Nicolaus kneeled again in front of Estelle and spread his arms with a warm smile. His wife, who is yearning for his hug, stand and immediately wrapped her arms on his neck.
"I always want to see my beloved Empress happy, so next time tell me anything you want and I will give it to you"
He said while gently caressing her back.
"Okay..."
She replied while still hiding her whole face in her husband's chest.
"Me too. I always want you to be happy with me, Nicolaus"
She added before her consciousness faded away.
"Estelle...!"
Estelle was immediately carried by Nicolaus.
"Where is the Royal Physician?!"
He hysterically asked when he went outside the Royal Study Room. Fortunately, the Royal Physician is just standing outside the room and did not leave.
"What happened to my sister?"
Camilla, along with Emperor Victor, Jerome and Giovanni, witnessed the horrible state of Estelle.
"Get out of my way"
Nicolaus threatened them and passed through them. They felt fear on his tone and aura but despite of this, they still followed him.
While the Royal Physician is carefully checking Estelle's pulse, her husband became more and more impatient.
"What took you so long?! What happened to my Empress?!"
He hysterically asked when the Royal Physician finally stand in front of him.
The Royal Physician shook his head and his expression look saddened and worried.
"Her Majesty's constitution cannot bear your Majesty's child"
"What do you mean?"
Nicolaus coldly asked.
"She might lose her life if she gives birth to your child, Your Majesty"
The Royal Physician replied. Nicolaus looked at the pale and pained expression of his beloved with so much guilt.
"Y-You--! Estelle is pregnant?!"
Victor exclaimed with a furious look on his face.
"You two are not destined by Althea! If an Estridsen defies it, he/she will meet death sooner! Why did you... why did you shorten my daughter's life?!"
He shouted, furious and at the same time remembering the time when Estelle came to this world.
"When I touched those tiny hands, what did I feel at that time? Am I angry knowing she is my child with that vile woman? Or maybe sad because I betrayed Beatrice? No. At that time... none of those feeling came out but for the first time in my life, I do not feel emptiness"
Victor thought while looking at his daughter's suffering.
Nicolaus gritted his teeth and left his chambers. He went to the deep forest to release his anger.
"Why her?"
He asked and started to wield his sword, slashed out every tree he walked through. He cut more than 1/3 of the forest trees until he get his senses back when he saw a mother deer protecting her child. He almost killed them but he retreated silently.
"My wife is awake"
He coldly said and left the forest.
When Estelle opened her eyes, she did not expect that her father, sister, Jerome and Giovanni will be the first people she will see.
"She opened her eyes!"
Camilla delightedly said.
"Princess, please help me sit"
Estelle asked her sister and she was assisted by her.
"How are you feeling, my child?"
Giovanni asked after he transferred some of his holy powers to her.
"I-I'm fine, Your Holiness. Thank you"
She replied while looking at them one by one and then she sighed.
"Do you feel any discomfort, Estelle?"
Jerome asked and was about to gently touch her face but she yank his hand.
"Where is my husband?"
She asked them and she noticed the changed in their auras.
"What did you do to him?"
She coldly asked while she release some thunder around her right palm.
"Urgh--!"
She is fierce but her pregnancy symptoms interrupted her when she started to feel nauseaous again.
"Get... me a bowl...or someth..ing..urgh!"
She said and Giovanni immediately gave her a bowl where she vomited a lot. After that, she heavily sighed and looked so tired.
"Get my husband here... I want him by my side, please..."
She weakly said as she lightly grip unknowingly his father's wrist who is now looking so worried on her terrible condition.
"That man ruined your life. I cannot let you suffer like this"
Victor said as he held her daughter's hand.
"Your Holiness, let's leave this place this instant"
He said despite knowing that this could lead to war. The Chief Priest hesitated at first but he also conceded when she saw Estelle's pale complexion.
"Estelle is Althea's child"
Giovanni said and the five of transported to the Temple of Althea.
"Nicolaus..."
Estelle called his name weakly with tears dropping on her left eye before she lost her consciousness.
"You know the consequences of this"
Giovanni calmly said.
"Duke Blanchett, prepare for the war with the Eastern Empire"
Victor commanded and he carried his daughter.
"As you wish, Your Majesty"
The Duke replied.
"Also, Your Holiness. Have you ever done abortion before?"
"W-What?"
Giovanni asked with an utterly shocking expression.
"D-Dad! That's... murder..."
Camilla exclaimed, trembling in fear at what her father said. Estelle also heard it that she swiftly got up from the cold stone altar and distanced herself from them. When she felt danger, her reflexes also started to move.
"Y-You need to kill me first...b-before you can touch my child!"
She shouted and raised her hand to launch a thunder attack at the Temple's ceiling, causing the debris fall from where the four of them are standing. They were able to escaped from it. Camilla nearly died but Jerome saved her.
"She escaped!"
Jerome shouted when she realized that Estelle is gone. They run after her but she is nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, Estelle believes that Nicolaus is already on his way to save her and their unborn child. She hides at one of the Temple's empty prayer that has been abandoned for years.
"Baby... do not worry, your daddy will definitely save us. So, please just hold on to mommy just a little longer, okay?"
She weakly said while gently rubbing her belly then she closed her eyes and weakly smiled.
"Just so you know. I am inside...an empty prayer room, the last third door in the...w-west side of the Temple. Hurry up and s-save us, my Emperor"
She said before her whole weak body fell down on the cold floor.
"The Southern Empire declared a war against us. We will show them how merciless we are. Gather the armies!"
Nicolaus commanded when he returned to his chambers and found out that Estelle is gone along with the Southern Empire's Royals.
Half of the ten million armoured men immediately gathered in half an hour.
"I, the Emperor of this Empire and the Moonless Executioners, will lead this war against the Southern Empire. They abducted the Empress along with my unborn child! They are even planning to kill my child! Anyone who comes in our way... cut their necks! Capture no one, just swing your swords, aim, and kill them!"
Nicolaus coldly said with enraging hatred that showed in his bloody ruby eyes. He is wearing a black armour made of the dragon's scales.
"The M-Moonless Executioners still exist?"
One of the armies whispered.
"Y-Yeah. You heard Your Majesty. If he is joining hands again with them, just like 10 years ago, t-then... that Empire will definitely fall down and will be painted with red"
Replied by the army beside him who is trembling with fear but at the same time smiling because they are assured that they might come back alive because the Moonless Executioners are joining.
One fourth of the the Eastern Empire's Army teleported in the Southern Empire, led by the Emperor himself. While the remaining army started to march at a fast pace towards the South.
As soon as they infiltrated the Temple of Althea, the once magnificent white marbles are now painted in red.
Seeing the horrible massacre, none of the priests and priestess dared to move an inch. They are just standing in the corner, trembling in fear and just praying.
"T-This is... What have you done to this sacred place?!"
Giovanni shouted when he saw Nicolaus mercilessly cut-off the neck of one of the priests.
"Sacred?"
He coldly asked and looked at their direction with a blank expression. That expression send shivers to their spine because of his unpredictability that might bring calamity to them. At his command, he can annihilate them, including Emperor Victor, Princess Camilla, and Duke Jerome.
"Move and I will kill all of you"
Nicolaus warned and turned his back at them. The Duke saw this opportunity and strike an attack. He swiftly sliced the neck of the twelve armoured men who protected Nicolaus.
"Now I know why Estelle told me to become stronger than my mentor"
Nicolaus thought and smirked. He signalled his men that he will handle the Duke himself and they stepped back.
"Dwayne, find my Empress in the West Wing"
He said as he swung his bloody sword and waited for the Duke to attack. Dwayne along with thirteen men, run towards the West Wing of the Temple.
"You sure like endangering the life of my betrothed"
Jerome said to provoke the Emperor.
"Princess Estelle Estridsen is now Empress Estelle Vesper Ancetus. Stop your hallucinations now, Your Grace"
Nicolaus replied with a proud smile that annoyed the Duke. He attacked first and just like what the Emperor expected, Duke Jerome is one of a hell strong man.