TSMMT SS 6

Dianna's Worry (3)

Dianna returned to her room and sank into a chair, exhausted. Her head spun, and her eyelids felt heavy. Perhaps fueled by her gloomy mood, sleepiness had frequently overwhelmed her as of late.

[Dianna] "Why is it so cold?"

She muttered under her breath. Lady Kragel stood nearby and voiced her concern.

[Leonie] "Your Majesty, could it be a cold?"

[Dianna] "A cold?"

[Leonie] "You look unwell. You might fall severely ill if you aren't careful."

In the past, ignoring such symptoms had left her bedridden and thrown the royal palace into turmoil. Guiscard had even berated poor Revius for overworking her.

Ah, stop. Don't go down that road.

Dianna dismissed thoughts of him and submitted to an examination by the physician who entered shortly after, a female physician Guiscard had specially summoned.

The physician took her wrist, inquired meticulously about her condition, and suddenly asked:

[Physician] "When was your last menstrual cycle, Your Majesty?"

[Dianna] "Last month. It should begin again soon."

She offered a bitter smile, well aware of what the question implied. The physician frowned slightly.

[Physician] "Strange... Have you experienced any abdominal pain?"

[Dianna] "A mild stabbing sensation, occasionally."

The physician muttered under her breath, her expression growing serious as she rechecked Dianna's pulse.

[Physician] "By all indications, you are pregnant."

[Dianna] "I told you, I bled last month. There is still time before this month's cycle is due. Isn't it too early to diagnose a pregnancy?"

[Physician] "Regarding last month's bleeding, was it unusually brief and light?"

Her tone held certainty. Dianna knitted her brows and nodded.

[Dianna] "Something similar happened before..."

[Physician] "Light spotting can occur during early pregnancy. Since I treat exclusively female patients, I have encountered this quite often."

[Dianna] "..."

[Physician] "I am certain of it. Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

[Dianna] "My goodness!"

She covered her mouth. Pregnant? Could it be? It felt surreal.

[Dianna] "I haven't had any morning sickness. How can I be pregnant?"

[Physician] "It often begins once you become aware of it."

The physician shrugged.

Was she pregnant? Was this a dream?

As hope bloomed, Dianna kept her hands pressed to her lips until a sudden realization struck her.

Wait... then how did I become pregnant?

Wasn't Guiscard taking contraceptive potions? Why, then?

Naturally, Dianna had been completely faithful. But what if he didn't believe her?

A wave of dread washed over her.

[Physician] "I will fetch medicine suitable for expectant mothers."

The physician bowed and departed. Lady Kragel's eyes sparkled.

[Leonie] "Should I congratulate you?"

[Dianna] "..."

[Leonie] "I shall inform His Majesty at once!"

[Dianna] "Ah..."

Dianna hesitated, tempted to conceal the news, but ultimately nodded. He would find out eventually anyway.

This pregnancy was something she had yearned for so desperately, yet right now, it brought no joy.

Would this sow another seed of discord? Would suspicion poison our bond?

A swirl of terrifying thoughts plagued her. She envisioned Guiscard's cold face upon hearing the news.

[Guiscard] "Is it my child?"

Imagine him with such a distant, icy look. What if he refused to listen, no matter how much she denied it?

[Dianna] "Why must I...?"

Even in this life, why must pregnancy be like this...?

Tears spilled from her eyes. Lady Kragel paled and dashed out of the room.

Moments later, the door swung open, and Guiscard rushed into the room.

[Guiscard] "Ann!"

Dianna looked up. Guiscard approached her, appearing just as bewildered as when he had left earlier.

[Guiscard] "I heard... You're expecting a child."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "Is it really... my child?"

At his question, tears streamed endlessly down her face. She bit her lower lip and wept bitterly.

[Dianna] "O-Of course it's your child! Whose else could it be?!"

He stared at her in stunned silence while she sobbed.

[Guiscard] "Did I make another mistake...? Ann, that's not what I meant—"

[Dianna] "Do you think I would ever betray you with another man?! How could 'Is it mine?' be the first thing out of your mouth upon hearing I'm pregnant?!"

His eyes widened in panic as he realized his blunder.

[Guiscard] "N-No, that wasn't what I meant! I couldn't believe it...!"

[Dianna] "Even if you were using contraceptives, you must have missed a dose! We've done it so many times!"

Dianna wept uncontrollably and pounded her fists against his chest. Guiscard gently patted her back.

[Guiscard] "Ann, I never took contraceptives."

Her crying ceased instantly.

[Dianna] "You didn't? Then what were those? Those bottles of contraceptive potion...?"

Guiscard remained completely oblivious to the situation. All he knew was that Dianna had been angry, then suddenly started crying, and was now staring at him.

[Guiscard] "I bought those intending to start taking them now... That way, I could drink them and freely... Ah, no."

[Dianna] "Why would you take contraceptives in the first place?!"

[Guiscard] "Because you didn't want to get pregnant."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "Or rather, that's what I thought! I believed you didn't want a child right now."

Dianna blinked. Suddenly, the conversation she had with Logaple flashed through her mind.

[Dianna] "...It was Logaple."

[Guiscard] "You seemed so burdened, so I asked him to look into it."

[Dianna] "...Sigh."

She grasped the entire misunderstanding in an instant. Though she felt thoroughly embarrassed about her tearful outburst, Guiscard gently wiped away her tears with his thumb.

[Guiscard] "I'm sorry. I should have asked you directly instead of having him investigate. But I was terrified you were suffering alone again."

She realized that her silence had burdened him with worry. She bit her lip before speaking softly.

[Dianna] "Guiscard, I wanted to have a child."

[Guiscard] "..."

[Dianna] "That was all."

[Guiscard] "You could have told me."

She shook her head softly.

[Dianna] "I just wondered if the child we lost might come back to us. I'm sorry... I felt it was disrespectful to you to think that way."

He looked at her mournful face and spoke gently.

[Guiscard] "Whatever you say, I don't mind."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "I mean it."

He continued to wipe away her tears, his eyes brimming with profound affection. Dianna realized she had suffered needlessly over her own assumptions.

[Guiscard] "When I asked if it was my child... it was because I couldn't believe I was actually becoming a father... Sigh..."

He wrapped his arms around her. She now understood the true meaning behind his words.

[Guiscard] "How could I ever think it was anyone else's? It couldn't possibly be. The physician scolded me so harshly to exercise restraint..."

His large hand gently stroked the back of her hair.

[Guiscard] "Ann, even if you were carrying another man's child, I wouldn't care."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "That man wouldn't remain among the living for long, but it wouldn't matter."

She gave his chest a light, incredulous tap, which prompted a chuckle from him.

[Dianna] "Are you happy?"

He locked eyes with her, his expression radiant.

[Guiscard] "I am. I feel as if I'm floating on air."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "I can't believe we're having a child."

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "Ah... but what should we do? For someone as delicate as you to give birth... Sigh."

He let out a heavy sigh. Anger, tears, laughter, the emotional whirlwind had been exhausting, but one truth remained crystal clear: they were both overjoyed.

[Dianna] "I am... I am so happy too."

[Dianna] "I love that we're having a baby."

Guiscard could no longer contain himself and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek.

And so, the misunderstandings between them dissolved completely.

Dianna gently stroked her abdomen. Though her belly was not yet showing, it would grow in time. A soft smile graced her lips.

Anxieties still lingered. In her past life, she had lost her child to Levian's scheme shortly after learning of the pregnancy. Carrying a child once more would inevitably bring fear that she would have to overcome.

Her body would ache, her heart would fluctuate, and there would be countless hurdles to face. Yet, as she basked in Guiscard's warmth, she felt certain that together, they would be fine.

In this way, Dianna and Guiscard began learning their new roles. They would face pain and grow through it once more.

They embraced tightly, and the two of them, soon to be three, smiled warmly into the future.