Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 15

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓
The next morning, Phoebe said,

“Her Highness Princess Chilla sent a message through a maid, saying she’ll be stopping by after breakfast.”

It was probably because Ren and Callisto had been growling at each other until right before they left the Imperial Palace the day before, but it was a morning where my body felt sluggish and my arms and legs felt even heavier.

I forced myself to get up and get ready at the news, which was both new and incredibly dreadful.

As my mind cleared, worries surged in like a tidal wave.

‘What if Chilla, driven mad by jealousy, tries to drag me down with her?’

I couldn’t tolerate anything that would hinder my trip to Babenberg.

I had to meet Helena right away to leave the Imperial Palace before my pregnancy started to show.

“Um, Phoebe.”

So I said to Phoebe,

“Would you tell my brother to join me for breakfast?”

“Oh my, really?”

Phoebe, overjoyed, went to deliver the message.

‘Well, that’s because Phoebe is the typical supporting character who has a crush on the male protagonist.’

Of course, I’m also a dust-like supporting character, but there’s no need to just sit still and let the predictable happen.

‘What’s the point of having a scary protagonist brother?’

However, when I went to the small annex dining hall, Lurik, sitting alone, looked terribly precarious.

‘Yikes, what’s wrong with his eyes again?’

He was definitely fine just yesterday, but a dark swirl was almost completely covering one of his eyes.

“Oh, brother?”

I called out cautiously, but Lurik just stared at his soup bowl as if he hadn’t heard me.

Hoping he wouldn’t be too startled, I carefully reached out and touched his shoulder.

“Brother.”

Lurik finally looked up at me.

The black swirl in one of his eyes spun around a few times as if it were about to disappear, then settled down as if to taunt me.

Gritting my teeth, I placed my palm on Lurik’s forehead.

“Brother.”

This time, he flinched and grabbed my wrist.

Perhaps due to the large movement, the black energy in his eyes slowly dispersed.

Lurik, finally recognizing me, asked,

“What?”

I quickly made an excuse at his cold question.

“I’m sorry. You were sitting blankly, and your cheeks were flushed…… so I wondered if you had a fever.”

“Fever?”

He repeated my words as if they were absurd.

I used my other hand, which wasn’t being held, to touch Lurik’s forehead again.

“Hmm……”

Then I smiled at the (soon-to-be-redeemed) villainous male lead, who was frowning at me.

“Still, you don’t seem to have a fever. That’s a relief, brother.”

In the meantime, Lurik seemed to have calmed down a bit.

He softened his sharp demeanor and asked, but his tone was still cold.

“Why the sudden invitation to breakfast? Do you have something specific to say?”

It was the fourth day since Lurik had returned.

Considering how he had shown affection to his younger sister, almost unworthy of the title of villain, a cold wind seemed to be blowing from him this morning.

I hid my bewilderment and sat down.

“Rather than having something specific to say…… I’m grateful that you granted my request to go to the monastery.”

“……Ha.”

He let out a hollow laugh.

While I was inwardly shocked by his rude behavior, Lurik replied,

“Yesterday, I saw that going to pray was just an excuse. Was your real intention to stop by Babenberg Castle?”

“What?”

I asked back in disbelief, then realized he had completely misunderstood something.

‘He doesn’t even know that I planned this long trip, in my delicate condition as a pregnant woman, to meet the female lead because of him!’

In a moment of feeling wronged, or perhaps due to hormonal influence, tears welled up in my eyes and words spilled out.

How could you, with those thick arms and legs, understand the fragility of a pregnant woman?!

“That’s too much, brother!”

Lurik stared at me with surprised eyes.

“I was worried His Majesty wouldn’t allow the trip to the distant monastery, so I asked the Grand Duke separately for help! Stopping by Babenberg is better than not being able to go to the monastery at all!”

The more I spoke, the angrier I became.

I put down the spoon I had been holding and stood up, pushing my chair back.

“It’s really upsetting that you always misunderstand me, brother! I swear I was going for your sake!”

Lurik seemed startled by my outburst.

“Lou, that’s not what I meant……”

What do you mean, it’s not?

“If that’s not it, then what other reason could there be for me to go all the way to Babenberg Castle! The Grand Duke can visit the Imperial Palace whenever he wants anyway!”

“No……”

As I stomped my feet and left the table, Lurik chased after me and grabbed my wrist.

“I thought, I thought you had secretly chosen a marriage partner.”

What is he talking about?

I looked up at him with teary eyes.

“What?”

“We haven’t seen each other for three years…… I haven’t seen you grow this much. I thought you were leaving again as soon as we met.”

“……What?”

Lurik continued to explain.

“I thought you were going to check out the place beforehand since His Majesty would likely approve of the Grand Duke of Babenberg……”

No, this is a really big problem if I keep listening!

Isn’t it abundantly clear that I have to leave soon?!

‘Helena, you are at the monastery right now, aren’t you?’

I desperately repeated the name of the female lead I had never met and threw my arms around Lurik.

“That’s absurd, brother.”

Please don’t go berserk because of me!

“Is the Grand Duke the only one courting me? I haven’t decided on a marriage partner yet.”

Because I don’t even know who the father of my child is!

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Although we had a brief black comedy skit, we were able to calm down and have breakfast together.

Perhaps due to the effect of the hug, seeing Lurik’s more stable appearance deepened my worries.

‘That damn magic sword.’

Even in the midst of this, I glanced at the magic sword hanging from his waist.

Come to think of it, that sword was the root of all this.

So, what did I write……?

……Rampage.

Lurik had lived half his life exposed to the influence of the magic sword, and he had lost his mind, unable to handle the accumulated magical power any longer.

The startled Emperor belatedly tried to take the magic sword from him, but the sword clung to Lurik like it was a part of him and wouldn’t come off.

Well, that was about it.

‘But then, could the sword be separated from Lurik before the rampage?’

I briefly entertained the thought while glancing at the magic sword again, but soon came to the conclusion that it was a dangerous idea.

‘It’s a sword overflowing with magical power.’

I’m just a commoner, not the female lead Helena who has divine power. If I touch it wrong, I’ll be done for.

Moreover, I’m pregnant.

‘There’s no reason to worry about this or that. I just need to get to the monastery quickly and meet Helena.’

While I was steeling my resolve, Lurik cautiously asked,

“Are you finished eating, Lou? Are you feeling…… better?”

“Feeling better? Not really.”

I purposely pouted and got up from my seat.

Lurik hurriedly followed suit, so I subtly linked my arm with his.

“If you come to my room and join me for tea, I might feel a little better?”

He chuckled.

“It’s quite understandable why they all fall for you.”

I widened my eyes as if it were absurd.

“But none of them upset me like you do, brother.”

Lurik’s lips finally curved into a gentle smile.

“Then no one can be invited to your tea time.”

“Exactly.”

We returned to my room, acting like proper siblings.

As I expected, Chilla had arrived first.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

“Oh my.”

Chilla saw us entering the room together and rose from her seat.

“Second Brother.”

She greeted Lurik with a bright smile, then glanced at me.

“Louise, I sent word that I would be stopping by after breakfast…… Did you not receive it?”

I blinked innocently.

“Of course I did, sister! I thought it would be nice to have tea time together since you were visiting the annex, so I brought my brother as well! We’re a little late because of that.”

It was a preposterous story for Lurik.

As a gesture of apology, I squeezed his arm a little tighter, and he seemed to have taken it as a different request.

Lurik greeted her with a slightly awkward expression.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other outside of official settings, Chilla.”

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