In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 30

“Perez!”
His complexion was pale enough to be clearly visible even in the dim office.
“I’ll call Estira!”
I immediately tried to get up to call the butler.
But Perez’s hand grabbed me.
“…It’s okay, Tia. I’m fine.”
“Do you know what your face looks like right now?”
Why is he being so stubborn?
But Perez was unyielding.
“My stomach just feels a little unwell. I’m healthy.”
Healthy?
A dizzying thought flashed through my mind.
“Are you, are you perhaps poisoned…?”
I hated to imagine it, but I couldn’t help it.
The last time I saw Perez this sick was when he was poisoned.
Fortunately, Perez shook his head.
“No. I called the imperial physician in the early morning and checked. It’s not poison.”
“Then it’s even stranger?”
He’s not poisoned, but he’s this sick?
“What did the imperial physician say? It’s not a serious illness… is it?”
“No. He just said it was indigestion.”
“What kind of indigestion is this severe?”
The word ‘indigestion’ itself didn’t suit Perez.
He was the epitome of health.
It was when I was narrowing my eyes, doubting the imperial physician’s skill.
Perez tightened his grip on my hand and said,
“Tia, I’m fine. I’m healthy. There’s no problem.”
His words were subtly strange.
It wasn’t just a simple reassurance, but a voice tinged with fear.
Why is he acting like this today?
At his constantly surprising behavior, I unconsciously nodded.
“Okay. If you say so, then it must be. By the way, you baked these cookies yourself even though you weren’t feeling well?”
My hand gently stroked his fine hair.
“You worked hard.”
“My gift… do you like it?”
Perez leaned towards me and asked.
“Of course.”
Perez and I already had everything.
Material gifts meant little.
But.
“Yes. It reminds me of the old days, and it’s nice.”
As I touched the rough surface of the cookie, a smile escaped me.
“Perez, you always had a particular fondness for sweets since you were little.”
I still vividly remember his eyes widening the first time he ate a chocolate cookie.
“He was so indifferent, but when he did that, he was so cute… Why are you looking at me like that?”
I had just told an old story, as I sometimes did.
His red eyes trembled like the surface of water.
“No, just.”
“Just?”
“…I’m relieved.”
Our conversation feels off and disconnected since a while ago.
Is it really such a relief that I like the chocolate cookie gift?
“Have one, Tia.”
“Huh? Oh, okay.”
My mouth was already watering from the savory cookie smell.
It was before dinner, but what the heck.
I took a big bite, and the sweet taste filled my mouth.
As expected, the taste was as excellent as its appearance.
As I was engrossed in the cookie, chewing on the second piece, I heard a very small murmur.
“It’s really a relief.”
My head was still full of various question marks, but one thing was certain.
He was acting strange today.

I was nervous, and eventually, it happened at dinner.
Perhaps it was fortunate that we had planned to have dinner in the conservatory for an intimate date, rather than in the dining room where the whole family gathered.
“Ugh!”
I had thought Perez’s complexion didn’t look good from the appetizer.
As soon as the main course, steak, came out, he covered his mouth with a napkin.
But that wasn’t enough, and he couldn’t bear it, so he even stood up abruptly.
Clang!
Because of that, the wine glass in front of him fell to the floor and shattered.
“This won’t do.”
I followed Perez and stood up.
And I grabbed his arm, still covering his mouth with a napkin, and led him out of the conservatory.
“Let’s go back to the bedroom and rest.”
“No, Tia. I’m fine…”
“What do you mean, fine?”
A rather cold remark escaped me towards him, who was trying to be stubborn again.
“You’re not fine right now. So listen to me.”
I felt upset.
Why was he pushing himself so hard?
I glared at Perez once, then said to the butler, who was also at a loss.
“Ask Dr. Estira to come to my bedroom.”
“Yes! Matriarch!”
Fortunately, Perez’s condition improved greatly on the way to the bedroom.
His steps, which had been stumbling a little when we first left the conservatory, had improved so much that he didn’t need my support by the time we reached the bedroom.
But Perez still lay down on the bed, not letting go of my tightly held hand.
“You called, Matriarch.”
“Welcome, Estira.”
“Perhaps the Matriarch’s condition…”
Since the morning sickness medicine had started to take effect that morning, Estira looked anxious, wondering if another problem had arisen.
“No, it’s not me. Perez is a little sick.”
“Pardon? His Majesty?”
Estira quickly picked up her medical bag and approached Perez.
“I will examine him briefly.”
Instead of Perez, who was completely exhausted and covering his eyes with his arm, I nodded and stepped back.
Estira meticulously examined Perez from head to toe.
After a long time, as long as it had taken to examine me last time, Estira finally spoke to us.
“It really… seems to be indigestion.”
“That’s impossible.”
The words slipped out of my mouth without thinking.
“No, it’s not that I don’t trust Estira’s diagnosis. But for Perez to suffer so much from simple indigestion. Something’s strange.”
Estira also nodded at my half-hearted excuse.
“I agree with the Matriarch’s thoughts. However, His Majesty’s current condition appears to be indigestion.”
Estira had never made a misdiagnosis before.
Feeling frustrated, I lightly hit Perez, who was lying down, and said,
“What on earth did you eat wrong?!”
“I really didn’t eat anything…”
Perez muttered with a slightly wronged expression.
“Then, Estira, could you prepare some medicine to calm his nausea?”
“Yes, I will do that. But Matriarch. You are…”
Estira glanced at Perez and subtly asked me.
“I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
Estira quickly left the room to get the medicine.
“What on earth is going on?”
I thought we might finally have a proper date after a long time.
We had been incredibly busy preparing for the Academy agenda and the wedding.
Finally, those tasks were settled, and we had some free time.
As I absently stroked Perez’s hand, a small voice said,
“I’m sorry, Tia.”
Perhaps because he was sick, he seemed very gloomy.
“Don’t be sorry. You’re human too, so you can get sick.”
“Still, today…”
Perez gripped my hand tightly.
But no further words followed.
His lower lip was tightly pressed, as if he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Was he perhaps concerned because it was our first date in a long time?
I patted the back of his hand, which was clasped in mine.
“It’s okay. Get some rest until Estira brings the medicine.”
“…Okay.”
After answering, Perez, who had been thinking something while massaging my hand for a moment, finally closed his hazy eyes.
He seemed to have finally fallen asleep.
I admired his beautiful sleeping face for a moment, and a feeling of regret suddenly arose.
‘I was going to tell him at dinner tonight.’
That he was going to be a father now.
What kind of reaction would he have?
Would he be surprised? Or happy?
‘Today must not be the day.’
It couldn’t be helped.
Perez was scheduled to stay at Lombardi until tomorrow afternoon, so I would tell him the news then, once he felt better.
But I must have unconsciously hoped for it, imagining various scenarios.
“Sigh.”
A sigh escaped me without realizing it.
Then, to avoid disturbing him while he slept, I slowly left the bedroom, intending to read a book.
Unaware that Perez’s long eyelashes, which I thought were completely asleep, were fluttering.
***
For the first time in a long while, I fell asleep beside Perez.
Estira’s medicine must have been effective because his condition was much better by nightfall, allowing me to fully relax.
Perhaps it was because it had been so long since another’s warmth had been in the bed, but I fell into a very deep sleep.
“Hah!”
That is, until Perez suddenly sat bolt upright, gasping for breath.
“W-what? What’s wrong, Perez?”
In the dim pre-dawn light, as the sun was just about to rise, Perez was staring blankly down at his hands.
“That dream again…”
“A dream? What kind of dream did you have?”