Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Kara's Prenatal Care Trivia
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Peaceful days bathed in the warm spring sunlight in the garden of the Eisen Guard mansion.
New light green buds sprouted on every branch, and nameless flowers burst into bloom.
But my heart felt precarious, like walking on thin ice, in stark contrast to the fine weather.
"Sis! Look over there! That's the Ironwall Tower, the symbol of Eisen Guard!"
"Whoa! It's so tall! Can you see the whole territory from up there?"
The two girls far ahead...
No, one girl and one woman—my gaze toward them was complicated.
Alina was bounding around full of energy, as if she'd never been kidnapped.
Whether it was thanks to the grapefruit tart restoring her strength or just a child's natural resilience, her face showed no shadow.
Her eyesight hadn't fully returned yet, so she had to watch her step, but that was all.
The problem was the person beside her.
Princess Elysia von Croatina.
She was holding Alina's hand tightly, acting like a country girl on a picnic.
"Miss Alina, what's that flower? The color is so pretty!"
"That's a tulip. Daddy planted them for Mommy."
"Oh my, how romantic! The baron looks so different on the outside—he's a real romanticist!"
Giggle, giggle.
Their laughter echoed through the garden.
To anyone watching, they looked like close sisters or an aunt and niece in a heartwarming scene.
But inside, I was burning up.
'...Hah.'
I rubbed my dry face and swallowed a sigh.
It only looked peaceful on the surface—the reality was a calm before the storm.
First, the dormitory issue.
The Eisen Baron had sent a letter to the academy headmaster, but no reply yet.
With enrollment right around the corner, not having a confirmed place to stay with my pregnant wife was a huge stressor.
And that woman.
Elysia.
A walking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.
'Is that innocent expression real?'
I kept my suspicious glare.
The kidnapping incident's mastermind: the Kingdom of Slokina.
And her Sun God's authority, Scorch.
Carrying all these dangerous elements, yet smiling innocently as if nothing happened.
Was it a thorough mask for survival?
Or was she really missing a screw?
The heroine's every move was giving me a headache.
Then, Kara, stuck to me like gum, poked my arm.
"Barg, relax your face. You're getting wrinkles between your brows."
"...That obvious?"
"Yeah. Super obvious. Someone might think debt collectors are after you."
Kara smirked and linked arms with me.
Feeling the warmth from Kara and Yeppi eased my tense shoulders a bit.
"Don't worry. It'll be fine."
"...I hope so."
We followed the two ahead.
Alina led Elysia to the underground ice storage behind the mansion.
"Sis! Here! Right here!"
Alina excitedly pointed at the iron door.
"Where's here?"
"Where our 'Yeppi' was born!"
"Yeppi?"
Elysia tilted her head.
Alina grunted and pushed the heavy iron door.
Creeeak—.
With a heavy noise, the door opened, and white cold air billowed out.
And inside, in the chilly darkness, a majestic figure stood tall.
Ta-da! It's a 'Yeti'!"
A hulking, muscular snowman.
It was the sculpture we'd made a few days ago from Norheim snow—me, Kara, and Alina together.
Even in the empire's spring weather, it stood firm, unmelting.
"Oh my gosh!"
Elysia covered her mouth in admiration.
"This is a snowman? The muscles... those traps are furious! So cute!"
Cute?
Calling that muscle pig snowman cute.
A mask.
Or just unique tastes.
Elysia approached the snowman and prodded its arm.
"Wow... so firm. Like a real man's arm. I can feel the sculptor's desires."
Then she glanced slyly at Kara with a meaningful smile.
As if saying, 'This is modeled after Sir Barg's physique, right?'
Kara cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away.
'...I'm tired.'
How far could I trust this ditz?
Was she truly thoughtless, or was even this calculated?
My mind grew complicated.
Did the letter arrive safely?
Did Kairun meet his brother?
The dormitory?
The original story events ahead?
Thoughts chained together, tightening my chest.
"Hoo...."
A deep sigh escaped unwittingly.
A heavy one, like the ground caving in.
Whoosh.
Kara beside me yanked my collar roughly.
"Huh?"
As I looked down in surprise, Kara's face rushed close.
Mwah!
A soft, warm touch on my lips.
A bold surprise kiss, loud enough to hear.
"......?!"
I stared at Kara with wide eyes.
Alina and Elysia were right in front?
They were distracted by the snowman and not looking back, but still—this was bold for broad daylight outdoors.
"Wh-what, suddenly?"
Blushing, I asked, and Kara rolled her eyes and snapped back.
"I told you last night. Every time you sigh, I'll kiss you."
"...Oh."
Then I remembered.
Last night's intimate promise in the bedroom.
Rewinding to last night.
I'd had a long talk with the Eisen Baron father and daughter about the princess's accommodations and the kidnapping aftermath, then returned to the main house bedroom.
The corridor was silent.
Looking out the window, I saw lights heading to the annex.
Elysia heading back, smiling brightly under the servants' guidance.
The princess's laughter faintly carried over.
I leaned on the windowsill, watching.
Complicated feelings.
The princess's arrival had tangled everything.
My plan—enroll quietly at the academy, humor the grand duke, gain Eisen as an ally, then live happily with Kara—shattered.
The kidnapping.
Slokina Kingdom behind it.
Unresolved dormitory.
And the risk of my identity exploding anytime.
'Hah....'
Suddenly, days ago came to mind.
The night Kara woke me craving strawberry juice.
I'd barely slept, mixing in the kitchen, but at least my heart was at ease.
My worries then were trivial, happy ones:
How to make Kara and Yeppi happy.
How to get tastier strawberries.
'That was better.'
I'd make a hundred strawberry juices if it brought back that peace.
If nothing happened and we just lived happily as a family.
But I knew.
In the original story's whirlpool just beginning, such peace was a luxury.
I sighed deeply and grasped the bedroom doorknob.
'...Relax my face. For Kara's sake.'
Forcing a smile, I opened the door.
Creeak.
Dark bedroom.
Thinking Kara was asleep, I tiptoed in—
Whoosh!
A shadow hidden behind the door tackled me.
"Ack?!"
Losing balance, as I staggered, the shadow wrapped my waist and shoved me onto the bed.
Poof.
A familiar scent enveloped me on the bed.
Kara's fragrance.
Straddling me, Kara gazed down with moonlit eyes shining in the dark.
"...Not sleeping?"
Asking bewilderedly, Kara rubbed my brow instead of answering.
Press, press.
"Wrinkles show even in the dark. You look worried, Barg. Doesn't suit you."
"......"
"Because of Her Highness? Worried me and Yeppi'll get dragged into danger."
I flinched.
Spot on.
She didn't know the exact cause—original knowledge—but nailed my anxiety.
Without me saying, Kara instinctively felt it.
The weight of my sighs.
Because we were married.
Because we loved.
"...You're a mind reader, wife."
I gave a wry smile, and Kara leaned down.
Her lips met mine.
Mwah.
Not the earlier peck—a soft, lingering rub of lips.
Breaths mingled, warmth shared.
As Kara pulled away, a sticky thread clung till the end.
"This one's from Yeppi."
Mwah.
She kissed again.
This time, twisting her head for a proper lip-lock.
Pulling back, Kara whispered.
"Yeppi says every time Daddy sighs, Mommy kisses instead. Sighs vanish, but kisses stay as love."
"......"
"Don't carry it alone, Barg. Share it. We're family—worries, sighs, fears."
Her words pierced my heart.
Hot emotion welled up.
I reached out and crushed her in an embrace.
"Got it... Thanks. Love you, Kara."
"Love you too."
We held each other in the dark for a while.
Anxiety washed away, filled with solid trust.
Then.
In the warm mood, Kara lifted her head with a mischievous grin.
"But... hubby, already tough—how'll you manage?"
"Huh? What? ...Ow!"
Kara nipped my earlobe.
A sharp thrill ran down my spine.
Hot breath tickled my ear.
"Overflowing energy even now... How to last 10 months? Poor thing, holding back for me."
"Kh-hm!"
I coughed awkwardly.
"Gotta endure. I'm a dad now. And stability's needed..."
Truth was, it was hard.
Prime of life, beloved wife beside, yet only hand-holding? Torment.
But Kara shook her head.
"No. I checked a book... Actually, from 12 weeks..."
She whispered hotly in my ear.
"It's okay."
"......What?"
"In the stable phase, moderate stimulation's good for mom... Helps baby grow smart?"
"What?! Real? What book? Who wrote that!"
I yelped in shock.
Some genius doctor say that?
Kara giggled, sealing my mouth with a kiss.
Her hand trailed my chest to firm abs.
"And... lots of handwork like knitting counts as prenatal care."
Her loving touch headed lower.
"So till then... Gotta use hands a lot for hubby. Make Yeppi smart."
"......!"
Her sultry whisper flushed my face.
The innocent girl who'd blush at hand-holding pre-marriage.
Now so bold and provocative.
Right, her mom knocked up dad and married?
"...Where'd you learn that?"
"Secret. Oh, and..."
Kara guided my hand to her breast.
Soft, warm.
"Yeppi says don't let Daddy's hands idle."
I lost all reason.
That night, we worked our hands hard for Yeppi's smarts.
Back from the memory, my face burned red.
'Th-that... naughty line.'
Recalling bold Kara last night, I didn't know where to look.
Her shameless lines and touches—she was fully 'mom' now.
'Wanna tease her about acting like an auntie... but nah.'
That'd earn a backhand smack.
Above all, that Kara was utterly lovable.
I hugged her waist tighter.
"...Love you."
"Love you too."
Kara blushed, rubbing her face on my chest.
Sigh gone, only a dumb smile left.
Then.
"Oh my oh my! So steamy!"
A dramatic shriek from the storage.
Elysia.
She covered Alina's eyes, yelling.
"What're you doing in front of kids! Bad influence!"
But she hid behind the snowman, peeking.
Fingers spread wide.
Golden eyes sparkled with fascination.
Like a reader at a romance novel climax.
'...Real or act?'
I craved a sigh but held it.
Grinned at Kara instead.
Yeah, whatever.
With a loved one beside and child to protect.
"C'mon. Kids're waiting."
"Okay."
We held hands, entering the ice storage.
But deep in my heart, one earnest wish lingered.
'Hurry with that reply.'
The letter to Kairun.
And the dormitory.
Until those keys were in hand, my war wouldn't end.
In the cold chill, our clasped hands burned warm.