We headed to the Duchzans' residence in the capital. During the carriage ride, I felt motion sickness, my face turning pale, and I even retched. Julian seemed eager to stop, but I shook my head.
“Let’s go. There’s a lot to do in the capital.”
When I said I was fine, Julian ended up sitting next to me, rubbing my hand, offering me his knee, and taking frequent breaks along the way. Watching Julian fidget so restlessly seemed to ease the terrible dizziness that plagued me.
When I finally reached the capital, I twisted my ankle while getting out of the carriage. This caused quite a stir as Julian carried me into the capital.
I hugged Julian's neck, bowed my head, and laughed with difficulty. My stomach was queasy and my condition was terrible, but the scene itself wasn't bad.
The servants of the capital were less well-managed than those of the Grand Duke's lair, and it was only natural that they would be relatively open-mouthed.
News of Grand Duchess Duchzan's pregnancy would spread to the Grand Duke's residence in the capital, and even to the families of the servants. I urged Julian as I carried him into the master bedroom.
“I’m going to buy a storybook tomorrow.”
“Don’t tell the servant to do it.”
"I have to go myself. I need to buy a stroller, a walker, and a bunch of baby clothes."
“What on earth are you going to do with this body?”
Julian seemed angry at my recklessness. I pouted and grumbled.
"But I want to see and choose the stroller, walker, and baby clothes with my own eyes. Not Julian, right?"
“Don’t try to brush it off with words like that.”
Julian hadn't seen me for more than a day or two, so I figured he couldn't let this go. I had no choice but to make a reasonable suggestion.
“Then, I’ll check in tomorrow, and if you think I’m okay, I’ll go. Is that okay?”
Julian lowered his head and stared intently at me. This time, he had no reason to refuse. Nevertheless, the reason he was taking so long was probably simply because he didn't want to give in.
As we've discussed many times, that's what worry is. A bottomless anxiety, a feeling that doesn't ease even when you tuck the other person under a feather blanket. Rather than trying to convince him, I stuck out my pinky finger.
"I won't go out without your permission. Yes, promise."
Julian looked at my outstretched hand and sighed.
“You must come with me no matter what.”
"Of course."
When I readily agreed, Julian reached out and intertwined his fingers with mine. I shook it gently a couple of times and smiled bashfully.
Julian kept trying to put me to sleep, and I was so tired that I went straight to bed.
I was truly grateful to my parents for giving me a healthy birth, and to Sylvia for changing my magic tools. When I woke up the next day, I felt refreshed, as if I'd never felt so nauseous.
I was so excited that I asked Anna and Marian to help me get dressed, and thanks to their collaboration, I was able to put together a lively outfit for the day. I wore a sky blue hat over my blonde braid and a comfortable dress that wouldn't strain my midriff.
I didn't need to go to Julian or call him. When the time came, Julian knocked on my door as if it were a given. Seeing me, Julian's face blanked for a moment, then he smiled, as if he couldn't stop himself.
“You didn’t decide to leave after asking my permission.”
“But look.”
I spun around, still holding my hat. The hem of my skirt flapped in a wide circle. I smiled, feeling the pleasant click of my low-heeled shoes against the carpet.
“It’s so fine.”
Julian strode towards me and grabbed me.
“The baby will complain to his mother that he is dizzy.”
“It would have been fun to just wander around for a little while.”
“Maybe so, if he takes after my wife.”
Julian shook his head. He, too, was dressed in a suit. It was clear he was ready to leave as soon as I felt like it. I extended my hand to him, and Julian immediately escorted me out.
We rode a carriage into the city. Our first stop was the capital's largest bookstore. As we entered, a staff member, who clearly looked like a noble couple, rushed over to greet us politely. Normally, I would have declined, saying I wanted to browse at my leisure, but I smiled and greeted the staff member.
“Nice to meet you. Um...”
I put my hand on my stomach and said shyly.
“I’m trying to choose a storybook for the baby in my stomach.”
“Oh! I see. Oh my, congratulations!”
I lowered my gaze, looking down at my flat belly, which hadn't even swelled yet. Then I raised my head again and smiled, as if I was genuinely happy.
“Thank you.”
“No need to ask. I’ll take you this way.”
When Julian appeared without a mask, people didn't immediately recognize him. However, when they saw me standing next to him, they began to gather attention, as if they had realized something.
“Oh my god, could it be that the monster Grand Duke is..."
A noblewoman let out a loud noise without realizing it, then covered her mouth with her hand. I leisurely turned to look at her, but she seemed to realize her mistake and had covered her face with a fan, making it impossible to recognize her. I wanted to walk over and hit her in the mouth with the fan, but Julian patted my arm.
“There’s no need to waste your energy.”
"...is it so."
I felt awful, but it didn't conflict with my original purpose. It was important that as many people as possible recognized us. We followed the staff, drawing attention from everyone.
The staff recommended books good for prenatal education and storybooks suitable for reading to babies. I deliberately stalled for time by pretending to choose from various books. The staff didn't show the slightest hint of displeasure.
First, I was carrying a stack of books on my staff's arm, and more importantly, people around me were getting closer and starting to use terms like "Duczean" and "Grand Duke and Grand Duchess." One noble lady even approached us and spoke to us gently.
“Oh my, aren’t you His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess? It’s nice to see you here.”
I looked at the lady with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. But I’m sorry...”
“I am Countess Lizbelle.”
The Countess of Lizbelle was a member of the Crown Prince's family. It meant she was worthy of such closeness to me. I gently took her hand in a friendly gesture.
“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re as beautiful as they say.”
Countess Lizbelle showed no sign of discomfort. Instead, she placed her hand over mine and smiled kindly.
"It's embarrassing to hear such words from Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. Um, I know this may be rude, but... are you buying this picture book as a gift?"
I bit my lip slightly and said with an embarrassed face.
“No. Well, I’m pregnant. I was picking out storybooks to read to my unborn baby.”
"Oh my, my goodness. Could there be anything more to celebrate? How delighted His Majesty the Emperor will be to hear this news."
He must have been so happy he couldn't sleep all night, and was in pain. I hid my feelings and kept a smiling face.
The lady hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously, perhaps thinking it was not against manners.
“Would it be okay if I sent a congratulatory gift to the Grand Duke’s residence?”
I pursed my lips in surprise, then nodded.
“I will gratefully accept it.”
The lady left with a graceful expression, saying it was an honor to meet me. From then on, the staff, with a face that was anything but friendly, almost intimidating, did their best to guide us.
I unintentionally annoyed the employee, buying more books than he could carry and even leaving him a generous tip. The employee, seemingly thrilled, saw us off with a flushed face.
“Normally, I would be so stingy with every penny of the Grand Duke’s money that I wouldn’t know what to do.”
Julian asked, seemingly surprised. I shrugged.
"I've never done that. I just inherited my father's frugal financial sense, so I'm frugal. But when it comes to spending, I have to spend, right?"
As I spoke shamelessly, Julian put his arm around my waist and asked.
“You can buy that bookstore if you want, but why is now the time to spend money?”
"I don't know?"
“You don’t know.”
“This is why being a good man is no good.”
I said it mischievously. Julian asked again what I meant, but I didn't answer. We then headed to a baby store to buy a walker or stroller.
It was more common for servants and nannies to show up at the store than for noble couples. It seemed rare for couples like us to visit together.
It was only natural that the staff came running out of breath to greet us.
“What brings you here?”
This time, I held my stomach with both hands and smiled happily. I was so happy, it came naturally, without any need to try to fake it.
“I’m having a baby this time, so my husband and I came to look at some baby stuff.”
The employee nodded and guided us. He walked ahead, one step, then two, then tilted his head and asked cautiously.
“Are you perhaps His Royal Highness the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Duchan?”
“Yes.”
Julian, who had been silent, spoke in a low voice, and the employee, startled, bowed even deeper. I patted Julian on the back, saying, "Good job."
Everything was going very smoothly according to my plan.
“Let’s go. There’s a lot to do in the capital.”
When I said I was fine, Julian ended up sitting next to me, rubbing my hand, offering me his knee, and taking frequent breaks along the way. Watching Julian fidget so restlessly seemed to ease the terrible dizziness that plagued me.
When I finally reached the capital, I twisted my ankle while getting out of the carriage. This caused quite a stir as Julian carried me into the capital.
I hugged Julian's neck, bowed my head, and laughed with difficulty. My stomach was queasy and my condition was terrible, but the scene itself wasn't bad.
The servants of the capital were less well-managed than those of the Grand Duke's lair, and it was only natural that they would be relatively open-mouthed.
News of Grand Duchess Duchzan's pregnancy would spread to the Grand Duke's residence in the capital, and even to the families of the servants. I urged Julian as I carried him into the master bedroom.
“I’m going to buy a storybook tomorrow.”
“Don’t tell the servant to do it.”
"I have to go myself. I need to buy a stroller, a walker, and a bunch of baby clothes."
“What on earth are you going to do with this body?”
Julian seemed angry at my recklessness. I pouted and grumbled.
"But I want to see and choose the stroller, walker, and baby clothes with my own eyes. Not Julian, right?"
“Don’t try to brush it off with words like that.”
Julian hadn't seen me for more than a day or two, so I figured he couldn't let this go. I had no choice but to make a reasonable suggestion.
“Then, I’ll check in tomorrow, and if you think I’m okay, I’ll go. Is that okay?”
Julian lowered his head and stared intently at me. This time, he had no reason to refuse. Nevertheless, the reason he was taking so long was probably simply because he didn't want to give in.
As we've discussed many times, that's what worry is. A bottomless anxiety, a feeling that doesn't ease even when you tuck the other person under a feather blanket. Rather than trying to convince him, I stuck out my pinky finger.
"I won't go out without your permission. Yes, promise."
Julian looked at my outstretched hand and sighed.
“You must come with me no matter what.”
"Of course."
When I readily agreed, Julian reached out and intertwined his fingers with mine. I shook it gently a couple of times and smiled bashfully.
Julian kept trying to put me to sleep, and I was so tired that I went straight to bed.
***
I was truly grateful to my parents for giving me a healthy birth, and to Sylvia for changing my magic tools. When I woke up the next day, I felt refreshed, as if I'd never felt so nauseous.
I was so excited that I asked Anna and Marian to help me get dressed, and thanks to their collaboration, I was able to put together a lively outfit for the day. I wore a sky blue hat over my blonde braid and a comfortable dress that wouldn't strain my midriff.
I didn't need to go to Julian or call him. When the time came, Julian knocked on my door as if it were a given. Seeing me, Julian's face blanked for a moment, then he smiled, as if he couldn't stop himself.
“You didn’t decide to leave after asking my permission.”
“But look.”
I spun around, still holding my hat. The hem of my skirt flapped in a wide circle. I smiled, feeling the pleasant click of my low-heeled shoes against the carpet.
“It’s so fine.”
Julian strode towards me and grabbed me.
“The baby will complain to his mother that he is dizzy.”
“It would have been fun to just wander around for a little while.”
“Maybe so, if he takes after my wife.”
Julian shook his head. He, too, was dressed in a suit. It was clear he was ready to leave as soon as I felt like it. I extended my hand to him, and Julian immediately escorted me out.
We rode a carriage into the city. Our first stop was the capital's largest bookstore. As we entered, a staff member, who clearly looked like a noble couple, rushed over to greet us politely. Normally, I would have declined, saying I wanted to browse at my leisure, but I smiled and greeted the staff member.
“Nice to meet you. Um...”
I put my hand on my stomach and said shyly.
“I’m trying to choose a storybook for the baby in my stomach.”
“Oh! I see. Oh my, congratulations!”
I lowered my gaze, looking down at my flat belly, which hadn't even swelled yet. Then I raised my head again and smiled, as if I was genuinely happy.
“Thank you.”
“No need to ask. I’ll take you this way.”
When Julian appeared without a mask, people didn't immediately recognize him. However, when they saw me standing next to him, they began to gather attention, as if they had realized something.
“Oh my god, could it be that the monster Grand Duke is..."
A noblewoman let out a loud noise without realizing it, then covered her mouth with her hand. I leisurely turned to look at her, but she seemed to realize her mistake and had covered her face with a fan, making it impossible to recognize her. I wanted to walk over and hit her in the mouth with the fan, but Julian patted my arm.
“There’s no need to waste your energy.”
"...is it so."
I felt awful, but it didn't conflict with my original purpose. It was important that as many people as possible recognized us. We followed the staff, drawing attention from everyone.
The staff recommended books good for prenatal education and storybooks suitable for reading to babies. I deliberately stalled for time by pretending to choose from various books. The staff didn't show the slightest hint of displeasure.
First, I was carrying a stack of books on my staff's arm, and more importantly, people around me were getting closer and starting to use terms like "Duczean" and "Grand Duke and Grand Duchess." One noble lady even approached us and spoke to us gently.
“Oh my, aren’t you His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess? It’s nice to see you here.”
I looked at the lady with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. But I’m sorry...”
“I am Countess Lizbelle.”
The Countess of Lizbelle was a member of the Crown Prince's family. It meant she was worthy of such closeness to me. I gently took her hand in a friendly gesture.
“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re as beautiful as they say.”
Countess Lizbelle showed no sign of discomfort. Instead, she placed her hand over mine and smiled kindly.
"It's embarrassing to hear such words from Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. Um, I know this may be rude, but... are you buying this picture book as a gift?"
I bit my lip slightly and said with an embarrassed face.
“No. Well, I’m pregnant. I was picking out storybooks to read to my unborn baby.”
"Oh my, my goodness. Could there be anything more to celebrate? How delighted His Majesty the Emperor will be to hear this news."
He must have been so happy he couldn't sleep all night, and was in pain. I hid my feelings and kept a smiling face.
The lady hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously, perhaps thinking it was not against manners.
“Would it be okay if I sent a congratulatory gift to the Grand Duke’s residence?”
I pursed my lips in surprise, then nodded.
“I will gratefully accept it.”
The lady left with a graceful expression, saying it was an honor to meet me. From then on, the staff, with a face that was anything but friendly, almost intimidating, did their best to guide us.
I unintentionally annoyed the employee, buying more books than he could carry and even leaving him a generous tip. The employee, seemingly thrilled, saw us off with a flushed face.
“Normally, I would be so stingy with every penny of the Grand Duke’s money that I wouldn’t know what to do.”
Julian asked, seemingly surprised. I shrugged.
"I've never done that. I just inherited my father's frugal financial sense, so I'm frugal. But when it comes to spending, I have to spend, right?"
As I spoke shamelessly, Julian put his arm around my waist and asked.
“You can buy that bookstore if you want, but why is now the time to spend money?”
"I don't know?"
“You don’t know.”
“This is why being a good man is no good.”
I said it mischievously. Julian asked again what I meant, but I didn't answer. We then headed to a baby store to buy a walker or stroller.
It was more common for servants and nannies to show up at the store than for noble couples. It seemed rare for couples like us to visit together.
It was only natural that the staff came running out of breath to greet us.
“What brings you here?”
This time, I held my stomach with both hands and smiled happily. I was so happy, it came naturally, without any need to try to fake it.
“I’m having a baby this time, so my husband and I came to look at some baby stuff.”
The employee nodded and guided us. He walked ahead, one step, then two, then tilted his head and asked cautiously.
“Are you perhaps His Royal Highness the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Duchan?”
“Yes.”
Julian, who had been silent, spoke in a low voice, and the employee, startled, bowed even deeper. I patted Julian on the back, saying, "Good job."
Everything was going very smoothly according to my plan.
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