Empire of the Ring

Chapter 662: A Happy Occasion (1)

Fatima’s proposed tour of the desert made an unexpected outcome.

A tourism product that combined desert experience and Caspian sea voyage and an item that allowed people to enjoy skiing on the ice of Almaty resort were sold like hotcakes.

Such a great reception was only possible because Kazakhstan was re-illuminated by the announcement of large-scale resorts being built in Kyrgyzstan by global conglomerates.

It would take years to build the resort, but the world already had a growing perception that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were as much a place as Switzerland

Fatima, who proposed the desert tour package, and Zeynep, who had already had experience in the desert, frequently visited the semi-deserted zone.

It was Fatima who was gone more often than Youngho now.

As a result, he spent most of his time babysitting with Leon.

Leon, who made Fatima give with his troubles, was increasingly in trouble now that Youngho was taking care of him because he felt it was an opportunity as Fatima was gone.

He insisted on flying a light airplane even though he was only an elementary school student.

“Who the hell does he get that from?”

“Who would it be? The great Duke of Kazakhstan. I heard you were a mess in the old days.”

“What did I do? Who says that?”

“Yun-suh told me everything. I heard you lost your clothes at the beach and came back to your grandmother’s house in your swimming pants only.”

It was a shameful history that Youngho really wanted to erase from his life, but it was still being talked about.

He was an elementary school student.

Since Youngho’s grandparents on his mother’s side were in Gangneung, he used to nag his parents to send him every break.

It happened when he went to Gyeongpo Beach with friends he used to hang out with when he visited his grandparents’ house.

They wasted all of their money on junk food when they were supposed to use it for the paid dressing room and shower, so they were forced to bury their clothes in the sand and play.

Anyone could guess what would have happened next.

They only thought of burying their clothes, but the problem was that there were no peers who clearly remembered where they had buried the clothes.

After a lot of fun, they could not find a place where their clothes were buried, so they wandered around the sandy beach.

No one would ever understand how miserable it was to return home, which was a long way, wearing only swimming pants in shabby shape.

When it got dark, he finally got home and opened the gate to his grandparents’ house. Then his grandmother and Yun-suh who were eating corn in the front yard rolled on the floor in laughter at the sight of Youngho.

For Youngho, it was something he did not want to remember again, but for Yun-suh, it was a memory to share, so it seemed she had shared it with Park Jong-il.

“I don’t even remember that. Yun-suh must have made it up. Man, she’s good at imagining things.”

“No novelist could describe it as so real. Yet, are you sure you don’t know who Leon gets that from?”

“Well, I said I don’t know. I’m sure it’s Fatima.”

“Okay, I’ll let it go for now. By the way, I guess the Queen is enjoying her drive in the desert.”

“She said she likes wild things.”

“She’s been going out with Zeynep lately, and her face looked like she feels alive. Did something fun happen?”

“It’ll be exciting to have so much fun when someone who’s been locked up every day in the palace.”

“Have you noticed anything else?”

“What do you mean by anything else?”

“Remember what it was like when she was pregnant with Leon.”

“I only remember trying to dissuade her because she was more active than ever, let alone morning sickness. In Korea, a pregnant woman would stay home, but I thought maybe women in Europe get more active when they are pregnant.”

In the early stages of pregnancy, some women would turn down their favorite foods and be tempted to eat foods they did not like before, but Fatima did not have such a problem. It might have been the ring’s power, but she had a healthy pregnancy period.

“How insensitive. But you still don’t understand what I mean?”

“Wait a minute? Is she pregnant with Leon’s sibling?”

“Don’t delay and regret it later but call the royal physician right away. Man, this could be a celebratory occasion for the whole country.”

***

It turned out that Fatima was pregnant with the second child that Youngho had been waiting for.

The news of the Queen’s pregnancy was enough to stir Kazakhstan and all of Central Asia.

The Queen’s secretariat was extremely busy answering congratulatory calls from everywhere.

Youngho also could not hide his excitement.

Ever since Fatima’s pregnancy was revealed, she had been stuck in the royal palace.

She could get around freely during her first pregnancy on Baku’s farm, but now she was the Queen of a country and had to be in the royal palace in a calm manner.

When Fatima became pregnant, Park Jong-il returned the ring he had been wearing, saying that there was no immediate situation for him to borrow the ring’s power and it was reasonable to return it to the owner of the ring.

Anyway, Fatima’s pregnancy had given the Kazakh people another hope.

The more heirs to the throne, the more the royal family would be secured.

“Your Highness, we have so many gifts coming from all over the place that it’s hard to just pile them up.”

“If it’s food, give it away to people in need and keep the rest. And don’t forget to send a thank-you note in the name of the royal family to those who sent the gifts.”

“Okay, I will do as you say.”

When Min-seok turned his back to leave, Youngho suddenly remembered something and called him.

“General Secretary Suh, can you check what kind of special event other European royal families hold when the Queen is pregnant?”

“In the Joseon Dynasty, if there was a royal celebration, they had a special event like a state exam to recruit ranking officials… But I’ve never heard of doing such a thing in Europe. Some companies make souvenirs for royal celebrations.”

“It’s a happy occasion, shouldn’t we have to do something to reach the people so that they can remember?”

“Don’t you think it’s appropriate to grant special pardons to people who committed misdemeanors?”

“Examine anything that will remain in people’s memories. Ask the Cabinet if necessary.”

“Yes, I’ll get down to it right away.”

***

“I’m fine, so just focus on your work. I’m more concerned because you’re just wandering around me for no reason.”

“What husband in the world is going to turn outside when his wife is pregnant? You have to stay with her for the fetus.”

“Well, then, take me to the desert. I’m a little impatient to drive through the desert.”

“Is that a form of morning sickness, too? You’ll get all the weird morning sickness in your life.”

“Hohoho… I think I have a unique constitution. Or it’s proof that our baby’s very healthy.”

“Don’t you think it’s all because of the ring?”

“What effect would it have on me when Count Park has had it on until now?”

“No, even if you don’t have a ring on you, it’s possibly because you’ve been around it. Either I or Leon has been near you. Zeynep also said that she’s been feeling very light-weight ever since she came to the royal territory from Germany. Also, you said sometimes it feels refreshing when you sleep with Leon.”

“Oh, that is possible.”

Other than the ring’s reasoning, the strange morning sickness of Fatima could not be explained. It could not be described as morning sickness, but Fatima and Youngho took it as a phenomenon that only applied to the Serbian royal family.

“There will certainly be a pretty princess who looks like you. What should I name her?”

According to the Serbian royal tradition, only one prince was born and the rest were princesses. It was written in history as well.

“What if that doesn’t happen? Don’t expect too much.”

Fatima was worried that Youngho might be disappointed when a boy was born. Frankly, Youngho would be a little disappointed if it was not a girl.

“I don’t care, I’ll come up with a feminine name because there are many great heroes with feminine names.”

“Do you have a name in mind?”

“I haven’t decided yet. If you’re a princess of the Kazakh royal family, you should have a grand name.”

“She won’t be the heir to the throne, so just name her plainly.”

“What are you talking about? The princess is also the heir to the throne.”

“We have Leon, but do you think she’d have a right, too?”

“If Leon is not qualified as a king, I don’t think we should hand over the throne to Leon.”

“Wasn’t our royal family following the eldest son’s succession system?”

“Yes, if he has the qualities to lead a great country, he will inherit the throne, but if you pass it on to the wrong person, the royal family will be over. I can’t allow Kazakhstan to descend because of the wrong king.”

Maybe Youngho was expecting too much from Leon who was only an elementary school student.

When Youngho’s will seemed so determined, Fatima frowned in worry.

“Don’t get too serious when you don’t even know what Leon’s quality is yet.”

“Although Leon is a naughty boy, I believe he can do well because he has mature sides too. But I’m worried that he’s getting too proud because all the people around him raised him. I hope we’ll have a great Crown Princess who can control Leon. ”

“Wait, are you trying to find the Crown Princess already? So I’m going to be a grandmother soon?”

“Oh, grandmother? I’m just trying to give him some responsibility. Usually, boys are pretentious in front of their girls. Anyway, we should raise him strongly. Let’s not spoil him.”

“Oh, who’s talking about who? Leon keeps getting spoiled because of you.”

“No, I’m strict on him.”

“Oh, there’s no chance.”

There was a reason why Fatima was teasing Youngho.

Although Youngho always said they should be strict on Leon, he always gave in when he saw Leon’s cute face.

“So, who can be Leon’s bride?”

“Oh, no! Are you serious?”

“I’m just trying to see who could be his potential wife for future’s sake.”

“I’m just going to leave it to Leon’s choice, so don’t even try.”