Chapter 34: To Be Worthy of a Crown
The heir, Alessio Aurenfeld, was finally born to the imperial couple after thirteen long years of waiting.
It had been a difficult journey. During the tenth year of their marriage, with pressure mounting from the nobility for the Emperor to take a concubine, he finally allowed the imperial physician and the Grand Temple’s high priest to investigate together. It was a rare collaboration that produced an explanation strong enough to silence all further protests.
It had been a difficult journey. During the tenth year of their marriage, with pressure mounting from the nobility for the Emperor to take a concubine, he finally allowed the imperial physician and the Grand Temple’s high priest to investigate together. It was a rare collaboration that yielded an explanation convincing enough to ease the pressure, at least for a time.
The reason for the delayed heir, they concluded, lay with the Emperor himself.
Years of war, heavy governance, chronic fatigue, and unchecked stress had disrupted his internal balance.
His body, worn by battle and burdened by the pressures of rebuilding a fractured empire, suffered a severe hormonal imbalance that rendered conception nearly impossible.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Arthur made a decision.
He began to prioritize his health by getting proper rest, spending less time at his desk, following a balanced diet, avoiding alcohol, and receiving regular temple blessings.
It wasn’t an overnight fix. But after two full years of careful healing, his condition improved. And finally, not long after, they conceived.