I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"What is morning sickness?"

The moment Raymond's voice and Carlisle's plain question came at the same time, Ellie finally burst out laughing.

"Mom?"

Carlisle looked curious, but Ellie continued to laugh instead of answering.

‘How should I explain this situation?'

Ellie enjoyed watching Raymond, who looked strange and incredible at the same time. It seemed to make up somewhat for the difficulties she had when she gave birth to Carlisle alone.

“You had a conception dream and now you have morning sickness… Ray, I guess my baby loves their father very much.”

"If that's the case, I can take it as long as you want…"

Raymond couldn’t continue speaking.

"Dad…"

"Don't worry, Carlisle. Your father says that your younger is so charming,” Ellie smiled at Carlisle, who was full of worries.

"What?" Carlisle tilted his head at the strange explanation, but Ellie smiled and just patted Raymond on the back.

“You said you'd do anything, but I didn't know you'd get morning sickness. Thank you, Ray.”

"…"

Ellie is a month and a half pregnant. Thus began Raymond's morning sickness.

Is it because of Raymond's unusual morning sickness? The baby didn't bother Ellie much while it was in her stomach. Yet, as if it were the eve of the storm, Ellie's labor on the day of the delivery continued long and difficult.

“Hu, huff…!”

“Your Majesty, you have to cheer up. Don't lose consciousness!"

‘A pain that lasts for 12 hours.'

Ellie was going crazy from pain that was incomparable to Carlisle's. Her physical strength that has already reached its limit with labor that lasts more than half the day. But now the baby was in danger if she lost consciousness.

Ellie tried to hold on to her blurry consciousness. Unlike her mind, however, her body didn’t follow.

"Ellie."

At that moment, she felt a strong force in her hand.

"Oh…! Ray…”

It was none other than Raymond who held her hand tightly. Raymond wiped Ellie's cold sweat and bit his lip hard.

Raymond has been by her side despite everyone's dissuasion since the onset of labor. He had been by Ellie's side without taking a sip of water since the labor began, but compared to the pain she was in, he couldn't even think that he was tired, so every time Ellie moaned, Raymond felt his life expectancy decreased.

If only he could have gone into labor in her place. This reality of having to watch her suffer was cruel. He was even more worried about a situation where he couldn't do anything but hold her hand, wipe the sweat off her, and comfort her.

At the same time, he was sincerely sorry. Ellie must have suffered the same when she gave birth to Carlisle. At that time, he hadn’t been by her side because he didn’t even know that she was giving birth.

Raymond felt endless guilt and regret for Ellie, who would have endured this great pain alone.

To the point where he wanted to wield a sword against himself, who was stupid in the past.

"Ellie, I'm sorry! Sorry!" There is nothing he could say other than this.

"Hnn…"

As Ellie's moan grew longer, Raymond burned with regret, guilt, and anxiety.

“I can see the baby's hair! Empress, you have to push harder!”

The imperial physician's urgent voice sounded and Ellie took Raymond's hand. Raymond held her hand tightly with both hands and prayed fervently.

‘Please, please, I hope I can hear the baby cry this time. Let Ellie's work be done.'

‘Did your sincere prayer finally work?'

At the moment Ellie made her last effort, the baby's cry resounded loudly in the bedroom.

"Oh Lord!"

“Ellie, you did a great job. You really worked hard."

Raymond hugged her shoulder carefully. Along with a sense of relief, indescribable emotions hit him at once. Raymond burst into tears and wet Ellie's shoulder.

However, Ellie stroked his hand lightly and pushed slowly.

‘I'm sorry, Raymond, but it wasn't important right now.’

The most important thing was whether the baby was okay.

"Congratulations. His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress. She is a healthy princess.”

“Show me the baby…”

As Raymond stepped back, Helen, her face moved, carefully placed the baby in her arms.

The moment Ellie saw the baby's wrinkled face, she was able to forget the pain immediately. Black hair that resembles Raymond and purple eyes that resemble her.

‘How can I think of anything else when I see those beautiful purple eyes? She was so precious, so precious, that I was just grateful with all my heart.'

As if feeling her heart, Raymond also carefully approached the baby with a calm face. In response, the baby grabbed his finger.

“Oh…” Ellie and Raymond exclaimed at the same time.

"Ray, say the babyy's name."

“…Ophelia Agrita. I will seal Ophelia as the First Princess of the Empire,” Raymond recited the child's name with a trembling voice.

Thus, with everyone's blessing and love, Ophelia Agrita, the First Princess of the Agrita Empire, was born into the world.

* * *

Princess Ophelia was born and the Emperor held a festival for a month. He announced the joy of the imperial family by delivering food to the slums, reducing taxes on the people, and sending small gifts to the aristocrats. Thanks to this, not only the people of Agrita, but also the nobles and the poor truly blessed the birth of Princess Ophelia.

Ten months later, Princess Ophelia, who had been growing up, was babbling in a fluffy cradle. When Raymond reached for a self-made wooden mobile and the girl moved her little mouth, the man's eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I think you just said dad. I can't believe you're already calling me dad. Ophelia is without a doubt an extraordinary child.”

"It's true that Ophelia is unusual, but I think she said brother*, not dad*." (tl/n: oppa – older brother, and dad – appa – are similar in pronounciation)

“Carlisle, I think you heard wrong. She definitely said dad.”

"No, she definitely said just now brother."

Ellie, who was looking at the two fighting their nerves with similar faces, shook her head.

"Since she said neither dad nor brother, why don't you both stop now?"

Ellie hugged Ophelia and looked between Raymond and Carlisle, who scuttled out of sight.

Two hours have already passed. Ellie understood that they came to see Ophelia every day because they missed her. Ophelia was a lovely girl no matter how many times she looked at her. She understood that in her mind a hundred times, but it was a problem that the Emperor and Crown Prince of a country that had a lot of work to do were attached to the Empress Palace.

Raymond, in particular, has been waiting for her with a desperate face.

“Your Majesty, the servant has been waiting for you, so please come back.”

"…"

Raymond wanted to stay a little longer, but he couldn’t tell more. Ellie's words when she spoke so firmly contained a warning that he must go on.

"I'll hug her once and go."

Still, Raymond held out his arms because it was pitiful. Ellie, who had a big smile as if she couldn't stop Raymond's lingering eyes, handed Ophelia over.

"A-boo."

Her hair was black, but her eyes and face resembled Ellie's.

‘How can I not love a baby who looks like Ellie when she smiles at me like that?'

"No matter how many times I hear it, I think you're calling me dad."

"Your Majesty."

At Ellie's soft call, Raymond cleared his throat and kissed Ophelia's forehead.

"Lia, dad will be back, so have fun."

Raymond endured his disappointment and turned away. Raymond left and Ellie told Carlisle, who was still watching.

“Prince, say goodbye and go too. Isn't it lessons time?"

Carlisle responded sullenly.

"Yes."

Carlisle, who moved closer to Ophelia, kissed her soft cheeks.

"See you later, Lia."

The two left the bedroom with lingering feelings, and Ellie sat in a rocking chair with Ophelia in her arms.

“His Majesty and His Highness are getting worse day by day.”

Helen, who arranged the bedroom, walked up to Ellie, smiled, and said.

"I think His Majesty will say that he will come work here later."

"No way. Isn’t it a bit too far?"

Ellie said it wouldn't be to that extent, but she wasn't sure. It's possible if it's Raymond now.

Perhaps because Carlisle was growing up and gradually distancing himself from Raymond, Raymond was paying a lot of attention to Ophelia these days. He said that he would do everything that he couldn’t do for Carlisle.

Of course, his affection was good, but once in a while, very once in a while, she wanted to be quietly alone with Ophelia. But if he sets up his office here… It will be impossible for her to be alone with Ophelia.

"I don’t like that."

“Oh, maaa, paaa…”

"What? Does Lia feel the same? …As expected, Lia felt the same as her mother.”

Ophelia was just babbling, but Ellie nodded as if she unedstood everything.

“Lia, say mom. Mom!"

“Ow, maaa, paaa…”

“I think she just said mom. Did you hear it too, Helen?”

"What? Oh, is that so?…Haha.”

It was a babble that didn't sound like ‘mom' at all, but Helen smiled awkwardly and sympathetically.

“Your Majesty is right. Lia is an extraordinary girl.”

How could you not love such a cute girl, even though she used to criticize Raymond because he was extreme?

"Yes. I'm sure Her Highness will grow up great."

“I want to see you grow. Even if time passes, I hope you doesn't grow up and stay in my arms like this forever. What if she grows up and leaves me at some point?"

"You are worried too soon, Your Majesty."

"Is that so?"

Maybe it was because the baby was too precious, but she was worried about everything.

It was disappointing that Carlisle grew up away from him, but if Ophelia grew up away from him too, I thought it would be sadder than with Carlisle.

“Maaa… Oh, ma… Oh mom…”

As soon as Ellie's heart was a little sad, Ophelia's small mouth murmured.

"Huh?"

"Oh, wow. I think she just said mom."

She wasn't the only one who heard it. The moment Helen cried out in surprise, Ophelia looked into Ellie's eyes and moved her small lips forcefully.

“Oh, oh, oh…”

“Oh…”

Ophelia was really saying ‘mom'.

Ellie's heart was touched by the sound of Ophelia's first ‘mom'. It was something indescribable, a heartbreaking affection. Even if Ophelia leaves her in the distant future, she will love Ophelia until the moment she closes her eyes.

“My beloved daughter, just grow up healthy.”

Ellie hugged Ophelia with infinite affection.