Sigrid Novel Chapter 76

"Aren't you going to tell

I'm handso?"

"Should I...?"

Erial's fingers ran through his hair. The sky-blue strands wrapped gently around them. Serios unconsciously sighed at her tender touch.

"Serios."

He sat down beside her. Erial noticed a faint shadow under his eyes. Serios smiled weakly and said:

"I guess I wasn't a good brother."

"If I had to pick the one good person among those around Rudinal, it would be you."

Serios's eyes widened at Erial's words. She poked his chest and said:

"Don't say the man I chose is incompetent, Serios Esquire Archaia. My discerning eye is my pride."

Serios smiled at that.

"Right, you chose ."

"Yes, I chose you. You can trust my judgnt."

Serios gently embraced her neck and kissed her softly as Erial spoke with her chin raised. Their lips t tenderly several tis before parting. Erial's eyelashes fluttered as she exhaled. With their lips almost touching, Serios said:

"I might have to kill Rudinal."

Erial's amber eyes rounded. Serios smiled at her expression. As he smiled, he rested his head on her shoulder. Erial carefully embraced him.

"How could I live without you?"

Serios mumbled, and Erial tilted her head towards him, saying:

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Mm—"

Serios replied. After a while, Erial frowned.

"Seri?"

"Yes?"

"My stomach hurts."

"What?!"

Serios jerked away in surprise. Erial curled up, groaning.

"Oh, it really hurts."

"Doctor!"

Serios shouted as he stood up.

Startled maids rushed in and helped Erial to the bedroom. As the doctor entered the room, Serios began pacing the reception room, rubbing his palms together.

Five hours later, the doctor rejoiced, saying "It's remarkably fast for a first childbirth," and Serios burst into the room as if tumbling in to see Erial.

Erial smiled and said:

"Why are you crying?"

Serios couldn't say a word. He held her hand and cried for a while, then finally looked at the baby's face after Erial teased him, calling him a "crybaby."

"Hello, little one."

The swaddled infant looked like the most wondrous, mysterious, and beautiful thing in the world. The midwife smiled and said:

"I've never seen such a fair child. She'll be a beautiful princess."

"Of course she will be."

Serios replied in a choked voice.

Joy spread gradually from the Crown Princess's palace. ssengers began to run from palace to palace.

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The capital was enveloped in a festive atmosphere.

It was the birth of the Crown Prince's child. Though a girl, she was the first child, so the princess was welcod with cheers from all. Colorful flags and decorations were hung everywhere, and an amnesty was declared.

Blessings for the child's health were offered at each temple. There were rumors that the Crown Prince had offered a hundred bulls to the goddess's temple.

Amidst this commotion, Sigrid's mansion was also bustling for a different reason. Lowengrin and Marie-Chez had arrived, each with a carriage full of gifts.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Marie-Chez asked worriedly, and Sigrid nodded. Wearing a shirt and cardigan, her complexion looked very healthy, making Marie-Chez feel foolish for worrying.

"How are you so lively?"

"Marie."

Lowengrin called her na reproachfully. Marie-Chez grumbled:

"I feel stupid for worrying you might have collapsed sowhere."

Sigrid laughed at those words and said:

"Thank you for worrying about ."

"I'm glad you returned safely."

Marie-Chez nodded. Lowengrin stared intently at Sigrid. Feeling as if her brown eyes were piercing through her, Sigrid lowered her head.

Lying to her friends was incredibly painful.

But she couldn't reveal anything yet, nor could she involve the two in this matter.

'This is all for their sake.'

Making this excuse, Sigrid steeled her resolve once again. She raised her head.

"Yes, I'm fine now, fit as a fiddle."

Marie-Chez laughed at her words as she thumped her chest, and Lowengrin showed a faint smile. Marie-Chez glanced behind her, then leaned forward and said:

"By the way, about that western flu, did Beramund catch it?"

"Huh? No, he didn't."

Sigrid shook her head, flustered.

'Hmm?'

'Oh?'

Seeing Sigrid like this, both won felt their intuition sharpen. They glanced at each other to confirm their suspicions, then approached slowly like dogs catching a scent.

"Sigrid? Did sothing happen with Lord Lunatil?"

"Huh?"

She's even more flustered. Marie-Chez spoke in a subtle voice:

"It seems like sothing happened... Is it sothing you have to hide from us too?"

"No, that's not it—"

Lowengrin asked with an intrigued expression:

"Then you can tell us, right?"

"Uh, well—"

Of course, it's not sothing she needs to hide from her two friends. But why does it feel so embarrassing?

Sigrid clutched her knees tightly and said:

"Well... Beramund and I—"

"Yes, yes."

"We decided to date."

As she finished speaking, silence enveloped the room. Marie-Chez jumped up.

"With Lord Lunatil?!"

"You two are dating?"

They had their suspicions, but it was still unexpected.

Sigrid dating? Being in a romantic relationship?

It was sothing they had never imagined, so they were dumbfounded and bombarded her with questions.

"Who asked who first?"

"Beramund did..."

"How long have you liked him?"

"Well, I'm not sure?"

"Did he just confess? When?"

"Recently..."

With each answer, Sigrid shrank a little more. Marie-Chez asked:

"How is it? Do you like it?"

"No, well— actually—"

Sigrid confessed that they had agreed to date on a trial basis for three months. Marie-Chez sighed, thinking 'I should have known.' Lowengrin smiled.

"That's not a bad approach, is it?"

"Is it?"

Sigrid blinked at Lowengrin's words. She nodded.

"Dating with the option to return if you don't like it, it's quite a catchy sales pitch, isn't it?"

"Well, contract dating has its own romantic flair, I suppose."

Marie-Chez nodded.

'It's not like Siri would date any other way.'

Thinking this, Marie-Chez nodded even more. But soon she frowned and asked:

"Didn't you say he was a sexual harasser before? Is that okay?"

"Huh? Oh. He hasn't done anything like that since."

"Hmm~ I see."

Marie-Chez still had reservations, but she decided to give him a few more points. Lowengrin chuckled and said:

"Turns out he's quite a famous person."

"Famous?"

"For being popular with won and enjoying himself."

"......"

At those words, Sigrid pressed her lips tightly. Lowengrin waved her hands in panic.

"No, I an, he probably isn't like that now that he's dating you."

"Of course not!"

Marie-Chez chid in. Sigrid shook her head and said:

"No, it's fine. It's not related to ."

'It doesn't seem that way?'

'It looks like it does matter to you?'

Both won thought this but didn't voice it aloud. Lowengrin revised her opinion that Sigrid didn't care much about Beramund.

'She's unexpectedly concerned.'

Sigrid sighed with a troubled expression and said:

"So he asked

to love him for three months, but— what is love?"

"Hmm— that's quite a philosophical question."

Lowengrin pressed her fingertips together and sank into the sofa. Marie-Chez shrugged and answered:

"Love is love, isn't it? When that person seems to glow, when you only see them in the world, when you suddenly realize all your words and actions revolve around them, isn't it sothing like that?"

"Glow."

Sigrid muttered and thought of Beramund. When she looked at him, she didn't see him glowing.

'So it's not love after all.'

Lowengrin grinned.

"There are three types of love, you know. For lovers, isn't the erotic— physical attraction important?"

"Oh my, oh my, oh my—"

Marie-Chez squealed and slapped Lowengrin's knee. Surprised by the unexpectedly sharp smack, Lowengrin rubbed her knee and said:

"How about it? Do you feel anything like that? Like wanting to kiss him? Or touch him?"

Sigrid pondered for a mont, then answered,

"I'm not sure."

She really wasn't sure.

Did she want to touch Beramund? Touch him? Kiss him?

Just thinking about him touching her made her dizzy, let alone her touching him. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt strange.

"I'm really not sure..."

As she said this again, Lowengrin nodded and said, "I see." Marie-Chez laughed lightly and said:

"But you still have three months, right? You'll probably know after so more ti passes."

"Yeah..."

"Co to think of it, Lord Lunatil might not be a bad first partner. He's handso, has a good social standing, and must have good manners from all his experience with won."

At Marie-Chez's words, Sigrid murmured, "First partner..." Lowengrin gently elbowed Marie-Chez's side and said to Sigrid:

"She ans don't think too heavily about it. Take your ti to consider."

"Okay."

Sigrid nodded. Co to think of it, she had a much bigger mission looming right in front of her than these worries.

"By the way, I might quit the Imperial Guard."

"Huh? Why?!"

Marie-Chez raised her voice in surprise. The Imperial Guard is the best knightly position in the country. She couldn't imagine Sigrid quitting that.

"Is it because you're dating your superior? Did they tell you to quit?"

"Huh? No, that's not it."

Sigrid shook her head at Marie-Chez, who was suggesting reasons she hadn't even imagined.

"I'm thinking of joining the Achtschwietz."

At those words, Lowengrin wore a strange expression, while Marie-Chez clapped her hands.

"That's great then! You'll get to see those two."

"...Those two?"

Was there soone else she knew in the Achtschwietz besides the existing Imperial Guard mbers?

"Morris and Alkerto, of course. They both passed the personal guard test."

For a mont, Sigrid felt breathless. She couldn't hear Marie-Chez's excited words about how wonderful it was. And Lowengrin didn't miss this. Sigrid felt her throat dry up and took a sip of tea before asking:

"Both of them?"

"Yes, they originally took the Royal Knights test, but I heard the Achtschwietz contacted them. The personal guard is higher than the Knights, after all."

Marie-Chez added that their black uniforms were cool too.

'Both of them in the Achtschwietz...'

Sigrid felt dizzy. She couldn't imagine Alkerto and Morris destroying the slums, but obeying orders is a knight's duty.

"Siri?"

Now Marie-Chez noticed sothing was off with Sigrid.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, I just felt a bit dizzy suddenly."

"Is your body not fully recovered yet? Should you rest more in bed?"

Marie-Chez stood up and reached out. Her slender fingers touched Sigrid's forehead and then withdrew.

"You don't seem to have a fever."

"I think it's because I haven't been eating well lately, but I'm fine."

Sigrid smiled and shook her head. Marie-Chez sat down and scolded her, saying, "Patients need to eat well."

"I brought fruits and other things, so make sure you eat them all."

"Okay. I will."

Sigrid nodded obediently.

'What should I do?'

Her mind was filled with confusion at this sudden turn of events.