In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 285

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

This Life, I Will Become the Clan Head

 

Side Story Episode 27

 

“Pregnant?”

 

What does this mean?

 

I stared blankly at Estira, wondering if this was a joke, but there wasn’t a trace of laughter on her face.

 

Right, she’s not the type to joke about something like this.

 

Then.

 

“Really…?”

 

“I’ve confirmed it several times, Master.”

 

“So I’m really having a child.”

 

I was dazed.

 

I couldn’t believe it.

 

But before I knew it, my hand was carefully covering my lower abdomen.

 

Of course, it was still flat with no changes yet.

 

No, it had gotten even thinner because I hadn’t been eating properly lately.

 

But there’s a child inside here.

 

It was strange.

 

It was a feeling I could only describe as truly strange.

 

I asked while keeping my hand on my belly.

 

“How far along am I, Estira?”

 

“About 8 weeks.”

 

“8 weeks?!”

 

8 weeks is almost 2 months.

 

That means I’ve been carrying another life in my body for two months.

 

I really didn’t notice even the slightest sign.

 

“It’s common, Master. Usually in the very early stages of pregnancy, there aren’t many bodily changes, so it often goes unnoticed.”

 

“Even so…”

 

“Mild lower abdominal pain, loss of appetite, indigestion, headaches, fatigue – these symptoms do appear, but they can all be accepted as just overwork or stress symptoms.”

 

Those were all symptoms I’d been experiencing.

 

“So what I’m going through now is morning sickness… is that what you’re saying?”

 

“That appears to be the case.”

 

“So it’ll gradually get worse, to the point where I’ll be covering my mouth and dry heaving just from smelling food?”

 

“Since there are individual differences, I can’t give you a definitive answer, but that happens in many cases.”

 

Sigh.

 

Just thinking about it is torturous.

 

I’m already struggling this much, and it’s going to get worse?

 

“Then, when does morning sickness subside?”

 

“That also varies by individual. Usually it disappears around 20 weeks, but in severe cases it can continue until birth.”

 

Did I hear that wrong?

 

Until birth?

 

Can a person survive having morning sickness for that long?

 

Seeing my complexion rapidly deteriorate, Estira quickly added.

 

“There’s medicine that helps with morning sickness. I’ll prepare it for you right away.”

 

“If I take that medicine, will I feel a bit more energetic? I keep getting sleepy.”

 

“That’s something that happens as the fetus settles in, so it can’t be resolved with medicine. You need to rest…”

 

Estira, who knew my situation well, trailed off.

 

I could try taking medicine if told to, and force myself to eat if told to.

 

But rest is difficult.

 

I have wedding preparations and meetings as the head of Lombardi that I absolutely cannot back down from.

 

“Then…”

 

Estira said in a voice full of sighs.

 

“I’ll prepare a tonic that should give you energy. But the important thing is still rest. Master, how about telling His Majesty and adjusting your schedule…”

 

“No.”

 

My answer was firm.

 

“I can’t tell Peres yet.”

 

This agenda, the Academy matter, is something neither Peres nor I can back down from.

 

As an Emperor who graduated from the Academy, Peres has been preparing this agenda for a long time.

 

So I have no choice but to do my best in defense.

 

We’ve been fiercely battling inside and outside the council chamber without giving an inch.

 

But if he finds out I’m pregnant.

 

“I can’t imagine what kind of face he’d make.”

 

But one thing is certain – he would quietly withdraw the Academy agenda.

 

“That absolutely cannot happen.”

 

The next meeting is tomorrow.

 

If we’re lucky, tomorrow could be the last meeting to discuss the Academy matter.

 

Even if not, it was something that had to be finished before the wedding.

 

I can endure a few more days.

 

“Don’t tell anyone, Estira. Not Kaitlin, not anyone. Understood?”

 

At my words, Estira reluctantly nodded.

 

“I’ll bring the medicine directly to your bedroom tonight.”

 

“Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.”

 

Estira gathered all the various examination tools she had brought and left the study.

 

I was alone again in the quiet study.

 

“No, I’m not alone anymore, am I.”

 

I lay down lengthwise on the sofa and placed my hand on my belly once more.

 

It was a strange feeling.

 

Maybe because it came sooner than expected.

 

I was still more dazed than happy.

 

It felt like suddenly receiving a gift.

 

“A gift is a gift.”

 

And an incredibly big one at that.

 

I could feel my body temperature through the thin fabric.

 

And now there’s a being that shares this body temperature with me.

 

“Hello.”

 

I tried greeting quietly.

 

“I’m your mother.”

 

Though it felt incredibly awkward, I continued to gather courage and speak.

 

“Nice to meet you. Let’s do well together from now on.”

 

To anyone watching, it would look like I’m muttering to myself.

 

I let out a small laugh.

 

Did my mother feel like this when she was carrying me?

 

“Since she could see the future, maybe she wasn’t surprised.”

 

If she were still alive, I could share this moment with her and ask her all sorts of curious questions.

 

A slight sense of regret washed over me.

 

I wonder what kind of child you’ll be. I’m already curious.”

 

A daughter? A son?

 

“I suppose…”

 

I’d like it to be a daughter.

 

But I swallowed those last words.

 

Just in case the baby in my belly is a son, they might be disappointed.

 

“Just be born healthy.”

 

It was a heartfelt statement.

 

I had no other wishes.

 

Why exhausted mothers after childbirth first count their baby’s fingers and toes.

 

I now fully understood that feeling.

 

Hmm, what else should I say.

 

Ah, right.

 

“Let’s hope the baby looks like daddy.”

 

A little baby that resembles Peres.

 

Just thinking about it makes my heart flutter.

 

“By the way, your father… what will he say.”

 

It felt very awkward to attach the word ‘daddy’ to Peres.

 

That’s how it is.

 

When I become a mother, Peres will also become a father.

 

We will become mom and dad, become parents.

 

“He’ll be happy… right?”

 

Whenever ‘children’ comes up as a topic, Peres suddenly becomes like a wooden puppet that just fidgets.

 

“Pfft.”

 

He’ll be incredibly surprised.

 

“I should tell him first thing after the Academy matter is settled. That way he won’t feel left out later.”

 

I wonder what kind of reaction it will be.

 

I was already curious and my mouth was tingling with anticipation.

 

“Still, he won’t just collapse, right?”

 

I giggled while stroking my lower belly with what seemed to have become a habitual gesture.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

“Ugh…”

 

My stomach churned greatly at the feeling of the carriage coming to a stop.

 

I had taken the medicine Estira gave me last night, but unfortunately she said it would take several days to properly take effect.

 

“Ah, it’s worse than yesterday.”

 

Until now it had just been a lack of appetite.

 

This morning I couldn’t eat at all.

 

The smell of the omelet I usually liked came across as terribly nauseating.

 

It was fortunate that I didn’t dry heave right there at the breakfast table with the family gathered.

 

“Sister, perhaps we should postpone today’s meeting. You look quite unwell…”

 

Creny asked worriedly.

 

Estira had kept the secret as I had ordered.

 

It seemed that Kaitlin and Cleribane had come to interrogate her during the night, but they had to return without getting any answers.

 

She seemed to have deflected with something like ‘her body couldn’t overcome fatigue and stress.’

 

Seeing me unable to eat this morning, everyone was so worried.

 

I felt sorry for not being able to share the pregnancy news.

 

‘Well, if I had told the truth, there would have been even more chaos.’

 

The moment I shared that news, I would have been carried by one of the twins and delivered straight to bed.

 

Then Peres would come chasing after me pale as a sheet, and Father in Chesayu would ride through day and night…

 

Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

 

At the same time, it was regrettable that this was a process I’d have to go through someday.

 

“I’m fine, Creny. I’m just getting motion sick today. My condition isn’t good.”

 

“Still…”

 

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll feel better once I get out of the carriage. By the way, are the meeting preparations all ready?”

 

Today Creny was assigned the role of providing specific reasons and figures to support the nobility faction’s arguments by my side.

 

“Yes, Sister.”

 

Creny’s eyes sparkled.

 

Instead of being the type to push his own arguments or manipulate opponents this way and that, Creny specialized in logical development based on precise figures and facts.

 

The facts he would lay out with that uniquely calm expression were sometimes convincing enough to sway even me.

 

“Good, let’s try to go home early today.”

 

It was both an encouraging remark before the meeting and a heartfelt wish.

 

I want to get off work early!

 

“Yes, Sister. I have a good feeling about today for some reason.”

 

“You too? Me too.”

 

But then.

 

“…Ugh.”

 

The moment I opened the council chamber door, a strong food smell hit me.

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