Chapter 47
Holding Harvich’s hand, Lincia stepped down from the carriage and looked up.
Snow was pouring from the sky as if a hole had opened in the clouds.
Still, the flakes were fine enough not to be uncomfortable.
It felt cool rather than cold.
Lincia stared blankly at the falling snow.
“I’ll hold an umbrella for you.”
Lincia shook her head.
Before they knew it, Anna appeared, bringing them an umbrella.
Harvich silently took it and held it over Lincia.
“No, it’s fine.”
Lincia declined him.
When she stepped out from under the umbrella’s shade, Harvich handed the umbrella to Anna.
Anna hurried after Lincia with small, quick steps.
Stalls selling goods lined the street, and on a small stage ahead, a troupe was performing what looked like a street play.
Snowflakes fluttered down softly.
Though the air was chilly, the mood was warm and lively.
“Is there anything you’d like to buy?”
“No, just looking is enough.”
As she admired the small, pretty trinkets, a faint smile touched Lincia’s lips.
Everything was so tiny—it almost looked like children’s items.
Would it be a girl or a boy?
Lincia placed her hand over her belly.
Harvich draped a cloak over her shoulders.
Lincia looked up at him questioningly.
“You looked cold. When we return to the Grand Duke’s castle, I’ll have something better made for you.”
When Lincia gave him a puzzled look, Harvich spoke slowly.
“It’s to repay you for the handkerchief. You embroidered it yourself, so I’d like to offer something of equal value.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“…Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to receive anything from you right now.”
Harvich bit his lip.
“So that’s why you refused the umbrella too?”
“That’s not what I meant… ah, think whatever you like.”
Lincia didn’t want to argue anymore.
It was exhausting trying to reason with a man who wouldn’t listen.
“Are you still afraid of me?”
Seeing his calm face only made her anger flare.
He never listened to her, yet pretended to care—it was infuriating.
“…Think whatever you want.”
“Can’t you just tell me?”
“Why? You’ve always done whatever you please. You’ve never listened to a single thing I—!”
Lincia’s voice rose with emotion, but she suddenly staggered.
Ah… so the coolness from the snow wasn’t refreshing—it was because she had a fever.
Her body tilted.
***
She must have pushed herself too far.
Unable to control her emotions, she had fallen ill.
Harvich caught the gasping, trembling Lincia in his arms.
His face turned pale at once.
Before setting out to find her, Harvich had gone to Oberok and ordered him to prepare medicine for her.
“…What’s going on? I heard the bell ring.”
Oberok had heard it too and looked puzzled.
Though he wasn’t a member of the Grand Duke’s household, he could tell from the commotion that something unusual was happening.
“The bell rang because the stables were open. You need not concern yourself.”
Harvich didn’t want to tell Oberok the full story.
Since Oberok was loyal to Yulias, who knew how he might report Lincia’s escape?
And he couldn’t trust the family’s own physicians either—there were too many in the Grand Duchy who wished Lincia harm.
Oberok, after all, was a man who would never go against the Imperial wish for a royal heir.
“I’m taking Lincia to the festival. I don’t want her catching cold while we’re outside.”
Oberok frowned, muttering about how ridiculous it was to attend a festival in this weather, but handed over the medicine anyway.
He warned Harvich not to overexert her, reminded him how important the royal heir was, and strictly ordered a checkup when they returned.
The more Oberok spoke, the angrier Harvich became.
The man saw Lincia only as a vessel for a child.
Pushing aside the irritation, Harvich focused on getting the medicine to her.
Since her fever was too high for her to swallow it herself, he had no choice but to administer it mouth-to-mouth again.
Fortunately, his quick action worked.
By the next day, her fever had dropped.
She woke up, ate, and could move again.
But even then, Harvich couldn’t stop worrying.
“…I’m fine now. Please don’t worry about me.”
Her pale face, trying to reassure him, only made his heart twist.
He had no choice left.
He couldn’t let her stay in such unsanitary, dangerous conditions.
During the carriage ride back to the Grand Duke’s castle, he did everything to keep her warm—holding her close, wrapping her in layers of thick blankets and coats.
When they arrived, Lincia sighed lightly.
“I’m fine now. You should get some rest instead.”
“I’ll rest once I’m sure you’ve fully recovered.”
As soon as they reached the castle, Harvich had Oberok examine her.
He confirmed that both mother and child were safe.
“The mother is fragile, but the father seems to have an exceptionally strong constitution.
The child is firmly attached, showing a strong will to live.
You’ve entered a stable phase now.
Once more time passes, there will be no further risk of miscarriage.”
It wasn’t the answer Harvich wanted to hear.
Exceptionally strong constitution?
Of course—she carried the blood of a northern man.
He hadn’t slept for nearly a week, and that remark grated on him more than it should have.
Still, he said nothing.
When the examination ended, Harvich ordered a meal to be brought—dishes Lincia had enjoyed at the two-story inn.
But she barely touched them.
The woman who had eaten so heartily before now had no appetite at all.
It weighed on his chest, but he didn’t show it.
After all, he had forced her to return to the Grand Duke’s castle when she clearly hadn’t wanted to.
Lincia paced around the room, unable to rest.
Even after taking the medicine Anna brought, she didn’t lie down.
Her eyes flickered toward him from time to time—she was uncomfortable with his presence.
Harvich sighed quietly.
“Lie down.”
“…I’ll lie down when you leave.”
“I’ll leave once you’re asleep.”
For the first time since returning to the castle, their eyes met.
It wasn’t a warm gaze.
Lincia gave him a look of disbelief.
“Could you sleep if someone were watching you?”
“Yes.”
Her quick answer left her speechless.
She pressed her lips together.
“I can’t tonight, but next time I’ll prove it.
So please, go to sleep.”
“…”
“You had no trouble sleeping at the inn, did you?”
“…It wasn’t exactly easy, you know?”
“But you did fall asleep.”
She sighed softly.
Harvich turned his head toward the clock on the table.
He had a meeting soon.
“Lie down.
If you can’t, I’ll put you to sleep myself.”
Startled, Lincia hurried to the bed and lay down.
Her reaction annoyed him slightly.
She must have been tired, though, because not long after lying down, she fell asleep.
He brushed his fingertips gently against her cheek.
Tonight, Lincia didn’t cry in her sleep.
