CH ss - 8

Side Story 8: It’s a Family Affair (II)

“I don’t think the kids will understand…”

Hmph, Hesaros, who had puffed up his chest, was very cute, but Sienna’s cool-headed reason couldn’t hold out without reflecting on reality.

Then Hesaros said, [What do you mean?], and clicked his tongue.

[Listen carefully, Sienna. To begin with, brainwashing is such that you have to inject it so that whether the other person understands it or not, it’s still driven into the mind.]

“You are saying that you are brainwashing my children, who haven’t yet been born, and who will become the next national treasures of the Feyenoord imperial family.”

[That’s how it is, to some extent.]

…It was hopeless. Hesaros was so elated that he couldn’t understand Sienna’s point, which was being subtly circumvented.

Sienna let out a small sigh.

As a matter of fact, Hesaros wasn’t the only one doing this. Michael, Isabelle, the former emperor, the empress… All of her loved ones, who could be called her family, were busy going crazy. Even when Sienna said, “Everyone, please come back to your senses,” it was common for them to soldier on.

“Maybe I’m getting used to repeated situations where I can’t get my point across…”

“Your Highness the Crown Princess should understand. Everyone is eager to see the imperial grandchildren.”

Marchioness Gildinak smiled and comforted Sienna. Even so, her hands were moving busily, carefully brewing herbal tea that was good for peace of mind and body.

“Here, Your Highness. Please drink.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“By the way, what are those documents you’ve been looking at?”

“Oh, this?”

Marchioness Gildinak smiled and held up a piece of paper. A personal statement was written along with a portrait of a woman.

“These are the profiles of potential nannies.”

“Already?”

“She’s the one who will serve the precious imperial grandchildren. We have to evaluate thoroughly and select a good person.”

“Wait, I’m familiar with the report form… Could it be that this was sent by the Imperial Intelligence Service?”

“Yes, because I personally told Her Majesty the importance of the nanny in raising the imperial highnesses.”

In the documents handed over, even the remarks the candidate made at the young prep before she was ten-years-old were written down. Seeing the report at a level close to paranoia, Sienna muttered in awe.

“I… I thought you’re the only sane person.”

“Oh my, isn’t this normal? It’s just a little more thorough than the others.”

‘Whatever you say.’ Sienna shook her head. But all of this was but a prelude to what was to come this evening.

It was a dinner where the imperial family gathered after a long time because the empress received a precious gift. Although imperials were concerned, it was a humble setting with only three members of the direct line of the imperial family and only two of the collaterals.

“Why is my brother so late? You’re hungry. What if the food gets cold?”

“It’s not that much.”

“What do you mean by ‘no’? I heard you ate the whole basket of cookies for today’s snack.”

“I can’t help it because I have to eat three people’s share with one mouth.”

“Who said that? I’m saying it’s good to eat well.”

As Sienna was about to reply, a growl rang out from her stomach. Instantly, the eyes of everyone at the table all focused on her.

‘This…’

However, before embarrassment could even rise up in Sienna, the former emperor shouted, “No…!”

“Ashiel, that bastard is late when his wife with two children of his own is starving? Hey, find out where and what the hell my crazy grandson is doing!”

“Your Majesty, can’t we just eat first? At this rate, she might even chew on the plate.”

“Hmm. This dinner isn’t organized to feed Ashiel anyway.”

When Arandier gave the signal, the attendants began to move in perfect order. Just then, as if he knew what they were talking about, Ashiel appeared.

“You’re late.”

“This rotten bastard is stuck in some corner…”

The former emperor, who was about to spit out the swear word he had just loaded, abruptly stopped talking. Sienna’s eyes were wide open, and Michael weakly uttered, “No…”

“Brother, did you meet a vampire on your way here? Why do you look like that?”

“It’s not that…”

Ashiel was about to move to the side of Sienna when a warm steaming dish appeared behind him. In an instant, the smell of food spread and Sienna’s mouth watered.

“Huuu…”

Ashiel’s pale face contorted in pain, and before anyone had time to say anything, he rushed out of the banquet hall.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke!”

At the end of the panicking voices of the subordinates, “Uurk…” A painful vomiting was faintly heard.

“What? What’s wrong with him?”

Sienna was dumbfounded. However, the empress and former emperor shook their heads without showing much surprise, apparently able to comprehend the situation.

“The time has come for this.”

“You can’t deviate from the seed. Indeed, he’s weak because he is exactly like Roderick.”

“I was wondering when such a fuss would happen, but today is the day.”

“So it is.”

“No, Your Majesty the Empress, and Your Majesty the Former Emperor. What the hell is this?”

“Ah, can’t you see? Isn’t he sick with morning sickness?”

“Yes… what?”

Michael’s expression crumpled in shock. Sienna was also surprised.

“He has morning sickness?”

“Yes, that’s what it is.”

Unlike when responding to Michael’s question, the former emperor answered Sienna in a very kind voice.

“It’s said that on rare occasions, when the wife has a child, the husband will take over the morning sickness.”

“That… Is that possible?”

“Absolutely possible. They say it’s a symptom from deeply caring and loving the wife. Anyway, that bastard’s father was also like that.”

“It’s funny when I think about it again. It’s okay for the one bearing the child, but as for him…”

The empress snorted and habitually fumbled in her pocket for a cigarette, then clicked her tongue and awkwardly lowered her hand. The former emperor again gestured for the food to be served, and with his own hands, he put food on the Sienna’s plate first. Then he said,

“What can I do? He is like his father. As long as my baby is okay.”

“It’s funny because it’s not like that idiot is giving birth.”

“Leave it. It’s better for him to suffer in my baby’s place. Come on, baby. Let’s eat first.”

[Ah. Now that I think about it, that human emperor, no, the former emperor usually only says the right things!]

“No…”

It was a phenomenon that had never been heard or seen before, but it seemed it was not the first time in this family.

‘It must be a temporary symptom?’

It wasn’t.

Around when the children kicked Sienna’s stomach for the first time, Ashiel said that even the water smelled fishy, almost completely refraining from eating and drinking as he lay down and cried emotionally. Sienna was, by all accounts, flabbergasted.

“No, you didn’t drink anything, yet you’re wasting moisture… Can’t you just stop?”

Ashiel tried to nod his head, but at that moment, as if listening to their mother, the children kicked their father’s hand once again, and the efforts to appease him were all in vain.

Anyway, while Ashiel was losing weight, Sienna smoothly reached the last month. It was then that Ashiel, who had been living on lemon water and crackers, barely started eating normal meals again.

So, on the day he went out for subjugation, which he had been putting off, the bored Sienna sat down with Michael, Isabelle, and Lou and played board games until late at night.

“Hey, your stomach isn’t as big as I thought it would be.”

“There’s nothing wrong about it, but the kids are small.”

“About a month left?”

“Almost? But according to Hesaros, the children will be fine even if they are born now…”

As Sienna turned over a card, her words stopped. The three of them looked up from the game board and stared at Sienna, who was huddled like a meerkat.

“Your Highness, why are you like that? Where are you uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s nothing…”

“It’s nothing? Can I bring you something to eat?”

“I think my water broke.”

“Oh, I see… What?!”

Suddenly, cards fell from the hands of the three. Steadily, Sienna chose one of the cards she needed from ones which had fallen, inserted it between her cards, and revealed them.

“I’m done with this. Am I number one?”

“You must be really crazy!”

Michael screamed and went running for the doctor, and Isabelle carried Sienna up.

“The birth chamber! I’ll take you to the birth chamber for now!”

“Doctor! Midwife! Whoever it is, call someone immediately!”

‘Why is everyone screaming their throats out instead of me?’

Only Hesaros heard Sienna’s calm words of “No, I’m still fine…” Soon, she was brought into the birth chamber.

At about the same time, the empress and former emperor appeared with the pajama-wearing doctor in tow, and as always, the messed-up doctor checked Sienna’s condition with the midwives.

Until then, Sienna had no idea.

‘I don’t know as I don’t feel much yet… Will it hurt when I officially start?’

‘Although Ashiel went on a subjugation, he will probably return soon as an urgent message is being delivered and we will be able to be together when the children are born…’

“Oh.”

“……?”

The doctor made a strange noise. Sienna narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice, fearing that the group outside would be agitated.

“Is there something wrong?”

“It’s not like that, Your Highness…”

“Speak up.”

“Yes! It looks like the imperial grandchildren will come out soon!”

“…What?”

Ame: The next side story will be the last ;_; and if only that morning sickness transfer thingy happens in real life too! Or will it ruin relationships instead?