Because they were so busy with post-war affairs, and because of the great anticipation for the new heir to be born, the people of White Swan Castle all testified that "this winter was unusually short."
In fact, everyone was too busy to even notice the change of seasons. Except for the period when the roads were blocked by too much snow, merchants, nobles, and prisoners kept coming up from the south without a break. And just as many exiles went down, merchants who had bought northern specialties went down, and new nobles went down.
Thousands, tens of thousands of people were punished or rewarded according to their past actions. All the grand nobles who had ruled the Empire before had disappeared, and new nobles had taken their place. Pelena, which had been the "Imperial Capital," was still an important city because it had a large population, but the administrative headquarters of the Empire had been moved to "New Imperial Capital" Penmerwick.
White Swan Castle was not originally built to accommodate the daily comings and goings of countless nobles. The number of people who had to enter the castle for the administrative functions of the state was somehow squeezed in, but social events had to be scattered across several other cities.
Fortunately, the Mackinnon family, who had been promoted to a ducal family this time, were accustomed to hosting social events. Many people visited the Mackinnon family, one of the families closest to the Empress. Lady Diane Mackinnon, the Empress's friend and one of the most important brides-to-be in the Empire, was holed up in White Swan Castle.
The Duke Ganiello family, one of the grand nobles who survived because of their merit, also played their part. The Ganiello family, who were to receive the title of Duke when the Duke of Meindlandt became the royal family, used their connections in diplomacy to reassure neighboring countries. Countless promises were made across the border that the Empire would not suddenly shake and threaten the security of neighboring countries, and that the friendship between the Empire and them would continue.
The Empire's upper class was also reorganized over the winter. The phrase "the three major trading companies of the Empire" was now completely outdated. The Morie Trading Company, which had taken on a large part of the post-war processing, grew rapidly and, along with the Mackinnon Trading Company, came to dominate the Empire's upper class.
And when the snow finally melted, new shoots appeared on the trees, and spring arrived in full force even in the cold north.
While walking with her husband, discussing the coronation and wedding ceremony that was almost ready, the Empress felt labor pains.
***
"Damn it, is there no way?"
Hearing the screams coming from the room, Cledwin snapped at those around him. Ren, who was equally anxious, snapped back.
"Ugh, how do we solve this! It's not like I can cure her!"
While he had the ability to restore Neris's body after she gave birth, he had no power to alleviate the pain she felt during childbirth. That absolute fact remained unchanged, even though he had been staying at the castle for a month, all the way from the Papal States.
In the first place! Ren thought to himself, rolling his eyes. He didn't say it out loud, for fear that Neris in the delivery room might hear and get annoyed. Wasn't it the fault of the guy who made her pregnant?! She's in so much pain, she could just not give birth!
Ugh! Neris's scream rose for a moment. It wasn't that her pain had suddenly increased, but because the door had suddenly opened. The two men, who were about to ask if the baby had been born with a beaming smile, flinched at the chilling face of the midwife who was glaring at them through the crack in the door.
"Be quiet. You're disturbing the mother, if you're going to keep talking, get out."
It was a shocking thing to use the word "talking" to the de facto Emperor and spiritual leader of the Empire. But the two men couldn't say anything back. The midwife, who was legendary for having delivered three hundred healthy babies, had an intimidating aura that could silence unhelpful men.
Cledwin and Ren promised not to talk and were allowed to stay in the room next to the delivery room. This time, Diane was hugging the arm of Mrs. Trude, now officially "Duchess Trude," and sobbing.
"How long will she be in pain, Mother? How much longer until she's born? I'm scared… Can't she not give birth?"
"It's okay, shh, it's okay, Dee. Your mother did the same when you were born. You were born, and how happy your mother was."
Diane, who was confident that her mother was happy about her existence, nodded. But tears of pity continued to stream down her eyes.
Duchess Trude, though she pretended to be calm, felt the same pain.
She and her young daughter were left alone when her husband died early. There were many who suggested she remarry, young, healthy, and beautiful as she was, but she chose to live with her daughter. If she remarried, she would inevitably lose her daughter to her birth family.
When her daughter reached the age to go to the academy, she finally asked her birth family for help, wanting her clever child to have a greater opportunity.
Duchess Trude. It sounded glamorous, but she was the only member of the Trude family, and there was no chance of it growing, so it was just a ceremonial title. What she wanted, then and now, was the same.
The happiness of her loving family.
Her precious daughter was in great pain, and her heart felt like it was breaking. She had given birth herself, so she knew how difficult it was. She couldn't understand how other women could do this several times.
Would she be okay? Would she lose her only family? Even people who were healthy yesterday could die in childbirth?
Her fingertips turned cold. Duchess Trude wanted to cry at every one of Neris's screams.
Although he had promised the midwife to be quiet, Cledwin soon became anxious again. He had never been this anxious before… Ah, yes, when she was cursed and collapsed… No, but did it have to be this difficult?
Maybe it would have been better if she hadn't gotten pregnant, even if she wanted to. Why do humans have to give birth to children in such a painful and difficult way? Cledwin, overwhelmed with tension, began to ask such fundamental questions. He paced around the room next to the delivery room at an incredible speed.
Ugh, ugh, ugh, hhh! How many times had Neris let out a mixture of screams and groans in a tired voice? Just as he decided he had to go into the delivery room, finally losing his temper.
"What are you doing here?"
Kien the Dragon, holding a magic staff, walked into the room where they were. After her seal was broken, she freely wandered around the continent, often appearing next to Neris and Cledwin at will.
Before anyone else could react, Cledwin rushed to her and asked,
"Is there no way to reduce the pain of a woman giving birth? You're a dragon. Don't you have any magic?"
Kien looked at Cledwin's haggard face for a moment and chuckled.
"It seems the child of Elandria has gone into labor."
"Yes."
"There is magic to alleviate pain, why wouldn't there be?"
Everyone present perked up. Ren, forgetting his promise to the midwife, raised his voice.
"Use it! Quickly!"
"Humans these days. Is there anyone who orders a dragon around?"
"Please use it!"
Ren was quick to change his stance when needed. Kien laughed again and looked at Cledwin. Her golden eyes narrowed.
"Magic comes with a price, you know."
"I'll give you anything. Just do it quickly."
"What if I want the Empire?"
"That's too cheap. I'll conquer neighboring countries for you, just do it quickly."
"Alright, alright, I get it. You're very different from my Palos, but you're similar in this way. I'll take a hundred chests of well-crafted jewels for the sake of Elandria's child. My dwarves are all dead, so it's hard to get jewels I like."
With Kien's seal broken, the ruins of Dreykum were revealed to the surface and regained their former appearance. The former inhabitants of the place had settled in other areas, and Cledwin declared Dreykum as the dragon's territory, completely preventing humans from going there at will.
"Alright, then. Quickly. Do it."
Cledwin finally gritted his teeth. He was thinking, "How can she be joking at a time like this when Neris is struggling…" when a sudden realization struck him.
Kien hadn't screamed since she laughed earlier.
Everyone stared longingly at the door to the delivery room. Was Neris alright? Had the pain-relieving magic really been used? Or had she fainted…?
A moment later, the midwife's joyful voice could be heard. Along with the sound of a baby crying.
"It's a healthy princess!"
"Woohoo!"
Diane cheered. Duchess Trude hugged Diane and finally started to cry. Cledwin grabbed Ren and ran into the delivery room.
"Your Majesty!"
The midwife was disgusted. But before Ren could hear her nagging, he quickly started using divine power on Neris, and Neris smiled at the two of them with a tired face. The midwife warned those looking in from the open door.
"The baby is here, so no one else is allowed in yet!"
Diane and Dora, who had been eager to enter, stopped short.
The midwife, following the customs of Meindlandt, washed the baby and performed some ritualistic actions. Then she handed the baby to Neris.
Cledwin clung to Neris's side and carefully wiped her sweat. Neris was too busy smiling at the baby's face to notice her husband's actions, and she chided him.
She's fine, she received divine power. She's recovered from her exhaustion.
Ren smiled proudly. He stepped back at the midwife's gesture and went back out of the delivery room.
The baby was very small and bright red. It wasn't the cute baby image that people usually think of. But Neris thought the baby was beautiful.
In fact, she had never seen a baby this beautiful before.
Cledwin also saw the baby as his wife saw her. He slowly turned his gaze to the baby.
Usually, fathers would meet their children later than mothers, no matter what. But he was one of the remarkable exceptions.
His lips spoke gently.
Hello, Arbyone.
Cledwin had never spoken in detail about the time he had spent in Neris's memories, a world of light. In fact, it was Neris who first suggested naming the baby Light. How much she was looking forward to the baby's birth, how wonderful it would be if this baby became a being like light, ending the long darkness.
Cledwin found it a little amusing when his pregnant wife talked about such things.
It was Cledwin who first knew that their first child's name was Arbyone. But that was because the baby, in the form of light, had led him there. It was Neris who first thought of the baby as light, even before meeting her. The past, present, and future were all intertwined, creating a necessity that made this baby light, hope, and happiness.
After seeing his wife's memories, Cledwin had harbored a deep anger in his heart that he couldn't shake off. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He was also scared. He wondered if his wife, who had been so deeply wounded, would really be okay.
But as he looked at the baby's face, his fear finally subsided a little. Because he finally understood and accepted it.
That everything from before was truly over.
That the noisy little one who had always been by his side during the lonely and sad times was their other salvation.
"I finally met you. I love you today too."
Why "too" when they just met today? Neris thought that for a moment, but didn't question it. Well, it probably meant that she loved him today and would love him tomorrow.
So she just greeted him too.
Hello, Arbyone. Mom finally met you too.
Of course, the baby didn't understand her parents' loving words. The baby, who couldn't even open its eyes, just cried. It was uncomfortable in this world it had been born into. It was cold, scary, and sad.
Neris gently held the baby. She could tell that she was clumsy at this, doing it for the first time. But what in the world wasn't?
There were mistakes in doing something for the first time. There were mistakes made out of ignorance. There were failures and misfortunes. There was despair that felt like being swallowed by eternal darkness.
But at the end of it all, someday.
Someday, surely.
There is light, she could now believe.
The price is everything you have.
*****
End Main Story