In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 32

I was speechless for a moment.
Indeed, large teardrops were falling down Perez’s cheeks.
To be honest, I was truly surprised.
I had thought Perez would be surprised when I revealed the pregnancy, but I never imagined he would just start crying.
“W-why are you crying?”
While I fumbled for words, Perez continued to shed tears.
The only thing moving on his face, which was frozen and devoid of expression, were the flowing tears.
‘He must be very complicated.’
Even without him saying anything, I could somewhat guess.
With Perez like that in front of me, all I could do was wipe away his flowing tears.
“Perez.”
At my call, Perez’s watery eyes blinked once.
“I won’t tell you not to cry.”
In the meantime, another tear rolled down and dampened my finger.
“Because these must be tears of joy. Right?”
Perez’s long, dark eyelashes fluttered once more.
“Ha.”
As if exhaling a breath he had been holding, Perez chuckled with a short sigh.
Then he slowly buried his face in my lap.
“You truly are more than I deserve, Tia.”
His low voice mumbled, muffled by the hem of my dress.
“I, I’ll really do well.”
How many times was he going to say that?
A chuckle escaped me.
I gently stroked his fine black hair and said softly,
“I know. You will, you will.”
“You know? How?”
“Because you’re that kind of person.”
Perez lifted his bowed head and looked up at me.
His unfamiliar eyes, still wet, were beautiful.
“I didn’t realize it before, but you’re a crybaby.”
Perez chuckled at my playful tone.
His stiff shoulders also relaxed.
I again led Perez’s hand to my stomach and asked coaxingly,
“So, how is it? Can you feel it?”
“…Yes.”
I could feel the movement of his calloused fingertips through the thin fabric.
It was a very careful touch.
“It’s very small, but I can feel it.”
The sharp lines of his eyes, speaking those words, softened into a gentle curve.
“It’s here, very bravely.”
At Perez’s gentle words, my heart began to pound anew.
Even though I had already confirmed the pregnancy and experienced morning sickness, it hadn’t felt very real.
But with Perez saying he could feel the baby’s presence, I felt a sense of relief, as if I had received confirmation once again.
“Yes. If it takes after you and me, it will definitely be brave.”
Perez said nothing.
He was still staring intently at my lower abdomen.
He really must have been surprised.
To see him like a child who had seen something wondrous, after always seeing him with a confident expression.
“It’s a really strange feeling, isn’t it?”
A giggle somehow escaped me.
“Honestly, I still feel that way too. But let’s try our best. Let’s be good parents to this child, Perez.”
“Father…”
Perez muttered blankly.
He still seemed very awkward with the word.
And rightly so, Perez had probably never uttered the word ‘father’ in his life.
He looked both pitiful and cute.
I grabbed his arm, still kneeling, and helped him stand up.
“How long are you going to stay like that? Sit here.”
His large body obediently moved as I led him.
I intended to have him sit comfortably beside me, as he must have been very surprised.
But then, my body floated up.
“Perez!”
I didn’t know when he had come to his senses, but Perez effortlessly lifted me into his arms and sat me on his lap.
Suddenly, we were sitting facing each other, only a handspan apart.
The red sunset light streamed in through the large window.
His deep, shadowed eyes looked at me.
I gazed at him as if enchanted and said,
“Honestly, I hope the baby looks like you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You’re incredibly handsome.”
Perez blinked widely at my words, then chuckled softly and shook his head.
“I hope they look like you, Tia.”
“Why?”
“Because if they look like you…”
Perez gently brushed back my fallen bangs and said tenderly,
“They’ll be the most beautiful in the world.”
“What, what was that, all of a sudden?”
I gave a small glare at Perez, who was suddenly saying sweet things, but there was no hint of playfulness in his calm, smiling face.
He truly believed that.
My stomach fluttered and swelled with warmth.
I slowly leaned in, gently pinched Perez’s ear, and kissed him, saying,
“You don’t have to try to charm me like that. I’ve already fallen for you.”
His lips, meeting mine, smiled in response.
Perez pressed in as if he had been waiting.
The kiss deepened.
It felt as if our shared breath and body heat were binding us even more tightly together.
“Haa.”
After a long, continuous kiss, we rested our foreheads together, catching our breath.
“Pfft.”
Then, laughter suddenly burst out.
“…Why?”
“Ahem. It’s just funny, marriage blues.”
“Forget about that.”
Perez’s face turned bright red.
And a blushing Perez always made me want to tease him more.
“What were you going to do if I really said I wouldn’t marry you? If I said my affection for you had cooled?”
“Then…”
Perez’s face became serious.
Various thoughts seemed to flash quickly across his mind.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, looking very troubled.
Hmm, should I tease him a little more?
I spoke as if to myself, half-hiding a mischievous smile.
“Oh, this is really a problem. What if some other man falls for me now?”
I expected Perez to get incredibly troubled again.
But this time, his reaction was different.
His slightly furrowed brow smoothed out.
“If such a person appears, then perhaps…”
The troubled person was gone, leaving only Perez, whose lips were pulled into a smile.
It was a smile that sent shivers down my spine, as if the surrounding temperature had dropped several degrees.
“I won’t tell you, as it wouldn’t be good for prenatal education.”
“O-okay. I see.”
I was just trying to play a prank.
It felt like I had poked a beehive with a playful stick.
Perez, who had been smiling with a strange expression, buried his face in my arms.
“Don’t worry about things like that, Tia. That will never happen.”
Perez hugged me even tighter and said.
Will it not happen, or will he make sure it doesn’t happen?
I wanted to ask more, but I decided to let it go.
No one could interfere with my and Perez’s relationship.
Unless it was in a completely different world.
At least in this life, such a thing would not happen.
“Yes, yes.”
I stroked the back of Perez’s head, as if patting a large, spoiled dog.
“Tia.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
What kind of face was Perez making now?
I suddenly thought that and hugged Perez back.
“Me too.”
My plan to deliver the news in an intimate and romantic setting had changed a little, but perhaps this suited us better.
A feeling of perfect contentment made my smile linger.
“…Ugh!”
Until Perez retched again.

In the end, Perez was diagnosed with ‘sympathetic pregnancy’ (couvade syndrome).
I, who hadn’t even known such a thing existed, was very flustered, but Perez was different.
He looked a little bewildered, his eyes widening, and then he said,
‘At least I can do something to help, that’s a relief.’
Perhaps I had truly found a man unlike any other in the world.
Fortunately, the medicine I was taking for morning sickness also worked well for Perez.
After taking the medicine, his face no longer turned yellow, and he no longer retched in front of food.
Knowing how much of a struggle morning sickness was, I thought it was truly fortunate.
However.
‘Is it really fortunate?’
I took my eyes off the water glass I had been staring at blankly and looked around.
“The food is especially delicious today.”
“Your Majesty, why are you only eating bread? Why don’t you try some meat?”
“Oh, I’m fine. My stomach feels a little unwell. Please eat a lot, Duke Gallahan.”
Should we have just had dinner by ourselves as planned?
Late regret washed over me.
At that moment, a familiar voice spoke from beside me.
“Tia, what are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Oh, Grandfather.”
I moved my hand, which had been still, and continued cutting my steak.
“No, I was just thinking about the wedding preparations.”
“Didn’t you just have your final dress fitting today?”
Shananet, who was a few seats away, asked.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s really all over now.”
“My daughter is getting married.”
My father, who was talking to Perez beside me, said in a gloomy voice.
“It feels like just yesterday when Tia was born and I first held her in my arms.”
At that moment, Perez and I exchanged silent glances.
It was Perez’s idea to have dinner with the family today instead of an intimate date for just the two of us.
More precisely, it was because of his words, ‘Shouldn’t we tell everyone directly before the wedding?’
I agreed.
And also that today, with Perez also present, was the opportune moment.
“Hmm.”
Still, I felt nervous about actually saying it.
Perez silently took my hand.
Yes, I can do this.
“Um, there’s something I want to tell everyone.”
Everyone’s gaze focused on me.
My kind-faced grandfather, my father whose eyes were now moist as he reminisced about my childhood, Shananet who looked somewhat expressionless but was gentle, and the twins with curious faces.
I swallowed once and opened my mouth.
“I’m pregnant.”
Screech.
The knife my father was holding scraped loudly against the plate, letting out a sharp scream.