I Became The Mother Of A Worn-Out Protagonist

Chapter 5

 

After finishing the conversation, Johan called the butler and instructed him to accommodate the guests on the second floor.

 

Then, he sat on the sofa in the reception room lost in thought. He always wondered why he couldn’t return as a duke for such a long time.

 

The arrival of the woman with the greatsword solved that mystery. “I wasted four and a half years playing like a fool with my family,” he thought.

 

It was absurd and amusing. If only he hadn’t lost his memory, or if he hadn’t been poisoned by a demon’s venom, his father…

 

“Samuel, she claims to be my daughter, yet I have no memory of her,” Johan addressed his aide after a long silence. “…Your Highness, how do you intend to respond to her request?”

 

“Is there any proper reason to refuse the request of one who saved my life? Moreover, she’s asking me to raise my daughter,” he said.

 

The duke, who returned after four and a half years with his memory restored, was filled with a gloomy atmosphere.

 

It was a gloominess that couldn’t easily be shaken off even by the return of the missing Blomhardt heir. The reason was because Duke Blomhardt Sr., Johan’s father, didn’t have much time left.

 

Before Johan could fully experience the sadness of losing his son, the senior duke had to perform a heavy task of subjugating the demons of the “Black Mountains” in the north.

 

To alleviate the guilt of sending his just-adult son alone to the north, he dedicated himself fully to the subjugation, winter after winter.

 

Despite the efforts of healers and various magical potions from all over the empire, no one could cure the wound he suffered from the demons.

 

It was during this time that Johan von Blomhardt returned to his family’s side.

 

“To think you were alive. It seems God has shown me mercy in my final moments.” “…Father.” “Johan, never blame yourself for your absence.” “…”

 

“My injuries are my own arrogance and mistake.” Johan found it hard to abide by his father’s last words. He thought his absence had caused his father’s irreparable wounds by the demons.

 

So he resented himself in the lost memories. If only his limbs were intact, he should have returned no matter what, why was he wandering in the north?

 

The unraveling questions made him blame himself even more.

 

“Inform the mage to prepare the mana stone for the progeny test by tomorrow.” “Yes.” The aide left, leaving behind the duke who seemed somewhat bitter.

 

Behind the mansion, there were a western annex for servants and an eastern annex for the exclusive use of mages.

 

The aide went to one of the mages in the eastern annex to deliver the duke’s orders.

 

“A mana stone for a progeny test?” The mage was puzzled by the duke’s sudden request.

 

“Yes.”

 

“No, why suddenly?”

 

“Well, only the mage knows for now.” The aide whispered softly, as it was still an unofficial matter.

 

“Wait, could it be that Your Highness has a hidden child appearing?”

 

“You guessed it even before I said anything.”

 

“Usually nobles seek mana stones for one thing only, illegitimate children.”

 

“She’s scheduled to be officially recognized.”

 

The aide’s forehead wrinkled slightly upon hearing the word ‘illegitimate child’. ‘It’s an uncomfortable word to attach to that lovely lady.’

 

But that was all he briefly thought. For someone who would become a precious noble lady, such a vulgar word shouldn’t be mentioned. “…But will the princess stay quiet?”

 

The aide smiled at the concerned mage. “Actually, the existence of that child might not be so bad.”

 

“It could be a means to break off the damned engagement my father hastily proceeded with as soon as I returned.”

 

“Can the empire’s princess bear the child of the man who would become her husband?” His master, Duke Blomhardt, was a cold man who made such political judgments upon seeing his daughter suddenly appear one day. It was very unfortunate for the young lady. ”

 

…Until tomorrow noon, I’ll have it ready.” The mage, understanding roughly what the duke intended, nodded.

 

* * *

 

After ending the conversation with Johan in tension, Lea descended to the second floor with Raphaella following the butler.

 

The butler guided them to the guest room on the second floor and brought some refreshments. Raphaella looked around the room while eating the cookies the butler brought.

 

‘…I’m so tired.’ Lea collapsed onto the sofa as if exhausted, chewing on one cookie.

 

Despite pretending to be calm and indifferent in the reception room, the reunion with her amnesiac husband was not easy. Resentment, hatred, longing, and anger overwhelmed her internally, so she had to hold herself tightly together when facing him.

 

‘If I didn’t, I might have screamed out my resentment at him.’ Why did you forget us, why did you leave so heartlessly?

 

The man she met again after disappearing from the ducal residence was very unfamiliar. His face was that of her beloved husband ‘Hart,’ but the aura, speech, and attitude were those of the imposing noble ‘Johan von Blomhardt.’

 

Unlike before when he used to wear ordinary plain clothes, he now wore luxurious attire at a glance, and his black hair was neatly combed.

 

He was no longer just her husband but a man of noble blood. His once warm crimson eyes now felt icy. ‘Maybe it’s because of his lost memory, but his speech seems so fierce and cold.’

 

Facing the changed him was difficult in many ways for Lea. “…Mom.” Raphaella, who had finished looking around the room, approached her.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Daddy seems to have really forgotten Raphi.” Seeing Raphaella’s dejected expression, Lea’s heart sank.

“And Daddy’s a little scary now.”

“Daddy was scary?”

 

“Yeah, a little.

 

” Raphaella leaned her face against Lea’s thigh with a sad expression.

 

Lea lifted her up, placing her daughter on her lap and embracing her. Earlier, her husband had only glanced at Raphaella and said nothing. All he gave was an indifferent gaze.

 

“I wanted to hug Daddy so much because I missed him.”

 

“Did it upset you a lot, Raphi?”

 

Lea tried her best to stay composed despite the imposing atmosphere emanating from him, but she wondered how Raphaella felt.

 

She hoped that the relationship between her husband and daughter would become closer from now on, overshadowing today’s events for Raphaella.

 

When evening came, the butler personally brought dinner.

 

He informed them that the progeny test was scheduled for tomorrow around lunchtime.

 

Lea wasn’t worried about the progeny test as they had undergone this process before regression. What was important was the contract with her husband afterward.

 

The next day, after lunch, the butler escorted them to the duke’s reception room, just like yesterday.

Unlike the previous day, there was one more person there.

 

A middle-aged man in a luxurious black robe. From his attire, it was obvious to anyone that he was a mage. Lea and Raphaella, seeing a mage for the first time, looked at him in wonder. “Please sit if you’re here.”

 

Johan gestured to the sofa with impatience evident in his demeanor. As they sat down, the exclusive mage introduced himself, and at Johan’s gesture, immediately explained about the mana stone for the progeny test.

 

Having gone through this process before regression, Lea thought about the contract with Johan that would follow.

 

‘…He’s supposed to be a nobleman, but he won’t argue about being a lifesaver or anything.’

 

After the progeny test was over, contrary to her worries, Johan said he would raise Raphaella.

 

She began to clearly express her desires to him. Meanwhile, the aide took note of Lea’s demands. Johan skimmed through the document the aide had noted. Although filled with things he disliked, he decided to just pretend for now and put the paper down.

 

“Anything else to add?”

 

“No. That’s all.” Lea nodded satisfactorily after expressing all her wishes. Following Johan’s orders, the aide transcribed the contents onto the contract paper. While Lea sipped on the already cold tea, the aide handed over one contract to each of them, each containing the other’s signature. “Now that the contract drafting is complete.”

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Lea reread the contract received from the aide once again. Most of the contract contained obligations that her husband had to fulfill as Raphaella’s father.

 

The only thing she had to keep was ‘Raphaella von Blomhardt’s mother leaves Blomhardt ducal residence immediately after Raphaella’s 8th birthday.

‘ That was something she would definitely comply with.

 

“During your stay here, I will treat you as a lifesaver and the mother of my child.” Johan neatly folded the contract paper in front of him with long fingers.

 

“…But never overstep your bounds using our daughter.

 

” He warned coldly. ”

 

As long as you faithfully fulfill your role as a father, Duke, there will be no such thing.” “…I’ll try my best.”

 

Lea felt distant from this man who once was her husband and her daughter’s father, as if it were a dream. Was he originally this cold-hearted?

 

“While you wait in the guest room, the housekeeper will come and guide you and the child to a new room.”

 

“Yes, then I’ll leave now.”

 

She neatly folded the contract and stood up to leave the reception room.

 

“Oh, and never go up to the fourth floor.”

 

“Yes? Yes.”

 

With the answer to the last words, Lea left the reception room.

 

‘Now I’ve officially entered Raphaella and the ducal residence….’

 

She leaned against the wall near the reception room door and let out a relieved sigh.