Chapter 9
I was so startled that I stopped eavesdropping and hurried out into the hallway.
“Brother? Erni? What brings you all to my room so early in the morning…….”
Before I could even finish my sentence, Lurick interjected apologetically.
“I wasn’t trying to get to your room, I was just passing by, and I ran into the Crown Prince…….”
Ernst handed the tray he was holding to Phoebe and bowed deeply and respectfully.
“I apologize for disturbing you when you are busy after just returning……It was an honor to meet you, 2nd Imperial Prince.”
It was the most elegant way of saying “Get lost” that I had ever heard in my life.
Just as Lurick frowned, seemingly dumbfounded,
I saw a dark shadow flicker over his red eyes.
” Brother! ”
Startled, I grabbed his wrist.
‘𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦…!’
Lurick looked back at me with questioning eyes.
” Lou? ”
“Uh, um, would you like to read a book with me later? If…… If you have time.”
I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
Fortunately, the black shadow that was about to engulf his red eyes slowly dissipated.
” It would be a welcome change from attending banquets all day. If I have time…… I’ll stop by this evening.”
I let out a sigh of relief as I watched Lurick turn away.
‘𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦?’
But if I’m not around, who’s going to hold Lurick’s hand?
‘𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦.’
With that thought in mind, I glared at the pretty psychopath approaching me.
“You said it was a serious matter. Don’t tell me it’s about the name again?”
“The name? ”
Those beautiful golden eyes widened, then softened as if melting.
“Ah, the name is a serious issue, but…….”
As I entered the room, Ernst naturally followed behind me.
Phoebe discreetly set down the tray and left, and Ernst approached the tea table, hooked the infuser onto a teacup, and dropped in the tea leaves.
I finally calmed down and took a seat, watching him gracefully pour the tea from the kettle.
‘𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨.’
Only after Ernst had meticulously completed each step with his delicate and practiced hands did he sit down across from me.
” Lou…….”
When he trailed off with a sullen look, I immediately straightened up.
After all, I’m the one who’s pregnant.
‘𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘤𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦!’
Ernst continued.
“If you don’t want to ask His Highness for help, there’s only one solution. You need to get married before anyone finds out you’re pregnant.”
That’s what you think.
Because you think you’re the father.
‘𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘰.’
……Wouldn’t that make me seem like a huge piece of trash if I were to say that?
It’s too embarrassing, how can I say something like that?
‘𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦.’
What if I actually possessed some legendary femme fatale?
But then Ernst continued.
” I can’t deny that, as Cal claims, he’s in the most advantageous position. But here’s the thing.”
He reached across the table and briefly took my hand in his.
“If you were going to choose Cal, you could have done so at any time. But you ended up sitting here in front of me.”
Wait a minute, why is Cal’s name being mentioned now, and not Ren’s?
‘𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐’𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵!’
In fact, I’ve never even actually met him……!
Just then, an extremely unpleasant buzzing sound rang out from somewhere.
―Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Ernst’s brow furrowed slightly for the first time in front of me.
It was heart-stoppingly beautiful even then, but he didn’t look at me anymore.
Ernst sighed and pulled something out of his pocket.
―Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
It was the communication device I’d been wanting to get even if it meant going downtown myself.
Ernst grumbled.
“Cal has been causing trouble since last night. A messenger brought this yesterday, and I took it for you, but I haven’t had a chance to give it to you yet.”
Didn’t have a chance’ my foot……
‘𝘌𝘳𝘯𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺.’