Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 62
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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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Episode 62
May had seen it clearly.
Until a few days ago, there had been blood on the bedsheets.
Any woman would know what that meant.
It was menstruation.
‘Come to think of it… Madam washed her undergarments herself!’
May’s eyes widened.
Hallara had washed her undergarments herself. At first she didn’t know, but she had seen Madam hanging clothes outside after washing them herself.
Back then, Hallara had said she would wash her undergarments and socks herself, so she had let it pass, but then she saw the bloodstains on the bedsheets.
She had dismissed it as nothing serious… but what if.
‘She doesn’t have a child?’
May became confused.
Karl, who had served Bloodmere for a long time without any gaps, couldn’t have been mistaken about such an important matter. That meant there was definitely a child. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say there ‘was’ one.
“May. Are you listening to me?”
At Karl’s raised voice, May blinked her eyes.
“Yes. Yes. Of course. I was just a bit surprised.”
“It’s surprising indeed. That’s why I told you to pay special attention to the food.”
Ah… so that’s why the Grand Madam had only sent rooibos tea.
And the food wasn’t heavily seasoned either, always consisting mainly of healthy dishes.
“Anyway, since the Young Madam seems to trust and rely on you, let me tell you. Since Madam is pregnant, I hope you’ll be especially careful and take good care of her from now on.”
“…Yes.”
For now, May nodded.
Karl let out a light sigh and continued speaking.
“Actually, the Grand Madam was planning to send the Young Madam away once the child was born. She never even considered marriage. But now that they’re having a proper wedding ceremony, I don’t know what will happen in the future either.”
Though it was a small wedding ceremony, since it was being held in front of all the family members, Hallara’s existence could no longer be ignored.
What decision the Duke would make when he returned later, and what Francesca’s plans were – even Karl couldn’t know.
“Probably when her belly grows and everyone finds out, the Grand Madam will make her decision too. Until then, keep Madam’s pregnancy as secret as possible, but make sure you assist her well so she can carry the child safely.”
Karl entrusted this to her just as he had told Geti.
May didn’t rebel against the order by bringing up commoners and such like Geti had.
“…Yes, Shopkeeper.”
At his words to go now, May carefully walked out of the main building.
Her body shrank in the cold wind, but her head was still in a daze.
She thought about Hallara, whom she had been watching all this time.
If she was pregnant, taking care of her own body should be the top priority.
But Hallara hadn’t taken care of her body at all.
Instead, she had overexerted herself.
She woke up at 6 AM, always kept her room neat and tidy, and when she had time, even prepared May’s breakfast.
‘Young Madam…’
It would have been easier if she hadn’t known.
May fell into confusion.
‘What should I do about this?’
She had always lived honestly and uprightly.
Even when she had nothing, she didn’t steal, and even if her stomach ached, she never coveted things beyond her station.
“Really, there’s not much time left now.”
May, who had arrived in front of Hallara’s room in the annex, stopped at the sound coming through the crack of the open door. Through that crack where warmth was flowing out, May shifted her gaze. She could see Hallara.
She was sitting at the table, stroking her belly and talking to herself.
“It would be nice if others could see you too.”
You? Who is she talking to?
She narrowed her eyes.
Hallara’s figure became a bit clearer.
Her stroking her belly in circles as if her flat stomach had swollen.
“Junel, you’re not alone. I’m always by your side.”
What was she saying?
“No one can see you, but…”
Not alone.
Always by your side.
No one can see you…?
Hearing those words, a hypothesis flashed through May’s mind.
‘She can’t accept the fact that she lost the child…!’
She felt like she had heard a similar story somewhere.
About a woman who miscarried seeing visions because she couldn’t let go of her child.
‘The child’s nickname must have been Junel…’
May’s eyes soon filled with shock.
“Oh, May? When did you get here?”
And through the crack in the door, Hallara spotted her. Hallara immediately got up from her seat and bounced over to the door.
“Well, that is…”
“Perfect timing. I have something to give you.”
Her flushed face and voice.
It was Hallara’s usual appearance, but May couldn’t treat her as usual.
“Come here quickly.”
Hallara pulled May inside with a constantly smiling face.
Then she immediately opened the lid of a box she had prepared.
“Ta-da!”
It was clothing made of white wool.
“What is this?”
When May asked, Hallara unfolded the clothes and held them out.
“Try it on.”
“Me?”
“It’s your clothes. A gift from me~!”
This was…
Looking closely, this was the wool yarn that Hallara had bought from a merchant not long ago.
The first thing she had bought with the living expenses she received for the first time in her life was high-quality wool yarn.
Watching her knit whenever she had time, May had simply thought it was a hobby.
She never imagined that Hallara would give her clothes made of wool that wasn’t expensive for nobles but was unimaginably costly for a maid.
“Oh my.”
Then, Hallara came over and took May’s hands.
“They’re cold as ice. Did you go outside?”
She drooped her eyebrows and blew on May’s hands to warm them up.
“…Yes, briefly.”
“I should have given it to you earlier if I knew you went out. Let’s try it on quickly.”
Hallara personally helped May put on the clothes and buttoned them up.
Soon warmth flowed through May’s body.
“I knew it would fit perfectly. It looks great on you!”
It was a cardigan made of wool. It was a winter coat that could be worn over the maid uniform and was made for easy movement.
“Look in the mirror.”
Hallara didn’t stop there and took May to the mirror to show her the clothes.
In May’s eyes, more than her own appearance, she noticed Hallara’s face standing behind her, smiling even more brightly.
“There, if you wear this, you won’t be cold anymore.”
And the words she spoke with a smile.
“Do I have to think of you a lot every time I wear it?”
At those words, May immediately thought of someone.
‘…Older Sister.’
When she was young.
The day she ran away from her abusive parents.
That day when the bitter winter wind poured down with snow.
To avoid the eyes of their father who had sent people to find his daughter, the two young sisters headed toward the mountain.
“Once we cross the mountain, there’s a village right there. Let’s take shelter there. Just bear with it a little longer.”
Older Sister held little May’s hand tightly and made her way through the mountain.
“When we get down to the village, we’ll be able to meet good people. We won’t be able to play and eat comfortably like at home. But food tastes better when you work for it, right? Let’s work hard and live happily.”
Whenever May was about to collapse, Older Sister kept whispering hope to her. So she could walk a little further. So she could keep moving forward.
But for young children, a mountain on a winter night was like a small boat floating on the vast ocean.
Howl! Growl.
“May, run!”
Wolves had followed them. And May, who was running while looking back in fear, tripped over a stone and fell, unable to run anymore.
Then, Older Sister pushed May into a small hole in a large tree root.
“Older Sister…?”
“Stay here for a moment. If you stay here, the wolves won’t find you. You must never make a sound.”
“Don’t leave me behind! I’m cold and scared.”
May grabbed Older Sister’s sleeve.
Then, May’s older sister covered May with the wool shawl she had been wearing.
“Here, cover yourself with this. If you have this on, it’ll smell like Older Sister, so you won’t be scared or cold, right?”
That night, May clutched the wool shawl that Older Sister always wore and hid in silence all night long.
She only learned that Older Sister had died becoming bait in May’s place after dawn broke, May came down to the village to ask for help, and a full day had passed.
May tried to forget the grief of losing Older Sister by running away again and again.
She met people who beat her even more than her father had.
Since she had nothing left in her hands even after working hard, she had never eaten enough food to feel full.
But she had lived with the hope that someday she would meet someone who could fill her heart, just as Older Sister had said.
“Young Madam.”
And May could tell that moment had finally come.
“Yes. No, May. Why are you crying? Did something happen?”
May suddenly embraced Hallara.
“You’re so warm.”
The worries she had while coming here completely disappeared.
There was no greater fear than losing Hallara. So May decided to hide the truth to prevent Hallara from being kicked out of the manor if her miscarriage was discovered.
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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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