She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 128

SS 3: A Baby Has Arrived (1)

Even after Hanael entered the Imperial Academy, time flowed relentlessly.

Amidst the peaceful days passing by, Sierra recognized a strange change in her physical condition.

It began when she brewed potions to participate in a charity event. She wished to donate potions brewed with her own hands to the charity. However.......

[Assistant] "Are you feeling all right?"

[Sierra] "No, um, yes...... I think my body is fine."

[Assistant] "You look like you are overworking yourself......"

Do I really look like that?

She narrowed her brows in question. Her assistant pharmacist pulled a hand mirror from her pocket and held it up carefully.

[Pharmacist] "Your complexion is far too pale......"

Come to think of it, a strange fishy smell hovered in the air.

Consequently, Sierra missed the charity event. She remained aware that the Duchess' health directly dictated the rise and fall of the entire Duchy of Ideos.

So......

What on earth is happening?

Deep creases formed on her brow as she pondered.

---

[Amille] "I heard you suffered from dizziness."

She set aside her Magic Tower duties and rushed over immediately.

In a world where dizziness passed as trivial, Amille's reaction was extraordinary. Yet Sierra fully understood her sister's overprotective heart.

[Sierra] "I experienced brief dizziness, but I am fine now."

[Amille] "How is the rest of your health?"

[Sierra] "I am fine."

After examining Sierra's complexion thoroughly, Amille finally exhaled a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Sierra appeared unchanged from her usual self in her eyes.

[Amille] "Still, you are far too thin, so eat plenty of delicious food."

[Sierra] "I was always this thin anyway."

Concluding their small talk, Amille erased her worries completely. She hesitated, preparing to bring up the main point.

What on earth is she trying to say?

Though Amille often babbled nonsense, her words occasionally carried deep weight.

Sierra was astonished when Amille previously offered to teach Hanael directly because Hanael possessed exceptional magic talent.......

Would today bring a similar conversation? She stared at Amille with anticipation.

[Amille] "Any news about a younger sibling for Hanael lately?"

[Sierra] "......Huh?"

The question struck out of nowhere. Had black tea been in her mouth, a disastrous spill would have followed.

Pregnancy.

Despite avoiding contraceptive tea for the past few years, pregnancy had not occurred. Sierra had even wondered if she suffered from infertility. How could a sudden pregnancy happen now? Other possibilities existed instead.

She shook her head.

[Sierra] "I doubt anything like that happened."

Yet Amille hummed softly and stared at her. Amille clearly burned with curiosity regarding their recent nighttime activities.......

[Sierra] "Sister, did you find a man by any chance......?"

[Amille] "Absolutely not. I read a romance novel. But something about it was......"

Seeing her usually straightforward sister trail off never signaled a good sign.

Sierra tried to quickly wrap up this uncomfortable topic. Yet right then, Amille rummaged through her bag and pulled something out.

Sierra observed Amille's actions with half-lidded eyes.

The book Amille pulled out bore the scandalous title: The Duke and Duchess' Passionate Affairs.

It was one of the common romance novels sold in markets. Sierra involuntarily muttered under her breath.

[Sierra] "What on earth does 'passionate affairs' mean......"

Amille lowered her voice as if sharing a secret.

[Amille] "......You know, the more I read this, the more it sounds like you two."

Curiosity killed the cat, as they say.

Hearing her words, she couldn't resist opening the book. With an intrigued face, she opened The Duke and Duchess' Passionate Affairs.......

[Sierra] "......Goodness."

She realized why Amille wondered about a child between Cassius and herself. The Duke and Duchess' Passionate Affairs depicted the fated love between an undefeated, iron-blooded Duke victorious in the Monster War and a lovely commoner-born Duchess.......

This has far too many explicit love scenes!

The undefeated, iron-blooded Duke possessed staggering stamina. After an argument, after a conversation—literally every scene led to an intimate encounter.

Right as Sierra slammed the book shut in panic, Amille spoke carefully.

[Amille] "So, is it really......?"

She left the rest unsaid, yet Sierra intuitively understood her meaning: Are your nights really like this?

[Sierra] "......Mmm, well."

Sierra recalled their nights—lying side by side in bed, sliding off her nightgown.......

[Cassius] "Sierra, if you are tired......"

[Sierra] "......I-I am fine......"

And the passionate flurry that followed.......

Blush coating her face red, Sierra whispered quietly.

[Sierra] "......I-I mean."

She couldn't utter the next words, yet that proved an explanation enough. Amille nodded while listening to Sierra.

[Amille] "So the novel is accurate...... The research is insane...... Wow, you married exceptionally well."

Sierra swallowed her words, unable to speak aloud. Yet Amille was her sister after all. As her face flushed crimson, Amille waved her hand dismissively, understanding everything.

[Amille] "Yes, understandable."

[Sierra] "Mmm......"

[Amille] "Duke Ideos must possess incredible stamina."

A sly grin formed on her lips.

Sierra pressed her hands against both cheeks, cooling her flushed skin. Though married for years, she wondered why hearing such talk still brought embarrassment.

Sierra picked up a snack, pretending nothing happened. Munching on it, she suddenly froze with a strange expression.

Why does this snack taste like......

[Sierra] "Ugh, ugh."

......Nausea surged.

Gagging several times involuntarily, she frowned. Amille stared at her with a flustered expression.

[Amille] "What is wrong with you?"

[Sierra] "I don't know...... ugh."

Spitting the snack into her hand after dry-heaving, Sierra panicked.

Strange. I have never experienced such nausea in my entire life......

[Amille] "Strange. Do you have indigestion?"

She patted Sierra's back with a worried face.

[Sierra] "Perhaps......"

After dry-heaving, her stomach churned again. Sierra politely dismissed Amille, believing she needed rest due to her poor condition today.

---

Unfortunately, Sierra's poor condition extended beyond that single day. Even two days after Amille returned home, she continuously experienced physical distress.

Over the past two days......

[Sierra] "Ugh, ugh."

Nausea struck at all hours, and—

[Sierra] "Ah, why does my head hurt like this?"

Sharp headaches throbbed in her temples daily.

Though she tried to hide it, within three days, most residents of the Duke's estate recognized her suffering. Her usually vibrant and happy face grew paler by the hour.

They agreed that Sierra worked too passionately, overexerting herself through charity events to uphold the Duchy's prestige. A few suspected pregnancy, yet everyone shook their heads in disagreement.

Those aware of the couple's marital life spoke first, arguing that despite spending countless nights together over the past five years, no child had resulted, making a sudden pregnancy impossible.

Hearing rumors among servants, the Grand Madam and Countess held similar thoughts. Visiting Sierra with excessive worry, they relieved Sierra of her household duties for the time being.

It is not serious enough to warrant all this......

According to them, Sierra looked like a terminally ill patient. Headaches and nausea were hardly critical issues.

Agreeing to the Grand Madam's request to get examined today or tomorrow, Sierra enjoyed resting in her bedroom.

Naturally, news of her failing health reached Cassius, who was away inspecting their territory. Leaving all official duties behind, he rushed back to the estate.

---

Late at night, Cassius arrived at the estate after riding nearly the entire day.

[Sierra] "No, I am fine. Everyone acts as if I am terminally ill......"

Sierra shook her head, looking at his worry-filled face. She needed to tell him to return to the territory, yet seeing his face after so long felt so wonderful that she couldn't bring herself to speak.

Resolving to tell him to return to work tomorrow after resting tonight, Cassius asked carefully.

[Cassius] "Should you not receive a medical examination?"

[Sierra] "Yes, I should. I caused you unnecessary worry...... I will get examined tomorrow after you leave."

As she tried to brush it off, his gaze turned icy. In moments like this, Cassius felt like a stranger, causing her to freeze briefly.

Gently brushing back her sweat-dampened hair from her forehead, he asked quietly.

[Cassius] "Unnecessary worry? What do you mean by that?"

[Sierra] "......Huh?"

[Cassius] "You are my most precious treasure; without you, nothing else holds any meaning."

She patted Sierra gently while whispering in her ear, "So recover quickly."

Perhaps thanks to his gentle patting, her headache subsided, and her nausea eased.

Yet a problem arose. An urgent craving struck her—so overwhelming that saliva gathered continuously in her mouth.

[Sierra] "......"

Unable to bring herself to speak easily, she barely managed to whisper.

[Sierra] "By the way, Cassius."

[Cassius] "Yes?"

Possessing sharp hearing, he caught her whisper instantly.

I know I shouldn't make such a request to Cassius, who just returned home after riding all day......

[Sierra] "Why am I like this......"

[Cassius] "What is it, Sierra?"

[Sierra] "......Hah, I have a favor to ask."

Exhaling a brief sigh, she looked at him.

The hour was already late at night; she knew making such a request at this hour was unreasonable. She had never asked an unreasonable favor of him before.

Yet something churned incessantly inside her stomach. She felt compelled to voice her desire.

[Sierra] "I......"

[Cassius] "Yes."

[Sierra] "I desperately crave lemons......"

Lemons, lemon sorbet, every refreshing beverage made with lemons—she wanted to consume them all.

His pupils trembled at her words. He had never seen Sierra express such a desperate craving for food before. Though he could command the servants—

[Cassius] "I will be right back."

Because it was Sierra's earnest request, ordering someone else never entered his mind. Without hesitation, he bolted out of the room in a frenzy.

Ten minutes later, every imaginable dish made from lemons arrived in her bedroom.

Savoring the lemon sorbet, she thought:

Something has definitely gone strange with my body.

---

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