I Became a Mother of a Sub-Male Son

She sat on the sofa in her room and stared blankly into space. She was extremely distraught as the image of the former Duke from earlier kept coming back to her mind.

 

“…Why do you keep showing me that attitude instead of Ladiana?”

 

Because of this, she couldn’t help but think in strange directions. While sighing softly, a thought occurred to her and she tilted her head.

 

‘Wait… Come to think of it, hasn’t it been a while since Ladiana stopped looking for me?’

 

She had not heard of any recent visit from Ladiana. She pulled the rope and called the person outside. She immediately asked the maid who came inside.

 

“Hasn’t Lady Ladiana visited as a princess in the last few days?”

 

“No, I understand that there have been several requests from Lady Ladiana to visit, but the Duke has refused all of them.”

 

“…He refused? Since when?”

 

“It’s been since Elia experienced something unpleasant.”

 

“You mean after the incident that occurred while leaving the capital? We don’t know the exact reason?”

 

“Yes, it is.”

 

She felt strange as the situation became increasingly clear. She couldn’t explain it without the Duke having feelings for her. She felt like she could no longer deny that his attention, which should have been directed at Ladiana, was now focused on her.

 

‘…oh my god.’

 

She lowered her head, covering her face with her hands.

 

“Are you in any pain?”

 

“No, just leave.”

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then I’ll go out.”

 

After the maid left, it took a while for her to finally raise her head. Then the mirror across from her came into view.

 

“What.”

 

Why are you making such a dumbfounded expression? A blush appeared on both cheeks.

 

“I’m really going crazy.”

 

She sighed and slapped both of her cheeks with his hands. Nevertheless, the dumbfounded expression remained. To be honest, she still didn’t know what she was feeling right now. What she was certain about was that it wasn’t a bad feeling. 

 

‘Yeah, don’t feel bad.’

 

On the contrary, she felt thirsty for some reason, so she poured the bottle of water on the table and drank it. She had no idea how to look at the Duke’s face in this state.

 

“You shouldn’t show it.”

 

She sighed softly and tapped her cheek a couple more times before continuing to mumble as if she was reciting a spell.

 

“Come to your senses, girl.”

 

* * *

 

The next afternoon, the duke and I rode in the carriage and headed to the forest we had visited yesterday.

 

“Why don’t we go to the forest and stop by the temple?”

 

“Yes. I plan to meet with High Priest Loud alone.”

 

“…But, will it be okay?”

 

“What?”

 

“And what if High Priest Loud catches you? It could be a problem if they find out we’ve been watching something in the woods.”

 

“There’s nothing to worry about. I called a wizard.”

 

“Then I’m glad.”

 

She stared at the Duke for a moment, just looking at the documents.

 

‘You don’t look at me the whole time we’re talking. Oh, I’m still in a bad mood because of Jaeil.’

 

“If you have something to say, say it.”

 

“…No, there isn’t any.”

 

“I don’t think you’ll look at me when it’s not there.”

 

At this point, she started to have doubts. Was the Duke really aware of his own feelings? Or should she think about it now?

 

“It’s nothing special, I’m talking about Lady Ladiana.”

 

His gaze, which had been focused on the documents, now turned to her.

 

“I heard that you have been turning down Lady Ladiana’s requests to visit these days.”

 

“So?”

 

“You accepted everything before, but now you keep rejecting it, so I’m a little curious…”

 

“Does there really have to be a reason?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“It’s just getting annoying now. I’m also busy.”

 

“But is that what Lady Ladiana is looking for?”

 

The Duke was silent for a moment. When she saw that, she thought that it seemed like he was aware of his feelings for her. Or maybe he was just aware of it but couldn’t admit it yet.

 

“…Then I guess so.”

 

“Yes-yes.”

 

Was it possible? When she whispered something behind her back, he gave her a dumbfounded look.

 

“They say you can only reach the top after flying into the sky.”

 

“That’s it.”

 

“There is no end to the constant reply.”

 

The Duke clicked his tongue slightly and lowered his gaze to the documents. Soon silence came into the carriage. As he looked out the window in an awkward atmosphere, they eventually reached the forest.

 

When she got off the carriage, there was a passenger. He was a man wearing a white robe with a purple pattern, and the author seemed to be a wizard.

 

“Is that the wizard you mentioned earlier?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The Duke waved his hand at the wizard who walked towards them and tried to greet them.

 

“Okay, let’s start by reporting. Is it true that there is a barrier here?”

 

“Yes. That’s right. There are several layers of payment for the complex procedure.”

 

Only then did she begin to understand. The reason other people couldn’t see the lake was because there was a barrier here.

 

“Of course we can solve it, right?”

 

“Yes. But it’s impossible right now. It will only be possible if there are two more wizards higher than me.”

 

Nodding his head, the Duke’s gaze turned to me. After realizing the meaning, she took a step forward.

 

“We have to walk over there first.”

 

As she walked ahead, she heard someone following her. After walking for so long, a lake began to appear in front of her.

 

“There’s a lake over there. Can you see it, Duke?”

 

“No.”

 

This time she looked back at the wizard.

 

“What about the wizard?”

 

“No, I can’t see it. Do you really see the lake with your eyes?”

 

“Yes, I can see it. Why would I lie?”

 

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. I was just surprised. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

 

“I completely understand.”

 

She walked in front of the lake and looked back.

 

“There’s a lake right behind me.”

 

“Then let’s try using detection magic for a moment.”

 

The wizard stretched out his hand in the direction of the lake and chanted a spell. After a while, the wizard tilted his head and spoke to the Duke.

 

“It’s a little strange.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“I don’t feel any life in the lake. It’s like a dead lake.”

 

“It’s like a dead lake…”

 

“I guess I’ll have to look into it further.”

 

The wizard walked towards the lake.

 

“Young lady, where have I come now?”

 

“My ankles are full of water right now.”

 

“Then let’s go a little further.”

 

The wizard took a few more steps and the water reached his thighs.

 

“The water was up to my thighs.”

 

“What now?”

 

The wizard went deeper into the lake this time.

 

“Now the water is up to my neck.”

 

“Then, let’s take a closer look under the lake after planting the marker magic here.”

 

As the wizard muttered something, a circular form of ‘Jin’ mixed with golden patterns appeared above his head. It was amazing to actually see the magic circle that I had seen in books and movies. The wizard who was checking the bottom of the lake with magic soon came out and said.

 

“The entire lake is polluted. The cause seems to be ‘something’ at the bottom of the lake.”

 

“Is it difficult to know exactly what it is?”

 

“It’s hard to make out because the shape is blurry due to the barrier in the forest. However…”

 

“But?”

 

“…I can’t say for sure, but I’m afraid it’s a human corpse.”

 

…A corpse? She opened her eyes wide in shock.

 

“What is the basis?”

 

“There is no sense of life in the lake at all, and the reason for this is ‘something’ at the bottom. Lastly, the spirit of death is felt.”

 

“The energy of death?”

 

When she couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, the wizard added an explanation.

 

“Wizards like me can read ‘chi’ using magical powers. If the color of ‘chi’ emitted from a normal person is green, a dead person’s ‘chi’ is purple. I confirmed that there was a faint, but purple color at the bottom of the lake.”

 

It came out

 

“…Then, it’s almost certain?”

 

“It’s too early to tell, but I think there’s a good chance it’s a corpse.”

 

If it really was a body at the bottom of the lake, she thought she could relate it to what she saw. All she saw was a person’s eyeball, but she had a feeling that he had done a lot of things before. What if the corpses that were used that way were disposed of by hiding them at the bottom of the lake?

 

“Duke. Could it be…”

 

“Okay, from what you saw, I think you can relate to that. It seems highly likely that the lake was used to dispose of the body.”

 

As expected, the Duke seemed to have the same thoughts as her.

 

“Is this the place you said you moved to at that time?”

 

“No. We have to go further than here.”

 

She started walking again, looking around. The wizard and the Duke followed her. As she walked deeper inside, the tree she saw yesterday caught her eye. A tree with an unusual shape bent outward. She walked in front of the tree and spoke to the wizard.

 

“When I stood here in front of this tree, the place suddenly changed.”

 

“You mean in front of this tree?”

 

“Yes. When I stood in front of this tree, I suddenly got a headache. Then I came to a strange place. When I looked at the altar, I saw that it was a fairly dark place with something like an altar placed, but it looked like a cave because of the humidity.”

 

“Then let’s take a look at this tree for a moment.”

 

The wizard placed his hand on the tree. Light leaked into his palm and enveloped the tree. The light appeared and disappeared for a very short time.

 

“I think this tree is the medium. More accurately, it is a sign and an entrance.”

 

“…an entrance?”

 

Nodding his head, the wizard looked at the Duke.

 

“This tree is subject to a complex spatial magic of food and drink. It seems as if this tree here is a medium through which the Lady can travel to the place she was said to have moved to.”

 

“Even if you break the barrier, you can’t get to that place unless you go through this tree.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. What do you want to do?”

 

“Of course, we will have to prepare for both of them. Of course, the Magic Tower will have to be fully involved.”

 

“Then I will tell the magic tower lord.”

 

“How long do you think it will take to prepare?”

 

“I think it will take at least 5 weeks and up to 7 weeks.”

 

“Finish it within 5 weeks at most.”

 

“I’ll try.”

 

After finishing the conversation with the wizard, the Duke’s gaze turned to her.

 

“Now let’s go to the temple.”

 

“Yes.”

 

She turned her body and followed behind the walking Duke. The temple was said to be close from here, so it wouldn’t take long. About twenty minutes had passed since she boarded the carriage with him, when she heard from outside that he had arrived at the temple.

 

“I just have to wait inside the mazaar, right?”

 

“No.”

 

She tilted my head at those words.

 

“Weren’t you planning on having a private meeting with High Priest Loud?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then there’s no need for me to go?”

 

“But that doesn’t work.”

 

The reason why he didn’t talk about it and just say no was unknown, it’s frustrating for people.

 

“So why? You have to tell me the reason or I will not understand.”

 

When she persistently asked, the Duke sighed deeply and said.

 

“It will be safer for you closer to me than here.”

 

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Translator Note: