Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Side Story 15

“What should I pay attention to for a pregnant woman?”

Sir Bahrain, the symbol of fertility in the knighthood, was summoned once again. Having recently welcomed his first son-in-law, he sensed the situation and offered his congratulations as soon as he entered the office.

“Congratulations on the margrave’s first heir!”

“No, keep it unknown to the public for now.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Understood.”

Sir Bahrain nodded vigorously and began explaining things from memory.

“Well… My wife became sensitive early on during her pregnancies. In fact, she acted quite unpredictably throughout. She cried over trivial things and felt hurt easily.”

Eirik hesitated. He remembered the look on Miesa’s face when she kept asking if he wasn’t happy.

“I honestly thought she’d gone mad. Still, I did everything she asked. I took great care of her.”

“……”

“Anyway, I simply did everything my wife told me to.”

“I see…”

After confirming a few more points, Eirik rubbed his forehead. Thinking back to his earlier response, he realized she might have felt hurt.

Leaving the office, Eirik washed up thoroughly and headed back to the bedroom. But Miesa was already napping.

Eirik lay down quietly beside her, gently pulling back the blanket. He watched her flat belly rise and fall with each breath. It still felt unbelievable. Their child was inside her.

“Ah, I want Kalite sorbet.”

Hearing her mumble as if talking in her sleep, Eirik chuckled softly.

“Shall I get it for you?”

“Really? Wow, that’s amazing.”

Miesa opened her eyes with a twinkle. Eirik, gazing at her face, which smiled like a child, spoke up.

“Honestly, I can’t even begin to express how overwhelmed I feel.”

Miesa looked at him with hopeful eyes, waiting for his next words, but Eirik suddenly found himself speechless. Seeing this, she pouted.

“Hmph.”

“What can I do for you to show my happiness?”

Eirik gently swept away the stray hairs on her face. After thinking for a moment, Miesa shook her head.

“It’s fine. Just treat me the same as always.”

“That doesn’t seem like enough. I want to do even better for you.”

“What more could you possibly do for me here?”

She giggled, and as she laughed, Eirik kissed her cheek and asked quietly, “I was worried you might feel hurt.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because of what happened earlier.”

Understanding his meaning, Miesa thought for a moment before replying cheerfully, “You’re usually not very expressive. Maybe because you grew up on the battlefield.”

“……”

“And you always suppress your emotions and prioritize what needs to be done, especially during big events. I wasn’t completely without expectations, but I understand your nature, so I wasn’t hurt.”

Eirik had no response to her words. He had never really reflected on his own personality.

Is that really how I am?

While Eirik was lost in thought, Miesa continued, “Even when you were forced into marrying me, you didn’t get upset. You only focused on fulfilling your duty. And when you found out what Vermel did to me, instead of losing control, you prepared for rebellion.”

She recalled their past one event at a time.

“During the second war with Sidate, you returned to the battlefield without hesitation. And you saved me and the country.”

Her clear voice left a dull ache in his heart.

“That’s just how you are. I know that, so I understand. I wasn’t hurt.”

Eirik remained silent for a long time.

As the heir of Cladnier, the one responsible for defending the northwestern region, he had never expected anyone to understand him. And yet, here he was, being comforted by Miesa, who had endured indescribable suffering herself.

“Is that… really true?”

“I like you just as you are, so it’s okay. Besides—”

Miesa whispered as if she’d made a grand discovery, “I thought our personalities were completely opposite, but it turns out we’re quite similar in that way.”

“……”

“During significant events, we don’t get swept up in emotions. We think about what needs to be done first. Isn’t that right?”

Eirik felt an inexplicable emotion. The one person he loved truly knew him better than he knew himself.

“I see.”

With a subdued voice, Eirik finally uttered those words. Miesa, as if comforting him, playfully patted his face.

“Poor Eirik. All I have to do is give birth.”

“What?”

“You said you would raise the child. I only have to endure for one year, but you have to take care of them for a long time.”

Eirik raised an eyebrow at her sudden statement. He vaguely remembered having a similar conversation sometime in the past.

But judging from the proud look on her face, it was clearly a distorted memory or, at best, an exaggerated claim. He knew that face well—the one she wore whenever she successfully deceived someone. But there was only one response he could give.

“Alright. Your memory is surely better than mine.”

“That’s right. You promised to watch over the nanny and find a suitable tutor, and even arrange their marriage in the future.”

Miesa laughed as she rubbed his cheek with her palm.

“Take good care of them, alright?”

“…I’ll do my best.”

“That’s right. That’s why you were so tense and couldn’t properly show your happiness. Because it’s such a big responsibility.”

Eirik looked at Miesa, who spoke so confidently, and inadvertently muttered her words like a chant, “‘Poor Eirik,’ indeed.”

“Exactly, my poor husband. After raising a wife, now you have to raise a child too.”

Her laughter grew even louder.

***

The former margrave was ecstatic. He abandoned his unfinished tactical manuscript and headed straight for Cladis.

“An heir to the family, a son!”

“Honey.”

Inside the carriage, the former margravine grabbed his shoulder to stop his jubilant fist-pumping. The child might be a boy or a girl—they didn’t know yet, but he kept saying “son,” much to her annoyance.

“Be careful not to slip up in front of the children, alright?”

“Ahem, ahem!”

The great lord shut his mouth at his wife’s stern tone. Though she had warned him multiple times, his head was filled with visions of a grown, sturdy grandson.

He managed to maintain his composure until they greeted their son and daughter-in-law at the castle. He even tried to hold it together during dinner after a short rest in the western wing.

“I felt the baby move for the first time recently, so the doctor said they might arrive in about six months.”

Eirik’s explanation brought another joyful smile to the great madam face.

“Good. I see the morning sickness wasn’t too bad.”

“Yes, I managed well enough.”

“That’s not true. Miesa suffered for months, unable to eat anything.”

Eirik frowned as he spoke. The great madam tilted her head in confusion, as Miesa looked healthier than ever.

“If you had seen her last month… Anyway, one day, as if by magic, the sickness suddenly stopped, and now she’s making up for all those missed meals.”

Eirik explained with a faint smile of relief. Considering how easily his mother lost her composure when it came to Miesa, they had delayed sharing the news of her pregnancy.

“Poor thing, it must have been tough. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“We tried everything that was supposed to help. But as the doctor said, it just took time.”

“Some women struggle with morning sickness until they give birth. Fortunately, it ended quickly for me.”

Miesa smiled as she sliced her veal, and at that moment, the great lord couldn’t hold back any longer.

“They say if the morning sickness isn’t too bad, it’s a boy.”

“What?”

“The next heir of Cladnier will surely be—”

“Honey, didn’t you hear what they just said? Miesa couldn’t eat anything for months! Besides, when I was pregnant with Eirik, I was bedridden with morning sickness. Do you not remember?”

As his wife’s stern words struck him like rapid blows, the great lord’s face turned pale, like the tablecloth.

With the great madam taking control, Miesa quietly chewed the roasted vegetables that Eirik had sliced and put on her plate.

“If it’s a girl, she’ll be as beautiful as Miesa. Well, a boy would be wonderful too.”

The great madam quickly regained her composure, smiling as if nothing had happened. She vowed that on their next visit to the castle, she would definitely leave her husband behind.

What kind of person will the child be?

As her belly began to swell, Miesa often found herself lost in thought. Imagining what the baby would look like, from appearance to personality, was something she did several times a day without ever getting tired of it.

Will they look like me? Hopefully, they’ll resemble Eirik. Because he was so wonderful in her heart, that was all Miesa wished for.

If they take after someone else, then Mother would be fine too, she concluded one evening. Her thoughts drifted to the former margrave as well. But even Father has his adorable moments, so that wouldn’t be bad either. And besides…

“You’ll be the one raising the child, right?”

It was a question she had asked several times already.

Eirik nodded immediately. “It’s my responsibility to ensure the nanny does her job properly, find a good tutor, and even arrange their marriage in the future.”