She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 129

SS 3: A Baby Has Arrived (2)

After the midnight lemon commotion, Sierra recognized that her physical condition differed vastly from normal.

Before the doctors arrived to examine her, she prepared a testing reagent with a pale face, worrying about her health.

Her suspicion turned to certainty the moment she swirled the reagent in her mouth and spat it out.

The simple diagnostic reagent she created turned red whenever an abnormality arose in her body. And the reagent she held in her mouth turned a vivid crimson.

[Sierra] "Something is wrong with me......"

She set the reagent bottle onto the floor in defeat.

What on earth is happening?

This reagent merely indicated that her body differed from before; it couldn't identify the exact illness.

[Sierra] "Hah......"

Contrary to her gloomy thoughts of losing her health, the world outside looked remarkably beautiful.

Am I terminally ill or something?

Diseases featuring nausea and overeating as symptoms flashed through her mind one by one.

She shook her head.

Cassius promised to summon the estate physician, and doctors from the Hippo Kingdom were coming too, so jumping to conclusions was unwise.

---

Hearing news of Sierra's illness, doctors from the Hippo Kingdom rushed over as if attending to their own affair. After all, the doctors proved far more reliable than the family's resident physician.

In particular, Hentel stroked his thick beard while wearing a heavy frown.

[Hentel] "When you were so healthy......"

[Lanya] "An illness, you say! What do you mean by that!"

Amidst their flustered reactions, Sierra spoke with deliberate composure.

[Sierra] "I merely hope it is not a serious illness."

To the doctors, Sierra's condition looked poor as well. Observing her pale face, the doctors' expressions crumbled.

[Hentel] "Yes, let us start with an interview first."

Watching their faces, Sierra carefully explained her symptoms—how much headache she experienced, her nausea, and her continuous food cravings.

Yet, hearing her symptoms, their expressions twisted one by one.

[Hentel] "Hmm......"

Kilo and Lanya looked bewildered, but Hentel wore a strange expression. Sierra had never seen such an expression on his face before. He looked grave, his lips turning downward.

He looks like a judge delivering a death sentence.

Fear suddenly gripped her.

[Sierra] "W-What is it?"

[Hentel] "Well...... Yes, let us conduct a test with a reagent. I suspect something."

Kilo and Lanya nodded at the same time.

There really is an illness.

Their expressions looked so serious that Sierra couldn't bring herself to speak further. She nodded quietly and tried her best to listen to their words.

[Sierra] "Yes...... Please test me."

Thereafter, various testing methods were followed.

Sierra swirled several potions in her mouth and spat them out, and they held a stethoscope to her chest. When drawing blood to apply to a reagent, she felt her heart sink.

As the testing lengthened, Lanya and Kilo's expressions grew vague, while Hentel's face grew increasingly solemn.

Is it a fatal disease?

To the point where Sierra doubted her own body, the doctors immersed themselves deeper into this examination.

And when all tests were finally concluded, Hentel avoided Sierra's eyes and asked carefully.

[Hentel] "Is His Grace Duke Ideos present at the estate? He should hear this together with you."

Sierra wished to ask why he avoided her eyes and whether it was a fatal illness. Yet answering the question asked first was logical.

[Sierra] "His Grace is not at the estate right now."

At all times, Cassius had temporarily left the estate.

[Cassius] "I am far too worried about you. I will not go to work today."

[Sierra] "No, today is the final selection day for the knights. How can you not go?"

[Cassius] "You are more important than any of that."

[Sierra] "Go quickly. If you don't go, I will not see your face."

She had coaxed him maturely before sending him off, but should she have held him back from leaving?

Regret washed over her in an instant. Watching Hentel exhale a sorrowful sigh, her regret deepened.

Am I terminally ill? I still have so many things I want to do, so many duties to fulfill, and Hanael is still a child......

Just as all kinds of despairing scenarios unfolded in her mind—

[Hentel] "Then I shall speak directly."

[Sierra] "......Yes."

As if delivering a death sentence, he whispered.

[Hentel] "You are pregnant."

[Sierra] "Yes...... How long do I have to live...... Pardon?"

[Hentel] "You are pregnant with a healthy baby."

[Sierra] "T-That...... What?"

She widened her eyes. The news came so abruptly that she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her.

[Hentel] "My heartiest congratulations!"

[Lanya] "Congratulations, Duchess!"

They clapped their hands while speaking. Their expressions looked visibly happy, unlike moments ago.

Seeing their bright faces made her previous anxieties feel foolish. Surging with emotion, Sierra spoke quickly.

[Sierra] "I am actually pregnant?"

[Hentel] "Of course!"

[Sierra] "Then why, why did you wear such a serious expression earlier?"

Swallowing the words: Because of the serious expressions you wore earlier, I thought I was terminally ill and pondered my future and arrangements......!

[Hentel] "We are witnessing the miracle of a new life; naturally, we must be serious!"

Once the surge of emotion passed, only astonishment remained.

A new life rested inside her belly. Was this really happening?

Sierra placed her hand over her abdomen. No physical sensation registered yet, save for her heart pounding rapidly.

I am pregnant...... What should I say to him?

Sierra now faced a new situation. A new mission lay before her: How to break the news of my pregnancy to Cassius.

Thus, when he returned, she resolved to surprise him.

I need a plot twist.

She decided to plot with the doctors to announce her pregnancy.

The plan: pretend to be terminally ill.

---

When Cassius arrived at the estate in a hurry, the maids bustled about with urgency. They delivered the Duchess' message to the returning Duke.

Hearing that a grave matter required his presence in the third-floor drawing room, his eyes shook. Before receiving the maids' greetings, Cassius charged up the stairs with wide strides.

Finally reaching the third-floor drawing room, seeing Sierra and the doctors sitting together in gloomy silence, Cassius sat down at the table abruptly and spoke.

[Cassius] "What is happening?"

[Sierra] "......"

Neither Sierra nor the doctors answered. They merely lowered their eyes in quiet silence. A suffocating stillness filled the room.

[Cassius] "Sierra."

He stared at Sierra anxiously, yet she merely bit her lip without an answer. His throat felt parched. Flustered, he rubbed his dry face.

Quickly realizing Sierra was in no position to answer, he shifted his gaze to Hentel.

[Cassius] "What on earth happened to cause such an atmosphere?"

[Hentel] "Well......"

Hentel, the dignified doctor of the Hippo Kingdom, lowered his eyes and muttered.

[Hentel] "It is a rather urgent matter......"

[Cassius] "Urgent...... you say."

Hentel swallowed a groan, unable to continue. Right then, Lanya chimed in.

[Lanya] "It concerns Lady Sierra's health."

At those words, Cassius' throat moved violently.

[Cassius] "Her health...... what about it?"

Lanya parted her lips carefully, then shook her head as if speaking proved too difficult.

[Lanya] "Hah...... I am sorry."

Hearing that, Cassius realized a red warning light flared for Sierra's health. Even if he denied it, the ominous atmosphere proved impossible to ignore. Casting aside dignity and decorum, he whispered desperately.

[Cassius] "What illness is it?"

[Hentel] "Well, it is difficult to cure......"

Sierra shook her head and answered their words.

[Sierra] "No, it should be considered incurable."

The moment Cassius heard Sierra's resolute answer, his trembling eyelashes lowered. He muttered incoherently.

[Cassius] "What...... what illness is it? Why...... why suddenly, for what reason......"

Listening to his pained voice, Sierra said nothing. She observed Cassius quietly before speaking softly.

[Sierra] "As for what illness it is...... Cassius, I......"

Her trembling pupils met Cassius' wildly shaking eyes. At that moment, Sierra, who had maintained a gloomy expression all this time, smiled radiantly and spoke.

[Sierra] "I am pregnant."

His eyes widened dramatically. He wore an expression questioning whether he heard correctly. She grabbed his arm and spoke.

[Sierra] "Why are you not happy?"

[Cassius] "I-I......"

He stammered, a rare sight. Like someone whose mind went completely blank, he lost his words. Sierra giggled and squeezed his hand firmly. He whispered to her.

[Cassius] "Is your...... body really fine?"

[Sierra] "Huh?"

His hands seized her hands hurriedly. A faint coolness touched her hands, and he frowned slightly.

[Cassius] "Is it really all right for you to have a baby? When you are so fragile......"

Even upon learning he had a child on the way, this man worried solely about her body. Covering her mouth, Sierra chuckled and nodded vigorously.

Signaling that she was fine and suffered no issues whatsoever.

---

How on earth should they break the news to Hanael that a younger sibling was on the way?

Sierra and Cassius held hands, deciding to take a walk outside. Hanael looked delighted during their private family walk.

Strolling happily along the path, they spoke to Hanael.

[Sierra] "Hanael."

[Hanael] "Hmm?"

Hanael giggled and looked at Sierra.

Wearing a more nervous face than when she told Cassius, she spoke.

[Sierra] "Our daughter, it seems you are going to have a younger sibling now."

[Hanael] "Huh......?"

Hanael tilted her head in confusion. The sight mirrored her father so completely that Sierra smiled softly.

Our daughter is so cute.

While she smiled proudly, Hanael rolled her eyes. From the words, "Our daughter, it seems you are going to have a younger sibling now," the little girl understood everything.

[Hanael] "Mommy, a baby is coming?"

Slurring her words like a baby, Hanael opened her eyes round and wide.

---

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