Episode 9
Startled, I stopped secretly watching and quickly stepped out into the hallway.
“Brother? Ernie? What is everyone doing at my room so early in the morning…?”
Before my words could even finish, Rurik interjected as if making an excuse.
“I wasn’t heading to your room, just passing by, when I met the Crown Prince…”
Ernst handed the tray he was holding to Phoebe and bowed his head very politely.
“You must be busy, having just returned… It was an honor to see you, Your Highness the 2nd Prince.”
It was the most elegant ‘get lost’ I had ever heard in my life.
Just as Rurik frowned, looking baffled, I saw a black shadow flicker across his red eyes.
“Brother!”
Flustered, I grabbed his wrist tightly.
‘Don’t go berserk here, please…!’
Rurik looked at me with puzzled eyes.
“Lou?”
“W-, would you like to take a walk with me later? If… you have time.”
I was just babbling whatever came to mind.
Fortunately, the black shadow that was trying to encroach on his red eyes slowly dissipated.
“Attending banquets all day is tiresome. If I have time… I’ll stop by in the evening.”
I sighed in relief as Rurik turned and walked away, patting my chest.
‘Does holding his hand calm him down, even if just a little?’
But if I’m not there, who will hold Rurik’s hand?
‘Maybe I really need to find and bring Helena here through some other means?’
Thinking that, I glared at the pretty lunatic approaching me.
“You mentioned an important matter. Surely it’s not about the name again, is it, Ernie?”
“Name?”
His beautiful golden eyes widened, then melted away as if dissolving.
“Ah, the name is an important issue too, but…”
As I entered the room, Ernst naturally followed behind me.
Once Phoebe tactfully set down the tray and left, Ernst approached the tea table, placed an infuser in a teacup, and scooped in tea leaves.
I watched him demurely tilt the teapot to brew the tea, finally calming down enough to take a seat.
‘I’m confident I could drink anything brewed by those elegant hands and find it delicious.’
Only after meticulously and skillfully completing the entire process with devoted care did Ernst sit opposite me.
“Lou…”
He dragged out the syllable, sounding sullen, so I immediately straightened up my mind.
After all, I’m the one who’s pregnant.
‘Pretty boy, even if you act pitiful, you’re either the culprit or an accomplice!’
Ernst continued.
“If you don’t want to ask His Highness the Prince for help, there’s only one way. We must marry before the news of the child gets out.”
That’s your thought.
Because you think you’re the father.
‘But Ren thinks so too.’
…Saying that would make me seem like a bit of a trash person, wouldn’t it?
How could I say something so embarrassing?
‘I come from a country governed by Confucian principles, with a conscience and sense of shame.’
Come to think of it, did I possess the ultimate player girl?
But Ernst went on.
“I won’t deny that Cal has the most advantageous position, as he claims. But in my opinion…”
He reached his arm across the table and gently took my hand.
“If you were going to choose Cal, you could have done so at any time. But you’re still sitting here before me.”
Wait a minute, why are we talking about Cal’s name now, and not Ren’s?
‘He doesn’t even know I’m pregnant!’
In fact, I’ve never even actually seen him…!
Just then, an extremely unpleasant vibrating sound came from somewhere.
—Bzzz. Bzzz.
For the first time in front of me, Ernst’s brow furrowed slightly.
Even so, it was heart-poundingly beautiful, but he was no longer looking at me.
Ernst sighed and pulled something from his pocket.
—Bzzz. Bzzz.
I let out a sigh of relief.
It was the communication orb I had wanted to get, even if it meant going into the city.
Ernst grumbled.
“Cal has been causing a ruckus since last night. A messenger brought it yesterday, so I accepted it on your behalf, but I didn’t get a chance to give it to you.”
‘Get a chance’…?
‘Didn’t Ernie stick by my side almost the entire day yesterday?’
When I brought my hand close to the shining orb, just like last time, white light exploded, and a video filled the wall.
But the state of the video was a bit…
“What is that?”
Having no one else to ask, I questioned Ernst, and he shrugged his shoulders.
“…Look, it’s on fire.”
We were quiet for a moment.
Amidst the flames, the Northern Grand Duke, consumed by anger, appeared and forced a twisted smile for me.
“My lovely Lou.”
But I could clearly see his chest heaving with barely controlled rage.
And what about those icy cold blue eyes?
“…, Y-, yes?”
When I barely managed to respond, he requested.
“You probably don’t need it much, but could you summon that madman Magic Tower Master for me? I know he’s an imperial asset, but my patience has its limits.”
The other party was the Serpent of Babenberg, and he was really, really, incredibly angry.
“O-, of course.”
I swallowed hard.
“Ren? Ren, are you there? H-, how about you come back now…”
Instead of an answer, the flames on the screen intensified, and the faint trace of color remaining on our Northern Grand Duke’s face drained away completely.
I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them.
“I miss you, Ren. You said you’d come quickly…”
The next instant, the flames flickering behind Cal vanished in a single breath.
The poor Cal held his forehead.
“Could you tell me just one more reason why I shouldn’t kill that brat?”
Ren must not be killed.
Absolutely not, because…
“I’m pregnant.”
Ren might be the father, and he’s the only one who can make the morning sickness medicine.
I hesitated, unable to bring myself to add that. While I faltered, an astonishing scene unfolded on the screen.
Cal, who had been grinding his teeth with a face that could tear hell apart, froze blankly for a moment, then suddenly smiled as softly as in a dream.
His blue eyes, now holding a smile, had settled into a tender hue as if he had become a different person in an instant.
“Lou, did I tell you that day?”
On the desolate hillside with ashes flying about, his appearance was so out of place it was slightly eerie.
Whatever he had said that day, even if I had known it, I wouldn’t have been able to respond.
“W-, what…?”
Callisteon, with the scorched territory behind him, lowered his gaze as if shy.
“I, you…”
—Bang!
Along with an unfamiliar explosion sound, a defensive barrier began to rise inside the room.
Just as my gaze naturally turned towards the fireplace…
—Crash!
A loud noise erupted, and the communication orb, perfectly fine just moments before, fell to the floor and shattered.
Cal on the screen also vanished instantly.
‘What?’
I reflexively looked at Ernst, but he shook his head as if he had no idea.
Simultaneously, a black figure emerged from the dusty fireplace.
He walked over confidently, as if exercising a legitimate right, and knelt on one knee before me.
Then, still wearing his ash-covered gloves, he took my hand and kissed the back of it.
“I’m back. Lou, did you wait long for me?”
From the fireplace he had crawled out of, black ashes fluttered, creating a trail all the way to my feet.
It was a scene quite shocking to someone from the Land of Propriety.
“Ren…”
I looked down at the capable lunatic with a pitiful expression.
“If you’ve been playing with fire, you should wash your hands and feet before coming, shouldn’t you?”
I spoke through gritted teeth. Ren’s eyes widened, and he let go of my hand.
My white hand was stained with soot.
“Hoo.”
But when Ren blew a short breath, the soot on my hand vanished without a trace.
Lifting my gaze, I saw the ashes that had fallen on the floor were gone too.
“Is it done now?”
I quietly glared at Ren’s robe.
The robe, which must have originally been a vivid blue, was scorched by fire and had turned almost blackish-blue.
He resignedly took it off and threw it far away.
Then he looked up at me with a hurt expression.
“I came back after working for you, Lou. I didn’t think you’d call me dirty. Since when did my Lou become so cold…?”
Really?
Was I applying the K-country patch too heavily? While I was pondering this, Ernst chimed in.
“Pregnant women are sensitive by nature.”
