"Madame! Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
Beatrice visited Viviana's mansion a week after the news of her pregnancy was announced.
Although Viviana had heard from others that Beatrice was the first to rejoice over her pregnancy, she found it hard to believe the Empress.
If she was such a generous and kind woman, how could she have taken the Crown Prince title away from Carlyle?
Viviana greeted Beatrice with great tension.
"Welcome, Your Majesty. I am honored that you have come all this way."
"How can I ask the pregnant Lady. Lowry to come to me? It is only natural that I come, so don't bow down."
She acted as if something terrible would happen if Viviana bent her waist. It was an affectionate gesture that even Viviana's maids were touched by.
Viviana also slowly relaxed her mind and led Beatrice to the drawing room.
The drawing room, filled with the fragrance of precious fruits sent by the Emperor, was filled with gifts brought by Beatrice.
"Why did you bring so much, Your Majesty?"
"It's nothing. There are things that only a woman who has given birth to a child knows. I thought it would be difficult for you to ask His Majesty, so I brought them myself."
Her gifts included various kinds of underwear, maternity clothes, pillows, soft nightwear and bedding, and bath products for pregnant women.
After the maids were sent away, the two women talked over tea and fruit.
"Do you like new fruits too, Lady. Lowry? When I had Matthias, I couldn't get enough of new fruits. I don't know how many oranges and grapefruits I ate a day."
"I prefer sweet and juicy fruits rather than sour ones."
"But be careful not to eat too much. Soon, your bladder will be squeezed and you will have to go to the bathroom often. Hoho!"
As Beatrice added a joke in a playful manner, the atmosphere became even more cheerful.
She didn't stop there and told her various stories about the hardships she went through during pregnancy, ways to relieve various pains, and how to manage her body after childbirth.
Since every story was empathetic and helpful, Viviana felt as if she had been close friends with Beatrice for a long time.
'Did I misunderstand Her Majesty the Empress…?'
Just as she was having such thoughts and even feeling sorry,
"But speaking of which, Lady Lowry. There is one thing I am very curious about…"
Beatrice smiled brightly and picked up her teacup. Although it was the same smile she had shown throughout the conversation, Viviana felt a chill run down her spine.
And bad feelings never go wrong.
"How did you get pregnant?"
At the meaningful question, Viviana felt like her insides were turning upside down, but she managed to smile and answer.
"It's embarrassing to say, but I heard that His Majesty had been making medicine for virility for a month or two now. I think it's thanks to that."
"Hmm.... That can't be it."
"Yes?"
Beatrice didn't answer and drank her tea.
The silence for that short moment felt as suffocating as a noose to Viviana.
Beatrice, enjoying Viviana's stiff expression, put down her cup and spoke in a voice so small that the maids wouldn't be able to hear.
"His Majesty the Emperor has long been unable to have children."
Viviana's face turned pale. Her lips trembled as if they would shake if she opened her mouth, but she had to deny it somehow.
"That, that's right. Ah! Or maybe the medicine improved His Majesty's condition."
"I told you that's not possible."
Beatrice's smile deepened.
"He was already diagnosed as 'infertile' 16 years ago. The seed has dried up, so what good would it do to pour good medicine on it other than to make it rot more?"
"Th, that... What are you talking about? His Majesty didn't say anything like that!"
"Of course he wouldn't. Because he doesn't know."
"Are you saying that His Majesty the Emperor is unaware of his own health problems? And how do you, the Empress, know what he doesn't know?"
Viviana asked, her voice trembling. It was almost like she was throwing a tantrum.
Beatrice found it very amusing to see the young, beautiful, and even daring woman pale and flounder. It was a bit like the joy of throttling someone.
She even felt a sense of anticipation, wondering what kind of expression she would make when she suffocated.
"I, who sensed His Majesty's abnormality, first secretly asked the Imperial Physician to confirm, and at that time I received the confirmation that 'he is irreversibly infertile'."
"Why didn't you tell His Majesty about that?"
"Do you really think I should tell him about something that could destroy his pride as a man? If I don't have that kind of consideration, then I'm not qualified to be the Empress."
Beatrice tilted her head slightly and smiled brightly, but Viviana knew her words were lies.
The Empress is generous, kind, and considerate?
'No! She must be very good at deceiving others!'
Viviana gritted her teeth.
"Oh my! Be careful not to clench your teeth too hard. Your teeth will decay quickly once you have a child."
"Are you... worrying about me right now?"
"Of course! Since you cheated on the Emperor, it's only a matter of time before you're kicked out...."
Beatrice whispered with a face full of triumph.
"You need to take care of your body. Don't you agree?"
And then she stood up from her seat as if she was done with everything.
"It's common for miscarriages to happen naturally in early pregnancy. If that happens, I'll keep my mouth shut, but if it doesn't…"
Viviana looked up at her with a face full of fear.
"Well, try to come up with some kind of excuse."
She was being told to choose between either getting rid of the child herself or becoming a mistress that betrayed the Emperor.
Beatrice didn't wait for Vivianna's answer and left the drawing room immediately. She didn't think Viviana would be able to answer right away.
***
Thud.
At the sound of the door closing, Carlyle reflexively looked up.
Asha, entering the room, briefly flashed an awkward smile before avoiding eye contact.
"So, it's finally the 'mating' day."
"Indeed… Will the High Priest actually come?"
"Even if he doesn't, what can I do about it? He wouldn't come just to uncover the bedding."
Carlyle chuckled and poured warm tea into a cup.
In November, Pervaz was in the depths of winter, and once it grew dark, the chill seeped into the bones.
Although there was a fire in the fireplace, the people of Pervaz often relied on warm tea to warm themselves.
Of course, the tea they were drinking now was more for easing tension than fighting the cold.
Pushing the teacup toward Asha, Carlyle asked, "Are you nervous?"
He expected an immediate "no," but Asha hesitated to answer as she sipped her tea. This made Carlyle feel somewhat tense too.
"It might be a bit awkward, but it won't take long. Lionel agreed to give a signal before the High Priest arrives, so just bear with it until then."
"Okay."
"It won't be difficult. You just need to breathe somewhat heavily. …Though that might be a bit embarrassing too."
He rambled on unnecessarily.
Carlyle also felt like he was talking too much, but sitting in silence with Asha seemed even more difficult.
Avoiding each other's gaze and filling the air with pointless chatter, the tea quickly cooled.
Now it was time to retire to bed and wait for the signal.
"Ahem! Well then, let's get ready."
"Yes."
Asha had been giving curt, stiff responses since earlier.
Carlyle removed his robe and got into bed first, holding up the blanket towards Asha. It was as if he was urging her to hurry up and join him.
'I'm going crazy!'
Asha swallowed hard.
Carlyle had no intention of seduction, but his half-undressed upper body and the way he lay halfway exposed seemed to trap something in Asha's chest, making her heart race.
But she couldn't hesitate any longer.
Asha swallowed her nerves once more and removed her robe.
Even though she had worn the same nightgown several times, she still hadn't gotten used to the feeling of the bedding, which felt like it would slip off at any moment. But she firmly resolved in her heart, 'This is the price I must pay.'
"My body…is cold."
As Asha climbed onto the bed and slipped under the covers, Carlyle covered her and lightly brushed her arm.
Would he even realize that it wasn't just the cold that gave her goosebumps?
"The nightgown is a bit… thin…"
"I was thoughtless. I should have hurried you into bed and waited for the High Priest."
"No, it's… it's okay."
He was making a big fuss.
As time passed lying under the same blanket with Carlyle, Asha became more and more uncomfortable.
She couldn't help but blush as she felt Carlyle's skin against hers.
'Why am I like this now? It didn't bother me before…!'
On the way to Pervaz, they had shared the same tent, and she had seen his bare upper body several times while dressing his wounds.
Back then, it was just the body of a warrior that she admired, but now…
'The tension is too strong.'
Now that she knew how those firm muscles moved on the bed, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look at him with a calm gaze.
In the candlelight, his body moved skillfully, his skin glistening with sweat, the occasional popping vein, and his tense abdomen…
If there was any way to erase the memories of that night, Asha would have done anything.