The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 272: Ready to See the World

It took months of research and experimentation.

Day by day, Soleia’s stomach grew bigger and bigger as the child grew in her stomach. As she nursed the baby she carried, she worked tirelessly as well to make sure her other child — the one that she didn’t carry in her own body — was growing as well.

All of the best physicians throughout the kingdom had been invited to help. And through their collective hard work, their fetus grew bigger and longer than any other experiment Raziel had ever recorded.

Meanwhile, with King Recaldo dead and the other princes either dead or in hiding, there was no other competitor for the throne. Rafael, formerly the crown prince, swiftly became the new king of Raxuvia without any argument.

The Wynsler family made the biggest protest against it. However, Elinora Wynsler had swiftly gone missing ever since the day King Recaldo destroyed half of the royal palace. All that was left of her were some ripped shreds of the dress she was last seen wearing, along with a shoe that once belonged to her.

No body was found.

"The last of the Wynsler family has been exiled," Orion reported, standing in front of Rafael’s desk as the latter poured through endless documents.

"Finally," Rafael grumbled under his breath. "And Elinora?"

"Still missing," Orion replied with a frown. "She may have died."

"I doubt it," Rafael said with a snort. "I’ll have to hand it to her. She has always been as tenacious as a cockroach."

Orion’s lips twitched in amusement at Rafael’s words, but he otherwise made no further comment. Instead, he cleared his throat and continued his report.

"There is something else," Orion said.

"Oh?" Rafael raised his head, finally meeting Orion’s eye. "Why the grim tone?"

"Vramid has gained a new tyrant king," Orion said. "King Florian. His people hate him, but they are powerless against him."

"Now wouldn’t this be the perfect time to run in and kill their king?" Rafael mused with glee.

He was half-joking. Or at least, Orion hoped he was. After everything that had happened, Orion was perfectly content with his new job as the new general of the royal cavalry. He would like to be able to rest for a little bit more rather than charge straight back into war again.

"Their people have been planning a rebellion," Orion said. Then, he clarified, "Or, to be accurate, they’ve tried."

Laid their lives down for it, it seemed. Rafael exhaled heavily as he shook his head. Even if he had lived in Vramid for a good number of years, this was none of his business beyond knowing a little bit of information. Ultimately, Vramid was not his kingdom. He had his people to take care of.

And his wife.

Just as he thought of Soleia, a loud rapture sounded against the door. Rafael and Orion’s attentions were immediately drawn over, with Rafael’s eyebrows furrowed. A bad inkling rested in the pits of his stomach, and no matter how he tried to suppress it, it wouldn’t go away.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"Your Majesty!" the soldier outside said, his voice filled with urgency. "It’s Her Majesty. She has gone into labor―"

Before the soldier could even properly finish his sentence, Rafael had already shot out of his seat and hurried to the door. He threw it open, and without waiting for the stunned knight to respond, he dashed straight for Soleia’s chambers, his heart in his throat.

It was too soon for the baby to be born. Soleia still had at least one month of gestation left before the baby was ready to appear, and Rafael’s mind was immediately filled with the worst-case scenario.

"Soleia!" He yelled as he burst into her room.

The door was left wide open, and he could smell the faint scent of blood wafting in the air. He stared at his wife lying on her bed, her fingers twisted in the bed sheets with pain, while her maids fretted around her. One was dabbing her forehead with a handkerchief, while the other tried to get her to drink some water. freēnovelkiss.com

There wasn’t blood on the bed sheets, but there was an ugly, dark stain growing on Soleia’s yellow dress.

Their other child bobbed along innocently in his specially reinforced double-layer jar, filled with a special blend of blood and essential nutrients that an entire community of physicians had come together to create to ensure its continued growth and survival. Soleia loved to keep both her children near her― and with one literally inside her, the other was kept in their room by her side table.

Rafael doubted it would fit another baby, and he didn’t have time to create another one. He shot Soleia a worried look.

"Your Highness!" Her maids cried out with relief when they saw their king arrive. They immediately made themselves scarce, allowing Rafael to plant himself next to Soleia’s side.

"Rafael," Soleia gasped out the moment she caught sight of him.

She smiled tremulously, before it faded into a grimace as her intestines seemed to twist themselves into a bundle. But she knew it must be her one remaining child that was making its presence known.

It was too early for them to be born, but then nothing in her life had gone according to plan― so she shouldn’t have been surprised that even the birth of her own children was happening before schedule.

"Does it hurt?" Rafael asked, before mentally kicking himself for such an insensitive question. Of course it must hurt. Soleia wouldn’t wince for nothing. "Sorry, stupid question. How badly does it hurt?"

"Not the worst I have suffered," Soleia said bravely, because if she graphically described how twisted her abdomen felt, Rafael might lose his mind. Her husband was looking awfully pale now.

Rafael was not reassured by her response, since the worst thing she had experienced was being drained out of life by his father. He still woke up in the middle of the night, plagued by nightmares because of this past event. He immediately activated his magical abilities, placing his other hand on her swollen belly.

As if sensing his presence, his child gave a ferocious kick, causing Soleia to hiss.

"I think our child is ready to see the world, no matter our feelings about this issue," Soleia said. "It’s a little early, but―"

Rafael nodded grimly.

"Bring in the midwife and the physicians!"