In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 295

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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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This Life, I Will Become the Clan Head

Side Story Episode 37

“Mmm.”

I woke up to gentle hands massaging my feet.

As I pushed up my heavy eyelids, I saw Peres sitting at the foot of my bed.

Ready for work at the Imperial Palace, he looked every inch the Emperor from head to toe, concentrating intently as he massaged my feet.

“Good morning.”

I greeted him with a slightly hoarse voice.

A gentle smile bloomed on Peres’s previously expressionless face.

“Did you sleep well, Tia?”

Now entering the fourth month of pregnancy, Peres had lost quite a bit of weight.

It was because of the morning sickness that had continued until recently.

Perhaps that’s why the palace attendants were so afraid of Peres, who had become more sensitive and sharp-looking.

But the Peres facing me was still like warm spring sunlight.

“You don’t have to do this every morning.”

He must be busy enough finishing his dawn training and heading to the Imperial Palace.

Yet Peres carved out time to give me foot massages every single day without fail.

“You could use this time to rest a little more.”

But Peres shook his head.

“Your body is getting heavier, so your feet will be under strain too. Right now it’s just mornings, but starting next month, I’ll do this every evening as well.”

I’d tried to dissuade him several times before, but Peres was stubborn.

“…I really can’t stop you.”

But even as I said that, I didn’t pull my feet away.

I just closed my eyes drowsily at the refreshing sensation spreading from my soles.

According to Estira, from the fourth month onward, you enter the stable period.

Perhaps because of that, fortunately Peres’s morning sickness had subsided a bit since last week.

“Did you have breakfast?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Still can’t eat proper food yet?”

Peres answered my question with a bitter smile instead of words.

Because of the morning sickness he was experiencing in my place, Peres had been barely surviving on things like fruit and biscuits.

Recently he’d been able to eat bread and light soup, but it was still woefully insufficient.

I felt grateful, sorry, and heartbroken for such a Peres.

“How can you suffer like this? I wish your morning sickness would disappear quickly.”

“It’s okay, I can bear it.”

Peres said as he moved to the other foot.

“Rather than having Tia suffer, it’s better for me to have a little hardship.”

“…I really think I married well.”

As I deliberately wiggled my toes and muttered, Peres chuckled.

His large hands skillfully loosened the muscles from my calves to my soles.

There’s really nothing he can’t do.

Watching Peres concentrate silently again, my eyes grew heavy.

“Today’s your day off, right Tia?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Then sleep a little more. You need to recover from fatigue.”

It must have been time for him to leave for work, as Peres came over and kissed me.

“Mmm. I think I will.”

Perhaps because it was a rare day off, my heavy body seemed to sink deep into the bed.

I should at least see him off properly.

“I’ll be back. See you this evening, Tia.”

With that quiet whisper and feeling warmth briefly touch my belly that was just starting to swell, I fell asleep once more.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already close to noon.

“I really slept deeply.”

After stretching refreshingly, I habitually rubbed my slightly rounded belly.

I’d like to rest a bit more, but for the baby’s sake, I needed to eat properly.

With Kaitlin’s help, I washed lightly and changed clothes before heading to the dining hall.

“Were you having a meal, Aunt?”

“Oh, Tia. It’s been a while.”

Shannet, who was already eating lunch in the dining hall, welcomed me.

I reached for bread among the food quickly prepared for me and asked.

“You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you?”

Shannet had been swamped recently because of a new mine discovered in the border region between Chesayu and Sersheu.

“Of course I have been. It’s quite a complicated matter in many ways.”

Father, the lord of Chesayu, had entrusted the development of the discovered vein to Lombardi Mining, and Shannet was handling negotiations on Father’s behalf.

“If you need help from me or Pellet Company, please let me know anytime.”

“It’s fine for now. The work itself isn’t difficult. It’s just…”

Shannet trailed off uncharacteristically.

What’s this?

I had a feeling something wasn’t quite right.

“What’s the matter?”

I asked casually on purpose.

“There’s someone being bothersome.”

“Bothersome? Are they interfering with work?”

“No, it’s not that. But it’s true that they’re getting on my nerves.”

But Shannet’s expression as she said this was strange.

“For example?”

“They keep sending things like flowers and tea leaves, and when we meet by chance, they try to talk to me.”

…Is this what I think it is?

“And they keep smiling, which is so unlike them.”

That’s it. That’s definitely it.

“Aunt, could that possibly be…”

“They definitely have some ulterior motive.”

Shannet narrowed her eyes as she cut her meat.

She seemed to be interpreting the signals being sent in a completely wrong direction.

I don’t know who the other person is, but I already feel a bit sorry for them.

“So you’re saying they keep sending flowers and tea, keep trying to talk to you and smiling?”

“That’s right. It’s absolutely not their personality to do such things.”

“Could that person possibly be interested in you, Aunt?”

Clank.

Shannet’s movement stopped.

“…Interested?”

“Yes. Those seem like actions someone would take toward someone they like or have feelings for.”

I glanced at Shannet subtly.

After briefly weighing something, Shannet shook her head firmly.

“They’re not that type of person.”

“What kind of person are they?”

“Blunt, inscrutable, cunning like a snake…”

Shannet soon took a sip of water as if shaking off her thoughts and said.

“Anyway, they’re not that type. Enough about me. How are you doing, Tia?”

I was curious about who the ‘that person’ Shannet was referring to was, but I’d naturally find out as time passed.

“I’m always the same as usual.”

I shrugged my shoulders as I answered.

“Still, for your first child, it seems to be going smoothly, which is fortunate. It’s been over 4 months now, hasn’t it?”

“Yes. It’ll be 5 months soon.”

“You’ll be able to feel the baby’s movements soon.”

“Baby’s movements… you mean?”

“That’s right. As soon as Giliou and Meylon grew legs, they kicked my belly so much. I could barely sleep.”

Shannet smiled.

“It was fortunate that I handed over all my duties to Bestian after learning about my pregnancy. I could take naps and focus on prenatal care.”

“I see…”

Baby’s movements and prenatal care.

My head became complicated with words I hadn’t even thought of.

“By the way, how are you doing with prenatal care, Tia?”

This time I couldn’t answer.

Because there wasn’t anything I was particularly doing for prenatal care.

When I smiled ambiguously and held back my words, Shannet nodded.

“That’s right. With your busy schedule, you probably can’t find the time.”

“Should I be doing prenatal care separately?”

I knew roughly what it involved.

Listening to music, drawing pictures, traveling.

Imperial nobles would often go to scenic villas for rest as soon as they learned of their pregnancy to do prenatal care.

“Well, it’s different for everyone, isn’t it? The most important thing is for the mother to be comfortable.”

“I suppose… so.”

“So don’t feel too burdened. Whatever makes you happy is what makes the baby happy too.”

“Thank you for the advice, Aunt.”

I nodded with a smile, but my mind was still tangled.

I could no longer reach for the food that had looked delicious just moments before.

“Prenatal care…”

Why hadn’t I thought of that?

I drank sweet and sour juice to lift my gloomy mood, but I didn’t feel better.

Once my mood had sunk, it remained that way until I finished my work and returned to my bedroom.

“They say when you’re pregnant, your emotions don’t follow your will. This must be one of those things.”

I comforted myself as I sat at the table by the window.

“I shouldn’t be like this and should just work.”

Though it was a holiday, I had prepared some simple documents in my bedroom in case I got bored.

I tried to shake off the thoughts that kept arising and turned through the documents one by one.

“Maybe I should go to Chesayu myself.”

Though Shannet was doing well enough, it might not be bad for me to move directly to speed up the mine development.

“Ah, but long-distance travel wouldn’t be good. At times like this, being pregnant is inconven…”

Oh no.

It was something I muttered without realizing.

It was also something I said without thinking.

But at the same time, it was something I shouldn’t have said.

“Sorry, I’m sorry. Mommy made a slip of the tongue. I’m really sorry.”

I quickly rubbed my belly and apologized, but the baby must have already heard.

“Am I really fit to be a mother?”

I’m busy with work, haven’t even thought about prenatal care.

And on top of that, I’m a mother who thinks of her child as inconvenient.

“This is… being unqualified as a mother.”

Before I knew it, a tear rolled down my cheek.

Am I really qualified to become a mother?

I buried my face in my hands.

Shannet had entrusted all her work to her husband and devoted herself to prenatal care.

Come to think of it, Loril was the same.

Wild and reckless Loril changed as soon as she realized she was carrying Merillin.

Worried that something dangerous might happen to the child, she was careful in everything she did, and even invited famous artists to her home to appreciate operas and artworks she didn’t particularly like.

But me.

“Sigh.”

A deep sigh naturally escaped.

Even during the period when I should have been taking it easy, I was busy working.

There were times when I cut back on sleep out of greed, not wanting to neglect either my role as Lombardi family head or as Empress.

Perhaps the reason there had been no problems so far was simply that the baby was strong.

“You must have had a hard time all by yourself.”

I rubbed my belly and wiped my face with a handkerchief.

But it was useless.

Tears flowed again immediately.

I began making various plans to set aside time for prenatal care.

“Even now, I could completely hand over the family head duties to Creny…”

I was at a loss for words.

I didn’t want to do that.

It was the position of Lombardi family head that I had so desperately wanted.

Even if I took a break, my position wouldn’t become unstable, but I still didn’t want to do that.

My roles as Lombardi family head and as Empress were things I had achieved, and I couldn’t even imagine myself putting them down.

“Which way is right?”

I was also annoyed by the tears flowing down regardless of my will.

As I wiped my face somewhat irritably, another fear raised its head.

“What will I do after giving birth?”

I didn’t know how to be a good mother.

Even before my reincarnation, I hadn’t grown up receiving much love from my parents.

Rather, I belonged to the neglected side with bad relationships.

Moreover, since reincarnating here, I had grown up entirely under Father’s care.

I didn’t know what a good mother looked like.

“It would have been nice if Mother were still alive at times like this.”

More tears flowed from my sense of helplessness.

That’s when it happened.

“…Tia?”

At the familiar voice, I looked up to see Peres just entering the bedroom.

“Why… why are you crying?”

Peres turned pale as if what I was shedding were blood instead of tears, and strode over to kneel on one knee and comfort me.

“Tia, don’t cry. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’ll somehow take care of it. Don’t cry.”

Peres said this while holding me tightly.

I felt my turbulent emotions gradually calming like waves at his familiar warmth and scent.

“Can you tell me about it now, Tia?”

“Well…”

I poured out all the thoughts that had troubled my mind throughout the day in a jumbled manner.

Though it must have been hard to understand, Peres patiently listened to my words while stroking my back.

“So… I made a slip of the tongue. I said it was inconvenient.”

I choked up again and my nose stung.

And I voiced the thought that frightened me most.

“What if the baby is born and I ruin everything? What if I’m not a good mother and do something wrong to the child?”

“Tia.”

Peres quietly stroked my head and then got up from his seat.

“There’s something that might help you, Tia.”

Saying that, Peres brought out something that had been inside the bedroom drawer.

It was a thick notebook that showed some traces of time.

“What is this?”

Peres carefully placed the notebook in my hands and answered.

“It’s your mother’s diary, Shan’s diary.”

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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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