I Became the Mother of a Sub-Male Son

Deliam, who hastily approached her, caressed her cheek.

“I, wake up. E…!”

“Got it. Cute troublemaker.” 

She grabbed the baby and held it tight in her arms. The child who inhaled for a moment murmured softly.

“I was surprised.”

The child started to whimper. She hurriedly lifted the child’s face.

“Huh, how did you know Elia was going wrong…”

“I’m sorry. I won’t do that again, so let’s just stop, huh?”

She held the child in her arms and vigorously rocked it in the air. She let out a sigh of relief as the child’s cries gradually diminished. The child in her arms sniffed a little. She brought a dry cloth and put it on the child’s nose.

“Hey, let’s solve it.”

The child breathlessly blew his nose.

“Don’t do it like that, you have to do it again.”

“Jaja!”

The child blew his nose vigorously again. She tapped his nose with a cloth and the door burst open. The hard-faced Duke walked towards them without hesitation. It was the outfit that came back in a hurry after going out.

“…Deliam Nathan.”

It was the first time she heard the Duke call the child’s full name, so she was surprised inside.

“Come down from there.”

Startled by the cold voice, the child jumped off her lap. The awkwardly standing child trembled. She didn’t think she was in a situation to intervene just yet, so she watched the Duke and the child nervously.

“The arrogant people who were worried about you came to the mansion and it wasn’t too long after the kidnapping.”

“Well, I was wrong… huh.”

“I don’t intend to forgive you even if you cry this time. What is the reason for hiding, Deliam Nathan?”

The Duke spoke the child’s full name for the second time. It seemed that he would not really care at all, which made her even more worried.

“Huh! That’s why…”

“Stop crying and speak up. I asked why.”

“Eh, Elia’s hair is mine…”

…huh? What?

“I braided her hair, whimper… I braided it first, huh!”

The more the child spoke, the more the Duke’s gaze focused on her. She slightly turned her head and avoided the Duke’s gaze.

“…ha.”

The Duke, who twisted his forehead, looked at Deliam and she alternately with eyes that said that there was no such trouble. What was this feeling of committing a crime when she had not done anything wrong?

“I told you to stop crying.”

“Huh!”

The child’s crying showed no sign of stopping. As the crying grew, the Duke’s eyes began to sink again. She didn’t want to do it anymore, so she untied my braided hair without hesitation.

“What are you doing?”

The Duke looked at her with bewildered eyes, but she didn’t care and combed her hair. The child who had stopped his crying before she knew it was looking at her with big eyes.

“Okay. Now that it’s all undone, can you braid me again, Liam?”

“Mmm, your head is so messed up…”

“Can Liam comb it again?”

The child snorted with his mouth open.

“And what’s the point of the first one? I like you braiding better than Lady Ladiana.”

“…Huh.”

“Don’t worry about the order. Who’s braiding is more important to me. Does the Duke think so too?”

She winked at the Duke and he closed his mouth in disapproval. Then she glanced at the Duke. 

‘Answer that quickly, man.’

Seeing her, he let out a small sigh and said,

“I think so too.”

“See?”

“Why did I do that…”

She quickly mouthed, ‘If he cry again, will you take responsibility?’ and scolded the Duke, who furrowed his forehead and sat down on the sofa.

“Look. That’s right.”

“…I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah. Even if I can’t do it, they told me.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

The Duke muttered, but he neatly ignored it.

“Come on.”

As she pushed back, she heard a small voice.

“……I think I need a comb first.”

“Duke. There’s a comb in the drawer, can you take it out?”

“Now you’re even ordering me around.”

The Duke, who clicked his tongue, stood up. He took a comb out of the drawer and handed it to the child. The child took the comb and began combing her hair carefully.

“Father, after you take off everything, what will you do next?”

“…”

“Father?”

The Duke, who had been staring at them with his mouth tightly shut, suddenly approached. She inhaled involuntarily at the peculiar smell that hit the tip of her nose.

“First, divide the hair into three sections. Then thread it like this.”

The Duke held her hair and demonstrated it to the child. She was embarrassed inside, but she stayed still without showing it. Surprisingly, he skillfully braided her hair. It was an incredibly soft touch. For some reason, her fever seemed to rise, so when she moved her body, the fire order fell.

“Don’t move.”

“…Ah, yes.”

“Father, like this?”

“That’s not it. Like this…”

The Duke, who said with a sigh, showed the child a demonstration, but it ended in failure.

“Okay, let’s see.”

The Duke started braiding her hair in earnest, as if he was going to show it to the child.

“I think it’s wrong today. Practice separately later and braid it.”

“Thank you for letting me know, Father.”

“It’s okay, so don’t do anything like today again.”

“Yes!”

At the child’s loud reply, the Duke rose from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve returned without finishing my work, so I’m thinking of going again. Why is that?”

“No, it’s nothing. Have a good trip then.”

The Duke glanced at her for a moment and then left the room. She let out a long breath. She didn’t know why she was so nervous until just now.

“Elia, can I practice again?”

“Yes. As much as you like.”

She gave up and challenged Liam to braid her hair again.

“I keep forgetting.”

“Then, I’ll demonstrate this time, so watch carefully.”

She brought her hair forward and showed the braid very slowly.

“Come on. Try again. Put it inside like this and take it out.”

The child who was twitching while holding her hair suddenly cried out in a loud voice.

“Elia, I did it! Look at this!”

He showed her by pulling her pigtails up to the front of her face.

“Yeah. Good job.”

“Hehe.”

The child who hugged her from behind rubbed his head against her shoulder happily. And she quietly sighed in secret.

Deliam was a child after all. After all, raising a child was difficult. It was the first time she felt it keenly.

* * *

Until the child’s birthday, only them remained.. The gift was already bought, but the key was how to give it. She wondered whether she should give it as soon as he woke up in the morning or at the dinner table. In a way, both seem too ordinary… Was there any way to make it a little special? As she was thinking about this and that, she heard a knock.

[Lady Ladyana requested a meeting with Elia.]

“Yes. I’m going.”

She got up from the sofa and headed for the door. It was the second time that Lady Ladiana came to the Duchy and asked her to meet her. It had been quiet for two days, so Elia thought she wouldn’t come anymore, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

When she came out, the lady-in-waiting led her directly to the drawing room where Lady Ladiana was staying. She looked for a while at the back of her lady-in-waiting who went ahead of her.

“Hey, wait a minute.”

At her call, the lady-in-waiting looked behind her.

“What are you doing?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes. Please tell me.”

“Is there a way to make the gift a little more special to the other person? Other than just giving it.”

“Are you talking about how to give a special gift?”

“Yes. Even if it’s not very unusual or anything like that, if there’s a good way to do it, I’ll be happy.”

“Is it because of Lord Deliam’s birthday?”

“Yes. I don’t know how to give the present I prepared…”

The lady-in-waiting thought for a moment before she opened her mouth.

“Since Lord Deliam likes dessert, how about making a big cake and putting a present in it?”

“In the cake?”

“Yes.”

She thought it’s a pretty good way. It seemed so. And she didn’t think it’s that difficult to prepare.

“I think it’s a good idea. I’ll refer to it. Thank you.”

“What? It’s nothing.”

The lady-in-waiting who smiled at her turned around and started walking.

“Wait a minute. Can I ask you one more question?”

“Please speak.”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“…You mean my name?”

“Yes. I keep wondering, but I thought it would be good to know.”

The lady-in-waiting who looked at her for a moment said,

“You can call me Sara.”

“Okay, Sara.”

“Then shall I go now?”

“Yes.”

Soon after, they arrived at the room where Lady Ladiana was. When she went inside, she saw her rise from her seat.

“Hello, Lady Elia.”

“And Lady Ladiana. How have you been?”

“Thanks, I’ve been fine.”

She walked over to the couch and sat across from Ladiana. Sitting next to her, she smiled lightly. She looked at the two teacups on the table and asked her.

“Should I ask for refreshments?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I have to go soon.”

“Do you have anywhere to go?”

“Yes. I’m going to stop by the Rubir Temple to hear from the high priest.”

If it’s the Rubir Temple…

“Isn’t that where His Majesty the Emperor often goes?”

“Yes. That’s right. It’s a place that even His Majesty visits often.”

Maybe she was going to meet the Emperor there after meeting the high priest. Because the Rubir Temple was one of the places where Ladiana and the Emperor often met, except for the imperial castle.

“Lady Ladiana is a longtime friend of His Majesty the Emperor, right?”

“Yes. You know it well. I have been to the Imperial Castle many times since I was a child because of my father, and we have met often since His Majesty was the Prince.”

“I see.”

“By the way, what has Lady Elia been doing these days?”

“Well, I don’t think there’s anything special since I’m only in the mansion.”

Ladiana asked with a puzzled face.

“Is there a reason you don’t go out?”

“I’m not going out for a reason.”

“May I know what’s going on?”

“I think it’s hard to say because it’s so complicated.”

She smiled hard. Ladiana had a hard time answering because she didn’t know what was going on between Elia and the Duke.

“So you’re really not going out anymore?”

She wanted to talk about something else now, but Ladiana didn’t think she’s going to move on just yet. She was a little puzzled. Why was Ladiana asking so persistently?

“For now, I think so. But why do you keep asking?”

“Actually, I was going to ask the lady if you could go to the temple with me later.”

“…the temple?”

“Yes. It’s a really nice place. I feel purified when I’m there, so I thought it would be nice for the lady to go too, so I tried inviting her.”

…Well, as long as it’s possible to go out, it didn’t matter.

“Then, let me think about it.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

At her words, Ladiana clapped her hands lightly and smiled. While having a friendly conversation like that, Ladiana, who checked the time, got up from her seat.

“I think I should go now.”

“If you don’t mind, can I see you downstairs?”

“That will be so good.”

While walking outside with Ladiana, conversations continued.

“Oh, did the young lady hear the news?”

“What news?”

“I heard that a mine was discovered in Kennath Kingdom. It’s also a magic stone mine.”

“…The country on the other side of the imperial sea?”

“Yes. There. It seems that a manastone mine was discovered in that country not long ago. That’s why His Majesty the Emperor said that he is especially keeping an eye on the Kingdom of Kennath.”

She thought deeply for a while. If this was the point at which magic stone mines were discovered in Kennath Kingdom, it was said that it would not be long before the Duke went to war. After the magic stone mine was discovered, the kingdom of Kennart across the sea and the kingdom of Hoizen next to the mountain range secretly made an agreement to attack the empire. And in that war, the Duke came back badly injured. Recalling that made her strangely disturbed.

“…lia. Lady Elia?”

She barely came to her senses at Ladiana’s call.

“Ah yes.”

“Are you feeling sick? You have a pale complexion…”

“No. I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“Then I’m glad.”

She stood at the door of the mansion to see Ladiana off.

“Then be careful.”

“Yes. Then I’ll go. Let’s meet again later, young lady.”

Ladiana took her hand with a wistful face and climbed into the carriage. With the carriage window open, she rustled her hand out of her.

The moment the carriage pulled away and she turned around, she was startled.

“Ouch! You surprised me.”

The Duke, whose arrival she didn’t know when, was standing right behind her with a pretty bad-looking expression on his face.