Duke's wife

Chapter 28

"Empress Aileen I, the former Duchess of Felix, had been in poor health since birth. It was to the point that when the Royal Physician took a look at her, when she was a newborn, he said it would be a miracle if she made it past 20."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes. So even though she was the emperor's only daughter and only sister of the crown prince, she wasn't coerced to marry a political marriage.....

Meanwhile, other empires, kingdoms, and royal families didn't want to marry a princess who had less chances of having a successor."

"......."

"However, perhaps because of the former Queen's sincere care, Aileen turned 20, contrary to Royal Physician's expectations. She was still not healthy, but tried to find a fiance late. Then, when she was about to get engaged to the third prince of the neighboring empire by her family, Aileen proclaimed that she would marry the former Duke of Felix, James Carter Felix."

"....Then, those two...".

"Yes. Aileen was secretly in a passionate relationship with the former Duke James. The declaration turned the imperial family upside down, and His Majesty Seon was infuriated and at once brought Duke James into the Imperial Palace.......I really thought that the former Duke was hanging out of Felix's castle then."

Sally shook her head excitedly as if the memory of that time was still vivid. Grace stared at Sally with an inquisitive expression and urged her.

"So? What happened?"

She said.

"Fortunately, King Seon allowed the two to marry because he didn't want to see Aileen's tearful plea. The only daughter, who has always been worried about being sick since birth, pleads, 'I will give up all the rights I have as an empress, so please allow me to marry this person,' which parents can't allow?"

"So, that's how they got married."

"....Yes. I'm telling you, the two of them were on good terms, not like any other royal couple. They always loved each other enough to follow each other with their eyes. I wonder what God thought of the couple, and three years after they got married, the great wife was told that she was pregnant."

"......Is that the duke?"

When Grace asked carefully, Sally nodded with a wry smile. Then she looked down with his darkly sunken eyes and answered powerlessly.

"The Duchess and the former Duke were delighted at the news of pregnancy that came three years after marriage. But the joy was also brief. Felix Castle's chief Physician, Viscount Rowton, who examined the duchess, told her, If she wants to live, she must give up the child in the stomach."

"What? No, why..."

"I heard it's hard to bear and give birth to a child in such a state just because you've been alive so far. As he said, in fact, after the duchess got married, she got sick due to the harsh climate of Felix. The Duchess kept hiding it."

"...Oh god."

"The former Duke, who found out about it, persuaded his eldest wife to give up the child immediately. But the great madam didn't give up, insisting that it was perhaps the last chance to have a child of their own blood."

Grace's face darkened after hearing Sally's answer. Sally carefully continued to talk, looking at Grace's expression.

"The former Duke begged with tears to give up the child, but in the end, he could not overcome the stubbornness of his beloved wife. In the stomach of such a great wife, the baby grew up, and as her belly grew bigger, her body gradually weakened. The people of Felix Castle prayed earnestly for the birth of the baby in the belly of the eldest wife as soon as possible, regardless of their status. But...."