How to Hide the Emperor’s Child

After soaking in the water infused with medicinal herbs, the baby wiggled her hands, as if the feeling was strange.

After washing off the blood from the baby’s body, white and soft skin resembling Astelle’s was revealed.

The midwife washed the baby in warm water and carefully wrapped her in a warm blanket.

Kaizen was watching the whole process closely. Looking at the baby in the hands of the midwife, he still couldn’t believe the current reality.

That the baby, as small and cute as a stuffed doll, is his and Astelle’s daughter. It all seems like a miracle to Kaizen, who was witnessing the birth of a baby for the first time.

“Is it done?”

The young maid helping the midwife glanced at him with a slightly burdened look, but the old midwife skillfully wrapped the baby in swaddling cloth and approached him.

It seems that she has a lot of experience meeting fathers who often feel mesmerized by their first meeting with the baby.

“Your Majesty, would you like to hold the baby?”

Kaizen carefully received the baby.

He could feel the small warm weight wrapped in the soft cotton cloth. Kaizen moved his hand carefully and hugged the baby more preciously.

Inside the cozy blanket, a small movement was transmitted to his hand along with a slight warmth.

He felt mixed feelings at the sound of weak breathing.

He’s likely never to forget this moment; the day he held his little daughter in his arms for the first time.

“Is she really all right? She was born too early.”

The baby is smaller than normal newborns. Even her little fingers poking out of the blanket looked tiny and fragile as if they were made of snowflakes.

This was Kaizen’s first time holding a newborn, but somehow Kaizen could tell she felt lighter than normal babies.

“Princess is very healthy considering she was born early. I think she was born with a healthy constitution.”

The midwife reassured him that even though the baby was born early, luckily there was no problem with her life.

“But for the time being, she must take specially formulated nutritional supplements and stay in a warm room.”

Kaizen nodded at the midwife’s words.

I guess I’ll have to ask Gretel about the nutritional supplement thing.

“Babies born prematurely are more susceptible to disease than normal ones. Moreover, it’s winter…… So please don’t let the princess touch the cold.”

The midwife gave Hannah several other instructions. Kaizen was also next to her, listening intently to her words.

Meanwhile, the other maids who had cleaned Astelle’s body and changed her clothes reported that she had regained consciousness.

Astelle, who finally opened her eyes, didn’t seem to notice that Kaizen had slammed the door in.

“You’ve had some bleeding, but there’s no big problem. Get some rest and you will recover.”

The midwife also said the birth process went smoothly.

In fact, the baby was born less than three hours after Astelle entered the delivery room.

Although each minute felt like an hour to Kaizen, who had no experience participating in a childbirth process.

“Astelle.”

“Your Majesty?”

Astelle looked up at him and blinked slowly.

“What about the baby?”

Kaizen showed her the baby he was holding in his arms and said, “She is a pretty princess.”

Seeing Astelle trying to sit up, Hannah by her side helped her by putting a pillow to support her back.

Despite barely lifting her upper body, Astelle held the baby effortlessly.

Smiling affectionately, she muttered, “It is a daughter. I expected it.”

Indescribable happiness filled Kaizen when he saw Astelle holding the baby and realized that the baby’s eyes, nose, and mouth are the same as Astelle’s.

“She looks just like you.”

“Really?”

Astelle smiled slightly and continued, “I wished he looked like Your Majesty. Of course except for your personality.”

Kaizen laughed but didn’t deny Astelle’s honest wish. Because he also agreed with her.

Then the baby lifted her eyelids little by little.

“Oh, I think she’s about to open her eyes.”

The baby opened her eyes slowly.

Only then did the two of them see the baby’s eyes for the first time.

The little baby, who has Astelle’s platinum blonde hair, has the same red eyes as Kaizen’s.

***

Fortunately, the baby grew up healthy day by day.

It was thanks to the maids taking care of her with utmost sincerity. Of course, it was Kaizen that did the most sincerity.

Kaizen covered all the windows with cotton blankets for Astelle and the baby and kept the room warm all day long.

Apart from milk, the baby is given nutritional supplements every day.

Thanks to that, although the baby princess was weak, she was growing up healthy day by day.

She has the appearance of a cute angel, with chubby white cheeks, a small, upright nose, and red almond-shaped eyes.

The maids made a fuss about how cute the princess looked when she smiled.

Fritz and Gretel, who came to the palace belatedly, also praised her.

“So pretty. She looks exactly like the Empress.”

The Marquis of Carlenberg next to her also agreed with her.

He said, “I know. What a relief.”

Hearing his grandfather’s words, Fritz was taken aback for a moment.

But he immediately wiped his expression because Kaizen entered the room just then.

“I guess I’ve troubled the Duchess again,” he said to Gretel with an apologetic look.

Gretel is six months pregnant, so he apologized for asking her for some good herbs for baby nutritional supplements.

But Gretel didn’t mind at all and gladly accepted.

“Don’t worry. I heard the news in advance and prepared it.”

Gretel prepared lots of great nutritional supplements for the premature baby as soon as she heard the news.

Theor was the only one disappointed.

“I thought I would have a little brother…….”

Theor was deeply disappointed to hear that it was a princess, but changed his mind when he saw the baby.

“The baby is pretty. It’s like a fairy.”

Then he did not leave his sister even for a moment. Astelle had no other choice but to force him to leave when it was time for study or mealtime.

Kaizen was not much different.

“It’s a gift.”

Theor placed the white and light blue stuffed bunny he bought at the market next to the baby.

“Are you giving her both?”

Didn’t you say you’d give one to Fritz and Gretel’s baby?

“I will give one to my little brother.” (T/N: to Gretel’s baby)

Come to think of it, there was another beige doll Theor bought.

“Then what about you?”

“Well…….”

Theor said proudly as he looked at the sleeping baby.

“I’m fine. I have a little sister now.”

Astelle smiled happily and kissed Theor on the forehead.

“Your sister must be happy to have an older brother like you.”

***

Astelle took care of herself in her room for the next three months.

It was a boring time of eating and sleeping every day.

During the time the empress was taking care of herself, visitors were limited, so Gretel and Fritz were the only guests who came.

Just when three months had passed, Kaizen called out to her.

“I have something to show you.”

By then, Astelle was able to walk around and move as before.

“You’re not going out again, are you?” she asked, thinking about the incident that happened when they went out a while ago.

Kaizen shook his head. He replied, “I would like to, but unfortunately the princess cannot go outside yet.”

Astelle wondered where he was going that he wanted to take the princess too.

“What else did you make?” Astelle asked calmly.

She thought Kaizen might be preparing something as a birthing gift.

She suddenly remembered the amulet he had bought at the market. He said he wanted to give it as a gift in a different way.

Kaizen answered without hesitation, “I made a greenhouse.”

“There’s already a greenhouse in the Empress Palace.”

There is already a large greenhouse in the empress palace where Astelle lives. It is a beautiful glass greenhouse that can be used as a small garden and tea room.

Why do you need a greenhouse so much when you don’t even have a farm in the Imperial Palace?

Astelle responded negatively, but Kaizen spoke confidently that she would not be disappointed.

“This is different.”

Kaizen led the way with the baby in his arms.

Astelle in a light coat over a comfortable indoor dress followed him.

The place they were going to was the new palace next to the Empress Palace. Kaizen built this little palace for the newborn princess.

The palace he started to build early in Astelle’s pregnancy was finished and completely furnished.

“This way.”

Kaizen led Astelle to the far end of the new palace.

There is a large wooden door at the end of the hallway.

When the two arrived, the waiting attendants opened the door.

Bright sunlight streamed in through the gap in the slowly opened door.

Astelle closed her eyes for a moment because of the blinding light.

When she opened her eyes again, clear blue light and colorful flowers came into view.

“Wow…….”

What appeared before her eyes was a small circular greenhouse covered in blue light.

Astelle blankly took a step into the greenhouse.

The walls are built with blue bricks and glass inserted in between. The window frames and the beautiful mosaics that decorated the floor are all blue jewels.

As she looked up, she saw a high ceiling with a huge dome of translucent blue jewels.

Beyond the clear blue ceiling, she could see fluffy clouds floating in the sky.

“Wow…….”

Astelle was speechless the more she looked around the greenhouse filled with colorful flowers.

The smell of fresh grass and flowers wafted through the air.

“Do you like it?”

Seeing her amazed, Kaizen asked excitedly.