༺ The North (2) ༻
Laura glanced at Yuriel out of the corner of her eyes as she sipped on the tea Baroness Roberson had prepared for them.
In this cozy teatime, Euphemia was notably absent. She had used her tired body as an excuse, and while it wasn’t entirely false, the real reason might have been to avoid others smelling the scent of her milk.
‘Rather, it’s for the better.’
With Euphemia not around, Yuriel’s mood seemed to soften a lot, much to Laura’s relief. Just like Laura, Yuriel warmed herself with the tea served by the Baroness, and she covered her mouth with her hands as she let out a soft yawn.
After traveling in a wagon for a long time, fatigue had accumulated in Yuriel’s body. Her shoulders felt stiff, making it challenging to properly control her arms. Despite that, Yuriel seemed to be accepting the fatigue with a sense of contentment.
For Yuriel, the symptoms she currently experienced were not only due to fatigue; they were also signs of being in the very early stages of pregnancy.
‘It’s already the end of July……’
Her monthly cycle hadn’t come, leaving no doubt in Yuriel’s mind that Ferzen’s seed had indeed turned into a child in her womb.
Thinking about it, she gently covered her slightly heavier and bulging lower stomach while sipping on the hot tea.
Though it was still early in the pregnancy, Yuriel could already feel maternal love overflowing in her body, making her more benevolent than ever.
And, naturally, it was Laura who was most affected by that change.
“Thank you…”
Yuriel gently wiped away some tea that lingered on her lips with a handkerchief.
Laura, feeling burdened by her kindness, forced a smile to hide her discomfort.
Even though Ferzen’s treatment towards her was more like that of a master to a slave, she didn’t mind it at all. But Yuriel’s treatment felt offensive, as if she were being used as a doll to fulfill her maternal instincts.
However, the divide between the Rosenberg and Alfred families was insurmountable, leaving Laura no choice but to accept Yuriel’s kindness.
Whether she had truly become pregnant or not, it seemed she couldn’t escape being treated as Yuriel’s version of her rabbit doll.
‘Is receiving a man’s seed and giving birth to his child really such a joyful thing?’
Laura couldn’t easily empathize with Yuriel’s change of heart because of her long-standing knowledge of the curse of the Genova family and the suffering it brought upon her.
To her, bearing a child was akin to continuing the existence of the curse, an act that carried the weight of sin.
Meanwhile, Baroness Roberson, closely observing Laura and Yuriel while conversing with them, felt a twinge of regret.
‘If only my son hadn’t been engaged……’
While the Rosenberg family, renowned for its culture and art, was far above their own, Laura’s delicate health would make it difficult for her to conceive and deliver a child as the chance of miscarriage was high.
Her stuttering speech also made her seem less suitable to bear the name of Rosenberg.
However, that fault of hers was precisely the reason why she thought that the Roberson family would have plenty of chances to marry her into their family.
Though it might have come with a bitter taste, the deep bond that Laura had with Yuriel, the second daughter of the Alfred family, as well as her bond with Ferzen, the legitimate son of Brutein, would have added enough sweetness to outweigh the bitterness.
But since they couldn’t pursue such a course of action anymore, the Baroness was left with nothing but meaningless regrets in her heart.
Knock-!! Knock-!!
Knock-!! Knock-!!
“Their conversation seems to be over.”
The serene atmosphere that was present in the room was broken by a knocking sound from outside the door.
As the door opened, Baron Roberson’s figure appeared, it was apparent from his face that he was unable to contain the great joy he felt.
While the Baroness felt a mix of shame and excitement at her husband’s appearance, she was also curious about the nature of the conversation he just had with the Count.
“Our conversation is finished. The Count said he needed some time to think and stayed in the office. He’ll be leaving soon, so let’s go together to the dining room.”
“Okay.”
Upon hearing Baron Roberson’s words, Yuriel set down her teacup and stood up along with Laura.
The Baroness who was about to approach her husband, suddenly remembered something and turned towards Yuriel.
“…I will send a maid to fetch Lady Louerg.”
Yuriel appreciated how carefully the Baroness chose her words, it was a choice that she made in order to not offend any party.
“It’s fine. I will go and inform her. You and Baron Roberson should go to the dining room first.”
“Thank you for your understanding. Then… Honey.”
“Yes.”
Baron Roberson and his wife left the room, conversing in their usual manner.
Alone with Laura, Yuriel slowly made her way to Euphemia’s room.
“Uh, uhm…”
Yuriel unintentionally let out a small groan as they walked down the cold hallway as waves of pain hit her every time she took a step.
“Y-you should talk to the d-doctor… and r-rest…”
Laura’s concern was valid given Yuriel’s condition. However, Yuriel just frowned slightly while keeping her silent.
She knew that Euphemia had a skilled doctor accompanying her ever since they had left the capital for the North.
Yuriel also knew that it would be best to be examined by that doctor.
However, during the examination, if she found out that her current physical condition was not due to pregnancy……
She knew she would be devastated.
She had never had a child before, so naturally she had not experienced the sorrow of losing them.
However, if the doctor said that she was not pregnant after she believed that she was finally pregnant after longing for it desperately, the sadness she would feel would be no different from the grief of losing a child.
Laura looked at Yuriel and hugged the rabbit doll in her arms tighter as she thought that she might have made a mistake.
A moment later, Laura cautiously followed behind Yuriel, who was walking ahead of her.
Suddenly, Yuriel shuddered and stopped in her tracks. Under the faint illumination of moonlight, Laura saw crimson drops of blood on the floor of the hallway.
‘I… did I imagine that?’
No, it was too vivid to be an illusion.
The mixture of the fishy smell and the perfume emanating from Yuriel’s body confirmed it was the smell of blood.
Step by step, Laura followed Yuriel’s path, but as she looked at the back of Yuriel, who continued walking without any discomfort, she began to doubt her own judgment.
And then, as if to confirm her fears, the moon emerged from behind the clouds and cast its soft light on Yuriel once again…
Finally, Laura could see it clearly.
Red blood was running down Yuriel’s white legs.
Step by step, Yuriel continued, but at one point, she stopped abruptly. She then grabbed her chest area and leaned against the wall.
“Ah, uh…”
It was a familiar sensation.
The peculiar pain in her large breasts informed her that she was now suffering from significant sore breasts or mastitis.
Yuriel bit her lip, trying to prevent herself from falling due to the intense pain in her stomach. It was unlike her usual menstruation, the pain was almost unbearable this time around.
“…… Go.”
“……”
Yuriel uttered a short word towards Laura, who stood there, unsure of what to do.
Laura knew she should stay and help Yuriel, perhaps take her to her room and call the doctor. However, Yuriel’s firm tone made her hesitate. In the end, she quietly passed by, following Yuriel’s instructions.
It was the mental pain that Laura couldn’t fully comprehend.
She knew she couldn’t offer any comforting words or solace. Any attempt to console Yuriel would be nothing but a lie, and it might even hurt her more.
In the past, whenever someone tried to console her after learning about the severity of her Full Moon Curse, she would get angry with them.
So, without saying anything, Laura stepped into Euphemia’s bedroom, glancing back at Yuriel, who was sitting there with her head bowed down.
* * * * *
……It was something that she had always kept in her mind.
Yuriel knew that her menstruation might be late due to the fatigue caused by the long travel.
However, when the fact she had been trying to avoid was suddenly thrust in her face, she was overcome by a terrible sadness before she could even feel embarrassed.
Of course, she understood that wanting to have a child didn’t guarantee instant pregnancy. She was certain that Ferzen was not the problem, and she believed there wasn’t any issue with herself either.
If that were the case, everything would naturally be resolved with time. But the human race had always longed for the established order of things.
Even if others saw her as Ferzen’s wife and treated her as such, in reality, she was just his concubine. Her excessive sense of entitlement, mixed with jealousy, made her obsessed with people’s recognition and gaze.
No one would dare to call the mother of a child a mere concubine. That was the recognition she yearned for.
‘I… I wanted to be your child’s mother.’
A choked sob escaped from between her tightly bitten lips, coloring the quiet hallway with her grief.
Her falling tears met the cold air and turned into pure white frost.
And at that moment, the sorrow of a woman unable to become a mother became like a lonely lost child, searching for a place to belong.
TL note: 1/20
Well mah babies this is the first of many to cum this month!
Btw this is also a very special day for mua, since today Destiny 2 will release the reprised raid – Crota’s End.
Maaaan this bring back sooooo many memories. I remember playing on my crusty dusty X-box 360 until late, so I had to be suuuuper quiet to no awake my parents, hehe.
Jesus it’s been 10 years now. Omg. I’m old now…..Fuck Not going there! Nop! Im YOUNG. YOUTH! YOUTH!!
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