Ancient Empire Calendar Year 1816
Time had flown by like water. The screams of women echoed through the palace corridors.
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
The woman screaming in the delivery room was Ricardo's Concubine, Dilara.
As the birth continued, Ricardo waited anxiously, terrified that something bad might happen. He was praying.
After a seemingly endless wait, a servant knocked on the door.
"COME IN!"
The servant entered the room with a smiling face and bowed her head.
"Dynasty Heir, I congratulate you with my most sincere feelings. You have a daughter."
Ricardo jumped up with joy and quickly ran to the delivery room, entering it.
When Ricardo opened the door, he saw his daughter in the arms of his Concubine, Dilara.
He walked slowly, experiencing an explosion of emotions. He wanted to cry but held himself back.
A servant carefully took the baby from Dilara's arms and handed her to Ricardo.
"Dynasty Heir, here is your daughter."
Ricardo took his daughter into his arms. His hands were trembling. He brought his face close and breathed in her scent.
"How many years has it been since I held a baby, a child, since I breathed in their scent? Is the feeling of being a father this wonderful? Why does it feel like I'm experiencing this for the first time?"
As Ricardo lost himself in thought, he couldn't take his eyes off his baby.
Lying in bed, Dilara asked tiredly,
"Master, what shall we name our daughter?"
Ricardo looked at Dilara.
"You name her," he said.
Dilara was surprised. A servant approached Ricardo.
"This is against palace protocol, Master. Since she is your first child, you should give the name."
Ricardo thought for a moment.
"I want to give her my mother's name, but that's also forbidden. In the Western lands, a person cannot give their name to their children and grandchildren. Wait, my father Orsman's mother, my Grandmother Demether. If I give her name, perhaps my father will be happy."
Demether Dornan, the mother of IV Orsman Kislavein, had been killed 34 years ago by one of the wives or concubines of V Ryas when Orsman was only eight years old.
Losing his mother at a young age had made Orsman cruel, tyrannical, and merciless.
Ten years later, when Orsman was 18, he killed his father V Ryas and ascended the throne, taking revenge for his mother by killing all his stepmothers and half-siblings.
Ricardo kissed his daughter's cheek and brought his ear close.
"Your name is Demether, my dear daughter."
When the servants heard the name of the first Lady, the first Princess, of the Kislavein Dynasty's next generation, they smiled.
"Go and announce the birth of my daughter, Demether, to everyone."
The servants bowed their heads and excitedly left the room. Only one servant remained.
This servant did not want to ruin Ricardo's joyful moment, but she had to. She bowed her head and asked for permission to speak.
"You may speak," said Ricardo in a happy voice.
The servant hesitated.
"Master, I offer my most sincere apologies for ruining this beautiful moment, but I must speak."
The smile instantly vanished from Ricardo's face.
"What happened?"
The servant spoke hesitantly, her head bowed.
"Your Concubine, Dilara, had a very difficult birth. Her uterus was seriously damaged... unfortunately, she will not be able to get pregnant again."
Ricardo stood motionless, not knowing what to say. It was Dilara who pulled him out of this state.
"Master," she said in a soft voice.
Ricardo's eyes suddenly turned to Dilara.
"Don't be sad for me. One child is enough, more than enough for me. I don't want a second one, besides—"
Before Dilara could finish her sentence, tears began to stream from her eyes.
"I didn't want a son. I'm so scared. I'm terrified that I wouldn't be able to protect my sons in the future Heirs' War. I'm not strong and clever like Lady Seliarnevre. I cannot bear the pain of losing my children."
Ricardo sat next to Dilara and held her tightly. As Dilara cried, Ricardo did not let her go.
The servant witnessing all this found it strange for a Kislavein Prince to be so close to his Concubine.
"Why is he so close to her? The sole purpose of wives and concubines is to bear Heirs and Ladies for the Dynasty. Why is the Dynasty Heir so close to his Concubine and his daughter?"
When Dilara calmed down, she took her crying daughter into her arms and hugged her.
Ricardo turned his eyes to the servant.
"Listen to me well. Today is the birthday, the day I am happiest. Don't you dare turn it into a day of death for me. If you tell anyone what you saw—"
Ricardo suddenly turned his head to the servant. His eyes gleamed with blood; his killing intent suffocated the servant.
"I will kill you."
The servant fell to her knees. She felt as if her soul was leaving her body, her blood tearing through her veins and flowing out of her body.
Dilara and the baby, though not the target, felt a share of this killing intent and struggled to breathe.
Dilara took Ricardo's hand. At that moment, Ricardo calmed down and withdrew his killing intent.
The servant couldn't stand up or raise her head for a long time.
Ricardo performed a healing spell on his Concubine and his daughter.
"Dilara, give me our daughter. I will show her to my mother. She always wanted to see her grandchild."
Dilara gave her daughter to Ricardo.
Ricardo left the room and entered the room where his mother was being treated.
"Mother, here is your grandchild," said Ricardo in a happy voice.
Seliarnevre looked at her grandchild with a tired and worn face.
"Give me my grandchild, my son."
Ricardo gave his daughter to Seliarnevre.
Seliarnevre breathed in her grandchild's scent.
"What is your grandchild's name, Ricardo?"
Ricardo answered.
"Demether."
Seliarnevre smiled.
"Demether was the name of Orsman's mother. Did you give it on purpose?"
"Yes, Mother," said Ricardo.
At that moment, Orsman entered the room.
Ricardo and his sisters in the room bowed their heads.
"So, you gave my mother's name to my first grandchild."
Orsman took Demether into his arms.
"Look at that. She looks just like my mother."
Ricardo was witnessing one of the rare moments when Orsman showed genuine emotion.
"What was Grandmother like?" asked Ricardo.
"I don't remember. I can't remember her face or her personality. I don't know why. Maybe I want to forget, or I don't know... I don't remember," said Orsman.
"But I miss her very much," Orsman thought.
He gave his grandchild back to his son and left the room.
The people of Kislathor were celebrating Demether's birth.
A week later, Xiao Meiran's labor pains also began, and she was taken to the delivery room.
The birth was short and safe.
Meiran, with her powerful healing magic, healed herself as if she had never given birth.
Ricardo entered the room with a smiling face.
"I have another daughter," he said.
When Ricardo reached out his hands, Meiran hesitated, hiding her daughter as if protecting her from an enemy.
Ricardo and everyone in the room were surprised, but since Ricardo knew Meiran's personality, he gave her some space.
Ricardo turned to the servants.
"Everyone, out. And don't you dare tell anyone anything," he said in a threatening, bloodthirsty voice.
Everyone left the room fearfully with quick steps, leaving only Ricardo and Xiao Meiran.
"Mei, please, she is my daughter too."
Ricardo's soft voice warmed Meiran's heart. Of her own will, she handed her daughter to Ricardo.
"Can I name her?" she asked.
Ricardo took his daughter into his arms and smiled.
"Of course. What will you name her?"
Meiran answered.
"Selia. My spiritual mother's name."
"Your spiritual mother?" asked Ricardo.
"Yes. My mother, Lady Xiao Mei'er, died giving birth to me. I was raised by Selia, a childless concubine in my father XXI Carl's harem. I promised her. I want to give her name to my first-born daughter. Please."
Ricardo slowly sat down next to Meiran. Meiran flinched at first but quickly got used to it.
Ricardo, without startling Meiran, stroked her hair and gently hugged her.
"I should hate him, but why do I feel so comfortable?"
Meiran slowly surrendered to sleep.
Ricardo took his daughter in his arms, kissed her cheek, and brought his ear close.
"Your name is Selia, my dear daughter."
Ricardo stepped out quietly.
"Go, announce the birth of my daughter Selia to everyone."
As the servants bowed their heads and left excitedly, Ricardo went to his mother's side.
When Ricardo entered his mother's room, he found her half-asleep. He sat beside her and gave his daughter to her.
"Mother, this is my daughter Selia. Your second grandchild."
Seliarnevre took her grandchild into her arms, smelled her, and kissed her.
"Selia," she said in a tired voice.
Seliarnevre's eyes slowly closed.
"Mother, are you asleep? MOTHER!"
Those who heard the scream rushed in. When they found Ricardo crying, they understood what had happened.
Seliarnevre Payrist of the Payrist Dynasty, Ricardo's mother, Orsman's mother, had closed her eyes to life in the year 1816, at the age of forty.