“Doctor. The books I’ve read about pregnant women say uterine contractions are a common process. It’s true that for a moment my abdomen pulled very painfully, but that pain disappeared quickly.”

The middle-aged doctor looked worried at Valentin’s explanation as if it was nothing.

“…Certainly it’s not a very rare symptom, but… such severe pain that made you roll on the floor sweating…”

“It really was just for a very brief moment. Dawson got unnecessarily alarmed and called you.”

“……”

He didn’t want to worry Reynard anymore. He had already acted weak enough in front of him who was always worried. He had a strong desire to show that both his body and mind had become stronger now. Valentin shook his head with a firm expression. But despite Valentin’s strained defense, the resident physician still looked anxious.

“Now it’s all passed and I don’t want to call my husband who’s working over an issue like this.”

“…But.”

“I won’t say anymore, Doctor. I command you in the name of Dennox. Withdraw.”

It was the first time. Valentin invoking his position as Grand Duke’s Consort to order people.

It was the dignity and authority befitting the mistress of the Grand Duke’s family, coming from the kind master who always used a friendly and requesting tone even when directing servants.

At those words, McClain silently bowed his head. He immediately packed up his medical bag and stood up, and the maids also tidied up the room while clearing away the warmed water jug and washbasin. They all bowed together and disappeared outside the door.

Valentin, who had been quietly lying down looking out the window as if not paying attention to them, let out a dejected sigh when he heard the sound of the door closing.

“Haa…”

The sound of a huge sigh filled the room that had become quiet with no one around.

In the silent room, Valentin organized his confused thoughts.

‘If Reynard finds out about today’s incident, he’ll absolutely forbid me from going to the opera.’

To think such a thing would happen right before a big event. Tomorrow was a really important day. There were many people who had made appointments to meet Valentin because of the column. It was an extremely important day when he could actively help the 1st Princess. Plus, he had promised Reynard complete rest until the birth after this. So this was the last chance to help directly.

Valentin rubbed his temples with a face that said he had a headache and pulled up the thick goose down comforter to cover himself.

He hoped to rest a little more so he would be in perfect condition tomorrow.

Loss

“Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti, Le rose del volto gia’ son pallenti.”

(* Excerpt from Violetta’s aria “Addio del passato” from the opera ‘La traviata’.)

The prima donna on stage sang of regrets about past love and life in a soprano tone full of technique. Having just parted, she continued to lament poignantly that her love had been brilliant but ultimately fleeting like a fading rose.

A clear voice layered over the grand melody of the large orchestra spreading in the dark space below the stage.

Valentin sat in the box seat with his eyes closed, tightly holding Reynard’s hand. His lips moved minutely, mouthing the heartfelt lyrics.

‘So beautiful it cuts to the heart…’

The mournful melody created by her… The poignant lyrics harmonizing with that elegant tune. The Bertier language, which Valentin was most fluent in after his mother tongue, naturally passed through his ears and struck straight into his heart.

The actress lay face down on the huge stage floor with her right hand extended towards the audience. The hem of her red dress was spread like a flower on the cold floor and the lighting focused only on the prima donna. The aria finally ended with the actress’s sorrowful voice blaming herself for her choices filled with regret.

The sound of the audience’s applause filled the Imperial Palace’s traditional opera house. The heavy velvet curtains fell behind the lavish gold decorations on both sides, and so the first act ended.

Valentin, who had been standing and clapping until his palms turned red, suddenly turned his head and stared blankly at his partner. Just look at that appearance, sitting indifferently while watching such a moving opera, what on earth is he thinking… Whether or not he knew what his husband was thinking as he observed him, Reynard had a more serious expression than ever.

Valentin asked him in a careful voice:

“…Are you tired?”

“A little.”

Reynard answered while rubbing his furrowed brow with a sensitive face. He had returned home at dawn yesterday too. At the words that it was an extension of work, Valentin just nodded without asking further. It was a feeling of not wanting to nag his husband who had become noticeably busier lately. As a rule, people work well when their mind is at ease.

“It’s intermission, so rest a bit. I’ll go to the bathroom.”

As his belly grew, he found himself needing to use the bathroom especially often. He said he would go alone this time because he felt bad for having rushed Reynard to go with him just before the performance started.

“I’ll go with you.”

Reynard shook his head as if he couldn’t leave Valentin alone. He immediately raised his huge body from the plush sofa.

Seeing this, Valentin made a pitying expression. If only it weren’t for this bladder being pressed on by the baby… Too embarrassed to tell his husband about such trivial things, he just nodded with a slightly reddened face. Though he felt sorry, he had been inwardly hoping Reynard would come with him.

‘Who knows what might happen if I walk around alone.’

Reynard had already been continuously expressing discomfort about attending the year-end Imperial opera, one of the biggest annual events. It was he who had pushed through stubbornly ignoring that displeasure. It would be good to prepare for all risks in advance.

“Don’t follow me in, wait here.”

Valentin warned Reynard at a spot slightly away from the VIP restroom. It was a location where the entrance was visible, but definitely not close enough to hear any sounds from inside. Such aspects couldn’t be revealed even between spouses.

“Alright. Be careful.”

Reynard nodded, smirking as if he knew what Valentin was thinking.

But Valentin walked backwards towards the restroom, checking to make sure his husband didn’t follow him in anyway saying he was worried despite saying that. Reynard laughed as if finding him ridiculous and cute, and gestured from afar to go carefully. Seeing that, Valentin blew kisses until the end before slipping inside.

He had just quietly finished his business and was coming out after washing his hands.

As if unwilling to stop socializing even during the intermission, many people had come out to the corridors and mezzanine lobby and were talking in small groups. Valentin stood on tiptoe looking for Reynard among them.

‘Where on earth did he go…?’

He definitely wasn’t visible at the stairway corner where he had told him to stay earlier.

‘Did he go down for a moment?’

Valentin glanced down the stairs. The massive performance hall had extremely high ceilings for each floor. He leaned stably against the long, steeply curved floor railing. The old building looked small enough on the lower floor to think it would look small when looking down. There at that spot where the lobby below was fully visible, Valentin was craning his neck completely and looking around for Reynard.

“Valentin, I was just looking for you.”

A familiar tone came from over his shoulder.

“Your Highness Ellison.”

Valentin, who noticed who the voice belonged to, turned around gently and greeted her politely. As usual, she was surrounded by influential intellectuals and power brokers of the era.

The atmosphere was visibly very lively. It seemed to directly show the Princess’s support that had been gradually turning upward again recently.

“Valentin. This is Princess Emily of the Richmond Duke family. And this is Sir Hendricks Burrow…”

“Oh my, Your Highness the Grand Duke’s Consort.”

The gentleman named Hendricks grabbed both of Valentin’s hands before the Princess’s introduction was even fully finished. Though it could have been seen as rude at a glance, Valentin ended up shaking hands together at his deeply moved expression. With his characteristic dazed expression.

“I’ve really wanted to meet you. I’ve been pestering Her Highness the Princess terribly.”

The tall, thin man with black hair kept shaking Valentin’s hand, not stopping the handshake.

“He’s been my brain lately.”

The Princess winked at Valentin, tapping her temple with a white gloved finger. And she explained Hendricks’ incredible background. Also how impressed he had been by Valentin’s contributed article published in the Daily Eldon.

“I’ve never seen someone who thinks the same as me like this. To think you had such a perfect philosophy about equal education.”

“Lord Dennox is quite an enlightened person, unlike a typical great noble.”

The Princess patted Valentin’s shoulder with a proud face. As if she were his big sister, she boasted about Valentin to the people around her with a triumphant attitude.

Before long, warm words continued to be exchanged among the people centered around Valentin and the Princess. Sir Hendricks Burrow enthusiastically led the conversation. The topic had somehow flowed to today’s play and education.

“It’s the same with Bianca, today’s opera’s heroine. She’s a pitiful woman whose limits were restricted from the start.”

“That’s quite a unique perspective.”

“She’s trapped in a narrow view because of her original status. If she could have had a broader perspective without being pessimistic about her situation as depicted in the play, she might not have separated from Alessandro in the first place.”

“I completely agree with that.”

Those around who shared the Princess’s views nodded and agreed with Hendricks’ words. They looked like they understood what he was saying.

Valentin agreed too. Bianca is urged to part by those around her, hitting the limits of her status. And she falls for people’s coercion and dark whispers, thinking her existence will be poison to her lover Alessandro, and hides herself. If she had been a woman full of confidence and self-esteem, not acknowledging her limits herself, she would have had more diverse choices in life.

“But we can’t just blame her. Alessandro is a very indecisive and bad guy!”

The Richmond Princess took the side of the heroine Bianca like the noble and cute lady she was. Somehow she seemed to have empathized a lot. She opened a fan with gorgeous red feathers attached and waved it gently as she continued her argument.

“If only Alessandro had given Bianca certainty about love from the start, this wouldn’t have happened.”

She mentioned the ending even though only the first act of the opera had passed. It was because the original novel of the play was so famous that it had hit the continent.

“Indeed, that’s a reasonable point.”

When Valentin unconsciously muttered and answered, the gazes of those who heard turned to him.

“Oh my, come to think of it, we have someone here who can’t help but completely agree with that part!”

“The love of the century, right?”

“We saw your passionate displays of affection at the Royal Ascot too.”

As expected of the Princess’s close associates, they were all comfortable and confident, but they were excessively sincere even in delivering harmless humor. Valentin’s face turned red at how they made mischievous jokes without being intimidated by the Grand Duke’s Consort.

The Princess patted Valentin’s shoulder and smiled proudly.

“If we’re talking about the Marquis of Valkyries’ affection and trustworthiness, I’m one of the witnesses too.”

The Princess agreed with their playful admiration with a satisfied face. Then she began to expound on how affectionately and kindly Reynard had looked after Valentin even at the Imperial Palace. All the listeners exclaimed with stars in their eyes about the Grand Duke’s couple’s love.