I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 41

The Master couldn’t say a word and simply swallowed dryly. Meanwhile, Judith took a moment to steady her slightly erratic breathing.

“Phew, I got strangely worked up. Just thinking about it makes me furious. I guess I got emotional because I really enjoy spending time with Mother, Father, and Karl.”

“Haha…”

“In any case, it’s clear that there’s no chance of Young Duke Ekian Mayus returning. That’s why I’ve never even considered such a possibility.”

Judith smiled brightly and straightened her posture.

Then, after rolling her eyes once, she cautiously added with a smile, “By the way, Master, thank you.”

“What?”

“Thank you for saving me earlier from that servant. Honestly, I’m really grateful. The Mayus household staff would have intervened eventually, but…”

Judith whispered as she added to her thanks. Expressing her gratitude seemed to amplify the thoughts she’d been having about him.

“And now that I think about it, thank you for trying to protect me at the Shrine of the Last Priestess, too. That means a lot.”

“I didn’t really do anything.”

The Master’s somewhat tense voice carried a faint trace of laughter.

“I wasn’t able to protect you back then.”

“Still…”

Judith looked at the Master intently.

“The more I think about it, the more thankful I feel. And because of that, I keep thinking about you.”

Not being able to see the Master’s expression frustrated her to no end. She had no idea how he was reacting to her words.

In truth, Judith herself wasn’t entirely sure about her own feelings. But one thing was certain.

After confessing her chaotic emotions, she felt both relieved and exhilarated. It was a sensation she had never experienced before. After a moment of silence, the Master cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“It’s embarrassing to make a big deal out of nothing. Let’s get back to the earlier topic…”

To Judith, the topic of Ekian Mayus wasn’t particularly important. To be honest, since she still didn’t know much about the Master, she only wanted to talk about him.

However, the Master seemed oddly intent on continuing the discussion about Ekian.

“Didn’t you say you liked Ekian Mayus in the past? I don’t think it’s fair to label him a scumbag so quickly…”

“I don’t like him anymore. Completely, utterly, without any lingering feelings, I’ve forgotten about him.”

“But since you once had feelings for him, wouldn’t they resurface if you met him again…? And, well, isn’t it true that no one new has entered your heart yet?”

For a moment, Judith’s face, which had been confidently answering, showed a hint of bewilderment.

“Oh…”

At that moment, the person who came to her mind wasn’t Ekian, but the Master standing before her.

After all, she had been thinking about him all along. She had even felt conflicted about whether she might have feelings for him.

In fact, when he first arrived, she had been hesitant to let him leave without a reason. That’s why she had brought up the catalog she wasn’t even interested in.

‘But… I’m still not sure, am I?’

Judith’s face slowly began to flush.

Realizing that she might like a man whose name, face, and even voice she didn’t know had only hit her now. Of course, it left her feeling confused.

What made it worse was that her initial thought had been, ‘Does the Master like me?’ From that question, she’d arrived at the realization that she didn’t dislike the idea. That was what had brought her to this point.

‘Or… could it be certain? The fact that I’m even thinking about this…’

The Master keenly picked up on Judith’s hesitation in that fleeting moment.

“Um…”

The Master’s shoulders twitched slightly, and he cautiously asked, “Could it be… there is someone?”

“Well, that is…”

Caught off guard, Judith hesitated. She couldn’t just blurt out that she had felt her heart flutter because of him.

Though she had no experience in romance, she understood that relationships progressed in stages.

Moreover, hadn’t she explicitly declared to him that she wouldn’t engage in any romantic affairs during the contract period?

“Well, it’s not like my feelings are definite or deeply passionate… Actually, we’re still in the early stages of knowing each other…”

Judith waved her hands quickly as she added, “I just think… I’d like to get to know him better. Since I’m not sure yet. Ahaha.”

During this exchange, the Master’s demeanor seemed to grow increasingly grim. As his silence stretched, Judith found herself rambling, unsure why she was even explaining.

“I’m not completely oblivious, so I did wonder if that person might like me. And… well, it’s not something I’d dislike… Oh, anyway!”

Judith’s voice trailed off as she grew more flustered, concluding meekly.

“I guess… I need to figure out how I feel. Still, at this point, I don’t even know my own heart. If we keep spending time together, I might develop feelings… or maybe not…”

“I see.”

The Master ground his teeth as he spoke.

“So, it’s not certain yet.”

“Well, not yet.”

“But you’re saying that if you spend more time together, it might become dangerous. Confusing, but you could cross that line.”

Judith nodded slowly. “It’s quite dangerous.”

Because it was true. Feeling embarrassed, Judith added, “I never imagined I’d waver like this the moment my debts were gone and life became more stable.”

“Ha.”

“Still! I should act only after the divorce. I’m a responsible worker, after all.”

“You’re already considering acting on it?”

“If that person likes me too, and I like him, why hesitate? I’d like to start my family as soon as possible.”

At first, Judith’s words had been tentative, but as she spoke, her enthusiasm grew. Expressing her feelings to someone she cared about filled her with excitement. And since she couldn’t see the Master’s expression behind his mask, she felt oddly emboldened.

‘Is this… what they call flirting?’

Judith rested her chin on her hand and smiled. She gazed curiously at the Master’s mask, suddenly wondering what kind of face lay beneath it.

Given his impressive physique, even an average face would rank him highly overall.

“A family…”

While Judith was happily lost in her daydreams, the Master’s voice sounded oddly strained as he exhaled.

“So, you want to start a family with that person? Forgetting about Ekian Mayus entirely?”

“Why should I think about Ekian Mayus, who’d surely be a scumbag if he were alive?”

Judith quickly dismissed the mention of her supposed past affection for Ekian, worried it might matter to the Master.

To be honest, she had never liked Ekian. It would be ridiculous for a baseless claim to ruin her current chances at romance.

The Master stammered before protesting.

“But isn’t starting a new family too fast?”

“That’s true. I think so too. Naturally, there’s a process for everything.”

Even at that moment, Judith’s thoughts wandered.

‘If we connect emotionally and become a couple, will I finally get to see his face?’

Resolving to unmask him someday, she murmured absentmindedly, “First, I’d need to take it off…”

“……”

The Master fell completely silent, frozen in place. He didn’t move a muscle, as though he’d turned to stone.

“Well, um.”

Unaware of the Master’s reaction, Judith missed his obvious discomfort. He hesitated for a long while before abruptly standing up. Stammering, he bid her farewell.

“I-It’s late. I’ll be going now. I’ve… learned a lot about your preferences.”

“Alright. Goodnight.”

Judith felt satisfied with her playful yet restrained flirting. She cheerfully waved goodbye.