The Great Wish - Chapter 46: Today, Tomorrow and Then… (1)

A party was held in the Imperial Palace banquet hall to celebrate the second birthday of Prince Curtis, the son of King Iron. Curtis’s first birthday had been a modest affair since it was shortly after the new emperor’s ascension. However, about six months later, Princess Isabel’s first birthday was celebrated in grand style.

Sienna, as Curtis’s godmother, felt guilty for not throwing him a proper birthday party the first time. So, for his second birthday, she made sure it was a splendid occasion. The banquet hall was so crowded with guests that it was said nearly all the prominent nobles were in attendance.

However, the star of the day, Curtis, only made a brief appearance during the toast and then left. The rest of the event was for the adults.

People flocked around the Iron King and his wife. The Iron King, with his charming personality and engaging conversation, was popular among the guests. His lack of succession rights to the throne worked in his favor, as being close to him had no political drawbacks. He was becoming a well-known figure in the social scene.

His son Curtis had an empress as his godmother, and the Iron King still resided in the Imperial Palace, making him one of the emperor’s closest confidants.

Normally, only direct relatives of the emperor are allowed to live in the palace. As the son of the former emperor, King Iron was supposed to move out once the new emperor ascended. However, Sienna told Dian, the Iron King, that he was welcome to stay at the Iron Palace for as long as he wished.

Dian had initially intended to leave, but Sienna had earnestly persuaded him.

“We haven’t known each other long enough, brother. The palace is too vast for just the three of us.”

Dian couldn’t resist being called “brother” and ended up staying. He often helped Sienna with her duties, and though he would sometimes grumble, “Why do I take on so much work?” if he truly disliked it, he would have left long ago.

“His Majesty, the Emperor! Blue King! Present!”

The attendant’s loud announcement quieted the hall as all eyes turned toward the entrance. The imperial couple entered the room, exchanging warm glances as always, a smile lingering from some amusing conversation they had shared just before.

In aristocratic society, it was not uncommon for couples to pretend to be close in public. However, the emperor and empress were different. The affection in their eyes was genuine, so much so that no one could doubt it. Despite the many baseless rumors that swirled around the social circles, there were never any whispers of discord between the imperial couple.

The noble class, used to the cold relationship of the former emperor and empress, was taken aback by the genuine affection of the young imperial couple. Many remarked that their relationship had been unique from the start. The scandalous romance that had once been gossiped about had now become a beautiful and romantic love story.

The noblewomen fanned themselves, feeling a mix of admiration and envy. The emperor’s beauty, which seemed to bloom day by day, was awe-inspiring, and the charm of Blue King, standing proudly by his side, was equally striking.

“Look at the emperor’s hand. He’s wearing it again today.”

“That ring, right?”

“It’s definitely a matching set with Blue King’s ring.”

Once again, the noblewomen fixated on the rings worn by the imperial couple. Everything about the emperor and empress captivated the aristocracy, from their words to their smallest gestures, and even their fleeting expressions were scrutinized and gossiped about for days.

Naturally, their rings, worn at every public event, caught attention. It was curious enough that the emperor repeatedly wore the same ring, but even more intriguing was the fact that Blue King wore a ring of a similar design.

In the empire, rings were typically a woman’s accessory. It was unusual for a man to wear one, going against the norms of imperial customs.

“I heard from Baroness Pons that Queen Iron’s cousin says those rings are a symbol—a vow between husband and wife.”

“How romantic.”

“But to wear matching rings so openly instead of keeping it private—it’s a bit excessive, isn’t it?”

Opinions among the nobility about men wearing rings were divided, but everyone was curious about the gemstones in the rings.

“They’re not rubies or sapphires.”

“Right. There’s no color to them.”

“I caught a glimpse of them up close—they’re quite unique. They seem clear but also shimmer with various colors.”

Many had tried to discreetly investigate the gemstones, but none had yet discovered their true nature. As curious as people were, no one could simply ask the emperor, “What kind of gemstone is in your ring?”

As time passed, the mystery surrounding the gemstones only added to their allure, driving their value higher. There was even a reward offered for anyone who could provide information on where to obtain such stones.

In the empire’s capital, in the slums.

Evita, the leader of the organization Olga, was also intrigued by the mysterious gemstone that had recently skyrocketed in value. She realized that if she could find a way to distribute it, she would make a fortune.

Today, she received a report from her subordinate, who had been tasked with gathering information. As she read the report, Evita’s expression hardened.

“This… no way…”

No matter how many times she reread it, the description matched perfectly with the heirloom stone she had once given to Kaligo, the leader of the Kaligo faction, in exchange for her life.

“They said it wasn’t worth much…”

Kuhn hadn’t lied. At the time, the gemstone had indeed been worthless. It was a type of jade.

Transparent yet colorful gemstones were favored, so jade was rarely used for jewelry. It was considered cheap, regardless of its type.

Kuhn’s father had purchased a mine where the unique jade was found, not for profit, but as a gift for his wife. Thus, the rights to the mine belonged to the Lad family, and Kuhn had no intention of developing it. The only existing pieces of this gemstone were the ones in the rings worn by the emperor and empress, making it the rarest gem in existence. Its value would continue to soar.

Evita realized that Kaligo held the key to distributing the gemstone. However, after their last encounter, she knew it would be difficult to approach him again.

“Just how much would that stone be worth…”

Evita felt sick to her stomach, agonizing over the lost fortune that had slipped through her fingers.

“Ugh, what was I thinking? I must have been crazy,” she lamented.

But no amount of regret could change the fact that it was already too late.

***

Kuhn had left early in the morning to take care of some matters at the merchant guild and returned to Sun Palace in the afternoon. As soon as he arrived, he asked the attendant about the emperor’s whereabouts.

“Is His Majesty in the office?”

If she was dealing with official matters that shouldn’t be disturbed, he thought he’d visit their daughter’s room first.

“No, she’s in the bedchamber.”

Kuhn frowned, turning his head sharply.

“The bedchamber?”

At this hour?

“Did something happen?”

“I haven’t heard of anything in particular…”

The attendant trailed off, nervous under Kuhn’s piercing gaze. He could feel sweat trickling down his back. Sometimes, silent disapproval was more terrifying than loud anger. Struggling to think of something helpful, the attendant suddenly remembered.

“The royal physicians visited Her Majesty’s bedchamber earlier.”

Kuhn’s expression darkened further. Without wasting another moment, he turned and left Cheong Palace. Rather than continuing to question the attendant, it was better to see her himself.

Physicians? Could it be because of the greenhouse?

When Sienna ascended to the throne, she had reclaimed the rights to the greenhouse from Patricia. After much consideration, instead of tearing out the herbal garden Patricia had established, she decided to use it for good.

The imperial medical knowledge was quite underdeveloped, partly due to the unique constitution of the royal family. This lack of expertise was apparent when Iron Queen nearly died from excessive bleeding during childbirth.

Sienna transformed the greenhouse into an herb research facility, bringing in expert herbalists and retraining the palace physicians, overhauling the palace’s medical system.

But if it was about the greenhouse, why call the physicians to her bedchamber?

His anxiety grew with every passing thought. By the time Kuhn reached the emperor’s bedchamber, his expression was tense.

Kuhn approached the guard at the door.

“Is Her Majesty inside?”

“Yes, Blue King.”

Kuhn entered immediately. His visits to the emperor’s bedchamber were routine; he never sought permission or waited.

Inside, Sienna and Beth were chatting on the sofa when they turned to see him enter. Beth smiled lightly at the sight of Kuhn and then addressed Sienna.

“I’ll take my leave now, Your Majesty.”

As Beth passed by Kuhn, they exchanged polite nods. Kuhn wasted no time and sat beside Sienna, his voice urgent.

“You called the physicians? What’s going on? Why do you need a physician?”

“I had a checkup.”

“A checkup? You?”

“Yes, because some unruly little one kicked me.”

Kuhn’s face turned grim as he failed to grasp her meaning.

“Who dared…?”

“Your son.”

Sienna placed his hand on her belly, and as he stared blankly, she chuckled softly.

“Ah…”

Kuhn looked down at her belly in a daze before lifting his gaze back to her face. After a brief moment of disbelief, he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, covering her lips, nose, and cheeks with quick, scattered kisses.

“You’re enjoying teasing me, aren’t you? Hm?”

Sienna laughed, gently covering his lips with her hand. Kuhn held her close, one hand protectively cradling her belly.

“Our second is in here?”

“Yes, our son.”

“You’re sure it’s a son?”

“It’s not that I want a son. I want this child.”

Sienna felt a deep certainty, almost as if it were fate. This time, she was sure she would meet him—Eckart, their child.

***