After getting her measurements taken in the fitting room, Vialle found it odd that Madame Louise still hadn’t shown up.
“Is Madame Louise not available yet?”
Her casual inquiry suddenly filled the bustling reception room with an eerie silence.
Not intending to make the clerk uncomfortable, but noticing her frightened demeanor, Vialle felt uneasy.
“There’s a prior guest Madame is attending to…”
The fact that Madame had another client before her suggested that someone from another ducal house was visiting the atelier.
‘Could it be a duchess?’
However, she couldn’t just wait indefinitely for Madame.
With many things to resolve and her mind already in a state of disarray, wasting time here seemed pointless.
“If it’s too busy, I’ll come another time…”
Just then, the reception room door flung open, and the entrance of the person leaving the room took Vialle by surprise.
“It’s been a while, Lady.”
“Honor to the Marta Empire.”
“Knowing you were my next appointment, how could I pass by?”
Madame Louise, who followed him, looked distressed, indicating to Vialle the prior situation was as expected.
Although not particularly curious, Vialle learned that the crown prince had stopped by to pick up a secret order he had placed with Madame.
Not wanting to encounter him any further due to an unpleasant incident at the palace, Vialle relaxed her tense forehead and prepared to leave.
“It must have been tiring to come all this way.”
His interest piqued by Vialle’s formally polite remark, he replied teasingly.
“So, I thought to rest here a bit.”
“Then, rest well. I shall take my leave.”
Thinking it best to select the banquet dress another time, Vialle signaled to her maid and stood up, bowing to the crown prince.
“Eternal glory to the Marta Empire—”
“Let’s leave together. I have something to say to you.”
Surprised by the turn of events, Vialle maintained her usual cool demeanor towards him.
“It seems you have yet to hear my answer from my father.”
“To think I heard it from the duke himself, how my heart shattered.”
As the two engaged in an unpredictable conversation, the onlookers, unsure of what to do, simply watched.
Vialle thought it would be easier to attend a mass at the temple than to listen to his absurdities.
“So, you think the Lady should take responsibility?”
“Responsibility, huh…”
Unable to suppress a cynical laugh, Vialle’s reaction further tensed the already heavy atmosphere.
Diane waited silently for her lady’s instruction, but Vialle gave none, as if to observe the situation further.
“Yes, responsibility. Because of you, I’ve been suffering from severe fever these past few days.”
Iban, appearing perfectly healthy, exaggeratedly feigned illness, which left Vialle incredulous.
“It’s alright to speak here, Your Highness.”
Tired of his nonsensical talk, she urged him to get to the point.
“Hmm, I didn’t realize the Lady was so cold-hearted,” Iban said with a half-closed eye, signaling to Madame Louise and adding for Vialle’s hearing.
“Our presence here must be disrupting business, right, Madame?”
With the future emperor implying such, Madame Louise reluctantly agreed, her response a mere formality to his quasi-command.
“How could I possibly add my opinion to the words of such esteemed individuals?”
“Seems so, Lady. There’s a nice place nearby for a talk, let’s head there.”
Vialle, confused and irritated by Iban’s intentions and feeling dragged along, subtly signaled to Diane.
Diane, catching the signal, nodded vigorously, suggesting she’d call Tonyo immediately and hurried off towards the waiting carriage.
They arrived at a newly opened café not far from Florimang Atelier, led by Iban.
It was bustling with aristocrats taking a break, young ladies engaged in social activities, and couples whispering sweet nothings.
The café, lacking any private space, had a spacious, open design, drawing instant attention to Vialle and Iban’s arrival.
Surrounded by curious onlookers and gossipers, Vialle couldn’t help but frown.
To the uninformed, they were nothing more than intriguing fodder for gossip.
Realizing Iban’s intention, Vialle glared at him, naturally offering her a seat.
His visit with a noblewoman of a prominent family at this hour would surely fuel gossip.
Iban was clearly enjoying this situation, fully aware of Vialle’s patience.
She whispered, lowering her voice enough for only him to hear.
“Please speak now.”
“Don’t be too upset, Lady.”
“How urgent must your business be to visit here? I can hardly guess.”
“Isn’t it more enjoyable with an audience?”
Before she could fully grasp his underlying intent, Iban produced something from his coat, placing it on the table.
The majority of the nobility watched with wide eyes, while some covered their mouths with fans and whispered.
Unaware of the tension between the two, they were all focused on the prince’s gift.
Iban, unaffected by the stares, smirked faintly and looked at Vialle with affection.
“I ordered this especially for you.”
Facing his feigned expression, Vialle felt chills running down her spine.
The mere thought of Iban ordering something for her was infuriating.
She tried to look away, indicating disinterest in the object.
“This doesn’t seem to be mine.”
“On the contrary. It’s made only for you.”
“No, thank you, Your Highness.”
“Rejecting it without even opening? Truly disappointing.”
Leaning on his hand, Iban waited for Vialle to open the gift, whispering softly.
“Everyone’s watching, aren’t they? You should reciprocate.”
The onlookers were still glaring, curious about the prince’s gift.
Feeling like a pawn in Iban’s game, Vialle indifferently looked at the gift.
Regardless, today’s events were bound to be exploited politically and socially.
‘I shouldn’t have overlooked this…’
Resignedly, Vialle slowly reached out to the gift box, gently untied the ribbon, and unwrapped it.
The fact that everyone was straining their eyes to see what the Crown Prince’s gift was seemed quite amusing to her.
“Too touched to cry, really.”
As she lifted the lid of the box, a pair of finely embroidered white lace gloves lay before her, clearly visible.
The nobles, catching a glimpse of the gift, couldn’t hide their surprise and started murmuring among themselves.
Unperturbed by the glances of the murmuring crowd, Iban’s clear intention was solely focused on Vialle, causing her to twist her lips in irritation.
This wasn’t a role-play she had come back to the past for, and already her temples were throbbing.
In the Marta Empire, the symbolism of ‘white lace gloves’ was well-known.
It was a tradition that stretched back to the first Emperor, who courted the Empress by presenting white lace gloves – a tale that had been passed down through generations.
Indeed, historically, they were recorded as a couple with strong affection for each other. Presenting gloves as a gift was still practiced, though primarily among royalty.
‘Is he sane to give these to me?’
Vialle was tempted to tear the gloves to shreds right then and there, in front of everyone.
Though she tried to mask her expression, it was impossible to fully hide her emotions.
Seeing her trembling hands, the Crown Prince shrugged and said,
“You’re moved too early, Lady.”
“It sounds like there’s more surprise to come.”
He raised an eyebrow, as if asking if she really didn’t know, then leaned closer, pulling his chair towards Vialle.
“Of course. I’ll give you something even better at the ceremony.”
His nonchalant manner of assuming their marriage was insufferable to her.
‘You won’t have it your way.’
Determined not to be swayed by his intentions, Vialle knew she had to find a way out of this situation.
Male lead says he’s pregnant — and it’s female lead’s child
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.
__________
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