Celebrity Lady - Chapter 166

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Side Story, Episode 8
“Wait!”
Lark spoke quickly.
“Let me be clear—I’m not saying I dislike you, and I’m not saying I don’t want to be with you. You’re everything to me, and I love you more than anyone. That love has only grown since I met you; it’s never diminished or stopped.”
…….
“And as you said, seeing that Mini Lark isn’t tired proves I’m not without interest in married life either.”
A thorough man preemptively blocking every possible misunderstanding his wife might have from his “I don’t want to” answer!
Seeing Rubetria’s expression soften, Lark finally exhaled with relief.
But the interrogation was only just beginning. Rubetria, who had been staring blankly, asked at last.
“Then what’s wrong, Your Majesty?”
Lark pressed his lips together tightly.
Right—he’d suddenly announced he wanted to abdicate and didn’t want to work at night. She couldn’t possibly not notice something was off.
“Tell me. What is it?”
He had to confess eventually. But the words wouldn’t come.
Why, you ask?
* * *
Bista had made a Contract!
The Spirit Spring was turned upside down.
Bista, a dangerous Spirit, had made a Contract while hiding the fact with the Spirit King’s help—it was unthinkable!
Naturally, there had to be a reason compelling enough to warrant it, right?
Randian, the Spirit contracted to Emperor Lark Van Rashmah Deccard, hurried through the Spirit Spring searching frantically for Bista.
“Biiiiista!”
Surrounded by curious Spirits, Bista smiled faintly at Randian’s shout.
“You came?”
With both eyes gently closed, Bista spoke in the usual serene manner.
“You have many questions, I’m sure. Let’s talk slowly.”
“Why did you make a Contract?”
“The King’s Contractor will die.”
Bista said it matter-of-factly while shifting position. Randian’s jaw dropped.
The shock…….
But after a moment’s thought, Randian tilted his head.
“The King’s Contractor can die?”
Humans make countless choices throughout their lives, and the future changes according to those choices. Even a human born with a strong constitution may die suddenly from an unforeseen accident in youth, or fall ill and perish from neglect of their body.
If a human chooses only the best options, they can live a long time.
Aging healthily until the time promised to their flesh—’cessation’—arrives, then closing their eyes.
But.
“The King’s Contractor is only twenty years old now. Isn’t she the only human who can age healthily and die naturally, unlike other humans?”
Randian was baffled.
Would the King, who treasured his Contractor so dearly, let her slip away so meaninglessly? Now that the Seal on his power had been broken?
If she was destined to be injured, he could warn her; if something was bad for her body, he wouldn’t let her eat it; if she caught even a cold, he could heal it.
If there was a future where some ruffian suddenly drew a blade on her, he could simply find out beforehand and remove the threat, couldn’t he?
Among all living humans, it was clear that the King’s Contractor, Rubetria Diolus, would live the longest.
“The King chooses not to see the future.”
“What?”
Bista smiled and explained to the startled Randian.
“Because he treasures his Contractor so much, he has decided not to see her future instead. He must have recognized himself—that he would end up controlling every moment of her life.”
“Ah…….”
Randian nodded in understanding. It was certainly better for both the King and the Contractor that way.
“That’s why I had to step forward. If a thread of death appears in the King’s Contractor’s future, I need to warn him.”
“Then couldn’t you just give the King a hint? Why go through the trouble of making a Contract and going directly to the Human Realm?”
“That’s…….”
Bista’s expression became somber for a moment.
Gulp—Randian swallowed dryly, tensing.
“……I was bored. I wanted to make a Contract too and freely roam the Human Realm.”
Ting.
Randian’s mind stuttered.
“Wait! Just for that?!”
“Just? You don’t understand my heart.”
Bista spoke with shameless ease. In truth, there were other reasons for going to such lengths, but there was no need for Randian to know, so he kept silent.
“But why does the King’s Contractor die? Is someone trying to take her life?”
“Ah. She dies giving birth to an heir.”
Randian’s mouth dropped open again, but Bista spoke without concern.
“The timing was unfortunate. If things had followed the original path, the heir would have been born five years from now in Imperial Year 1529, but that future has moved up dramatically. By this timeline, the Imperial heir will be born next October, on the 24th.”
Randian had heard before about the future when the Imperial heir would be born. Just as Bista said, it was five years away, and Rubetria didn’t die.
“You remember, don’t you? The reason the King’s Contractor didn’t die back then was because Mafirda was contracted to her.”
Mafirda, the supreme healing Spirit.
As long as breath remained, she could save anyone. If Mafirda had been contracted, the Empress would never have died in childbirth.
“But as you know, three years ago when the King’s Seal was broken and the future changed entirely, Spirits gained the ability to abandon their Contractors whenever they pleased.”
The moment choice fell into the Spirits’ hands, Mafirda abandoned her Contractor and returned to the Spirit Spring.
She had accumulated quite a bit of frustration, apparently.
“So whether the heir is born next year or five years from now, the King’s Contractor will die. That’s why, with the King’s Contractor and your Contractor so eagerly engaged in their reproductive activities, I had to act quickly.”
“Ah, right. I understand now.”
One question remained. Randian asked.
“Why is the Imperial heir being born earlier than scheduled? Why did the future change like that?”
“Well. Probably…….”
Bista thought of Rubetria.
“Because the King’s Contractor had a change of heart.”
“A change of……heart?”
“Probably because she loves your Contractor, the Emperor, more now than before? To the point where she could set aside her own desires and compromise appropriately for his sake.”
* * *
That was precisely why Lark was reluctant to tell the truth!
Rubetria had changed.
Even after becoming Empress, he’d shown her consideration—told her to prioritize her own life, to do what she wanted first—but Rubetria wanted to have both.
She hadn’t abandoned her work, nor had she neglected her duties as Empress. She simply cut back her own needs and sleep.
The same went for having children.
He’d said they could plan children slowly whenever she wanted; he’d shield her from the complaints of the noble bureaucrats himself.
But the fact that she’d suddenly hurried was surely because she saw it as her own duty. And also because she couldn’t bear to see her husband suffering under the pressure of the officials.
That’s why Lark was afraid to tell the truth. What would come out of Rubetria’s mouth once she heard about the future? He couldn’t be certain.
Of course she’d prioritize her own life over dying in childbirth.
But what if.
Just maybe.
One in a million chance.
“Now that I’m the Empress, it’s something I absolutely must do. Besides, I’m the one who made it impossible for him to have an heir with anyone else…… I’ll take responsibility.”
What if she said something like that?
Then it would be truly impossible. They’d never had a marital quarrel, but hearing an answer like that would mean they’d have to.
“Ruby.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll tell you. But first, I need you to promise me something.”
“All right.”
“We won’t have children.”
“What did you say?!”
As expected, Rubetria was shocked.
“Why? Why?”
“If you want to hear the reason, promise first. Between you and me, there will be no children until we die.”
…….
“And just so you don’t misunderstand—I don’t mean I’ll have children with someone else. I have no intention of even holding another woman’s hand, so simply put, there will be no children in my life.”
At Lark’s firm words, Rubetria couldn’t close her dropped jaw.
She was frustrated that she couldn’t understand his intention for saying such a thing. But she had to promise not to have children before she could hear his reason?
“But my love, whether we have children or not isn’t really…… in our control, is it? Even if we try not to have children, it’s not like we can prevent it completely, right?”
“Why?”
“Well…… no matter how careful we are? If we keep living together as husband and wife healthily? A child could come along…….”
Rubetria, who had been speaking in roundabout ways, flinched.
“You’re not saying…… you’re going to practice lifelong abstinence? Something like that?”
“Of course.”
Kyaaaaah! Rubetria grabbed her cheeks in shock. Seeing her stunned expression, Lark quickly spoke up.
“Wait! You don’t…… you don’t need to do that too. I’ll handle it myself. I’ll research. I’ll make sure you’re satisfied in every way. I just need to control that…… final stage where a baby could be created.”
Lark also spoke awkwardly in roundabout ways, but Rubetria understood. So he was just going to seal up Mini Lark, then.
Quietly, Rubetria’s gaze drifted to Lark’s trousers. Even as their long conversation continued, the situation remained spirited.
And yet he’s talking about lifelong abstinence?
Rubetria asked, bewildered.
“Mini Lark has come to a peaceful agreement about this, hasn’t he?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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