Chapter 95: The Duke of Stern’s Granddaughter

The entire world sank into pitch-black darkness.

A suffocating gloom swallowed Edelweiss whole.

She couldn’t tell whether she was still alive or had already died; consciousness felt as hazy as sinking into a deep sea.

“Your Highness—”

“Edel, sweetheart. Open your eyes.”

A voice spread from somewhere, familiar and earnest, seeping into her heart.

“…I can’t… find a pulse.”

All surrounding sounds vanished. That silence made Edelweiss’s heart quiver.

‘No…’

That was the only thought. Far too many precious things had come into her life for her to die like this.

As the weight pressing down on her mind slowly cleared, her fingertips trembled—

slowly, ever so faintly.

Srrk—

Her eyelids fluttered, letting in light.

Among the blurry shapes, the first thing she saw was Damian.

“Look again. Save her somehow. If you don’t, you’ll die with her.”

“Sp… spare me, Your Highness—!”

Eyes reddened as though he’d lost his reason, Damian clutched the royal physician’s collar.

“…Your Highness.”

The single word that slipped from her cracked lips was very small, yet—

“…Edelweiss?”

—somehow, Damian seemed to hear it. He practically flung the royal physician to the floor.

Damian’s face was pale.

His jaw was tightly clenched, and his pupils shook like a storm.

“Edelweiss.”

“……”

“Edelweiss. Just now… you called me, didn’t you? Please… answer me.”

As if trying to determine whether he’d imagined it, he kept calling her.

The sharpness in his voice gradually softened.

“……You know.”

“……”

“You’re all I have left.”

“……”

“I was wrong. So… don’t die.”

His large hand cupped Edelweiss’s cheek.

It was the first time she’d seen him like this—so vulnerable.

A desperate plea she never imagined she would hear from him.

“Your Highness, why are you alone… Gloria’s here.”

Edelweiss slowly exhaled as she spoke.

It hurt.

If what she saw in that unconscious haze was really the future after her death—

If Gloria, curling up alone and whispering that she was fine by herself, was real—

it felt like a needle piercing her heart.

She couldn’t bear to leave.

Damian, using busyness as an excuse, avoiding Gloria, haunted her.

She couldn’t bring herself to go.

***

Gloria was so small and fragile.

Every time her tiny body was wracked by a cough, Edelweiss’s heart trembled.

Especially during dawn, her fever often spiked.

She feared Gloria might die young like Princess Charlotte.

And so, Edelweiss began waking up often before sunrise because of Gloria.

“Gloria, did you sleep well?”

“U… ugh…”

As the first light of dawn rose, Edelweiss got up and walked to the cradle.

Just as she approached, Gloria opened her eyes.

She gently picked her up and kissed her plump cheek.

Her forehead, which had been burning all night, had cooled down a bit—what a relief.

“Kya, oo!”

Thankfully, Gloria seemed to be in a good mood today and moved her lips busily.

“What is it, sweetheart? What are you trying to tell mommy, hmm?”

“Uu, uu, uu!”

The spirited babble made Edelweiss laugh without thinking.

Just then, the door opened, and Damian entered.

“Give her to me.”

“…You’re here, Your Highness?”

“There’s a nanny, so why do you keep sleeping with her? You said you can’t sleep well worrying.”

Damian had been staying at the Blossomweaver marquessate lately.

He seemed to plan on moving to the Ruer villa once things improved.

But since her heart hadn’t completely settled, she still didn’t want to go.

“Come on.”

“…Okay.”

Edelweiss carefully handed Gloria over at his gesture.

Immediately, Gloria furrowed her brow and clenched both fists tightly.

“Waaah!”

Every time Damian held her, Gloria would cry like this.

At first, they thought it was because his hold was awkward or it felt different from Edelweiss’s embrace.

But even when Anna, the Marquess, or even Anemone held her clumsily, she’d smile brightly.

“Gloria Rejenoel Lorendel.”

“Waaah!”

“Don’t cry.”

“Waah!”

“Why do you always cry the moment I hold you?”

He was worried that Gloria might get a fever again from being so agitated and fussy.

‘Why does she only cry when Damian holds her?’ It didn’t seem like she was uncomfortable in his arms, which made it even more puzzling.

“Your Highness, I think Gloria cries because you’re too scary. Try calling her a bit more gently.”

“……Gloria.”

“Uugh…”

She seemed to dislike it even more. Gloria tightly shut her eyes and continued to whimper.

“How about calling her by a nickname? Maybe if you use a cuter tone, she’ll like it more.”

“A nickname?”

“Yes, I think ‘Lara’ would be a nice one.”

“You want me to call her that?”

“Yes. If you can’t, then give her back to me.”

Damian let out a deep sigh. At the same time, identical blue eyes met his.

“……Lara.”

Edelweiss thought she wanted to capture this moment in a painting.

He seemed indifferent to Gloria’s birth, but in his own way, he was trying his best.

At night, he would wait for Edelweiss to fall asleep and then come in to gently press Gloria’s cheek.

She knew he would quietly watch Gloria for a long time before leaving late.

Even now, he was holding her tightly, careful not to drop her.

There was a trace of affection in Damian’s gaze as he looked at Gloria—something he couldn’t hide.

Smack!

A tiny hand touched Damian’s cheek and then fell away. The air in the room fell still.

A red mark shaped exactly like Gloria’s little hand appeared on Damian’s cheek.

‘It probably didn’t hurt, but still…!’

Edelweiss covered her mouth and barely held back a laugh. He had probably never been hit before—certainly not like this. And now, his very first time was by his daughter.

By a newborn baby, no less—it almost didn’t seem real.

“…..”

Damian blankly rubbed his cheek.

“…..Huh?”

He blinked slowly, dumbfounded.

Gloria, as if nothing had happened, waved her hand again and babbled.

“Gloria.”

As if she found it amusing, Gloria giggled happily, and a subtle smile crept onto Damian’s lips.

Knock knock.

With a polite knock, Anna entered the bedroom.

“Grand Duke Mateo Stern and Duke Tessen Stern have arrived.”

“……”

“They said they’d like to see Her Highness Gloria. It seems they also made a massive donation under Her Highness’s name beforehand.”

As the first direct descendant of the imperial family in a long time, and the only legitimate heir of Damian, Gloria’s birth had been announced across the entire Rejenoel Empire.

He had figured they would’ve heard the news, but—how dare they come now?

‘They want to see Gloria?’

Gloria officially had no connection to House Stern anymore.

She was the imperial family’s first princess and the granddaughter of the Marquess of Blossomweaver.

‘They didn’t even consult me before donating in her name.’

That alone would lead people to naturally think of Gloria as the granddaughter of the Duke of Stern.

The fact that Duke Stern came to see Gloria, considering himself her grandfather, was disgusting.

“Tell them to leave.”

“….They asked if Your Highness is in good health… How should I respond?” Had she ever given them room to think they still had a chance?

If not, why would they even think to show up?

How could they say they wanted to see Gloria?

If left unchecked, they might use Gloria as an excuse to come again.

If they waited until she wasn’t around and tried to approach Gloria again…

“Edelweiss, where are you going?”

Even imagining it made her feel sick and horrified.

“…Your Highness, whatever happens, don’t come out of the room with Gloria.”

Supported by Anna, Edelweiss left the bedroom and went downstairs.

In the entrance hall the Duke of Stern and Tessen were waiting.

“Edelweiss, are you feeling well?” the Duke asked, his voice heavy with worry.