Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 75

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟓
A few days later, Ren came to visit with the items he had promised.

I was amazed as I looked at the lights with small stars and moons hanging from them.

“Amazing, they’re so pretty.”

When I hung the lights over the baby’s bed, they twinkled softly.

‘The baby will like it, right?’

The thought brought a smile to my face.

“You know, Ren. I think it would be nice to hang these lights in one place and have them slowly spin around. Could you make them move automatically like a rocking chair?”

Unexpectedly, Ren held out a contract.

“Okay. This is the lighting contract where the Magic Tower will be the main party in the transaction. Lu devised the design and the content states that he will take 40% of the generated profit. We made a separate contract with the glass workshop.”

“……I just mentioned it, and you’re giving me 40%?”

He smiled faintly.

“In times like these, you can haggle for more. It’s your design.”

Then he held out another contract.

“This is the rocking chair contract that Lu wants, you’re going to give the contract to the furniture maker, right?”

“Yes.”

The main party in the rocking chair contract was the furniture maker, and it stated that I and the Magic Tower would distribute the profits as previously agreed upon.

‘I haven’t told the furniture maker yet that I have to give 40% to the Magic Tower……’

While I was worrying about that, Ren showed me the automatic rocking chair sample in operation.

“Wow……!”

Every time the low rocking chair moved back and forth, purple magic stones on both sides of the chair legs glowed.

He must have done something to the wood, as the armrests had a glossy surface.

“Assuming you use it for about six hours a day, it will take about two years for the magic power to be completely depleted. You can replace the magic stones if you want, but it will be expensive.”

“That’s fine. What do you think would be a good price?”

Ren replied nonchalantly.

“A thousand crowns.”

“What?”

A thousand crowns was equivalent to the price Ernst paid for a certain Duchess’s entire furniture set at the auction.

Ren shrugged.

“The Magic Tower’s magic tools are originally priced as high as you can ask. This is a luxury item anyway, so the more expensive it is, the more people will want it, right? It’s easier for me if I make fewer.”

Then I would earn a hundred crowns per chair.

The furniture maker would still have 500 crowns left even after giving 40% to the Magic Tower.

‘This is very small, so the material cost will be low, too.’

I unconsciously placed my hand on my slightly protruding belly.

‘Baby, just in case, Mommy will save a lot of money.’

But either my expression was too transparent, or Ren seemed to be able to read minds.

He laughed in disbelief, reached out, and held one of my cheeks.

“Lu, are you worried about money right now? You know that’s quite new and absurd, right……?”

Thinking about the potential fathers, worrying about money seemed quite useless, but it’s good to prepare for the future as much as possible.

It could be that the baby isn’t any of theirs, or that a future awaits where Lurik chases me out of the Imperial Palace.

“It’s not worry, it’s just that the more money, the better, right?”

I tried to make an excuse, but it was impossible to convince Ren.

He raised one eyebrow with a suspicious look.

“……Have you been getting too close to the Grand Duke lately?”

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Ten days later, at the Imperial Palace.

In the audience chamber where all the ministers and officials were gathered, the Empress knelt and pleaded with tears.

“Dethronement? What sin has the Crown Prince committed to warrant discussion of dethronement! Your Majesty! How can you do this!”

The Emperor growled lowly.

“He is not your son alone. Do you think I am at ease? I told you clearly not to be greedy.”

An old minister stepped towards the Empress and bowed his head.

“If the Crown Prince continues to hold onto the will to live and persevere, if we wait a little longer……”

He was one of the distant relatives of the Damiani family, the Empress’s family, but none of the other nobles in the audience chamber seemed to be on the old minister’s side.

Ignoring the minister’s words, the Emperor coldly ordered.

“Tower Master, explain the Crown Prince’s condition.”

Ren immediately opened his mouth.

“I apologize, but His Highness the Crown Prince has shown no improvement since he collapsed. I suspect that he is only maintaining his life thanks to the life-sustaining magic. If the magic is removed, he may not even survive tonight……”

“Insolent!”

The Empress shouted as she jumped to her feet.

Streaked tears flowed down her makeup-smeared face.

She shouted at the assembled nobles.

“Have you all forgotten who you owe your positions to! I am Dorothea Damiani! My son is alive and well! If this is not an insult to me, what is!”

The Empress screamed, but the nobles only lowered their heads to avoid her gaze.

It had not even been a year since the arduous territorial war ended.

The Empire needed a Crown Prince who was more than just alive.

‘And that’s not all. Lurik’s attitude has been strange since the training ground incident.’

So this would also be an opportunity for the Emperor.

The Emperor wanted to give the impression that he had chosen Lurik himself, not because Hart was dead and he had to reluctantly give the Crown Prince position to Lurik, but because Hart was alive and he still chose Lurik.

The Emperor asked the Chief Justice.

“Chief Justice. What is the procedure for dethroning the Crown Prince due to health issues?”

The Chief Justice, dressed in his robes, stood there in a rather perfunctory manner.

“There is no precedent, but since His Highness the Crown Prince is unable to stand trial, I believe the trial can be omitted.”

The trials at the Imperial Palace were mainly held to advertise the fairness of the Imperial Family to the nobles, so the Chief Justice was always the first to step forward and take the Emperor’s side most thoroughly.

“Th-this……!”

The Empress staggered, exhausted from crying, but the Emperor finally declared.

“We cannot jeopardize the Empire due to personal reasons. We hereby dethrone Crown Prince Hart Theuderic Brentania.”

“Your Majesty……!”

As the Empress sat alone, sobbing, the nobles all bowed their heads in unison.

“It is a just decision, Your Majesty.”

Thus, after 15 years, the era of Crown Prince Hart came to an end.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

On the eve of the last night of the year, the masks Ernst had ordered arrived.

“Wow! They’re so beautiful, Your Highness!”

The mask he had ordered for me was a bright red one that covered half of my face, and it was incredibly gorgeous with silver lace wings like butterflies decorating around both eyes.

“Phoebe, try it on too.”

Phoebe’s mask was made entirely of lace, making it both beautiful and comfortable to wear.

It seemed to have been made with the consideration that, unlike me, she didn’t need to hide her face.

“Thank you so much for thinking of me as well.”

Phoebe said happily to Ernst.

I took out the remaining mask from the box and asked.

“Which one is Erni’s? I want to see it.”

Then Ernst reached out and grabbed the black mask in my hand.

The shiny black mask was decorated with a fancy gold rim, and its asymmetrical shape was stylish.

When Ernst put on the mask, his golden eyes peeking through the gold rim twinkled like an illusion.

“It really suits you, Erni.”

I was stunned in admiration, but soon I made eye contact with him and took the mask off with a serious expression.

“But it’s such a waste to cover your face.”

Ernst suddenly blushed.

His beautiful golden eyes wandered around, not knowing what to do.

“Lu, don’t say things like that……”

Why? Wasn’t it completely true?

I was confused, not knowing why, when Callisto appeared.

“Where’s mine?”

He seemed to have just arrived, and without even greeting, he started looking for his mask as if he had left it there.

Ernst pointed his chin at the remaining mask in the box.

Callisto bent down, checked the mask, and his face crumpled.

“……Are you kidding me?”

The mask Phoebe picked up instead was a white fox mask.

A shiny white fox shape with sharp, reddish-black eyes.

Ernst shamelessly shrugged.

“What’s wrong with it? You said I could choose the shape, right?”

The atmosphere was so dangerous that it felt like Callisto would leave the place right away if I left things as they were.

Phoebe rolled her eyes dramatically, signaling me to help.

I had no choice but to receive the fox mask.

“Oh my, it’s pretty.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Then I approached Callisto.

“Come sit here, Cal. I’ll put it on for you.”

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