106. The Shadow That Came
“Based on the symptoms, it is certain.”
Emilia felt her legs give out. If she hadn't been lying on the bed, she would have collapsed.
“Of course, I can’t say 100 percent until you get pregnant... but since you missed your period twice, I’m sure. Above all, please be careful because in the early stages, you may not even know you’re pregnant and end up having a miscarriage.”
“Yeah, it’s better to think about it as right and be careful.”
Yvonne, who was behind him, came closer and said.
“Empty your mind and accept.”
"... Yes."
Emilia answered, putting her hand on her stomach.
Even though two people are talking like that, it doesn't feel real at all.
I really have a child...
The view before her eyes is dizzying, like looking down from a steep cliff.
Something as soft as silk settled on her trembling shoulders. It was the Queen's hand.
“Congratulations. In any case, the child deserves to be blessed.”
Yes, I should cherish it. If nothing else, I should work on that.
Emilia tried hard to calm her mind, covering her trembling body with her hands.
“Are you sure you came straight to me without telling anyone?”
"... Yes."
“Yes, well done. The presence of the child in your womb will cause great ripples. If my guess is correct, Prince Meyer will never allow that child to be called an illegitimate child.”
The moment she heard his words, Emilia felt something start to overflow again. She had to clench her hands tightly to swallow the tears that were welling up.
Yvonne's eyes, looking down at Emilia, gradually filled with complicated emotions.
“It puts my mind at ease to see you respond so intelligently and with such dignity.”
“I don’t know what to do with all this praise.”
Even in the midst of all this, she was trying hard to recite polite greetings, which made her heart ache even more. Without realizing it, Yvonne was sitting close to Emilia and caressing her cold hand.
“I don’t trust people very much. I don’t even know what kind of person you are. If it weren’t for the deal with Prince Meyer, I wouldn’t have dared let you stay here.”
“...”
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t like you. I like your personality, which is both good at reading the mood and cautious. So I hope you feel comfortable.”
"...thank you."
Yvonne's heart sank again as she recalled the image of her bursting into tears as soon as she saw her.
If she put together the stories she's heard here and there, that child is actually no different from a girl. But how scared and anxious must she be, since she suddenly got pregnant?
Those fucking men.
Yvonne clicked her tongue inwardly.
Why is it always men who cause accidents?
Even His Majesty the King said the same thing. He said that Bern's daughter would probably have lived well on her own if she had just been left alone.
In the end, the men around that child were the problem.
A father who was greedy beyond belief, Hardius Myer, who was even more greedy, and even His Majesty the King...
Yeah, her husband had a part to play too.
As her thoughts reached that point, Yvonne felt her heart ache for some reason.
If her husband hadn't used that child and neglected him, this wouldn't have happened.
If that child were her daughter Margaret...
Yvonne was overcome with an unexpected sense of compassion and held Margaret's small, delicate shoulders tightly in her arms.
“You should just relax and not think about anything. There is nothing more harmful to the fetus than worry or concern. You really have to be careful in the early stages of pregnancy. There is a high risk of miscarriage.”
Emilia nodded vigorously like a good child.
“I will do my best to help you. I will discuss with His Majesty the King right now how to handle this matter, so until a decision is made, refrain from going out as much as possible and stay here unconditionally.”
Emilia's mouth opened and slowly closed.
Practical matters like family, moving, and restaurants were making her head spin, but the queen was right.
Now is not the time to worry about that.
“I’ll assign you a trustworthy maid. Other than that, you must never mention the pregnancy to anyone else. You are only here at my invitation to stay for a few days. Do you understand?”
"Yes."
“If you need anything, just let me know. I don’t want you to hesitate or hesitate. I hate guests who only grumble inwardly. That’s the only thing you have to do.”
Despite the cold tone of her speech, Emilia could read consideration in it.
“Yes, I will keep that in mind. I will go after staying in peace as long as I do not cause any trouble to the royal family.”
Yvonne smiled gently.
“Yes. Just rest well today without thinking about anything.”
The Queen squeezed her hand once and then left the room.
Emilia, now alone, stared blankly into space for a moment.
She wonders if she's dreaming.
The hand moves to the lower abdomen again.
Pregnancy...
Her stomach is starting to get bigger, but when and how should she tell her family?
She wishes she could wake up and be home. How nice it would be if Charlotte giggled and told her it was all a dream.
Emilia, who was thinking desperately, felt sorry for the being inside her stomach for a moment.
Maybe the child is reading and feeling all these thoughts.
She slowly got up, trying to shake off the cold, gloomy feeling that kept creeping up on me.
Emilia started writing letters straight away, one to Mitch and one to Ingrid. Of course, she couldn't write about the child.
After a while, the 'trustworthy maid' Yvonne had mentioned knocked and came in. She had black hair, hazel eyes, and a swarthy face, and she looked very intelligent.
“Hello, Miss. My name is Dahlia. Nice to meet you.”
Emilia asked Dahlia to find Uncle Beppy in the stable and bring him to her.
Dahlia was not only trustworthy and smart, but also very alert. In less than 30 minutes, she had Uncle Beppy knocking on the door.
Facing the man as tall as a mountain, Emilia felt her stomach churn and her legs tremble.
“Sir, I think I will stay here for a few days. Please tell my family that I met the Queen safely. And this letter too.”
Beppy nodded and put the letter deep into his jacket pocket. But he couldn't move his feet easily.
She realized that the words 'Protect Emilia' were about to burst out from his hesitant face. Emilia quickly smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. This is the safest place in the world. This is what Master Meyer wanted.”
Only then did Beppy nod and leave the room.
Emilia, who had finally shaken off the burden on her heart that had been weighing her down, sat down on the bed again.
Her mind was numb as if she had been beaten up badly. The cold hand kept reaching for her lower abdomen as if checking.
What do I do now? I can't go outside.
Although Beppy boasted that it was the safest place in the world, she could not be completely at ease. Even deep inside the palace, there must have been eyes and ears secretly watching.
For the time being, she thinks it would be better to stay here and hide quietly.
Emilia pulled her knees up and hugged them, trying to calm her mind. Then she suddenly got startled and adjusted her posture.
Is it okay for the stomach to be pressed like this? What if the baby gets crushed?
Emilia, who was sitting in an awkward posture, was lost in thought for a moment.
Yes, there is still so much she doesn't know. Most anxiety and fear come from ignorance.
Emilia rang the bell to summon Dahlia and asked if she could fetch a book from the royal library. She added that no one but Her Majesty the Queen should know about it.
Dahlia understood immediately.
An hour later, Emilia's bed was littered with snacks that Dahlia had brought along, along with nearly ten books.
They were all about pregnancy and childbirth.
In the late afternoon, as dusk began to fall, William Richard tried not to frown beneath the wisteria vines of Tobaro.
What on earth is going on that makes Bianca beat around the bush like that?
As soon as he heard that she wanted to see him, he put aside all his work and came running.
But Bianca had been talking about weird stuff that only girls would talk about for an hour.
“How many men in the world are as indifferent to women and as sexless as Prince Meyer?”
“I think I stayed in the convent of Bruges too long. I should have started out in society early like other women... I feel like a child who doesn’t know anything about the world these days.”
“That commoner woman. I think I should go and see her. Mrs. Meyer also said she was very sorry that she treated the child so harshly.”
William suppressed his bubbling impatience.
She is a child whom he has thought of as his niece since she was little. She is also one of the few 'smart women' in the world.
He endured the useless talk, thinking that something must have happened.
And finally.
“Sir Richard, if...”
William braced himself as he watched Bianca hesitate with her eyes suddenly darkening.
“If... our alliance were to break down, who would suffer more, me or Hardius?”
“...!”
William stroked his moustache furiously to hide his embarrassment.
“Why? Suddenly.... you don’t want to get married?”
He asked lightly, as if deliberately joking.
“No, that’s not it. It’s not that I don’t want to get married or have any doubts about the alliance. I just want to check. Who is more interested in this marriage? Who will suffer more if the joint venture fails, Laichnen or Meyer? Things like that.”
Bianca also replied as if it was nothing, but William was never fooled.
Questions that he had previously thought were useless began to come back to life in his head and form a puzzle.
Every question has an intention. What is the intention of a woman about to get married, asking such a question?
Now that he thinks about it, he remembers that a few days ago, he suggested to Bianca that she find out what Hardius Meyer was thinking.
“Why? Did something hurt your pride because of Prince Meyer?"
“Based on the symptoms, it is certain.”
Emilia felt her legs give out. If she hadn't been lying on the bed, she would have collapsed.
“Of course, I can’t say 100 percent until you get pregnant... but since you missed your period twice, I’m sure. Above all, please be careful because in the early stages, you may not even know you’re pregnant and end up having a miscarriage.”
“Yeah, it’s better to think about it as right and be careful.”
Yvonne, who was behind him, came closer and said.
“Empty your mind and accept.”
"... Yes."
Emilia answered, putting her hand on her stomach.
Even though two people are talking like that, it doesn't feel real at all.
I really have a child...
The view before her eyes is dizzying, like looking down from a steep cliff.
Something as soft as silk settled on her trembling shoulders. It was the Queen's hand.
“Congratulations. In any case, the child deserves to be blessed.”
Yes, I should cherish it. If nothing else, I should work on that.
Emilia tried hard to calm her mind, covering her trembling body with her hands.
“Are you sure you came straight to me without telling anyone?”
"... Yes."
“Yes, well done. The presence of the child in your womb will cause great ripples. If my guess is correct, Prince Meyer will never allow that child to be called an illegitimate child.”
The moment she heard his words, Emilia felt something start to overflow again. She had to clench her hands tightly to swallow the tears that were welling up.
Yvonne's eyes, looking down at Emilia, gradually filled with complicated emotions.
“It puts my mind at ease to see you respond so intelligently and with such dignity.”
“I don’t know what to do with all this praise.”
Even in the midst of all this, she was trying hard to recite polite greetings, which made her heart ache even more. Without realizing it, Yvonne was sitting close to Emilia and caressing her cold hand.
“I don’t trust people very much. I don’t even know what kind of person you are. If it weren’t for the deal with Prince Meyer, I wouldn’t have dared let you stay here.”
“...”
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t like you. I like your personality, which is both good at reading the mood and cautious. So I hope you feel comfortable.”
"...thank you."
Yvonne's heart sank again as she recalled the image of her bursting into tears as soon as she saw her.
If she put together the stories she's heard here and there, that child is actually no different from a girl. But how scared and anxious must she be, since she suddenly got pregnant?
Those fucking men.
Yvonne clicked her tongue inwardly.
Why is it always men who cause accidents?
Even His Majesty the King said the same thing. He said that Bern's daughter would probably have lived well on her own if she had just been left alone.
In the end, the men around that child were the problem.
A father who was greedy beyond belief, Hardius Myer, who was even more greedy, and even His Majesty the King...
Yeah, her husband had a part to play too.
As her thoughts reached that point, Yvonne felt her heart ache for some reason.
If her husband hadn't used that child and neglected him, this wouldn't have happened.
If that child were her daughter Margaret...
Yvonne was overcome with an unexpected sense of compassion and held Margaret's small, delicate shoulders tightly in her arms.
“You should just relax and not think about anything. There is nothing more harmful to the fetus than worry or concern. You really have to be careful in the early stages of pregnancy. There is a high risk of miscarriage.”
Emilia nodded vigorously like a good child.
“I will do my best to help you. I will discuss with His Majesty the King right now how to handle this matter, so until a decision is made, refrain from going out as much as possible and stay here unconditionally.”
Emilia's mouth opened and slowly closed.
Practical matters like family, moving, and restaurants were making her head spin, but the queen was right.
Now is not the time to worry about that.
“I’ll assign you a trustworthy maid. Other than that, you must never mention the pregnancy to anyone else. You are only here at my invitation to stay for a few days. Do you understand?”
"Yes."
“If you need anything, just let me know. I don’t want you to hesitate or hesitate. I hate guests who only grumble inwardly. That’s the only thing you have to do.”
Despite the cold tone of her speech, Emilia could read consideration in it.
“Yes, I will keep that in mind. I will go after staying in peace as long as I do not cause any trouble to the royal family.”
Yvonne smiled gently.
“Yes. Just rest well today without thinking about anything.”
The Queen squeezed her hand once and then left the room.
Emilia, now alone, stared blankly into space for a moment.
She wonders if she's dreaming.
The hand moves to the lower abdomen again.
Pregnancy...
Her stomach is starting to get bigger, but when and how should she tell her family?
She wishes she could wake up and be home. How nice it would be if Charlotte giggled and told her it was all a dream.
Emilia, who was thinking desperately, felt sorry for the being inside her stomach for a moment.
Maybe the child is reading and feeling all these thoughts.
She slowly got up, trying to shake off the cold, gloomy feeling that kept creeping up on me.
Emilia started writing letters straight away, one to Mitch and one to Ingrid. Of course, she couldn't write about the child.
After a while, the 'trustworthy maid' Yvonne had mentioned knocked and came in. She had black hair, hazel eyes, and a swarthy face, and she looked very intelligent.
“Hello, Miss. My name is Dahlia. Nice to meet you.”
Emilia asked Dahlia to find Uncle Beppy in the stable and bring him to her.
Dahlia was not only trustworthy and smart, but also very alert. In less than 30 minutes, she had Uncle Beppy knocking on the door.
Facing the man as tall as a mountain, Emilia felt her stomach churn and her legs tremble.
“Sir, I think I will stay here for a few days. Please tell my family that I met the Queen safely. And this letter too.”
Beppy nodded and put the letter deep into his jacket pocket. But he couldn't move his feet easily.
She realized that the words 'Protect Emilia' were about to burst out from his hesitant face. Emilia quickly smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. This is the safest place in the world. This is what Master Meyer wanted.”
Only then did Beppy nod and leave the room.
Emilia, who had finally shaken off the burden on her heart that had been weighing her down, sat down on the bed again.
Her mind was numb as if she had been beaten up badly. The cold hand kept reaching for her lower abdomen as if checking.
What do I do now? I can't go outside.
Although Beppy boasted that it was the safest place in the world, she could not be completely at ease. Even deep inside the palace, there must have been eyes and ears secretly watching.
For the time being, she thinks it would be better to stay here and hide quietly.
Emilia pulled her knees up and hugged them, trying to calm her mind. Then she suddenly got startled and adjusted her posture.
Is it okay for the stomach to be pressed like this? What if the baby gets crushed?
Emilia, who was sitting in an awkward posture, was lost in thought for a moment.
Yes, there is still so much she doesn't know. Most anxiety and fear come from ignorance.
Emilia rang the bell to summon Dahlia and asked if she could fetch a book from the royal library. She added that no one but Her Majesty the Queen should know about it.
Dahlia understood immediately.
An hour later, Emilia's bed was littered with snacks that Dahlia had brought along, along with nearly ten books.
They were all about pregnancy and childbirth.
***
In the late afternoon, as dusk began to fall, William Richard tried not to frown beneath the wisteria vines of Tobaro.
What on earth is going on that makes Bianca beat around the bush like that?
As soon as he heard that she wanted to see him, he put aside all his work and came running.
But Bianca had been talking about weird stuff that only girls would talk about for an hour.
“How many men in the world are as indifferent to women and as sexless as Prince Meyer?”
“I think I stayed in the convent of Bruges too long. I should have started out in society early like other women... I feel like a child who doesn’t know anything about the world these days.”
“That commoner woman. I think I should go and see her. Mrs. Meyer also said she was very sorry that she treated the child so harshly.”
William suppressed his bubbling impatience.
She is a child whom he has thought of as his niece since she was little. She is also one of the few 'smart women' in the world.
He endured the useless talk, thinking that something must have happened.
And finally.
“Sir Richard, if...”
William braced himself as he watched Bianca hesitate with her eyes suddenly darkening.
“If... our alliance were to break down, who would suffer more, me or Hardius?”
“...!”
William stroked his moustache furiously to hide his embarrassment.
“Why? Suddenly.... you don’t want to get married?”
He asked lightly, as if deliberately joking.
“No, that’s not it. It’s not that I don’t want to get married or have any doubts about the alliance. I just want to check. Who is more interested in this marriage? Who will suffer more if the joint venture fails, Laichnen or Meyer? Things like that.”
Bianca also replied as if it was nothing, but William was never fooled.
Questions that he had previously thought were useless began to come back to life in his head and form a puzzle.
Every question has an intention. What is the intention of a woman about to get married, asking such a question?
Now that he thinks about it, he remembers that a few days ago, he suggested to Bianca that she find out what Hardius Meyer was thinking.
“Why? Did something hurt your pride because of Prince Meyer?"
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