I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 3

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

Judith, with her red hair tied back tightly and wearing a comfortable cotton dress, energetically opened the door to the 【Grey Information Guild】.

The receptionist, who had been reading a newspaper, looked up at Judith’s face and immediately stood up.

“You’ve arrived.”

He smiled kindly and welcomed Judith.

“Master is waiting for you.”

The treatment was markedly different from three years ago when Judith first came here.

Three years ago, Judith had boldly demanded to see the Master here. Since then, she had become one of the few important clients who could meet the Master directly.

‘Of course. All my information has been accurate so far.’

Since it was before the original story began, she couldn’t actively do much, but she could still manage to sell information bit by bit. When she thought about it carefully, the original work had quite a few passages where narrators briefly reminisced about past events.

There weren’t any major business items or investment information, but there were often useful tidbits like these.

[Baron and Baroness Palena have had accumulated discord since before their marriage. They’ll probably divorce someday.]

This information was inspired by a sentence in the original work: ‘Baron and Baroness Palena eventually divorced due to accumulated discord from before their marriage.’

[There’s a secret rose garden in Count Aten’s backyard. It’s the Count’s private hobby, and there are many fine varieties there.]

This came from the original sentence: ‘Count Aten had kept a secret rose garden in his backyard since childhood.’

Of course, Judith was very careful when selling information.

If she changed the flow of the original story even slightly, her plans might go awry. So she only leaked trivial information about extras that wouldn’t affect the main storyline.

Therefore, while the accuracy was high, the price of the information wasn’t particularly high. Just enough for her to barely pay interest and maintain her livelihood.

Still, because of the high accuracy, the Master always met with Judith personally and gave her fairly good prices.

“Baroness, you’ve come.”

When Judith confidently entered the Master’s room, the Master personally welcomed her.

He handed her an armful of roses and spoke gently.

“Congratulations on your coming of age.”

Today was Judith’s twentieth birthday, and also the day she became an adult.

“Oh my, thank you.”

The gorgeous bouquet didn’t match her modest attire. Judith happily accepted the roses and smiled brightly.

“But I never told you about my birthday.”

“I need to know at least that much to run an information guild.”

The Master spoke in a calm voice.

“Especially since the Lady has already figured out my age.”

The Master of the Grey Information Guild.

She didn’t know his name, and Judith only called him Master. He always wore a mask, so she had no idea what he looked like.

He wore gloves so she didn’t know the shape of his hands, and his hair color changed every time they met, so she assumed it was probably a wig. She could only be certain of his tall, lean build and solid physique.

The Master quietly observed Judith holding the bouquet, then suddenly asked.

“So, how did you know my age?”

“I told you I just guessed. How was I supposed to know you were really a minor?”

The Master made a skeptical “hmm” sound and sat down.

Actually, Judith didn’t know the Master’s exact age. She had only been able to deduce that he was a minor three years ago.

Because there was a sentence like this in the original work:

[“When the fire broke out, the head of the Grey Information Guild had only just come of age. He died at such a young age. If he had lived, the political situation might have flowed differently.”]

Judith’s hunch had been correct anyway. She still didn’t know the Master’s exact age, but he was probably at most two years older than her.

Anyway, seeing how he had built up an information guild while still a minor and risen this far, his abilities seemed remarkable. If only he hadn’t died young in an accident in the original work…

“Please tell me when we become closer later.”

Not believing Judith’s claim that she had guessed, the Master spoke gently.

“How you know all that other highly accurate information too.”

“I told you I learned it by being observant while going around everywhere to pay off debts. That’s really all there is to it.”

She shrugged once and sat in the chair across from the Master. Then she looked at him with sparkling eyes and stated her business.

“Today I have information to sell, and information to buy.”

“Ah.”

The Master made an interested exclamation.

“This is the first time you’re buying information from me.”

“Yes, that’s right. The information I’m selling today is very expensive, so I think we can use that to cover the cost.”

“How could I refuse? I’m already excited about this expensive information.”

The Master spoke in a gentle voice.

His voice was very sweet and low, but it had a particular characteristic. You couldn’t remember it as soon as you turned away.

He was definitely using some kind of magical item. He really seemed serious about hiding his identity, Judith thought, shaking her head inwardly.

“First, what information would the Lady like to know?”

The Master spoke in a smooth voice. Judith blinked and said.

“Ekian Meius.”

“…Pardon?”

“I need information about Ekian Meius.”

Ekian Meius, the villain’s older brother who was only mentioned in the original as having ‘run away and gone missing.’

He was the young duke of the Meius Ducal House and known to be outstanding in many ways.

No one knew why he had abandoned that golden path and run away. No one knew what he was doing after running away either. That was never revealed until the end.

The only certain thing was that the Meius Ducal House was desperately searching for their eldest son. Even his younger brother, who was still young but a future villain, was anxiously waiting for his older brother.

“Hmm.”

The Master paused for a moment.

“That… are you referring to the young duke of Meius who has been missing for almost five years now?”

“Please be precise. It’s not that it’s been five years, but that it will be five years soon.”

According to imperial law, a death certificate is filed after someone has been missing for five years. Then the young duke title would naturally pass to Ekian’s younger brother.

Once that happened, it would be complicated for Ekian to reclaim his title later. Not only would mutual consent be required, but it would have to go through another retainer council meeting.

Moreover, this was clearly a case of running away. Even if he returned, there was a high probability that the retainer council would reject him, judging that he had no intention of inheriting the ducal house.

“Anyway, that’s the Ekian Meius I mean. Please get me some information about him.”

The Meius Ducal House wanted to prevent that death certificate as much as possible.

She didn’t know what was so precious about their runaway son that they were making such a fuss, but they were somehow trying to maintain Ekian’s young duke status.

But time was passing and the five years were approaching…

So the Duke and Duchess of Meius came up with an absurd plan. They would create a fake woman who was pregnant with Ekian’s child and recognize her as their daughter-in-law.

The direct descendants of Meius throughout history had a unique aura, and the family head could recognize that aura even in an unborn child.

Then it would serve as proof that Ekian had been alive until recently, allowing them to postpone the death certificate from that point.

‘I’ll take that fake daughter-in-law position.’

Judith recalled what she had been thinking about for years.

Originally, they gave that role to a wicked maid who ended up completely ruining the young villain’s character…

‘I’m really just going to quietly take the money and leave.’

Since this was a lifeline that could pay off all these damned enormous debts at once, the Meius Estate was a very important place for her.

At the same time, she was curious about information regarding the missing Ekian.

‘Anyway, I have to spread false rumors that I’m pregnant with that man’s child, so it would be good to have even a little information about him, right?’

Under Judith’s bright gaze as she looked at him, the Master let out a deep sigh.

“Why are you suddenly curious about that man’s identity?”

“Ah.”

Since it would all be revealed later anyway, Judith decided to give the Master a small hint.

“I’m somewhat interested in him.”

“Of course you’re interested since you want information about him. So what kind of interest…”

Judith immediately cut off the Master’s words as he spoke calmly while drinking tea.

“Romantic interest.”

Since she would later lie about being pregnant with his child, it was natural for her to say this.

“I have romantic interest in that man.”

“Pfft!”

At the same time, the Master spat out the tea he was drinking.

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