Side Story – Chapter 3
Time passed quickly — I was now 37 weeks pregnant.
I sat in the garden gazebo, holding my round belly, welcoming Marchioness Mayer and Viscountess Handley. It had been so long since I’d seen them that I couldn’t help but smile.
It was Viscountess Handley’s first visit since the middle of my pregnancy, and she looked at my belly with wonder.
“Your stomach has gotten so big. It must be any day now, Duchess.”
“Yes. Lately, I’ve been feeling like it’s really going to happen soon.”
I gently rubbed my belly with a smile. At my words, she clasped her hands together in excitement, though her eyes kept glancing past my shoulder — toward the mansion.
‘That reaction makes sense.’
Behind me was the mansion, and on the third-floor terrace stood Harold, reading documents.
Marchioness Mayer, noticing where her friend was looking, said in a dry tone,
“It’s unusual for the Duke not to be glued to your side, Duchess.”
Whenever Marchioness Mayer visited, Harold would always sit right next to me without hesitation, telling her to pretend he was invisible.
This time, knowing Viscountess Handley was a bit shy, he was considerately staying far away on the terrace, just watching us — well, “considerate” by Harold’s standards.
“Is it distracting, Viscountess Handley?” I asked apologetically.
She shook her head quickly. “Not at all! I know how deeply Duke Harold loves you. Even though I’ve been too busy with my children and estate matters to visit, I’ve heard plenty of stories.”
“Stories?”
“Yes. About how the Duke has been sending people all over the continent to gather rare herbs good for pregnant women, and how he gets any food you crave, no matter how far away or expensive it is. I even heard he brought in the empire’s top designer to make your maternity dresses out of fabric used for imperial robes. There were so many other stories too…”
Viscountess Handley laughed softly, as if she’d heard too many to count.
“Everyone in the empire knows the Duke personally looks after you. They say anyone who doesn’t know that must be a complete newcomer to the empire!”
“…”
“Everyone’s jealous of you, Duchess. They say they want to fall in love and get married, and live happily ever after like you do. Oh—have I been talking too much…?”
Realizing she’d been chirping nonstop like a sparrow, she blinked rapidly and spoke in a small, guilty voice,
“I just think it’s so wonderful how happy you look…”
“It’s all right. It’s not bad gossip. And honestly, hearing it made me happy — maybe because it’s true that I’ve been really happy.”
At first, I was embarrassed by such rumors, and even now, they still make me blush. But I meant what I said — it’s nice to hear.
After all, it means that people can see how much love and happiness I have. How could I dislike that?
As I stroked my belly, my eyes met Marchioness Mayer’s. She smiled faintly before saying, in a slightly firm voice,
“You seem fine now, Duchess, so I won’t say more — but if the Duke’s attention ever becomes burdensome, you must come to me, all right?”
“Yes, if that ever happens, I promise I will.”
Inside, I chuckled, imagining what Harold’s face would look like if he overheard that.
After that, the three of us talked about the baby. I asked them questions and listened to their stories about raising children. Even though I’d studied so much about it already, there were always more things I wanted to know.
Eventually, it was time for them to leave. Once they were gone, Harold came over to me.
“Did you have a good time, Diana?”
“Yes! It was a nice change of pace.”
Harold slipped his arm around my waist, letting me lean comfortably against him. As we walked together, I rested my head on his arm. Then he placed his hand on my belly.
Whenever Harold touched my belly, the baby would always respond — gently kicking as if recognizing him. Because of that, Harold had developed the habit of touching my belly often.
This time, too, I felt a little push from inside, like the baby was saying hello.
“Did you feel that? The baby just moved. The kicks have slowed down lately, but whenever you touch, it’s the same. The baby must really love you.”
I placed my hand over his. The baby’s nickname was Aegi — “Baby.”
We hadn’t chosen that name because we didn’t have one yet. We had — we’d just decided that if it was a girl, she’d get the name I picked, and if it was a boy, Harold’s choice. Since we didn’t know the gender yet, we just called the baby Aegi.
“Who knows, maybe the baby’s kicking because it doesn’t like me.”
“Aw, Aegi, Daddy doesn’t understand you, huh? That’s so mean, right? What’s that? You want Daddy to apologize? Did you hear that, Harold?”
I teased him, looking up with a grin. Harold smiled, eyes crinkling, and played along.
“You’re right. I didn’t understand you, Aegi. I’m sorry.”
“The baby says it forgives you. And that it loves Daddy the most—ow.”
“Diana?”
I bent forward, clutching my belly. Harold immediately supported me in alarm.
“I-it’s fine. Just… a little pain.”
I took slow, deep breaths, waiting for the contraction to pass.
‘It’ll be fine. Just a little longer. It’s fine… fine…’
…it wasn’t fine.
Everything moved in perfect order for the delivery.
The mute midwife who had been on standby for months entered the room. Assistants bustled around preparing supplies, and the entire mansion fell silent, holding its breath.
The labor went on for a long time. The sun set, the moon rose, and even as night covered the world, the lights in the Baisen ducal residence never went out.
No one in the mansion could sleep. Time kept moving — and finally, when dawn’s light began to peek over the horizon—
“Waaahhhh!”
A baby’s cry filled the air.
Harold took the newborn from the midwife’s hands and stood beside Diana’s bed. He had held her hand through every contraction, staying by her side, but when her water broke and the baby’s head appeared, he had stepped back so as not to interfere, watching helplessly.
That helplessness — not being able to do anything but watch — felt like a glimpse of hell itself.
When everything was finally over and everyone left the room, only Harold, Diana, and the baby remained.
Diana leaned against the bed’s headboard, face pale with exhaustion, and raised her head weakly.
Harold stood beside her, smiling softly, holding the baby. His sky-blue eyes reflected both his child and the woman he loved, glowing warmly.
“It’s a boy. And look—his hair is the same pink as mine…”
“Yes. Beautiful pink hair, just like you. Do you want to hold him?”
“Yes. I want to.”
Harold carefully handed her the baby. As she took him, Diana noticed Harold’s palm — the skin had faint red marks, slightly bloodied. Her eyes widened.
He followed her gaze and realized it too. He must have clenched his fists too tightly earlier.
When she tried to take his hand, he pulled it away quickly — but the wound had already healed, her divine power closing it instantly. Their eyes met again. Harold spoke first.
“It wasn’t serious enough to worry about.”
“Still. Even small cuts hurt. Let me see your other hand too — it probably has one.”
“They’re all healed.”
“Let me see.”
“Diana, it was nothing. You’re exhausted after childbirth — don’t strain yourself.”
She could tell he wasn’t completely healed, but by the time she tried to reach for him, he was already too far away. Just a little closer, and she could’ve healed him completely.
She pouted, and Harold just smiled gently.
Then the baby began to fuss.
“It’s all right, Aegi. Hush, hush.”
She rocked the baby awkwardly, and soon he quieted down. ‘Our baby’s so cute…’
“Oh! Harold, what did we decide to name him?”
Harold looked at her bright, expectant eyes and slowly opened his mouth.
“The baby’s name is…”
