TSMMT Ch 159

The Pregnancy Commotion

Pregnant? Levian is carrying Guiscard's child?

The revelation struck Dianna like a heavy blow, draining the color from her face.

That can't be. I know full well it is impossible.

Unlike the Guiscard of her past life, the present Guiscard focused solely on her. She truly trusted him, and yet...

[Saruvia] "I am carrying His Majesty's child."

Saruvia's phantom appeared behind the crowd, wearing a cruel smile as if she possessed all the world's love while crushing someone into the deepest abyss.

Dianna flinched instantly. Yet no one else looked her way. She blinked, and the illusion dissolved.

Guiscard cut through the rising commotion with a cold voice.

[Guiscard] "Must I sever that tongue as well? I had no interactions with her whatsoever."

[D. Levian] "What nonsense are you uttering?! When Your Majesty lay bedridden, did you not spend time with my daughter? On multiple occasions?!"

Dianna closed her eyes tightly. When she opened them, she saw Saruvia cackling before her.

Dismissing the claim as preposterous was impossible. If intimacy had occurred while Guiscard lay unconscious, the act alone constituted a high crime, yet Dianna didn't even think to point out the flaw.

Her life had never been smooth. Forgotten despair reared its head once more.

What if... What if fate is playing tricks again?

What if Levian truly carries his child?

Fate had never sided with her.

Dianna pressed her hand against her abdomen, where an old pain lingered, long forgotten amidst greater physical agony. She clutched her stinging stomach and stared at the pale phantom of Saruvia standing before her.

[Guiscard] "Ann. Look at me."

His voice came gently. Only then did Dianna turn her gaze away from Saruvia's phantom to look at him.

Before everyone present, Guiscard spoke her affectionate nickname in a sweet, tender tone. Her pounding heart stabilized, and her fading reason slowly returned.

Guiscard offered a radiant smile, drew his blade, and sliced off Duke Levian's ear.

[D. Levian] "A-Aaaaagh! Eeeaaagh!"

A bizarre shriek resonated through the hall. Behind him, Duke Kragel winced and covered his ears.

[D. Kragel] "Good grief! Making such a fuss over a severed ear! You ought to give thanks your tongue wasn't sliced off!"

True to his rugged Lodbrog nature, Duke Kragel clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Guiscard spoke coldly as he looked down at Duke Levian.

[Guiscard] "Did I not mention it to you? The moment you and the lady arrived, I had already regained consciousness."

[D. Levian] "W-What...?!"

[Guiscard] "The lady remained behind alone, whispering something or other. Should I consider it fortunate? Had her hand touched my body, I would have severed her head instantly."

His tone was unnaturally smooth.

[Guiscard] "Meaning I was wide awake while you were orchestrating that scheme."

Duke Levian clutched his bleeding ear and stared at Guiscard in utter shock.

[D. Levian] "I-Impossible! Surely Saruvia..."

[Guiscard] "Lending an ear to such absurd lies proves you have no need for it."

Duke Levian shook his head in denial.

[D. Levian] "N-No, it is a lie! My daughter would never lie!"

[D. Kragel] "It is no lie."

Duke Kragel interjected from behind.

[D. Kragel] "Because the moment His Majesty regained consciousness, I was the first person he summoned."

[D. Levian] "W-What do you mean?!"

[D. Kragel] "To swiftly apprehend and purge bastards like you, of course. When His Majesty lay incapacitated, was it not obvious which scoundrels would make treacherous moves?"

Duke Kragel chuckled boisterously. He straightened his posture, faced the gathered nobles, and struck his chest several times with his fist.

[D. Kragel] "I swear upon the name of House Kragel: His Majesty regained consciousness long ago."

Swearing upon one's house name was a solemn oath declaring the absolute truth of a statement, accepting the total annihilation of one's house should it prove false.

[D. Islag] "Why did His Majesty refrain from announcing his recovery?"

Duke Islag asked with a dissatisfied expression.

[D. Kragel] "Is it not obvious? To separate the wheat from the chaff."

[D. Eirick] "Are you implying he distrusted us?"

Duke Eirick shot him a sharp look.

Dianna observed the nobles with a tense expression. Exposing that Guiscard had feigned his coma was dangerous, as it openly revealed his distrust toward the nobility.

Duke Levian seized the opening and interjected cunningly.

[D. Levian] "His Majesty unquestionably conspired with Duke Kragel to slaughter us all!"

As his voice rose, Dianna stood up from the throne.

[Dianna] "No, that is not so."

She stilled her fluttering heart and composed her face. In her peripheral vision, the phantom of Saruvia still lingered.

[Dianna] "While various reasons existed, His Majesty couldn't reveal his awakening due to pressing circumstances. After all, I had departed for the Holy See."

Guiscard shot her a puzzled look.

[Dianna] "The Pope of the Holy See is a cunning man. Though he maintained superficial courtesy toward a Panborough native like myself, had he known His Majesty was awake, he would have dragged him into political affairs and made insolent demands."

Her tone was sharp and blunt, yet that very edge persuaded the audience. She looked toward Duke Islag. Having heard his daughter's detailed account, he had likely already deduced the Pope's true nature.

[Dianna] "His Majesty remained in seclusion out of complete trust in me, his wife."

The nobles lapsed into silence at her words. Her explanation carried logical weight. Though normally unlikely to yield to the Queen's mediation, every noble owed her an immense debt, as she had secured food and saved their children's lives. They could only cough awkwardly.

[D. Levian] "Duke Kragel! Did you not turn your back on His Majesty as well?! I know full well you protested that since the current King casually murdered his predecessor, you could simply become king yourself!"

Duke Levian bellowed frantically. Duke Kragel tilted his head nonchalantly.

[D. Kragel] "Did I? Sounds like something I might have said... Well, I'm not doing that now, so what does it matter?"

Now I understand where Lady Kragel inherited her personality…

Dianna found Duke Kragel's unbothered demeanor astounding amidst the tension. His blunt outburst silenced any further objections from the nobles.

Guiscard watched the farce unfold and spoke coldly.

[Guiscard] "Have you babbled enough now?"

That single phrase silenced the whispering crowd instantly. He held his drawn blade and stared down at Duke Levian.

[D. Levian] "H-How could you do this to me?! I braved every threat to make you King! How could you...!"

[Guiscard] "Then perhaps you should try becoming King now."

[D. Levian] "..."

[Guiscard] "Though that appears well beyond your capabilities."

At his icy words, royal guards dragged Duke Levian away.

Screams echoed through the corridor. Duke Levian initially shouted for His Majesty, but then turned his gaze toward Dianna to shriek curses.

The quick-witted Inez anticipated his tirade and kicked Duke Levian squarely in the mouth. He mumbled unintelligibly through broken teeth as the guards dragged him from the hall.

Shocked murmurs erupted among the nobles. Dianna rose slowly from her seat.

It is fine. It is fine. Nothing happened.

Yet her gaze met Saruvia's phantom once more.

[Saruvia] "He claimed he had no intention of continuing the royal bloodline through your womb. He regrets taking you as his Queen."

Her phantom voice whispered relentlessly. Dianna took a step toward Guiscard.

[Saruvia] "He whispered to me constantly, claiming you were stiff as a corpse, entirely devoid of warmth."

Cackling giggles echoed in her ears.

Dianna, that happened in your past life. This is merely a hallucination. Don't lose focus.

[Guiscard] "Has Levian's location been determined?"

[Knight] "My apologies, Sire. Not as of yet..."

[Guiscard] "If capture alive proves impossible, eliminate her."

His frigid voice echoed.

See? The present Guiscard despises Saruvia. You must trust him.

Suddenly, Saruvia's phantom thrust her face directly before Dianna's eyes.

[Saruvia] "You shall crawl beneath the earth forever, leading a life begging for death instead."

In her memory, Saruvia had stroked her abdomen as if showered with every blessing in the world, radiating brilliance. She had pinned her pink hair with a diamond clip and worn magnificent Panborough-style garments.

That gaze alone dragged Dianna back to her past life, to her most wretched moments. Dizziness swirled through her head.

It is a hallucination. The pregnancy is a lie.

Yet despite knowing this, the mere words dragged her back to her past life.

What if it is real...?

Suffocation gripped her chest at the thought. Everything spun wildly. As she attempted to step toward Guiscard, her vision distorted completely.

It is alright. It is alright, Dianna. You never coveted the Queen's throne anyway. Why torment yourself over imagined scenarios? Your reality is here and now.

[Voice] "Pitiable Dianna!"

A voice echoed, whether a memory or an illusion she could no longer distinguish. Her footing gave way.

[Guiscard] "Ann!"

His roar echoed through the hall. Dianna stared blankly at him. Through blurred vision, she saw him looking down at her with a frantic expression, his face utterly undone. Just like the moment preceding her death in her past life, he stared down at her.

Ah, is this reality, or my past life?

She heard his voice and managed to part her lips.

[Dianna] "I hate you. I hate you."

A frail voice left her lips. Guiscard flinched as he watched her. Trapped in the sensation of stepping back into the past, Dianna finally uttered the words held deep within.

How could you do that to me? How could you...?

Back then, she had failed to speak those words, never voicing her resentment even once.

Tears trickled down her cheeks. She moved her lips gently.

...And yet, I love you.

With those final unspoken words, she closed her eyes.

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