RR 18

 Chapter 18

“A baby?”

At the unexpected words, Aella’s green eyes wavered.

“Look here.”

The royal physician showed Aella the diagnostic stone stained with her blood.

The diagnostic stone was a magical stone that revealed one’s state of health when blood was applied, changing color depending on the patient’s condition.

“It’s glowing purple, isn’t it? That means pregnancy.”

The stone, which had been black just moments ago, was indeed glowing purple as the physician said.

Pregnancy.

Aella placed her hand on her belly.

Ther’s child was inside her?

Confusion spread through Aella’s eyes.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Seeing Aella’s condition, Xenia gestured to the royal physician with her eyes as if to tell him to leave.

Following the physician toward the door, Xenia spoke in a low voice.

“Please keep silent about Her Highness the Crown Princess’s condition for the time being. Her Highness the Crown Princess will inform His Highness the Crown Prince herself.”

“Yes, understood.”

The royal physician smiled faintly and opened the door to leave.

After seeing the physician out, Xenia approached Aella.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Wh-What do I do now?”

Aella looked at Xenia with a face unable to hide her fluster.

Xenia understood everything. That Aella and Ther had spent the night together, that Seamus, who visited every night, had never touched Aella. And that the child in Aella’s womb was Ther Motita’s.

“Calm your heart and think carefully. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. Nothing at all.”

Aella shook her head with a confused expression.

“Shall I stay by your side? Or shall I give you time to think alone?”

“I want to be alone.”

Aella answered Xenia’s question.

Xenia nodded as if she understood and quietly left the room.

Left completely alone, Aella stroked her belly with a dazed face. She couldn’t believe she was carrying Ther’s child.

She was carrying the child of a man who had abandoned her twice. At this perverse fate, Aella felt as if God was playing a nasty trick on her.

She felt trapped within walls closed in on all sides. Thinking she was trapped in a sealed space with no exit, she couldn’t breathe.

Her chest felt tight, so Aella rose from her seat and opened the curtains.

Summer sunlight poured into the bedroom, which had always been dark. Feeling the warm sunlight, Aella fixed her gaze on the distant lake castle’s bell tower.

Aella opened the closed window wide. The bell in the tower swayed, and a faint ringing reached her ears. At that sound, Aella suddenly burst into tears. Because that bell sound was just like the lullaby her father used to sing to her when she was a child.

In that moment, Aella wanted to let this child hear that bell sound too.

“Little one, do you want to hear it too? You want to hear that bell sound like a lullaby, don’t you?”

I’ll let you hear it. Mommy will let you hear that bell sound. Your father abandoned me, but I will never abandon you.

Aella placed her hand on her belly and smiled through her tears.

—

***

“I’m going to give birth to it.”

Aella looked at Xenia, who was sitting across from her, and said.

Xenia’s hand, holding her teacup, trembled slightly. She felt sorry for Aella, who had chosen a path that would not be smooth. But intending to help Aella with all her might, Xenia nodded.

“I resented God. Why are you giving me this punishment? I have done nothing wrong. I was resenting Him, and then I heard the bell sound.”

Aella turned her head toward the window. Looking at the bell tower visible outside the window, Aella continued.

“That bell sound was just like the lullaby my father used to sing to me when I was a child. So I wanted to let my child hear it too.”

Aella took her gaze off the bell tower and placed her hand on her belly.

“This child, I think it’s not a punishment from God, but a gift from God. I’ve found the will to live again. I want to let my child meet a world as warm as my father’s lullaby.”

“It is a gift, indeed.”

A smile rose on Xenia’s face as she listened quietly. It was truly fortunate that Aella had found the will to live again. As she said, the child seemed like a precious gift that had come into her life.

“I can protect this child, can’t I?”

Aella looked at Xenia and asked, as if anxious.

Xenia nodded with an expression that told her not to worry.

“Of course. You can protect them. I will help you with all my heart from beside you. I will always remain by Your Highness the Crown Princess’s side.”

“Thank you, Xenia. If you stay by my side, even you might be pointed at by others…”

Aella trailed off.

If it became known that she, the Crown Princess, was carrying another man’s child, her honor would be ruined. Not only hers, but also her family’s and those around her would lose standing. Xenia, who said she would stay by her side even knowing that, was truly precious to Aella.

“Do not worry about that. Rather, what will you do from now on?”

“I will tell the Crown Prince. That I am carrying the Grand Duke Motita’s child. Then he will grant me a divorce, won’t he? After the divorce, I plan to go down to my territory and live.”

“Do you not plan to inform the Grand Duke Motita?”

Xenia carefully brought up Ther.

Aella’s expression darkened in an instant. He was a man who had abandoned her twice. She had no expectations of him now.

She had thought even resentment was a luxury, but hearing Ther’s name from Xenia’s mouth unsettled Aella.

“No. This child is my child. I will raise them as a Petra, not a Motita.”

“Understood. If that is Your Highness the Crown Princess’s wish, then that must be the right thing.”

“Now I only need this child. I will live only looking at this child.”

My reason for living.

Aella stroked her belly and smiled a much more at ease smile.

—

***

Seamus, who had entered Aella’s bedroom, raised one eyebrow at the sight of Aella sitting on the couch.

“What’s this? You’re not looking half-dead for once?”

Seamus approached Aella and sneered.

“Sit down. I have something to tell you.”

Aella pointed to the seat across from her.

Seamus frowned slightly and sat down. Aella, having regained her composure, made Seamus feel uneasy for no reason.

*Could she have made contact with that bastard Motita? I have all the letters coming from him.*

Not only letters to the imperial palace from Ther, but even Ther’s letters going to the Petra family, he had people intercept. Seamus was thoroughly blocking any contact between Ther and Aella.

“I wonder what nonsense you’re going to spout. Go ahead. Not that I’ll listen to whatever it is.”

“You will listen. Because it’s something you have no choice but to listen to.”

Aella placed her hand on her belly and spoke.

Seamus’s gaze turned to Aella’s belly. As he stared at her belly with discomfort, her voice reached him.

“I am pregnant.”

“What?”

At Aella’s words, Seamus frowned and raised his gaze.

Aella’s green eyes, shining with calm, were annoyingly beautiful today. Seamus realized why Aella, who had been half-dead, looked the way she did today.

So this damned woman was confessing, right in front of her husband, that she was carrying another man’s child.

“Damn it.”

Seamus spat out a curse and then burst into laughter.

Aella grew tense at Seamus’s reaction. To not show her tension, Aella sat up straight.

“Aella! Aella! Damn it! Telling me right to my face that you’re carrying Ther Motita’s child! You brazen—!”

Seamus, who had been chuckling, suddenly turned cold and began to berate Aella.

Aella was trembling terribly, but she opened her mouth in a calm voice.

“Please grant me a divorce. Surely you cannot raise another man’s child as royal blood.”

“Shut your mouth, Aella!”

Seamus shouted, pounding his fist on the table in front of the couch.

Unable to contain his rage, Seamus rose from his seat and hurled the vase on the bedside table to the floor. The vase shattered with a crash.

That wasn’t the end. Seamus paced around the room like a madman and started smashing everything within reach.

Xenia, having heard the sounds of breaking, rushed inside. Appalled by Seamus’s appearance as he smashed things, Xenia ran to Aella.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

Xenia helped Aella to her feet as if supporting her. She meant to take Aella out, but Seamus, who had been throwing a painting hanging on the wall, suddenly yelled.

“Where do you think you’re taking her! Take your hands off her and get out immediately!”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, control yourself. If you continue this behavior, I will call the guard.”

“Diodis! How dare someone like you!”

At Xenia’s words, Seamus approached with a menacing face.

Startled by his appearance, Aella gently pushed Xenia away and spoke with a worried face.

“Xenia, go out. I’m fine, so go quickly.”

Aella was afraid Seamus would harm Xenia. She didn’t want to see Xenia get hurt because of her.

“But Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“I will talk to him. Please, Xenia.”

Aella pushed Xenia toward the door while watching Seamus’s reaction.

With no choice, Xenia left the room.

“Where are you going!”

As Seamus turned toward the door, Aella hurriedly grabbed him.

“Leave Xenia alone and talk to me.”

“I don’t want to hear any more about you being pregnant with Motita’s brat.”

Seamus growled in a low voice.

Aella was frightened by Seamus’s appearance, like a fierce beast, but she did not back down. To protect her child, she had to become strong.

“Please grant me a divorce. You find me repulsive anyway. This is a chance for you to live without seeing my repulsive face anymore. Everyone in the world will curse me, and His Majesty the Emperor will not blame Your Highness the Crown Prince either.”

“Aella, do you know what’s truly repulsive?”

Seamus let out a deep sigh and grabbed both of Aella’s shoulders. His hands on her shoulders tightened.

The grip digging into her shoulders was quite strong, and a faint groan escaped Aella’s lips.

“What’s truly repulsive is the world finding out that you’re carrying Motita’s child, not mine. That I lost to that bastard Motita! That I, the Crown Prince! That everyone finds out I lost my wife to that damned bastard Motita—that’s the most repulsive thing!”

Seamus grabbed Aella’s shoulders, shook her violently, and shouted.

Unable to contain his rage, Seamus shoved Aella onto the couch. Aella instinctively hugged her belly and breathed roughly.

Seamus looked down at Aella with a chilling expression.

“Congratulations, Crown Princess. Your pregnancy is a joyous occasion for the imperial family. His Majesty the Emperor will be pleased. Thanks to you, I’ll receive praise as well.”

Seamus let out a bitter laugh.

Aella shook her head at Seamus’s words.

“This is not the imperial family’s child. I told you, it’s not Your Highness the Crown Prince’s child.”

“Fuck, if you give birth to it, it’s my brat!”