~Chapter 110~
Even as a child, Ancia sometimes collapsed for several days, so this situation itself wasn’t surprising.
What startled her more was the fact that so much time had passed, yet she still hadn’t returned to the Duke’s house.
She couldn’t even imagine how much Nathan and Bianca must have struggled in this remote place while she lay unconscious.
“Of all times, I just kept lying here… I’m sorry.”
“An, just the fact that you woke up is enough for us to be grateful.”
“We were worried your fever wouldn’t break, but compared to that, seeing you open your eyes again makes us so happy.”
The two looked strangely calm, as if they had grown used to the hardship. But something in the atmosphere felt as if they were hiding something.
And most of all, Bianca’s face flushed as she kept nudging Nathan, which made Ancia uneasy.
“An, there’s something important you must know.”
Nathan hesitated oddly.
When Ancia looked at him intently, he squeezed her hand tighter as if making a decision.
“Your fever wouldn’t go down, and we didn’t have enough herbs for you. So we called a physician. Thanks to the herbs Bianca steadily gave you, your body has really grown stronger. And so, An…”
“Yes, brother.”
What could make him hesitate this much? Ancia grew uneasy, but Nathan’s eyes held no fear. So she listened quietly.
“Ancia… you are—”
“Congratulations, Madam!”
Bianca couldn’t hold back and shouted first. Nathan then smiled as well.
Looking puzzled, Ancia turned to him.
“You are… with child.”
“A baby…?”
“Yes!” Bianca answered for him, shaking her fists up and down in excitement.
Ancia looked back at Nathan.
“…What?”
Her dazed whisper made Nathan’s eyes suddenly redden with tears.
Startled, Ancia reached out to touch his face.
“B-Brother?”
“To think I will have a niece or nephew… It feels too soon, but it means your body has recovered so much. I can’t help but be moved.”
“Oh my, Lord Nathan is crying again. Madam, truly congratulations.”
At first stunned, Ancia was touched by Nathan’s sincerity. Bianca’s noisy cheer from behind him even made her laugh.
“Yes, thank you… To think I’m pregnant… I never imagined it. Well, I suppose we must tell the Duke’s house right away?”
“Luckily, before the snow worsened, we managed to send a letter. So don’t worry about that.”
That word—that—gave her pause.
Did they mean there were other worries?
Her eyes drifted uneasily to the blazing firewood in the small house and the layers of curtains covering the windows.
“When I’m strong enough, we must return. Have you found a carriage?”
Their awkward smiles made Ancia anxious.
As she tried to rise, Bianca walked straight to the window and pulled the curtain aside.
She thought the small window was fogged with condensation, but when she leaned on Nathan’s arm and looked closer, she froze in shock.
Outside, snow was blowing so fiercely it looked like white mounds crawling along, only to vanish again in the storm.
Even the window frame was half-buried in snow.
“Snow is falling this much? Can we even go home like this?”
Nathan gave a bitter smile, while Bianca firmly shook her head.
“This is the season when the Black Forest turns into the White Forest, Madam.”
Snow fell endlessly, covering even the sharp black trees.
Ancia had only read about this in books, but now Bianca spoke from her own experience.
“This village is especially famous. Once the snow clouds settle, it storms for days. The snow piles up taller than a man, and we become cut off. What you see now are villagers shoveling snow.”
“Then shouldn’t we leave right now, before it gets worse?”
“No, Madam. You must stay at complete rest. Only now is your fever starting to fall.”
With a sigh of relief, Bianca added softly,
“Thankfully, none of the herbs I used would harm a baby. That’s such a blessing.”
The word baby made Ancia’s heart drop.
It still didn’t feel real, but the thought of a child she had nearly given up on made her chest pound.
“Even strong men born here don’t move around at this time of year.”
“Then… must we stay here until spring?”
“Even if we do, don’t worry, An. Once the letters arrive, they will fight through the snow to come for us.”
“That’s right, Madam. The Duke will spend every magic stone he has if it means bringing you back.”
Their conviction reassured her, even if she felt guilty for being a burden. She still glanced at the storm with trembling eyes.
“Even if it takes long, we’ve already stocked more than a month of dried food and firewood. The villagers keep plenty, to sell dearly to stranded outsiders.”
Bianca tucked Ancia back into bed with a confident smile.
Her words were strong and comforting, and Ancia smiled faintly.
Her body had recovered enough to conceive, all thanks to Bianca’s herbs.
And Nathan—always thinking of her—was beside her too.
Both were people she could depend on and be grateful for.
Relieved, her weary body sank into the bed again.
“Thank you, Bianca.”
“No, Madam. I should have trusted you both sooner.”
“Mm?”
Half-asleep, Ancia blinked as Bianca brought a cup of herbal water.
“Drink this and rest. When you wake, I’ll tell you everything.”
“…Alright.”
Her mind was full of questions, but sleep came too quickly.
More than anything—she was going to have a child.
If only Margaret had tested her before she left.
I’ll write to her when I wake, Ancia thought, drifting off again.
The next day, Ancia felt truly better.
Her body still ached from lying down too long, but the heaviness was gone. She even thought she could ride in a carriage now.
Sitting on the bed, she touched her flat stomach carefully. Could there really be life inside here? She couldn’t believe it.
As she pondered, a savory smell drifted through the cracks of the door. She put on her robe and stepped out.
“Ah, Madam, you’re awake?”
“An, I was just about to wake you. You look much better.”
The two welcomed her warmly, though their clothes were covered in snow up to the knees.
“Why are you both covered in snow?”
“If we don’t sweep the roof, the house might collapse. Lord Nathan held the rope for me, so I cleaned everything safely. We’ll need to go up again before sunset.”
Seeing their soaked clothes, Ancia realized it was far too late to leave the village now.
“You’ve worked so hard.”
They were drenched just from clearing the house surroundings.
Since letters were sent to both the Count and the Duke, it seemed wiser to wait in the village.
“I feel bad. Isn’t there something I can do?”
“Of course there is.”
With a gentle smile, Nathan sat her at the table. Then he placed a steaming bowl of soup before her.
“Eat as much as you can, regain your strength. That alone will give Bianca and me the power to keep going.”
As expected of my brother.
Ancia took a spoonful and widened her eyes.
It was nothing like the terrible snow rabbit stew they had eaten on the road. This soup was thick, rich, and delicious.
“It’s so good! Did you make this, Bianca?”
“Yes, Madam.”
“This meat… is it snow rabbit? How can it taste like this?”
Bianca straightened her shoulders proudly.
“You’ll be eating it often. We stocked dried food, but not preservation stones, so the ingredients are limited. Still, the village inn is open—you can eat out if you like.”
“I see. You’ve worked so hard, Bianca.”
“No, Madam, I only knew because I often came here before.”
“Even after wandering the forest, to end up in a village you knew… It feels like fate.”
Not knowing how Bianca had really followed them, Ancia only marveled. Cheerfully eating, she looked around curiously.
Bianca then explained,
“Madam, in this season, people in the village become very closed off. Trouble often happens… and couples often form too.”
Ancia listened while savoring her soup.
“After you and Lord Nathan showed yourselves at the inn, rumors spread quickly. While you lay ill, do you know how many men kept peeking through the windows? Even the shutters were torn off.”
