I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 58

This can’t be happening!

‘Get it together, Karl!’

When Karl had woken up that morning and heard the news of Ekian’s return, he had felt as if he were walking on clouds.

Wasn’t this his most beloved older brother in the entire world?

Gifted with an extraordinary memory and intelligence far beyond his years, Karl remembered every single day he had spent with Ekian. That was why he had missed him every single day.

So when he finally saw Ekian again, he had burst into tears, expressing his joy without restraint.

But the moment he saw Judith’s face, his mind suddenly snapped back to reality.

To Judith, his brother was the worst kind of scoundrel!

Hadn’t he been the one who got her pregnant and then cruelly abandoned her, only to show up now as if nothing had happened?

Hadn’t he loudly declared, “I’ll make sure to educate him properly. He’s a complete piece of trash,” and sworn every single day, “I will protect my sister-in-law!”

And after spending time with Judith, Karl had realized what a kind and pure person she was. He didn’t fully understand how babies were made, but he was certain of one thing—this was entirely Ekian’s fault.

‘I’m sorry, Judith!’

Karl raised both hands and slapped his own chubby cheeks.

‘You must have resented my brother every day, yet here I am, clinging to him in happiness like this!’

From Judith’s perspective, how betrayed must she have felt?

For the sake of his niece or nephew growing in Judith’s belly, he couldn’t just let this slide.

Judging by how good Ekian looked, their parents probably hadn’t even scolded him.

Could it be that, having longed for his return every day, they had simply brushed everything aside, saying, “As long as he’s back, that’s all that matters”?

‘But I can’t do that.’

Karl’s eyes burned with determination.

‘Judith saved me from Sarah.’

Even if his parents doted on Ekian, Karl couldn’t afford to do the same and let him go unchecked. Snorting fiercely, he pulled away from Ekian.

Then, he ran straight to Judith, who was tilting her head in confusion.

“Sister-in-law! Did he apologize properly?”

“…Huh?”

“Don’t forgive him so easily! He needs to learn what responsibility is!”

Karl put on his most solemn expression and scolded Ekian.

“Don’t let him into the room until he kneels and begs for forgiveness! My niece or nephew doesn’t need an irresponsible father like that!”

Both Ekian and Judith were completely dumbfounded, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Karl stomped his foot and shouted, “Just because he’s the Young Duke of Mayus, he runs away and makes a baby, and now he thinks he can come back like nothing happened? Who raised him like this? Huh? And now he just returns as if everything is fine? Is that what an honorable father should do?”

“K-Karl… That’s, um, there were… misunderstandings…”

While Ekian struggled to find words, Judith quickly intervened.

“Uh, well, there were some misunderstandings. Lord Ekian is, um, not that kind of person. You’re still young, so there are things that adults can’t fully explain…”

“Even so! How could he leave behind the woman carrying his child all alone!”

And so, Ekian’s grand plan to have a peaceful tea time with Karl and Judith fell apart completely.

For a long time, both Ekian and Judith had to console the indignant Karl, who fumed with righteous anger.

***

“Hmmm.”

Anais sat with her legs crossed, lazily flipping through a report.

“So, this is how she’s been living.”

It was a report on Judith, compiled at the emperor’s command. As it had been hastily written overnight, it contained only the basic details.

“Her time at Baron Ailan’s estate, I already know well enough.”

Anais slowly skimmed through the details of Judith’s life after she turned seventeen.

She had lived in a small boarding house and worked excessively as a private tutor. Anais raised an eyebrow.

“This is interesting.”

She murmured to herself, a look of intrigue crossing her face.

“I think I can use one of these to create a scandal.”

“Huh? A scandal?”

“Yes. Something provocative, filthy, and utterly disgraceful.”

Anais let out a small laugh.

“The dirtier the scandal, the more foolish the Mayus Ducal House will look for boasting about their daughter-in-law everywhere.”

A story had already taken shape in Anais’s mind.

“Spread the rumor that when she was still a minor, she had an affair with one of the parents whose children she tutored and gave birth to a child. That would mean the baby in her belly is actually her second.”

At Anais’s words, one of her subordinates tilted their head in confusion. “So… are you saying we should fabricate the existence of a first child?”

“Exactly. Unless someone is of special lineage like the Mayus family or the imperial family, there’s no way to prove paternity.”

Anais smirked and continued, “Just claim she already has an illegitimate child. It would be simple to pick up a two- or three-year-old child with red hair and green eyes from an orphanage.”

“Wouldn’t Judith Mayus vehemently deny it?”

“Which is why we need to bribe people.”

Anais waved the report in her hand.

“Find one of the families Judith worked for the longest. Buy them off and have them claim that Judith gave birth to an illegitimate child two years ago and that they’ve been raising it in secret.”

Of course, Judith would protest and demand evidence. But just the existence of such a scandal alone would severely damage the reputation of the Mayus Ducal House. There was a reason why nobles were so sensitive about these things.

“And afterward, if she conveniently miscarries…”

Anais chuckled.

“Wouldn’t she be easily divorced then?”

To the emperor, she had said she would investigate Judith while also tarnishing the Mayus Ducal House’s reputation. But in truth, Anais simply wanted to ruin Judith herself.

“Find a few families that seem financially troubled.”

Anais flashed a sly smile.

“They’re all commoners anyway, aren’t they? If there aren’t any who are desperate for money, then make them desperate.”

***

Ten days.

That was the time Ekian had given Judith until she met with “Master.”

During that time, Ekian planned to reorganize the Grey Information Guild.

Of course, he had no intention of dismantling the guild entirely. Instead, he aimed to transfer all the accumulated intelligence and the network of informants scattered across the capital directly under the personal jurisdiction of the Young Duke of Mayus.

‘In a week, I will meet with Judith and inform her that the Grey Information Guild is shutting down. I will tell her that I’m returning to my homeland or leaving the country for good.’

To the outside world, the Grey Information Guild was now closing its doors. But in reality, it remained fully intact.

‘In the end, this works out well.’

Ekian thought as he sorted through the guild’s internal affairs.

‘When dealing with the emperor, intelligence is indispensable.’

Of course, given the nature of the capital’s information guilds, they couldn’t directly access highly classified details within the imperial palace. However, there was a way to obtain such information.

Through Alteion.

Alteion had sent him a secret message.

[There is a woman named Anais Anitas, Baroness Anitas. She is the emperor’s most favored mistress and a highly skilled manipulator of high society. She serves as the emperor’s hands and feet, so be cautious.]

Ekian had already known that Anais was the emperor’s mistress, but he hadn’t realized she was acting as one of his key operatives. So, he discreetly planted a spy near her.

Two days later.

“Anais’s people have been secretly meeting with certain individuals.”

A report came in immediately.

“And there is a clear pattern. They are targeting the families where Judith Ailan once worked as a private tutor.”

Ekian’s expression darkened instantly.

The emperor’s mistress was gathering information on Judith…

The emperor knew full well that Ekian was his biological son. He had deliberately kept this fact hidden to use it as leverage when needed.

In that case, did this mean that the emperor was now targeting Judith to exploit Ekian’s weaknesses?

“If that’s the case…”

Ekian raised an eyebrow and issued a command, “Handle it this way.”