Chapter 9 (Part 4)

Teleportation should not be used in early pregnancy. So Anthus took Yuliana by carriage to Earl Loengrin’s residence.

The servants were puzzled, seeing Yuliana’s serious face contrasted with Anthus’s beaming smile.

“Leijin.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“Where is Father?”

“He’s in his office.”

“And Brother?”

“He hasn’t returned yet.”

“Then… Tell Father I have something important to discuss and ask him to come to my private parlor once he’s done.”

Leijin tilted his head slightly at Yuliana’s solemn expression. Then he glanced at Anthus.

Anthus’s face was strangely excited. Even seeing Anthus normally didn’t bother him, but today his expression was oddly irritating. Leijin couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling.

“Understood, Young Lady.”

In the parlor, Yuliana anxiously awaited Matthias.

“Lia, it’s okay. It will be fine.”

“I don’t know how to face Father.”

“It will be okay.”

The door opened, and Matthias entered with a bright smile.

“Well, Duke, how are you! Lia, why did you suddenly ask me to come to the parlor?”

Matthias was a bit puzzled by Leijin’s report.

<Unlike usual… I had a strange feeling about Duke Rockbellion’s visit today. He seemed a bit excited… And the Young Lady seemed gloomy, the atmosphere was odd.>

He thought it was unusual for Yuliana to ask to meet in her private parlor.

But Matthias pondered. 

Could it be… Is she planning to do something dangerous related to monsters? Is she seeking my permission for that? Or did Duke Rockbellion catch something the Holy Kingdom’s Pope Rybid was trying to do to Yuliana? Is he here to report that?

With complex thoughts, Matthias headed to the parlor.

And he remembered the ‘dragon dream’ he had recently. He thought they might have come because of something good, rather than something bad, and opened the door to the drawing room.

“Father.”

“Lia, what is the matter that you asked me to come to the parlor? Duke, how are you? Is there any good news today? I had a very good dream, you know!”

As soon as Matthias entered the parlor, he started talking about the dragon dream he had recently. However, as he spoke, Yuliana’s face grew increasingly somber.

“Father.”

“Yes. Let’s get to the main point. What is it?”

“Father, I’m sorry.”

Yuliana’s lips quivered as she spoke, looking like someone who had committed a grave sin and was ready to accept punishment. She seemed anxious.

“Lia, should I say it?”

“No, I’ll say it.”

Anthus looked at Yuliana worriedly and held her hand tightly.

“I… I’m pregnant.”

At Yuliana’s words, Matthias tilted his head with a smile.

“Pregnant?”

“I’m expecting.”

“Preg-preg-pregnant? You must be joking, Lia.”

“I’m sorry.”

Matthias’s face began to contort. He looked back and forth between Anthus and Yuliana.

However, Matthias said nothing. He quietly lifted the teacup in front of him and drank tea. It was as calm as the silence before a storm.

Eventually, it was Yuliana who broke the silence first.

“Father… I’m sorry.”

“My dear daughter. What are you sorry for… There’s nothing to be sorry about. Leijin. Luda.”

Luda, who already knew, remained calm, while Leijin raised an eyebrow and glared openly at Anthus.

“Yes, Master.”

“Yes.”

“Take Lia to her room. And Lia.”

“Yes.”

“Tell me everything you want to eat, have, or do. Daddy will prepare everything for you.”

“Father…”

Yuliana cried at Matthias’s unexpectedly warm words.

“Don’t cry. If a mother cries, the baby in her belly will be sad too. So, Lia, smile.”

“Yes.”

Matthias patted Yuliana’s back as she smiled faintly.

“Go on up.”

“Yes. Yan… see you later.”

After standing up, Yuliana left the parlor, and Anthus grew tense.

As soon as Matthias confirmed Yuliana was gone, his expression turned cold.

“Duke, you should leave now.”

“Father-in-law.”

Bang!

Matthias slammed his fist on the table. He glared coldly at Anthus and spoke.

“I would appreciate it if you left. And I would prefer if you didn’t visit the Earl’s residence for a while, Duke.”

Anthus had expected Matthias to yell or hit him, shouting, “How dare you get my daughter pregnant!” But instead, Matthias, with a cold expression, issued a decree to leave and banned him from visiting. To Anthus, being beaten and scolded would have been a better situation.

Deciding to set aside his pride as a Duke, Anthus bowed his head before Matthias.

“Please, vent your anger and hit me until you feel better, Father-in-law.”

But Matthias, with his back turned to Anthus, quietly spoke again.

“I don’t want to see your face for a while. Please leave the Earl’s residence. And I will have Lia stay here to take care of herself for the time being.”

“What… What do you mean?”

“Even if you’re engaged, if an unmarried lady has a child, that child is considered a child of the Loengrin family, not a bastard of the Rockbellion family. You know this, right?”

“I will not let my child be a bastard. We will have the wedding immediately.”

“Even though you’re engaged, my daughter and the child in her belly are not currently part of the Rockbellion family. They are part of the Loengrin family.”

“Father-in-law!”

Anthus was greatly flustered as things unfolded differently than he had expected.

“I don’t want to see your face for a while, so I would appreciate it if you left the Earl’s residence.”

“I’m sorry. I… I was wrong.”

Anthus couldn’t just accept the decree to leave and be chased out.

“How many times must I issue the decree for you to leave? Are you ignoring my words because of your status as Duke?”

“No, Father-in-law!”

“Then I would appreciate it if you left quickly. I have a lot to do today.”

It wasn’t the usual smiling Matthias.

Anthus wanted to see Yuliana’s face once more, but he was forced to leave the Earl’s residence, practically chased out by Matthias.

Even Leijin swept the entrance with a broom, indicating he should not come back.

* * *

Upon returning to the Ducal residence, Anthus was despondent. He sat in his office, anxiously shaking his leg. He hadn’t imagined Matthias would react this way.

“Have you returned already? Where is Lia?”

Anthus explained to Diana and Frey exactly what Matthias had said.

“He drew a line, saying the child in Lia’s belly belongs to the Loengrin family, not the Rockbellion family. He even banned me from visiting the Earl’s residence.”

“Of course! Even if you’re engaged, you’re not married yet. Naturally, the child belongs to the Loengrin family for now. You should have waited until marriage…”

“Seeing the Young Master get a blow from Earl Loengrin makes me feel a bit better.”

“Mother, Diana, please be quiet. My head hurts.”

“See? I told you not to be overconfident.”

Already having a drink, Diana and Frey began to use Anthus’s despair as an excuse to open a wine bottle, fill each other’s glasses, and laugh and chat.

“What are you doing in my office, where I work?”

“Hmm? Party.”

“We’re having a wine party.”

“The office is for work, not for parties! Diana, Mother, please leave this place.”

“Are you taking out your anger from being banned from the Earl’s residence on us?”

“Young Master, are you such a narrow-minded person? No wonder you got kicked out of the Earl’s residence.”

“I am not in a good mood right now. Do you really want to have a party next to someone like that?”

“When did I ever care about your mood when having fun?”

“No, with the heir to the Rockbellion family on the way, we have to have a party.”

Knowing that arguing with Diana and Frey was a losing battle, Anthus quietly sat down. His head throbbed with pain.

He felt stifled and upset. It was the first time things hadn’t gone according to plan. And Matthias’s cold expression… It was unfamiliar. No, it was frightening.

“Come on, Diana, drink more.”

“Sure.”

“Butler Ferrell, Sydney. Bring more snacks here. Focus on peaches.”

Anthus’s sighs only deepened.

Anthus couldn’t sleep properly. He had all sorts of thoughts throughout the night. 

What if they suddenly break off the engagement? How would I live if I couldn’t see Yuliana’s face until the child is born?

After thinking about all sorts of things, he ended up staying up all night.

Matthias’s words lingered in his mind throughout the night. After the sudden decree to leave, he was banned from visiting the Earl’s residence. Although Matthias hadn’t said it explicitly, it felt like he was saying, “Don’t even think about seeing Lia.”

He had clearly stated that the child in Yuliana’s belly was a person of the Loengrin family. And by morning, he had only one thought: to go and beg on his knees if necessary.

As soon as morning came, he went to the Earl’s residence, but Luda and Erzen blocked the entrance.

“Why are you here, Erzen?”

“I was hired by Earl Loengrin last night. Of course, it’s under the condition that I run to the Rockbellion estate if anything happens.”

Anthus screamed internally at the thought that Matthias had hired Erzen with the genuine intention of stopping him.

“The Earl said the only person who can stop a Sword Master is a Sword Master, so he urgently commissioned me last night.”

“Do you accept commissions just like that?”

“I simply don’t refuse commissions brought by Miss Luda.”

Erzen was smiling broadly at Luda, his ears turning red.

“Earl Loengrin told me to stay comfortably at the Earl’s residence until the monster issue arises… And Miss Luda, we’re having lunch together, right?”

“Of course, Erzen.”

“Luda…”

Anthus looked at Luda with eyes full of betrayal. But all he could think about was Yuliana.

“Is Lia doing well?”

“The Young Lady is eating well, sleeping well, and doing very well.”

“That’s a relief.”

“And Duke, it might be best if you don’t come to the Earl’s residence for a while.”

“Indeed. Why did you cause such a mess and incur the Earl’s wrath? Miss Luda, shall we go inside now? If Yan draws his sword and charges in, I’ll do my best to stop him.”

“Having Erzen here makes me feel very reassured. And Duke, sending letters should be okay.”

Anthus could only watch as the door to the Earl’s residence slowly closed.