Spoiler I Am Trying To Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Have A Child / 악당 남편 과 이혼 하려는데 아이가 생겼다

I see thankyou so much

Ohhh now i see why

 

woah so many information

 

Now I'm sure, this author has reused the designs from this novel to her other novel: I’m in Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me

Spoiler: Original female character

Innette, she has platinum blonde hair , snow-white skin and golden eyes

Spoiler: Leon and Seiel | Harness and Innette , gaiden 2 episode 10 MTL

While Seiel was frozen in fear of encroachment, the bear growled and gradually narrowed the distance.

I don't know why, but he seemed very angry.



“… … Do not come."



Seiel was pressed by the momentum and took a step backwards.

In the process, the bag containing the fruit that was hanging from his waist fell, but that wasn't the important thing now.

The bear, watching Seiel's eyes, began to charge at Seiel with a terrifying force.

At that moment, the bear's legs began to freeze and gradually slowed down.

Then, in the end, it completely froze and it was impossible to move.



“Creep!”



The bear, which had frozen both legs and even a part of its body, could only growl and did not move.

Seiel looked up at the barking bear with a relaxed expression on her face, expressing her anger at me.



“Did I tell you not to come?”



Seiel, who struggles to skip finance and etiquette classes, was the only class he took seriously.

Seiel liked the magic class with Elisa and sometimes with Aiden.

Since he was a child who was naturally gifted in various fields, he also showed great talent in handling the power of the family.



“Are you the successor to Serriott after me? I'm talking about nothing."

“Aww!”



Seiel sticks out her tongue as if she is raising a bear, and shakes her hand.

And it was at that time when I was about to go back to pick the fruit that had burst open at the bear's feet.

I wondered if the sound of horseshoes was getting closer, and from that direction a fierce flame flew towards the bear.

Seiel saw it and hurriedly blocked the attack with a water barrier.

The flame that touched the water quickly disappeared.



'This flame... … .'



At the same time as thinking of the owner of the flame, Leon with a very disorganized appearance appeared.



“… … Seiel?”

"Brother?"



Seiel widened her eyes in surprise at the unexpected encounter.



'I heard that your brother has a prior appointment today... … ?'



Leon, who approached in a hurry, looked at Seiel's condition with his eyes distorted with concern.



“Are there any injuries? Look where.”

"uh? I'm fine... … .”

“Wow!”



At that moment, the angry bear cried out to the two of them.

Leon looked at the beast with cold eyes.

Then he drew his sword and approached the growling bear.

At that moment, Seiel grabbed Leon's arm.



“Don’t do that, brother.”

“I threatened you.”

“This is a forest where people don’t come often. I broke into his house, and it wasn't his fault."



Leon stared blankly at Seiel who said that.

When did our little girl become so grown up?

My younger brother, who I always thought was young and cute, has now become a more mature and thoughtful person than me.



“… … I'm sorry, Seiel."



Seiel looked up at Leon's sudden apology and looked up at him.

Leon wiped the dirt off Seiel's cheek and apologized sincerely.



“You shouldn’t have laughed at your sincerity like that. Sorry."



I thought of Seiel's proposal as just a cute little sibling's rant.

Just because he was young, his feelings were not to be taken lightly.

This kid is so desperate.

Even though I am still young and clumsy, I am sincere as much as this.

So he, too, decided to talk about his honest feelings.

Leon sat down at eye level with Seiel and broke his luck.



“Thank you for liking me, Seiel.”

“…….”

“But I don’t think I can get that feeling. You are so precious to me too, but that’s only as a little sister to the end.”

“…….”

“By the time you become an adult, someone better will surely appear. I can’t even think of it.”



It was kind and serious, but it was an obvious rejection.

At his refusal, Seiel bit her lip with a hurt expression.



“… … What if I still like my older brother even when I become an adult?”



Leon noticed Seiel's feelings of trying to hold onto even a glimmer of hope.

I know it's a bad thing to give room to someone who doesn't have a heart.

But, as always, Leon had no choice but to weaken in front of his younger brothers.



“Then I’ll seriously think about it again.”



There will be many people who will like Seiel anyway, so he will soon be forgotten.

Like my first love when I was young.



“But your brother will get married before then.”

"no? I have no intention of getting married right now.”

"then… … Why did the noble girls decide to meet?”

“Ah, that. If I don't say no properly, I think I'll keep talking about marriage, so I tried to say no after meeting each other."



Seiel's expression brightened for an instant as he heard the answer to the question that had been on his mind the whole time.

It's a rejection of the proposal right now, and it's just a possibility in the future, but Seiel was happy nonetheless.

Because Leon acknowledged his sincerity and spoke frankly.

Because you rushed to me over everything else.



“Then shall we go back now? Her parents and her idiot brother are anxiously waiting for her princess.”



Seyel nodded her head.

Leon grabbed Seiel and put him on the horse.

Then I remembered something and asked.



"Oh. I think he came to this forest to find something. Did you find it?”

"ah… … .”



Seiel remembered the existence of the fruit he had forgotten.

The bag of hard-picked berries was crushed to death under the bear's feet, and the berries that had not yet been picked were growing on the fruit tree next to the rock, but it didn't matter anymore.



“I don’t need it anymore.”



In response to Seiel's innocent reply, Leon also got on the horse.

And in case Seiel might fall, I slowly drove the horse with one hand, holding Seiel's arm that was hugging my waist.

Seiel hugged Leon's waist with a shy face and burned his will again.



'I'll definitely become a great lady and make my brother fall for me.'



To help Leon become the person he truly loves.

Along with the slow sound of horseshoes, the voices of Seiel and Leon gradually faded away.

Behind them as they moved further away, I could occasionally hear Leon's soft laughter.

It was a story after quite some time had passed for Seiel's earnest wish to come true.



* * *



At the same time, there was a person watching them from above.



“If you make people worry… … .”



Harness shook her head as she looked at Seiel smiling broadly in front of Leon.

To be honest, I couldn't even see her expression because she was so far away, but she seemed to know that Seiel was smiling even without looking at her.

Is it your brother's feeling?

I was completely dissatisfied with the way I was rotting inside and saying I liked it, but there was a new smile that I didn't know existed on the corner of Harness's lips as she looked at Seiel.



'I have to go back and tell my father and mother the news.'



The harness turned the wind direction towards the city center.

Then he looked at the ground as if he was attracted to something.

At the end of the inadvertent gaze, I saw someone lying in the snow-covered forest.



'Girl?'



Harness descended to the ground and approached the girl.

The girl with platinum blonde hair and snow-white skin looked older than Seiel and younger than Harness.



"Hey."



Harness tapped the girl's leg.

Perhaps, it might be a monster in the form of a human.

But even after waiting for a while, the girl did not move.

Harness looked at the girl's whereabouts.

Although he was wearing a thick blanket on the outside, the clothes on the inside were as thin as pajamas. The shoes she was wearing were also tattered.

Judging by the way he was, it seemed that he was running away from somewhere, and he could not stand the cold and collapsed.



'… … Are you dead?'



Harness put her finger on the girl's slender neck and tapped her pulse.

Fortunately, it was faint, but still running.

As if telling you to live.

After checking the pulse, Harness carried the girl without hesitation and headed to the nearby village.

Since it was quite a distance from here on the outskirts of the island to the duke's residence, the girl could have died before she even arrived.

Arriving in a hurry to a nearby village, Harnes rented an inn and laid the girl down.

Then, he told the maid of the inn to go to the Duke of Rubelin and tell the news of Seiel, and to call a doctor nearby.



“Once I prescribed the medicine, the fever doesn’t seem to go away. Tonight is going to be a turning point.”



The doctor went, and the harness remained with the girl.

It was getting dark outside the window.

Harness stared blankly at the girl who was wandering in the dead of death.

Someone who has nothing to do with me, the fact that this girl might die within today has confused his mind.



'I was wondering what color the eyes are.'



When this child dies, you will never know for the rest of your life what color eyes are behind those eyelids.

Harness re-wetted the hot towel and placed it on the girl's forehead.

Even if the girl dies today, even if I don't know what kind of eyes she is hiding behind those eyelids, I wanted to protect her until the end.



* * *



Harness put a towel on the girl's forehead all night and fell asleep only at dawn.

How much time has passed

The long winter night passed, and the bright sunlight of the morning permeated the inn room.

Harness, who had been sleeping until then, felt an unfamiliar hand approaching me in her sleep and instinctively grabbed it roughly.

And slowly opened my eyes.

Then, his eyes met with the bright golden eyes soaked in the morning sunlight.

It was the color of the eyes that Harness had been curious about all night.

Inette blinked her confused eyes and looked at the harness, barely opening her mouth.



“Sorry, I’m sorry. I feel like you're sleeping uncomfortable... … .”



Harness stared blankly at the girl who said that.

The moment he met the girl's golden eyes, a strong emotion he felt for the first time in his life swept through the boy.

A feeling that I never want to let go of this hand I hold.

In that way, the original was moving in a different direction from the existing future.

Spoiler: Harness and Innette , special gaiden episode 3 MTL

“… … Little Duke?”

it was Harness

Embarrassed by Inette's sudden attack, Harness quickly took a step back.

“Oh, sorry if I was surprised. I didn't mean to.”

Inette quickly lowered the wooden sword that was aimed at Harness.

It wasn't Harness's fault.

It wasn't that Harnes intentionally hid his popularity and approached him, just because he was lost in thought and didn't feel his popularity.

Besides, there wouldn't be a big man who dared to break into the Duke of Rubelin, so he shouldn't have reacted so sensitively to pretending to be popular.

Inette was embarrassed and nodded her head.

“Oh, no! I'm really sorry. You shouldn't be aiming the sword, but reflexively stop... … .”

“Well, it’s okay. That means your reflexes have become more agile. That’s good.”

"However… … .”

Harness insisted it was okay, but Inette bit her lip in guilt.

It was even more so because the opponent was the harness that saved him from dying.

Harness took a sneak peek at Inette's signs of being like that.

“If I’m really sorry, how about granting my request?”

“Please?”

“You say that Seiran is easy to talk to? Please feel free to talk with me. Isn't she just a friend if she's a year older anyway?"

Even after three months had passed since Inette started living in the duke's residence, it seemed that the reason she was still having a hard time with me was because of her respectful words.

'Wouldn't it be possible to get a little closer if the words and titles were arranged comfortably?'

It was a suggestion with that in mind.

"However… … .”

“If you keep calling me Little Duke, I think my neck, which almost got hit by your wooden sword, will continue to hurt.”

Harness said brazenly, fiddling with my neck that the wooden sword had not even touched.

Embarrassed, Inette looked to see if the words were sincere for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.

“Um, then… … Harness?”

Harness's eyes widened at Inette's voice calling to her, and the tips of her ears quickly turned red.

It was me who asked me to call my name, but when my name was called, I felt somewhat embarrassed.

'It's just a name called.'

Harness coughed a bit to hide her feelings.

Then he saw Inette wet with sweat and asked.

“I think I was training alone, can I join you?”

"yes? But I… … No, I'm still... … I'm not good enough to compete with you. It's definitely not going to be fun.”

“It would be good if I review it one more time. Basically, the basics are the most important thing.”

Harness pulled out a wooden sword from one side of the training room.

“First, let’s compete with me. I need to know your skills so I can help you.”

The two children posed for a fight and stood in their respective places.

Inette hesitated for a moment, then grabbed her sword and rushed to Harness.

However, Inette, who had just started learning the sword, could not defeat the harness she had trained since she was five years old.

As the harness blocked Inette's twisted sword with her own sword, the match ended.

It was the expected result, but Inette's expression turned gloomy.

'I made a mistake again... … .'

It was not because of a simple skill gap, but because he felt guilty for making mistakes even in what he had learned.

At that time, Harness spoke to Inette like that.

“Isn’t your body not moving? If you think and move, your body is too slow and twisted.”

Inette looked at Harness, who was talking as if she had read her own heart, with surprised eyes.

Harness continued as if she knew everything, even if she didn't answer.

“I did too. It’s only natural for you to do that, too.”

“…….”

“More precisely… … It's not as good as I've learned for nearly ten years, but actually, I'm good at it for someone who's only learned it for three months."

Harness pondered for a moment to encourage Inette, then brought up another story.

“My father, are you good at playing cards? Still, when I was young, I used to lose sometimes, but after I learned the rules, I never lost.”

Inette wondered why Harnes was suddenly talking about a card game, but for a moment she listened quietly.

“So since then, I haven’t beaten my father even once.”

“…….”

“But my father said so. My father has been playing card games for over twenty years. To beat my father after only playing the card game for only five years, it's really absurd."

At first, I was frustrated because I couldn't beat Richard, but the thought of that made me more motivated.

I will practice harder, and one day I will surely defeat my father.

“But if you keep practicing and working hard, you can overcome that time and win.”

“…….”

“You’re practicing hard too, so you’ll be able to catch up quickly.”

So don't be in a hurry.

That's what Harnes wanted to say.

It was only then that Inette understood why Harness had brought up the card game.

Understanding the sincere encouragement, Inette smiled and nodded her head.

“Yes, I will work harder.”

“Oh, respect.”

"ah… … . Yes, I will work harder.”

At Inette's smile, Harness smiled as if her heart was at ease.

Harness once again pointed out where Inette made a mistake.

It can be frustrating for me to repeat the same mistake, but seeing the harness that tells me again step by step, Inette was surprised inside.

'There was a reason Seiel followed his brother well.'

The Rubelin brothers and sisters grunted and quarreled with each other outwardly, but Inette's eyes showed the two children relying on and trusting each other.

Now I think I understand why the two are good friends.

After receiving the teachings of Harness, Inette competed once again.

widely! widely-!

And finally, it was possible to attack and target the loophole of the harness.

Harness easily avoided the attack, but admired Inette's ability to learn.

With my current skills, it would be overwhelming just to receive an attack from my opponent, but discovering the opponent's weaknesses in the meantime was a great skill.

“You are great. You must have a talent for swordsmanship.”

Harness smiled brightly, as if she was more happy with me as she looked at Inette, who had grown so much.

Inette stared blankly at the boy who smiled brightly at me under the twinkling morning sun.

The scene where the boy was standing was suddenly beautiful.

dang- dang-

Just then, the first bell rang in the morning to signal the start of the day from the far side of the square.

“Let’s go have breakfast.”

Harness took it to put away the wooden sword Inette was holding.

But then, I saw a wound on Inette's open palm. It was a swept wound from his strong grip on his wooden sword.

Harness, who found it, frowned.

Inette, who noticed where Harness's gaze was heading later, frowned.

“It’s nothing. Everyone says that the first time you hold a sword, it happens only once... … .”

However, Harness grabbed Inette's hand, which she was trying to hide, and spread it out.

Then I wrapped my handkerchief in the palm of my hand.

“The body I saved, don’t use it carelessly. I thought you were a precious life and saved it, so you should cherish your body too.”

Inette stared at him and my hand held by Harness.

Harness, who made eye contact with Inette, was startled and immediately released her hand.

“Ah, anyway. Don't overdo it and do it in moderation. Because Seiel is worried.”

Harness, let my feelings be found out, so I went to get a wooden sword as if to run away.

Inette looked at the back of such a harness, and shrugged her hand wrapped in a handkerchief.

For some reason, I felt the hand gripped by Harness tickled.



* * *



That day, a harness appeared in Inette's dream.

Harness in the dream confessed to Inette and kissed her.

When Inette woke up from the dream, her face was hot and her heart was pounding, and she couldn't fall asleep again.

'Why did you have such a dream?!'

The next morning, each time Inette looked at Harness's face, she had a dream and couldn't even make eye contact.

Harness, who did not know the feelings of such Inette, suggested.

“Inette, would you like to go to the square with us? you hurt your palm I think it would be better to buy some kind of half-gloves.”

“Let’s go together, sister. I will go with you. yes?"

Seiel also persuaded Inette.

However, Inette, whose heart fluttered even if she made eye contact with Harness, she had no choice but to decline their proposal.

"sorry. I have something to think about today... … . The two of you go.”

After saying that, Inette left the place as if being chased.

Seiel, who was watching Inette's back like that, looked up at the harness with sullen eyes.

“Did your brother bully you?”

"What did you say. Didn't you bother me?"

“But I think your older sister is avoiding your older brother? Did you really do anything wrong?”

"no. We did training together yesterday!”

Harness jumped and said it was unfair.

However, Seiel's suspicions were not removed.

“Anyway, it’s your brother’s fault.”

Sayel said that she would try to persuade him once more, and chased after Inette.

“… … What did I do wrong?”

Harness scratched my cheek with a puzzled look, chasing Inette and Seiel.

On the path the children passed, there was Elisa, who was watching with interest from the second floor of the mansion.

“Oh, look at what they do inside and outside.”

Harness felt frustrated with Inette avoiding her, but in Elisa's eyes, she could clearly see Inette's shy behavior because she liked Harness.

Elisa smiled and leaned her head on Richard's shoulder.

“Hmm, doesn’t it seem that my son is more advanced than his father?”

At Elisa's subtle question, Richard burst into laughter.

"I know."

The two looked at the backyard path through which the three children had passed, with a common smile.

It was a story of a spring day as fresh as children's young love.

There are more cute moments and more cute chapters, but to be honest, with those 2 chapters that I have posted, you can see the future love related direction of each of Elisa and Richard children.

 

Bruh.. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Ne

Neither were intoxicated in the manhwa. She had a bit of wine but she was still sober.

hey is there anymore releases on this side story??

hey is there anymore releases on this side story

media: nvm I just read it and it’s so sad. I wish elisa and Richard discussed the situation more. Though it was very cute ending.

 

Spoiler: Extras, part 2 MTL

(Includes the last extras that were released in Kakaopage due to the release of manhwa): https://we.tl/t-SJj45MFlvo

 

hello everyone!! since i have the last three volumes of the novel i have decided to mtl them and post them on here

before i begin posting them i will write down the characters that are in the novel so people don't get confused.

ALSO there are 6 volumes in total (at least on RIDI there is) but i only have 4-6 so things may get confusing if you don't have context from the other volumes/chapters. i read some of the other chapters from the group that was translating them before they got taken down so i have some context not all.


Characters

Elisha - Main Character
Richard - Male Lead
Hannes - OG Villain/Second Male Lead + MC and ML's Son
Leon - OG Male Lead + Christian's Illegitimate Child
Christian - Leon's Father + Crown Prince
Rose - Crown Princess/Christian's Wife
Aiden - Holy Father/MC's REAL Father
Emperor (can't remember if he has an actual name LOL)
Empress (same with her)
Marquis Felice - Rose's Father

i'll try posting 3 chapters a week so please be patient!! <33

 

It's already expired

 

hello everyone!! sorry for the late posts i've been really busy so i haven't had the time to post the chapters like i said i would BUT i'm finally here lol so to apologize for the late posts i have translated 5 chapters for you all!! (p.s. i've been studying korean for a while so i might've done more than just use mtl there's still a couple of things i didn't understand tho lololol enjoy!!) i will try to post the next 3 later this week if i don't get busy

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 1

11. Where Crazy Loyalty Heads


Fifteen days have passed since it was revealed that Elisha was Aiden’s daughter. Autumn was approaching in Akaroa.


In the meantime, there has been a big change in succession plans. Kane, who was to be the next successor, was kicked out.


(For context : Elisha’s mother was accused of treason and she ended up running away from her family while she was pregnant with Aiden’s child. I don’t remember if Aiden was away at the time of the incident.)


Aiden gave Kane time to voluntarily clean up his act and leave the family in consideration to save his face. In addition, property was distributed in recognition of his hard work so far. It was money to live the rest of his life without shortage.


‘Who wants to kick me out?’


However, Kane insisted that he would not be kicked out, and eventually he was dragged out by the people of the Serriot home. (Serriot is Elisha’s mom’s family name.)


Aiden decided to take Elisha to the house after she was ready to welcome the new state. That day was today.


As it was an important day, the maids worked harder on Elisha’s appearance than usual.


Instead of the bright-toned dresses that Elisha liked, she chose a slightly dark-toned dress, and the decorations were luxurious, neat, and had a simple design. It was to show dignity as the next successor.


The maids who finished dressing her up exclaimed at their finished work.


“You’re so beautiful today, Ma’am!”


“That’s right! As soon as Serriot’s knights see you, they’ll run out and kneel down and swear allegiance.”


“It’s not just knights, all the employees will fall in love with you too!”


As the maids chattered, Anne, who had talent in holding in her excitement, nodded her head with all her heart.

Elisha burst out laughing at their fussing, but she knew in her head that it wouldn’t be true.


‘There’s no way they’d welcome me…’


When disputes arise, people tend to see both sides as confounding, regardless of whose fault it was. It is also wrong for one side to provide the cause, but it is thought that the person who confronts it is also a person who can create a dispute.


In addition, Kane was the next successor to have a fairly good reputation for the people of the territories, and Elisha is an outsider who has never had any contact with them. It was obvious that they would not like Elisha.


‘Well, I’ll change their minds from now on.’


Elisha rose from her seat in determination.


Then, she heard a knock.


“Elisha.”


It was Richard’s voice. Hearing the voice, the maids opened the door and quickly left the room.


Elisha looked at Richard curiously at his sudden appearance.


By mid-September, the empire had been busy preparing for the harvest festival in a month. Richard would also leave the dukedom early in the morning to attend aristocratic meetings for several days.


Normally, it was time for him to depart for the Imperial Palace.


“Richard? Today, at the palace…”


Elisha couldn’t finish her sentence as she looked up at him in wonder. He came closer before she knew it, and he tilted his face towards her.


At his sudden distance, which was approached without warning, Elisha stopped breathing and looked at him with surprised eyes.


His red eyes were at a breathtaking distance. Friendly, but dangerous as if they would swallow her at night.


At that gaze, her heart began to beat violently.


“Elisha, what–”


The moment Richard opened his mouth, Elisha’s palms covered his eyes. It was a reflex because she was afraid that her feelings would be revealed.


“Ah.”


Richard, who was attacked by her hands unexpectedly, held her hand with a small groan. Surprised, Elisha quickly moved her hand away.


“Ri-Richard? Does it hurt?”


When she removed her hand, Richard’s eyes, which had been covered, were revealed again. She met the eyes that looked at her with a slight frown. At the same time, her heart sank but fluttered once again.


The palpitations, they hurt. It hurt.


“...Elisha?”


Richard called Elisha curiously, looking at her with round eyes like a child had been caught. Only then did Elisha come to her senses and changed the subject, avoiding his gaze.


“Why-Why are you here?”


“Should I go like this?”


When Richard asked about his hairstyle out of the blue, Elisha blinked because she didn’t know what to say.


“What’s wrong with your hair all of a sudden?”


“Today is the day we go to the Marquis’ house.”


Only then did Elisha understand why he didn’t go to the palace and came to see her.


He came the day before the the hunting festival, remembering that she had been checking his clothes and head, saying, “You have to pay more attention to your appearance for important places.” But Elisha wasn’t going to take him to the Marquis.


“Richard, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance, but I’m going alone today.”


Richard’s forehead crumpled at Elisha’s words.

“...why?”


“If you go, people will be conscious of you, not me. It won’t be my power but yours.”


“...”


“I don’t want to lean on Rubelin’s name and become a false leader.”


“...”


“It’s a matter of my own making.”


Elisha’s eyes were full of determination. With that determined look, Richard knew he could not refute.


He was worried about Elisha, who was in the late stages of pregnancy, but she was right. This was something she had to do on her own.


Richard looked reluctant, but eventually nodded.


“...okay. Be careful.”


“Okay. I’ll be back.”


Elisha climbed into the carriage after Richard’s farewell.


Richard watched closely and turned around until the carriage left the duke’s residence. His expression hardened in worry as he headed to his office.


‘Is this how it feels when you put your child in the water?’ (???)


Even after he arrived at his office, he could barely focus on his work.


Agile, who was watching Richard curiously, was about to call out to him when a sudden gust of wind blew through the slightly open balcony door. It was clear autumn wind now.


“It’s really autumn now.”


Agile looked at Richard, saying so with the intention of brightening up the atmosphere.


“Your Excellency?”


Richard’s gaze was directed at the open balcony door. He looked like he had found something, a solution.


***


The Marquis of Serriot was located near a small lake, a short distance from the center, unlike any other aristocratic mansion concentrated in the heart of Akaroa. The mansion, located in a quiet and peaceful scenery, created a villa-like atmosphere rather than a townhouse.


“Wow, the scenery is so beautiful. Madam.”


Anne, who was watching the scenery through the wagon window, marveled.


While Elisha and Anne were looking around the surrounding scenery, a carriage with two people passed through the door of Marquisdom and entered the mansion. Aiden, who arrived first to the mansion, was waiting for Elisha.


“Welcome, Elisha. Everyone has been waiting for you.”


He was dressed as an ordinary noble man, not in his usual legal attire. His appearance was as strange as everyone else, but apart from him, it matched very well.


However, it was the employees and knights who were waiting for her next to him that drew more attention. Facing Elisha, they bowed their heads as if they had been waiting and were polite.


“We greet the next Lord.”


They were courteous of the new lord, but Elisha felt their wary eyes. It was already expected.


The middle-aged man at the front of the crowd came forward and bowed to Elisha once again.


“It’s an honor to serve you, My Lady. My name is Frederick, the butler.”


“Frederick, it’s nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”


As Elisha greeted him with a smile, Frederick smiled too.


While everyone was wary of Elisha, he looked relieved.


‘You’re a good butler.’


Butlers follow their owners, but usually devote themselves to the family throughout their lives, so there were many people who had affection for the “family” itself rather than the owner.


He will be able to judge Elisha’s quality as a lord more closely than anyone else in this position. His judgment would not threaten Elisha’s family seat, but the atmosphere of the mansion and nature would have changed significantly depending on whether he sincerely helped Elisha or not.


“It’ll be lunchtime soon, so I’ve prepared it for you to eat right away. Let’s have it in the dining room.”


After greeting the employees, the maid Camilla led Aiden and Elisha to the location. The dining room was filled with luxurious food.


It wasn’t a surprise to Elisha, who also sees luxurious meals everyday in Rubelin, but she smiled exaggeratedly in consideration of the hearts of those who prepared it.


“It’ll be hard to eat this much but thank you so much for your concern.”


However, the maid’s response to her comment was blunt. She stared at Elisha, smiled at her, bowed her head and stepped back to the other side of the room.


“...then if you need anything, please feel free to call me.”


Elisha was embarrassed by her blunt response, but she didn’t care. Aiden, who noticed Elisha’s expression, tipped in a low voice.


“Camilla was the one who really supported your mother. She may look blunt on the outside, but I’m sure she’s glad to see you on the inside.”


After hearing his words, Elisha made eye contact with Camilla who had been looking at her. Camilla’s eyes widened in embarrassment and soon avoided Elisha’s eyes by nodding her head.


A smile spread around Elisha’s mouth as she stared at her. Aiden also smiled at Elisha.


It was then as they were eating.


“My Lord.”


Frederick rushed into the room with a knock. He had a small note in his hand. He held it out to Aiden.


“Recently, the number of migrants coming from Vissenna on the estate is increasing rapidly.”


Vissenna was a countess who was attached to Serriot’s estate and a mountain.


In the mountains between the two estates, there lived people who lost everything and became bandits, who used to attack the Vissenna and Serriott estates in the autumn, the harvest season, and in spring when the food was scarce.


Serriott protected the territorial population by thoroughly preventing their attacks, but Vissenna did not.


The Count of Vissena neglected the people because it was a waste of money to move the knights, and as a result, Vissenna’s residents would rather come over to Serriott to avoid the bandits.


Still, Serriott was open to outsiders, so it was okay. But the problem was with Count Vissenna.


Count Vissenna did not intend to supplement the security, but rather resented that Serriott was taking their territorial residents.


This created discord between the two territories.


Count Vissenna reduced the volume of trade for emotional reasons.


Serriott has been troubled by this problem for a long time, but it was not urgent because it was always the case.


“But since a while ago, Count Vissenna has come to our territory and is searching for the people who came over from Vissenna.”


Aiden’s brow furrowed.


“But our knights seem to have defied Count Vissenna’s spirit while protecting them. Count Vissenna has come to his real home and is protesting…”


Elisha, who was listening to them silently, offered her opinion carefully.


“I heard that Count Vissena has long coveted the road to Marquis Elisor. Why don’t we cut the toll in half in exchange for destroying the enemies we lived with?”


“Reducing tolls?”


“If the toll is reduced, there will be more exchanges between Vissenna and Elisor, and as a result, there will be more exchanges in Serriott, which will be beneficial.”


Frederick was surprised at the solution that Elisha presented.


Ordinary ladies did not know what Count Vissenna had in mind or whether the Marquis of Elisor was next to Serriott. And so too, because the empire was too vast.


Most of the ladies with substantial management rights knew only the circumstances of the nearby estates where exchanges were possible. However, while Elisha stayed in the northern city of Rubelin, she seems to know the situation around Serriott in the west.


Frederick was deeply impressed by Elisha’s words.


‘The previous Duke led the Rubelin dukedom while he was conserving his position due to illness, that is true…’


Kane led the estate quite well, but Frederick didn’t like him very much. However, he was worried when he heard that Kane would be kicked out and Elisha would replace him as successor.


Of course, as a Duchess, she may have some experience in territorial management, but that’s only in the north. Having lived only in the north, it was unlikely that she knew the details of the west.


His prejudice was destroyed by Elisha a while ago.


Only then did Frederick realize that Aiden did not put Elisha in the position of the next head just because of his blood relationship.


‘I’m not officially the head yet. Am I being presumptuous…?’


Elisha, who was troubled by Frederick’s surprised gaze, quickly added.


“Well, this is just my opinion, so please refer to it and see if there’s any perspective.”


“You know well about Serriott’s estate and it’s surroundings.”


“I have to do my part to hold out under it.”


Aiden stared at Elisha as she spoke.


He felt sorry for his daughter, who would have suffered in the absence of her parents, but he was also proud of her for growing up bravely.


Aiden instructed Frederick without another thought.


“This is how you’d better deal with it, Frederick.”


Elisha dissuaded him with a perplexed look at Aiden’s words.


“You don’t have to follow my opinion. My father knows much better about Serriott than I do.”


“No. I think it’s a very good solution. What do you think Frederick?”


“I agree with the Lord. Since both sides can benefit without conflict, there will be no better countermeasures.”


Elisha’s plan was adopted without considering other options.


Frederick left his seat, saying he would send a letter to the fief.


Elisha stared at his back as he left the dining room with a puzzled expression. In Rubelin, she was used to quickly grasping the situation, making judgements, and giving orders, but it was still awkward here. Aiden, who read Elisha’s mind, said.


“You just have to lead Serriott as you have led Rubelin so far, Elisha.”


“...”


“Now this is your home, and your people. Our house, our people.”


Only after listening to him did she realize that she was a member of this family.


Elisha looked at Aiden as he patted her hand lightly in encouragement, and soon opened her mouth with a grim expression.


“Well, it seems like you’re trying to pass on the increased work to me, but…”


“Oh, my god, did you catch me?”


Aiden soon admitted to Elisha’s suspicion without a single excuse. Elisha burst into laughter at his playful reaction. Then she smiled and strengthened her will.


“Still, I’ll try my best because I’m in a spontaneous position.” At the sight of Elisha, Aiden’s mouth spread into a satisfied smile.

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 2

After finishing the meal, Elisha, who looked back at the Marquis Dom and familiarized herself with the employees and workers, decided to return to the Rubelin duchy. There were many places left to look around in the mansion, but she decided not to overdo it as the moon would be appearing soon.


“I’ll go, Father.”


Standing in front of the carriage, Elisha bid Aiden goodbye. Aiden looked at Elisha wanting to say something, but he couldn’t open his mouth.


Without noticing his weird behavior, Elisha got into the carriage under Thompson’s escort. The moment she was going to bid Aiden one last goodbye, she felt a sudden gaze from the roof of the mansion.


Elisha looked up in reflex, but of course there was no one on the roof.


‘Is it just me?’


As Elisha tilted her head. Aiden and Thompson’s voices were heard at the same time.


“Elisha?”


“Madam, here we go.”


Elisha, who came to her senses at the voices of the two, shook her head as if it were nothing.


“It’s nothing. See you soon, Father.”


“Okay. Get home safely.”


Soon the Duke of Rubelin’s carriage left the house of Serriott.


Aiden couldn’t tear his eyes away from the Duke’s carriage, which grew farther and smaller. Frederick, who was staring at Aiden, hinted.


“Why didn’t you be honest? I’ll take you there.”


Frederick, who had been watching by Aiden’s side all his life, knew what he had in mind. Aiden, who sensed his intentions, shook his head.


“I don’t want to put pressure on her because I’m biased towards my feelings.”


“She may have expected My Lord to take her home.”


At Frederick’s words, Aiden was startled. He hadn’t thought of Elisha’s feelings. Frederick spoke once more.


“Next time, let’s visit first. I’m sure she’ll be pleased.”


Aiden who has lived as the next patriarch and next pope since birth, could not show his feelings and rely on anyone. They were rather those who should be protected by themselves, the pope and the patriarch.


After meeting Yulia (Elisha’s mother), he began to express his feelings to her little by little, but as she died, he became impatient to hide his feelings again.


20 years later Aiden found their precious daughter and could smile again. Frederick was happy about it.


Aiden smirked at Frederick.


“Seeing that you understood Elisha’s mind, she must have liked you.”


“What do you mean like me? How dare I judge her.”


“But aren’t you evaluating her? Whether or not it’s timber to be a family tree.” (??)


At Aiden’s sharp point, Frederick walked behind him for a moment without speaking, answering a beat late.


“For now, I’m going to wait and see.”


***


At dusk, the Rubelin carriage, in which Elisha rode, entered the Duke’s house. Soon the carriage stopped in front of the mansion.


Thompson, who got off his horse first, came straight up to the carriage. But as soon as he tried to open the door, Richard came out of the mansion


His eyes were giving Thompson silent signals to ‘move’. When Thompson noticed the meaning, he looked at Richard with a smile.


“You’re acting jealous-”


Richard’s brows twisted at Thompson’s playful words. Agile, who quickly noticed, grabbed Thompson’s arm and pulled him away. But Thompson continued grinning like an older brother watching his youngest brother date.


Richard ignored Thompson and opened the door of the carriage.


“Richard?”


Elisha looked at Richard, rubbing her sleepy eyes after waking up from a nap. He came out to greet her like a puppy.


“Did you have a good trip?”


“Yes.”


Richard carefully hugged Elisha and got out of the carriage.


Elisha, leaning on him to depart the carriage, tilted her head and looked up at Richard.


He smelled like the wind. The usual cool scent of him flying. Come to think of it, his hair, which had always been neat, was also slightly messy.


“Where did you go?”


It was a meaningless question, as he had just asked her if she had a good trip. Richard’s eyes were momentarily shaken by the question, but quickly closed them.


“...nowhere.”


At his answer, the little fallen leaves on his hair caught Elisha’s eye.


“But on your hair…”


As soon as Elisha reached out to shake the fallen leaves, Richard’s eyes shook and a small gust of wind passed by. The sudden wind closed Elisha’s eyes.


“What’s wrong with my hair?”


When she opened her eyes after hearing his voice, the fallen leaves on his hair were completely gone.


***


Fifteen days after the first visit to Marquis de Serriott.


Richard, who was ready to go to the palace early, approached Elisha, who was still in deep sleep, and looked at her.


‘You told me you were going to Marquis Serriott’s house this afternoon.’


Today was the day Elisha visited the Marquisdom alone without Aiden.


He didn’t want to let Elisha go out alone.


He wanted to stand by her all day long. Whenever she walked, he wanted to support her so that she wouldn’t fall, and when she was tired he would give her his shoulders.


But the chairman of the conference, not anyone else, can not skip two meetings, and most of all…


‘Elisha won’t allow me to accompany her.’


The first time he had secretly followed, he was almost caught. What if she found out the truth? His heart sank at the thought.


‘No tailing.’


Perhaps because her body has become tired, he didn’t want to go against Elisha’s wishes. He didn’t care if everybody else hated him, but he was afraid to be hated by the woman he loved.


‘But I can’t keep Elisha from leaving the dukedom.’


Because it was his greed for her.


‘Even the emperor can’t do any harm to Elisha openly. Unless he wants to go to war with Rubelin.’


Richard looked at Elisha who was sleeping peacefully and soothed his anxiety.


It was not long after he heard a knock. It was Grayson’s signal that the carriage was ready.


“I’ll be back, Elisha.”


“Mm…”


“Have a safe trip.”


Richard gently caressed Elisha’s hand, before opening the quilt to tuck it in, and got up from his seat.


When he walked out of the room and came down to the first floor, he saw Thompson yawning as if he were still half asleep. Richard called out to him.


“Thompson.”


“Good morning, Sir.”


“Take more escorts with you when you go to Marquis de Serriott today. And don’t stay away from Elisha as much as possible.”


“Oh, yes, don’t worry.”


After hearing his answer, Richard headed to the Imperial Palace in relief.


***


Around that afternoon, the Duke of Rubelin’s carriage with Elisha arrived at the Marquis de Serriott.


“Welcome, My Lady. I hope it wasn’t too hard for you to come.”


Frederick greeted Elisha with the same smile as the other day.


“I didn’t think about it too much because the surrounding scenery is very beautiful. It wasn’t that long.”


“Then it’s my pleasure.”


Unlike Frederick, the eyes of the other people who faced Elisha without Aiden were more alert than last time.


‘Maybe it’s because of my status as the Duchess of Rubelin…’


Richard was both a hero of Arencia and a fearful being of great power. The enemy’s enemy is an ally, and from Serriott’s point of view, who pretended to side with the emperor, they seemed to be friendly towards Rubelin, but not necessarily.


‘I should make them think of me as a person first, not the Duchess of Rubelin, but in the family name of Serriott. To do that…’


Elisha looked at Frederick and Camilla, who greeted her at the front.


‘The easiest way is to have two of their leaders on my side.’


The better the group is, the better they follow the opinions and thoughts of their superiors.


The fact that Frederick has been Serriott’s butler for a long time means that he has strengthened Serriott’s solidarity that much. He is an experienced butler, so if he changed his mind, they would naturally follow.


Elisha, who organized the plan in her head, smiled at Frederick and Camilla.


“First let’s take a breather over tea.” Frederick escorted Elisha to the reception room in the mansion.


Unlike the enormous and colorful Duchy of Rubelin, the Marquis of Serriott created a relatively small and warm atmosphere.


As she waited for a while while looking around the reception room, a maid who appeared to be Anne’s age served tea and refreshments.


Elisha took a sip of tea and smiled brightly to express her gratitude.


“Thank you. It’s cold enough to drink.”


At her words, the maid looked at Elisha with startled eyes.


Kane was generous to his employees, but he never said thank you. It’s only natural for an employer to serve their superiors. Not only Kane, but also other nobles are no different. However, Elisha smiled at her for the first time and said thank you.


The maid stared blankly at Elisha. Elisha was the first noble lady to see up close to the maid who had lived all her life on Serriott’s estate and had only recently risen to the system. (??)


‘Pretty…’


Would she look like this if she had met the princess in the fairy tale she read in the Marquis’s library? In her eyes, Elisha looked like a princess. Beautiful, elegant, gentle.


Anne’s shoulders rose proudly as she felt the maid’s gaze staring blankly at Elisha. It was a pride to serve Elisha as her closest.


“Ah, thank you very much…”


The maid replied in a murmur, her cheeks slightly red. Elisha asked her.


“What’s your name?”


“What?”


“Now that I’m here. I’d like to know your name.”


“Oh…”


The maid, who hesitated for a while, opened her mouth.


“D-Daisy. It’s Daisy.”


“Daisy? That’s a pretty name.”


“Thank you.”


The maid became redder.


And just as she was about to step down, Elisha stopped her.


“Wait a minute.”


“What?”


“I think your skirt is very short.”


Usually, a maid’s apron was supposed to come down to the knees. But Daisy’s apron came above her knees.


Daisy bowed to Elisha with a bewildered face.


“So-Sorry, it’s because I’m suddenly growing taller…”


At her words, Elisha’s brows furrowed. It meant that Kane wasn’t buying the maids new clothes as they grew up. Elisha looked back at Frederick and asked.


“Frederick, why haven’t you bought new clothes for this child?”


“There have been very few children who have grown tall. I have asked Lord Kane to allocate a few budgets, but he has not given me permission.”


“Why didn’t he give you permission?”


“He said he could not spend the taxpayers’ money on such trivial things. And…”


Elisha looked at Frederick, who hesitated in finishing his sentence. He sighed in defeat.


“... he also said that the shorter skirts are prettier, so it’s okay.”


Elisha’s expression hardened at his words.


‘This is how you satisfy your desires, pervert.’


Elisha was relieved that she was able to kick Kane out.


“From now on, please buy new ones right away so that no one works in a uniform that does not fit their body. You don’t have to get my permission.”


“I will.”


“And make sure to buy new summer and winter clothes for the employees. If you don’t have enough in the budget, it’s okay to use the class maintenance fee allocated to you in front of you.”


Don’t hold back on giving to the people who work for me. That was Elisha’s iron rule.


Frederick, who heard Elisha’s unconventional order, looked at her with surprised eyes for a moment, and soon lowered his head with a smile.


“I accept your orders.”


“Oh, thank you, My Lady!”


Daisy, who was listening to Elisha’s story, smiled and bowed.


Only then did Elisha finish the tea with a satisfied smile.


When Elisha’s teacup was more than half empty, Frederick asked.


“What would you like to do today?”


“I want to know the history of Serriott. I’ve seen many stories about Serriott in books, but the perspective from the family will be different.”


“I’ll show you around.”


Camilla, who had been standing quietly in the back the whole time, suddenly stepped forward.


‘Camilla was a true follower of your mother. She may look blunt on the outside, but I’m sure she’s glad to see you.’


When Elisha recalled what Aiden had said, she got up from her seat with a smile.


“Then please, Camilla.”


“I’ll take you to the corridor.”


Camilla led Elisha into the corridor.


The giant corridor was hung with portraits of previous successors in chronological order. The nearest of them was a familiar looking man.


“It’s our Lord. He was about the same age as you are right now.”


Aiden’s face was no different from now, so it was not difficult to recognize him. Next to him, a portrait of a woman with a familiar face was seen.


A beauty with light brown hair and light green eyes that resembled Elisha.


Elisha recognized the person at once and opened her eyes wide.


“Then, this person is…”


“It’s Yulia. She is your mother.”

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 3

Elisha stared blankly at Yulia in the portrait.


According to Aiden, Yulia seemed to have given birth by herself while avoiding the pursuit of the Imperial army in a pregnant state. She gave birth prematurely.


‘Mom.’


When Elisha saw her smiling brightly in the portrait, she was overwhelmed by the hardships she must have experienced. Despite the hardships, she felt sorry and grateful for her for embracing and raising her. The feelings were all the more touching because a child was growing in her stomach.


“...Yulia was a kind person who even understood the circumstances of a subordinate like me. On a cold winter day, Yulia collected me, who was sold in gambling debt, and brought me here.”


Elisha looked at Camilla. Her eyes were full of pain as she looked at Yulia’s portrait.


“Even though I was weak and couldn’t work well because I was hungry and raised that way since I was young, Yulia cherished me. She gave me something I could do even if I was weak.”


Over the years, the abused maid became a maid in charge of the housework of this mansion.


Elisha stared at her and suddenly spoke.


“Thank you, Camilla.”


At her sudden words, Camilla looked at her with puzzled eyes.


“From what I heard from my father, she really cared about everyone in the Marquisdom. Thank you for taking good care of her.”


Camilla’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at her. Elisha called out to her in a flustered voice.


“Ca-Camilla?”


“I’m sorry. It’s almost as if Yulia is talking to me…”


Elisha stared at her crying figure and realized how much she liked Yulia. At the same time, her hostility towards those who made Yulia suffer soared.


‘Emperor…’


'I can’t forgive you. I won’t forgive you.'


She will get Rubellin and Serriot stronger day by day until they get anxious and tighten their breaths. Elisha handed Camilla a handkerchief and bit her lips.


“...I’m sorry.”


After a while, Camilla, who finished expressing her emotions, began to explain by guiding her down the corridor again.


Although the corridor was large, it was not enough to have portraits of all the households in history, so only the portraits of the five major households and the first households remained in the corridor.


Camilla stopped walking in front of the last portrait.


The last portrait had two women drawn side by side in one painting.


Arien Serriott and Lilia Serriott.


The two were sisters. Arien, the older sister, became the first householder, but when she died at her own expense Lilia became the householder and succeeded.


Elisha stared at the portraits of the sisters who looked different but similar.


‘Lilia…’


She’d never seen this face before, but somehow she felt nostalgic. Arien too.


Elisha stood in front of the portrait for a while, gripped by an unknown mood.


***


Since the harvest festival was a festival enjoyed by all of the Arencia Empire, the festival was held not only in the islands but also in each of the territories.


Elisha, who toured the corridor with Camilla, rode a carriage back to the Rubellin duchy after reviewing her work on the harvesting agent.


“Then proceed with the harvest as planned, Frederick.”


“Yes, I’ll do as I’m told.”


“I’ll stop by one more time before the harvest festival, but if I have an urgent business before that, I’ll send someone to the workhouse.”

Frederick spoke, looking worriedly at Elisha, who was breathing heavily just by getting into the carriage.


“You must be feeling heavy, so you don’t have to overdo it. My work with Vissenna has been resolved, so you don’t have to deal with it in a hurry. You can do other things slowly after warming up.”


“Thank you for your concern, but I do it because I like it. I want to be a good mother, but I also want to be a competent Leader.”


Frederick, who understood Elisha’s words, nodded.


“I see. Maybe it’ll be good prior learning for the baby.”


Maybe it heard her talking, but the baby in her stomach moved with a wriggle just in time. Elisha smiled, stroking her stomach, and looked at Frederick and Camilla.


“See you soon, then.”


And just as the carriage was about to leave, Camilla called Elisha in a hurry.


“Excuse me, My Lady.”


Elisha looked at her with puzzled eyes, Camilla hesitated for a moment and asked.


“Is there any particular food you want to eat? I’ll prepare that food for your next visit.”


Elisha blinked in surprise. That means she would be waiting for her next visit.


She smiled brightly at her words. Her first impression was that she was glad and grateful for the emotion Camilla showed her, which was only blunt and quiet.


Elisha, who had been agonizing for a while, opened her mouth as if she had remembered something.


“I heard that fried mushrooms from the lake, which are only found in the Serriott estate, are delicious. Can I try that?”


“Of course. It’s the peak season for lake mushrooms, so we’ll airlift only the best and fresh mushrooms.”


“I am looking forward to it.”


“The day before you come, please send me a letter. I’ll be waiting.”


Elisha left the Marquisdom after being seen off by Frederick, Camilla, and the other employees.


At the same time, the gaze that was watching her while in the shadow of the forest also disappeared.


***


At the early evening of dusk, knights under Marquis Serriott were looking around the forest of the Marquis estate.


“Did you hear any movement around here?”


“I thought so… did I hear wrong?”


The knight awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.


“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being careful, so let’s look around a little more.”


The knights took a closer look, and then returned to the main estate without much profit. As their footsteps receded, a shadow hiding behind a nearby tree appeared.


Kane hid himself in a black robe.


“Damn it… Damn it!”


Kane breathed a sigh of relief and threw a curse at them.


Not long ago, his life turned miserable to the point where he had to hide from the eyes of those who used to escort him.


After being kicked out of the position of the next family head. He pretended to go back to his hometown of Serriott and returned to Akaroa.


He was robbed of what he had kept for half his life. If he went back to his hometown like this, how ridiculous would his younger brother and relatives who competed for the position of the next family head think of him.


‘That girl, that damn girl, she took all of what is mine…’


Kane grit his teeth as he remembered a little while ago when Elisha was leaving the estate. She was seen off by all the employee’s. Both Frederick and Camilla, who were strict, were laughing heartily with Elisha.


‘That naughty girl.’


He was a generous superior to his subordinates.


And he was also competent in handling the affairs of the fief.


Therefore, he thought that the employees would not trust Elisha, an outsider named the ‘Duchess of Rubellin’.


But not long after he was kicked out, he was upset when he saw them expressing their favor toward her. He was recognized by them for his value, but he did not gain their confidence.


That’s what Elisha got from just two encounters.


“...I’m gonna kill you. I’ll kill you.”


Kane grabbed the grass and hit the ground and vented his anger. But he didn’t have the power to get back at her. He knew it well himself. It was miserable.


Then, he felt a movement next to him.


“Oh my god. What a miserable sight. To hide from those who used to work for you until a few days ago.”


Kane looked up in surprise at the sudden voice of the uninvited guest. There stood a completely unexpected figure. Kane’s eyes widened in surprise.


“What are you…?”


Raymore (Rose’s father), who appeared out of nowhere, approached and stood in front of Kane.


“You look desperate for my help.”


He wore a fishy smile, as if he had already known all about Kane’s situation. Then he looked down and held out his hand.


“Help, do you need it?”


***

Time went by quickly, and it had already entered October.


Back in the room after taking a bath, Elisha wrote a letter saying she would visit the Marquis’ estate the day after tomorrow. Richard, who was watching the scene from the side, asked in a worried voice.


“Elisha, why don’t you rest some more before you go?”


“Last time, they wanted to treat me to their favorite dish, so I promised to go soon. So I think I have to go.”


“...”


“I’m just going to go eat, so it won’t be that hard.”


Richard still looked worried, but when Elisha said so, he couldn’t dissuade her anymore.


Then, he heard a knock.


“Madam, it’s Cetil.”


Today was the day Elisha was examined by her doctor once a week.


“Come in.”


When Richard’s permission was granted, Cetil came in.


She approached the bed where Elisha and Richard were sitting, and, after courtesy, examined the condition of Elisha and the child in her womb.


Elisha’s stomach, which was now nine months old, looked heavy and difficult at glance.


Cetil looked at her with pitiful eyes.


“It’s hard because you’re full, isn’t it, Ma’am? Are you sleeping well these days?”


“More than 15 days ago. I think the fetal movement is less than before.”


“I guess the baby grew up a lot and your stomach has become narrower. The baby is growing well and healthy, so you don’t have to worry.”


Elisha’s expression, which had been slightly rigid, loosened.


She couldn’t eat as much as she wanted because she couldn’t breathe and digest well even if it moved a little bit, but when she heard that her child was growing healthy, she completely forgot about the hardship.


Richard’s eyes softened when he saw Elisha’s expression loosen.


“Is there anything else you feel uncomfortable about?”


“Well… not really.”


“You and the baby are healthy, so there’s nothing to be careful about, but it’s better not to overdo it. If you have any abnormal symptoms, please take a rest no matter what.”


“I will.”


“It must be hard, but please hang in there a little longer. There’s less than two months left until we meet your baby. We may meet them as early as a month later.”


At Cetil’s words, Richard’s expression hardened once more.


It is said that the pain of childbirth is one of the three pains that humans can suffer. His heart sank at the thought that Elisha would suffer such terrible pain.


Richard’s hand wrapped fondly around her hand. But Elisha, who was in his arms, was thinking about something else.


‘Um, I heard that it hurts so much that you’d want to tear your husbands hair out…’


Elisha glanced up at Richard’s head next to her.


‘Richard has a lot of hair, so it’ll be okay to tear some off.’


Knowing that the original Elisha gave birth to Haness safely, she didn’t have to worry about the birth going wrong. Rather, her excitement of meeting her child in her stomach was rising.


‘I’ll be able to meet my baby soon…!’


Elisha fondly touched her stomach and began reminiscing a distant memory in the future.


The day the baby will be born for the first time, she can already feel the emotions she’d feel at the time. The little child, who has a secret communication that only mothers and children could feel, grew up and is ready to come out to the world.


The mere thought of holding the child in her arms almost made her cry. At the same time, one side of her heart was moved.


“Then have a peaceful night, both of you.”


After the examination, Cetil quietly left the room.


Elisha, who had been touching her stomach silently, looked up at Richard.


“Richard.”


Richard looked at her eyes and immediately loosened his worried expression.


The only person a pregnant wife can rely on is her husband. When Elisha finds out that he’s anxious, she will be anxious too.


“Do you think my baby will be a son or a daughter?”


Richard was lost in thought, unable to answer the unexpected question immediately.


It was a question he’d never thought of. He just wanted Elisha to give love to the child, but he never really thought about the child’s gender.


He thought for a while as he stared at Elisha’s stomach before opening his mouth.


“I think it’s a daughter.”


It was his wishful answer rather than conjecture. Elisha shook her head gently in response.


“My baby is a son.”


At her words of conviction, Richard stared at her in wonder.


“How do you know that?”


“Well, it’s a mothers hunch.”


She couldn’t say that this is the original book she read.


Elisha grinned and chattered, fiddling with Richard’s hand touching her stomach.


“He’s a very handsome son who looks just like his father. Isn’t that right, Haness?”


The child who heard Elisha’s voice reacted with a movement in her stomach. She burst out laughing.


Richard asked back a beat late.


“...am I handsome?”


At the words, Elisha looked up at him with bewildered eyes.


From childhood until now, there were countless aristocratic young children who liked Richard. Of course, there were some people who didn’t like him, but how can they deny what they see?


She looked at his expression, wondering if it was a joke, but he really didn’t know.


‘Don’t you know how dangerous your face is?’


Every time she saw his face, she felt it was a little unfair as a person who was possessed.


Elisha held Richard’s cheek and spoke enthusiastically, looking into his eyes.


“Are you really asking because you don’t know? There are a few women who have a crush on this face. Lord Thompson and Lord Agile have fallen for you once.”


“Then what about you?”


“What?”


“What do you think?”


She blinked at his unexpected question.


His eyes were darker than usual. Like he was tying her up so she wouldn’t run away. Sensing the danger, her heart began to beat fast.


Elisha managed to avoid his gaze and hesitated to reply.


“Well… you’re handsome.”


“...good for you.”


Elisha didn’t hear Richard’s voice muttering the words. At the same time, she was distracted by his lips.

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 4

Richard’s lips stopped moving. Elisha blinked in surprise. He waited for a while, entangling his hands with hers, stopping at a breathtaking distance.


Before hugging her, it was an act of asking for permission.


She couldn’t push him away when he looked at her like that. No, she didn’t want to push him away in the first place.


Elisha closed her eyes as she heard her heart beating violently in her ears. Soon, his lips overlapped hers as if he had been waiting. At the same time, a big hand clasped her cheek.


As if to relax her, he kissed her lower and upper lips one after the other, and eventually turned his head obliquely to swallow her completely.


“Ahh…”


Elisha, who became breathless because she was full, pulled away first.


Richard waited for a moment with his forehead against hers as she took a breath, and then overlapped their lips again. He swept his hands over Elisha’s legs, up to her waist in her pajama dress.


Elisha shrank at the touch. The feeling of his hot hands touching her through the thin fabric was simulating.


At that moment, his hand touching Elisha’s waist brushed her stomach.


Richard’s movements stopped. He pulled away from her lips too. It was because the doctor’s request to not overdo it for the time being came to mind.


“...Richard?”


Elisha looked at him in wonder. Richard’s brows twisted when he saw her looking at him with a defenseless expression.


‘...I’m no better than a beast.’


It was already time for Elisha to be careful. Even though he knew that, he loses his mind when he sees her face. He was irritated by his appearance. Richard managed to suppress his wild desire and rested his forehead on Elisha’s shoulder.


“...sorry.”


Her small shoulders gave off a distinctive scent. A smell sweeter than anything else in the world.


The scent alone and her body temperature alone ignited his desire that had barely subsided. Even her weak breathing was dangerously seductive to him. If he made eye contact with her like this, he felt that he would take Elisha with all his greed. It was dangerous.


“Go to bed first.”


Richard, who suppressed his emotions for a moment, rose to his feet avoiding Elisha’s gaze. He left the bedroom right away.


Elisha’s expression became gloomy as she stared blankly at the closed door.


‘Yes, Cetil told me not to overdo it…’


In her head she knew. When she thinks about the baby in her stomach, she has to be as careful as she can at this stage. Richard was trying to control himself for their child, but even though she knew that, she was depressed.


She loved the baby more than her life, but she was as precious as the baby. So she wanted him to cherish not only the safety of the baby but also her.


“...stupid.”


Looking at the closed door with melancholy eyes, Elisha put down the pillow on Richard’s place next to her. And pinched and banged the pillow as if it were him.


“Stupid!”


Elisha, who had been huffing and venting her anger for a long time, thought with her lips pouting.


‘I’m not letting you hold my hand for a week! I’m not even going to sleep with you!’


She pledged so, but she hugged his pillow, which had been victim to her beating and venting. The pillow smelled of him hugging her warmly every night.


***


The next day, Richard returned to the mansion after a meeting a little earlier than usual. This was because Aiden was supposed to come to the mansion to meet Elisha, who became heavy.


When he got to the mansion, all the employees had finished preparing to greet the guests.


Richard came straight up to Elisha’s room. Elisha, who had just finished dressing up, was sitting against the bed and chatting with the child.


“I’m back, Elisha.”


“Yes. Did you have a good trip?”


Elisha, who briefly greeted Richard, focused on the child again.


“My love, your dad is here. Your maternal grandfather will come soon.”


Richard sat on the bedside, looking at Elisha with suspicious eyes. She greeted him as usual, but he felt strangely depressed. Her eyes didn’t meet his and her voice was weaker than usual.


‘...Is it because of yesterday?’


That was enough to disappoint her.


Recently, she’s been having a hard time because her body has become heavy, but her husband has acted like a beast because he couldn’t overcome his desire, let alone consider his wife. (lmao these two are so funny)


Richard opened his lips to apologize to Elisha.


“Elisha.”


But at that moment, a knock stopped him from speaking.


“Madam, Sir. The Holy Father has arrived.”


At the news, Elisha stood up from the bed with a smile on her face.


Richard helped Elisha rise up, but she slipped out of his arms. Normally she would have leaned on him completely.


Richard, worried about her, immediately approached her again and supported her body. Fortunately, Elisha did not avoid him this time.


Richard came down the first floor with her in his arms.


At the same time, a carriage entered the Dukedom and stopped in front of the mansion.


Grayson opened the carriage door, and Aiden, dressed in casual clothes, got out of the carriage. Seeing him, Grayson and the knights bowed their heads together to be polite.


“Rubellin’s subjects greet the faithful messenger of God, Holy Father.”


“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”


Aiden responded to their greeting with a gentle smile. Then he turned back to the carriage. As everyone watched him in wonder, a familiar face popped out of the carriage.


“Hey!”


“Leon?”


Elisha’s face brightened at the unexpected guest.


When Aiden hugged the child and dropped him off, Leon hopped towards Elisha without hiding his anticipation.


Aiden smiled at Leon and explained.


“I said I was coming to see you, and since last night, he’s been making a fuss asking me to take him with me.”


“Sister, hello! Uncle, hello!”


Leon hovered around Elisha and Richard, expressing his welcome. Elisha greeted Leon by caressing his plump cheeks.


“Welcome, Leon. Welcome.”


He grinned and rubbed his cheek against her hand. The touch that adored him was pleasant.


Richard greeted Aiden instead of Elisha, who was busy greeting Leon.


“It must have been a long distance from the temple to here, but thank you for coming.”


“No it wasn’t much. I was on my way to meet my daughter.”


Just as the four of them had finished greeting each other, Anne approached Elisha to let her know that dinner was ready.


“The meal is ready. Let’s go.”


Richard habitually hugged Elisha’s back. It was to support and protect her. But Elisha hesitated and reluctantly leaned on him.


Leon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the two.


***


After dinner, the four of them walked out to the backyard to get some fresh air.


Leon, the most energetic of the four, jumped around frantically, felt good to see Elisha again.


He ran around. Elisha followed after him, followed by Aiden and Richard.


“Leon, you’re going to get hurt. Come here.”


He, who was running around jumping, came back quickly when he heard Elisha’s voice.


Elisha, who was breathless just by walking for a moment, sat on a nearby bench and picked up a short breath.


Leon asked, looking at Elisha with a questioning eye.


“Sister, are you tired?”


“Yeah. It’s hard to just walk because the baby has grown up a lot.”


Only then did Elisha’s belly, which had grown so big that he had not seen it, came into Leon’s eyes.


“Sister you stomach is so big.”


“That’s how much the baby grew. Isn’t it amazing?”


“Oh, I want to say hello to the baby.”


Leon approached her with curious eyes shining and whispered to Elisha’s belly.


“Hi, baby.”


Then, who apparently heard Leon’s greeting, the child in her stomach reacted with a movement. Leon’s eyes widened when he saw Elisha’s stomach moving.


“Did it hear my greeting?”


“Yeah, I guess so.”


“Wow.”


“I think the baby wants to say hi to you. Do you want to touch it?”


Leon immediately touched her stomach. The child in her stomach began moving with a wave. Leon’s eyes widened once more at the mystery of life he felt for the first time.


“Oh, the baby really said hello!”


“Even the baby says it’s nice to see Leon.”


“Nice to meet you too, baby.”


As his brackish hand carefully patted her stomach, the belly waved and greeted again.


Leon smiled brightly and looked up at Elisha.


“Baby, when is it coming out?” (he’s still a toddler so he can’t speak correctly yet)


“Well, maybe if I sleep for another 50 nights?”


“I ten years old when I see my baby bunny.” (rlly hard to translate what he says cause he’s still a small child)


“Are you going to be nice to it when the baby is born?”


“Ung! Leon will play with it! And I will keep them warm.”


At Leon’s words, Elisha burst into laughter. It was lovely to see the little one adoring his younger brother, almost like he was his older brother.


‘The brother you love is your future rival, but… well it’s up to the heroine to choose!’


As Elisha was talking to Leon, the cool autumn breeze passed by the two. The cold wind made her body shake. At the same time, she sneezed.


Elisha curled up in the cold. Suddenly, warm clothes covered her shoulders. Surprised, Elisha looked up. Richard had taken off his jacket and wrapped it around her.


‘He was talking with my father over there a little while ago.’


It wasn’t that far away, but if the two were talking, they might not have heard the sneeze. But when he heard the small sound, he came over at once.


Richard’s expression looking down at her was slightly distorted with worry.


“Let’s go inside. It’s getting cold.”


Elisha followed him. However, her expression, which had been bright with Leon a moment ago, was now gloomy.


Leon, who was watching the two with keen eyes, asked.


“Are you two fighting?”


At his question, not only Elisha but also Richard looked at Leon in surprise.


Aiden, who was approaching one step late, stopped walking when he heard that. His eyes looking at Richard became cold.


Feeling the cold atmosphere, Elisha hurriedly denied it.


“We didn’t fight. Leon.”


It is true that she was disappointed in Richard, but she didn’t want him to be hated by Aiden. But Leon was keen.


“But when Uncle came, sister’s expression became sad. When we was eating rice earlier sister ate a little.”


Elisha was embarrassed by Leon’s sharp points.


‘Was it that obvious…?’


She didn’t want to show any signs of disappointment over yesterday’s incident. Of course, the baby is precious, but if she asked him to value her more, it would sound like immature whining.


So, she hid her emotions, but it seemed that a gloomy look was revealed secretly.


At Elisha’s embarrassment, Richard replied instead.


“It’s my fault.”


Elisha looked at him with bewildered eyes at his unexpected reaction.


Leon’s eyes turned sour when he heard his answer.


“What’s uncle doing? Say sorry to sister.”


“...”


“And give her a big hug.”


Leon even demonstrated himself by holding Elisha.


Aiden burst into laughter at the scene. Leon’s words, which arranged reconciliation, were exactly what the priest who taught the children in the temple said.


Elisha looked at her father as if she were asking for help, but Aiden took it a step further.


“Yeah, if there’s anything you’re upset about, you have to solve it. Do as Leon says.”


Elisha avoided Richard’s eyes with an awkward expression. She felt sorry that she made him feel awkward for nothing. However, Richard hugged Elisha without hesitation.


“I’m sorry, Elisha.”


“Ah…”


She hugged him back in a dazed mood.


Leon, who was watching the two, applauded with satisfaction.


“Yay! You have to live in happiness!”


***


After seeing Aiden and Leon off, Elisha and Richard came up to their bedroom.


He sat Elisha on the bed and touched her forehead. It was to make sure she hadn’t caught a fever from the cold wind earlier.


Elisha slipped away from his gaze. She felt sorry for claiming him to be a bad person in front of Leon and Aiden.


‘...no fever.’


He lifted his hand covering her forehead. Then came a moment of silence.


Elisha didn’t know what to say, so she raised her eyes and met with his own. He sat beside her.


“Elisha?”


“Huh?”


“About what happened yesterday…I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking of myself too much.”


She stared at him with puzzled eyes. Richard lowered his gaze, distorted by his own reproach. His hands, which were clasped together, were constantly fiddling. Like a person who is afraid that she might shake off his hand.


“...I don’t know what to do if you hate me.”


“...”


“You’re precious, but I want to be nicer to you… It’s my first time having someone precious to me, so I don’t know what to do.”


“...”


“Still, can’t you like me a little bit?”


Richard’s voice was calm, but his eyes were desperate almost pleading.


Elisha blinked blankly.


‘Why, why are you so…’


Why is he so scared of her feelings when he has nothing to fear in the world?


It’s weird. It’s weird. With that look on his face, if he says that.


‘...it’s like you like me.’


The moment she thought of it, her heart sank. She didn’t think it was wrong. She was afraid the idea was just an illusion of her hope.


However, rather than her feelings, she felt sorry for him, who must have been hurt by her attitude to avoid him.


“I don’t hate you.”


Elisha said as she touched his cheek to soothe his worried heart.


“I like you, a lot.”


At her words, Richard’s eyes were greatly shaken. When she saw his shaky gaze, Elisha realized that she had unknowingly expressed her true feelings.


‘Now, wait a minute. That’s weird to say!’


Her face flared up when she realized. At the same time, there was a breathtaking silence between the two.


Elisha thought about how to deal with the words she had just uttered, but she couldn’t think of anything in her panicked state. She couldn’t just sit there.


She stammered out a beat late, intending to say anything.


“Well, you know, what I just said was…”


Suddenly, there was a knock on the door to save Elisha from the situation. It was Anne.


“Madam, the bath is ready.”


Elisha, who couldn’t speak while looking at Richard, shouted, avoiding his eyes with a red face.


“I-I’m going to wash up first!”


“Elisha, wait a minute-”


She hurried out of the bedroom.


He was left alone in the bedroom. Richard stared blankly at the door where she had just exited. He recalled her appearance.


Considering the context, he knew it was more like ‘not hateful’ than ‘I like you’. But…


The eyes that looked at him affectionately, a soft touch that caressed one’s cheek.

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 5

And her face that turned red with embarrassment after she said her true feelings without realizing it.


He was sure that…


“Elisha, I…”


Richard, who had recalled the memory of a while ago, stopped breathing, recalling one possibility that all her reactions pointed to.


‘I like you, a lot.’


His heart began to beat so hard that it hurt.


***


After taking a bath, Elisha returned to her bedroom as usual, and stopped and sighed. A little while ago, she said something similar to a confession to Richard, and she couldn’t get it out of her head the whole time.


‘It wasn’t a confession in context, but…’


But it was obvious that she meant it. His eyes shook greatly at the words she had said. Richard had eventually caught on to the feelings she was trying to hide.


‘Richard… what would he think?’


In the original novel, Richard did not love Elisha. The current Richard may like her with reason, he treated her preciously, so it was already different from the original.


Like the variable, she was excited to think that he might like her unlike the original, but she was depressed to think that she was just a precious family member and friend to him.


‘...I don’t like that.’


She hates it even more if he felt responsible and sorry for having the child. The mere thought of it made her heart ache.


She repeatedly felt like she was flying over the clouds and then falling back to the floor.


“Madam? What’s wrong with you?”


Anne, who was following after Elisha, looked at her with puzzled eyes. Elisha shook her head helplessly.


“No, it’s nothing.”


Her expression was not a look of ‘nothing’ at all.


Anne tried to ask what was going on, but Elisha who was looking at the hallway to the bedroom, spoke first.


“Anne, can you go and see if he’s in the bedroom?”


Anne headed straight to the bedroom, wondering about Elisha’s unknown instructions.


She knocked and waited for a while, but no answer came back. Finally, Anne, who opened the door slightly and peered into the bedroom, looked at Elisha and shook her head.


It meant that Richard had not returned to his bedroom yet.


Elisha walked into the bedroom and sat against the bed with Anne’s help.


“Then have a good night, ma’am.”


Anne supported Elisha with her pillow so that she could sit comfortably before heading to the door.


Sitting against the bed, Elisha came up with a stop gap measure to avoid the situation.


‘I need to go to bed before Richard comes back.’


When he wakes up in the morning, it’ll be hard to ask about what she said.


Elisha was such a troublemaker.


She wondered how he would react, but she wanted to avoid it because she was afraid of how he’d react.


However, Elisha’s hasty plan went horribly wrong. The moment Anne opened the door to leave the bedroom, she ran into Richard, who was returning to the room.


‘Oh my gosh.’


Elisha, who made eye contact with him through the open door, came out of bed in surprise. Then she hurried to the door. Richard, who was worried that Elisha, who had already become heavy, might fall, hurriedly approached her.


“Elisha, slow down-”


“I’m going to sleep alone today. Go sleep in your room.”


But Elisha pushed him out of the room, avoiding his gaze with a red face.


“Wait, Elisha.”


Richard was embarrassed by her action, but was pushed out without fighting back because he was worried that she would get hurt if he did. Elisha, who barely pushed him out and closed the door, was surprised at how he looked.


‘This isn’t it…’


Instead of pushing him away like this, she should tell him honestly that she likes him. Far from being honest, she just avoided him and pushed him away.


It was pathetic to see herself like that.


‘What is this… childish. You look like a fool.’


Even at that moment when she pushed him away, her heart responding to him was annoying. The throbbing hurt.


Elisha grabbed her chest.


Then, a soft voice came from beyond the door.


“Elisha.”


She looked up at the door, blankly at his voice calling her.

“Do you really want me to sleep in my room?”


“...yes.”


“...”


“The one you said you liked earlier, were you serious?”


Don’t go and stay with me. Please understand my dis ingenuousness. Please know my fear of being turned away.


However, an answer that was completely different from the truth came out.


“...I didn’t mean it.”


Richard, who heard the answer, remained silent for a while. It was not long before the sound of his footsteps receded. Her heart sank at the sound of them gradually moving away.


“...Richard?”


She called out to him late, but of course the answer didn’t come back.


Elisha, who had been absent-minded for a while, only then opened the door. As expected, Richard was not there.


‘Stupid…’


Elisha’s eyes were sadly distorted as she stared blankly at the place where he had been standing.


She didn’t want to be caught, she wanted to hide them, but after denying her true feelings, she was heartbroken. The feeling of not being able to speak frankly remained in her heart and hurt as if she were frozen.


Elisha closed the door, trying to swallow the tears that were about to come out.


It was then.


A warmth from behind gently enveloped her. At the same time, her tears that had been formed dropped.


A familiar warmth. A familiar body odor.


Even without looking back, she knew all too well who the owner of this warmth and scent belonged to. When she noticed him, her heart began to beat again.


“Saying that you like me, is that true?”


His voice rang in her ears once again. Elisha stared blankly, unable to answer.


Richard, who was waiting for an answer, fiddled with her hand and slowly turned her around. He murmured, wiping away the tears around Elisha’s eyes as she looked up at him with bewildered eyes.


“Then am I the only one who has a crush?”


Her eyes widened in surprise at his words.


Richard spoke, looking into Elisha’s trembling eyes.


“I love you, Elisha.”


She stared at him in disbelief. As if to instill confidence in Elisha’s anxiety, he said it once more.


“I love you.”


The truth she couldn’t tell because she was afraid she’d be shunned, and…


Something she wanted to hear. But she was still afraid.


Elisha said what she had buried in her heart the whole time.


“If it’s because I’m…having a child, if it’s because you feel responsible for that mistake… then I don’t want it.”


It was the first time she honestly brought it up in front of him.


Richard, who noticed that Elisha’s ‘mistake’ meant the child in her stomach, twisted his forehead.


“It was sudden, but I never thought of it as a mistake.”


“...”


“I’ve long wanted to be a ‘real couple’ with you to watch my child grow in your stomach.”


Perhaps, a wish long before that, the only light that allowed him to endure on the battlefield between life and death.


Richard added by touching her belly preciously, where the fruit of his love with Elisha is growing.


“My baby is not a mistake, it’s my wish.”


When he was young, he hated his grandfather terribly. To the point where it was his purpose in life to get back at him by disrupting all the plans he had wished for. At that time, he had nothing if he relieved his hatred for Albert.


There would only be a void left that would not be filled by anything. At some point, however, the endless ‘vacuum’ began to fill gradually.


Not the sharp feeling that pierces him, but the soft, ticklish feeling like cotton candy that melts.


Because of her.


Then one day, when he realized that he loved his child who had suddenly appeared unannounced. Only then did Richard become certain.


He thinks he can erase all the painful feelings that have been bothering him all his life. Now, he wants to be happy. With her.


“You made that wish come true.”


“...”


“Thank you, Elisha.”


His words brought tears to Elisha’s eyes.


He wanted to give up his revenge on Albert and build a family and live happily like everyone else. But she didn’t realize until she heard him.


That the wish for him was, in fact, his own wish to have a child who looked like Elisha and to have a happy family by her side. That this feeling toward her is much deeper and older than she thought.


‘We’ve been making the same wish all along.’


The miracle was heartbreaking.


Elisha held back her tears and opened her mouth.


“My wish is the same as yours.”


Richard’s touch, who was wiping her tears from Elisha’s cheeks, stopped.


“I like you, Richard.”


A small smile spread around Richard’s mouth as he looked at her in surprise. Soon, instead of answering, his soft lips landed on Elisha’s eyes.


He kissed both eyelids in an attempt to soothe her. He whispered, staring at her with his forehead against hers.


“I love you, Elisha.”


Elisha glanced at his eyes. She could see her own appearance reflected in them.


Beyond those eyes, she could feel his feelings for her. She was overwhelmed with emotion.


Elisha closed her eyes, holding his arm as support. His moist lips overlapped with hers. Their lips, which were lightly pecking at each other, soon entangled in a deep breath. As she breathed less, Richard’s arm, which was hugging Elisha, became stronger.


“Haa…”


Her mind was in a daze, Elisha, who managed to escape from him, leaned against his chest for a quick breath. In the meantime, she held his collar tightly in case she fell away from him.


Richard took her to bed and sat her down in case she fell. As he tried to kiss her again, he saw Elisha’s slightly red face.


There was an urge to swallow her shyness. The moment Richard was about to kiss that face.


“Ah.”


Elisha uttered a little exclamation.


Richard, who was wondering what was wrong, found her stomach moving. His forehead twisted and he sighed at the appearance of the cute uninvited guest. Elisha burst into laughter at his appearance.


Richard patted Elisha’s stomach and whispered softly.


“Hush. Go to bed.”


Perhaps it heard what he said, the child quickly calmed down. The two people, who were watching the scene with a smile, soon overlapped their lips again.


***


The next day, Richard came to the Imperial Palace for a meeting on the harvest festival next week. Fortunately, there were not many agenda items to discuss because it was last minute, and the meeting ended much earlier than scheduled.


Richard quickly left the palace as soon as the meeting was over. He instructed the coachman.


“Head to the Marquis de Serriott estate.”


It was to pick up Elisha who was there today.


As soon as he got on the wagon, Richard, who was loosening the stuffy cravat, suddenly realized that his neck was empty.


‘...did I leave it at home?’


Last night, Aiden gave Richard a crystal pendant with purifying power.


‘It’s an artifact made with a principle similar to Jeonghwa’s sword. (??) We can temporarily suppress that power in case of an emergency.’


It was made for Richard, who was worried that his power would have a bad effect on his soon-to-be-born child.


He tried to wear it from today onward to get used to carrying it around his body, but it seemed that he forgot because he was distracted by Elisha in the morning.


‘I’ll do it as soon as I get home.’


Richard thought so and turned his eyes out the window. Just as they were crossing the square, he saw a familiar bakery. He remembered that Elisha liked the snacks made there.


“I’ll stop by the bakery.”


His order stopped the carriage in front of the bakery. Richard picked up a cookie set and handmade candy that Elisha liked.


Then, Agile, who was standing near him, approached Richard and spoke in a low voice.


“Your Excellency, we have been followed.”


Agile winked at a man standing nearby. The man was looking at cookies and candy from the bakery. However, Richard already knew that the man had followed him since he had just entered the bakery and was looking at his behavior.


Richard paid for the cookies and candy and walked out. After a while, the man came out of the bakery.


The man was surprised to see Richard standing without getting in the carriage, but he tried to pass by as if he were a passerby.


“Don’t you have something to do?”


Richard’s voice stopped the steps of the man. He was startled and then smiled and looked back at Richard.


“As expected, you are sharp as Arencia’s hero. I’m sorry if I offended you. It’s a little difficult to officially visit and talk, so inevitably I had to follow…”


“So what can I do for you?”


“You’re looking for information about ‘the power’, aren’t you?”


Richard’s eyes shook at the word ‘the power’ from the man’s mouth.


The only people who knew about his ‘black power’ were Elisha and Aiden, and the baby who sent them to the Tower of Truth. But this guy knew about ‘the power’.


The man spoke with a sly smile at Richard’s agitated appearance.


“I’ll take you to someone who knows ‘the power’.”


***


“Welcome, My Lady.”


Elisha, who arrived at the Marquis’ estate, tilted her head at the unfamiliar-looking maid.

“What about Camilla?”


She was expecting to see Camilla, who was waiting for Elisha’s next visit. The strange maid who came to greet her spoke with a gentle smile.


“The maid caught the flu a few days ago. She let me come instead, saying that she was afraid that My Lady would catch it.”


“Oh… I see.”


“I’m Anna, who will serve you on behalf of Camilla. It’s an honor to serve you.”


“Nice to meet you, too.”


It was somewhat awkward to deal with Anna, who was overly friendly while Camilla was blunt.


‘I’ve been tamed by Camilla!’


In a short amount of time, Elisha was surprised at how she was feeling towards Camilla and asked for her.


“Is Camilla in a lot of pain?”


“She’s been seriously ill for the past few days, but I think she’s gotten a lot better today.”


Anna led Elisha into the mansion. Anne and Thompson followed suit.


Elisha, who was greeted by the employees she encountered as she passed by, looked around with suspicious eyes. She couldn’t see the face she wanted to see.


Elisha asked Anna, who led her towards the dining room.


“I don’t think I see Frederick either.”

 

i had a bit of trouble translating these chapters but hopefully it's understandable ALSO i just copied and pasted my previous translation on when she gave birth lol enjoy!!

(p.s. richard and hanes are the cutest <33)

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 6

“The Lord gave the butler a vacation to celebrate the harvest festival. Thanks to you, he won’t be at the estate for 10 days.”


“Really?”


Elisha didn’t ask anymore questions, but she felt something was wrong.


‘He’s already spending his vacation on a busy harvest festival?’


Elisha instructed Frederick to hold his own small banquet in the house to commemorate the harvest festival, and to give bonuses to the employees. So that all the employees in the mansion can eat and drink as much as they want, enjoy the atmosphere of the harvest festival, and participate in the festival held in the square.


It was entirely up to him to prepare for the banquet and make a detailed budget for the amount to be distributed. But it was strange that he went on vacation at this time.


Elisha has only met him a few times, but he was not the kind of person to leave his job alone to enjoy his vacation.


‘Did you finish it in advance?’


Elisha entered the dining room and saw a familiar face.


“I-I greet My Lady.”


It was Daisy.


She was setting food on the table.


Elisha, who was greeting her with a smile, sensed something strange. Daisy was wearing the short apron she was wearing before, not the regular sized apron that Elisha ordered to buy.


‘That’s why you look scared!’


When Elisha tried to question her, Anna pulled out a chair for Elisha to sit on.


“These are the foods that I made with special attention because My Lady was coming. I hope it suits your taste.”


Anna, who led her to the table, stepped back a few steps and stood by. Thompson and Anne also stepped back behind Elisha.


As Anna said, the table was full of various foods. However, none of them were fried mushrooms that Camilla said she would prepare.


‘...weird.’


No matter how sick Camilla was, she didn’t feel like the type of person to forget her promise. Then Daisy approached Elisha and asked.


“What kind of food would you like?”


Her voice quivered subtly. Elisha noticed it, but she smiled as if she didn’t see anything and reached out to point to the food.


“I don’t know what kind of food it is, but can you give me some of that?”


Then, a spoon caught on Elisha’s dress sleeve fell to the marble floor and made a sharp sound. Daisy, surprised by her action, looked at Elisha. She spoke with a smile.


“Spoon, I dropped it. You’re going to pick it up, right?”


Daisy, who was staring blankly at Elisha, finally came to her senses and leaned down to pick up the spoon. Then she disappeared, saying she would bring a new one.


Elisha dipped a piece of cheese into her mouth with a fork. As soon as she tried to put it in her mouth, she gasped. Anne, who saw her figure, was surprised and approached Elisha.


“Ma-Madam! Are you okay?”


“Smelling the cheese makes my stomach feel a bit… I don’t think it’s good.”


Anna, who was watching the scene, also approached Elisha.


“Do you have morning sickness?”


“I think so. It’s rare, but I heard that there are mothers who have morning sickness until the last month.”


Anne, who studied pregnancy to serve Elisha, answered instead.


Elisha got up from the table with a troubled look on her face.


“You worked hard to prepare it for me, but I don’t think I can eat it like this.”


Anna, whose expression hardened for a moment at her words, quickly concluded her expression and replied.


“Ah… If that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Don’t worry.”


“I want to take a walk in the backyard instead. I think I’ll feel better if I get some cold air.”


Anna led Elisha, Anne, and Thompson into the backyard.


The backyard of the Marquis, located in the suburbs, was exasperating. It was a calm that usually felt peaceful, but today even the sound of birds from afar felt faint.


Elisha, staring at the view of the backyard, instructed Anne.


“Anne, the wind is strong today. Go back to the carriage and tell everyone to avoid the wind.”


The autumn wind was quite cool, but it was not to the extent that it was strong. Anne tilted her head suspiciously, but she nodded and disappeared into the mansion.


Anna, who stared at Anne’s back, asked Elisha.


“Have you been to the detached house in the backyard by any chance? It was owned by your mother… It is a space used by the Marquis’ previous generation.”


“Really? Then let’s look around the backyard and go there.”


Elisha headed to a tree on one side of the backyard. Thompson and Anna followed suit.


Anna peeked at Elisha and Thompson. Elisha seemed to be distracted by the chrysanthemum flowers while Thompson focused on Elisha.


‘Now!’


Anna took out a dagger she had hidden in her sleeve and aimed at Thompson’s back. The move was flawless. It was the movement of a professionally trained attack. But at that moment, Thompson quickly dodged the attack and pulled out the sword.


Striking into the air, Anna narrowly dogged his attack. Thompson stared at Anna with a startled look and raised the corners of his mouth.


“Do you know what ‘the wind is strong’ means in Rubellin?”


Thompson added, lashing out at Anna.


“It means, ‘it must be hard to go back home’.”


In Rubellin, where the winter is long, there were many hunters who went on winter hunting. However, Rubellin had many sudden weather changes such as snowstorms and windstorms, and in preparation for that, they built many cottages throughout the territory. When someone said ‘the wind was strong’, they avoided said storms in the cabins.


With those words, Elisha signaled Thompson and the employees waiting in the carriage.


Now, they were in danger of going home.


Anna looked at Elisha in surprise.


‘How did you notice…?’


Elisha stared at Anna with indifferent eyes and recalled what Daisy said when she picked up the spoon in the dining room a while ago.


‘You have to run away…’


Thompson took advantage of Anna’s carelessness and cut her off.


When Elisha, who had closed her eyes tightly, opened her eyes again, she saw terrorists rushing out of the annex. They surrounded them in an instant.


Soon, a familiar face appeared as they parted from the center.


“Since I was young, I wondered why Marquis Serriott was stuck in a corner…”


“...”


“I guess he did it for today.” (??)


Elisha stared coldly at Kane who was grinning.


“Oh, I’m saying this just in case you have hope, but your husband won’t be coming.”


Kane threw a bait that he (Richard) couldn’t help but bite. Kane added with a mean smile.


Elisha wrapped her stomach in protection of her child as she continued to stare at him.


‘...I don’t want to die!’


The wish of the man she loved. Their precious fruit.


She wanted to protect this child no matter what.


“...Do you think you can still be the next leader?”


“Of course not. So, I’m going to get rid of what I can’t have.” (??)


It meant that his purpose was to kill Elisha.


“You will meet your mother by mistake and die apologizing to the child who will never see the light of the world.”


Kane gestured to the gunmen to attack. At that moment, a scream and a clatter of blades were heard inside the mansion.


It was the sound of Rubellin’s knights fighting terrorists, who understood what Elisha meant. When Thompson heard the commotion, he smirked and blocked Elisha from view.


“Honestly, it’s my first time dealing with so many people since the war, so I’m not confident…”


Then, his usual playful expression turned cold.


“But I will risk my life to protect you until my subordinates arrive.”


At the same time, the gunmen rushed at Thompson.


He was about to wield his sword when an ice wall rose in front of him. As a result, all the terrorists’ attacks were blocked as well.


Thompson looked back at Elisha with startled eyes. She sat on the floor and maintained her magic.


Kane’s expression distorted horribly when he saw that. When he saw Elisha preventing their attack with that power that he didn’t have, he felt inferior.


Kane spoke with gritted teeth.


“She won’t last long with that body. Keep attacking.”


As he said, Elisha was not good at dealing with her power yet. She was in a situation where she shouldn’t overdo it due to her pregnancy.


The gunmen continued to strike the ice wall at Kane’s command. Soon arrows also joined.


The impact began to form sweatdrops on Elisha’s forehead, who was maintaining the ice wall.


Thompson did not release her so that he could face the ice wall at any time.


Elisha clenched her teeth.


‘I have to hold out. I have to protect it.’


However, contrary to Elisha’s wishes, her concentration began to gradually become blurry. At that moment, there was a small gap in the ice wall, and an arrow penetrated through it. The arrow brushed past her arm.


“Ugh!”


At the same time, the ice wall cracked and broke.


Thompson quickly stopped their attack, but failed to stop an arrow flying at Elisha.


‘No way…!’


Elisha instinctively crouched around her stomach.


It was then.


The sudden strong wind broke the ark of arrows heading towards Elisha. Suddenly, there was a sound of thunder and lightning striking.


‘Is this…?’


The gunmen and Kane looked up at the sky with startled eyes. There, Richard was looking down at them with livid eyes.


“I’ll kill you all.”


In a ferocious voice, his body was brimming with black energy behind him.


***


Half an hour ago, in front of the bakery in the square.


Richard, who was agitated by the appearance of the man mentioning his power, approached him with a threatening expression.


“How do you know about that power?”


“I don’t think I can give you an answer to that. I’ve also heard about ‘the power’ from someone I know.”


The man continued, with an exaggerated expression of regret.


“I’ll show you who knows about ‘the power’. Will you follow me?”


Agile, who was watching him next to Richard, whispered to his Lord when he saw the man’s eyes gleaming slyly.


“Sir, it could be a trap.”


However, even with Agile’s words, Richard looked at the man with an uninspiring eye.


The possibility that it could be a trap was already anticipated. But for him, the trap was no problem. If it’s a trap, he’s more than enough to sweep everything away, just like how he swept away the palace of Phairan.


‘But if he really knows about this power…’


Elisha was still practicing dealing with the power of purification in her spare time, even when her body has become heavy. Richard knew that the reason she practiced was to purify his black power.


It was on his mind all the time. He wanted to find out information about this power as soon as possible to ease her burden. When he thought of her like that, he couldn’t even shake off the possibility of her fainting.


Richard warned the man in a threatening tone.


“If it’s not the answer I want, you’ll have to pay with your life.”


“Of course, why would I lie about this?”


“...tell me.”


“Please wait a moment. I’ll bring the carriage.”


The man disappeared around the corner with a satisfied smile.


Richard handed Agile the box of cookies he was holding and the glass bottle of handmade candy.


“Go back first.”


However, when he saw the cookie box and handmade candy, he suddenly remembered Elisha. At the same time, he remembered what Aiden said yesterday.


‘Your Excellency told Elisha that she would need me, but she would be much more dependent on you than me.’


‘...’


‘Please stay with her when she needs you the most.’


Never, ever stay away from her.


As soon as he thought of Aiden’s words, Richard thought of another possibility that would’ve never come to mind.


‘What if it’s not a trap for me, but for Elisha?’


The mere thought of that possibility chilled his blood. He had an ominous feeling for some reason.


“...Agile. Hold him here.”


“What?”


Richard flew up, leaving Agile behind, puzzled by the sudden change in his behavior.


***


The first thing Richard noticed when he arrived at the Marquis’ estate was the arrows flying towards Elisha.


Richard’s eyes, who saw the scene, became livid. Black energy flowed from him as he was seized with murderous intent.


The black energy surrounded all the archers on the ground and tightened their breathing. The archers struggled to death in pain.


Richard realized then that he had used a force that he should not have used, but he had no time to care about it.


His first priority now was Elisha’s safety.


Richard lowered himself to the ground and hurriedly approached her.


“Elisha.”


“Richard…”


Elisha, who was relieved only after seeing his face, fell into his arms. Elisha’s trembling body proved the fear she must have experienced.


“It’s all right now.”


“...”


“I’m sorry I’m late.”


Richard kissed her temple to soothe her trembling body, and checked the wound on her arm. Fortunately, the wound was not deep but his expression still painfully distorted.


The black energy that was running behind his back began to fade away.


Richard left Elisha to Thompson and approached Kane and the crowd who were frozen. His eyes were fierce as he approached Kane.


“Who are you working with?”


Kane, who was deprived of his position, has no power to mobilize so many people. There must have been someone else in the background.


“Say it.”


Kane hesitantly stepped back, staring terrified at Richard approaching him.


‘Ho-How did he get here…?’


He (Marquis Felice; Rose’s father) said he threw a bait that he (Richard) couldn’t help but bite, so he could definitely hold him back. Once Richard noticed Elisha’s death, he said he would have already fled.


He thought it was ruined. But now there was no turning back.


Kan shouted at the hired mercenaries.


“What-What are you staring at? Go ahead and attack!”


The mercenaries hesitated, realizing that they could not escape, and all at once attacked Richard. Richard rose them into the air and dropped them back down.


The sounds of bones crushing and screaming sounded terrible everywhere.


Kane trembled at the sight of Richard approaching him.


What’s scarier than the terrible chaos in front of him was Richard, who looked indifferent as if he had no emotion even in a place full of blood and screams. When Kane saw his face, he realized that the word ‘devil of the battlefield’ was used by the kingdom of Pai. (??)


On the other hand, he was afraid, but it felt bitterly unfair.


‘How come…’


Why did God only give him (Richard) this powerful power? It was unfair and miserable. But he wanted to live.


Kane told Richard the truth.


“Ra-Raymore Felice!”


“...”


“He helped me.”


“...”


“Since I told you the truth, please don’t kill me…”

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 7

Richard’s steps stopped in front of Kane, who was bowing his head. A creepy voice fell over Kane.


“I don’t think we ever came to such a negotiation.”


Crack-


Soon lightning struck through Kane.


***


Richard, who returned to the Duchy with Elisha, was the first to call the doctor.


Cetil came to Elisha and Richard sitting on the bed.


“The wound on her arm-”


“Baby… Look at my baby first.”


Richard, who was trying to heal her wounds first, stopped talking after hearing Elisha. It was the first thing she said after being silent throughout the whole trip back.


Cetil sneaked a glance at Richard’s face at the two’s demands. Richard nodded, noticing the signs of Elisha’s nervousness.


He was worried about Elisha’s bleeding, but it wasn’t a deep wound. For now, it was the top priority to reassure Elisha, who was anxious about the baby.


Cetil examined the condition of the child in her womb.


“Your baby’s heart is beating as healthy as usual. Do you have any other symptoms? The lump in your stomach is the same as usual…”


Elisha shook her head. Fortunately, there have been no such symptoms so far.


“Then there won’t be a big problem for the baby. First, let’s take a few days to relax and watch.”


At Cetil’s words, Elisha was relieved. Richard’s expression, who felt that Elisha’s trembling body was very unstable, was also more relaxed.


Cetil briefly healed the wound on Elisha’s arm and left the room. It wasn’t as big a wound as Richard expected.


He held Elisha, who looked tired. He lied behind her, stroking her stomach, soothing her startled state.


“I’ll be by your side, so take a nap.”


Then, there was a knock. It was Agile.


“Your Excellency, Ma’am. May I come in for a moment?”


“Come in.”


Elisha allowed Agile to enter before Richard could reply. Agile, who came into the bedroom, broke the news.


“I just received a letter from Sir Thompson saying that all of the employees of the Marquis’ estate that were detained are safe in the cellar.”


Elisha was relieved to hear the news. Even so, she was still worried about them.


“And after questioning the man we met at the bakery, he said that Marquis Raymore Felice was the one who told him about the power.”


Richard’s expression hardened.


Elisha, who was listening to the story silently, looked up at Richard in surprise.


“Does the Marquis know about your power? So the Emperor also knows about this power?”


“...maybe, it’s a possibility.”


Perhaps it was the Emperor’s intention from the beginning. But nothing was certain until they knew about the identity of the power.


Then, Agile added.


“And he said, Marquis Felice was waiting for you.”


Richard’s brows narrowed.


He wanted to visit him right away to hear about ‘the power’ and ask him about his crime of trying to kill Elisha, but it was still hard to leave her here while she was still unstable. Almost as if she was reading his mind, Elisha opened her mouth.


“Go ahead, Richard.”


“...Elisha.”


“Be careful, okay? You have a wife and child you have to protect.”


Richard, who sat in conflict for a second, eventually got off the bed.


“I’ll be right back. Rest.”


He kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room.


Elisha went to sleep, patting her stomach while she lied on the bed. It was then, when she was sleeping in a daze.


“Ah…”


Elisha opened her eyes, feeling the pain in her stomach being lumped tightly. She tried to pass it off as a temporary symptom, but it did not go away easily.


‘No way…’


She had a bad feeling.


***


Meanwhile, Marquis Felice.


“...”


Raymore sat alone in the reception room and gazed at the cold tea cup. Seeing that the person who was supposed to come was late, he had a bad feeling.


Raymore held the cold cup. And as soon as he tried to moisten his throat, a knock rang.


The subordinate, who entered the reception room, delivered the news with a troubled expression.


“Your Excellency, it is said that the plan failed because Duke Rubellin went to the Marquis’ estate.”


“...what about Duchess Rubellin?”


“As for the Duchess…they said they failed.”


Raymore’s hand, which was rising the tea cup to his mouth, stopped. But that was it. He moistened his throat and clicked his tongue with a strange expression.


“He should have handled it quickly, why did he have to procrastinate so much? Tsk.”


The possibility that the stupid pawn would fail was already in mind. For him, Kane was a one-time loss to succeed and throw away if he failed.


Then, with another knock, the butler came into the reception.


“What’s the matter?”


“The Duke of Rubellin is here. What shall I do?”


Raymore seemed surprised for a moment, but soon opened his mouth with one corner raised.


“Bring him inside.”


The subordinate and butler withdrew quietly.


Raymore muttered, setting down the teacup he was holding.


“Now, I’m going to face you formally.”


His eyes were shining grimly as he looked out the window where darkness began to fall.


***


“You can come inside. His Excellency is waiting.”


Richard headed to the reception room under the guidance of the butler.


The Marquis of Felice’ mansion was not as big as the Dukedom, but it was large and decorated in a dark tone, creating a grand atmosphere. Somehow he felt a bit gloomy.


“This way.”


The servant, who was waiting in front of the reception room, bowed to Richard and immediately opened the door.


Richard entered the reception room with two of the accompanying Rubellin knights. Raymore was sitting in the center of the room waiting for Richard.


“You’re behind schedule.”


That meant pointing out that he came here late as his plan to lure Richard and kill Elisha went awry.


Richard sat across from him, staring coldly.


“I was worried you wouldn’t come, thinking it was a trap.”


“Even if it was a trap, is there any reason to avoid it?”


Richard coldly retorted as he sat crossed-legged.


Even if it was a trap, he was more than enough to sweep him all away with his power. He held a relaxed attitude, the trap was no problem for him.


Under his pressure, almost looking down at him, Raymore responded with a satisfied smile.


“Well, you are the war hero.”


“I don’t think we’re in that sort of relationship, so let’s get to the point.”


Richard cut off the conversation before the talk got too long. He had no intention of staying around Raymore for a second. He wanted to get things sorted out in a hurry and go back to Elisha, who would be waiting for him.


Raymore showed no displeasure at Richard’s attitude.


He looked at the knights of Rubellin standing next to Richard, holding up the new teacup that the maid had just served.


“Before that, you’d better bite the ear you hear. Won’t that be a difficult story for others to hear? Oh, of course you’ll get bitten.” (??)


“No, you can't. Your Excellency, It’s dangerous.”


The knights guarding Raymore dissuaded him, but Raymore did not budge.


“As you know, I hate to say things twice.”



His composure was calm because he knew Richard would never hurt him.


The knights under Raymore looked uneasy about how he was handling it, but soon withdrew. Along with them, the knights of Rubellin also left the reception room.


Only two people, Richard and Raymore, were left in the room.


Richard went on to the point without hesitation.


“This power, did the Emperor do this?”


Raymore didn’t answer immediately. He moistened his throat before opening his mouth.


“No, he knows nothing about the power.”


Richard stared at him with one eyebrow raised.


Raymore referred to the emperor as ‘he’, not ‘His Majesty’. Not referring to the emperor, who is the leader, as ‘Your Majesty’, is a clear offense of blasphemy, and treason if one does not recognize him as the emperor. It was too much, seeing that he was the emperor’s closest aide.


But there was something else that was bothering him other than his words and actions.


“How does the Marquis know about this power? Did you inject it in me?”


“That power is originally yours.”


“...what?”


Richard’s eyes were shaken by his answer.


“It’s exactly what I’m getting back for you.”


“What do you mean-”


“To kill that girl, to complete your power… is all my will out of loyalty to you.”


It’s not the emperor’s will.


At Raymore’s words, Richard recalled what he had said to him during the hunting festival.


‘But I hope you don’t think too hard on it. Everything I do is for you.’


Raymore took the Devil’s Soul Stone from the canyon and sprinkled it on Rubellin, prompting Richard to go search the canyon. And there he planted the ‘power’ in Richard.


No, in his words, he gave it back.


‘Why…? What is this power?’


He didn’t understand.


Richard asked Raymore with a confused expression.


“Why… Do I have this power?”


Raymore looked at him and clicked his tongue pitifully. And answered a beat later.


“It’s God’s will.”


“...God’s will, is that so?”


At first, Richard thought he was talking nonsense because he was crazy. But when he saw Raymore’s eyes full of crazy beliefs, he had an ominous feeling.


“I’m just following God’s will.”


“...”


“You must be very confused. No wonder you don’t know. It’s a big picture that was painted long before you were born.”


“...”


“I can help you-”


In the end, Richard couldn’t resist and grabbed him by the collar.


“...explain it to me so I can understand it before I kill you.”


Richard spoke wildly, bewildered. At the same time as he felt the will to kill, black energy came up from his back. When Raymore saw it, he burst into laughter with a look of madness.


“Even if you kill me, God will not stop what is meant for you.”


“...”


“A masterpiece I’ve completed half my life.”


“...”


“I made it, My God.”


“...”


“If it weren’t for that girl, it would have been complete without any defects…”


“...If you touch even the tip of Elisha’s hair, you will not have a beautiful death.”


Richard’s hand, who was grabbing Raymore’s collar, was energized. But Raymore continued to smile at him with glistening eyes full of madness.


“If you can’t believe me, go to the Tower of Truth. The answer you are looking for will be there.”


The will of God. Tower of Truth.


Richard stared at him in confusion.


Then, there was a knock.


“Sir, this is urgent news. May I come in for a moment?”


It was a knight of Rubellin.


Richard glared at Raymore as if he was going to kill him before letting go of his collar. He answered in a low voice.


“...come in.”


Rubellin’s knight came into the reception room as soon as Richard’s permission was given. He hurriedly whispered the news to Richard.


“Your wife says she’s having labor pains. I think you should hurry back.”


Richard’s heart sank at the news.


There was still a month and a little more until the due date. If it was born after nine months, it would have been a normal birth, but if it was born before that, it would be a premature birth.


When he thought of Elisha, all his previous complicated thoughts disappeared, leaving only her.


Richard left Raymore and turned right around. He had to go to Elisha right now.


Behind Richard, Raymore’s voice came.


“If you really care for her, you’d better stay as far away as you can.”


That’s nonsense.


Richard turned around and left the reception, ignoring his words.


Raymore murmured as he watched the closing door.


“Wouldn’t it be too harsh to die at the hands of the man you love?”


The corners of his mouth, holding the cold teacup, were curled up.


***


“Elisha!”


Richard flew back to the Dukedom with the carriage he had been riding in.


As he entered Elisha’s bedroom, there was Cetil and Anne and her doctors, on her bed.


“...Richard.”


Elisha greeted him with a pale face.


Richard rushed to her side. The situation was not known yet, but it did not seem to be a situation where childbirth was required immediately.


He took Elisha’s weakly trembling hand and looked at Cetil next to him.


“What happened?”


“A midwife was here to check. Fortunately, thanks to the rapid prescription of the medicine, it calmed down to some extent.”


Richard breathed a sigh of relief at her words.


Cetil added an explanation.


“But since there is a risk of premature birth, I think you should lie down from now on.”


At this time, the child in her stomach was almost grown up. It would be big even if it was born right away, but it was good to reduce the risk as much as possible.


“It would be better for you to raise it in your stomach for a little more time.”


After the explanation, Cetil withdrew. Anne also left her seat.


When only the two of them were left in the room, Elisha cried herself out of concern for the baby.


“Because I wasn’t careful…the baby must have had a hard time. I guess that’s why they’re trying to come out quickly. It’s because of me…”


Her tears smote Richard’s heart.


Although Elisha cried a lot of tears when she got pregnant, she was still strong and positive. The fact that she was so weak means that she is currently mentally and physically struggling.


Richard soothed Elisha by wiping away her trembling tears.


“Why is it your fault? Until then, you were healthy, and the baby was fine.”


“But…”


“It’s their fault for targeting you, not yours. You did your best to protect the baby.”


Richard spoke before kissing her lightly on the lips.


If anyone was to blame, it wasn’t her, it’s his. He shouldn’t have fallen away from her no matter what. But now it was a useless idea.


“Elisha, you were born earlier and survived. And this child has my blood… even if it’s born early, they will definitely be healthy. So don’t worry.”


Richard kissed her all around her face. Elisha, who slowly stabilized and recovered from his words, stopped crying.


He lay next to her and hugged Elisha and her stomach.


“Don’t worry too much and take a nap.”


“Yes…”


Perhaps because she was relaxed, Elisha quickly fell asleep holding Richard.


Richard was right, this was all of Raymore’s doing. As he listened to her even breathing he bit his lips.


‘That power is originally yours.’


He carefully pulled his hand out from Elisha’s and looked at his palm.


Elisha’s power is the power of life, and Rubellin’s power is the power of destruction, but this power that suddenly began to emerge one day…

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 8

‘The Power of Death!’


Whatever the power is, it takes lives.


If it was the property of this power, it was a power opposite to Elisha’s.


That somehow felt ominous. Such a reluctance to hurt her, whose power is at odds.


‘That can’t be possible.’


It’s a ridiculous story.


Her tears, every word, every action makes his heart sink. He’s afraid he’ll hurt her just by touching her.


There’s no way he can hurt her.


Richard gently held Elisha’s hand. He kissed the back of her head and made a promise as she slept.


He’ll protect her no matter what.


12. Family


After that day, Elisha spent all day in bed as Cetil prescribed.


Richard stayed with Elisha all day after roughly completing preparations for the harvest festival.


Fortunately, Elisha’s physical condition stabilized a lot, as well as her emotional condition, perhaps because Richard was with her. Thanks to that, she spent 10 days without any problems and it soon became two days before the harvest festival.


Anne and the maids, who took a moment to visit the square, visited Elisha’s bedroom for her, who was not able to go out.


Anne held out a beautifully wrapped paper box to Elisha.


“It’s macaroons from a bakery. When I was passing by the store, I remembered what you liked, so I bought it.”


“Thank you, everyone. Thank you for the food.”


When Elisha was genuinely pleased, Anne and the maids smiled with pride.


Elisha smirked at their appearances.


“The square is busy preparing for the festival, right?”


“Yes. There were a lot of people from other countries this year.”


“Oh right. I heard there’s a play at the Grand Theater again this time.”


“Yes! I met Sir Edward in the square. He still remembers you giving him a handkerchief. It was four years ago!”


A maid blushed, referring to a man named ‘Edward’. Then, suddenly, she continued as if she had thought of something.


“Oh, and he asked how you were doing.”


“Oh my, really?”


Richard’s expression, who was listening to the story silently, hardened. But no one noticed it.


“How’s Sir Edward doing?”


“He’s doing fine, this time-”


The maids, who were babbling and answering Elisha’s question, stopped talking. It was because Richard, who had been sitting down on the sofa for a while while she talked to the maids, suddenly returned to bed and hugged Elisha.


His eyes looking at the maids with cold eyes, as he hugged Elisha from behind, were giving them a silent order. Overwhelmed by his gaze, the maids closed their mouths. They crept up from their seats.


“We-Well, I think we’ve made too much noise. You must want us to get out, but we didn’t get the clue…”


“Huh? I’m happy to hear from you guys.”


“Oh, no. We’re going to leave now. Rest well, Ma’am.”


The maids hurried out of the bedroom before Elisha caught them.


Elisha, who did not know what Richard looked like behind her, tilted her head in confusion.


Suddenly, Richard’s low voice was heard behind her.


“Who’s Edward to you for him to be asking after you?”


“Sir Edward? He is a famous actor from a theater company belonging to the Grand Theater.”


“Why did you give him a handkerchief?”


“I said hello after the play, but I gave it to him because he looked hurt.”


“Don’t give a handkerchief to anyone from now on.”


“What?”


“...everything related to you is mine.”


Richard buried his face in her shoulder, muffling his low voice.


Elisha noticed his strange behavior a beat late.


“Are you jealous?”


Richard did not answer.


Elisha, who was playful all of a sudden, mentioned Edward, pretending not to know his feelings. She fiddled with his hand wrapped around her stomach.


“Well, Sir Edward is handsome. But…”


Looking back at Richard, she saw his red eyes burning with jealousy. Elisha burst into laughter and whispered, caressing his cheek.


“My husband is more handsome.”


Objectively, no one will be able to refute it. Of course, his aura is a little scary.


After hearing her words, his expression relaxed.


‘So cute.’


Elisha suddenly remembered her conversation with the maids a while ago and changed the subject.


“By the way, it’s a pity that we can’t hold a banquet on the eve of the harvest festival. They love it so much, it would have been better to have a banquet.”


She originally planned to hold her own feast on the eve of the harvest festival in the mansion. Like she directed the people back at the Marquis’ estate. However, the banquet was naturally canceled when Elisha, who was in charge of the family’s grand affairs, recuperated in bed.


Elisha felt sorry for that.


“I won’t be able to enjoy it, but I hope they enjoy the harvest…”


Richard, who was looking at the disappointed Elisha, fiddled with her hand and fell into thought.


***


By the evening of the next day, Cetil had come. Three times a day, it was time to examine Elisha’s condition.


“I think you’re looking a lot better now. Did you have any other abnormal symptoms?”


“There hasn’t been any.”


“Then I think an hour should be fine.”


“An hour?”


Elisha tilted her head in confusion at Cetil’s words. Then Richard pulled the rope.


Soon, the bedroom door opened and Anne came in with a wooden wheelchair.


Elisha stared at it with puzzled eyes and looked back at Richard.


“Why did you bring a wheelchair?”


“We’re going to attend the evening banquet. Do you like it?”


Only then did Elisha realize that he had prepared an evening party for her. He had also prepared a wheelchair for her who was having a hard time even standing recently.


Her eyes, which were wide in surprise, soon bent gently in the shape of a half-moon. She hugged Richard’s neck and nodded.


“Yes, I like it.”


It was the brightest smile she had shown since she had been instructed to stay in bed. At the sight of her happiness, Richard smiled and hugged her.


He came down to the main hall of the mansion with Elisha in his arms.


In the hall, there were delicious foods and pretty desserts cooked with what was being harvested during this harvest season, and beside all of that were the employees and knights waiting.


They approached Elisha with a smile on their faces.


“Madam! How are you feeling?”


“I’ve gotten a lot better thanks to everyone’s care. Thank you for your concern.”


Elisha responded with a smile to the maid who asked after her.


Thompson, who was dressed in casual clothes and not his knight uniform for the first time in a long time, also walked up to Elisha.


“Wow, Ma’am. You’ve become more beautiful during this time. I guess this is why you hid your wife in your room, huh? You’re afraid she’ll catch someone’s eye.”


It was a small compliment in consideration of Elisha, who was been unable to dress up because she was attending the banquet on short notice. Thompson’s subordinate who was listening to him, teased.


“Wow, deputy leader. Of course, his wife is beautiful, but isn’t your flattery too obvious?”


“You-You think I’m flattering her? I’m being serious, she’s the benefactor of my life!”


“...you’re loud, Thompson. My baby will listen.”


As Thompson and the knight quarreled, Richard gave them a pin cup and covered their mouths. Anne, who was watching them with a smile, suddenly looked at Elisha’s stomach as if she remembered something.


“Next year’s New Year’s Day will have a baby, so the atmosphere will be more lively.”


“I’m looking forward to it. Now only this ‘black’ tainted adult man is swarming around here, the atmosphere is so dull…” (they’re talking about Richard’s black power)


As Agile helped Anne, Thompson, the ‘black tainted adult man’ next to him, glanced at Agile in amazement.


“Oh, my. But you’re also a tainted man?”


“I’m clean on the inside. Don’t lump me in the same line as the Lord.”


Elisha smiled at Thompson and Agile, who were quarreling with each other.


However, Richard’s eyes were cold as he looked at the two people who were blocking the start of the banquet. The knight, who noticed it, hurriedly pulled the two out of Richard’s view.


Each of the maids approached Elisha with a gift box as if they had been waiting.


“Madam, we have prepared a gift.”


“It’s not an expensive item, but I’ll be very happy if you can wear it once.”


Each of the gift boxes prepared by the maids contained a lot of handmade gifts for the upcoming baby, such as hand wraps, bibs, and baby socks.


Elisha’s face spread into a bright smile.


“Oh, this is so cute… Thank you all so much. I’m sure the baby will like it, too.”


Thompson, Agile, and the rest of the knights, who were quarreling, rushed to deliver the gifts they had prepared for Elisha.


“Madam, we have a present for you too!”


They showed off the baby toys they bought after much consideration.


Elisha burst into laughter as she saw the rugged men making a fuss with baby toys.


‘Anyway, you sloppy guys…’


Richard thought the appearance of his subordinates was ridiculous, but when he saw Elisha enjoying them, he smirked.


The hastily arranged banquet was a success.


***


An hour later, Richard came up to the bedroom with Elisha. It was only a short time to enjoy the banquet, but Elisha seemed satisfied with that alone.


He carefully laid her on the bed. Elisha, who was so excited with the gifts she had received earlier, fiddled with them as she chatted excitedly.


“This rattle is so cute.”


“I know. Thompson has a good eye.”


“Look at these socks, too. The feet are really small.”


The socks she was fiddling with were really small. They were about the size of her palm.


Thinking that the owner of the small sock was not even born yet, made her laugh at the cuteness.


A smile spread around Richard’s mouth as he looked at her good mood.


He asked as he untangled her messy hair.


“Is there anything else you want?”


“Well, I think I’ve already received a lot.”


“I didn’t get a present for you.”


“Today’s banquet is enough.”


“Then you don’t need my present?”


Elisha’s eyes widened in surprise at his question.


“Your present?”


“Are you curious?”


Elisha nodded, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.


“Then give me something in return.”


“In return?”


“You laughed with the others earlier. You should give me something as an apology.”


With keen eyes, he swept her defenseless lips with his index finger. Elisha’s face turned red when she noticed what he wanted in return.


‘Yo-You’re jealous of everything.’


She couldn’t avoid his gaze, which was blatantly seducing her. Two short distances did not stop the heart.


Richard slowly approached her.


Elisha felt his hand hugging her waist as she closed her eyes. Soon, soft and sweet lips overlapped.


He repeatedly kissed and rested on Elisha’s lips in a relaxing manner. She anxiously opened her eyes and looked at him. Richard smiled and overlapped his lips over hers deeply.


Only then did the sweet breath of longing for each other become entangled. Gradually, as her breath became short, he reluctantly removed his lips from hers. A couple of light kisses fell on her lips in regret.


Elisha stared at him, catching her breath.


“How can I give you a return gift before I even get my gift? That’s robbing.”


“If you don’t like it, give it back.”


He said that under the pretext of returning the kiss.


Elisha’s face reddened at his words that were openly seducing her. She pretended not to understand what he was saying and changed the subject.


“Hurry up and give me my present.”


Richard took out a small box wrapped in velvet from his inner pocket. When she opened the box, there was a key made out of platinum the size of Elisha’s palm.


She alternated between the key and Richard with a quizzical expression.


He answered her unspoken question.


“It’s a villa key.”


“Villa?”


“I bought a piece of land in Rudea. To build a villa there.”


Richard had heard her muttering a few days ago, as she looked at the high sky without clouds.


‘It’s a perfect day for a picnic.’


He felt sorry that she had to spend all day lying down because of the child. It will be difficult to go on a picnic in winter after she gives birth.


Richard, who was thinking about ways to soothe her feelings, recently remembered that Elisha, who had been to the Marquis of Serriott, said that the lake there was beautiful. He immediately purchased a site to build a villa in Rudea.


Rudea was a lakeside city located a short distance northwest of Acaroa.


With such a beautiful view it was no wonder it was called a paradise on earth, it was a famous vacation spot for high-ranking Arencia nobles to build their own villas.


“Let’s go together when the baby is born.”


Richard couldn’t hug Elisha, who was nearing the end of her pregnancy, so instead he gently caressed her cheek and continued.


“You’ve had a hard time holding my baby.”


“...”


“It must have been very hard, but thank you for holding out safely so far, Elisha.”


“...”


“It’s going to be hard, but please hang in there a little longer.”


Elisha stared blankly at him, surprised by his unexpected big gift.


People thought that the discomfort and pain of pregnancy was something they had to endure because they were mothers.


But Richard didn’t take it for granted.


He thanked her and stood by her whenever she was having a hard time. He always thought of her first and cared for her. She was proud and happy that she could make a family for him and make him happy.


She was unable to endure this pain for a long time.


Elisha soon smiled brightly and nodded.


“Yes, let’s go.”


Richard smirked and kissed her.


“I love you.”


She caressed his cheek as she looked at him whispering his love to her. Richard leaned his face against her touch.


‘How pretty and lovely the child of this sweet man will be.’


It felt like a lie that this man tried to kill the child in the original novel. It was funny remembering the past where she tried to run away to protect their child from him.


Her heart was filled with excitement at the thought that she would soon meet a child who would look like him.


‘I can’t wait to meet you, baby.’


Elisha closed her eyes as she watched him slowly approaching.


Soon their soft lips overlapped.

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 9

***


The harvest festival passed and another few days passed.


Richard put Elisha to sleep first as usual, and then fell asleep slowly while looking at her sleeping figure.


A couple of hours passed.


“Ri…chard…”


Elisha’s painful voice rang out in the quiet room. It was a small voice, but Richard woke up immediately after hearing her.


This was because after the incident at the Serriott estate, he was paying keen attention to her condition.


“...Elisha?”


Richard looked at her condition urgently.


She was holding her stomach, groaning with a painful expression. The sweat on her forehead and the way she was biting her lips was an indicator to how much pain she was enduring.


Elisha suppressed her groan and managed to continue speaking.


“I… my stomach, it hurts so much-”


It was different from the occasional labor pains. The pain did not go away over time and the labor cycle became shorter. In addition, the intensity seemed to be getting stronger.


Richard’s heart sank when he saw Elisha in pain. At the same time, he had a hunch.


That today was the day the child would be born.


“Elisha, breathe slowly.”


He calmed her down and pulled the rope in a hurry.


On that night, exactly nine months later, her labor pains began.


The maids, midwives, Cetil, and the doctor, rushed to prepare for the childbirth in earnest.


As she was getting ready to deliver her child, Elisha endured the continuous pain every few minutes.


“Haa… Ungh…”


“Elisha, breathe. You’re doing great.”


Richard’s face, who was looking at her pain ridden complexion, was in contemplation. There were many women who died while giving birth and there were many women who died from the aftereffects after giving birth.


His heart was guilty of fear of losing her.


Everytime he stood on the battlefield, he fought with fear that if he didn’t survive, he would never see Elisha again, but even that fear was not comparable to his current fear.


‘But if I’m afraid, Elisha will be nervous.’


Richard hid his feelings thoroughly. Instead, he carefully wrapped Elisha’s hands in his own. When her labor pains disappeared for a moment, Elisha, who noticed his behavior, held his hand tightly.


“...Richard.”


Surprised by her sudden touch, he looked at her in confusion. Elisha opened her mouth with a weak smile as if she had read his worries.


“I’m not dying.”


“...”


“So don’t be mortified. My baby will be scared of their dad’s face…”


Knowing that both her and the child would be safe like in the original novel, Elisha tried to reassure him by pretending to be calm, but a sudden labor pain washed over her before she could finish.


“Oh my…”


Elisha clenched her teeth to endure it. However, a moan that she couldn’t hold in leaked out.


Richard, who was watching her suffering, grit his teeth towards his past self for creating this situation.


‘Pathetic…’


He wanted to kill his past self for spending the night with her without any preparation, drunk on emotions, and ultimately causing her terrible pain. How can he hurt the woman he loves so much?


He wanted to be in her position instead of her. But sadly, there was no way for him to ease her pain.


Other than holding her trembling hand and kissing the back of it.


For the first time in his life, he felt hopeless.


“You’re doing great, Elisha. Just a bit more… cheer up a little.”


He tried soothing her, who was breathing painfully as she bit her lips.


He heard that it usually takes quite a long time for a first time mother to give birth. It may end shorter than expected, but it could be longer.


It was terrible to tell her to cheer up a little more, seeing how much terrible pain she was going through. Watching Elisha in pain was like going through hell. He felt like someone was cutting his heart.


“Ahn…Hngh…”


Eventually, she began crying. Seeing her tears was the final straw for Richard.


He pressed Cetil and the midwife next to him.


“Please, anything is fine, do something! Aren’t you her doctor?”


Richard, who usually held a cool and indifferent air about him, who usually scared his employees with his presence, never showed any direct pressure on his subordinates.


Cetil was surprised at his outburst and quickly bowed.


“So-I’m sorry, Sir. But… There’s nothing we can do to help her during this natural progression.”


Richard, who was listening to Cetil, swallowed his silence. It was no use pressing her.


He looked for a God he had never looked for even on the battlefield, holding Elisha’s slender hands.


‘Please let this time pass safely and quickly.’


***


The labor pains, which began late at night after midnight, continued when the sun rose in the sky.


By noon, the baby's door had finally opened and her water broke. Richard was sent out of the room.


Even though he wanted to be by Elisha's side, they ushered him out.


And in earnest, preparations for the final stages of childbirth have begun.


"Ahhh!!"


After a long period of labor, Elisha's voice was hoarse from screaming and was now reduced to sobbing.


Her whole face was covered in sweat and tears and there was no strength in the arm that was holding the cloth hanging from the ceiling.


'It hurts so much...'


It was so terrible that she thought it would be less painful to die.


The maids watching from the sidelines also fidgeted, staring at Elisha with pitiful eyes.


Recognizing that Elisha was tiring out, Cetil held her hand.


"Madam, you have to pull yourself together. Do not lose consciousness!"


"....."


"Breathe slowly. If you hold your breath, the baby will suffocate."


Elisha, who was told that the baby would suffocate, managed to breathe in and out while trembling from the aftermath of the previous labor pain.


"Yes, that's great. Slowly. Breathe in and gather strength. Okay? At the count of three, breathe..."


"Hnngh!"


Before Cetil could finish, another terrible pain struck Elisha.


Elisha struggled with unbearable pain and clenched her teeth.


Cetil seemed to be giving her instructions on when to breathe and when to push, but Elisha could not hear her.


It was just so painful and hard.


She just wanted to give up everything and be free of this pain quickly.


As soon as Elisha tiredly shut her eyes, Richard's voice suddenly came to her mind.


'My baby is not a mistake, it's my wish.'


It suddenly occurred to her.


The day he first learned of the baby's existence, he hesitated to touch her stomach in case it was harmful for the baby.


The first day the baby kicked, he wore a surprised expression before hugging her and saying 'thank you'.


And towards the little baby who greeted him from her womb.


'I want to meet my baby...'


Elisha opened her eyes, breathing heavily.


She wanted to make his wish and her own wish come true.


Just as Elisha was pulling herself together, another terrible labor pain crashed through her.


"Ahhh!"


Elisha clenched a cloth between her teeth and pushed with all her might.


Then the midwife, who was looking at the progress of the birth from under the cloth draped over her belly, shouted.


"I can see the head, Ma'am! Hang in there!"


At the midwife's hopeful words, the maids clenched their fists and quietly cheered for Elisha.


Elisha felt the pain as she gave one more strong push using her last remaining strength.


"Unghh!"


The color faded from her delicate hand and her exhausted body trembled.


The very next moment.


A baby's cry came, along with the feeling of something hot and heavy coming out of her stomach.


"Huwaaa! Huwwaa!" (lol i don't know how to sfx babies crying)


It was a clumsy cry, as if it was hard to breathe air for the first time.


'Finally, I gave birth to the baby....'


When she heard the cry, she felt relieved and relaxed.


She was tired, tired enough to close her eyes and rest, but she wanted to meet the baby before that.


After a while, Cetil held the baby in a clean towel and placed it in Elisha's arms.


"It's a healthy young man, Ma'am."


Elisha felt a small but heavy temperature on her chest.


She held the baby carefully.


She stared blankly at the child who suddenly burst into tears.


The baby who just came out of the womb was literally more of a blood clot than a human.


His skin was wrinkled after being pickled in amniotic fluid, the blood was still visible, and his eyes were yet to be open.


Nevertheless, in Elisha's eyes, he was pretty as if all the beautiful things in the world had been gathered into one being.


'My baby.....'


She couldn't believe it even though she was looking at him with her own two eyes.


Little wiggling hands, clumsily breathing and randomly bursting into tears.


What a miracle he was.


Looking blankly at the baby, Elisha gently held the baby's tiny hand, which was shaking waiting to grab onto something.


'Don't be scared. I'll protect you.'


As if her heart and thoughts had been conveyed, the child clenched Elisha's fingers and stopped crying.


At that moment, her heart ached and tears quickly filled her eyes.


Elisha greeted the child in a choked voice.


"....hello Hanes."


'Our wish. The miracle I gave birth to. My lovely baby.'


'I've been eagerly waiting for you, before I knew you. Maybe even before I came to this world, I was in love with you.'


"Thank you for being born healthy and safe. I love you."


She was so overwhelmed with emotions that she couldn't express herself just by saying I love you.


Elisha thought, as she kissed the baby's little head.


The memory of today, this feeling, will never be forgotten.


***


Richard was only able to enter the labor room after the aftermath of Elisha’s birth was cleaned up.


Elisha wore a haggard look on her face and closed her eyes. As soon as he saw that, his heart sank. Even though he was told both the mother and the child were healthy before entering the room.


Richard urgently asked Cetil next to him.


“Is Elisha really okay?”


“Everything is fine except she’s a little tired. She’s just sleeping right now.”


He approached Elisha with relief only after hearing Cetil’s words.


Her sweaty hair and tears still moist around her eyes made him guess how hard it must’ve been. As he saw her in that state, he felt sorry and grateful at the same time.


Richard whispered, gently kissing her forehead.


“Well done, Elisha.”


Maybe she sensed his kiss, but Elisha, who had just fallen asleep, opened her eyes with difficulty.


He stared at her fondly, and lightly kissed her dry lips.


“Thank you for being safe. I love you.”


Elisha laughed helplessly because she didn’t have the strength to answer his words.


He kissed her a couple more times. Then he opened her quilt and held her slender hand.


“You can sleep more. I’ll be by your side.”


As it was, he was going to stay by Elisha’s side until she woke up. But Elisha looked behind him without closing her eyes.


As Richard turned around, he saw a midwife approaching this way with something wrapped in a blanket.


“Now, Young Master. You should say hello to your father.”


The midwife handed Richard the baby wrapped in a blanket.


“Well, wait a minute-”


He was afraid that the child might break in his hands, which is why he did not want to hug the child, but the midwife had already handed the baby over to him.


Richard hugged the child without realizing it. It was clear that he was at a loss considering how clumsily he was embracing the child.


Elisha smiled at him.


“Oh my, looking at you two like this, the Young Master looks just like you. He is very handsome seeing how clear his features already are.”


Richard barely looked down at the child after hearing the midwife’s comment.


The child’s body was smaller than his forearm, and his head was smaller than his fist. His little face had eyes, a nose, and a mouth. There was little hair but it looked black just like Richard’s.


The child slowly blinked his large eyes as he mumbled with his small mouth.


Richard stared blankly into the child’s soft eyes. The midwife said that the child looked just like Richard, but his forest green eyes were the exact image of Elisha’s.


‘This is our baby…’


He couldn’t believe this little child came out of Elisha’s stomach. It was amazing that this was the child that greeted him with his little feet bouncing inside her stomach. His heart felt moved.


While looking at the child, Richard recalled talking to Elisha a few days ago about the child’s name.


‘I’m going to name my baby Hanes. It means ‘blessing’ in ancient wording. What do you think?’


In the original novel, the name was given to him by Elisha alone, but in this life, it was given to him by the consent of his father, Richard. Richard thought it was a perfect name for his and her blessed child.


“...Hello, Hanes. It’s dad.”


His voice referring to himself as ‘Dad’ was subtly shaking. The child blinked his big eyes and cooed in response to his father’s call.


When Richard witnessed that, he realized that he had become the father of this child. He stared blankly at the baby before hugging him carefully.


It was a day when he had gained one more reason to live.


***


About a month has passed since Hanes was born. In the meantime, Richard stayed with Elisha throughout and helped her take care of herself, so she recovered to the extent that her daily life was possible.


And during that month, Hanes grew up quite chubby, loved by both his mother, father, and the Dukedom.


Elisha didn’t know how she could be away from Hanes all day. Sleeping was no exception.


“Shall I sleep in Hanes’ room?”


Before going to bed, Elisha, who didn’t want to leave the child’s room, had asked Richard.


Still young, Hanes could not tell the difference between day and night. Even at dawn, she had to wake up every few hours to breastfeed him. Some noble women slept comfortably knowing their babies had nannies, but Elisha chose to spend more time with Hanes.


But whenever she brought Hanes to the bedroom, she was worried Richard wouldn’t sleep comfortably. She wanted to be considerate towards him, but Richard didn’t want to be away from Elisha.


“Then let’s bring Hanes to the bedroom.”


The two brought the baby to their bedroom.

Spoiler: Volume 4 Chapter 10

“Hanes. This is the room where mom and dad sleep. We’re going to sleep here today.”


Hanes, who was in Elisha’s arms, fluttered his small tongue as if he understood Elisha’s explanation. He seemed to want to answer her back. Elisha smiled, looking at him, almost as if her eyes were dripping with honey.


“Oh, my baby. Are you answering your mom?”


When she laughed, Hanes followed suit with a big smile. After a while, he began grabbing at her nightgown.


Elisha noticed the meaning of the action at once.


“Hanes, are you hungry?”


The child smelled the milk from his mother and became hungry.


Elisha immediately breastfed the child. She had become very skilled at breastfeeding for a month.


She stared at the comfortable child eating in her arms. The small but heavy weight in her arms, the sound of his clumsy breathing, and the sound of him sucking her milk to live were just lovely.


She was willing to lay her life for this little being.


“You eat well.”


Richard, who was watching from the side, gently stroked Hanes’ plump cheek with his index finger. Then Hanes’ small hand, struggling in the air, grabbed Richard’s finger. As if his dad’s finger interrupting his meal was very annoying.


The little force he was applying was quite strong.


Elisha and Richard, who were looking at the scene in surprise, burst into laughter.


After a while, Hanes, who filled his stomach to the fullest, let go of Elisha.


“I’ll burp him.”


Richard hugged Hanes as Elisha fixed her clothes. Sometimes the nanny or Elisha burped him, but Richard was mainly the one who did it.


He held Hanes and began to pat the baby’s small back as he walked through the bedroom. Elisha looked at the two with a pleased expression.


‘I guess you’re comfortable in your dad’s arms now.’


Hanes remained calm, his face resting on Richard’s shoulder.


Richard looked much more natural at holding him now than the first time he had held him. All of a sudden, Hanes vomited the milk he had just drank.


It was often the case for newborns with weak gastrointestinal muscles.


Elisha approached them with a handkerchief and wiped the milk off Richard’s shoulder.


“I’ll hold him, so go change your clothes.”


“...I should.”


As Richard was about to hand Hanes over to Elisha, his small hands that were waving in the air, pulled Richard’s hair.


“Eunh!’


“Ha-Hanes!”


Elisha, embarrassed by his actions, grabbed his small hand, but Hanes, who couldn’t control his hand, wouldn’t let go of his hair. When it didn’t go his way, he burst into tears.


“Wahhhh!” (idk how to sfx babies crying lmao)


Richard, who was caught by his son, was going crazy.


‘You’re the one who grabbed my hair, but why are you crying…’


Hanes finally opened his hand with the help of Elisha, but a few strands of Richard’s hair had already been pulled by his hand.


While Elisha calmed Hanes down, Richard changed his clothes before returning to the bedroom.


Hanes was already asleep in his mother’s arms, but Elisha couldn’t put him down even though he was deeply asleep. She didn’t want to separate from her child even for a moment.


Richard sighed as he watched them.


‘When the baby is born, the husband is left behind…’


He was disappointed even though he knew it was childish.


Elisha readily mentioned that she would use a different room for her to sleep with Hanes. She paid more attention to the child rather than himself while he was asleep.


Richard approached and sat next to Elisha on the bed. Feeling his presence, she looked back at him.


“Richard, is your head fine-”


At that moment, his lips unexpectedly landed on her own. Elisha pulled back in surprise.


She blinked at him. His face was strangely irritated.


“Richard, are you upset?”


“Yes.”


She thought he would say no even if he was upset, but Richard admitted it unexpectedly.


“Why?”


Contrary to what he readily admitted, he took a moment without answering immediately. He leaned his forehead against hers before answering.


“...because you only like Hanes.”


His honest answer was cute. She burst into laughter. Then she asked as if she didn’t know.


“So you don’t like Hanes?”


“No, I love him.”


Richard replied, slightly pressing Hanes’ plump cheeks with his fingers who was fast asleep in her arms. How could he not love this child, who was the fruit of their love.


“But apart from that, I want to have you all for myself.”


“Do you feel better when you kiss me?”


“I need your heart.”


Elisha smirked at his firm answer.


His eyes were full of desire, almost as if they were going to devour her at any moment.


But first she had to let him know.


“Richard, of course I want to spend time with you alone, but Hanes is still young.”


“...”


“Hanes reminds me of your childhood. So I want you to love him more.”


“...”


“Can’t you wait until Hanes grows a little more?”


Richard’s expression relaxed further at her earnest request.


Elisha grinned at his appearance and carefully laid Hanes down. She whispered as she clasped his cheek.


“Then you don’t need a kiss anymore?”


She thinks they can have some time all for themselves now.


She kissed his lips first as she stared at him with puzzled eyes.


At the sudden kiss, Richard looked at her with a startled expression. Her eyes looking at him were very seductive.


His eyes suddenly changed.


“That wasn’t a kiss just now.”


Soon, his lips devoured Elisha.


***


Elisha, who had been getting intimate with Richard for the first time in a while, fell asleep earlier than usual.


Richard stared at her and Hanes, who was asleep between the two.


A loving wife and a child who looks like her.


When he saw the two sleeping side by side, he realized that he had a family. He felt grateful that there were two more precious beings to take care of other than his life.


“Good night, Elisha, Hanes.”


Richard whispered softly, opening the quilt to cover Elisha and Hanes. When he was about to close his eyes to fall asleep, a knock rang in the quiet room.


It was still early to fall asleep, but there were not many cases where employees came to the bedroom at this time. Nevertheless, seeing that they came, he had a guess.


Richard carefully got out of bed and approached the door. When he opened the door, Agile, who had been secretly tasked not long ago, stood there.


“I have gathered information about Marquis Felice, as you ordered.”


Richard’s eyes cooled silently at the familiar name that came out of his mouth.


***


When Richard returned to the bedroom after hearing Agile’s report from the office, Hanes was awake again and was being breastfed.


Elisha looked at him with her eyes full of sleepiness.


“Where have you been?”


“To talk for a second.”


He sat next to her and fiddled with Hanes’ cheeks. The baby’s soft cheeks had the magic of wanting to instinctively touch them when they were within reach.


“This guy must be hungry again after eating so quick.”


“It’s because he wants to eat a lot and grow up quickly to run around with his dad. Isn’t that right, Hanes?”


Elisha’s face showed signs of tiredness, but the way she looked at Hanes was still full of love. Hanes looked at her face and soon opened his mouth as if he was full.


His eyes looking at Elisha almost burst into tears again.


Richard took Hanes from Elisha and hugged him.


“I’ll burp him. Go to bed first.”


“I’m sleepy, I’ll lie down first, Hanes. Talk to your dad a lot, my baby.”


She kissed Hanes on the cheek and lay on the bed, he sat dazedly in Richard’s arms.


Richard patted Hanes on his small back and wandered around the bedroom for a long time.


Soon a cute sound erupted from Hanes’ mouth. When Richard heard the sound, he looked at him with startled eyes before smirking.


“Well done, Hanes.”


Hanes stared at Richard with a smile, as if he understood his praise. The smile was so lovely.


Richard looked back at Elisha, feeling proud that he succeeded in the ‘Burping Hanes’ mission.


“Eli-”


As he was about to call out to her, he found Elisha fast asleep. Seeing that she had already fallen asleep in a short period of time, she was very tired.


Richard returned to bed and tried to lay Hanes next to Elisha. But suddenly, Hanes, who had been quiet the entire time, began to whine.


“Uhmmm…”


“Yes…”


Elisha tried to wake up after hearing his whine. Richard quickly hugged Hanes again. His whining stopped immediately.


‘Is your diaper wet?’


He peeped at his diaper. However, it was completely dry.


Richard laid Hanes down again. As soon as his back touched the bed, he moved his arms and legs and began to whine again.


Richard hugged him again before he burst into tears.


‘Why are you crying…?’


It was frustrating that he wasn’t able to talk.


Richard looked at Hanes with a troubled expression and laid him back down. He burst into tears this time. It was only then that Richard grasped Hanes’ intention.


“You don’t want to sleep, do you?”


He eventually picked Hanes up. Then, after carefully covering Elisha with a blanket, he wrapped Hanes in a thick blanket and walked out into the hallway.


The moonlight penetrating through the window lit up the hallway where darkness had fallen.


Richard walked in the hallway with Hanes in his arms. Hanes, whose vision is still unclear, wiggled his small hand as he stared into the air where Richard’s face was. Richard, who noticed the movement, looked down at him and said.


“Eat a lot, grow up quickly, and give up on your mom at night.” (lol)


“Eungah!” (still can’t sfx babies lol)


Hanes just stared at him, not understanding what his father was feeling. The way he smiled, folding his big eyes, was just like Elisha.


When Richard saw his smile, the cheekiness in his heart disappeared like snow melting.


He smiled and kissed Hanes’ plump cheeks. Hanes giggled.


But at your happiest moments, is when you’re most afraid to lose this happiness.


Richard, who was looking at Hanes with a smile, suddenly remembered a conversation he had with Agile a while ago.


‘I’ve looked into this and that, but nothing stands out.’


The documents handed over from Agile contained all of Raymore’s personal information, but at first glance, as he said, there was nothing special.


‘One peculiarity is that he was originally a close confidant of the Emperor Seon. The previous emperor…’


‘It must have been to exact revenge on the current emperor.’


Raymore was the younger brother of the Emperor Seon, and the Emperor Seon who had good fortune, cared very much for him.


The pinnacle of power.


Twenty years ago, when the canyon had a problem, he was sent to the canyon with Aiden at the order of the Emperor Seon. Immediately after Raymore left, when Emperor Seon was poisoned and the current Emperor Roam ascended the throne, Raymore, who returned from the canyon, immediately turned to Roam’s confidant.


Richard thought it was to avenge the previous emperor, but Agile questioned it.


‘But it’s weird. Although both the previous Emperor and Empress died, there was still the Crown Prince between the two.’


After hearing Agile’s story, Richard realized something strange.


At that time, the power of the current Emperor Roam was large, but the power supporting the Crown Prince, the eldest son of Emperor Seon, was larger. If Raymore wanted to crown his nephew, he could have done so. It would have been much easier for him to exert influence.


There was no need to bow to Roam for revenge. But he easily chose Roam as his Lord. In addition, he remained silent even though his young nephew was assassinated.


Richard, who was reasoning based on Raymore’s decision, opened his mouth.


‘He wanted to show off his power by making his chosen leader the emperor, not choosing his leader by blood…’


‘...’


‘There is another purpose other than power.’


When he thought of Raymore, who had defected immediately after returning to the canyon, and what he said to him, another possibility came to his mind.


‘A masterpiece that I’ve been completing for half my life.’


‘...’


‘My God, I made it.’


Perhaps, there is a possibility that Raymore’s ‘other purpose’ may have something to do with him.


“Euangh!”


Richard who was lost in thought, suddenly came to his senses when he heard Hanes’ cry. Hanes, who was in his arms, repeatedly whined while he sucked on his folded clothes. He didn’t seem to like something.


Richard, who was watching the scene, noticed why Hanes was whining. He was sucking his pajamas around his mouth thinking they were milk, but when the milk did not come out, he seemed to feel uncomfortable.


Richard burst into laughter at the sight. It was funny and lovely watching his frustration.


He spoke, kissing Hanes on his forehead.


“Only your mom can give you that.”


“Eungh?”


“Let’s go to your mom.”


“Awow!”


Hanes grinned as he understood the word ‘mother’. Richard smiled at him but then stiffened when he remembered Raymore’s face. Whatever his ‘purpose’ was, he was not going to let this happiness be broken.

 

where can i read this novel? i searched everywhere and i cant find a site that has chapter 67 and above

 

I only have until chapter 80... its at zinnovel website

 

i just finished reading from that website and im currently looking for the other chapters

 

Already expired. Can send me a copy? Or update the link below? Please. Thank you!

 

It just melted my heart. Thank you for the spoiler!

 

Можете ли вы отправить его и мне, пожалуйста? Срок действия уже истек. Благодарю вас!

 

richard is such a sweet husband and father i want himmmmm

 

Hello! Thankyou for sharing with us!
One question, how does MC and her real father relationship?