The Crazy Prologue Never Ends

44. Unwelcomed Return (2)

The servant swiftly lifted the luggage and placed it on the carriage. Following behind, Elizabeth descended the stairs with a wobbly gait.

It was a face she hadn’t seen in a long time. Her hands and legs were swollen.

Now, even walking seemed challenging for her. In the end, she didn’t even come out to the garden she used to stroll in.

White vapor escaped with each breath. Although her face seemed peaceful, intermittent white breaths revealed that she was short of breath.

Externally, Elizabeth looked almost the same as when she was pregnant.

There were times when she felt terrified seeing her belly swell day by day, but she had since adapted. Thanks to that, she could smile brightly even in front of her.

There were no special maternity clothes prepared in the North. Elizabeth chose a larger cloak to wrap around herself.

There were only cloaks designed for men, so she had to choose one that adolescent boys, who had just entered their teens, would wear. It was only used for military purposes to ward off the cold. It was plain and lacked even common embroidery. It was not an outfit suitable for a lady.

Even that was too big, so she had to cut and alter the lower part to avoid dragging on the ground, but it still looked blunt at the end.

It made sense. There was no one here preparing for pregnancy or a proper lady.

The former and current lady of this castle also had only two children. Moreover, one child was born in another region.

In over a century, only one child was born in this castle. Originally, there were supposed to be two, but…

Elizabeth, wrapped in a thick winter cloak, looked even more bloated.

Each step she took seemed precarious, as if she might fall with every lift.

She descended the stairs very slowly, step by step. The stairs were covered with frozen ice.

When I approached and held out my hand, she smiled.

“Thank you.”

Elizabeth whispered in a small voice.

“The soldiers here lack sensitivity, don’t they? No consideration at all. No one paid attention when a pregnant woman was coming down the stairs. What if I slip?”

A Count’s wife, and moreover, the first lady of a noble family.

She would not have received such treatment anywhere else. Moreover, she was the wife of the first heir of the Count.

It would have been unimaginable in the capital.

“But these soldiers haven’t been officially appointed yet. They are more accustomed to the battlefield, so they may not know how to treat a noblewoman. They might not care as much. If it’s slippery, what can you do?”

Elizabeth offered an excuse in place of me. Her voice was warm.

“Those who have stayed in such a barren place may have reduced their capacity to care for others. If the environment is not good, there will be less room to care for others. Once you go to a warmer place, they will get better.”

“Still.”

“I’m fine. You should be more concerned that Leonie will be busy once we reach the capital.”

“Why? Why me?”

“You have to teach the soldiers how to treat a lady. It’s also the duty of the Duke’s wife. Oh, now that you’ll receive the ceremony, you’ll be the Princess Consort, right?”

“Ah….”

The conversation ceased.

Not wanting to misunderstand, but because Deon had given her the necklace, she couldn’t even reply.

How close she could stay by his side without causing interference was uncertain, yet it seemed challenging to portray a casual friendship.

It was too difficult to act like a light-hearted woman who could naturally step back.

Snowflakes gently fell.

“This may be the last snow.”

She looked up at the sky at her words. It was clear with not a single cloud in sight.

“I thought this would be the child’s hometown… I had firmly decided to raise the child strong, and we hastily decided on a name… If we go back, we may need to reconsider the child’s name. Something more fitting for spring than winter.”

Elizabeth’s words were puzzling. It seemed like she had no idea about the move.

“Haven’t you talked to the Duke? I thought you discussed and decided to return to the capital with the lady…”

“Me?”

Elizabeth widened her eyes.

“I heard through the housekeeper a few days ago. I thought Lady Yeo would suggest moving the territory again. We can’t afford to have the same accident happen again. It’s all white here, and it’s easy to get lost because the directions are unclear.”

It was surprising. If not for Lady Arin, what could it be for? I thought he had discussed it with her and decided to enter the capital. What on earth is he thinking?

“It must have been hard, deciding the schedule so suddenly… and with your condition.”

“The maids worked hard to pack my belongings. In the end, it turned out well for me. I never thought I’d have a future where I could celebrate the birth of a child surrounded by family. Especially my younger sister will be really pleased.”

Her voice was a bit excited. Her cheeks were tinged with red.

I looked at Deon’s back. He looked like he was coming out after being mentioned. The tails of his turquoise coat draped over his shoulders fluttered gracefully in the wind.

While gazing at a distance, she climbed into the carriage. She reached out her hand to her and went up first. Elizabeth shook hands with her awkwardly.

Inside was a cage. A bird was snugly held in it.

A bird with uncut tail feathers.

Fortunately, the bird was sleeping soundly in the small nest without flapping its wings.

“We’re leaving.”

Deon tapped the side of the carriage with his words. Then he quickly went ahead.

The sound of horn bells rang for a long time, and the long procession began to move little by little.

The carriage jolted.

I opened the curtain. The northern castle was getting farther away.

The banners and flags stuck on the pointed castle towers were lowered.

The castle, with only black bricks remaining, looked desolate.

When we lifted the banners, the covered part was revealed. Perhaps it couldn’t withstand the cold, there was even gold on the sturdy walls.

“So, this is that bird.”

Elizabeth coughed lightly.

“I heard from a maid that you got a bird. Did you name it?”

“Yes. I decided to call it ‘Miracle.'”

Miracle… Elizabeth struggled with the pronunciation for a while.

“Miracle. What does it mean?”

Don’t they have such words here? Do they all live by adapting to their fate without unexpected miracles?

“Um… it’s a word we used in my hometown, and it means something similar to luck.”

Elizabeth nodded.

“It’s a good name. Um… if it’s okay with you, can I borrow that name?”

“Huh? What would you use it for?”

Elizabeth hugged her belly.

“For this child, too, it seems to suit well.”

“Uh… madam. Aren’t there many better names? It might not suit a boy, and… It’s not a word commonly used in the Empire. It might be better to think more about the child’s name. Milana or Karana aren’t bad either.”

I’m fed up with the plot twisting any further.

While choosing a common and suitable name for the child here, Elizabeth suddenly groaned, and then leaned against the carriage wall. Various colors were taking a breath.

“Madam, are you okay? Should we take a break if you’re tired?”

Her face was turning pale, and she seemed nauseous.

“No, I’m fine. We can’t afford any delays because of me.”

It would be a waste to spend precious remaining four months in the carriage, but taking a day off should be fine.

I opened the carriage window and stuck my head out.

“Duke.”

Even with a small voice, Deon, who was ahead, turned around.

“Let her rest.”

* * *

“Is Lady Arin asleep?”

“She’s still sleeping.”

Elizabeth suddenly felt drowsy. She nodded off on the window repeatedly, but woke up again. She said she was tired, not having a nightmare. And when she woke up, she turned her head and groaned, feeling nauseous.

Her chest, as if gnawed by hunger, sometimes throbbed several times. There was nothing to relieve the indigestion. There were no specialized doctors for pregnant women in the north, and the only snack to relieve indigestion was simple local snacks.

She sat crouched by the fire. The warm heat enveloped her face.

The small embers jumped around the firewood in a round shape. He silently pushed in more firewood.

“Are we still far from the capital?”

It was a forced march. Although Elizabeth had rested due to her indigestion, the carriage life was getting close to ten days. It seemed that a foul smell was coming from the clothes that hadn’t been properly changed. Fortunately, it wasn’t hot, so she didn’t sweat.

“We’re here. Over there.”

He pointed beyond the forest. A village with smoke rising from chimneys came into view.

It was the first time she had seen a house since coming to this world. I always had to look at the pointed castle towers.

“If we cross that forest, I guess I have to love the Duke.”

He turned his head at my words.

“Don’t you like it?”

“Well, my contracts have always been unfair contracts. So I don’t know how much damage this contract will cause. I might have a lot of losses.”

I handed him an empty cup. He casually tilted the teapot that had been placed on the fire over the cup and filled it. A steamy heat rose from the cup.

Although he was stripped of his position, he was still a high-ranking noble. Consideration for others was probably not in the royal etiquette. He naturally took care of me. When I shivered, he handed me a blanket, and when I coughed, he handed me water. Unspoken simple communication had become possible between us.

“Originally, if you think about it, all contracts are beneficial because it means that the other party is at a loss. And it’s not just you. I love you too.”

Laughter erupted. If someone who didn’t know heard it, they might mistake it for a sweet confession of love.

“Do you love me?”

At the sudden question, he let out a small laugh.

“I should.”

He confessed, exhaling a white breath.

Love.

The words that the deceased Leonie most wanted to hear flowed from his lips only after leaving the North.

What expression would she have had if she had heard those words?

Descending to the South, perhaps due to the warmer weather, the surroundings felt a bit warmer.