Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 28

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖
The next day, we returned to the Imperial Palace using Ren’s magic, bypassing Heim for the sake of using the gate.

It was thanks to Lurik and Ren, who agreed that it was best to move me to a safe and comfortable place quickly.

“You can see His Majesty alone. You should go to your room and rest.”

Thanks to Lurik’s consideration, I was able to return to the detached palace quickly, but even after arriving, there was no time to rest.

“Lou.”

The Flavi Crown Prince, Ernst Savoia Larion, had arrived before me in the hallway in front of my room.

“Erni……”

He hugged me as if he had met a long-lost family member, even though we had only been apart for about a week.

“Are you alright? I was so worried when I heard you were sick……”

A familiar and sweet scent enveloped me comfortably.

Unexpectedly, I felt a sense of relief as if I had come home.

‘Right, I saw it in the diary too.’

Ernst was someone Louise relied on more than her own family.

As his large hand patted my back and stroked my hair, the tension I had been feeling around Lurik finally melted away.

However, the hug, which felt like a brief respite, didn’t last long.

“Oh, yeah. Thanks for taking care of Lou all this time?”

Soon, Ren appeared, growling like he had found prey.

“If you’re grateful, why don’t you step away?”

I thought he had gone to greet the Emperor upon his return, but apparently not.

After Ernst’s palm slowly separated from me, Ren opened my door as if it were his own.

Then, he spoke irritably.

“I’ve been patient enough. I can’t give in anymore. Lou needs to see a doctor right now.”

Ernst spoke with concern.

“Is her condition that bad?”

Ren shook his head.

“We need to ask a doctor whether it’s good or bad.”

“He’s right.”

Phoebe answered on my behalf, making Ernst flinch.

He acted as if he had just noticed her presence.

Unfazed, Phoebe continued,

“But it’s dangerous to meet a doctor in the city carelessly. Your Highness’s appearance is especially easy to recognize.”

Ernst quickly grasped that Phoebe had figured out our secret and replied,

“But we can’t go to a doctor who’s so incompetent that they wouldn’t recognize Lou.”

I had already been examined by a random doctor in the city, but I kept my mouth shut, pretending otherwise.

Phoebe intervened again.

“I overheard the noble ladies talking at the last banquet, and they mentioned a doctor in the city who specializes in house calls. They said he’s discreet and knows a little about magical tools.”

“I’ll take care of finding him.”

Ernst replied, and Ren sighed.

“Then I guess I’ll have to go to the Magic Tower.”

“Why the Magic Tower?”

I asked, and Ren explained.

“How can I trust a discreet doctor? We can use a wig for her hair, but not for her eyes. If he’s a doctor who handles magical tools, deception won’t work.”

Phoebe was the first to nod.

“Then please, Ren-nim.”

Ren knelt on one knee in front of me with a somewhat stiff and formal manner and extended his hand.

However, once I gave him my hand, his lips on the back of my hand lingered until Ernst cleared his throat.

“Promise me you’ll wait patiently without overexerting yourself, Lou.”

Once again, Phoebe answered on my behalf.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on her.”

His large palm briefly brushed my cheek, then he took out two small orbs from his pocket and offered them to me.

“The red one is a summoning orb, so only use it in emergencies. It’s something the old man made a long time ago, so I don’t have many.”

A summoning orb?

I bewilderedly accepted them and tucked them into my pocket.

The blue orb, with no explanation, seemed to be a regular communication orb.

“I’ll be back, Ren.”

He took a few steps toward the fireplace and disappeared, and I turned to Ernst.

“Sorry, Erni.”

He smiled brightly.

“I know. You need to rest, Lou. I was too worried not to come see you.”

He started to kneel on one knee but hesitated.

“I don’t like indirect kisses.”

Chuckling, I grabbed his hand and kissed it instead.

“See you later.”

Sweet affection welled up like honey in his artistic golden eyes.

After he left, Phoebe shook her head.

“So, all those men want to be the father of the baby?”

“……That’s right.”

I replied as if talking about someone else’s story and had to avoid Phoebe’s intense gaze.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

“Can you be alone for a moment? If you’re okay, I’d like to pretend to pass by and meet Viscountess Cellas for a moment.”

Naturally, the thing I looked forward to most while returning to the Imperial Palace was the diary.

As much as I had been waiting for some alone time, I became curious when Phoebe suddenly mentioned visiting an unexpected person.

“Why Viscountess Cellas?”

Phoebe explained.

“Recently, I heard that Viscountess Jadique, Viscountess Cellas’s sister, is pregnant with her second child. And it seems like Viscountess Cellas helped her a lot during her first pregnancy.”

Then she winked and added,

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Even if I’m curious about Viscountess Jadique’s pregnancy, no one will think it’s because of you.”

“Th-that’s true……”

Reluctantly agreeing, Phoebe said,

“I have a sister-in-law too, right? Even though she’s not pregnant yet, I can just say I’m trying to learn in advance for her.”

“Don’t overdo it, Phoebe.”

“Leave it to me.”

Phoebe cheerfully said goodbye and left the room.

I let out a sigh of relief and sat down at the desk.

‘It’s been a week, so a new diary entry should appear, right?’

It would be even better if multiple pages appeared since time has passed.

With that thought, I placed my finger on the embossed pattern of the blank page.

As if my thoughts had hit the mark, letters started to appear immediately.

Year 16 of Charles, Ninth Month, Sixth Day.

Today was the third day Callisto-seonbae guided me through the Academy.

Our final destination was the library, and he showed me his enormous designated seat in the reading room and told me I could use the seat next to him.

I wanted to refuse because it felt burdensome, but he acted as if I had already accepted and placed a quill pen on the desk, saying I could take it since he didn’t need it.

I followed Louise’s academy life from four years ago with anticipation, but the diary ended abruptly.

‘Is this the Imperial version of ‘I found it on the street’?’

How long will Callisto’s blundering continue?

Sighing, I turned the page of the diary.

Hoping against hope, I placed my finger on the embossed pattern of the next page.

Surprisingly, the next diary entry appeared.

‘What a surprise……!’

Callisto’s name appeared again.

Today, I visited the seat Callisto-seonbae offered me in the library and was surprised.

I didn’t notice it yesterday, but the quill pen he gave me had five magic stones embedded in the shaft.

In the Empire, magic stones are so expensive that they are rarely used as jewels……

Even though magic stones are as common as dirt in Babenberg, the fact that even a second son without inheritance rights can be this extravagant……

It’s unbearably depressing compared to my situation as the useless youngest in the Imperial Palace.

I had a feeling this was going to be bad……

Yes, the next failed fling……

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Meanwhile, Lurik was in an audience with the Emperor.

“So, you say you couldn’t stop by Babenberg because of your youngest sister’s poor health?”

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

Lurik added, lest the Emperor find fault with Louise’s health.

“It seems she experienced aftereffects from using the gate and then the Tower Master’s teleportation magic in a single day.”

However, the Emperor’s interest was not in his daughter’s health but elsewhere.

“Hmm. It’s a shame that the Grand Duke expressed his feelings, but it didn’t work out.”

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