I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 172

Looking at Ben’s expectant expression, Judith picked up her fork as if she were heading into battle.

For the past few days, she’d constantly been craving crème brûlée.

Anne’s father had made all kinds of variations of crème brûlée for her, but none of them tasted like that one back then.

“My child, Judith. If it doesn’t suit your taste, don’t force yourself to lie and say it does.”

Ben said it because he was worried Judith might pretend out of guilt.

“Then I think I’d feel even sadder. Alright?”

Judith nodded. “Anyway, if it doesn’t suit my taste, I won’t even be able to keep eating it… so even if I wanted to lie, I couldn’t.”

But the moment she saw the crème brûlée, she knew.

This crème brûlée was the very thing she’d been craving all this time.

The moment she took a bite, everyone’s eyes fixed on her.

‘This situation isn’t so bad.’

She thought while holding the fork in her mouth.

‘Coral must like getting attention.’

And the moment she swallowed.

“Ah….”

Judith picked up the fork again as she spoke.

“It’s delicious. This is the taste.”

At her words, Ben let out a cheer, while Karl and Ekian also sighed in relief.

“It’s exactly the taste I wanted…. Thank you so much, Father.”

Judith ate three crème brûlées right there on the spot.

It was unusual for Judith, who normally didn’t like sweets that much.

Watching her, Ben smiled with immense satisfaction.

“What a relief.”

After that, he looked at the stiffened Rose and greeted her first.

“Miss Rose Aurora? Our first meeting is rather sudden. Are you enjoying your travels?”

Considering how stiffly Ben had treated Judith at first, it was an incredibly kind attitude. But Rose had completely frozen up and barely managed to answer.

“H-Hello, D-Duke. It’s my first time meeting you. My, my name is Ro, Rose Aurora. It’s su, such a beautiful place, and everyone has been so ki, kind to me, so I’ve been spending da, days that are far more than I deserve.”

Beside her, Karl despaired inwardly.

At this rate, there was absolutely no meaning in bringing her on this trip ‘so she could feel more comfortable and act like before.’

When they were digging up fossils together, it had felt like things were back to normal.

Then again, considering she was now facing the Duke of Mayus, it made sense that she’d be nervous.

At that moment, Judith stepped in. “Father, Miss Aurora is really clever and kind. Alex likes her very much.”

Not missing the opportunity, Alex tightly grabbed Rose’s hand. “I really like Sister Rose!”

Ben quietly looked at Rose.

He’d already finished investigating her back when he gave permission for her to accompany Karl. Rose was an ordinary, commoner girl without anything particularly special.

His son had shown no interest in any girl in high society, yet suddenly it was a commoner girl.

Raising children truly was a continuous series of unexpected events.

At that moment, Judith started eating another crème brûlée and casually said, “Father, you already spent so much money because of me, so I feel really sorry to receive something like this too.”

“Spent so much money?”

“When you first accepted me as your daughter-in-law, you paid off all of my father’s debts!”

“That was Isabella’s decision. Before I could even do anything.”

Judith said with a bright smile, “But it was still money from the Mayus ducal house. The baron title I had wasn’t worth much, and I was a daughter-in-law who cost an incredible amount of money, so I’m newly grateful that you accepted me. I was already grateful enough that you treated me kindly back then, but to personally ride all this way like this….”

Ben looked at Judith before bursting into hearty laughter.

It was because he could tell why she was suddenly bringing this up.

She was probably indirectly telling Rose that she didn’t need to tremble in fear, since they had treated even someone like Judith, who’d possessed nothing, well.

“As if I’m anything compared to Isabella.”

Ben truly didn’t mind at all that Rose was a commoner.

Since Karl’s personality wasn’t exactly great, he and Isabella had talked several times about how it would be better if his partner was a kindhearted girl with good sense.

If they forced him into marriage, the Mayus line might actually end, so perhaps they should even feel grateful that he was expressing interest in a girl he genuinely liked.

“Prepare yourself. Isabella is on her way in a carriage packed full of things.”

Afterward, he lowered his voice and whispered to Ekian and Judith, “It’s Isabella’s first time taking care of a daughter-in-law in the early stages of pregnancy too!”

One thing was certain.

Once Isabella arrived, the mansion would become noisy all over again.

Completely unlike the first pregnancy, when they’d quietly waited for the birth, this time everyone carried the thought, ‘We really have to treat her well this time.’

Judith smiled brightly, feeling grateful and happy.

Meanwhile, Rose was trying to settle her complicated feelings.

‘Right. That’s true. His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess are both down-to-earth and kind people when you see them up close. They don’t look down on me for being a commoner, and they’re even considerate enough to let me feel comfortable around Alex…. So if I stay frozen from nervousness here, that’ll only make things more uncomfortable for everyone. It would also be unfair to Karl, who brought me here.’

True to her strong and kind nature, Rose noticed Judith’s goodwill and decided to pull herself together.

‘The Duke of Mayus really is a good person.’

After all, what kind of sense did it make for a man of his age to personally ride all this way on horseback just because his pregnant daughter-in-law wanted to eat something!

Especially when he was the Duke of Mayus, a man said to possess power equal to the imperial family!

‘He’s not an authoritarian person. They said he treated her kindly even back when she was buried in debt.’

And Isabella, the Duchess, treated her even better….

Ben even knew Rose’s name. That meant he already knew who she was.

Then didn’t that mean he didn’t dislike her existence or find her bothersome?

‘Right, I shouldn’t lose confidence for no reason. Then Her Highness the Grand Duchess will only worry more about me. She’s already in the early stages of pregnancy, so I can’t become a troublesome guest!’

That was how Rose firmly resolved herself. No matter how uncomfortable she felt, Rose was Karl’s guest.

So rather than whining that ‘I’m the only commoner here, this is so hard for me,’ it would be better for everyone if she blended in naturally among these people, quietly supporting Karl’s honor.

Even if the Duchess of Mayus arrived soon, she would act naturally!

***

“What?”

Melanie, the Empress of the Empire and Ekian’s sister-in-law, abruptly stood up.

“Judith is pregnant?”

Melanie had liked Judith from the moment they first met.

Even now, Judith was still someone Melanie cared about quite a lot.

Judith had just sent a letter saying she was ‘pregnant with a second child.’ Naturally, the imperial family had been included among the relatives who received the letter.

“Oh my, oh my.”

Melanie stamped her feet restlessly.

“I can congratulate her in person this time…. She already went through all sorts of things because of me during the early stages of her pregnancy!”

In truth, it wasn’t exactly accurate to say it was ‘because of Melanie,’ but it was also true that Melanie had been caught in the middle of those cruel circumstances.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”

So Melanie immediately ran to the Emperor, Alteion.

“Your Majestyyy!”

Alteion welcomed Melanie while taking a walk through the garden with the Second Princess, Livia.

“Your Majesty the Empress? What is it?”

Melanie hugged the princess, whose age was only a few months apart from Alex’s birthday, and said, “I have a request. I heard Judith is pregnant with her second child. Would it be alright if I personally went to the Grand Duchy to congratulate her?”