Volume 7 Chapter 1 Part 5
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Translation by burnt.marshmallows
Editing by Team Foxsunes
On his white delicate skin, that resembled alabaster, were pearl-like teardrops. Just like me from a few moments ago, teardrops fell down his face one after another. I could not find words to express the beauty of the sight. As his tears stained his cheeks, that man’s beautiful voice shook.
「So a child between you and me, will be born. 」
「Yes. Our child will be born. 」
It wouldn’t be immediately, We couldn’t be sure, at least until we reached the stable period. But what was certain was that, in my stomach right now was a newly-formed life. A child, between me and that man.
「ーーLet me, express my gratitude.」
Although his eloquent tongue was one of his many assets, he spoke uncharacteristically slow. In turn, that showed just how he was really feeling currently.
「Thank, you.」
His words were awkward and clumsy. It could have been that his voice, trembling from crying, wasn’t able to form words other than those. That man just stood there in complete silence. Well well, I laughed. Is that all? Is the question that popped up in my head again, albeit only for an instant. But there was no way I could bring myself to say something so mean right now. Even I wasn’t thick-headed enough to not noticed the flood of emotions that were embedded in his voice.
「Thank you, from me as well.」
Thank you for granting me this child. Thank you for being so happy. With all those emotions in mind, I raised my hand to that man’s face, and wiped the tears flowing down his face. His tears were so warm that it felt as though they could burn my skin.
I felt like it had been a very long time since I last saw this man cry. I think the last time I had seen this man’s tears was probably when we had just gotten married. It was when a curse was placed on me. It was when I had collapsed from being stabbed by Celves Sin Ronein, the culprit who cast the curse on me. But the tears I saw now were completely different from those from that day. These tears were full of kindness. They were tears filled with joy.
He came behind me. He didn’t embrace me as strongly as he always did. It was as though he had left a space for the baby. It was an embrace filled with consideration.
「Perhaps the auspicious occasion that Sir Snow had been talking about was this.」
「……Yes, you’re right. If there was an event more auspicious than this, I would surely die of happiness.」
「Oh dear, that would certainly be unfortunate. We still have a long way to go, you know, Father? 」
I teased him, seeing how he was acting unusually child-like. In the back of my head, I could hear Snow’s laughter.「See, it’s just like I said right?」I could almost see him flaunting, with his all chest puffed up.
There was no doubt that he had heard about this from the spirits when we had departed from the Blue Sky Desert. That was why he told us about the「great happiness」, and why he sent us the costume for「auspicious occasions」. He truly was a mischievous young man, all the way to the end.
As those thoughts appeared in a corner of my head, that man buried his face in my shoulder. I could feel my dress getting soaked with his tears. Seeing that man cry without signs of stopping, I started to get teary-eyed too. My vision was blurred by the salty liquid.
「Nevertheless, I never imagined I could hear your straightforward words of thanks. Maybe instead of snow, there’ll be a large rainbow across the night sky tonight.」
「Say whatever you want.」
His sulky sobbing voice tickled my ears. The remarks I made as I teared up were meant as a joke. But for some reason, I got the sense that it wasn’t completely a joke either.
Like that, we stayed there drowning in our happiness until that man’s disciple, young Widnichol came. It wasn’t surprising to see how panicked he was when he saw us both drenched in our own tears.
* * *
The fact that I was expecting had not been announced publicly. It was a given, seeing that I had not yet reached the stable period. I didn’t want to think about it, but nothing could be confirmed until the baby had actually been safely born, Of course, giving birth always came with a certain risk. Even if this was the child of Valgentum Kingdom’s head magician, there were no exceptions. We had decided that we would hold off making an announcement at least until I reached the stable period. ……..At least, that was how it was supposed to go.
Things were never as simple in reality. No matter how stealthy I was, it was impossible to conceal the presence of the man who would accompany me to Dr. Lindeburg’s office every single time. Naturally, it was impossible to stop people from talking. Before I knew it, rumors had spread throughout the country that the kingdom’s head magician was expecting a child.
That man seemed to have expected this to happen to a certain extent, but I never imagined that it would be so serious. It seemed that I had yet again underestimated this man’s title as the kingdom’s head magician, as a hero who would save the world, as a pure black magic-user.
Having only told our family members of my pregnancy, I was blamed by acquaintances who had heard the rumors, for not telling them sooner. At the forefront of that, were the members of the Demon Lord subjugation team.
We received a staggering amount of complaints about being standoffish, me from the princess, and that man from the head knight. We even received a letter from the hero from Schtorenvihein region, despite how far it was from the capital.「Is it true that you guys are expecting?」I could almost see the resentment enveloped in his letter. They say that bad news travels fast. But considering how this wasn’t even bad news, why this rumor traveled so fast was beyond me.
Even I, who barely appeared in public events, felt the limits of holding off the declaration. There was no doubt that it was even harder for him. In the end, partially also because of the support we received from the people around us, we finally announced my pregnancy officially a few days ago.. Regardless of how people really felt, on the surface, we were congratulated by people all around. Congratulatory wishes and presents were brought to both Lancent mansion, as well as that man’s research lab.
Which brings us to tonight. As the country became enveloped in a celebratory mood, we were thankfully able to host a small celebration party in the Lancent mansion, with our close family and friends.
The participants were: the stars of the event, the man I called my husband and I, everyone from the Adina family, Uncle Lancent, as well as the members from the Demon Lord subjugation team who were in the capital. It couldn’t be helped that the Hero, who lived far away, was unable to join. Nonetheless, it was still a pity. It seemed that the Hero had thought so as well. He had sent a letter with celebratory wishes, filled with kindness and happiness, as well as vegetables he had grown himself. 「It would suit that rascal more to call himself a farmer rather than a noble or a hero. 」Even after all this time, that man who couldn’t seem to be honest with his own feelings, still maintained his stance.
Putting that aside, in the Lancent household mansion, I sat beside that man on the sofa, surrounded by the various celebratory gifts we had received, and by the smiles all around us. My beloved brother, Fernan, knelt in front of me. His eyes, the same color as mine, sparkled as he held my hand. He began:
「Let me just congratulate you again, my dear sister!」
「Thank you Fernan. But can’t get all excited It hasn’t really all sunken in yet.」
「I’m sure you of all people will make an amazing mother. I guarantee it. 」
「Hehe, that’s reassuring to hear. 」
Pat pat. I couldn’t help but laugh at my brother pounding his own chest while saying that. After growing out of his sis-con stage, there were zero signs of my brother getting romantically involved anywhere. But it seems that, ever since rumors of my pregnancy started spreading, quite a few matchmaking portraits from ladies his age have been sent to the Adina household. Dear brother, it’s time for you to face your reality. It’ll be your turn next.
Not noticing what I had been quietly thinking, he continued to hold my hand while giving me the widest of smiles. Sitting beside me, that man glanced over at my brother. Having noticed the stares that that man was giving him, my brother’s happy expression switched to one of utter contempt. Completely ignoring my brother’s expression, that man gave a spiteful smile.
「Don’t you have anything to say to me?」
「No.」
He replied immediately. His answer was so cold that it almost felt refreshing. However, the man sitting beside me was not waiting for my brother to back off as a kind gentleman would. That man’s smile deepened. Part of me thought that that smile was the pinnacle of beauty. But that all the more made it seem as though he was trying to tease him. Well, he was indeed teasing him.
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