Nicholas not just once thought of a child between him and Alarice. But everytime he brings it up Alarice will coldly shut him up by bringing their contract 4 years ago.
During those times, he wanted to go back and punched himself.
The contract that binds them more than their marriage.
That night after they singed there marriage contract, the Empress Regnant came to his room.
"Don't expect me to sleep with you because I won't." That's what he coldly said
"Oh I don't have that kind of intention. I'm here because I have a proposal." She said and sat in the chair of the room.
"Just so you know, I'm not here because I love you or anything like that. I wanted to change the slums of this country. Grant me the power to do that." She said
"Do what you want. Helping me govern this country was your job, anyway. Just don't try anything funny. I'll always monitor you."
"Then give me autonomy on making decisions about projects that I'll propose. I know you don't want to see me so this will save us both the time."
"How can I trust you? Do you think I'm stupid? Whatever it is that you're trying to do forget it."
"What's with your animosity? We both agreed to this marriage and both benefitted from it. What I'm asking is just an autonomy to do my job so we can save our time. We both don't want to see each other anyway so what's your deal?" She said annoyed.
"And what if you embezzled money?"
"You said you'll be watching me anyway. Just put someone on the disguise as my aide to monitor my every move."
"How can I be sure you won't do harm in the Imperial family?"
She looked at him puzzled. Then after a while her eyes widened.
"Oh~~ so you were worried I'm gonna hurt the Empress Consort or your Children or your concubines and be some kind of evil Empress?" She said then laugh. "That's classic."
He felt annoyed as he think that she is making fun of him. But still can't deny how pretty she is in her night gown and her bright laugh.
He always think that she's pretty. That's why he hates her. He feels like she'll bring drastic change in his peaceful life. Even just them being in the same room will definitely made the Empress Consort whom he was with since they were kids cry in pain.
He hates to see the person he cherishes the most and the mother of his prospective heir in pain. That's why he needs to shut down whatever it is he is feeling.
"Shut your mouth." He said
"Okay. Okay. I'll stop." She said then continued. "Then like I said let's make a deal. But this time in paper so we can have clearly know each other's boundaries."
For while they discussed their wants to each other and write it down. They come up at this list.
1. The Emperor will give the Empress Regnant permission on management of developing the capital when it comes to health and educational system.
2. The Emperor will provide enough monetary support to the Empress Regnant in order to implement the project proposals for the management of health and educational system in the capital.
3. The Empress Regnant will let the Empress Consort manage the inner palace.
4. The Empress Regnant will let the Empress Consort manage the Imperial Harem.
5. The Empress Regnant will let the Empress Consort still take the center of the high society.
6. The Empress Regnant will do no harm whether physical, emotional, or mental to the Empress consort, the Prince or even the concubines.
7. The Empress Regnant can't step foot on the Empress Consort's Palace without the Emperor's permission.
8. The Emperor will personally provide aide for the Empress Regnant.
9. Both parties are to not meddle in the other's private lives.
10. The Emperor and Empress Regnant agreed to divorce each other after 6 years in marriage.
"There!" The Empress hold the paper up. Looking at the conditions one will think that it will be much favorable to the Emperor. As she was deprived of the rights of the Empress Regnant and passed it on to the Empress Consort.
But the woman right across to him doesn't have the slightest dissatisfaction about the agreement.
"Oh we forget something!" She said and started writing. Then she showed it to him.
"You have no objections, right?"
11. The Emperor and Empress Regnant must not have children during the course of the marriage. If it happens to conceive one, they must abort it.
"Hah! How arrogant! Do you really think I'd like to have a child with you?!" He said. Unexplained anger and annoyance rose through him. He should be happy as this was his original plan anyway.
The Empress Regnant having a child will shake the power balance in the inner palace. After all, even if she was a foreigner, her being a spirit seer is a huge asset. Especially when the child born between them inherits her ability. His swordsmanship and her spirit seer ability. The child will be no doubt exceptional.
For a while he felt the rush of disappointment but he brushed it off immediately.
"Oh, I know you won't. But the elders and the nobles were hoping for our child, right? After all with both of our abilities, our child will probably exceptional or worse a human weapon. We both don't want that." She said.
"Good thing you know. Now sign the paper." He commandingly said. The Empress oblige.
After they both signed the agreement, she immediately stand up and went to the door but stop for a while.
"And even with the agreement, I'm not really against sleeping with you. Of course there are risks, but I still know that it's still my duty as your wife to serve you in bed. Though you have many wives and you might not need me anyway, I'm just saying that I won't neglect my duty as your wife. Besides I'm quite curious. I've talked to Elisha about how you spend the night with her and she was very much satisfied. Good night Your Majesty!" She said then slammed the door.
The Emperor was left dumbfounded that he can't even know what to feel.
Nicholas chuckle as he remembered that memory. Even though after they spent their first ten nights together she avoids him for months he found her amusing.
"You're handsome but you're not Mommy Ninang's type."
His train of thoughts were cut off when the little girl spoke. They were currently in the glasshouse for tea time. Alarice was preparing sweets and the second prince was supposed to be with this little girl.
He has the urge to pinch her chubby cheeks as she looks adorable in her pink dress. Are daughters are really this different? He asked to himself.
Though he loves his sons. He never really find them cute after they turned two. Mael became mature so fast while Naveen often throw tantrums and is very hyper as he was spoiled by Alarice.
But this girl is different. Though she looks like eight he still can't help but think that she's so so adorable. For a while, he felt envious to Hiciel's father.
"What do you mean I'm not your Mommy Ninang's type?" He asked riding on this silly conversation.
"Mommy ninang likes men who was tall, dark and handsome." She said. " That's what she always tell me."
"Really? But she married me."
"That's actually surprising. Because I found this on Mommy Ninang's room. Looks like she was not contented with you." She said as she flicked her fingers and lots of posters and books suddenly came out.
The moment he laid his eyes on those books and posters he was taken aback.
The Empress have these thing?!
There are like a hundred posters of tall, dark and handsome topless men with, what's that? other men as their partners?
Some were almost graphics as those men were on top of the other men.
The door slammed open in the glasshouse. The raging and red Alarice came.
"HICIEL YANG! HOW CAN YOU BRING OUT MY YAOI COLLECTIONS?!"
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