Chapter 98: Karl

The wedding date was set.

The process wasn’t easy. The reason was that Eirene was someone who had broken off an engagement with Clive once and was the daughter of the criminal Count Phineas.

Moreover, the fact that Count Phineas wasn’t serving his sentence faithfully but was on the run also played a part.

However, the child’s appearance silenced the opposing voices. For some reason, the Empress was the most active in voicing her opinion about Clive and Eirene’s marriage.

She didn’t hesitate to make semi-threatening remarks to the opposing nobles that there would be nothing good about opposing a direct imperial grandchild they hadn’t seen in a long time.

Since Clive’s position had also risen much higher than before, everyone had no choice but to agree. Eirene wanted a simple wedding ceremony but didn’t voice her wishes.

It seemed better to follow imperial procedures for the wedding ceremony. Upon hearing the wedding date, she immediately went to the villa where the ceremony dress was stored.

Looking at the dress brought new feelings.

Back then, the entire Phineas family was still alive, so she had spent a complicated time in many ways. Even now, she couldn’t say she was completely comfortable.

Anyway, when she was getting the dress fitted at Scarlet’s shop, she never knew she would wear it after a year had passed. And with a baby too.

She was looking at the dress and recalling the past for a while when Clive entered.

“Will this be okay?”

He embraced Eirene from behind.

“I like it.”

Though he said he didn’t like this dress and told her to get a new one made, she refused. Clive, who had placed his chin on Eirene’s shoulder, touched her flat lower abdomen.

“How was there a baby in this small belly?”

“It was smaller than now.”

“Still, it seems impossible. I’m sorry for making you handle it alone.”

He felt sorry for not being by her side during pregnancy and childbirth. Honestly, she hadn’t thought it was difficult because she didn’t have a husband. She only felt sorry for the baby who was born without receiving his father’s blessing.

“It’s okay. There was no choice back then. But have you thought about a name?”

She changed the topic of conversation. As soon as they arrived at Dervel, she had passed the worry about the baby’s name to Clive. That was the only way to lessen the guilt about not being together for the past year by leaving at least that entirely to him.

“Come here.”

Clive took Eirene’s hand and went outside the villa.

He stood under the arched ceiling that covered the narrow path leading to the main palace. He tilted his head back to examine the ceiling painting, then brought Eirene to the end.

“There.”

She looked at the tip of Clive’s pointing finger.

Very small letters were visible.

“What does it say?”

“The name of the artist who painted this picture. Can you read it?”

Eirene furrowed her brow and read.

“Karl… Felipe? Is that right?”

“Yes. That’s your father.”

When she stood on her tiptoes to see the name more clearly, Clive lifted her up in his arms.

Karl Felipe. It was a name she didn’t remember.

“I looked into it through Siaran after you left. I didn’t know either, but he was commissioned to do the ceiling paintings of Dervel Palace.”

“I see. No wonder. When I first saw the painting, I thought I had seen it somewhere before. It couldn’t have been from seeing it here… Maybe I recognized my father’s artistic style.”

“Probably.”

Eirene found it amazing and proud that she had recognized her father’s painting. It seemed to lessen her guilt about not remembering her family, even just a little.

“There are paintings in the Imperial Palace too, so let’s go see them later.”

“Yes. Please put me down now. I’m heavy.”

“You’re not heavy. You seem to weigh nothing.”

“You’ve learned to lie while I wasn’t watching.”

Eirene lightly hit Clive’s shoulder with her fist.

“Really. You need to deliberately gain weight. I’ll leave that to Madam Hannon. The name written on the painting is the baby’s name.”

“What?”

He meant to give the baby her father’s name.

She understood what Clive was thinking.

“Won’t you be tormented every time you see the baby, every time you call his name, remembering that day?”

Eirene had been like that. Every time she saw Clive, she remembered what he had done and left.

After the baby was born, the fact that he was the baby’s father came first rather than the events of that day, so she endured and decided to return and face it.

Had Clive decided to do the same?

“I won’t be tormented because of the baby. That’s my burden to bear alone. I want the same name because I hope the name that disappeared because of me will live in the world again.”

“Clive.”

“Do you dislike it? If you don’t like it…”

“I like it.”

“That’s a relief. Who knows? Maybe our baby will resemble his grandfather and show talent in painting. Karl following in Karl’s footsteps.”

“That sounds nice. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t.”

She couldn’t support Clive for not hiding and burying the past, but she decided to endure it together with him.

She cupped both his cheeks with her hands and kissed him briefly. The corners of his handsome lips stretched slightly as he smiled.

“I’ll cherish you preciously for life.”

“…”

“I’ll ask for forgiveness for life.”

“…”

“Later, if I happen to meet them up there.”

Clive looked up at the sky with his eyes.

“I’ll gladly accept any punishment. So, here, even if you call me shameless and brazen, I want to marry you.”

It was a proposal.

Eirene nodded and gave her permission. Both would be punished, but for now they wanted to be together.

* * *

The imperial family gathered in the exclusive room of the Imperial Palace.

Each person calmly waited their turn while keeping their place, but they were restless wanting to see Karl soon.

The Emperor held his grandson first.

“He’s definitely a male of the Bainfelt family.”

From grandfather the Emperor to little uncle the Crown Prince, to father Clive, and now Karl. They all resembled each other.

Anyone could see they were from the same family.

“He looks exactly like his father, but his atmosphere is like his mother’s.”

The Empress, who held Karl, couldn’t take her eyes off him.

This went against expectations that she would treat him coldly since he wasn’t her biological grandson, like she had done with Clive. Though her tone was the same as usual, her gaze toward Karl was warm.

Florian got up from his seat and went next to the Empress. He said he couldn’t hold such a small baby anyway, so it was better to watch from the side. To Florian’s eyes, the baby was mysterious.

His clear eyes looked like jewels had been embedded in them. It was like seeing his older brother’s childhood that he had never seen before. Of course, he was much cuter and more lovable than Clive, so he felt like he would visit the baby more in the future.

He had already said he would frequently visit Dervel Palace in preparation for later.

“Sister, you’ve already met Karl, haven’t you?”

Angela, who had been quietly drinking tea, smiled brightly. Unable to wait any longer, she had headed to Dervel as soon as she heard that Eirene had returned with the baby.

She had secretly hoped he would resemble Eirene more than Clive. She had to acknowledge the Bainfelt family men’s ability to maintain their lineage anew. Still, a baby was a baby. The cutest and most precious being in the world who should be protected.

Angela’s time holding him grew longer. The Emperor couldn’t stand it and went to Karl. Eventually, everyone got up and gathered around the baby with their heads together.

“His nose seems higher than the Grand Duke’s. What do you think, Your Majesty?”

When the Empress looked back and forth between Clive and Karl, everyone’s gaze moved along.

“Hmm. That’s right. Our Karl has a higher nose and much better skin, doesn’t he?”

It was natural since he was a baby, but everyone there agreed.

Suddenly, Karl burst into tears. Being in an unfamiliar space among unfamiliar people, it was understandable.

Though it wasn’t unusual, everyone made a fuss.

“Oh my, Karl. Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

Angela tried holding the baby differently, but the crying didn’t stop.

“Is he hungry?”

Florian asked worriedly.

Questions got tangled up after that, and they eventually looked for Eirene.

Clive found it absurd how his family surrounding Karl all looked like doting fools, but he laughed. He felt good.

* * *

Before leaving the Imperial Palace, Gemma requested an audience with the Empress but was refused.

It was expected. A maid of a Grand Duke’s household shouldn’t request an audience with the Empress. But the situation required it.

She needed to meet and talk at least once, but it seemed unlikely she would have occasion to meet the Empress in the future.

A year ago, it was the Empress who had sent Gemma to Eirene.

Of course, even then Gemma hadn’t met the Empress directly. Someone from the Imperial Palace had delivered a letter and she had been in contact with them throughout.

The Empress had provided financial help. There was no price. There was only the command to serve Eirene well. If she spent too much, Eirene might notice, so Gemma had made great efforts to spend only the minimum. That’s why she wasn’t caught until returning to Dervel.

She had received money to use this year and came to Dervel shortly after, making it difficult to handle the remaining money. So she tried to return it to the Empress, but since the audience was refused, there was no way.

When she was at a loss about what to do, a maid delivered a letter. It contained brief content.

It’s all yours. I haven’t forgotten your hard work, so wait.

Did she mean to take the remaining money?

Gemma didn’t want to take the money the Empress had given her. Though it started with good intentions, she had deceived Eirene again.

To take money used for deception….

“What should I do?”

She decided to keep it without using it for now and wait for a day when it might be needed. Of course, she had no intention of receiving compensation for her hard work either.

“Where did you go?”

She thought she was moving secretly without Eirene knowing, but got caught and made a vague excuse.

“I was curious about the Imperial Palace. Since it’s my first time here, there were many interesting and fun things, so I looked around.”

“You should have told me. I would have assigned someone to you. You could have gotten lost.”

“I’ll definitely tell you next time.”

Eirene, who had sent Clive ahead with the baby, spoke quietly to Gemma.

“Her Majesty the Empress and the Duchess of Dike told us to find a wet nurse to feed Karl.”

“I agree. Actually, I felt the necessity too.”

Eirene’s stamina was the problem. Even when she ate well, she didn’t gain weight.

She had thought it was due to lack of sleep until now, but even after eating well and resting at Dervel, there was hardly any change.

She was losing weight day by day, so it must have looked serious to the Empress and Duchess too.

“I don’t like it. Could you do it, Gemma?”

“It’s common in noble families. They feed directly for about a month, but after that they find a separate wet nurse. They carefully find and manage wet nurses, so you don’t need to worry.”

“I didn’t know that. Is it really okay?”

“Yes. Even if you don’t like it, your health is the first priority right now, miss. Actually, a healthy wet nurse’s milk might be better.”

Eirene nodded and sighed.

Seeing that Clive ahead said nothing, he must have agreed too.