Side Story 1 Chapter 11

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His Grace, the Grand Duke of Lagrange, was absent again today.

“He couldn’t come because of personal situation.”

Yuric, who attended the meeting instead of Dietrich as the head of the household, only shrugged his shoulders in spite of the disgruntled gazes of the nobles. 

“Again?”

“Why does it seem like he’s always absent every meeting?”

Hermann Euclid was the current president of the Great Nobility Council, which was held every quarter in the woods of the Neutral Territory, but Dietrich Lagrange was the next president. 

However, since he ascended to his title, he has only attended the Great Council once.

“Since even Her Majesty has let go of his hand, he is leaving very soon.”

“Where will the blood of the North go?”

At least, it seemed that the Duchess was taking responsibility for her duties, so she seemed to attend the Northern Noble Council at times, but even then, after the news that she was pregnant, it was difficult to see a single strand of her hair. 

The nobles began to raise their voices as if they were expressing their long-suffering dissatisfaction.

“Do they think we’re not busy as well?” 

“My granddaughter is pregnant, too!”

“Do they know how busy the Duke of Euclid is?!”

The Duke of Euclid, who actually hosted the meeting of the great nobles, did not say much, but the nobles looked at him for no reason and added a few words. 

“Our Duke is as busy as the Grand Duke, but why doesn’t he come to the meeting every now and then!”

‘This is possible because Grand Duke Lagrange’s seat is empty.’

“Ahem.”

The Count of Devonshire, who had just watched the southern nobles run their mouth, announced his existence by clearing his throat.

Only then did the aristocrats, realizing that there were eyes watching in the North, shut their mouths in unison.

“......Today is the due date.”

Hermann, who had been a little in a daze from the moment he entered the meeting room, nervously bit his finger at the voice of Count Devonshire.

“Pardon? What do you mean by ‘due date’?”

The aristocrats, who have heard that Dietrich had personal circumstances, but have not heard why he was absent from the meeting, widened their eyes open.

“No matter how much medicine has advanced these days, childbirth is not easy.”

“Ah. You’re talking about the Grand Duchess.”

The only sister of Duke Euclid was the Grand Duchess of Lagrange. People began to respond as if they had remembered something they had forgotten. 

“You must be very worried.”

“But these days, only three out of ten mothers die while giving birth, so let’s proceed with the meeting.”

As if it was not his business, an elderly male aristocrat spoke easily, sweeping his beard.

“You mean three out of ten die?”

However, Hermann frowned fiercely at his easy words.

When the Duke, who always had a kind smile on his lips and had a polite attitude, suddenly spoke informally to him, the embarrassed man began to stutter.

“Nobles usually have priests prepared, so death is rarer. I meant to say there is no need to be worried.”

‘I had heard that he cares for his married sister quite a bit.’

It was a fairly widespread rumor that Anissa Lagrange was Euclid’s missing princess, but how much Hermann valued her was always a subject of debate.

‘Seeing that Lagrange and Euclid are peaceful these days, it seems that he really cares about her.’

The marriage between Anissa and Dietrich, which took place so quickly that no one knew about it except for nobles with whom they had a close relationship, put an end to the bitter relationship between the South and the North.

‘I heard that these days, they often trade through waterways.’

Baron Widia, who had maintained a fairly close relationship with the previous Duke Euclid, but somehow had come face to face with the modern Duke Hermann, wiggled his fingers and observed Hermann’s stiff face. 

“Oho! Viscount Soman, be a little careful with what you say!”

“What did you say?”

“When is it easy to give birth? It’s natural for the Duke to be worried.”

When his excitement had somewhat subsided, Hermann glanced at Baron Widia, who was not interested.

“....Giving birth hurts a lot, doesn’t it?”

“I’ve never given birth to a child, so I don’t know, but I’ve heard from my wife…..”

“Heard what?”

“I heard it hurts more than pulling a watermelon out through your nostrils.”

“Pulling a what from the…nose?”

“A watermelon. A watermelon bigger than the Duke’s face.”

Hermann had a fairly small face, so the watermelon grown in the warm southern sun was twice as big as his face.

At Widia’s words, Hermann’s pretty face turned pale in an instant.

“Watermelon……”

He muttered the name of an out-of-season fruit, then slammed his hand on the round table before standing up. 

“I’ll end the meeting now.” 

“Pardon? How do you end a meeting that hasn’t even started yet?”

An agenda wasn’t even raised.

The aristocrats who ran all night to report a matter that required the southern duke’s permission were silent with devastated faces. 

 It was because Hermann’s spirit was too fierce to oppose.

“Your Grace, are you really leaving?”

The bewildered vassals of Euclid hesitatingly rose and dissuaded Hermann, but he raised his voice, his veins popping and took the frock he had taken off.

“Right now! My sister! In her! Nostrils!”

“........”

“A watermelon is coming out!!!”

Not a watermelon, but a child.

However, this all happened after Yuric had already left. There was no one who could stop Hermann Euclid anymore.

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Anissa didn’t seem to remember having been in this much pain in her life. 

No, could this kind of pain be described as just painful? 

“Aacck! Acck!!!!”

“The head, I can see the head, madam! Please push a bit more!”

“Argh! Uackk!!!”

“Almost there!”

She held onto Dietrich’s hand beside her so tightly to the point that the back of his hand almost bled. Fortunately, she did not suffer long labor pains.

“The child is here! Madam, it’s all done!”

‘If she’s in pain for more than three hours, I can’t guarantee your life.’

Threatened by the Grand Duke, the doctor guarded her in the room and celebrated the birth of the baby with joy more than anyone else. 

“Uwaaaahh!!!”

 However, even when the baby came out with a loud cry, Anissa’s swollen belly did not subside. 

“Argh! Aack!”

“Why is she still in pain?!”

The exhausted mother was already on the verge of passing out. 

Marilyn wiped Anissa’s sweaty forehead with a cold towel. 

“Y-Your Grace! It seems to be twins.” 

Dietrich’s lips, which were already chewed and blistered, turned white by the doctor’s flustered words.

“What?”

“She still has vitality so nothing can go wrong. Please step away for a moment.”

The doctor was momentarily taken aback, but soon came to his senses and began to focus on the mother. It was not the time to worry about his life. 

Anissa was fortunately a strong mother, but giving birth to twins was not easy.

Thankfully, because Dietrich had saved the holy water, which was now few in number in the empire - it was because all the temples were robbed – it was luck that the mother did not pass out.

“Please move, Your Grace! You’re in the way!”

Normally, the doctor who dared to raise his voice at the Grand Duke would have been blown away, but Dietrich stood against the wall at the doctor’s earnest scream.

After confirming that Anissa’s arm, which he couldn’t bear to let go of, was hanging weakly, he collapsed onto the floor. 

“Please take a deep breath, Your Grace.”

Next to Anissa, Marilyn whispered softly.

He couldn’t even breathe properly, probably because he was nervous from right after Anissa’s labor started until now.

“Diet..rich…….”

But then, in excruciating pain, Anissa looked for Dietrich.

“Yeah?”

In order to listen to her voice, Dietrich, who stuck to the bed, had his collar grabbed by Anissa as she whispered briefly. 

“The mine……”

“What?”

“The mine, two…..”

There were a total of four mines owned by Lagrange.

Two of them belonged to the family with the Emperor directly giving them  ownership, and were assets that Dietrich couldn’t move.

So, on the day he heard the news of Anissa’s pregnancy, he promised to hand over one of the remaining mines to Anissa despite the opposition of the elders. 

“Are you asking for two mines because they’re twins?”

“.....Acck! Argh!”

At Dietrich’s astonished question, Anissa started screaming again.

“All right! All right!” 

She looked to be in so much pain that he opened his mouth in a hurry.

The tears that had been clinging to her eyes until now fell and wet the back of her soft hand.

“I’ll give you everything. Okay?”

“..........”

“I’ll give you the mines, the family, everything. If you want, I’ll conquer the imperial family and bring it to you.”

So don’t be in pain. 

It was a heartrending voice.

At Dietrich’s confession that he couldn’t breathe and felt like dying, Anissa gave strength to her eyes, which were clouded with pain.

The hand that was still holding his collar fell onto the bed.

“Do you think I’m in pain because I want to be in pain?!”

“........” 

“Hand over the mine!!! Keep your promise!!!”

Now I had to imagine even a mountain of rubies and sapphires to survive. 

“Aaacck!!!”

That’s how the names Ruby and Sapphire were decided based on the desire of their frugal mother’s greed. 

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