News Everyone Has Been Waiting For

It was the moment of transition into March. Since returning from their trip, there was a change in Ian’s behavior: he now made it a point to walk along the paths of the royal park at least once a day, holding hands with Adrina.

Everyone showed surprise at this altered conduct. Because they had been in a contract marriage until now, they had shown the appearance of a couple to some extent, but they had never been seen walking while directly holding hands like this.

Unlike before, they were truly in love with each other, so their displays of affection had become genuine. At times, they even showed bold behavior such as kissing, so it was only natural that those around them were surprised. Furthermore, it could be said that Ian entered the Queen’s Palace every single day.

At first, everyone was startled by this, but they didn’t think of it as strange. On the contrary, everyone showed signs of welcoming it. Since the royal family had no successor until now, these proactive actions were accepted positively.

And today, they were walking along the path in the royal garden, holding hands. The sight of the two walking while sharing casual conversation looked no different from any other couple. Sweetness filled their gazes, and their affection for one another was evident.

However, seeing Adrina looking somewhat uncomfortable, Ian had to ask with a worried look in his eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. It’s just that today, I feel like my stomach is upset and I have a headache.”

“Oh dear, shouldn’t you go inside and rest immediately? I feel like I called you out for nothing, not knowing this.”

“No. I like this kind of time.”

“Even so, you’re in pain. If you walk like this because of me and end up hurting more later, what shall I do?”

“I came out because it’s bearable. And after the walk, I plan to do nothing today and just rest deeply.”

“Hmm, I understand. Let’s keep our walk short today.”

Just as Ian spoke and Adrina was about to say he didn’t need to go that far, there was a sign of someone approaching them. Thinking that someone approaching the path where the Royal Couple walked meant they must be of high status, the person drew near.

“Ah, Princess Helena is coming.”

“I wonder what she intends to say this time.”

“From her perspective, every one of those actions is sincere.”

Because she had once been in the same position, Adrina spoke just as Princess Helena arrived. Seeing the two holding hands, Helena pouted slightly and spoke.

“Are the two of you walking together again today?”

“That is so.”

“Welcome.”

Between the King’s answer and the Queen’s welcome, Princess Helena felt a sense of unnecessary grumpiness. She wanted to find a way to wedge herself in, but seeing them without even a gap to squeeze into made her heart feel troubled.

Specifically, what weighed on her mind was that the two of them had gone off somewhere secretly for over a month. She recalled how flabbergasted she was at the time, having to stay behind in the royal palace doing nothing. Of course, she had spent time with the Queen Mother and the Princess, but the person she actually needed to get close to was absent.

Amidst that, she couldn’t help but feel that the two who returned had changed significantly.

‘Their eyes are so full of affection when they look at each other. What should I do?’

For her, she was in a position where she had to enter as King Ian’s concubine. If she couldn’t, her father might truly marry her off to an elderly noble. Recalling that fact, she thought she had to be more proactive.

“Watching the two of you makes me want to walk together as well. May I walk with you from now on?”

“With us, you mean?”

“Is it not allowed?”

“There is nothing that says it isn’t allowed, but will you be alright?”

Because she had been raised delicately, he was asking if she was okay with the walking. As a Princess, there would have been almost no occasions for her to show much physical movement. Of course, Adrina had been walking frequently since coming here, so she was fine now.

“Of course I’m alright. Then are we walking together?”

“Please do. It’s good for everyone to be together.”

Hearing Adrina speak in agreement, Princess Helena thought, ‘Is this the composure of one who possesses?’ Confidence and ease were buried in her tone. It was clear that the relationship between the two had progressed greatly. She wondered what kind of event could have led to this.

‘There must have been some special occasion, right?’

This was a thought she could have because she had no idea that the two had shared their first intimate night only this year. She could only assume some unique turning point had occurred.

Helena was deep in thought, but she had to stop as the walk began. However, their walk had to continue in a considerably quiet state. It was a completely different atmosphere from the harmonious one shown just moments ago.

‘Hmm, I don’t know what to do with her.’

Ian felt that he didn’t know what to do with Princess Helena. Part of him wanted to send her back to the Doicheun Empire, but her circumstances were too poor to do so. Emperor Rednix, whom he had faced before, seemed like a man who truly did what he said.

‘If I send her back for no reason and she gets forced into an arranged marriage with an elderly noble, it will keep weighing on my mind.’

He wondered why he was decisive in other matters but not in this one. In the meantime, seeing Adrina’s complexion still not looking good as they walked, he decided he should finish the walk quickly and send the royal physician to examine her.

“It would be best to end the walk now.”

“Eh? Already? We’ve hardly walked at all.”

“I didn’t intend to walk much anyway, as Queen Adrina’s condition is not very good today.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine at all. So let’s stop here.”

“Now that I look at you, your complexion really is poor.”

Only then did Princess Helena notice that Queen Adrina’s complexion was bad. Inwardly, she wondered if the walk was ending early because of her, but she felt relieved to hear that wasn’t it. At the same time, she felt a bit worried about the Queen’s poor condition.

“Let’s finish quickly and take the Queen to the palace.”

“That would be best.”

“I’m really fine..”

Though she said she was fine, Ian decided to end the walk. In fact, just going to the Queen’s Palace would add enough distance to the walk. Stopping the walk, they moved toward the path leading to the interior and entered.

The procession of the three and the attendants arrived at Adrina’s quarters, and Ian immediately had her lie down on the bed. He gave her strict instructions to stay lying down, saying he would send the royal physician.

He was on his way back after leaving Adrina, and Princess Helena was following beside him. Of course, they were sticking together because they were heading the same way. He glanced at her and spoke.

“Is there any discomfort in living at the royal palace?”

“Not at all. I’m staying comfortably. Everyone is kind to me.”

“If there is anything uncomfortable, tell me. I will see to it that there are no inconveniences, at least while you are staying here.”

“…Does that mean you want me to go back someday?”

“I cannot say that I don’t have such a meaning.”

“In the end, you’re just telling someone like me to marry an old person…”

Her appearance, with her head hung low as if dejected, looked truly piteous. At that sight, his heart couldn’t help but soften. He had spoken quite firmly, but her behavior made his heart waver. So, he apologized.

“I’m sorry if that sounded cruel. But for me, it’s because I want to do my best for the Queen.”

“Your Highness is a truly kind person. To even apologize to me. And I really envy the Queen.”

Princess Helena spoke as if she truly envied her. Who in the world would show a side of liking a Queen enough for a King to say he is doing his best for her? Seeing a side of him that looked different than before, she now truly wanted to enter as King Ian’s concubine.

“Is it really not possible for me to even enter as Your Highness’s concubine?”

“If that happens, it will be hard for you.”

“What would be hard? I’m fine.”

“Even if, by some chance, you became my concubine, I would not touch you. Do you truly wish for that?”

“Really? Even though I’m this pretty?”

“Ahem. I won’t deny that. But if that happens, I truly will not touch you.”

Helena, who possessed the beauty of a sharp-looking woman with red hair, was indeed beautiful enough to be said to rival Queen Adrina. Literally, it was a beauty with an entirely different charm. However, Ian did not fall for her looks.

“Your Highness is truly unique.”

“I hear that quite often from those around me.”

“Ah, this is the way to my quarters.”

Before she knew it, Princess Helena stopped at a fork in the road. At this, Ian also stopped and spoke to her.

“At any rate, what I said earlier was spoken on the premise of ‘if’ you became a concubine, so don’t mind it.”

“Even if you say that, I won’t give up. Surely Your Highness won’t kick me out or anything, right?”

“I won’t do such a thing. Unless you go of your own accord, that is.”

“Then I’ll never have a reason to leave this palace. Then, I’ll see you again later.”

As Princess Helena walked away, giving a greeting while lightly holding her skirt, Ian could only shake his head. In the end, he moved his steps to his office and immediately began to cling to the piled-up work again.

While signing the documents handed over by his secretary, Mardin, he realized it was slowly approaching noon and felt curious about Adrina’s state. By now, the results of the examination from the royal physician he had sent should have come out.

“Mardin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Could you go and see how the Queen is doing?”

“Understood. Shall I head straight to the dining room after hearing the result?”

“Do so.”

At this, Mardin immediately left the office. In the meantime, Ian moved toward the dining room where his family was waiting. In the dining room where he arrived were his mother, his younger sister, and Princess Helena, whom he had parted from earlier. This must have been what she meant by saying she’d see him again later.

“You’ve worked hard today as well.”

“Not at all, Mother.”

“Brother. I heard the Queen is ill, is she alright?”

“I sent Mardin to hear the results, so he will be back with them shortly.”

At this, she nodded as if understanding, and in the meantime, he gave a light greeting to Princess Helena and took his seat. Normally, it was a seat where Adrina would also sit, but since she was absent, they were forced to have a meal with the four of them.

Before long, the maids brought carts and placed dishes on the table, and once the lids were opened, many foods revealed themselves. Despite this, Ian’s mind was still preoccupied with worry over Adrina’s state.

The food was certainly delicious, but he had to have a mealtime where he ate distractedly, unable to pay proper attention. At that moment, the voice of the Chief Chamberlain was heard from outside the door. The news he was waiting for had arrived.

“Your Highness, Secretary Mardin has arrived.”

“Tell him to enter, quickly.”

At Ian’s words, the door opened and Mardin entered, but his expression was somehow strange. He was flushed with excitement, showing a side completely different from his usual self. Thinking it was strange, Ian asked about the situation.

“How is the Queen now?”

“Your Highness… Congratulations.”

“Congratulations? What do you mean by congratulations all of a sudden?”

“They say the Queen is currently pregnant.”

“Wh-What!?”

“Oh my!?”

“The Queen is pregnant!?”

“Uh, huh?”

Various reactions came out all at once. The important thing was that Adrina was pregnant, and at this fact, Ian couldn’t help but feel a dazed heart. To think he was having a child, a child he had never had even in his past life. He thought he didn’t know how to explain this.

“My goodness, what a thing to celebrate! Finally, I am to have a grandchild.”

“Congratulations, Brother! I’m going to have a niece or nephew now, right? Wow! I’m so looking forward to it!”

“Congratulations.”

The words were heard up until Princess Helena’s final remark, but only then could Ian snap out of it. He then asked Mardin again, as if to confirm.

“Is she truly pregnant?”

“They say so. It seems the reason the examination took so long was to confirm this properly. Your Highness, I sincerely congratulate you.”

“Thank you. More importantly, I must go to the Queen at once.”

“I can’t just stay still either. Let’s go quickly.”

“Let’s go, hurry!”

Everyone was getting up at once without finishing their meals. That was how significant Adrina’s pregnancy was to the royal family. Amidst the sight of them rushing off together, only Princess Helena remained in the dining room, looking awkward. For her, the sudden news of pregnancy was not a good thing.

“Pregnant, of all things.”