Fairy tales often ended with a cliché sentence.
“And they lived happily ever after.”
Everyone wanted a happy ending, but just because the last page of the book was done, it didn’t mean the characters’ lives were over. In fact, in this case, only a very small portion of the characters’ lives was included in the story.
Their lives actually really began after the end of this novel.
Lucretius knew this very well.
Marriage was not an ending. It was only the beginning.
It was the same for pregnancy. He realized after Bina’s coronation, their lives were just about to begin.
Therefore, the main story starts now.
***
“How long will the empress be in such discomfort?” Lucretius accused Lowson angrily.
He wanted to scream at him, but his pregnant wife was nearby. He had heard of a pregnant woman losing a baby from shock. Although he knew this was only a myth, he couldn’t help but become careful whenever possible.
the emperor asked Lowson this same question over and over again for the past few weeks. As the doctor of the royal family, Lowson was the most skilled medical practitioner in the empire as well as in diplomacy and politics. He was tactful and logical with his answers to the emperor’s redundant question.
“Usually, the second trimester gets more comfortable, so that would be after four months.”
Lucretius again asked the questions he asked several times before, “But usually means not always, right? Samantha and Agnes told me there are times when ladies suffer for the entire period of their pregnancies.”
“That… is possible.”
“I also heard that my own birthmother suffered for eight months.”
Lowson wisely tried to console the expectant father who seemed overly anxious.
“My wife stopped feeling uncomfortable at the four-month mark. Your highness, everyone is very different, so please, don’t be too worried.”
Lucretius frowned unhappily and murmured, “But… the empress has been suffering like that for a long time now.”
He pointed at the luxurious bed nearby. They were standing in the empress’ bedroom. The bed was covered with sheer white curtain and inside was the empress, resting wearily after another bout of vomiting.
All the maids surrounded the bed to take care of the pregnant empress. They brought everything they could think of that may help her. Fresh fruit juice, carbonated water available only in a faraway Mount Lutena, and small biscuits made of only flour, salt, and water.
Yulia also brought a specially made ginger ale her aunt had sent her. She claimed that it helped her a great deal during her own pregnancy.
Bina was talking to Samantha weakly. Her voice was so faint, it was hard to hear.
Lucretius looked at the scene desperately and harassed Lowson.
“I was so relieved to see her eat something this morning, but she threw everything up afterward! It has already been over four months, yet she is still like this! How will she survive the other several months?! You are the royal doctor, so you need to do something!”
When Lucretius started to shout at Lowson, Bina murmured to Samantha.
Samantha came to the emperor and relayed the message.
“Umm… Your highness, her highness requested that you come to her.”
Lucretius ran towards the bed without hesitation. When he opened the curtain, Bina was sitting against a large pillow, looking very pale.
Lucretius sat down and asked, “Are you okay? Did you want to tell me something?”
When Bina gestured, the maids left the bedside quietly. When they were far away, Bina pinched Lucretius’s waist.
“Ugh!”
“Don’t be so overdramatic. You sound like I’m dying or something.”
Lucretius smiled at first but quickly frowned. He sounded unhappy.
“Your pinch is so weak now that it doesn’t hurt anymore…”
“…”
Bina wanted to slap his back as hard as she could. He was being ridiculous!
She would have done it despite the fact that they had an audience, but she really did feel weak. All she could do was to nag her out of his paranoia.
“Stop blaming innocent Lowson again.”
Lucretius answered seriously, “How could he be innocent!? He is responsible for the royal family’s health, and, therefore, any discomfort you feel means he is guilty!”
Bina smiled feebly. “He is innocent. I am unwell but it’s not because he did anything wrong. He didn’t misdiagnose me or anything. Besides…” Bina lowered her voice even more and whispered, “Whose fault is it really? Do you think you have the right to get angry at Lowson?”
“…”
Lucretius had no excuse because it was true. Bina smiled at him.
“So please stop bullying Lowson and just stay by my side.”
“I’d be happy to, my empress.”
Lucretius had Bina rest her head on his legs and tried to cool her down with a fan the maids brought for her.
It was late spring; it was unusually hot during the day. The summer was expected to be scorching, and Lucretius was worried about how hard it would be for Bina.
He would have gladly suffered for her, but there was no way for him to take her pain away from her. He wanted to get her anything she wanted; if she asked, he would search the whole world for it.
That was why he asked the question that would make his life miserable.
“Is there anything you would like to eat? Anything you think you might be able to keep down?”
Bina hesitated. It was unusual for her to look so uncertain and weak. Lucretius felt heartbroken and insisted gently.
“Tell me. I just want to do something for you.”
Bina continued to hesitate, but at Lucretius’ persistence, she finally answered.
It was an answer that would Lucretius for a very long time.
“The thing is… I want to eat my mom’s [kimchi stew].”
This was the most difficult job he had ever had to face in this entire life.
***
This was the first time since the dowager empress Katleyanira’s rebellion Lucretius was stumped this badly. He thought he was getting a headache.
Lucretius sat in his office alone and looked down on the paper that held the description of this dish. From the words alone, he couldn’t even imagine what it would look like.
Kimchi stew. It was made of something called kimchi and meat or fish. It tasted spicy, sour, and savory.
This was all he heard of the dish from Bina. Since he had never seen it before, he had no idea what it could be.
Bina seemed so weak and tired until she started to talk about this dish. She perked up visibly and swallowed a few times just thinking about it. If talking about it made her this alive, then what would the actual dish do to her?!
He was a man who was capable and willing to do anything. This was the woman who chose him and gave up her own world. She was carrying his child and suffering dreadfully. The only thing she asked for from him was this dish.
He was willing to search his entire kingdom for it if it existed here. He was also willing to go to war if it only existed in other nations.
However, the problem was that it didn’t exist in this world.
To get it, he would have to send someone to Aeal, now Bilenae, forest. On the night of the full moon, that person would have to go through the magical gate. However, there was no guarantee if that person would arrive at the right place or even survive the journey.
This was an impossible task.
He felt hopeless.
Until this request, everything was going great. Politically and financially, Lucretius’ reign was solid. He was able to get rid of all the dowager empress’ forces and confiscates all of their wealth.
He also now had an official empress about to give him a legitimate offspring. There were absolutely no problems for him.
… until now.
Lucretius looked down on the piece of paper again. It was such a mystery, but at least he had a description of its appearance and taste. He could gather the best of the chefs in Cransia and perhaps they could recreate the dish.
This was a matter of incredible importance. This was for the empress and their child. This was a national matter!
Lucretius was determined.
