Chapter 137
“…!”
For a moment, Lant’s eyes widened in shock. He could feel something wriggling in his palm.
At first, the sensation was so faint that Lant thought he was imagining it. But soon, a stronger movement confirmed it—whatever it was, it was real.
“Th-this is!”
“It’s called taedong.”
“Taedong?”
“Yes. It’s when the baby in the womb makes its presence known, like saying, ‘I’m here.’”
Lant had never seen a baby before. And he had certainly never felt one in the womb. Confusion quickly gave way to exhilaration in his eyes.
“It seems our little one wanted to say hello to Uncle.”
“Un-Uncle?”
One of Lant’s hands still wouldn’t leave Bii’s belly. He raised the other hand and pointed at himself with his finger.
Just moments ago, Lant had seemed like a fully grown adult, but now he looked like a child again. Bii laughed at how adorable he was.
No matter how white frost might settle on Lant’s navy-blue hair, or how wrinkles might crease his face in the future, to Bii, Lant would always be her younger brother. It wasn’t just Bii’s affection that made his behavior seem cute—every maid of the Empress’s palace quietly waiting in the room wore the same warm, motherly smiles.
Knock. Knock.
“Your Majesty, Count Lionel has arrived.”
A servant announced loudly from outside.
Visits from Count Lionel had become more frequent recently, so the palace staff, including Mari, weren’t surprised—but Lant was.
Count Lionel was one of the Emperor’s personal guard knights. For him to come to the Empress’s palace—where the Emperor himself usually presided—meant something serious had occurred.
Startled by Esnal’s sudden arrival, Lant instinctively removed his hand from Bii’s belly.
Today, Bii was not pleased to see Esnal.
She had felt the taedong starting the day before. It had begun as a subtle, rumbling sensation, like hunger in her stomach. At first, she had been unsure.
Could something be wrong with the baby?
Even though it was late at night, maybe it was safer to call for the palace physician immediately, just in case.
As she was worrying, Cys’s hands wandered over Bii’s body.
It was a nightly occurrence, and Bii knew exactly how far his hands would go.
Cys had promised every night that he would just hold her and sleep, but that promise was repeatedly broken by his increasingly bold touches.
Bii didn’t dislike his attentions—in fact, she enjoyed them. Even knowing he wouldn’t keep his promise, she allowed his teasing because it made her feel loved and cherished.
Carrying a child was a joy, but as her belly grew day by day, she couldn’t help noticing how unsightly it was becoming. Yet Cys always told her she looked beautiful, and his eyes always reflected genuine passion when he looked at her.
Unaware of the danger, Cys approached Bii as usual. But Bii’s body reacted first, fearing something might be wrong with the baby.
She swatted his hands away so sharply it surprised even her. Cys looked shocked.
He had never imagined she would react so fiercely.
Before Bii could even apologize, Cys began venting his frustration. His emotions had built up over time, and he made no effort to hide them.
“You’ve changed since we married. I’m focused on you, but where are you looking? Is it work? Or me?!”
It was a childish complaint.
Bii, unwilling to indulge him, turned away. The thought of calling the palace physician at dawn made his complaints feel like buzzing mosquitoes—irritating and insignificant.
Bii’s attitude only made Cys angrier. When he began thrashing about, she finally declared that they would sleep in separate rooms.
Cys looked at her in disbelief.
Before he could react, Bii left, leaving only a cold breeze behind as she exited what had become their marital bedroom—the Emperor’s chamber.
Contrary to his expectation of her following immediately, the sulking Cys didn’t appear until daylight.
Bii was equally frustrated.
At dawn, she called the palace physician and confirmed that the movements in her belly were indeed the baby’s taedong. She instructed the staff not to inform the Emperor under any circumstances.
Seeing Esnal arriving early in the morning, it was clear he would be more insistent than usual. But unfortunately for him, Bii was still upset about the previous night.
“There’s a guest, so please come back later,” she said.
“Your Majesty, please spare me a moment,” Esnal pleaded urgently, even before the servant could relay the message. Being turned away like this was unprecedented.
Esnal sensed that something was wrong.
“It will only be a moment,” came the desperate, almost plaintive voice from beyond the door, but Bii remained unmoved.
“Your Majesty, I beg you!”
“Sis…”
Lant, unable to stand it, called to Bii. Letting the Emperor’s knight be turned away like this could lead to scandal.
Bii, skilled in controlling the social scene, wouldn’t have cared about such rumors—but Lant, inexperienced in courtly affairs, didn’t know the extent of her influence.
Watching Lant fidget anxiously, Bii smiled. Seeing her younger brother flustered, she decided it was not a bad idea to open the door—though opening the door did not necessarily mean she would grant Esnal’s request.
But first, she had to make sure of one thing. Bii pressed a finger to her lips.
“Don’t tell him anything yet. Keep it quiet for now.”
She was not yet ready to reveal that the baby had started moving. She would choose the right time depending on Cys’s actions.
At that thought, Bii felt the baby move and imagined Cys’s reaction. Somehow, she felt the moment wouldn’t wait until later today.
“Ah!”
Once again, a scream tore through the room.
Before thinking, Cys reacted instinctively, moving toward the room. But he wasn’t the only one reacting to Bii’s cries.
In front of the door stood Marquis Elient, Lant, and Evan, all reaching for the handle at the same time.
The four men frowned as their eyes met. Bii’s shrill cries continued from inside.
They wanted to rush in immediately, but entering would accomplish nothing.
Even though their rational minds returned, they couldn’t move, as desire and restraint waged a fierce battle within them.
The first to move was Marquis Elient, who had experienced a similar situation before.
He withdrew his hand from the door handle and stepped back toward the wall. Arms crossed, expressionless, he leaned against the wall—but every scream from inside made him flinch. His closed eyelids twitched, and the joints of his fingers, intertwined with another’s, turned white.
He was not alone in his agitation.
Evan stood as if he were a gatekeeper, unmoving. Lant, his face pale, stared helplessly at the closed door.
Unlike the composed adults, the newly adult Lant could not hide his anxiety. He gnawed on his nails—a habit he had never done as a child—without even realizing it.
‘Shouldn’t I at least see my nephew?’
His plans to leave after the coming-of-age ceremony were immediately postponed by Bii’s single request.
The child his sister had given birth to must be extremely adorable.
Imagining a baby resembling Bii, his desire to see the child grew. Lant revised his plan to stay and see his nephew first.
But he had never imagined that waiting for a baby could be so nerve-wracking.
He almost began to resent his unborn nephew.
“Damn it!”
Cys cursed, a coarse word utterly unbefitting the Emperor’s dignity. Yet no one tried to stop him—everyone outside the door, waiting anxiously for news of the baby, felt the same way. They all wanted to curse freely.
“What are the palace staff doing?!”
Cys paced in frustration, unable to enter.
Bii had been in labor for over a day. As time passed, Cys’s heart tightened with worry.
Her once lovely, rounded belly had begun swelling alarmingly as the labor progressed.
Though she tried to appear calm, day by day, as her belly grew, Cys feared it might burst. He watched over her in agonized anticipation.
Thankfully, the belly did not burst. But the labor, which began last night, still had not ended even after a full day.
