincent somehow seemed less impressed than with his first daughter.

‘A daughter who resembles me is somehow… not great.’

He adored Angela so much, but felt no attachment to the second. Even though she was a baby, she had calm eyes. Cordelia tilted her head. For someone who wanted his own child so badly, his reaction was lukewarm.

“Vincent. What should we name the child?”

“…Let’s name her Alice. Oh, Cordelia. You need to have a third.”

“Um, Vincent?”

She just gave birth. Vincent kissed Cordelia’s lips and sucked her milk-producing br*asts. Because of this, the wet nurse took the child out again. Cordelia moaned.

“Vincent… Still… mmm. My body.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve given birth twice, so you should be used to it. Don’t tell me I have to wait another month?”

“Mmm. Ah… Still… no.”

When Cordelia pushed him away, disappointment crossed Vincent’s face. Vincent kissed her forehead.

“This is the last time.”

“…Hm?”

“Only up to the third. Not being able to hold you is t*rture for me.”

“Hehe. You really…”

Cordelia kissed Vincent’s lips. Since she rarely kissed first, Vincent happily pulled and bit her tongue.

“A month is too long. I’ll wait two weeks.”

At his words, Cordelia’s face turned bright red again. Though she should be used to it by now, her heart pounded when he wanted her like this. The future had changed. 

She didn’t die by Vincent’s hand. Cordelia leaned her head against his chest as he’d somehow entered her bed. 

Vincent stroked her head and touched her silver hair that had grown to her shoulders.