Chapter 9 (Part 3)

After lightly kissing Yuliana’s temple, Anthus left the room with a happy expression and looked for Ferrell.

Fortunately, Ferrell was on standby, so he could quickly respond to Anthus’s request.

“Ferrell.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Bring books related to pregnancy and childcare. Find out what’s good for pregnant women. And prepare various peach dishes, and since Lia wants juicy meat now, prepare that too. And we need to prepare a baby’s room… I don’t know if it’ll be a son or a daughter, so prepare for both. If it’s a daughter who resembles her, what will I do? I might not like it if it’s a son who resembles me, but if he resembles Lia, I might find him pretty… And we need to prepare baby clothes and shoes… What else should we prepare!”

Ferrell’s eyes widened. It was the first time he had seen Anthus so talkative and flustered.

“Understood, Master. I’ll identify what Madam needs and prepare everything thoroughly.”

Frey, who was at the door, looked at Anthus, who was saying this and that to Ferrell with a face full of happiness, and spoke. Seeing her son’s dazed look, Frey couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yan.”

“Oh, Mother. You haven’t left? I’m glad.”

“By any chance… did you deliberately have a child to get married quickly?”

“Did I?”

“Young Master, this is not right. How could you get her pregnant before even having the wedding!”

Diana, who was beside Frey, scolded Anthus.

“Mother, it wasn’t on purpose. We just talked as adults, set the mood, and shared our love.”

Anthus proudly straightened his shoulders as he spoke.

“Young Master, that’s what it means to have planned it.”

“It wasn’t planned.”

Despite Diana’s scolding, Anthus couldn’t erase the excited expression from his face. Diana rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache.

“Are you sure it wasn’t planned? You’ve been wondering how to get married quickly!”

“Mother, even if it was my plan… Are you unhappy about becoming a grandmother?”

“That’s not it… I’m just worried about your life!”

“I don’t know why you’re worried about my life, but since Lia is having a child, I would appreciate it if you could help with the Ducal household affairs for a while.”

“Look at you trying to work your mother to the bone.”

“Could you please refine your language, Mother? I’m asking for help. And while you don’t need to refine your language in front of me, please use only pretty words in front of our Lia. I would appreciate it.”

Frey couldn’t help but laugh at Anthus’s request.

Her son was so talented that he always tried to solve everything on his own since he was a child. She felt a bit hurt that he never asked his parents for anything, but she was grateful to see him grow up healthy.

He memorized everything in one go and did everything perfectly. Now, for love, he was asking his parents for help, and his eyes were filled with happiness. Anthus was truly becoming an adult.

“I should grant my son’s request.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

Frey was grateful to Yuliana. But seeing her son’s expression made her want to tease him.

“Of course. I’ll take care of the Ducal household affairs for a while. But are you sure you’ll be okay?”

When she asked if he was okay, Anthus had a puzzled expression.

“Is there something I shouldn’t be okay with?”

Anthus seemed to have forgotten about the important issue.

“Here’s the problem. Nine months later, a beautiful daughter who looks just like Lia is born. She has golden hair and golden eyes, just like Lia, and she’s very smart, just like her mother. She even prefers her father, Anthus, over her mother, Lia. She’s a very cute daughter who calls for ‘Father, Father’ all day.”

At Frey’s words, Anthus blushed from his face to his ears. A cute and pretty daughter resembling Yuliana only looked for him… With Lia on his right side, and his daughter on his left… Just imagining it made him so happy he felt like he might faint.

“Just thinking about it makes me overwhelmed. Please stop talking.”

Anthus, whose lips curled up uncontrollably, said with a firm mouth.

“Listen to the end of my story. The daughter has grown up now. But one day, suddenly, really suddenly, she says, ‘Father, I’m pregnant!’ How do you think you would feel, Yan?”

At Frey’s words, Anthus felt as if he had woken up from a dream.

The happiness that had soared to the sky suddenly crashed to the ground. His daughter suddenly being pregnant right after coming of age… It was unforgivable.

He would kill whoever it was that dared. If he had a daughter, he thought he would have to monitor her 24/7. Who would dare approach the Lady of Rockbellion! Even if the Crown Prince came, he wouldn’t give her as a bride.

He thought about making his daughter the heir to the Duchy and having a son-in-law who would be a thorough doormat… but he didn’t like that idea either.

“Yan, stop exuding murderous intent.”

“I’ll do my best to kill him. How dare he lay a hand on the body of the Lady of Rockbellion… I’ll kill him.”

To Anthus, who was deeply engrossed in his emotions, Frey sighed and continued the conversation.

“Young Master, Earl Loengrin must be feeling just like you do now.”

Diana, who was behind Frey, took a step forward and looked at Anthus.

“Don’t forget that Earl Loengrin is famously a doting father in society. Young Master, it would be best to beg for forgiveness with your life.”

“Good luck surviving, son… Even if Earl Loengrin kills you, Philip and I will raise the child and Lia well.”

At their words, Anthus realized what was truly important. But he was confident he wouldn’t die.

“Would my father-in-law really kill me? Even if he throws a white glove at me, I’ll gladly take the beating.”

Frey spoke sharply to Anthus, who wore a sly smile.

“Where did the Yan who wanted to kill his daughter’s fiancé just a moment ago go?”

Anthus scratched his cheek.

“The Rockbellion family is happy to have an heir. But from the perspective of Earl Loengrin, you and Lia have done something very wrong.”

Frey said with a regretful expression.

“What could Lady Yuliana have done wrong? It’s the Young Master who coaxed and ate her up.”

“The Rockbellion family has decided not to hold Earl Loengrin accountable even if he kills you, Yan. Of course, this was discussed with Philip. And rather than celebrating the pregnancy now, it seems we should go to Earl Loengrin’s residence, inform him of this fact, and set a wedding date quickly before the belly shows.”

“I fully agree with you, Mother. I will endure all the scolding and get permission from my father-in-law.”

“You don’t seem to think about dying. My son, you’re really shameless.”

“I’ll get beaten until I’m on the brink of death.”

“Yes. Get beaten to the brink of death.”

Anthus wanted to have a wedding with Yuliana, not just an engagement. But he couldn’t say no to Yuliana, who said Louis and Selenia’s wedding should come first.

He couldn’t show his whining side to his fiancée. Throwing tantrums was something reserved for the bed.

“We tried to be careful not to have a child, but it seems unavoidable. I will take responsibility for Lia and the child no matter what. We should start preparing for the wedding. Mother, will you help?”

“Get permission from Earl Loengrin first.”

“No problem.”

“Don’t be overconfident.”

“Yes.”

Anthus hummed as he snatched what Sydney brought and entered the room where Yuliana was.

“Lia…?”

Anthus felt uneasy, noticing that Yuliana’s expression, sitting on the bed, was not right.

“What’s the matter, Lia?”

“Yan…”

“Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m not uncomfortable. But if my father finds out about this…”

Anthus recalled the ‘feeling of Earl Loengrin’ that Diana and Frey had talked about earlier.

“Father and brother might be disappointed in me.”

Her father believed that she and Anthus hadn’t gone beyond kissing. But now she had disappointed that belief. She had shattered the trust they had in her.

“They will be very angry.”

Yuliana, feeling upset, began to tear up. She was happy to have a child, but the timing wasn’t good.

“Lia… I’ll tell my father-in-law today. And even if he says he’ll kill me, I’ll humbly accept death.”

“Yan, don’t talk about dying. The child is our responsibility, yours and mine. Don’t try to take everything on yourself.”

“Then let’s take responsibility together.”

Anthus was confident. Matthias wouldn’t kill him. No matter how much he hated him, he was his daughter’s fiancé and the father of the child in her womb.

He didn’t know how much scolding and beating he would receive, but he was prepared to be beaten by Matthias, having secured plenty of holy water. Of course, Louis might join Matthias and throw a white glove at his face, but he could handle it.

“Let’s go to the Earl’s residence together, Lia.”

But Anthus didn’t know at this time just how arrogant his thinking was…