* * *
“When it came to carrying you, however, it was a different story.”
“You mean me?”
“Indeed. It seems Mela didn’t tell you. From the early stages of her pregnancy with you, she often fell into deep sleeps for days, worrying the late emperor greatly.”
The Empress Dowager handed over a memorandum as she continued.
“The records left by the late emperor detail the days Mela fell asleep after conceiving you, all marked in red.”
As the Grand Duke turned the pages, he saw that the dates were meticulously recorded, even down to the hours.
Some periods were as short as a day and a half, others as long as five days. He stared at them in silence.
“I didn’t know there were so many days when my mother fell into deep sleep like this.”
“So, don’t worry too much. Even Mela always woke up peacefully. I myself have experienced moments of deep sleep like that, only to awaken refreshed.”
“…”
“Come to think of it, it seems I, too, have inherited some of the imperial family’s peculiarities. There’s a saying that those who bear a child of the Golden Dragon’s blood fall into deeper, longer sleep. It makes me quite curious about the child you and Ed will have.”
Setting down her teacup, the Empress Dowager sighed wistfully.
“If I had known earlier, I could have prepared a gift sooner. If Ed—no, the Grand Duchess—hadn’t fallen asleep, I might not have known about the pregnancy at all. When were you planning to tell me?”
“…I would’ve discussed it with Ed first and then let you know.”
“Haha.”
The Empress Dowager looked at the Grand Duke, as if gauging whether his worries had lessened.
“Still, I hope Ed wakes up soon.”
“I feel the same, though even if it takes longer than expected, it will be fine.”
“Ah, you mean because a longer sleep signifies the child’s strong connection to the Golden Dragon’s blood?”
“No, not for that reason. Rather, because during that sleep…”
The Empress Dowager smiled warmly at the Grand Duke.
“There is much joy to be had.”
“Joy…?”
“Well, how should I put it?”
“You’re hinting at something but won’t elaborate, which tells me you won’t share the details.”
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly, setting down her cup.
“You’ll understand better once the Grand Duchess wakes up. It will be more entertaining to hear the answer from him.”
“Now I’m even more curious.”
As the Grand Duke’s expression relaxed, the Empress Dowager shifted to another topic.
“By the way, I never thought Fez would resort to black magic, which the empire has banned.”
“I’ve suspected it for some time. Do you remember the earthquake during the hunting tournament?”
“Of course. It nearly caused a major disaster. Are you saying that earthquake was connected to Fez?”
“When I went to rescue Ed from that incident, I uncovered a conspiracy brewing underground…”
“What do you mean conspiracy?”
“Yes, so I refrained from subduing them immediately in the hopes of gathering information about the mastermind. Later, I discovered that Fez was funding their research.”
“I see.”
“And when I recently examined the site of the overflowing well in the east, I noticed traces similar to what I saw with Ed back then. From this, I deduced that Fez was up to something.”
“Is that so? To think all of this started with Ed… Truly, the Duke and Duchess seem bound by fate.”
Ed’s eyelids softly lifted as he looked around, confusion evident in his expression.
Even as he blinked blankly and rubbed his eyes, the scene around him didn’t change.
‘What is this? I was definitely with His Grace, so where am I now?’
His gaze took in a world completely blanketed in white.
The endless horizon, the towering birch trees, and the vast, snow-covered expanse were all a pristine, untouched white.
It was strange.
The last thing he remembered was falling asleep after being kissed on the Imperial Palace bed, but now he found himself in an unfamiliar place.
Ed took a deep breath, the air sharp and clean as it filled his lungs.
At the same time, he heard a pleasant crunch beneath his feet. Glancing down, he saw something compacting under his weight. He crouched and extended his hand.
‘…It’s snow.’
He brushed his fingers over the cold, powdery texture, confirming it was indeed snow, then packed it tightly between his palms. Lifting his head, he muttered to himself.
“But this time of year… is there anywhere that snow could be falling?”
That wasn’t the only oddity.
Despite the bright, warm midday sun shining down, the snow hadn’t melted in the slightest.
Then it happened.
“Kyah!”
A loud cry echoed above him, and a long shadow stretched across the ground.
Tilting his head back, Ed saw a young dragon circling overhead.
Everything about the scene was surreal and uncanny.
Trying to make sense of this sudden situation, Ed slowly closed and reopened his eyes.
But what he saw next was even more astonishing.
Instead of standing on the snow, he found himself atop a massive golden dragon.
Caught off guard by the new, elevated perspective, Ed felt the wind rush past him, brushing against his body.
The scenery below blurred as the dragon soared at an incredible speed.
‘What on earth is happening…?’
As the dragon flew swiftly across the snowy landscape, familiar sights began to come into view.
It was the North.
The familiar and cherished winter scenery of the northern lands appeared before him.
A small forest blanketed in snow, a deep lake, towering mountains, and a great river came into focus as the dragon’s wings beat powerfully, soaring ever higher.
With every stroke of its wings, golden dust cascaded from the dragon, falling like a blessing onto the white expanse below.
Amused by the wondrous sight, Ed grinned and opened his mouth, catching the wind rushing past.
He exhaled, watching a puff of white breath escape his lips.
Despite not holding onto anything, Ed felt no fear of falling or losing balance on the dragon’s back.
“This is a dream, isn’t it?”
“Kyah!”
The dragon responded to Ed’s realization with a resonant cry.
Ed gently stroked its golden back, marveling at how soft it felt, even in this dream.
Then, suddenly—
“Kyahaha!”
The high-pitched laughter of a child echoed from somewhere.
Ed’s eyes widened as he searched for the source.
Feeling movement within his thick coat, Ed reached inside with a growing sense of curiosity.
“Huh?”
His fingers brushed against what unmistakably felt like human skin.
With a mix of anticipation and disbelief, Ed undid a few buttons on his coat.
A small head popped out, meeting his gaze with bright, inquisitive eyes.
“Black hair and blue eyes…”
Ed couldn’t look away from the child.
The boy, slightly larger than a newborn, puffed out his round cheeks and furrowed his tiny brows in a way that mirrored the Duke’s deep contemplation.
Ed chuckled softly, gently smoothing the boy’s creased brow.
The child beamed at Ed, their eyes meeting, and an overwhelming surge of emotion bloomed in Ed’s chest.
A sharp nose, ocean-blue eyes, and skin as pale as fresh snow…
Everything about the child spoke volumes.
Why hadn’t he noticed it immediately?
“…Hello.”
Ed’s voice trembled with emotion as he greeted the child, unable to hide the lump in his throat.
The boy responded with a delighted wriggle, expressing joy at meeting Ed.
“It’s so good to see you.”
Yet, for some reason, the boy’s bright smile was accompanied by a persistent frown in his brow.
“What’s bothering you?”
As Ed examined the boy, he noticed his coat was caught awkwardly between the child’s tiny limbs.
“Oh, it’s the coat. It must’ve been uncomfortable.”
Ed adjusted the coat, and the boy’s expression relaxed.
The child reached out, cupping Ed’s cheeks with his small hands.
The warmth of those soft, tiny hands melted Ed’s heart.
Smiling at the sensation, Ed watched as the boy traced the curve of his lips and mirrored his grin with an innocent, radiant smile.
Their shared laughter resonated in the crisp air.
When the child brought his hand to Ed’s lips, Ed planted a gentle kiss on the tiny palm, eliciting a giggle.
“Want me to do it again?”
The boy eagerly extended his other hand, and Ed kissed it as well, savoring the strange but vivid sensations.
‘This is just a dream.’
Even knowing it was a dream, Ed couldn’t help but revel in the tender connection he shared with the child.
The clarity of the touch and the warmth in his chest felt far too real to dismiss.
For a long moment, Ed held his lips against the boy’s palm, unwilling to let the feeling go.
“Is this, too, connected to His Grace’s power?”
* * *
