I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 156

Special Side Story 2. Old Days

If the depth of love could be measured comparatively, Ekian defined himself as someone whose feelings deepened the more time he spent together with the other person.

That was because, after marriage, his feelings for Judith had grown even deeper.

In truth, they had known each other since Judith was seventeen, but they hadn’t spent that much time together.

Even during their married life at the ducal estate, when he stayed there as his true self rather than as the ‘Master,’ there weren’t many remarkable memories.

Ekian was extremely busy because of his double life, and Judith, too, found her unfamiliar husband difficult, so she didn’t try to open her heart to him.

So it was only after they began living together at the Grand Duke’s residence that Ekian was finally able to observe Judith to his heart’s content.

“Did you know?”

Ekian asked Judith with a cheerful expression.

“When you’re deep in thought, you have a habit of fiddling with your earlobe.”

“Oh my.”

Judith raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I had no idea.”

Right now, they were out for a walk on the hill behind the Grand Duke’s residence.

Holding their young son, who had fallen asleep at some point, Ekian asked gently, “What were you thinking about?”

Judith replied with a faint smile, “Just… when would be a good time to have a second child, something like that? Of course, everyone has different thoughts, but I want to have many children.”

It was something he had already expected.

Judith liked children.

She’d adored young Karl, and of course, she liked children.

He didn’t know much about her time as a private tutor, but she probably taught children more sincerely than anyone.

You could tell just from how every household had felt regretful when she entered the Mayus ducal family.

“So that’s what you were thinking.”

Judith nodded and spoke seriously, “Yes. If we have a daughter, I was even thinking it might be nice to name her after the one who gave birth to you.”

At those unexpected words, Ekian’s eyes widened.

“Of course, the parents who raised you are incredibly precious… but the Last Priestess also truly acted for your sake. I want her trace to remain with us as well.”

In a way, it was a bond that continued because of his biological mother.

It was no different from his biological mother pouring out her life force completely to save Ekian and Judith and grant them such a happy life.

“Thinking about it like that makes me feel a bit solemn. I haven’t done anything for her.”

When Ekian answered honestly, Judith slowly shook her head.

“I’m not sure. Now that I’ve given birth, I… understand that feeling too. The feeling of being anxious because you can’t give more, even after giving everything.”

Judith said as she stroked the baby’s hair.

“She probably felt regretful not because she wanted something in return, but because she couldn’t give more. It’s just that the scale of it is beyond imagination and mysterious. So don’t feel guilty. That’s not why I said it.”

“I see. Then should I shamelessly hope for more?”

“Oh my. You really sounded like an unfilial child just now.”

Judith immediately criticized him sharply, and Ekian shrugged.

“No, you just said a parent regrets not being able to give more to their child….”

Of course, Ekian was joking as well. He thought it would be difficult for him to feel any more love for the mother who gave birth to him.

Because of the future she had given him, he had come to feel, for the first time, that he was glad to have been born.

“Alright. So what is it that you want so badly?” Judith asked, casting him a sidelong glance as if she was joking too.

“Ah, I’ve actually been thinking about something lately.”

Ekian answered while carefully studying Judith’s face.

“We’ve actually known each other for a long time, haven’t we? I’ve seen you since you were seventeen, but I barely remember that time. Maybe because I didn’t pay much attention.”

“That could be the case.”

Judith didn’t seem particularly upset.

“I was just one of the many people who came to sell information to the Master back then. We never did anything personal together, so is there anything that would’ve left a strong impression?”

When he first met her, he was nineteen.

At the time, he thought he was already grown, but looking back now, he was nothing more than an immature child.

At the tail end of puberty, still thinking he was a being that shouldn’t exist in this world, only tormenting himself….

The information guild was running successfully, but he himself was unstable during that period.

To be honest, he had no interest not just in Judith, but in any women at all. He couldn’t even imagine liking someone or being capable of liking someone.

“So I regret that time a little,” Ekian murmured, his voice tinged with melancholy. “I could’ve gotten to know you much more, but it feels like I let that precious time slip away.”

Judith smiled shyly. She also didn’t have many memories of that time.

“That’s because you were wearing a mask.”

She turned the blame toward him.

“If you’d looked like this back then, I definitely would’ve at least tried talking to you more. I was busy at the time too, but I still would’ve had enough room to toss a joke to a handsome man.”

“What, that’s all you’d do, just throw out a joke?”

Judith said decisively, “For something like a relationship, I didn’t have that kind of freedom. I think that would’ve been enough compensation for my feelings. But still, it was probably better that you wore a mask. If you’d worked without it, some other woman would’ve snatched you away first.”

“Ah, wait. Let’s not imagine a future like that.”

Ekian quickly cut off Judith’s imagination before it could go any further.

“Just… let’s leave it at regretting that we let that time pass.”

Gently brushing their sleeping son’s cheek, he continued wisely, “Even now, I already regret every moment our son is growing up like this. So I’m saying it because I regret missing your teenage years even more.”

Judith shrugged. “But it couldn’t be helped. Let’s just be grateful to the Last Priestess that we were able to be together after becoming adults.”

“That’s true.”

As they started walking back toward the Grand Duke’s residence, Ekian nodded.

“In the end, it’s just something that remains as a small regret.”

That was truly how Ekian felt. He had never thought of it as some overwhelming regret.

But perhaps because a parent’s heart wants to give even the smallest thing.

The Last Priestess, who had already left this world, gathered the little strength she had left and left him one final small gift.

That night.

Ekian had a very strange dream.

In the dream, which felt unreal yet vividly clear, surprisingly, seventeen-year-old Judith appeared.

No, it was a dream of those days that hadn’t remained in his memory.

***

“The Baron and Baroness of Palena have had issues since before their marriage.”

A young Judith spoke crisply.

“They’ll likely divorce someday.”

From behind his mask, Ekian stared at the red-haired young lady.

Her bright green eyes rolled lightly. Ekian clasped his gloved hands together and asked leisurely, “And how did you come to know that information, Miss Judith?”

Even as he asked, he didn’t expect much. Judith’s answers were always the same.

“Well, it just sort of happened.”

Information that was accurate but not very useful

If anything, bringing only this kind of information was a talent in itself.

“Hmm… I’ll pay 1 gold. If the two do divorce later, I’ll give you 2 more gold.”

Even if it wasn’t particularly valuable, Judith’s information was highly reliable.

So it was better to pay for it in advance for the sake of future information.

“Wow.”

Judith was openly delighted.

“Thank you, Master.”

Ekian stared at her.

At this rate, when would she ever pay off that enormous debt, saving up 1 gold at a time….

“Ahem.”

Looking at Judith’s brightly smiling face, he spoke on impulse, “On second thought, 2 gold would be better. If it’s a noble family’s domestic discord, it seems worth at least that much.”