I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 142

“Congratulations.”

The imperial physician declared with a smile to Alteion.

“Both Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Princess are in good health.”

Due to how quickly the labor progressed, not only the palace physician but even the Grand Duke’s own physicians were on high alert. But the outcome was good.

The newborn princess cried with a strong voice. While many attendants who had accompanied the Empress took care of the baby, Alteion embraced Melanie tightly.

“You did well. You really did.”

“Phew, the second time is still hard.”

Melanie shook her head and murmured, completely exhausted. Her hair, damp with sweat, clung to her face.

“I clearly remembered how painful it was last time, but somehow I forgot all over again… I even wondered why I forgot.”

With a look of pity, Alteion gently tucked her hair behind her ear. It was her second delivery, but seeing his wife suffer was just as painful as the first time. That was a different matter from the joy of having a beloved child.

Melanie softly smiled and changed the subject.

“By the way, we’ve caused quite a stir at the Grand Duke’s manor.”

It was quite late at night, but no one had gone to bed. Just outside the door, Ekian and Judith, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Mayus, were likely waiting anxiously.

“Maybe it’s fortunate that the labor didn’t start during the wedding…”

Melanie leaned her head on Alteion’s shoulder and let out a long sigh.

Alteion also chuckled helplessly and muttered, “We were prepared, but still, for a princess to be born at the Grand Duke’s manor. Maybe she took a liking to the place. I wonder if she’ll insist on visiting often when she’s older.”

At his joke, Melanie clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Then at the very least, she had better be a good noona to her cousin. It’s the least she could do to repay today’s favor. The Grand Duchess is also pregnant, and I bet she hasn’t had any rest. I feel truly sorry.”

At that, Alteion’s eyes widened. “Noona? Is Ekian and Judith’s child a boy?”

“That’s what the Grand Duchess said earlier,” Melanie replied casually.

Alteion looked a bit surprised too, but soon smiled and nodded. “I see. So they already knew the gender.”

They had just arrived today and hadn’t even had a proper meal together.

It had been a chaotic day, with many guests, so it wasn’t strange that they hadn’t heard about the baby’s gender.

“I thought it was still too early to know.”

“So did I, but they apparently found out. Maybe the pregnancy was further along than we thought.”

Judith had faked a pregnancy and then became truly pregnant afterward. Plus, she had left the capital before announcing the news publicly. So no one was quite certain how far along she was, and with it being someone else’s business, confusion was only natural.

“Anyway, get some rest now.”

Alteion kissed Melanie on the forehead and stood up.

“I’ll go out and inform everyone waiting. I’ll be right back. You really did well.”

***

Ben, Isabella, and Judith were all gathered in one room. Despite the late hour, even Karl hadn’t gone to bed and was drinking milk beside Judith.

By the time Ekian arrived, looking somewhat tired, the banquet had fully ended. But there was no time for greetings—at that very moment, the newborn’s cry echoed through the Grand Duke’s manor.

“At last!”

“She made it before midnight.”

“I hope Her Majesty the Empress is all right.”

“Wow, newborns really cry like that! They actually cry ‘Waaah waaah!’ just like people say!”

Everyone sprang up and spoke nervously one by one.

“Sit down, Judith.”

Ekian took Judith’s hand gently.

“It’s late—you must be tired.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one who had a long day. Entertaining all those guests alone…”

“Not really.”

Ekian shook his head, looking at Judith with concern.

“But not seeing you for so long was exhausting.”

At those words, Karl narrowed his eyes. “You don’t happen to be the type who smooths things over with words, do you?”

Isabella also crossed her arms with a skeptical look. “You’re being sincere, right? You’re not just putting on an extra-sweet act because we’re here, are you?”

Ben added with a cough, “When Isabella was pregnant, I didn’t even let her feet touch the floor.”

Ekian murmured as he held tightly onto Judith’s hand, “Wow. Feels like I’ve walked into enemy territory.”

“If you intended to take my daughter-in-law, you should’ve been prepared for this much. I’ll never let her go without a fight!” Isabella said primly.

“You already did.”

Ekian replied with a sly grin, looking slightly overwhelmed. The family was in such a flurry that he hadn’t even had a proper conversation with Judith yet.

Just as he was about to ask Judith if she was feeling all right and whether anything had gone wrong during the wedding, there was a sharp knock and Alteion entered.

“As expected.”

Alteion, having just witnessed the birth of new life, looked pleased. He spoke kindly, “You’ve all been waiting without rest, haven’t you? Both the baby and the mother are in good health.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief at those words. The unexpected delivery in an unfamiliar place had left them all tense.

“Even until the end, the Empress was worried about the Grand Duchess. She kept saying she must be exhausted today and couldn’t even get proper rest.”

Delivering Melanie’s apology, Alteion also smiled warmly at Ekian.

“Sorry for causing trouble at the Grand Duke’s manor, Ekian.”

“You traveled such a long way to bless our wedding—if anything, we are the ones who should be grateful.”

Ekian shook his head and added, “We’ll make sure Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Princess are comfortably looked after until they return to the capital.”

It was only natural. A new mother and newborn couldn’t possibly undertake the long journey to the capital right away. Judith promptly chimed in.

“We’d be honored if you stayed and rested for as long as needed. Please don’t worry at all.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Alteion replied with a gentle smile, and Isabella naturally joined in.

“By the way, did you bring all the baby items for Her Highness the Princess?”

“We brought only the bare essentials.”

“Then you can use what I brought. I brought plenty of clothes for both boys and girls from the capital.”

At Isabella’s words, Alteion nodded, clearly pleased. “That’s perfect. Since they’re for a baby girl, there shouldn’t be any overlap. Thank you, madam.”

At the phrase ‘shouldn’t be any overlap,’ Ekian’s expression briefly hardened.

But Alteion, still engrossed in conversation with Isabella, didn’t notice the subtle change and continued speaking.

“Her Majesty says that now the princess must become a good noona—she’s already caused such a stir the moment she was born.”

Ben smiled fondly and replied, “To play with her cousin, Her Highness will need to be strong. Ekian used to dash around like a wild child. Well, boys around that age are all the same.”

Then Karl chimed in too. “I’ve promised to play well with my little brother! If Her Highness is tired, I’ll step up as the big brother!”

“Hmm, in that case, we’ll have to visit the Grand Duke’s manor often, Your Majesty.”

Isabella added with rare sociability and a smile.

“We’ve only ever raised boys and now we’ll have a grandson who’s a boy too, so it’ll be quite fun to have a little princess around.”

Everyone was happily chatting, the mood warm and lively. But among them was one person who had gone completely stiff.

“Um…”

Ekian, his voice trembling before he even realized it, looked at Judith and asked, “The baby…”

Judith too had a very awkward expression, as if she hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.

“I-is it a boy?”

In an instant, the room filled with friendly conversation fell silent.