The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 224

224. I’m Confident in Prenatal Care

The Magic Tower Master hesitated, looking uncertain.

Linelle, appearing even more anxious, urged him, “Speak, quickly!”

He looked ready to jump into the fire—no, into ice water—for me and the baby.

I also started to feel nervous about what the Magic Tower Master was going to say.

The Magic Tower Master seemed reluctant, then sighed deeply and began, “Because of the branding with the Avatar Sword [a powerful magical artifact], the accumulated heat has been released from Lady Zelda, so she won’t experience severe fevers in the future. However, due to her fire ability, her body temperature is still higher than that of ordinary people.”

So, what effect does that have on the baby?

Seeing the Magic Tower Master’s brow furrow as he paused, my hands involuntarily went to my stomach.

“If the heat concentrates in the abdomen, the fetus will not be able to develop normally. Frankly, the probability of miscarriage is higher.”

It was what I had feared.

The Magic Tower Master’s words left me breathless.

“To put it simply… the fetus could be fatally harmed by the heat in the womb before birth.”

The words were so terrible that I couldn’t even utter a sound.

Linelle wrapped his arm around my shoulder and comforted me, but my shocked heart wasn’t easily calmed.

My baby could be harmed in the womb because of my fire ability!

Did I decide on the branding with the Avatar Sword too easily?

Was it a rash choice?

Tears flowed as I felt guilty toward the baby.

The Magic Tower Master, as if reading my thoughts, offered words of comfort. “Thanks to the branding with the Avatar Sword, the fetus has been able to endure longer.”

“Really?”

“Yes, because the excess heat that circulated through the body was released and purified during the branding. Even so, it is still difficult for the fetus to withstand the heat until birth.”

“So, what should we do! What does it mean that it all depends on me!”

I could feel the strength in his hand that was wrapped around my shoulder.

Yes, the Magic Tower Master said that the safety of the baby in my womb depended on him, so there must be a way.

But, ominously, the Magic Tower Master’s expression was grave.

“Your Majesty has hypothermia [abnormally low body temperature]… You must use that to lower the heat concentrated in Lady Zelda’s abdomen.”

“…Ah, that’s right. I have a significantly lower body temperature than ordinary people, so I can help Zelda, who has a high body temperature!”

He greatly welcomed the Magic Tower Master’s words, and his stiff mouth barely moved loosely.

“But, is that all? What is the specific method?”

“Wouldn’t it be enough for Your Majesty to stay by my side continuously?”

I watched the Magic Tower Master’s lips move slowly and said to Linelle.

I definitely felt comfortable when he stroked my stomach with his hand a little while ago.

So, I thought it would be okay if he stayed by my side, by our baby’s side.

“That alone is not enough.”

The Magic Tower Master said, looking back and forth between me and him with a voice that was forcedly squeezed out.

“Then… are you saying I have to do something more?”

“That’s right. You must always be in contact with Lady Zelda, even during normal times, so that the heat does not rise…”

“Contact, as in…?”

“Stroking the belly is good, but more intimate skinship is needed to sustain the effect.”

“Are you talking about kissing?”

“Yes, not only that, but unlike other women’s pregnancies, it will help the fetus to be born with a normal body temperature if you two are intimate even in the early stages of pregnancy.”

“What?!”

At first, I wondered if the Magic Tower Master was joking.

But the Magic Tower Master’s expression was more serious than ever, and it even had a medical air about it.

We were both embarrassed.

But unlike me, who was maintaining an embarrassed expression, his face was spreading with happiness.

“That makes sense. Do we have to use the same method every time we get pregnant?”

“…Yes. As long as Lady Zelda has the fire ability, that is the case.”

“Oh, my role will be really important as you said… I’m confident in that kind of prenatal care.”

His confidence seemed to emanate from his whole body.

I don’t know how many times his blue eyes, unable to hide his excitement, emitted a beautiful light.

His lips, which were raised high, seemed to already have a plan to make a second child hanging on them.

“Although Your Majesty comes to this residence at night, if Lady Zelda’s heat rises during the day, you must go to the main palace immediately and ask for Your Majesty’s help…”

The ‘help’ that the Magic Tower Master is talking about is ultimately feeling Linelle’s body temperature, and to feel his body temperature, I would have to be intimate with him, right?

Oh my gosh, where is there such an exciting pregnancy?

I glanced at Linelle.

He was smiling so brightly that I tried to maintain a poker face to keep my dignity.

But even I couldn’t control my cheekbones from rising and falling on their own.

“That help is through deep contact… ahem, ahem!”

He was trying to confirm it with the Magic Tower Master.

My face was burning, so I poked him in the side with my elbow.

“Why? I’m seriously asking for the sake of the baby’s health right now.”

He looked at me with strange eyes, as if I was the one who was embarrassed, and waited for the Magic Tower Master’s answer.

The Magic Tower Master nodded unnaturally with a look on his face as if he had chewed something bitter.

When Linelle laughed out loud and liked it, the Magic Tower Master quickly added a word.

“But too much skinship can be hard on the fetus.”

“Didn’t you just say that if you feel the heat rising in your stomach, you should not hesitate to ask for my help?”

“That’s true, but what I meant was that you don’t have to overdo it when you don’t feel the heat.”

“Your best friend will judge that well. Right?”

He looked down at me with affectionate eyes and gently nudged my arm.

“…Of course.”

I answered with a flushed face.

“If you continue to feel the heat in your stomach or have any other abnormalities in your body even after contact with Your Majesty, please let me know immediately. Then I will visit you again tomorrow morning.”

The Magic Tower Master said that he would come to my residence every day for the time being to check my health condition and bowed.

“Thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow.”

I felt like I wanted to give the Magic Tower Master a hug.

But there was a jealous person standing next to me, so I had no choice but to convey my gratitude with my eyes.

“Yes. Please rest comfortably, Lady Zelda.”

The Magic Tower Master also showed me a gentle smile.

“Wait.”

He called out to the Magic Tower Master who was turning around.

“Please speak, Your Majesty.”

“I think it would be better to keep Zelda’s pregnancy a secret for the time being. What do you think?”

“Hmm, I think it would be good to do so.”

The Magic Tower Master agreed with his opinion and looked at me and continued.

“I will not reveal the fact that Lady Zelda is pregnant. Don’t worry about that.”

He seemed to know what he was worried about.

“Thank you, I ask you for a favor.”

Linelle said to the Magic Tower Master as if entrusting him with a face full of laughter.

“Oh, and after examining Zelda tomorrow, please stop by my office for a while.”

“…Yes, I will, Your Majesty.”

After the Magic Tower Master closed the bedroom door and left, he picked me up and spun me around in the middle of the bedroom.

“I’m dizzy.”

Actually, I wasn’t dizzy at all.

I pretended to be weak and hugged his neck tightly and burst into laughter.

“Ah, sorry, I’m sorry.”

Linelle lowered his body until my feet touched the floor safely and put me down.

“Our baby’s health depends on what I do.”

He spoke in a very profound and solemn voice, as if the existence of the world depended on his hands.

“Yes, that’s right. Please take good care of our baby until childbirth.”

“Why until childbirth? The real thing is after that.”

He cupped my cheeks with both hands and tilted his head sideways before pausing and whispering.

“Just try giving birth.”

“If I give birth?”

When I asked coyly, he frowned and said as if threatening me.

“I’ll make you feel that giving birth is the happiest thing in the world.”

My lips danced on his lips with his firm expression and eyes full of love as he says as if vowing.

His softness cools my mouth, which has been heated up with love.

I felt like his love was being conveyed to the baby in my womb.

“Can I start working for the baby’s health from tonight?”

“The Magic Tower Master told me to refrain from doing it today if I don’t feel the heat.”

“Zelda, think carefully. Isn’t your body hot?”

“Well?”

I slowly rolled my eyes and checked my body temperature.

Listening to his words, I felt like I had a fever… or maybe not…?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Really? Then let’s lie down first. Let’s lie down and think about it again.”

He led me to the bed.

I pretended to be unable to win and lay down on the bed and asked him.

“How about lowering the heat in advance?”

“Huh?”

“For the baby.”

In fact, that was for me.

It’s not wrong to say that taking care of me is ultimately taking care of the baby.

Before I could finish speaking, he took over me.

“Is this enough?”

He looked down at me and asked carefully.

“Hmm… I think it’s a little lacking.”

When I grabbed his collar and shook it with an embarrassed expression,

“Ah, right. It’s not enough to lower the heat, is it?”

His lips slowly began to wander below my face.

Surprisingly, the thirst I felt inside is relieved.

He seems like he’s going to be a really good dad in the future…

***

Late at night, Hector visited Roxana’s bedroom.

Roxana, who had just laid down on the bed, raised her body again and asked Hector.

“Did you find out?”

Hector nodded and approached the bed.

‘Did he finally bring news about Bonus?’

She urged Hector again today to find out about Bonus’s whereabouts.

Ever since she saw Emperor Linelle and Zelda huddled together on the sofa in the main palace office, her heart had been twisted.

The twisted heart gradually grew in volume and turned into anxiety.

Now, she is clearly the Empress of the Lapion Empire, but when she is in the same place with those two, she feels like she has become a dirty impurity stuck between them.

Even if she tries not to be conscious of it, her unconscious mind tenaciously holds on to that feeling and does not let go.

She couldn’t forget the cold gaze of Emperor Linelle, who had Zelda sitting on his thigh and looked at her with contempt.

His gaze towards her had not been kind in the meantime, but it had not been as cold as it was today…

Something didn’t feel right.

‘All I can trust is my face…’

She was anxious that even the opportunity to gain the Emperor’s favor would be lost forever because she had a burn on her right face.

Logan’s help was essential to obtain a magic potion that temporarily removes burn scars.

It was easier to use Logan’s daughter, Bonus, again if possible, so it was important to find out why she didn’t return to the palace with Zelda and his party.

As soon as she left the office, she vented her anger on Hector and complained as if she was having a hard time, and it worked.

“Where is Bonus now? Why didn’t she come to the Imperial Palace with you?”

“To answer your question, first of all, I don’t know where she is now.”

Roxana, dissatisfied with Hector’s answer, frowned and was about to get angry, but waited silently for the next words due to Hector’s unusual expression.

“The reason why she didn’t come to the Imperial Palace with you is that she is already dead.”

“…What?! Dead? Why?”

“According to information obtained from the subordinates of Commander Macrome, she died from an arrow fired by our allied forces heading to the monastery on the day Zelda and his party left for the Tevelo Empire.”

“Ha!”

Roxana opened her mouth with an absurd expression.

“That day, as far as I remember, the commander of the Aclato Principality recognized the Avatar Sword that the Magic Tower Master was carrying on his back on the hill. Immediately, on my orders, some soldiers chased after Zelda and his party, and I think that’s when Bonus was hit by an arrow.”

“Oh no…”

Roxana slowly raised her head, which had been deeply lowered.

Hector thought, ‘Is she feeling sorry for Bonus’s death?’ but that was just his delusion.

Roxana recalled Bonus’s face and spat out the words nervously.

“She died without even using her up… What should I do about this!”

To Roxana, Bonus’s death was only that much.

She treated her as nothing more than a broken object that she couldn’t even use properly.

Roxana, who was repeatedly saying ‘What should I do?’, bit her lower lip and then suddenly smiled and opened her mouth.

“We need to come up with a plan. Yes! First of all…”