After the pain that felt like her body was split in half subsided and the sun rose, the powerful cry of a newborn baby finally cut through the quiet Grand Duke’s castles.
“My goodness, it is such a dashing Young Lord.”
The excited voices of the midwives and maids could be heard through her clouded mind.
Anne struggled to lift her eyelids, which had been closed so tightly that they were wrinkled the entire time. Her entire body lost strength, and even her vision became blurry, but it didn’t even affect her ears.
“Anne, are you awake? Bring water!”
“Ah…”
Her parched throat let out a hoarse sound. Daymond quickly dabbed a clean, wet cloth on her panting lips.
“Madam, would you like to hold it? It is a young master who looks exactly like Madam.”
As Emily carefully laid the child, wrapped in a thick cloth, next to Anne, who was lying down, the baby’s face, which she had been carrying for ten months, was finally visible.
Perhaps recognizing his mother, the child, who had been crying loudly, miraculously stopped crying. A tiny baby was twitching his hand without even opening his eyes.
“Daymond… our child.”
Anne called to him in a faint voice and invited him to hold the child. The hesitant red eyes moved slowly. It was a hesitation, wondering if he could do that.
“Come on. Hold him.”
Daymond, who didn’t know what to do, quickly rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and carefully picked up the child, who looked as if it would break if he touched it.
The red pupils looking down at the child shook violently for an instant. The child’s small lips, which closely resembled Anne’s, pursed its lips as if searching for his mother’s milk.
Tears welled up and flowed down his cheeks, melting his heart. He kissed his son’s pale forehead and looked back at Anne, who was smiling gently.
“Anne, the baby looks like you.”
His voice trembled with emotion.
Anne smiled weakly. The bright red eyes, like small rubies, along with the black hair. The child actually looked more like him than her, but he seemed to think otherwise.
Daymond climbed onto the bed and leaned his large body next to Anne, holding the child carefully. The child, carefully placed between his parents, seemed to have fallen asleep before long and was breathing evenly.
“Now that you are a father, please name your child. Do you have something in mind?”
“I wondered if Eroel would be good….”
Eariel. Eariel. Anne smiled as she slowly rolled the name on her tongue. They mixed the names of Eamon and Mariel.
“Good. Eariel, your name will be Eariel from now on.”
Anne gently pressed the plump cheek with her index finger, and the baby’s tiny hand clasped his mother’s index finger, answering her call.
*
Even though half a year had passed since Eariel was born, there had been no significant changes in Daymond. He had the same face and personality as before. The only thing that changed was that the Grand Duke’s castle welcomed a new member.
Now, three people were sitting together in a fairly peaceful office.
“I called to ask for your opinion on what flowers should be used for this festival.”
Daymond asked very kindly.
The reason they gathered today was to review plans for the upcoming festival. Since it had already been announced last year that it would be an annual festival, not just a one-time event, there was no way it could be missed this year. It was said that this topic came up every time the residents, who are already looking forward to this year from last year, met and talked.
“Isn’t it Abelsis, like last year?”
“I plan to make it with the flower you want every year.”
Daymond puffed out his chest with a somewhat proud expression. Well, last year, he spoke with an apologetic face. He said he would prepare flowers she really liked next time.
When she remembered the scenery at that time, the white flowers flowing like waves in the vast field came to mind.
“But how did you plant so many flowers last year?”
“That was planted one by one.”
The bottom line was that money was spent. As Ashton continued to lament that it took a huge amount of money, Anne placed her hand on her forehead in embarrassment. She never thought he would spend money like water to make her feel better.
“Since you’re here, Your Grace, please check the budget for this festival.”
Ashton gently pushed the documents on the table towards Anne.
“Anroganne, you’re going to have a headache, why bother…”
Daymond tried to stop her, but Anne quickly grabbed the document before his hand could reach it and checked the contents with her eyes. The more she read, the more the details of the amount were written, which made her mouth drop.
After seeing the total amount, Anne slammed the report she was holding down on the table. Daymond felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her expression.
Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 4 chapters in advance!
