Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 113

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝟑

The next day, Callisto heard the news that Crown Prince Ernst had left the Academy and returned to Flavi.

To leave Louise behind and depart first when it was his last day at the Academy……

He must have felt unwell after drinking that wine.

Callisto waited all day for the servant who went to identify the contents of the wine glass.

He was alone and anxious, wondering if there was actually a dangerous poison in it that might endanger the Crown Prince.

Finally, in the evening, the servant returned.

“A large amount of an insomnia treatment called ‘Illusia’ was detected in the wine,” he reported.

“Illusia?”

Callisto tilted his head at the unfamiliar name, and the servant spoke with an embarrassed expression.

“They said there was twenty times the recommended dosage in a single glass. Excuse me, but where did you collect the glass from?”

Callisto frowned deeply.

“What are the effects of the drug?”

“Firstly, it induces sleep and allows the user to see desired fantasies. It’s a mental drug, a very expensive one, used particularly for patients suffering from nightmares and insomnia. However, the amount used was excessive……”

The servant hesitated slightly and continued.

“Overusing it to this extent can cause serious side effects, such as loss of recent memory and the inability to distinguish between dreams and reality.”

Callisto pondered.

‘If the Tower Master is behind this, there’s no reason for him to use a mental drug on Ernst.’

The Tower Master would be one of the people who would hate the most to see Ernst drugged with sleeping pills and falling asleep next to Louise.

‘So, separately from him, it’s more likely that the Second Princess acted independently to target Louise……’

In short, she probably intended to make Louise sleep with someone else or create such a rumor to drive a wedge between him and Louise.

‘Then it was just a coincidence that Louise didn’t drink it.’

Callisto shook his head.

‘……How despicable.’

Then, the reason why the Crown Prince suddenly returned home made sense.

If his memory was lost or confused, with his meticulous personality, he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself.

Callisto decided to visit Louise again to inform her of the truth.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

As he walked down the hallway, he regretted not informing Louise of the suspicious circumstances beforehand.

‘I couldn’t tell her because I was worried I might be overreacting and misunderstanding……’

But when Louise saw Callisto, she was startled and began making excuses.

“D-don’t misunderstand. It’s not like that, Ren is…… Ren seems to be sick. That’s all.”

Callisto was stunned to hear the Tower Master’s name come from Louise’s lips.

‘I thought the Tower Master might be involved in this, but does this mean he was actually the victim of the Second Princess?’

Callisto sighed.

“What misunderstanding are you talking about? Where is the Tower Master?”

This time, the maid intervened.

“I apologize, Your Excellency. May I speak?”

Callisto nodded, looking at the maid who was cautiously observing her master.

The maid repeated what Louise had said.

“Please, truly, don’t misunderstand. Actually, the Tower Master-nim is currently in Her Highness’s room……”

Callisto couldn’t help but sigh once more.

“……Do you mean he fell asleep in Lou’s bedroom?”

The maid nodded in surprise, as if thinking, ‘How did he know?’

To dare use a magic drug on the Tower Master, the Second Princess must have gone mad.

It’s different from the Crown Prince of a vassal kingdom.

The Tower Master, Ren Dapht, wouldn’t be an easy opponent even for the Imperial Family to judge.

‘How does the Second Princess intend to take responsibility for this?’

Callisto barely managed to suppress his irritation and smiled kindly at Louise and the maid.

“You must have suddenly lost your place to sleep. Take Her Highness to my room and rest.”

Although the corners of his lips trembled slightly, Louise was still avoiding his gaze and didn’t notice.

“I have other things to do anyway, so I wasn’t planning to return to my room tonight.”

“What? No, Your Excellency. How could we possibly go to the men’s dormitory……”

“Then, are you going to sleep next to your master beside the Tower Master? I wouldn’t be able to bear that.”

Callisto managed to persuade the maid and succeeded in sending the two to his room.

There were two teacups on the table in Louise’s room, and again, only one was full.

The fragrance of the tea was so pleasant that he cursed himself for not revealing the suspicious circumstances to her beforehand.

‘It’s a stroke of luck that Louise didn’t drink the drugged drink two days in a row.’

But because of that, handling the situation became more complicated.

Since Louise didn’t drink her share as if she knew, it could appear to others as if she was the mastermind behind this.

However, it was also difficult for Callisto to reveal that he had spied on the Second Princess of the Imperial Palace and discovered that a pharmacist had visited her.

Moreover, that arrogant Tower Master wouldn’t be willing to testify that he was drugged.

But he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Callisto quietly but sternly protested to the Academy and found a few employees who had been bribed by the Second Princess.

Instead of firing them immediately, he made them promise to testify everything they knew in court if needed.

Of course, the Academy separately punished them with salary reductions and other measures.

Meanwhile, time passed.

In the end, he and Louise parted ways, pretending that nothing had happened, without any progress in their relationship.

‘I wish I had known sooner that she didn’t drink alcohol or tea because of her pregnancy.’

Thinking about it now, Louise must have already known that she was pregnant.

That’s why she avoided alcohol and was careful with her food.

It was only natural that Louise was angry, avoided him, and pretended not to know.

It was as if she had a child because of a night she couldn’t even remember.

She could have slapped him and demanded compensation, but even the fact that she was flustered and ran away from him was quite like her.

Later, the Crown Prince and the Tower Master, suffering from the side effects of ‘Illusia,’ started claiming to be the father of the child.

Callisto tried to ignore them, thinking they would come to their senses once the drug’s effects wore off completely, but he couldn’t help but feel hurt when even Louise played along with them.

‘Maybe I was too resentful and hateful.’

However, if Louise expected to push him away with such a shallow test, she was mistaken.

Ernst’s words that he didn’t care if the child wasn’t his were probably sincere.

But Callisto felt the same.

Anyway, he waited and waited for Louise’s permission.

Permission to reveal their night together to everyone and go to the Imperial Palace with her to propose.

But the side effects of ‘Illusia’ lasted much longer than expected.

It had already been going on for a year.

If he was the only one who could do it, he should have revealed the circumstances and punished the Second Princess back then.

Now, it had become too difficult to bring it up again.

Even though they often bickered, Callisto considered the Crown Prince and the Tower Master as friends in his heart.

Of course, now he had to put them aside and first seek the Emperor’s forgiveness.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

“Your Highness, actually……”

Phoebe came to my bedside, knelt, and apologized.

“I took the liberty of showing His Majesty the baby. I thought I could beg for forgiveness that way…… I was wrong.”

Phoebe only did what I should have done.

‘Lurik definitely likes babies.’

Moreover, since Prillice resembles me so much, he’s sure to adore her.

Now that Lurik’s anger has subsided a bit after Ernst’s visit, I was planning to show him the baby soon anyway.

“It’s okay, get up, Phoebe.”

Phoebe hesitantly stood up.

“So, what did my brother say?”

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