Although the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet ended safely, Biare was confined to her bedroom with a raging fever.
The maids took turns caring for her, and according to the resident physician, it was a fever caused by overwork and stress.
Everyone could only speculate that she must have been exhausted from preparing for the banquet as the Crown Prince’s partner.
Due to Biare’s persistently high fever, the Duke had personally gone down to the south to find an effective antipyretic.
Biare had to suffer for days with throbbing headaches and ringing in her ears.
The maid tending to her groaning patient worriedly felt Biare’s forehead.
“The fever isn’t going down…”
Then she carefully placed a newly prepared cold compress on her forehead.
As the cool sensation of the compress touched her, Biare felt her constantly dizzy head gradually calming.
At that moment, there was a sound of hurried footsteps followed by two knocks on the door.
“Elder sister, may I come in?”
It was Gaizen who had come to her room.
The maid caring for her carefully looked at Biare and asked.
“Young lady, will you be alright?”
Biare tried to clear her hoarse voice and nodded as she answered.
“Yes, I’m fine. Please call Gaizen in.”
At her request, the maid reluctantly nodded and left the room, and soon after, Gaizen appeared.
“Elder sister, are you still very ill?”
He stood there without even taking off his coat, as if he had come straight here without stopping by his own room after finishing work.
“Yes, my head is still ringing a bit.”
Normally she would have said she was fine, but she couldn’t do so because she had been too sick to the point of feeling disoriented.
Gaizen, looking at his elder sister with concern, frowned and grumbled softly.
“This is all because of that bastard.”
“…”
“I heard he went around introducing elder sister to all the noble guests.”
“…”
“I should have been there with elder sister…”
He was muttering that Ivan had failed to properly protect her, grinding his teeth.
“Just wait a bit, elder sister. I’ll shake that bastard until…”
“Shh— Watch your language, Gaizen.”
At Biare’s weak warning, he let out a shallow sigh and ruffled his hair roughly.
‘I can’t let you dirty your hands anymore, Gaizen.’
This was absolutely not out of consideration for the Crown Prince. She simply didn’t want to see her younger brother get into trouble by offending the Crown Prince because of her.
Unaware of Biare’s thoughts, he pouted, saying elder sister was too kind for her own good, and stood up to let her rest comfortably.
“Father said he’ll be back with medicine soon, so hang in there a little longer, elder sister.”
“Alright, you go and rest comfortably too.”
After confirming that Gaizen had completely closed the door and left, she coughed and hugged her blanket tightly.
She didn’t want to show a sick and weak appearance to her younger brother, but that in itself was not easy.
Shivering slightly from the chills, Biare gradually fell asleep while receiving the devoted care of the maids.
[This is the timeline separator]Perhaps due to the efficacy of the medicine the Duke had personally obtained from the south, Biare was gradually regaining her original strength.
Although it was true that she was still sick, her condition had improved significantly thanks to everyone’s care.
After finishing her meal in her room, Biare was looking quizzically at the maid who had just returned from the infirmary to receive medicine.
In one hand, the maid held the usual bitter medicine she took, but in the other was a mysterious flower basket.
“What are all these flowers?”
When Biare asked about its identity, the maid’s face brightened as she replied.
“His Highness the Crown Prince sent them as a gift, it seems.”
At those words, Biare’s face immediately hardened, and the maid, sensing the atmosphere, carefully handed over the flower basket.
“Here it is, young lady.”
Up close, it was clear that the flowers Ivan had sent were ones she had seen in the imperial garden.
Thinking of him being sharp even about unnecessary things, Biare felt an unpleasant emotion rising and glared at the letter silently.
‘Hmph, I won’t accept it even if given.’
Biare crumpled the letter, clicked her tongue, and spoke in a calm voice to the maid standing by her side.
“Please burn this letter and the entire flower basket.”
“Pardon…? All of these flowers?”
The maid seemed to find it a waste to throw away such precious flowers sent from the imperial palace.
“Yes. If you want, you can have them all.”
Startled by those words, the maid didn’t say anything more and soon shook her head.
She seemed to think that her young lady was upset because her fiancé hadn’t visited when she was so unwell.
“No, young lady. I’ll be right back.”
The maid headed to the incinerator, carrying the letter and flower basket intact as per her mistress’s orders.
Watching her retreating figure, Biare hoped that the Crown Prince’s life would also turn to black ashes like those flowers.
‘I should be able to go out soon.’
The Duke had not allowed Biare to leave the mansion, fearing his sick daughter might worsen.
Sometimes she thought it was excessive, but on the other hand, she knew well that it was because he loved his family, which made her feelings complicated.
With the help of a maid substituting for the absent Diane, Biare, now neatly dressed, looked at the mirror placed in front of her.
The lifeless hair and pale complexion that had been there until just this morning were nowhere to be seen, replaced by a fairly presentable appearance.
‘This should be enough for Father to allow it.’
Thinking that her father would allow a simple outing if she appeared as healthy as possible, she hurried to the Duke’s study.
Knock knock—
“Father, it’s Biare.”
After knocking twice on the door, a low baritone of a middle-aged man was heard from inside.
“Bia? Come in.”
Perhaps feeling sorry for Biare who had come all the way to the study with her sick body, he looked at her worriedly and asked.
“Our daughter, are you feeling a bit better now?”
“Yes, the medicine you gave me seems to have worked well.”
As Biare deliberately smiled brightly, the Duke nodded as if relieved.
“That’s good. The merchants said that medicine was the most effective.”
It was true that she felt grateful to her father who genuinely worried about her to the point of going down to the south to obtain medicine.
However, that didn’t mean his wrong actions in the past could be forgiven.
‘I wish Father would pay for his sins and live an upright life.’
She intended to help her father atone for the rest of his life.
The father Biare thought of was someone who still had a shred of conscience left.
Unable to delay any longer, Biare wanted to get to the point.
“Oh, Father. I have some work that needs to be done today, so I was planning to go out for a bit.”
“Work that needs to be done today. Are you very busy?”
“There were consecutive meetings for the cultural foundation, and since I’m the manager, I need to give the final approval.”
As his daughter complained that work had piled up because she couldn’t do it while sick, the Duke accepted it.
“Then you should go. But the weather is chilly, so finish your work quickly and come back.”
“Yes, Father. I’ll be back soon.”
Biare left the Duke’s study and headed straight for the cultural foundation.
Joy Ann, who accompanied her as an escort knight, asked several times with a worried face if she wasn’t feeling ill.
Shaking her head and saying she was fine, Biare quickly processed the backlog of work after arriving at the cultural foundation.
Then, along with Joy Ann who was waiting for her outside the door, she visited Raymond’s workshop.
“I think it’s my first time actually entering this place.”
For Joy Ann, who usually handled swords, the realm of art must have felt quite different.
“Let’s go to an exhibition together later.”
Seeing Joy Ann’s eyes sparkle at those words, Biare gave a soft and warm smile.
She wanted to give many experiences to the girl who was just about to come of age.
Admirably, she had silently helped Biare for the past few years without avoiding difficult tasks.
So Biare thought that when things went well, she should send her on vacation along with other trusted subordinates.
‘I should look into seaside resorts in advance.’
As Biare smiled contentedly, Joy Ann also followed her with a bright smile.
Upon arriving at Raymond’s workshop, he immediately bowed his head to Biare in courtesy.
“I greet you, Lady Ruschef.”
“Yes, you may raise your head.”
At this, Raymond took off his gloves and apron and brought out a key from deep within the workshop.
“I have completed the key you commissioned, my lady.”
“Indeed… I would believe it even if you said it was that key.”
‘Now I can secure physical evidence.’
The key Raymond had created was so perfect it could be mistaken for the key of God’s absence, and Biare wore a satisfied smile.
To Joy Ann, who was looking curiously at the key they exchanged, she smiled gently and explained briefly.
“Soon, many things will happen, and many things will change.”
This key would surely become a weapon that could bring down the imperial family.
Of course, some of that damage would inevitably fall on the Ruschef family as well, but Biare only hoped that at least her father would live a life of repentance.
__________
He Said He’s Pregnant, and It’s My Child (Female-dominant)
Intro 1
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro 2
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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