Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 170

“Madam, I’m the head maid of the estate. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“I’m the chief butler. I once saw you from afar a few years ago—”

“Wait, wait. I’ll introduce everyone properly. How impatient can you be?”

The great madam, who had returned, waved her hand to create some distance between the attendants and led Miesa and Eirik directly to the second floor. As they climbed the stairs, the great madam explained to Miesa in a lighthearted tone.

“As you’ve seen, the attendants here in Cladis are straightforward and affectionate.”

“They are, indeed. The people at the capital mansion were friendly, of course, but…”

The great madam’s attendants in the capital would pretend not to see when Miesa, pretending to be mad, swung from the curtains. When Miesa looked back, the head maid and attendants here not only smiled warmly but also continued to look up at her in admiration.

“They’re all sincere and don’t know how to scheme. When I take some of them to the capital, I tend to choose those with more refined manners, but even those who go to the capital change their tone once they return to Cladis.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Oh, and the natives of Cladis have quite a different accent. Among the attendants and maids, some have a strong accent, so keep that in mind.”

With that, the great madam opened the door to the bridal chamber, and Miesa let out an exclamation.

“Wow! It’s so beautiful! Is this the room Eirik and I will be using?”

“Yes, we knocked down a wall and combined two rooms into one. Your husband insisted on it.”

“Oh… But isn’t it a bit… too pretty?”

Miesa glanced cautiously at Eirik. She didn’t mind the floral decorations here and there, but she wasn’t sure if the delicate floral-patterned sheets on the bed were suitable for Eirik.

“As long as there is a roof to keep the rain out and walls to block the wind, I am satisfied.”

Eirik was already aware of how the bridal chamber would be decorated. When the great madam had written to ask about Miesa’s preferences, he had revealed his wife’s girlish taste—her love for floral embroidery and colorful patterns.

“That’s what he said. Feel free to change things over time; tastes can change.”

The great madam smiled contentedly and gestured towards Madam Manere, who stood behind her.

“Manere mentioned she would like to become the head maid. The chief maid here will start the handover process tomorrow.”

“The handover?”

Miesa blinked in surprise, prompting the great madam to elaborate.

“We’ve also found ourselves a house. I’ll be taking some of my attendants with me, so we need to hand over certain duties in advance.”

“Mother, will Eirik and I be the only ones living in this huge mansion?”

“Having two ladies in one household is simply unthinkable. No matter what, that’s one thing I won’t compromise on.”

The great madam scolded Miesa, who looked as though she was about to cry.

“I’ll stay until the two of you settle in, so don’t make that face already.”

“For how long? You have to stay for a long time…”

“We’ll discuss that gradually. Now, I’ve put a lot of effort into decorating this room, so go feel the sheets and check out the furniture—and spend some time with your husband.”

With those parting words, the great madam left. Pouting, Miesa began to follow Eirik, who was already examining the room. While Eirik checked the thickness of the windows and doors, as well as the walls, Miesa flopped down onto the soft bed.

“This place is amazing! It feels like heaven!”

“Are you warm enough?”

After checking the fire in the fireplace, Eirik lay down beside her. When their eyes met, both of them smiled simultaneously.

“It’s so wonderful. The warmth, the weather, the people—everything is perfect. No, even the word ‘perfect’ doesn’t seem to do it justice.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“It’s not just ‘glad,’ it’s beyond amazing.” Miesa chuckled but suddenly sat up. “Oh, I have something I want to ask you.”

“Go ahead. What’s your first question in Cladis?”

Miesa hesitated before asking, “Eirik, do you want to be a father? Do you want it a lot?”

Eirik raised his eyebrows, not expecting her to bring up this topic now. Miesa continued to explain, “Earlier, in front of the castle, you said, ‘I am the son of Cladnier, soon to be a father.’“

Eirik burst out laughing. “Oh, that. I didn’t mean anything serious by it. That’s just what the head of the Cladnier family says. Each family has its own way of announcing itself.”

He thought for a moment and then realized she might not be familiar with such formalities.

“I suppose no one would dare recite such a lengthy formal greeting in front of the former queen. Anyway, it was just a formality, nothing more.”

“Oh, I see. I remember people usually just stated their names and family.”

While Miesa recalled those moments, Eirik thought back to her initial question.

“And you asked if I wanted to be a father, right?”

He continued with a mischievous smile, “Haven’t I been proving, almost every night, just how much I want to be a father?”

However, she hadn’t conceived yet. And she still wasn’t confident about bearing and raising a child. She rolled her eyes, wondering how to explain it, before speaking cautiously.

“What if… we never have a baby?”

“There’s always the option of adoption, so you don’t have to feel pressured to bear a child. But as the head of the family, I do need an heir.”

Eirik noticed her anxious expression and asked, “Is this something that worries or bothers you?”

“Well…”

Miesa hesitated before answering, “I think I’m just not ready for it yet.”

“Wait, you do know how babies are made, right? You understand that, don’t you?”

Seeing Eirik’s flustered reaction, Miesa quickly added as if to defend herself.

“No, I know. I understood what we were doing could lead to having a baby… But now, hearing about Nea being pregnant and Gella too, I feel strange.”

“The queen is expecting… But who is Nea?”

“She’s a maid, and she’s due soon. I left her in the capital mansion with her husband. Anyway, seeing so many people with children suddenly made me nervous.”

After listening to her, Eirik pondered for a moment before nodding.

“Come to think of it, is this the first time you’ve seen someone pregnant?”

“Yes, Nea’s belly was out to here.”

Miesa made a large round gesture with her hands, and Eirik laughed again.

“I saw you touching her belly in the workroom, but it wasn’t that big. More like… this.”

Eirik held her hands to form a smaller circle, then pulled her into his embrace.

“It was near full term. You must’ve been quite surprised.”

“Yes, I was. To think there’s a person inside someone’s body, and you can even feel them moving…”

While Eirik patted her gently, Miesa leaned against his chest, pouring out her thoughts.

“If I have a baby, I’ll be someone’s mother, right? Could I ever be someone’s mother?”

She looked up at him, whispering as if sharing a deeply important secret.

“I mean, I no longer play in the dirt or with worms, but it scares me. Can I really raise someone properly?”

“…Well, to be honest, raising a child won’t fall entirely on you, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Huh?”

Miesa’s eyes widened in surprise, and Eirik’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“As you saw, there’s a nanny, there are attendants… Honestly, I was half-raised by the knights myself.”

“My mother raised me herself.”

“So you have a greater appreciation for the role of a mother than most. You’re special in that regard.”

But Eirik didn’t want to push her.

“Since childbirth is said to be quite painful, if we aren’t absolutely certain we want it, there’s no reason to force it.”

“Actually, I’m not worried about the pain. That’s not the issue.”

She’d heard it was painful, but the fear of pain wasn’t enough to deter her from such an important decision. From what Nea had said, it didn’t seem like a big deal.

“I’m good at enduring pain.”

“Even so, there’s no reason to go through it unnecessarily,” Eirik reassured her.

He added, “In any case, we should be more diligent with precautions from now on. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.”

He kissed Miesa’s forehead, pressing his lips against it before lifting her from the bed.

“For now, let’s freshen up a bit and head to dinner.”

“Why don’t you eat comfortably in your room?”

When they went down to the dining room, the great madam looked surprised and called for an attendant to remove the boiled eggs from the table.

“I dislike birds, but eggs are fine, Mother.”

When Miesa apologized, Eirik smiled and sat her down.

“I wanted to show Miesa the dining room, so we came here.”

“I see…”

The meal proceeded quietly. Apart from Eirik occasionally explaining the dishes to Miesa, it was mostly silent.

With both the great lord and his wife remaining quiet, Miesa felt a bit self-conscious. Maybe she shouldn’t have pestered Eirik into coming to the dining room. While lost in thought, Miesa fidgeted with her knife, slipping it and causing a soft clatter as it hit the plate.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Come to think of it, it’s time we replaced the cutlery.”

The great madam replied nonchalantly, glancing at her husband with a sigh.

“Dear, it’s no good if you’re this reserved around your son and daughter-in-law. Say something.”

“Ahem, hm.”

The great lord blushed and stuffed a piece of boiled boar into his mouth.

Miesa blinked at the sight and asked, “Father, are we intimidating to you?”

“Yes. I also never knew my husband was this shy,” the great madam answered in place of her husband, shaking her head.