Ch.176Outside. Daily Life of the Gong Royal Family (4)

A child is born.

My first child was about to come into the world.

…

Ember started showing signs early this morning.

It was the fourth day since returning from the Kingdom of Ether.

I heard she was still in early labor, and this waiting period could continue for several days.

Still, I couldn’t help feeling anxious. Childbirth is inherently dangerous.

If Ember herself hadn’t smiled and insisted, “Don’t skip work because of this,” I would probably be pacing outside the delivery room right now.

But here I was, sitting in my office.

Though somewhat anxious, I forced myself to focus. An important matter awaited my attention.

The appointment of the Crown Prince.

After Prince Matthias was taken to the Papal State, Prince Simon had essentially been the presumptive heir to the throne.

This should have been resolved long ago. But before I bloodied myself at the banquet, the Prince himself had postponed it, making excuses like “We can’t celebrate imperial affairs while the country is in turmoil.” Since then, it had been delayed without any particular reason.

I too had been putting Simon’s matter on the back burner.

‘I’ve had so many other things to deal with.’

But because of this, unnecessary rumors were circulating. It was natural for people to find it strange that the formal appointment of Prince Simon—a grown man with a family and no disqualifying issues—was being delayed.

Especially now, when for the first time in history, the imperial family had been pushed aside while I, a duke, held the reins of power. I needed to make a decision before it was too late.

It was unusual for a mere subject like me to lead the Crown Prince’s appointment, but no one would dare call it disrespectful anyway.

The Empire had already grown somewhat accustomed to my rule. Perhaps this quick adaptation explained why they had also so readily embraced Cordana and all sorts of gambling.

“The only suitable heir to the imperial lineage is His Highness Prince Simon.”

“If Your Grace would permit, I will request His Majesty in the separate palace to issue the edict for the appointment. As this is a joyous occasion for the Empire, perhaps we should hold a grand ceremony and organize a gladiatorial tournament.”

“Your Grace, what is your decision?”

The officials were reciting what I had subtly suggested beforehand. I had instructed them to bring it up, as it would look awkward if I raised the matter myself.

I pretended to consider for a moment, then nodded.

“Let’s do that. The Minister of Merit will oversee all procedures.”

“Yes. And, Your Grace.”

“Hmm?”

“Traditionally, when appointing a Crown Prince, one or two important imperial duties are transferred to him… but how should we proceed this time? We’ve discussed it with the Imperial Household Department, but ultimately it requires your decision.”

“……”

This wasn’t an easy decision either. What I decided now could determine the imperial family’s position going forward. I couldn’t assign them trivial roles, nor could I entrust them with crucial responsibilities just to maintain appearances.

Fortunately, I had already given this some thought.

“After the appointment ceremony, I will propose that His Highness Simon oversee charitable affairs.”

“Charity, you say.”

Charity.

It was something imperial family members often did to win public favor. Until now, it had been limited to distributing food and necessities to the poor in the capital, but it was time to systematize it. The number of educated commoners in the provinces would continue to grow.

I planned to put the Crown Prince in charge of this.

This approach would maintain the imperial family’s presence while preventing the Crown Prince from idly staring into space. It would also create a good image for when power eventually returned to the imperial family (though I wasn’t sure if that would happen during Simon’s generation).

‘Yes. This is about all the imperial family can handle right now.’

The imperial family might gradually move further away from actual governance, but it couldn’t be helped. We couldn’t discuss decentralization before reforms were properly on track.

The ministers seemed to understand my intentions, but no one raised any objections. They all simply accepted it.

After quickly handling the Crown Prince’s appointment, I processed various other agenda items one by one.

Toward the end, even gambling-related matters came up at the meeting table.

For Empire citizens no longer satisfied with just the lottery, we had already established dog racing tracks, and we decided to systematize the ball-kicking game that commoners enjoyed.

Ball-kicking. Currently, each territory had different names and rules for the sport, but if used properly, it could be quite helpful for governance.

“Um, Your Grace. Are you planning to create gambling opportunities through ball games?”

“That’s not all. Someday, when villages and territories hold competitions against each other, you’ll understand my intentions. For now, start by standardizing the rules and equipment.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“We must provide entertainment for commoners as well.”

I announced this dryly, then stood up.

The high ministers flinched and tried to approach me, but I smiled politely and restrained them. I already knew what they wanted to say. They probably wanted to offer congratulations about my soon-to-be-born first child.

While I appreciated their sentiment, I didn’t have time to exchange pleasantries with these aristocratic high officials one by one.

Though my body was in the imperial palace, my mind was already with Ember.

Despite having several midwives and the continent’s most powerful holy cleric (Hannah) attending to her, I couldn’t help worrying. Until just now, I had maintained my composure in the meeting room, but now I was alone.

When would the labor begin in earnest? Would it be too painful? Would the stress she experienced while handling affairs during pregnancy affect anything?

As various questions swirled in my mind, an attendant spoke up.

“Your Grace. You should return to the ducal residence immediately.”

Upon receiving the news I’d been waiting for, I headed straight for my residence.

By this point, anxiety had risen to my throat. This moment was several times more tense than when I struck down the dragon in the Kingdom of Ether.

Others might mock me if they saw me now.

Understandably so—I had killed hundreds of people so far. I had annihilated an entire country’s ruling class before swallowing that nation whole, and I had beaten to death the head and heir of the Empire’s most noble family before seizing their mansion.

I hadn’t even suffered any mental anguish because of it. Even I could hardly deny my cruel nature.

Yet even someone like me found it difficult to maintain composure when faced with the birth of my first child.

It was a moment when I keenly felt that I too was merely human.

***

“Ember.”

“…Erick. I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.”

For an hour, I held Ember’s hand tightly as she comforted me with an expression that was anything but fine, while I carefully chose words to console her.

When the real labor pains began, I had to accept being sent outside. Ember herself had requested it, not wanting me to see her in such a state.

Still, I didn’t leave the doorway of the delivery room. I might not be able to share the pain Ember was feeling, but I thought it was my minimal duty as a husband to wait as close as possible.

I tried my best to maintain my composure and think positive thoughts.

‘This isn’t just cause for worry. Our family is growing.’

A complete ally who carries my bloodline.

Honestly, until now, I hadn’t seriously thought about child-rearing or family. I just had a vague desire to form a family.

I’m not saying this simply because I became an orphan at a young age after losing my parents and siblings.

To be honest, even when my family was alive, I rarely had the opportunity to experience family love. My family was too busy struggling for daily survival.

A life of working all day just to put something in our mouths, then coming home only to sleep. Yet they still couldn’t survive and all died young.

Did they have even one good memory in their lives that ended so futilely?

My parents’ and siblings’ faces brightened slightly when I showed talent in swordsmanship and received small sponsorships through my master’s connections, but even those expectations weren’t concrete. For poor farmers, having expectations for their children was a luxury.

Come to think of it, perhaps I was living in luxury.

I was managing my reputation for a child not yet born, and I could pass on immense wealth and noble status. If anything, I worried about problems that might arise from being born with a silver spoon.

‘Success isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’

My child didn’t need to have special talents.

Of course, if they had abilities and became my strong ally, I couldn’t ask for more. But I wouldn’t be dissatisfied even if they grew up normally and just lived a prosperous life into old age.

That alone would be a more meaningful life than struggling not to starve until death. No, there was no need to measure meaning at all.

“Waaah!”

At that moment, I heard a baby’s cry.

The mental composure I had regained didn’t crumble. Only my hands trembled slightly. I took a deep breath and stood up.

After waiting for a while, the door opened.

I saw maids busily cleaning up after the birth, Hannah crying and laughing as if she had given birth herself, and Ember lying with the wrinkled baby.

Yes. This was enough for a happy life.

“It’s a boy, Erick.”

I took the baby from Ember and carefully held him in my arms.

Then, in a soft voice so as not to startle the fragile life, I whispered, “Arthur.” It was the name I had prepared in advance for a son.

Arthur Wellesley. The name of my first son.

A moment when I gained another being to be responsible for.

I felt no burden. Only a sense of fulfillment welling up inside me.