Can't Come Back - Chapter 36

Discord Server: Hush Mittens

“Oh, everyone was gathered except for me.”

Then Dean showed up. All four of them were now present. Riley rose from her seat, a friendly smile on her face, to greet Dean.

“Duke~!”

Dean smiled back at Riley’s teasing greeting. Riley appeared to be encouraged by his reaction.

“The fact that Riley is here may surprise the two of you.”

As he took his seat, he addressed Berlia and Cain. Riley was staring at Dean with glee, waiting for his next words.

“The reason for this is….”

Dean stared at Berlia as he was going to announce Riley’s pregnancy and his decision to marry her. Her skin looked significantly better than it had before.

‘Is there a problem?’

“Hmm, Wife. Do you have any good news?”

In the middle of his story, Dean asked Berlia whether there was any good news. Berlia flinched for a split second.

“…Yes?”

‘Such a rare opportunity to speak has arrived.’

“You appear especially cheerful today. You don’t seem like yourself. Is there something going on?”

Berlia thought the question she had been waiting for had finally arrived. She wasn’t glowing because she was pregnant, but she knew it was time to say something.

I’m curious how Dean will react. Berlia cast a fleeting glance towards Cain. Cain returned with a nod. It implied it was acceptable to speak up. Berlia opened her mouth slowly.

“Actually, I… am pregnant.”

“…What?”

“…Excuse me?!!”

Berlia’s statements surprised both Dean and Riley. Riley’s look, in particular, was priceless. Her face became further deformed.

‘How can the Duchess be pregnant?’

Her crumpled expression appeared to be difficult to restore. Riley’s clenched hands trembled.

‘But what about me? What about my child?’

Her hope of being the mother of the future Duke appeared to be dashed. That was not going to happen. She had to inform them of her pregnancy. She couldn’t wait any longer for Dean to say it. Riley opened her mouth, trying hard not to laugh.

“I also,”

“What fantastic news! Wife, it’s been fruitless for three years, you’ve been through a lot.”

Riley, on the other hand, couldn’t continue her sentence. Dean was unable to let her continue because he was overcome with joy at the news. As Dean continued, there was no room for Riley to enter the discourse.

“…Thank you.”

“Is this the child we conceived right before I went to Keindell?”

“It appears that way. But I found out a little late.”

“You’ve been over three months! So the heir will be born in seven months!”

“…Congratulations, dear sister-in-law.”

Cain feigned not to know and congratulated her. Berlia felt a twinge of guilt for lying, but she had no choice. It was the greatest method for her and Cain to pretend that it was Dean’s child as much as possible. And, while she didn’t want to think about it, there was a chance it was Dean’s child.

“What a happy occasion. We no longer need to be concerned about succession.”

Dean burst out laughing, a pleased smile on his face. He was genuinely joyful, unaware of the truth. If the child was Berlia’s, there would be no reason to worry about a concubine’s child becoming Duke. The discomfort that had persisted since Riley disclosed her pregnancy seemed to have vanished.

Meanwhile, Riley was concerned after learning of Berlia’s pregnancy. If the child was conceived before they arrived to Keindell, the due date would be earlier than hers.

‘Could the Duchess’s child be the first to be born?’

“But, Your Grace, what about me, I….”

‘What will happen to me?’ was on the tip of her tongue. Riley’s face was desperate. Dean, on the other hand, had no cause to be concerned about her emotions. He spoke calmly, pointing to Riley and addressing Cain and Berlia.

“Oh, by the way, Riley is also pregnant. However, it appears like my wife’s child will be born sooner. That’s good news; the succession issue will be simplified if the first-born child is the heir.”

Riley felt as if she had been hit in the head when she heard Dean’s words. The fact that Berlia’s child would be the first to be born was disastrous for Riley.

Furthermore, his statements were practically a warning to her. It was a warning not to have any plans to make her child the heir.

“Congratulations, Riley.”

Berlia congratulated Riley, whose face had hardened, with a little astonished smile. Berlia hadn’t even considered that Riley might be pregnant.

‘That explains Riley’s confidence before.’

Indeed, because Berlia hadn’t had a kid in a long time, she might have been inflated with the hope that her child would inherit the duchy. 

“…Thank you.”

Riley, who had received her compliments, was not very skilled at controlling her facial reactions. Her rigid face seems to have forgotten how to soften.

Berlia and Riley were both expecting. Berlia’s child would be born sooner and would be of legal birth. It was evident who would become the dukedom’s heir.

‘Is this what they call victor’s leisure?’

Berlia couldn’t possibly look nice in Riley’s opinion. Nobody in this room, however, cared about Riley’s feelings. Riley was nothing more than a maidservant unless she was legally married to Dean.

“What a joyful day.”

Dean took a sip of his wine. He naturally desired Berlia’s child was a son. Was it because she has a child? Berlia appeared even more stunning today for some reason.

He wasn’t sure why, but his attention kept returning to Berlia. Naturally, all of his attention was drawn to her.

“Please, Wife, eat more. You should eat a lot while pregnant, don’t you?”

“Oh, thank you so much. But I’m already filled…”

“A little bit more wouldn’t hurt, would it? Given how much effort the chef has put into this, you should eat more.”

Berlia was bothered by Dean’s sudden attentiveness. Cain spoke up after noticing her uneasy smile.

“Brother, I heard the duchess had a snack earlier. That could be why she isn’t eating much, so you should stop nagging her.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, I wish she would have told me.”

Dean made an odd laugh. Cain was vexing, he thought to himself as he smiled and responded.

‘Cain, you are never helpful. He’s nothing but an annoyance. I need to have him married as soon as possible.’

Dean’s pride was wounded as he felt his deeds were being contradicted. Dean, on the other hand, could no longer persuade her to eat after hearing Cain’s statements. Berlia thanked Cain quietly as she continued her lunch.

Dean did not stop talking to Berlia despite the brief hush at the dining table.

“By the way, Wife, have you chosen your outfit for the 300th-anniversary banquet?”

“I have, indeed. I went with something dark green.”

“I accompanied the duchess to the dressmaker and arranged everything. There’s no reason to be concerned, brother.”

“Wait, really? It would be nice if the duchess and I matched in green.”

“Oh, probably… yes, I guess so?”

Berlia was taken aback by Dean’s actions. She couldn’t figure out why he was suddenly so taken with her. Cain, who had intervened in the conversation to assist Berlia, did not appear pleased either. Berlia felt like she was sitting on pins and needles during lunch for a variety of reasons.

‘What exactly is this? Why isn’t everyone concerned about the fact that I’m also pregnant?’

Riley, of course, received no attention during the lunch. This was hardly the image Riley had envisioned.

‘My child should be the duke. How can he… when I’m also pregnant!’ 

Riley’s expression was determined. None of the three, however, noticed her look.

‘It’s all because of that woman. Why did she feel the need to become pregnant?’

They didn’t even look at Riley once.

* * *

Dean remembered Berlia’s face again after finishing his lunch and returning to his room. Berlia seemed to have changed no matter what he thought about it. She wasn’t typically silent and depressed, but that wasn’t the case now. ‘There was a greater aura around her compared to the three months he wasn’t at the estate. Is it because she’s expecting? Traditionally, a woman is expected to bear children and to serve her husband. Perhaps she is content because she can finally fulfill her position as a duchess.’

Furthermore, she appeared to be in better health now that her typical melancholy countenance had vanished.

‘Well, she’s always had a gorgeous face. Perhaps I should pay her a visit tonight.’

She had a lovely face that anybody would like. When Dean first saw Berlia, he thought the same thing. Dean opted to pay a visit to Berlia rather than Riley tonight.

‘I’ve had enough of messing about with Riley. Wouldn’t it be better to return to my legitimate wife now?’

Dean went to Berlia’s room that night. Her room was located on a separate floor than his. He hadn’t considered it bothersome before because she always came to his room when they needed to be intimate.

‘However, she is my wife. Isn’t having our rooms on different floors a bit much? Should I relocate her room?’

As he walked, Dean considered moving Berlia’s room closer to his.

“Hmm.”

His steps soon came to a standstill in front of Berlia’s chamber. Dean cleared his throat deliberately, but there was no indication of life from within.

‘She couldn’t possibly be sleeping already, could she?’

The sound of his knocking on her door resonated faintly down the corridor.

‘Did she actually doze off?’

But there was still no response from within.

Dean knocked on the door once more. There was still no reaction.

“…Wife.”

Dean didn’t want to go back just because Berlia had already gone to sleep.

‘How come she’s sleeping when I’ve gone all this way?’

He was displeased in some ways. It was his first visit to her since they began sleeping in separate rooms, and he felt as if his generosity was being ignored. Dean knocked once more.

“Darling, it’s me.”

It was quite audible. Loud enough to wake up a sleeping individual. Dean crossed his arms and waited for Berlia’s reaction, expecting the door to open soon.

‘Would she wake up, look at who’s at the door, and smile?’

After all, this was his first time looking for her. Berlia, who is typically unresponsive, would be overjoyed to experience her husband’s affection.

‘Should I have looked for her sooner?’

It occurred to him that her lack of affection could be a result of his carelessness.

‘I must say, I’ve been fairly apathetic.’