Please Answer Me - Chapter 130

“Where’s Father?”

“It seems his conversation with the High Priest is running long. He told us to start the meal without him if it gets late.”

The queen picked up the bell on the table and rang it. The door soon opened, and the food began to be brought in.

Meanwhile, Tanit turned to Rosetta, who was sitting across from her, and spoke, “Rosetta, how are the wedding preparations coming along?”

Rosetta gave a brief smile and nodded. “Yes, everything’s going well. Thank you for asking.”

“There’s no need to thank me. I should have been more involved, so I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to help.”

“You’re busy with other matters, so there’s no need to concern yourself with this as well.”

“By the way, Rosetta, did you have a fight with Iselle?” Arman suddenly interjected into the conversation, drawing everyone’s attention to Rosetta.

He shrugged slightly. “He’s been in a bad mood lately. He’s usually good at hiding his feelings, but it’s obvious now.”

“We didn’t fight,” Rosetta casually responded while taking a bite of the salad that had been served as an appetizer.

“Really? So, you did have a fight, didn’t you?”

Arman leaned in toward Rosetta, his eyes gleaming with excitement as if he had found the most entertaining thing in the world.

“What did you fight about? This is the first time you two have fought, right? What could you have possibly argued about?”

“I told you, we didn’t fight.”

“I don’t know what happened, but Rosetta, don’t be too hard on Iselle. He’s so smitten with you that he’s afraid to even touch you. You two haven’t even kissed yet, have you?”

Rosetta’s expression stiffened slightly. Following that, the queen’s voice rang out with a warning.

“Arman.”

However, Arman wasn’t one to stop there. “I bet you haven’t even had a peck on the cheek…”

“Arman Akkad Lysa.”

This time, it was Tanit who spoke, and after hearing his full name, Arman finally closed his mouth.

“Learn to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate topics at the dinner table.”

Only then did Arman stop pestering Rosetta and quietly resume his meal. At that moment, the king arrived late to the dinner, and the conversation shifted to other matters.

The king and Tanit mainly discussed the content of the recent state council meeting. Tanit expressed her frustration with the incompetent nobles, and the king listened carefully, asking how she planned to handle the situation and offering his own advice.

Meanwhile, the queen observed Rosetta’s face closely. “Rosetta, are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

When she first returned from her travels, Rosetta looked healthier and fuller, but now she seemed noticeably thinner.

Seeing the concern on the queen’s face, Rosetta smiled and reassured her. “Everyone seems to be worried about me. It’s just that the wedding preparations have been a bit exhausting, so there’s no need to worry.”

“You only have to choose the items you’ll be taking to Hezen, right?”

“Yes.”

“The gifts for the Grand Duke and Duchess have already been prepared, so you don’t need to worry about anything else. If you need anything later, I’ll make sure it’s sent to you.”

“Yes, Mother.”

The king, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke, “Rosetta, why don’t you spend some time outside instead of staying in your room all the time? There are many festivities and spectacles happening in and around the palace to celebrate your wedding. There’s even going to be a jousting tournament soon. How about going out to watch it and getting some fresh air?”

Arman burst out laughing and grabbed his stomach. “Father, Rosetta’s never been near a horse in her life. How could she possibly enjoy watching a horse race?”

“Hmm, is that so?”

While the king was lost in thought, the next dish was brought in. It was a large steamed sea bream topped with various herbs and sauces.

Having not had fish since leaving Arden, Rosetta eagerly reached for her fork, but as she was about to take a bite of the white flesh, a nauseating fishy smell hit her.

“Ugh…”

Unable to stifle her reaction, Rosetta quickly covered her nose and mouth with her hand. The maids attending her immediately turned pale and dropped to the floor, trembling.

“P-Princess, is something wrong with the food…?”

Rosetta shook her head. “No, there’s nothing wrong. It’s just that the smell is a bit…”

“What? Does it smell strange?” Arman leaned over and sniffed the fish on his plate. “Rosetta, it seems fine to me.”

Not just Arman, but the rest of the family didn’t notice anything wrong with the dish. That’s when Rosetta realized that the problem wasn’t with the fish, but with her.

It was strange. She had eaten all kinds of seafood in Arden, but why was she reacting like this now…?

“…I guess it just doesn’t suit my taste since it’s been so long. I’m fine, so please take mine away.”

At Rosetta’s command, the maids quickly collected the plate. The dish was cleared away in an instant.

“Rosetta, I’ve told you many times that being picky with your food will stunt your growth,” Arman scolded playfully, adopting a serious expression.

Watching this, Tanit pointed to the pile of carrots on his plate. “Arman, if you have any conscience, you should clear those carrots off your plate first.”

The whole family burst into laughter. Rosetta also smiled brightly, though she had to force herself to keep her lips from trembling.

***

After returning to her room, Rosetta tried to recall the date of her last menstrual cycle. It was usually irregular, so she couldn’t be certain, but she was sure it had been more than a month since the last one.

The problem was that she knew nothing beyond that. She had no idea if her nausea was a sign of pregnancy, or what would happen if she really was pregnant.

“Nanny.”

In the end, Rosetta had no choice but to seek help from her nanny. She couldn’t tell her mother because she would assume the child belonged to Iselle. She couldn’t let that happen.

“If a woman becomes pregnant, does she experience morning sickness? When does it start?”

The nanny, who had been knitting on a soft sofa, began to answer without much thought. “That depends on the person. Some start early, others later. But why are you suddenly asking about that…?”

Her busy hands suddenly stopped. The nanny looked up, staring blankly at Rosetta’s face. “P-Princess, could it be…”

Rosetta’s face flushed a deep red. “Today, when I tried to eat the fish dish, the smell was so overwhelming that I almost threw up. But when I was in Arden, I ate all kinds of seafood without any problems. Yet my parents, sister, and brother didn’t seem to notice anything…”

“Oh my, Elheim…”

The nanny let her knitting needles and yarn fall to the floor. She hurried over to Rosetta and grasped her arms tightly.

“When was your last menstrual period?”

“About a month ago.”

“…Then it’s possible that you’re pregnant. Morning sickness can start as early as four weeks.”

Upon hearing this, Rosetta placed a hand on her still-flat stomach. Could there really be a baby inside? Even after hearing the nanny’s words, she couldn’t quite believe it.

“P-Please, sit down.”

The nanny guided Rosetta to the sofa she had been sitting a moment ago. As she looked at Rosetta’s small and delicate frame, the nanny couldn’t help but feel stunned. To her, it seemed like a child carrying another child.

“It’s not Lord Iselle’s child…is it?”

Even though she asked, hoping against hope, Rosetta nodded. The nanny fervently invoked the names of several gods again.

“Nanny, if I am pregnant, when will the baby be born?”

“In ten months. It may vary, but usually, it’s around that time.”

“Ten months…”

Rosetta imagined the baby that would be born in ten months—so small, soft, and fragile.

Fear, joy, and a sense of wonder all surged through her at once. Since giving up on Rashid, the world had seemed meaningless to her, but now, a ray of light had entered her life. Although she couldn’t quite grasp the reality of bringing a new life into the world, the thought of not being alone anymore filled her with joy, and Rosetta trembled with emotion.

“Princess, that child is Lord Iselle’s.”

But suddenly, the nanny’s voice broke through her thoughts, and Rosetta looked up at her.

“What do you mean?”

The nanny knelt down in front of Rosetta and tightly grasped her hands. “For a month or two, no one will be able to tell. So please, don’t say anything to Lord Iselle.”

Rosetta shook her head. “I can’t do that. I don’t want to deceive Iselle like this.”

“Then are you planning to tell him the truth?”

“Of course.”

“Princess, you don’t understand men. There isn’t a man in the world who would welcome another man’s child. Please, I beg you to listen to me.”

“Iselle…would probably accept it.”

What Iselle wanted was marriage with her. He wouldn’t abandon her just because she was carrying another man’s child.

But a more practical concern began to worry Rosetta.

Could Iselle be a proper father? Could such a cruel man care for a child that wasn’t his own? Could he refrain from harming the child?

The thought of pregnancy, which she had considered a distant future possibility, suddenly loomed large, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of anxiety. The idea that no one else might welcome this child except for her filled Rosetta with deep sorrow.

As Rosetta lowered her head in despair, the nanny spoke gently, “I should have said this first, but I missed my chance. Princess, congratulations.”

Rosetta looked up in surprise. The nanny, her expression a mix of laughter and tears, gently stroked Rosetta’s cheeks with her wrinkled hands.

“My last wish before I die was to hold your child in my arms. It seems that wish will come true, and I am truly overjoyed.”

“Nanny…”

“I will always be on your side, Princess. Don’t worry about anything else and focus on staying healthy and giving birth to a beautiful baby. That’s all that matters.”

Rosetta felt a surge of warmth in her chest as she embraced the nanny. The nanny patted her back gently, just as she had done when Rosetta was a child. For the first time since returning to Lysa, Rosetta allowed herself to cry in someone else’s arms.