The Forgotten Field - Chapter 136

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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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Chapter 136
Talia regarded the Head Handmaiden’s seemingly rigid expression with suspicious eyes, alternating her gaze between her and the Handmaidens standing behind her.
“So you say one thing to my face, but plan to report everything behind my back?”
“That could never be, Your Highness. We shall not utter a word until you choose to inform others yourself. Please have no concerns.”
The Head Handmaiden, her posture rigidly upright, made her promise with a solemn expression.
Talia, who had been gazing up at her with half-lidded eyes, soon offered a cunning nod of acknowledgment.
“Very well. Now, all of you may leave.”
“Have you forgotten what the Priestess just told you? You must maintain absolute rest for the time being. From now on, the assigned Handmaidens will remain at your side to attend to you.”
The Head Handmaiden spoke with firm finality, then summoned the Handmaidens standing behind her.
“Brisa, Ivon.”
The two girls who had been named stepped forward demurely to stand before the bed.
Talia examined their youthful faces carefully. They were young Handmaidens who occasionally assisted with her grooming or brought her meals.
“These are the most perceptive and capable of the Handmaidens. Feel free to employ them at your side as you wish.”
Both girls bowed their heads in unison.
Talia, regarding them with a displeased gaze, issued a warning in an imperious tone.
“If you prove even slightly troublesome, I shall have you removed.”
“We shall do our utmost to attend to you without causing any inconvenience, Your Highness.”
The Handmaiden named Brisa answered in a clear voice.
Talia let out a light scoff and turned to lie down.
At her silent dismissal, all save the two Handmaidens filed out of the chamber one by one. Yet the silence did not last long. Before much time had passed, the Healer arrived.
“My respects, Your Highness.”
The woman approached with her customary composed demeanor and offered a careful greeting.
Talia fixed her with a suspicious gaze.
“You truly did not notice I was with child all this time?”
“I had my suspicions to some degree. However, I deemed it wiser to speak only after I was certain.”
The woman answered in a measured tone.
Talia let out a laugh of exasperation.
“Deemed it wiser? Do you truly believe you have the right to make judgments regarding my own body?”
“…I was merely concerned that you might become distressed, Your Highness.”
The Healer lowered her eyes and offered an explanation.
“You have already been under considerable pressure regarding the matter of conception. In the early stages, misdiagnosis is possible, and given your physical condition has been rather poor, I intended to observe you for a few more days before informing you.”
Talia’s expression darkened.
“Is my condition truly so dire?”
In that moment, a flicker of conflict crossed the Healer’s face.
She glanced at the two Handmaidens stationed beside the bed, then explained in the Elven tongue.
“Your Highness possesses a constitution for which pregnancy itself is inherently difficult. Your vital energy is quite weak, and your pelvis was slightly misaligned from an accident, so you must exercise particular caution even now that you carry a child.”
Though some words were unfamiliar, their meaning was not difficult to discern.
Talia’s face drained of color as she pressed her lips firmly together. Observing this reaction and confirming that she understood, the Healer continued her explanation.
“I have remained silent until now because I did not wish the Grand Ducal House to learn of this fact. Should anything go wrong with the child, you yourself might face blame.”
Talia swallowed hard, then fumbled out a halting response in Elven.
“The Priestess of the Kalmore Grand Cathedral examined my body. By now, everyone must know about it.”
“I was just on my way back from meeting with the High Priest under the pretense of hearing his opinion. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to have noticed anything about Your Highness’s constitution.”
The Healer exhaled softly and grasped her hand with concern.
“Still, I would advise you to refrain from being examined by others going forward. If Your Highness safely delivers a son from this pregnancy, there should be no problem… but one must account for unforeseen circumstances.”
Talia’s lips tightened into a rigid line. The elated mood that had buoyed her like wine evaporated in an instant.
Talia nibbled her lower lip anxiously before giving a small nod.
“I understand what you’re saying.”
“Please do not worry yourself. I will monitor Your Highness’s health with even greater care.”
The Healer gently patted the back of her hand, which had grown cold, before continuing in the Empire’s common tongue.
“Now then, let me examine your legs.”
She opened the leather pouch at her side and withdrew salve for the scars and pain relievers for regular consumption.
Talia looked anxiously at the Handmaidens. Understanding her reluctance to expose her body, the two young women immediately erected a privacy screen around the bed.
Reassured by their perceptiveness, I carefully extended my legs from the bed.
As I lifted the voluminous skirt, mottled scars became visible through the loosely wrapped bandages—bound loosely of necessity due to the raw, irritated skin beneath.
The Healer carefully unwound the wrappings, meticulously applied salve over the scars, and rewrapped them loosely with clean bandages. She then prepared a cup of medicinal tea to calm both body and spirit before quietly leaving the bedroom.
Finally free from interruption, I curled myself deep beneath the quilts and rested.
I had conceived a child—my purpose was achieved. Yet why did I feel so uneasy?
If the child in my womb were a daughter, I would have to begin everything anew. But what if the second pregnancy failed to take?
This time fortune had favored me, but I could not count on it next time. Worse still, if it became known that my constitution made bearing children difficult, the Eastern Faction would move to strip me from my position as Grand Duchess.
In the worst case, I might be sent to a Monastery. Even there, I could not expect a peaceful life. Gareth would stop at nothing to kill me, and the Empress would have no reason to protect a daughter who had become useless.
Talia abruptly halted her catastrophic spiral of thought.
It was not yet time to assume the worst. After all, I had succeeded in conceiving as planned. If I safely delivered an heir to the Grand Ducal House, my safety would be assured.
Pushing aside her anxiety, Talia finished the bowl of porridge the Handmaidens had brought and surrendered to sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, the sun had noticeably declined.
Gazing through the window at the deepening sky, Talia heard heavy footsteps and rose from the bed.
Barcas was entering the bedroom earlier than usual.
“How are you feeling?”
Barcas draped his coat carelessly over a chair and approached the bed with long strides. The scent of soap and mint wafted from him—evidence that he had bathed in the Common Sauna used by the Knights.
“Just… the same as always, I suppose.”
Talia’s gaze lingered briefly on his still-damp auburn hair before she grew restless and looked away.
The man settled at the edge of the bed and placed the back of his hand against her forehead, his brow furrowing.
“You still have a slight fever.”
“I’ve been tending the brazier for too long.”
Talia cleared her throat awkwardly and hastily changed the subject.
“But why did you come back so early today? The Steward said the meeting would keep him late…”
“I hurried back after purchasing the item Your Highness requested.”
Barcas slipped his hand inside his ornately embroidered tunic and withdrew a small bundle.
Talia gazed down at it blankly. As his long, beautiful fingers—with prominent knuckles—skillfully unwrapped the carefully packaged leather covering, five or six red fruits wrapped in crinkled paper were revealed.
“The flesh is firm and the sweetness is somewhat lacking, I’m afraid, but finding a better variety at present would be difficult. However, I have made inquiries with the Lakasim Merchants, so we should be able to procure superior specimens within a month. Until then, please make do with these.”
Talia’s expression turned blank with astonishment.
I had asked him to procure them, yet we had already entered the depths of winter. I knew all too well that obtaining strawberries in this frigid region was no simple task—not even for the Emperor himself.
“Would you care to try one?”
Barcas unwrapped a single strawberry and offered it to her.
Talia gazed at the lustrous crimson fruit for a long moment before slowly parting her lips.
The small berry entered her mouth, where she rolled it across her tongue before biting down gently. A sweet fragrance bloomed forth, mingled with a tartness so sharp it brought tears to her eyes.
“How is it?”
Barcas asked, wiping his juice-dampened lips with his thumb.
I felt my throat tighten inexplicably, and I lowered my gaze to avoid his stare.
It was delicious enough to bring tears—more exquisite than anything I had ever tasted in my entire life.
“…It’s not bad.”

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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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