"Absolutely not."
Victor said firmly. I asked with the most pitiful expression I could muster.
"Why?"
"Why? Are you really asking because you don't know?"
Victor let out a deep sigh. His golden eyes glared at me, but without any real malice. I shrank back slightly and slumped my shoulders. Victor's expression softened in an instant.
"Marion."
He approached whispering, speaking as if to soothe me.
"How can you travel in this condition?"
His large hand carefully rubbed my belly, clad in a house dress. A warm heat spread across my round, swollen stomach. My heart instantly melted.
It was true. Right now, there was a baby in my womb. Mine and Victor's child.
❖ ❖ ❖
The discovery of my pregnancy happened right after Julianne and Leonard's wedding reception. Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention at my close friend's wedding, which should have been filled with everyone's attention and blessings for them, I only returned to my room after the banquet ended and had Mary examine me. Mary, who had rolled up her sleeves and carefully taken my pulse, let out a squeal of joy.
"Congratulations, my lady! You are pregnant!"
I was so surprised my jaw dropped.
Pregnant? Me? I had been feeling a bit heavy lately, but I thought it was just because I had eaten a lot of delicious food after returning from Amari....
Familiar arms suddenly pulled my bewildered self into a tight embrace.
"Thank you, Marion. Truly, thank you. My beloved wife..."
Victor's lips touched my ear, cheek, and lips several times. I looked up at Victor from within his large, warm embrace. My husband's golden eyes were shining brilliantly with pure joy.
Only then did it sink in. That I was carrying Victor's child. That a new family would be born to us, who had always been lonely.
"Victor!"
I smiled broadly and hugged him back as if jumping into his arms. And then, I had to listen to Mary's lengthy scolding about how a pregnant woman should behave.
❖ ❖ ❖
News of my pregnancy spread throughout all of Mort in less than a few days. The entire territory was turned upside down, but the biggest commotion was in the inner castle. The kitchen endlessly sent up all sorts of unheard-of restorative dishes, and the maids massaged my arms and legs whenever they had the chance, walking around on tiptoe to even muffle their footsteps. It was all to create a perfectly comfortable environment for me.
‘They really don't need to go this far...’
I genuinely thought so, but I didn't say it out loud. The women of Amari had also said that one must always be careful in the early stages of pregnancy. I originally had good stamina, and I had even received a blessing spell from the Mirage, but there was no harm in being cautious.
Fortunately, the baby and I were said to be very healthy. Other than the beginning, I barely had any morning sickness, so I ate whatever I wanted and lounged around all day. I read books or knit, and in the evenings, I leaned into Victor's arms as he returned after finishing his schedule, affectionately sharing stories.
Actually, Victor wanted to stick by my side all day, but I stopped him.
"You just returned after a long time. You need to attend to domestic affairs."
"The vassals will handle things well even without me, so what."
"Is that something a lord should say?"
Victor made a sullen face at my playful scolding.
Despite having done so much work on my behalf in Amari, Victor acted like a man who wanted to lock himself in the bedroom with me all day after returning to Mort. When I pointed that out, he feigned sulking again.
"That place was a difficult situation. Now I can finally spend time alone with you."
"The vassals were complaining that the backlog of documents is piled mountain-high?"
"...I wonder who is snitching to my beautiful wife."
Victor, poking out his lips, pulled me in and kissed me. The heat transmitted through his soft lips made my cheeks flush involuntarily. When his hand wrapped around my waist, goosebumps rose. Whenever Victor showed his passion for me so unreservedly, I always crumbled helplessly.
Still, right now was a bit difficult. Because of the baby. I swallowed my regret and pulled away from him. Victor, looking down at me quietly, kissed my cheek with a smack. In his eyes, a trace of regret and happiness were mixed together.
"If it were up to me, I'd attend to you all day."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Raoul said that a good husband must always stay by his wife's side and do everything she asks. Especially when she is with child."
Victor smiled softly.
Really, Raoul. I shook my head as I recalled the fierce-faced knight. He had clapped his pot-lid-sized hands at the news of the baby, and recently left for a trip to the Mort borderlands with his family. Saying he would enjoy a leisurely vacation before his new lord was born.
A trip, a trip....
Coincidentally, Victor asked.
"How about it, Marion, is there anything you want to ask of me? Something you want?"
I looked up at him as he held me with his warm hands. My husband, wearing a gentle smile, looked like he would pluck the moon for me if I asked. So I asked cautiously.
"Um, Victor. We agreed to take a trip to the capital when spring comes, right?"
"We did."
"Can we go on that trip now?"
Before the question could even finish, Victor's eyes narrowed like a griffin. The answer that followed was firm.
"Absolutely not."
❖ ❖ ❖
And so, the conversation returned to the beginning.
I raised my eyebrows as much as I could and looked up at Victor. It was a pleading face that should have softened his heart. Usually, he would burst into laughter even at such clumsy flirting and grant me whatever I wanted.
But today, Victor was uncharacteristically firm.
"It's too much for that body. For you, and for the child."
"Mary also said moderate exercise is necessary?"
"And so you swung a sword yesterday?"
Stung by conscience, I clamped my mouth shut. The new apprentice knights were working so hard, so I just went out to the training ground to show them a demonstration...
Unable to let go of my lingering attachment, I mumbled.
"That barely even counts as exercise."
"Of course, as if I wouldn't know you."
Victor chuckled and pulled me into a hug. As the familiar scent of musk wafted closer, my head spun. He folded his eyes beautifully and said.
"I know best how active my Lady is. But don't you prefer staying indoors?"
"That's true, but it's slowly getting stifling..."
"I'm just worried about you."
Victor made a very sullen face.
Again, again, he knows I'm weak to his face! I tried to quickly turn my head away, but our eyes had already met.
The Grand Duke of Death spoke with a face as pitiful as a puppy's.
"Marion, my love. You know how much I love you, right?"
"I know. So stop making that face..."
"It takes half a month to travel from Mort to the capital. If you get sick during such a long journey... I'll be so agonized I'll end up crying."
He let out an exaggerated sigh. It was utterly absurd how he could spout such shameless words without a single change in his expression. But the most absurd thing was that I couldn't even retort and got swept away by his words. Even though I knew enough about his act now, Victor's looks were just too powerful for me. When he set his mind to act pretty, I had no way to resist.
Victor pulled me in with a sweet smile as I stood stiff as a wooden doll. Along with that captivating voice that always melted me.
"Let's put off the trip just a little longer. Alright?"
To be helplessly defeated like this... As I was losing my senses like a sailor bewitched by a siren.
"I apologize for the late hour, Your Highnesses. It's Dedrick."
Suddenly, the old butler's voice came from outside the door. Surprisingly, he sounded a bit flustered. Why would the butler come here at this hour? We exchanged glances quickly and stood up.
Victor asked.
"What is it?"
"An urgent telegram has just arrived from the imperial palace."
Dedrick, having cleared his throat, said.
"His Imperial Majesty invites the two of you to the first ball of the social season at the imperial palace. He says it is a rare invitation and expects you to attend without fail..."
Victor's smile vanished completely.
❖ ❖ ❖
Travel preparations finished in an instant. The time was tight to match the ball's schedule. Dedrick grew noticeably thinner from organizing the massive travel entourage, including escort knights, servants, a giant food carriage, and horses.
However, the one who looked the most tired was Victor. Though, rather than fatigue, it was closer to annoyance.
On the day of departure, I looked up at Victor, who had his lips tightly shut, and asked.
"Why are you so quiet?"
"I'm holding back words that would get me arrested for imperial treason."
Victor answered in a fierce tone. I bit my lips with all my might. It was too funny, but if I laughed here, he might actually sulk. Instead, I tried to soothe him with a deliberately bright voice.
"We can just think of it as taking that trip. I wanted to go to the capital anyway."
"That's because of you. Is it really okay for you to travel?"
"I told you it is. I even got confirmation from Mary."
Whether it was the power of the blessing or something else, I was truly fine. I was even told I was healthier than ordinary women who weren't pregnant. Of course, fighting with a sword like before was out of the question, but a carriage journey was definitely possible.
Victor sighed.
"That's a relief. If you were in no condition to move, I would have shoved the imperial telegram into horse manure."
"Victor, you are recklessly insulting the imperial family right now."
"Honestly, isn't the one sending an out-of-the-blue invitation at fault? His Majesty really has terrible timing."
I sent Victor a reproachful look. For a knight to speak like that about the lord he swore loyalty to was against chivalry.
But at the same time, an unstoppable laugh slowly leaked out. Victor's thoroughly sullen face was just too cute.
If Leonard were here, he would have scolded Victor instead of me, but coincidentally, he wasn't here either. It was because he had received a vacation for his wedding anniversary and left for a honeymoon with Lady Julianne.
Thinking that made me feel a little regretful too. I was really looking forward to the trip to the capital, but it would have been nice if we could just walk around together, just the two of us. Just thinking about attending a complicated ball already made me tired.
As if reading my mind, Victor gently interlaced his fingers with mine and held my hand. Then he whispered softly.
"I'm saying we should just go back inside even now."
"What if His Majesty gets angry and sends a messenger?"
"Well..."
Victor smiled with his lips only and made a slight nod. If expressed in onomatopoeia, it was a gesture like "swish." I narrowed my eyes and slapped my husband's arm with a smack.
"Ow."
"Don't say scary things and let's go to the carriage. ...I want to be alone with you."
At my words, Victor finally smiled brightly. I took his assistance and climbed into the Grand Duke's large carriage.
And so, our unexpected journey to the capital began.
❖ ❖ ❖
The journey was surprisingly, truly fun. The Grand Ducal carriage, meticulously maintained by Dedrick, was lined with soft padding and as comfortable as the bed in Mort Castle, and warm sunlight poured in, making it bright. Outside the large window, the early summer scenery unfolded like a painting.
The knights and servants also seemed to be enjoying the leisurely trip, chatting with excited voices. Until now, we were always being chased by someone, but naturally, that didn't happen this time. No bandit in their right mind would attack a carriage stamped with the large crest of the Grand Duke of Mort. Monsters were virtually extinct, with only small field animals passing by. Perhaps because of that, even though my body was heavy, my mind was much more at ease than before.
But there was a separate problem.
"...I'm hungry..."
I muttered sullenly as I looked outside the carriage. The servants who were stepping outside Mort for the first time were chatting and laughing in groups. I glanced around and quietly called my maid.
"Mary."
"Yes, my lady?"
Mary, wearing a traveling cloak, quickly brought her horse next to the carriage. I confessed weakly.
"I'm hungry."
"You just had a snack, didn't you?"
The girl, who was both my maid and my personal physician, asked with concern. I became even more sullen.
"Yeah. But I want to eat something again. It wasn't like this when I was in the castle..."
It was a truly unexpected situation for me too. My stomach, which got hungry all day whenever I went on a trip, had started acting up again.
In the castle, I just ate as usual, but the moment I left Mort, I craved food all day. Since I had packed all sorts of ingredients and even brought the castle chef for me, it wouldn't have been a big problem normally, but perhaps because of the baby, my appetite kept jumping in strange directions, which was the issue.
"I want salted cockatrice eggs and northern-style oatmeal..."
"That kind of food... I don't think it's in the storage, my lady."
"I figured."
I let out a deep sigh. Mary offered advice.
"Wouldn't it be better to tell His Highness the Grand Duke? He would get you anything."
I shook my head gloomily.
Of course, if it were Victor, he would search the entire continent to find what I wanted to eat, but I knew Victor well now. If Victor found out, it was obvious he would turn the carriage around and take me back to Mort. And then he would throw every invitation that arrived after that into the fireplace. It wouldn't be good for a Grand Duke responsible for his house to behave like that.
"The imperial palace will view Victor unfavorably."
"So what? His Highness's infamy is already renowned across the continent."
"That's..."
True, but.
I couldn't even deny it and subtly averted my gaze. Mary shook her head with a pouty face.
"Besides, I agree with His Highness this time. Making a pregnant woman take such a long carriage ride is nonsense."
"I told you I'm healthy?"
"You are a special case, my lady! Without the blessing spell, it would have been hard on you too. No matter if it's His Imperial Majesty, to treat the lady of the foremost family in the north so recklessly..."
Mary snorted.
"I can see why the capital's social circles are such a mess."
Is that so? I blinked ambiguously. Mary gripped the reins and said.
"Anyway, don't worry too much, my lady. It's natural to want to eat a lot of things when you're pregnant. Considering your usual food intake, it's fine to eat a little more."
"Yeah."
"I'll let the castle we'll arrive at soon know about the food you mentioned. They might serve a similar dish!"
"Okay, thanks."
I nodded and looked beyond the plains. Beyond the warm sunlight, the castle where we would soon stay was visible.
❖ ❖ ❖
The castle we arrived at treated us with incredible hospitality. It was natural for a lord to treat guests well, and if the guests being hosted were the Grand Ducal couple, it was an honor for the host as well... that's what Mary said.
I washed with warm water infused with fragrance and received a massage from the attendants. After they loosened my knotted arms and legs and applied fragrant ointment, I went down to the dining hall and had a delicious dinner.
The kitchen presented a dish of specially salted eggs with fresh herbs and smoked ham. Of course, it was completely different from the northern dish of salted cockatrice eggs, but after eating a whole plate, I felt reasonably good. It was a blessing my palate wasn't too picky. Just eating something similar made me happy quickly.
When I went back up to the guest room after that, Victor, in his gown, was waiting.
"Finally, it's just the two of us left."
Victor gave a languid smile. His voice was tired. He had been riding his horse at the front all day to determine the travel route. I quickly approached and buried myself in his arms. Victor stroked my hair and asked affectionately.
"Did the meal suit your taste? You seemed to be eating well earlier."
"Yes. The food I wanted came out."
"Really? That's good."
Victor kissed me softly. His eyes were full of affection. He pulled the blanket over me carefully and said.
"Rest early. You must be tired."
"You too. Rest well, Victor."
"Yeah."
I closed my eyes under the blanket that was as cozy as a cloud. The room's candles were quickly extinguished.
❖ ❖ ❖
And not long after, I opened my eyes again.
It was already pitch black outside. There were no signs of life in the hallway, as if all the servants had fallen asleep. I gripped the blanket and agonized for a long time.
The schedule was long today, and it was already so late. Victor must be tired too. But, but...
"Victor."
After hesitating, I poked my sleeping husband's cheek. At the same time, golden eyes opened.
"...Marion? What's the matter?"
A hot arm wrapped around my waist. I mumbled.
"I want soup."
"Soup?"
"Yes."
"Should I wake the chef?"
I shook my head.
"Not the one the chef makes, but the one you made for me in Amari before... the soup with potatoes and dried meat. I want that."
Victor blinked his surprised eyes slowly. I hid my flushing face by burying it in the blanket for no reason.
We weren't in Mort, and realistically, there was no way he could cook here. It was a very old etiquette that nobles did not enter the kitchen. It was a place even the ladies managing the household rarely stepped into, let alone men, so there was no way he could borrow the kitchen in a castle they were visiting as guests. That's why I hadn't intended to say it.
But I really, really wanted it so badly.
I quickly added.
"I-It doesn't have to be right now. It's fine if you make it later..."
"No, no."
As if shaking off his sleep completely, he bolted up. He had a resolute aura that didn't suit his sleepwear.
He got out of bed, brought a thick fur cloak, and wrapped me, who was wearing a white loungewear, up tightly. Only after confirming that I was dressed warmly enough did he help me up.
"Are you really going to make it?"
"What difficulty is there when my wife desires it?"
Victor smiled softly.
"Let's go. I'll make it for you right now."
How exactly? I followed him out of the room with a bewildered face.
❖ ❖ ❖
The patrolling guards in the hallway didn't notice our presence. It was natural since we muffled our footsteps so that even the chimeras guarding the territory couldn't hear us. I followed Victor across the hallway with quick steps.
Was he heading to the dining hall?
But the place he took me to was the quarters where the Mort knights were staying.
The large quarters were equally quiet. Perhaps because it was late, everyone seemed to be fast asleep. Only the brazier surrounded by round stones burned fiercely in front of the building.
Here? As I looked back with surprised eyes, Victor grinned.
"Please wait a moment."
He sat me on a soft folding chair and headed for our party's food carriage. In an instant, a pot filled with water was placed over the fire. Potatoes, salted beef, flour, and butter went into the boiling pot one after another.
"Wow..."
I stared into the pot, tightly gripping a wooden bowl. The bubbling soup over the campfire gave off an intoxicating aroma. A smile appeared naturally.
"Being like this reminds me of the times I traveled with the mercenaries."
"The most rude bastards in the world, you mean."
"But you still liked them, didn't you?"
Victor pretended not to hear and stirred the soup. I giggled as I recalled Victor clumsily washing dishes with a sullen face. Victor, holding a piece of straw and being pushed around by the mercenaries, was really cute...
"When the baby is born, the mercenaries will come to see them too, right?"
"Probably. Didn't the fortress bandits also say they'd come?"
"Yes. I don't know when they'll come, though..."
"Because they are such elusive people."
Victor nodded. He was definitely recalling the bandits who vanished like mist as soon as the post-war cleanup was finished during the final battle in Amari. At that time, the Mort knights had clicked their tongues, saying it would be very difficult to face such people in the enemy ranks, and it seemed it had left a deep impression on Victor as well.
But I was recalling the reply sent by the bandits who heard the news of my pregnancy. The large, rough letter contained sincere congratulations from Kirgish and many other bandits.
I nodded with satisfaction.
"They'll definitely come soon. Because they're my friends."
"I hope so. Now, shall we try eating?"
Victor scooped the soup into my bowl. It was an incredibly rustic dish, unlike what I had eaten for a while. But it looked so, so delicious. I quickly picked up a spoon and ate the soup. The savory taste of butter melted my body.
"This is it..."
I was so happy I closed my eyes tightly. I heard Victor's laughter above my head.
"I didn't know you liked this soup so much."
"To me, it's the most delicious soup in the world."
I quietly looked down at the bowl.
This was the soup I had eaten all last winter. The one Victor and everyone made on the first floor of the lord's castle in Amari.
At first, the people who felt awkward about a noble cooking directly later started interfering, asking for more meat or more potatoes. The children were happy to have full bellies for once, and the elderly basked in the warmth and leisurely told old stories.
It was an unforgettable sight.
I smiled quietly.
"Our child will be happy to know their father is such a good cook."
"I'll have to hope the child's palate is as generous as yours."
"...What if they are as picky an eater as you?"
"Well, they'll grow up to be as good a cook as me."
We faced each other and giggled. Behind the laughing Victor, the cool early summer night sky stretched out endlessly. It was a dazzlingly beautiful sight.
We talked about the baby and slowly finished the soup. When I put down the empty bowl and patted the side, Victor pulled up a chair and sat next to me. I leaned against his shoulder and looked at the scenery before us. The castle we were staying at was on high ground, so the horizon where the mountains met the sky was visible at a glance.
Under the stars that looked ready to pour down, I held Victor's hand.
"It was a good idea to go on this trip after all, right?"
"...Yeah."
He looked at me with a faint smile.
"It feels like we're the only two people in the world."
His lips touched my ear. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his shoulder.
I was happy. That we could spend such a peaceful time. That such an affectionate person was always by my side.
We soon leisurely got up and cleaned up. We put away the chairs and pot, and returned to the bedroom side by side to sleep peacefully.
The knights were shocked the next day to discover the food carriage ransacked without a trace and the evidence of cooking, but even that was an enjoyable experience.
And a few days later, we arrived at the Empire's capital.
❖ ❖ ❖
The Mort mansion I returned to after a year was as beautiful as ever. The pure white exterior walls were still dazzling, and the rose buds waiting for summer decorated the garden charmingly.
I stepped down from the carriage with an excited heart. The familiar faces of the servants were lined up waiting for us. I smiled broadly and ran toward the petite old lady standing at the front.
"Mrs. Semona!"
"My lady, you mustn't run like that!"
Mrs. Semona and Mary gasped at the same time. Oops. I quickly came to my senses and approached the lady with quick steps.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Of course, my lady."
Mrs. Semona replied with a pleased smile. She looked at me, wearing a dress with a loose waist, with affectionate eyes.
"Welcome back, my lady. And congratulations on bringing a little one with you."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Please, come inside first. Your Highness, Her Highness."
Mrs. Semona politely guided Victor and me into the mansion. I stepped inside the mansion with a thrilled feeling.
❖ ❖ ❖
The interior of the mansion was exactly as I remembered. The soft carpets and luxurious furniture, the flowers filling the expensive vases, the curtains changed to bright colors for summer. Everything was just as it was when I left.
When I first came here, I was so busy following the unfamiliar Grand Duke's footsteps that I didn't even know what was around me.
It felt new and strange that I had returned like this, carrying his child.
"It's so beautiful..."
The servants from Mort, including Mary, looked around the mansion in a daze. They seemed to be admiring the dazzlingly gorgeous appearance of the Black Lion mansion.
Well, it took me over a week to get used to the glitter of this place too.
I said with a smile.
"When we have time, let's look around the mansion together."
"Really?"
"Of course. Victor, we'll go up first."
"Alright."
Victor held my hand tightly and let go, then began receiving a report from Mrs. Semona.
I took Mary and entered the lady's room first. The room, as beautiful as a jewelry box, already had soft sofas, footrests, and cool herbal tea prepared. The maids of the capital mansion, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, made a fuss as they guided me.
"Please sit here, my lady! We'll give you a massage."
"You must be very tired, right? We've prepared the bathwater too, so please wait a moment."
The attendants began organizing the luggage in perfect unison. The Mort servants were also surprisingly quick. Unlike the provincial territory servants who were usually children of minor nobles, the capital servants were hired after receiving professional attendant training, so they were more adept at this kind of thing. Mary, who had been staring with wide eyes, also quickly went over to tell them where to put my clothes and shoes.
In the meantime, I drank cool herbal tea with lemon and watched the attendants I hadn't seen in a while. The servants seemed very happy that I had returned. They were affectionate enough to shed tears when we parted, so how could they not be?
I smiled gently and asked.
"Have you all been well?"
"Of course! We didn't even know how time passed listening to tales of your heroism this past year."
"Tales of heroism?"
Seeing me bewildered, the maids suddenly beamed.
"Didn't you know, my lady? The 'White Knight'!"
What? I opened my eyes wide. If it was the 'White Knight,' that was definitely the nickname I got while subjugating threats in Mort. And Mort and the capital are very, very far apart...
The maids explained in unison