TGDHW - Chapter 70

For a moment, Callion was speechless. After a while, he stammered and asked back.

"...period cramps?"

“Yes, by any chance, is there something you don't know about...”

“No. I know that much.”

Long ago, while studying muscles, he had read an explanation about menstrual cramps in a book. That made Callion even more flustered.

He knew that it involved various symptoms and pain of different intensities depending on the person. Even so, could one really be in pain enough to die? Enough to lose consciousness?

He remembered Erna when she was coming out of the ruins.

A face as white as snow, sweat pouring down like rain, eyes that wouldn't open no matter how much he called. The way she trembled and curled up looked as if she were about to die at any moment.

“Really, menstrual cramps? Not some other illness?”

“Yes. The verification is complete. Besides, Lieutenant Orpheus said that she always did this.”

“So, it’s not a fatal illness? Or is it life-threatening?”

The doctor nodded at Callion's question.

"Yes, the only problem is that the pain is severe."

"Ha."

At the doctor's confident answer, Callion leaned back on the sofa as if collapsing. In any case, Erna was safe. That was all that mattered.

The doctor continued to explain to the limp Callion.

“It is certainly true that Lady Erna is quite ill compared to others. Lieutenant Orpheus said that she has been feeling unwell for several days. Furthermore, Lady Erna has had quite a few things to worry about recently. There was the monster extermination in the Lake region last time, and there was also the issue with the delegation from Havand...”

Callion nodded slightly at the doctor's words. Certainly, various things had happened recently. It was clear that those problems had made Erna even more tired...

“Still, isn’t the biggest problem Grand Duke Callion?”

"Me?"

Suddenly, he found himself the culprit behind all of this. Callion blinked at the doctor as if asking what she was talking about. Before he knew it, the doctor was staring at Callion with a cold gaze.

The look in her eyes as she gazed at the Grand Duke was extremely disrespectful, but at this moment, their relationship was that of a doctor and a patient's guardian rather than a Grand Duke and his subject. For this reason, the doctor decided to speak his mind.

“As a citizen, it is a joyous occasion that the two Grand Dukes are on good terms, but from a doctor’s perspective, there is a problem. For one thing, I am referring to the bite marks remaining on the chest and shoulder...”

“...!”

At the doctor's words, Callion, who had been slumped over, suddenly stood up.

“Th-th-how could you...”

“How? I saw it while changing Lady Erna’s clothes. But that isn’t the important thing. Lady Erna has rather delicate skin. That is why scars tend to linger for quite a long time. If you continue to leave marks in the same spot like that, they won’t disappear and will remain as scars. Furthermore, that area is prone to becoming even more fragile. So, please exercise some restraint.”

“...”

Callion stared out the window for a moment. Embarrassment washed over him like a wave. Should he jump?

“Uh, uh, that...”

As he had no idea what on earth to say, only stammering sounds came from Callion's mouth.

“For now, I plan to restrict visits to Grand Duke Erna for about a week. So, you do not need to come...”

“Why? How?”

Callion, whose face had been flushed hot just moments ago as he looked for a good spot to jump, changed his expression and questioned the doctor in an accusatory tone.

The doctor couldn't help but let out a chuckle at Callion's sudden, menacing aura. It was a good time. The doctor was saying it with her face, not with her mouth.

“It is Grand Duke Erna’s wish. For now, she has taken her medicine and is back to sleep, so even if you go to visit, you won’t be able to meet her. Lieutenant Orpheus is guarding the door tightly to prevent anyone from entering.”

"Yes..."

If it were Orpheus, she would surely be risking her life to protect Erna. Besides, since she said Erna had taken medicine and was sleeping, Callion didn't want to wake her up.

"Well then, I'll be going now."

The doctor bowed and left the room, and Callion, left alone, slumped back onto the sofa.

"I guess it's okay since she's safe."

Callion remained still, then suddenly stood up from his seat, walked over to the bookshelf, and scanned the books.

"It should be somewhere around here."

A moment later, he found a book on the human body. He located the section on menstrual cramps and began reading through it quickly. As he read the last line, his eyes lit up.

***

Erna opened her eyes. The lamp on the bedside table was shining with a soft brightness that was not too harsh on the eyes.

As Erna blinked, she felt a rough sensation in her mouth, as if she had chewed sand.

"Water..."

She turned her head and saw a water pitcher and a cup next to the lamp. They were within reach if she stretched out just a little, but she didn't want to move. She thought about calling Orpheus, who was outside, but even that felt like a hassle.

'I took my medicine and slept.'

When she opened her eyes after losing consciousness inside the ruins, she was in the Grand Duke's castle. While the doctor and Orpheus were asking her various questions for a moment, Erna felt something gushing out from between her legs. Thanks to that, she was able to tell.

The reason she has been feeling unwell for the past few days.

Erna tossed and turned. Her entire body ached as if she had just done strenuous exercise, and her stomach hurt twice as much. The pain in her lower back, which felt like it was breaking, came and went in regular intervals.

"Hurt..."

It wasn't just one or two places that hurt. Her gums were swollen, and a headache was overwhelming her. On top of that, she kept gagging and couldn't digest anything. Yet, the thought of wanting to eat something kept nagging her.

However, no matter what she thought of, there was nothing that particularly appealed to her. In the end, driven by hunger, she merely took a few spoonfuls of soup, which she didn't really feel like eating.

She thought about going back to sleep, but perhaps because she had slept for so long, sleep did not come easily. Eventually, Erna sat with her eyes open, lost in blank thought. The first person to come to mind was Callion.

'Callion must have known, too.'

Her head began to ache. In the conversation she overheard between the doctors in my sleep, the oldest doctor was saying that he needed to go see Carillon.

When I first consulted with Carillon regarding pregnancy, we made a promise: to let him know if there were any issues with the pregnancy.

'It was ambiguous whether it was a problem or not, so I just kept my mouth shut, but...'

When she decided to have an heir, Erna was concerned about her fertile period. It would have been easy to calculate if her menstrual cycle were regular, but unfortunately, her cycle was truly erratic.

'It's been a problem since childhood, but...'

When she first came to Hessengard, it was about two or three times a year. They said the frequency increased after her health improved, but there were times when it was once every three months, or at most once every six months. Then there were times when it was twice a month.

The good news was that the doctors who examined her said there was no problem with the pregnancy. So Erna didn't bother to tell Callion.

'Because it's a weakness.'

If she spoke up from the beginning and no successor emerged... it would be her fault. She didn't want to return to Havand, classified as a defective product like that.

'I wonder if Callion knows everything by now.'

The doctor said that Callion also needed to know about Erna's physical condition. That way, he could take proper precautions.

When Erna mumbled, asking what to watch out for, Orpheus glanced around and whispered to Erna.

“Grand Duke, actually, we saw everything while changing your clothes.”

“...”

Should I have died back then? Erna buried her face in the pillow. She knew that many people had probably figured it out by now anyway, but being found out to others like this was truly shameful enough to make her want to die.

'I wonder what Callion will say.'

It was certain that Callion had put in more effort than her to conceive. Hadn't he been the one working like crazy from night until dawn? Of course, Erna had tried too, but compared to Callion, who was naturally physically active, she had merely been desperately keeping up with his movements.

'I wonder if he's going to get annoyed.'

He might get annoyed and ask why she didn't tell her after she received everything from the doctor.

"Ha..."

Erna remembered Callion saying that if she was going to date inside the ruins, she should do it with him. And the hand patting her back.

However, a fear washed over her that if Callion found out that she hadn't told him about her physical condition until now, he might be disappointed in her.

Dark clouds were gathering overhead, appearing as if they were about to pour rain. Just as Erna turned around, thinking she should probably just go back to sleep.

Click.

The sound of the door handle turning was heard.

“...?”

Erna looked at the door leading to the hallway. She wondered if Orpheus, who was supposed to be in the hallway, had entered, but the door was firmly closed. In that case, the only remaining door was the one connecting to the master bedroom. She looked in that direction and saw the door slowly opening.

Why is that open?

There was only one person who could open that door and come in. Erna called that person's name.

“Callion?”

Then, a familiar face popped out through the open door.

"May I come in?"

Callion looked at Erna lying down and asked for her permission. Realizing once again that they were still at a level where they had to ask for permission to enter each other's rooms, Erna nodded.

Then, Callion quickly approached her side.

It was the first time Callion had entered her room, and since she never imagined he would come in this form at this time, Erna looked at him with a bewildered expression.

“Why did you come?”

"I was wondering if you were okay. If you were asleep, I was planning to just take a look at your face and leave."

It was nothing special, but strangely, as Erna listened to Callion's voice, she felt a tingling sensation in her palms. Then she noticed that his voice was quite soft. Just as the worry she had felt earlier—that he might be disappointed in her—disappeared a little, Callion suddenly thrust something in front of her.

"Eat."

"What's this?"

Callion held out a plate piled high with something. Because the light was not very bright, Erna leaned her face closer to see what it was, and a savory, sweet scent wafted into her nose.

Callion hesitated and placed a plate in Erna's hand. Only then did Erna realize that the plate contained all kinds of sweets.

"I can't understand why on earth you're giving this to me all of a sudden," Erna stared at him, and Callion hesitated as he spoke.

"I heard that sweets are good for severe menstrual cramps."

“...Did you bring it?”

"Yes."

“You yourself?”

"...Yes."

Erna turned her gaze back to the plate. On it was a massive amount of snacks that looked like they wouldn't be enough to eat even in a week.

Did you loot the whole kitchen, you bastard?

Previous                Next