An Unbelievable Reality

The green leaves ripened into yellow and soon fell to the ground. Then, white snow began to pile softly on the bare tree branches.

Dahlia's once-flat belly had become fully round before she knew it.

Leaning against the headboard of the bed, Dahlia's fingers fidgeted incessantly.

Her heavier body had made movement difficult, and she had recently found a new hobby because of it.

After fiddling with her fingers for a while, Dahlia finally lifted her head.

"It's done."

Dahlia smiled contentedly, holding a small baby outfit in her hands. She had made it for the child she would soon welcome.

She seemed quite proud of her creation and showed it off to Samantha, who was beside her.

"What do you think? Pretty decent, isn't it?"

"Yes! It's so cute. Your sewing skills have really improved, Madam."

"Right?"

She had already discarded several pieces of fabric to make this one outfit, but it was worth it. Gazing at her creation with a satisfied expression, Dahlia spoke again.

"Now I can help you with your work, Samantha."

The three of them had settled in a quiet rural village and lived peacefully, doing small tasks.

Fortunately, they had enough money from selling the jewelry, but they couldn't just sit idle here forever.

So, Lloyd taught wealthy commoner children a little outside the village, and Samantha took sewing work from a local dress shop.

Dahlia, who neither had a knack for sewing nor could do physical work due to her pregnancy, always felt like a burden. She was happy to finally be of some help.

"I can't let you do this, Madam. I can manage just fine on my own."

However, Samantha firmly declined her offer. Dahlia looked at Samantha, who was being considerate, with an apologetic gaze.

"Samantha, just bear with it a little longer. As soon as I give birth and recover, I'll return. Then I'll repay all the debt I owe you."

As she spoke, Dahlia gently stroked her belly.

'I just need to give birth.'

The child she was about to have would undoubtedly resemble Clayton to the point where no one could deny it. Surely, the baby would inherit his black hair and red eyes.

The blood of the Seiyer family was that strong.

Even if Clayton disliked that resemblance, he would not be able to deny his own bloodline and would have to accept it.

Although the plan had gone awry, leading her to flee and give birth, things would be different after the baby was born.

'It's almost time now.'

The due date was approaching. She was afraid of the pain of childbirth, but the thought of meeting her child made her heart race.

Dahlia, stroking her belly as if handling something precious, murmured softly.

"The Duke will surely be happy to see you too."

As Dahlia was envisioning a happy future, her hand, which was caressing her belly, suddenly stopped. She then furrowed her brows.

"What's wrong, Madam?"

Noticing something was off, Samantha approached her side.

"My stomach..."

The pain had started. It had been sporadically hurting since morning, but the intervals of the pain seemed to be getting shorter as time went on.

"Does your stomach hurt?"

"Yes... a little."

It didn't seem like it was time to give birth yet. Could she have miscalculated the date? An ominous feeling crept over her.

"Shall I call the physician?"

After a moment of hesitation, Dahlia nodded.

"Can you? It's a bit late, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious..."

And at that moment, a cold sensation spread beneath her, soaking her.

Dahlia's face turned pale as she slowly opened her lips.

"...The baby is coming."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lloyd sat at a desk in his room, busily writing with his pen. It was a letter to his sister, who was left alone in the empire.

[Dear Rose, are you doing well? You're not sick, are you? I worry when I think of how you always used to cough during winter. As for me, I'm very healthy and doing well. I might even be a little happier here than I was in the capital.]

[But the happier I feel, the more guilt I have toward you. I feel like my selfishness placed a heavy burden on you. I'm truly sorry, Rose.]

[I'm living in a quiet village now, far from the empire. The Duchess and her baby are both very healthy. It seems the baby will be born soon. Whether it's a boy or a girl, we're all looking forward to it. If the baby takes after the Duchess, it'll be absolutely adorable.]

'When the baby is born, we'll probably...'

As Lloyd wrote the letter without hesitation, his hand suddenly stopped.

Then he mumbled the last sentence he had written.

"When the baby is born..."

They'll probably go back to where the Duke of Seiyer is.

When that thought crossed his mind, his expression darkened. Dahlia's resolve was firm.

She had adamantly claimed that she had never been unfaithful to another man, insisting the child in her womb was the Duke of Seiyer's.

So, she planned to return to the empire as soon as she gave birth and recovered.

This made Lloyd anxious and displeased, but he intended to respect Dahlia's decision. After all, he couldn't keep burdening his frail sister with the family affairs forever.

After a brief pause, Lloyd began to move his pen again. He was about to write, "Once the baby is born, we'll return to the estate soon," when—

He noticed a commotion outside his door and stood up. As he stepped out of his room, he saw Samantha running down the hallway.

Seeing the pale expression on Samantha's face, Lloyd sensed something was wrong and asked urgently.

"What's going on?"

At his question, Samantha stopped in her tracks and stammered.

"M-Master Lloyd! You need to fetch the midwife immediately!"

"Midwife?"

"Yes! The baby is coming right now!"

The signal for the end of this journey had been fired.

* * *

Dahlia slowly opened her heavy eyelids.

The room, which had been noisy before she lost consciousness, was now silent.

'What time is it...?'

How much time had passed? Her consciousness had faded after the excruciating pain and the sound of the baby crying. As she blinked slowly, trying to grasp the situation, her mind suddenly sharpened.

'The baby…!'

Yes, she had given birth. But why was it so quiet? The silence in the room, with no sound of the baby crying, unsettled Dahlia, and she tried to sit up.

But before she could, Samantha rushed to her side to stop her.

"Madam! You mustn't move yet...!"

Gently pushed back onto the bed by Samantha, Dahlia's eyes trembled.

"...The baby?"

"The baby is sleeping now."

"Hah…"

So, the baby was just sleeping. Letting out a delayed sigh of relief, Dahlia's expression softened as she asked,

"There's nothing wrong, is there?"

She already knew from the original story that the baby would be born healthy, but she wanted to confirm it again. Samantha smiled reassuringly in response.

"Yes, the baby is very healthy. A strong baby boy."

As expected, the baby was a boy, just like in the original story. Finally, a smile spread across Dahlia's face. A boy who resembled Clayton—it was more than she could hope for.

The very thought of it made her chest swell with emotion.

"Thank goodness. Could you show him to me? I'd like to hold him."

But then.

"How about holding him later? Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, and the baby has just fallen asleep…"

For some reason, Samantha hesitated and trailed off, looking troubled at Dahlia's request to hold the baby.

'What's this?'

Sensing that something was wrong, Dahlia asked in a voice heavy with exhaustion and tinged with fear.

"...Is there a problem?"

"Not exactly a problem, but it's just that…"

Despite Dahlia's question, Samantha couldn't give a clear answer. Forgetting that she had just given birth, Dahlia bolted upright.

"Madam...!"

With every step she took, searing pain shot through her body, but her determination to see the baby made her forget the pain. She staggered forward step by step.

In the small cradle, wrapped in a white cloth, the baby slept soundly. But then.

"Why..."

The baby looked completely different from what she had imagined.

Instead of Clayton's black hair, the baby had golden hair as radiant as the sun.

Just like Crown Prince Alexion's...

Dahlia let out a short gasp, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Her legs gave out, and Dahlia collapsed to the floor.

This baby was not Clayton's child.