Ch.57Successor (3)

*Knock knock*

“Husband, I’m coming in.”

“Huh? Oh… come in.”

Ines opens the door without waiting for a response to her knock. This is very different from her usual behavior of waiting patiently for permission.

Claude is slightly taken aback but quickly dismisses it as nothing serious. There’s no reason to get angry, and Ines’s expression is incredibly enigmatic.

It’s impossible to tell if she’s angry or happy. It’s not just a mix of both—she’s literally wearing an expression of simultaneous anger and joy.

“Husband.”

“What… what is it?”

Ines is smiling as cheerfully as possible, but her eyes are anything but cheerful. They’re like those of a tiger eyeing a mountain goat.

“Good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?”

“Um… the bad news?”

I don’t know why she’s suddenly saying this, but if there’s both good and bad news, you should definitely hear the bad news first.

It’s better to take the beating early, as they say. Best to quickly deal with the unpleasant stuff and end on a good note. If it’s the other way around, you’re left with an unpleasant feeling at the end.

“The bad news… you say? Hmmm…”

*Swish*

“Ines…?”

After hearing my answer, Ines closes her eyes with determination and reaches out to grip my shoulder.

Though her hand is small, the pressure is intense. It feels like someone placed a sandbag weighing dozens of kilograms on my shoulder.

“What are you doing… ugh…”

“Husband.”

Ines’s tightly closed eyes open slightly, revealing unfathomably deep pupils.

Her sharp, cold voice mercilessly pierces my eardrums.

*Slide*

“This ring—why did you give it to Chloe?”

Ines extends her hand, showing me the wedding ring while dangling it, then slowly drags it down my face.

It feels like a tiger licking its prey’s fur before devouring it. It gives me goosebumps.

“Ah, that ring—”

“Wasn’t this supposed to be the proof of our marriage, the evidence of my position as your lawful wife, a unique pair that only we would have? I believe that’s what you told me.”

Ines, who had never interrupted Claude’s words before, is completely different now.

Furious to the tips of her hair, she spits out words like a machine gun, completely burying Claude’s explanation.

*Press*

“What? What? Am I wrong?”

“Wait… just calm down, Ines.”

The wedding ring that was scratching Claude’s skin now presses down with greater force.

Until just a moment ago, it was merely grazing the surface of his skin, but now it’s pressing hard against it. It feels like she’s planing his skin.

“Do I look calm to you? Hmm? Explain quickly. The ring you gave to Chloe—what is it?”

“Well, that ring is… um…”

This is bad.

I have nothing to say.

I did give Chloe a ring with the meaning that Ines is thinking. Of course, when I first ordered the ring, it didn’t have that meaning, but since we got married in the meantime, now it does have that meaning.

Given the circumstances, I couldn’t give Chloe a grand wedding ceremony, so I tried to make it as beautiful as possible to compensate, but it seems that was too devastating for Ines.

“Let me see your left hand— Hah.”

Ines forcibly lifts my left arm and lets out a hollow laugh.

Until just now, there had been only one ring on my left ring finger, but now there are two.

The first ring is similar to Ines’s ring, and the later one resembles Chloe’s ring.

“Ah, hahaha…”

“…Is this funny to you?”

“You laughed too… No, I’m sorry…”

I tried to smooth things over glibly, but it’s clearly impossible.

Ines’s cold gaze and frigid voice scrape at my eyes and ears.

“Haaa… Well, I suppose this is acceptable.”

“…Huh?”

“That ring—the one that’s paired with this ring—still remains as a pair.”

Ines smiles softly as she traces the first ring I put on with eyes that look at something precious.

“If you had used my matching ring together with Chloe’s ring… I would have been very angry. I’m truly relieved.”

That I only need to punish you a little.

Ines’s words enter through my ears and mercilessly tear through my brain. Her voice is as fresh as always, but I can’t feel any of the usual freshness.

Only a little punishment? What does that even mean?

“Ines… what do you mean by punish—”

“Now! It’s time for the good news. Give me your hand.”

Ines cuts off my words sharply as if she doesn’t want to talk about it anymore, then extends her hand to me.

It’s like an owner telling a dog “Paw!” but I couldn’t refuse. How could I after such a tense atmosphere just moments ago?

“Here… ugh?”

“Hehe…”

Ines grabs my hand and guides it to her lower abdomen.

My hand covers Ines’s exposed lower belly.

“How is it? Can you feel it?”

“Um… Ines, it’s not that late yet…”

“…That’s not what I meant!”

I tried to stop Ines, thinking it was too early for such activities, but that wasn’t her intention.

Her face instantly turns red as she pouts and shouts.

“Then what is it?”

“I’m asking if you can feel anything.”

“Feel what? Um…”

*Squirm*

“It’s soft… warm… smooth…”

“…N-not that…”

When she asked what I could feel, I described everything I felt while rubbing my hand, but that wasn’t it either.

Ines’s face, which was already red, now turns completely strawberry-colored.

“I mean… like it’s full of life…”

“…? What do you mean by full of life— Oh!?”

Then it finally dawns on me.

It’s been almost two months since I married Ines, and we’ve shared many intimate moments.

If she’s specifically saying it’s full of life… Could it be…

“Hehe… They say you get morning sickness when you’re pregnant, and it’s true.”

“Oh, oh…”

I’m going to be… a father?

It’s a bit… hard to grasp. I knew this day would come eventually, but now that it’s actually happening, I’m just dumbfounded.

“Ugh… it hasn’t grown that much yet.”

“Ah, sorry.”

When I came to my senses, I realized I had unconsciously placed my ear against Ines’s belly.

It’s only been two months, so there’s no way I could hear the baby yet… Haha, silly me.

“Good news… truly… wonderful news.”

“Hehe… right?”

“What should we name the child?”

“It’s too early for that. We won’t know if it’s a boy or girl until it’s born.”

“But we can prepare names for both a boy and a girl in advance.”

“Hehe, that’s true—”

*Creeeeak*

“!?”

The happy couple’s conversation about their future is interrupted by the sound of the door opening without a knock.

Claude, who was embracing Ines’s belly, startles and pulls back, losing his balance and falling to the floor.

“Ugh…”

“Husband, are you alright!? Who would suddenly open the door— Oh, it’s you?”

“…Hmph.”

Chloe, who opened the door, surveys the room slowly with half-closed eyes.

When she entered, Ines’s clothes were still hitched up but her lower garments were intact… both their cheeks were slightly flushed… and her brother was sprawled on the floor with his chair…

Hmm… Ah.

“Did you show him your belly because you’re pregnant? Hehe… how cute.”

“…You, watch your— What are you doing!?”

Ines, who was instantly irritated by Chloe’s provocation, can no longer show her annoyance.

Of course not. Suddenly, Chloe has removed her top and exposed her belly, just like Ines had done moments ago.

This goes beyond irritating—it’s baffling.

“What am I doing? The same thing you were doing.”

“What nonsense are you— Oh?”

Ines, instantly grasping Chloe’s meaning, closes her mouth and glares at Chloe’s belly, while Chloe smiles triumphantly.

…This complicates my plans.

If I’m not careful, my child might not be the firstborn.

In normal circumstances, even if her child were born first, it would be illegitimate and could never gain power, but my husband is the illegitimate child of the previous Duke Burgon.

My husband suffered a lot of discrimination for being illegitimate, so he probably wouldn’t want to pass that discrimination on to his child. Especially a child born from his relationship with his beloved sister.

Of course, my child will be my husband’s rightful heir, but I still feel uneasy. My baby’s position will definitely be weakened.

“Quite different from your withered belly, isn’t it? I’ll be able to bear a healthy child.”

‘This woman…!’

Ines nearly loses her composure at this insult to her child. It’s hard enough to endure being insulted myself, but my baby, the fruit of love between my husband and me?

I should drug her and get rid of… No, no.

No matter how insufferable she is, half of that child comes from my husband. I can’t rashly kill it like others might.

“Hehe, excuse me? I need to show something to my brother.”

Chloe leisurely passes by Ines, who is struggling to suppress her murderous intent. At the end of her path sits Claude, still on the floor, bewilderedly watching this entire scene unfold.

“Brother, come here.”

“Chloe, wait, in front of Ines— mmph!!”

*Press*

Claude, immediately realizing what Chloe intends to do from the previous conversation and gestures, tries to stop her by raising his hands, but he’s a bit overwhelmed by Chloe’s forceful approach.

Chloe’s lower abdomen presses firmly against Claude’s face as he sits on the floor.

“It’s unfair to only do this for Ines… How mean! Do it for me too. Congratulate me on my pregnancy too.”

“Mmph, mmph!!”

Claude’s words are muffled by Chloe’s belly.

But Chloe seems to understand everything Claude is trying to say. She simply smiles with a rosy blush and gently strokes the head of her brother and lover.