Side Story Chapter 4 

 Ten months. A long time if you think it’s long, short if you think it’s short. 

 As time passed, tension filled the palace. 

 “Nothing will go wrong with Her Majesty, will it?” 

 Hazel, standing outside, asked Ophelia with an anxious expression. 

 All eyes turned to her. Realizing she had spoken wrongly, she pressed her lips shut and lowered her head. 

 “Hazel, don’t even speak such words.” 

 At Ophelia’s rebuke, Hazel nodded and stared at the door. 

 She pressed her forehead to her desperately clasped hands and closed her eyes. 

 Ophelia glanced at Ratius, who stood motionless at the door with his forehead pressed against it. 

 His face looked peaceful, though what he was thinking was unknown. 

 With each groan of pain and scream that passed, the veins on Ratius’s hand gripping the doorknob bulged. 

 Though he seemed about to burst through the door at any moment, Ratius held back. 

 He must not open the door and enter. He calmed his mind while brainwashing himself repeatedly. 

 If he had known she would suffer this much pain, he would have strongly told her they didn’t need to have a child. 

 Now that it was too late, he could only pray for Selvia and the child’s safety. 

* * *

 Selvia lay in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness from the pain. 

 “Your Majesty the Empress must not lose consciousness!” 

Upon hearing the doctor’s words that the child might be in danger, she barely opened her eyes and clenched her fists.

 Except for Selvia and several doctors, no one else was in the room. Everyone else had been driven out to stand outside the door, waiting to hear the child’s first cry. 

 Selvia struggled not to lose consciousness, and her breathing grew increasingly rapid as she gripped the rope. 

 Ratius would be beyond the door. Because of her request that he absolutely must not enter until the child was born, he had to remain outside. 

 She didn’t want him to see her struggling. 

 ‘I must stay alert.’ 

 Selvia opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. Though tears of pain blurred her vision, thinking of the child in her womb gradually sharpened her mind. 

 She put strength into her body once again. 

 “Your Majesty the Empress, we can see the head!” 

 At the doctor’s words, Selvia squeezed out even more strength. Her breathing grew ragged as her body reached its limit. 

 Just a little more, more. 

 She couldn’t give up here. She had to endure this much pain to meet her child. 

 “Hnngh!” 

 Strength entered her delicate body once again. Her trembling hands and sweat-soaked body seemed to speak of her pain. 

 Selvia, who had endured labor pains several times already, was exhausted. 

 At that moment, after an unknown amount of time had passed, she squeezed out one final burst of strength. 

 As if sensing her heart, a welcome sound filled the room. 

 “Waaaaaah!” 

 With the child’s loud cry, Selvia lost consciousness. 

* * *

 Ratius burst through the door, grabbed her hand, and buried his face against it. 

 Not knowing what to say, he simply kissed the back of her hand over and over. 

 As he slowly infused strength, the complexion of the sleeping Selvia brightened. 

 Only then did Ratius release a sigh of relief and look at the child. 

 “Your Majesty the Emperor, it’s a prince.” 

 Whether daughter or son, the gender didn’t matter. 

 The child was transferred from the wet nurse’s arms to Ratius’s. 

 “He’s small.” 

 He was afraid of breaking him if he handled him wrong, he was so tiny. Ratius awkwardly held the child and sat in a chair. 

 He seemed to resemble both himself and Selvia. 

 “High Priest.” 

 “Yes, Your Majesty.” 

 Amon immediately entered at Ratius’s call and examined Selvia’s body. Though Ratius had infused strength, they needed to confirm her body was alright. 

 ‘This tiny one caused Selvia such hardship.’ 

 Ratius handed the child back to the wet nurse. When he looked at Amon, he nodded as if everything was fine. 

 “You don’t sense any other power from the child, do you?” 

 At Ratius’s words, Amon carefully examined the child. When he extended his hand, light hummed and enveloped the child’s body. 

 How many minutes passed? When Amon withdrew his hand, the light subsided and the child opened his eyes to stare intently at him. 

 ‘Oh my.’ 

 Amon couldn’t tear his gaze away, like someone almost entranced by a strange power. 

 “High Priest?” 

 “……Ah.” 

 Only when Ratius called his name did he come to his senses and swallow hard. 

 “I would like everyone to step back from Your Majesty.” 

 At those words, Ratius’s expression hardened. 

 “Everyone leave.” 

 Everyone except Ratius, Amon, the sleeping Selvia, and the child left. 

 “Has what she feared occurred?” 

 “No, that’s not it. However, something unexpected……” 

 “Something unexpected?” 

 Amon nodded and said. 

 “It seems he has Your Majesty’s power.” 

 “……My power?” 

 “Yes, the power to control people.” 

 This was unexpected for Ratius as well. 

 “It seems we’ll need to include that education as the child grows.” 

 “Such power should be fine if taught well. Though I’m not sure how the Empress will take it.” 

 “The power Your Majesty possesses will be necessary when governing the Empire in the future. Since it’s also something that can protect oneself, I think Her Majesty the Empress will understand.” 

 “I hope so.” 

 Ratius looked at the sleeping Selvia and quietly sighed. 

* * *

 As soon as Selvia regained consciousness, she searched for the child. 

 “Your Majesty, where is the child? Is the child alright?” 

 “Selvia.” 

 “Nothing’s wrong, is there?” 

 She had clearly heard the child’s voice but couldn’t see him. As she tried to rise in anxiety, pain shot through her body. 

 “Ah……” 

 “They say you shouldn’t overexert yourself for a while. The child was born healthy. It’s a boy.” 

 Seeing his expression that suggested he had something to say, Selvia tilted her head and asked. 

 “Has some problem occurred?” 

 “It depends on how you take it, but they say the child shows the same power as me.” 

 “……The same power as Your Majesty?” 

 She had only thought of her power, not Ratius’s. So while it was startling, seeing his calm demeanor made her think there was nothing to worry about. 

 “You’ve probably seen me entrance and control people before. According to Amon, it seems he was born with a similar power.” 

 “Is it dangerous?” 

 “Rather, it’s an ability good for protecting oneself.” 

 “……I see. I had hoped he would take after Your Majesty, but I didn’t expect him to be born with abilities too.” 

 “I’m sorry.” 

 “There’s nothing to be sorry for. So don’t make that expression.” 

 Selvia shook her head. 

 “Well, as you wished, he seems to take after me.” 

 Selvia smiled at Ratius’s words. He had surely stayed by her side out of worry. 

 “Thank you, I wished I could have given birth in your place.” 

 “I understand your feelings too well, so there’s no need to apologize. It’s not something you need to do.” 

 She spoke while gently caressing Ratius’s cheek. Seeing him unable to even meet her eyes brought tears to her eyes again. 

 “You did well.” 

 Selvia smiled brightly as she watched him kiss her palm. 

 “Have you thought of a name for the child?” 

 “How about Calred, meaning ‘eternal’?” 

 “Eternal?” 

 “Yes, because I hope everything — happiness, health, whatever it may be — will be eternal.” 

 “I like it.” 

 “I’m glad you like it.” 

 “I want to see the child.” 

 At Selvia’s words, Ratius pulled the bell cord. Then he told the wet nurse to bring the child. 

 With a knock, the wet nurse entered carrying the visibly tiny child. 

 Selvia slowly raised herself and received the child from the wet nurse. Looking at the sleeping child with closed eyes, everything melted away. 

 The pain she had endured, the difficult past days, all seemed forgotten already. 

 “……Calred.” 

 The child’s blue eyes, resembling his father’s, sparkled as they looked at Selvia. 

 She felt relieved, as if he was telling her there was nothing to worry about. 

 “It will be alright.” 

 “Yes, it will. Since he takes after Your Majesty, he’ll surely be strong.” 

 Selvia firmly gripped Ratius’s hand. As she leaned into his embrace, sleep came again. 

 The child’s tiny hand tightly grasped her finger.