Chapter 33

The next afternoon.

Queen Aura sat before Dr. Michel, the royal family's attending physician, her ample bosom exposed, maintaining a serious demeanor.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. Does it hurt when I press here?"

"Ah, it feels a bit tight."

"How about here?"

"No, I don't feel anything there."

A sensual beauty with her chest exposed and an elderly man examining her body—on the surface, it might seem like a provocative scene, but Aura was too dignified, and Dr. Michel was entirely professional.

After completing his examination and questioning, Dr. Michel nodded and said,

"Alright, Your Majesty. You can close your dress now."

"Hmm. Dr. Michel, have you found anything?"

While fastening the straps of her dress, Aura asked, and Dr. Michel, after a moment of contemplation, furrowed his brows and responded,

"Your Majesty, may I confirm one last time. The first sign of discomfort you noticed was a slight fever and lethargy, correct?"

"Yes, and dizziness when standing up from a chair."

"Have you noticed any changes in your sense of taste or smell in the past few days?"

"Yes, fish tastes particularly muddy, and I suddenly crave foods with strong flavors that I didn't like before."

"Additionally, you feel some tension in your lower abdomen."

"Yes, I didn't notice that until you examined me."

"And your menstrual cycle has been absent for nearly two months."

"Yes, but my cycle has always been irregular. During the war, it didn't come for half a year."

As Aura answered, her eyes, fixed on Dr. Michel, were filled with a certain kind of expectation. Initially, she had called the doctor due to her discomfort, but after hearing Dr. Michel's questions, she had a good idea of what he was getting at.

Pregnancy.

This elderly doctor believed that Aura's discomfort was due to that.

Thinking about it, it made perfect sense. It had been several months since Aura and Zenjiro had been intimate. It wasn't unusual for signs of pregnancy to appear.

Moreover, for Aura, the sole surviving member of the Carpa royal family, bearing a child of her own blood was both a duty and a hope.

"So, what do you think, Dr. Michel?"

Leaning forward in her chair, Aura awaited the old doctor's words.

Dr. Michel cleared his throat and delivered his conclusion.

"While I cannot say with absolute certainty, based on my assessment, the possibility of pregnancy is very high. However, if you are indeed pregnant, you will enter the most critical period, so please be cautious."

In a world without pregnancy tests, it was difficult to determine pregnancy before the belly showed, especially for someone like Aura, whose menstrual cycle was irregular.

Though he didn't make a definitive statement, Dr. Michel's words, which carried a sense of certainty, brought a broad smile to Aura's face.

"Really? I didn't realize that the changes in my taste were due to pregnancy. I thought women usually crave fruits during pregnancy."

"That is the most common change, but it varies from person to person. Some, like you, crave fatty and strongly flavored foods, while others crave sweets. In more extreme cases, some develop a craving for alcohol, and in the worst cases, the combination of morning sickness and the initial cravings can lead to a complete loss of appetite."

"From what you're saying, I should avoid alcohol during pregnancy, right?"

Even without the changes in taste, Aura, who naturally enjoyed alcohol, slightly twisted her mouth and confirmed.

At Aura's words, Dr. Michel's usually gentle face tightened, and he spoke.

"Of course. There are many other precautions to take. For one, Your Majesty, you tend to consume a bit too much alcohol regularly..."

"I understand, I understand. For the sake of my child, I will comply with everything. Please tell me what I need to do."

Faced with the old doctor's sternness, Aura smiled wryly and raised her hands in surrender.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

"Pregnant!? Really?"

That night, Zenjiro's reaction to his wife's news was one of shock.

Metaphorically speaking, Zenjiro jumped up from the sofa and rushed to the entrance where Aura stood smiling, then stared intently at her abdomen from a distance.

Aura, with a joyful smile, gently stroked her abdomen with her right palm and slowly walked towards the sofa.

"Well, it's not confirmed yet. The possibility is high, but my cycle is irregular, so even Dr. Michel couldn't be certain. However, given the high probability, I will proceed on the assumption that I am pregnant. I expect this will cause you some inconvenience, but I ask for your cooperation."

"Of course, yes. I'll do whatever I can."

Sitting on the sofa, Zenjiro answered, but like most expectant fathers, he couldn't yet grasp the reality of becoming a father and was flustered.

Usually, Zenjiro would sit next to Aura without a care, but tonight, he sat on the opposite sofa with a serious expression. The body of his wife, whom he had embraced and dominated in bed just the night before, suddenly felt fragile and delicate.

Seeing her husband's obvious unease, Aura smiled slightly but did not encourage him to sit next to her as usual. After all, this was her first experience, and she might be more nervous than Zenjiro.

"To be honest, I don't know what to do either. For now, I can't give you specific instructions."

"Ah, yeah, that makes sense. So, it's a baby, huh."

He had been prepared. The primary reason Aura had proposed to Zenjiro across worlds was to "continue the royal bloodline." It would be strange not to be aware of this, but standing in the moment, he was struck by an indescribable shock.

A sense of pressure and anxiety weighed heavily on him, making him want to escape from the situation, even though he was happy. His hands, clasped in his lap, were cold and tense.

To hide his nervousness, Zenjiro rubbed his palms together and asked a casual question.

"But, if that's the case, should we stop sleeping together from tonight? Of course, we can't engage in intimate activities, but even before that, I'm not a good sleeper."

The bed Zenjiro and Aura usually shared was enormous, larger than a one-bedroom apartment in the city, and they slept in the middle, close to each other. Several times, he had woken up with his hands or feet on Aura's body. While a few limbs on her body wouldn't likely cause a miscarriage, even a 1% risk should be avoided.

At Zenjiro's words, Aura's expression, which had been smiling, twitched. She composed herself and spoke more seriously.

"Yes, Dr. Michel also said that sharing a bed is somewhat risky given the possibility of pregnancy."

Her tone hinted at a subtle probing of Zenjiro's reaction, but it was so subtle that Zenjiro, overwhelmed by tension and surprise, didn't notice.

"In that case, we can't sleep together. For tonight, we'll sleep separately, but I'll have an extra bed added to the bedroom tomorrow. From now on, I'll sleep in the other bed."

As a husband, Zenjiro proposed rearranging the bedroom to sleep in the same room with his wife, who was suspected to be pregnant and unable to engage in intimate activities.

As a wife, this response was very appealing, but as the queen, Aura couldn't immediately agree.

"Are you really okay with that?"

"Huh?"

Zenjiro, unable to understand Aura's meaning, tilted his head in confusion.

Studying her husband's face under the white light of the LED lamp, Aura, trying to detect any lies, asked more directly.

"Inviting me to the bedroom in the future means you won't invite any other women while I'm pregnant, right?"

Even in his current state, Zenjiro understood the implications.

In essence, Aura was suggesting that Zenjiro might be tempted by other women while she was pregnant.

(Ah, right. As a royal, I could have other wives besides Aura.)

Zenjiro had learned over the past few months that it was rare for a male member of the Carpa royal family to have only one wife. Until now, the primary goal had been to create a legitimate heir with a strong bloodline, but with Aura pregnant and unable to engage in intimate activities, there would inevitably be women or powerful nobles who would try to offer their daughters.

Understanding his position, Zenjiro frowned and responded in a tone that almost sounded like a sigh.

"I'm not that kind of person to be attracted to other women when my child is in your womb. Besides, I don't think I'll have the time or energy to think about anything other than you and the baby until the birth, probably."

Zenjiro's words, while somewhat exaggerated, were mostly true. It was unrealistic to worry only about Aura's well-being for the long period until the birth, but if he were to take a concubine, Aura's face would undoubtedly come to mind during intimate moments. This was a certainty, not just a guess.

Hearing Zenjiro's words, which could be interpreted as a passionate declaration of love, Aura suppressed a smile and maintained a serious expression as she leaned forward on the sofa and responded.

"However, realistically, once my pregnancy is confirmed and becomes public, the powerful nobles will almost certainly start to move. In this case, the initiative lies with the nobles who are pushing, not with you who are refusing."

"That's true, but... Aura, you told me it was okay to be a bit more selfish, right? If I say I don't want this, would it be considered unreasonable?"

Until today, Zenjiro had always considered Aura's position and refrained from being selfish, but his first selfish request was unexpectedly about rejecting a concubine.

Feeling a mix of joy and confusion at her husband's request, Aura's core warmed, but she couldn't hide her confusion.

"You're really saying this. Do you dislike it that much?"

Zenjiro, sitting back on the black leather sofa, looked straight into Aura's eyes and nodded.

"Yes. If I have to choose between disliking it and being happy, I dislike it. Even if I choose neither, the answer is still that I dislike it.

I understand that, as a royal, I have certain obligations, and if rejecting a concubine would cause significant harm to you or the Carpa Kingdom, I would try to accept it. But honestly, I don't have much confidence in handling it well."

"Hmm, I didn't think you were this particular."

Zenjiro smiled wryly and waved his hand in front of his face, denying her assessment.

"No, I'm not particular. For example, I had a girlfriend for about a year before I was summoned and proposed to by Aura. If that had happened, I probably would have switched to Aura. If I could freely travel between worlds, I might have even had a relationship with someone else. So, I'm not particular. As I said, this is just a personal preference.

I don't like the idea of being forced to take a third party into a relationship that's going well with my wife."

"It won't cause tension. While I won't feel good about you being intimate with other women, I understand my obligations as a royal and won't show it."

"I will. I can't pretend to be okay with cheating at night and then show up to my wife during the day and ask, 'How's the baby?' with a straight face."

"Ugh..."

This was a stronger reaction than expected. In fact, Zenjiro's resistance to the proposal was something Aura hadn't anticipated at all.

(I had assumed, without realizing it, that my husband, a commoner from another world, shared the same values as the nobles of this world.)

In a way, this was a form of "indulgence" towards Zenjiro. She had unconsciously assumed that her husband would understand her position and accept her proposals without detailed explanations or persuasion.

(I must be more careful. While I told him to be more selfish, I had taken his lack of selfishness for granted.)

Aura closed her eyes, reflecting on her mistake, and exhaled softly.

Despite the unexpected turn of events, this was her husband's first expression of selfishness, and she wanted to hear him out. Moreover, as a wife, she would normally be happy to accept his refusal of a concubine.

However, in reality, could she afford to reject a concubine given the current power dynamics between the royal family and the powerful nobles? The worst-case scenario would be if her refusal was misinterpreted as her own selfishness rather than Zenjiro's.

This was a real possibility. Normally, it would be Aura, not Zenjiro, who would reject a concubine. If Aura were seen as ignoring her husband's wishes and rejecting a concubine, the backlash could be significant, though not fatal.

After a moment, Aura opened her eyes and spoke calmly.

"I understand. I will do my best to resolve this in a way that respects your wishes. I promise. However, as the queen, if I judge that the country will suffer significant harm, I may have to break that promise. Please understand that. ...I'm sorry."

With a serious expression, Aura bowed slightly, and Zenjiro, for the first time that day, returned her usual gentle smile.

"I understand. You don't have to take it so seriously. I know my position. Look, if you're too down, it might affect the baby."

Aura, lifting her head at Zenjiro's words, relaxed her expression and accepted his words.

"You're right. I understand. It's getting late, so let's call it a night."

With that, Aura stood up from the sofa.

Zenjiro, momentarily tilting his head in confusion, quickly realized what she meant. They had decided not to share the same bed from tonight. Since there was no time to add an extra bed to the bedroom, they would have to sleep in separate rooms for the night.

The thought of sharing the same bed for one more night almost slipped out, but Zenjiro swallowed it and stood up. Ensuring Aura's safe delivery of the baby was his primary and only obligation. He couldn't afford to interfere with that.

"Got it. Be careful. Try not to let your stomach get cold."

"I know. Dr. Michel has already told me not to drink, not to take long baths, and to be careful of my sleeping position. If I'm restricted this much and it turns out I'm not pregnant, I might collapse from the stress."

"Haha, that just shows how important you and the baby are."

Exchanging these words, Aura was escorted by Zenjiro to the door of the room.

The six LED lamps were arranged to encircle the living space centered around the sofa, making this area dim.

"Goodnight."

In the dim light, Aura, before turning the doorknob, turned back to her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Goodnight."

Accepting the embrace, Zenjiro wrapped his arms around her back and waist, pulling her close and sharing a light kiss.

"Goodnight."

After a moment of savoring each other's warmth, Aura said, leaving a lingering smile, and left the room.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The queen, after bidding her husband goodnight, did not head to another bedroom but to a room in the palace.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty. How did it go?"

A thin, middle-aged man standing in the dark room bowed respectfully.

"It's too dark. Add more light."

Aura, in a matter-of-fact tone, was about to sit down on the wicker chair but stopped mid-way, then gently sat down.

"Yes, please wait a moment."

While Secretary Fabio transferred the oil from the dish to the candle, Aura, looking up at the ceiling, began to speak.

"I've informed my husband about the possibility of pregnancy and the potential issue of a concubine. However, he expressed an unexpected 'selfish desire.'"

"Really? That's unusual. What did he say?"

"It's not complicated. In short, he doesn't want to accept a concubine. He believes that..."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, the secretary listened as Aura casually recounted the conversation she had with her husband in the harem.

"I see. So, he prefers to share a bedroom with you, even if he can't be intimate, rather than with a concubine. My, my, you are loved, Your Majesty."

After hearing the explanation, the secretary, with a hint of teasing, addressed his lord.

"Yes, thanks to him, I'm enjoying a blissful honeymoon. But that's why I need to reflect. I had taken for