Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 31

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏
“Yes?”

Jesus immediately shook his head.

“Those are absurd words spoken by ignorant fools. Please don’t mind them.”

“Answer me directly, Deputy Commander. I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

At the sharp rebuke, Jesus unconsciously had to wet his lips.

“I merely asked if you had seen it yourself.”

Although the Second Prince, his superior, was somewhat gruff and demanding, he was generally a quick-witted and intelligent commander.

Perhaps due to the weakness of not being born to the Empress, he lacked the arrogance typical of royalty or high nobles who looked down on those of lower status.

Deputy Commander Jesus both feared and respected such a superior, so he could not lie to his question.

“……The first time I saw it was after dark, and I was tired, so I thought I saw it wrong, but……”

“But you’ve seen it since then?”

Jesus bent one knee and bowed his head.

“Jesus Til Natavion, I swear on my family’s honor. The notion that the change in eye color is due to the influence of evil spirits is a preposterous rumor.”

Lurik smiled bitterly.

“You’re talking too much, Jesus. How many times have you seen it?”

His adjutant opened his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

“……About four or five times, I’ve seen it. However, it never lasted for a long time.”

“Did it look like a symptom of any illness? Madness, perhaps?”

Jesus held his breath imperceptibly, keeping his head bowed.

“Seeing you perfectly fine the next day, I assumed it wasn’t an illness. You’ve never made a wrong judgment based on the change in appearance, so it can’t be madness either. In my foolish way……”

His added voice was small.

“I’ve wondered if it might be the influence of the magic sword.”

Lurik gave a hollow laugh.

“The influence of the magic sword, you say.”

But Jesus seemed serious.

“I looked into it myself…… and it’s rare for eye color to change completely depending on mood or other circumstances. So I wondered what it was that you, Commander, possess that others don’t.”

Lurik shook his head.

“It’s just a sword that some mage gave a random name to. Doesn’t it occur to you that it’s the enemy’s blood spilled here, not this sword, that’s the problem?”

Jesus finally lifted his head and answered firmly.

“Since becoming a member of the Charles Knights, upholding the will of His Imperial Majesty, I have never once been ashamed of the direction my sword has moved.”

Lurik nodded lightly.

“You may leave.”

After Jesus left with heavy footsteps, Lurik touched the hilt of his sword as if it were his own flesh.

“I’ve wondered if it might be the influence of the magic sword.”

The absurd words his adjutant left behind echoed in his ears.

‘I’ve always carried this sword as if it were a part of my body.’

But that was because of the Emperor’s recognition embodied in the sword.

He had only believed the legend that the first Tower Master had melted the heart of a magical beast to create it when he was a child, before obtaining the sword.

‘Aren’t I too old to believe such tales now?’

Even as he thought this, Lurik couldn’t bring himself to part with the sword, continuing to caress the hilt.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

“It’ll be four months next week. The baby is very healthy.”

I thought Ren would brag about hearing the baby’s heartbeat when he saw Ernst, but unexpectedly, he omitted that part.

‘Is it because it would be troublesome if Erni insisted on hearing it too?’

I felt like my soul was being snatched away every time Ren, with his ferocious face, pulled off such incredible tricks, so I just sat there blankly.

“Then we can say that Your Highness has two months left.”

Phoebe said cheerfully as she removed my wig.

“Phew. Still, I’m relieved that the baby is healthy.”

“But the physician didn’t look too good when he heard about you collapsing.”

Ren said with a worried face.

Actually, it was because I had asked for his help while revealing my plan to go to recuperate.

“He said to be careful for the next few weeks until you reach a stable period.”

Phoebe nodded seriously as she combed my hair, which was messed up because of the wig.

“I understand. So it’s okay for me to keep taking Ren-nim’s morning sickness medicine?”

“Yes.”

Ernst placed his hand on Ren’s shoulder.

“Good work.”

Ren nodded perfunctorily.

Normally, he would have been furious, saying that he didn’t need to be acknowledged by Ernst, but it seemed he was holding back because he was pleased to have heard the heartbeat alone.

Yet, he still said,

“By the way, that physician, did he modify his stethoscope using a magical tool?”

“Really?”

Ernst tilted his head, as if he hadn’t heard such a rumor either.

It seemed the noble guests had kept the physician’s secret very well.

“Well, it was crude, but…… I’ll have to look into it. If there’s anything that could help Lou, it’s better to develop it myself.”

I suddenly realized that the man who had been attached to my side, acting as my means of transportation, was the only Tower Master in the Empire.

“Are you going back to the Magic Tower?”

When I asked, Ren came closer and stroked my cheek as if I were cute.

“Contact me immediately if you have any other symptoms. Even minor ones. Got it?”

Before I could even nod, Ernst interjected.

“I’ll be close until he returns. I can’t leave Lou alone.”

Ren nodded, albeit reluctantly, and whispered in my ear,

“Even when you just miss me.”

I didn’t miss the opportunity and whispered back to him,

“If there’s a medicine that makes me look pale, send it to me.”

Instead of answering, Ren gently rubbed his cheek against mine and finally pulled away.

While I was blushing involuntarily, the fireplace flared up.

My mage disappeared in the blink of an eye.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Immediately, a disgruntled voice came from behind me.

“Why do I feel like you can’t take your eyes off Ren all of a sudden……?”

Startled, I turned around to see Ernst pouting and complaining.

“Did he finally cast a charm spell on you?”

“I, I never……!”

I denied it immediately, but Phoebe cut in.

“Was there even such a spell?”

Actually, I was suspicious too, but Ernst just smiled it off.

“Of course not. If there was, Ren would have kidnapped Lou to the Magic Tower two years ago. Of course, Master Moghald would have stopped him.”

Master Moghald?

I immediately realized that the unfamiliar name was the name of Ren’s teacher that he had mentioned.

‘Right, it’s similar to the signature on the mark.’

As I was trying to figure out what to say to hear more about ‘Master Moghald,’ Phoebe conveniently spoke.

“Master Moghald would have done that. Is he still wandering around reading the stars these days?”

Ernst shrugged.

“He’s a complete eccentric. No wonder he’s Ren’s teacher. He doesn’t seem to be in contact with Ren at all these days.”

In short, the only person who could confirm the magic on the diary was incommunicado.

‘Sigh, I thought things were going too smoothly.’

I was disappointed, but I quickly changed my mind.

If Moghald was close enough to Louise to cast a spell on her diary, it would look very suspicious for me to suddenly want to know the contents of the diary.

‘Louise must have hidden the diary with a purpose.’

While I was making such calculations, Ernst cleared his throat.

Then, his secretary appeared, holding a small box, and said,

“This is a gift that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has prepared for you, Lady-in-Waiting.”

“Oh my……”

Phoebe looked at Ernst and asked,

“What is this, Your Highness?”

“A bribe.”

Ernst answered directly without denying it, but he smiled so beautifully that the word ‘bribe’ seemed to transform into another beautiful word.

‘Aren’t you the one who’s using the charm magic?’

While I was reasonably suspicious, Phoebe opened the box and gasped.

“Wow……”

Then she smiled brightly at Ernst.

“I suddenly remembered something urgent. Could Your Highness attend to our Princess for a while?”

Ernst’s rosy lips parted in a smile as if he had received the most joyful proposal in the world.

“It would be my honor, Phoebe.”

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