A month has passed.

Bluebell had become more neurotic. It has been so since she heard from Carl that night that he doesn’t see her as a woman. The nanny tried to stop such behavior, but it was useless. The pride she had for a long time had been shattered.

She had thought Carl must be in love with herself. That’s why she could always be full of herself. The pride that the soon-to-be emperor was in love with her, the belief that she was the most beloved lady in the empire – all that has been shattered.

Although there have been doubts, everything became clear through Carl’s mouth that day. That Carl was not in love with her.

When she was in despair, her father Kenyon came back.

Kenyon had been having more frequent encounters with the emperor lately. Many interests were bound to collide because he had formed the largest force following Carl in the current political arena.

It was because his daughter, Bluebell, was the empress that he was able to expand political power and interests by pressuring the emperor. He thought that no matter what he did, it would not be easy for Carl to defeat himself, the father of the empress who was protected by Arya.

Recently, however, the rumor that Carl was not visiting Bluebell’s palace but only the Empress Sienna’s spread over the imperial palace and eventually to him. Such news was never good.

That’s why he came to Bluebell to find out what happened. If Carl’s heart really turned to Sienna, it was clear that he would be willing to give up the Ferrer family completely.

But then, Count Ferrer had already come too far to turn back to Carl’s side. He could not abandon the forces he had built with Arya. It was just too dangerous.

There was despair that Kenyon’s greed might have caused things to go wrong. However, that does not mean that there was no answer at all.

The Crown Prince. Bluebell has to produce the Crown Prince before Sienna.

Bluebell greeted her father with an unwelcoming face. Not even a forced smile was made.

“Are you taking the medicine I sent you before?”

Medicinal herbs for pregnancy. Bluebell’s expression got harder. Kenyon was impatient at the look on her face, as the rumors he heard seemed to be correct.

“Didn’t I tell you? We must somehow produce the Crown Prince before the Empress Sienna. But why am I hearing that Carl is not visiting your place?!”

Bluebell’s eyes went up violently. She’s already quite upset about that, but her father, the only one who had to support her, was questioning her.

“You came all the way here to check the rumors?”

He hurt Bluebell’s pride. Everyone in the world seemed to know that she was not loved by Carl. She felt like she was being insulted by an invisible crowd. It was very miserable, but she couldn’t shed tears in front of her father, Kenyon.

“As I’ve told you before, you have to hold Carl’s heart and produce the Crown Prince. That’s the only way our family can survive.”

In his words, Bluebell could not get rid of the idea that Carl’s cold-hearted attitude towards her had a connection with her father. Moreover, Sienna went so far as to say that Bluebell should stop her father from confronting the emperor.

“What’s wrong with our family these days? Desperate enough to require the support of the imperial family?”

“Since you became empress, the forces that keep us in check have grown. If we do something wrong, not just you, but our whole Ferrer family could be in jeopardy.”

Kenyon’s anxiety was vividly conveyed to Bluebell. He was always a proud father. Such a father looked so anxious because she was not loved by Carl.

“I’m pregnant.”

So the lie came out.

She didn’t want to see her father with an anxious face, and she wanted to strike a heavy blow to others who thought she was abandoned. So she did it. A big lie that she can’t take back.

“I’m pregnant.”

She knew how big the repercussions of this lie would be, but she couldn’t help it.

“Are you sure?”

And when she saw her father’s face, which seemed like the world had collapsed until just now, Bluebell closed her eyes. It has become a truly irrevocable lie.

“Your Majesty the Empress?”

The nanny, who knew better than anyone that Bluebell’s pregnancy was not true, called her name with a surprised look. Fortunately or unlucky, the nanny did not argue in front of Kenyon about her false pregnancy.

“That’s God’s protection. It’s God’s protection.”

Kenyon sounded so happy that he was ready to pray to God, pounding his head on the floor at any moment. Bluebell bit her lower lip.

“Yes, how long has it been?”

“Three months…”

“So it hasn’t been long since you got married. You are indeed a blessing, a blessing!”

Kenyon hugged Bluebell and said thank you dozens of times before returning. It was evident that he would tell the neighborhood that she was pregnant.

“What were you thinking?”

The nanny asked Bluebell helplessly.

“I don’t know. I’m screwed.”

Bluebell began to cry again. Tears preceded rational thinking. The nanny patted Bluebell and said, “Should I go and tell them right now that you’re not? That you’re mistaken?”

Bluebell pushed the nanny away and got angry.

“Do you like me to be rumored to be a big fat liar who lies about being pregnant because I want Carl’s attention?”

The nanny looked at Bluebell with bewildered eyes, unable to know what to do.

“If I run fast and tell Count Ferrer…”

“No! You saw his face earlier. I’m sure he’ll never see me again if I told him what I said was a lie. He’ll never forgive me.”

“No. If you are honest with him, he’ll forgive you.”

“You don’t know my father. My father has a nice face, but I can’t guess what’s inside. He’ll throw me away when I become useless to him. If this lie gets caught, I’m really done.”

Bluebell swept down her arm with her trembling hand. The nanny said, tending her.

“He may be cool-headed to others, but he is more kind to the Empress than anyone else. So…”

Bluebell, who knew what the nanny was trying to say, screamed.

“No way! There must be a way somehow. There must be…”

Bluebell chewed her nails with an anxious face.

*

The emperor and his wife were drinking tea in the garden. Carl had been on a week-long tour of the capital’s suburbs. Although they were spending time together for a long time, they spent their time naturally as if they had it yesterday.

As winter began, a cold wind blew in the capital. Sienna had a blanket on her lap. The wind was cold, but she didn’t feel tired.

On the white tablecloth were cakes, cookies, and fruits. Sienna took a mouthful of cake full of strawberry-decorated whipped cream. Carl stared at her eating that.

Sienna munched on the cake, swallowed it, and then asked Carl.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“Because I thought you were appetizingly eating.”

Sienna gently frowned her brows, wiping her mouth and fingers with a napkin. Carl said that he ate well didn’t sound like a compliment.

Sienna sipped the tea carefully. Just a while ago, she was enjoying her snack, but as she drank only a little tea, Carl asked in wonder.

“Why don’t you eat more?”

“I’m full.”

“I’ve seen you eat more than you do now. Are you feeling bad today?”

At Carl’s words, Sienna’s face turned red. She was embarrassed and thought she must have eaten eagerly in front of Carl.

“Congratulations by the way.”

Sienna was worried that her tone was not so cold. Carl faced her with the look that he needed an explanation.

“I heard that Empress Bluebell is pregnant.”

The news came as a surprise to Sienna as well. It was only two and a half years after that Bluebell became pregnant in the past. She couldn’t believe Bluebell had a baby so early.

Sienna was not without jealousy and anxiety. After he opened his heart, Carl stayed in Sienna’s place, as was natural. That was why Bluebell’s pregnancy was inconceivable. She didn’t know if the child was a son or a daughter but thinking about what influence the child would have on politics made her mind complicated.

‘Did they make a baby on the first night?’

Or maybe it’s a different day than the first day. There are days when Carl couldn’t come in because of work.

Sienna didn’t suspect that he might have stopped by Bluebell at such times. Judging from his attitude of trying to do his best to herself, she didn’t think he would do so.

Nevertheless, she delivered congratulations in an unwelcoming voice. Though she knew with her head that Bluebell was also Carl’s wife, and she could not fully accept it at heart.

“Bluebell?”

Carl responded by saying that he had never heard of it. Sienna was surprised. She thought Bluebell would have run to him and bragged about her pregnancy as soon as she confirmed it. Is it because Carl wasn’t in the palace?

“Didn’t you know? I thought everyone in the palace would know that Empress Bluebell had conceived. I’ve heard that there is a constant stream of people who want to give gifts to celebrate the birth of the soon-to-be-born child. Of course, it’s an exaggeration, but many people are celebrating, and I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

“I had no… idea”

Carl was blankly lost in thought with a shocked face.

It was about his child and his expression that never seemed pleased. Rather, he seemed angry and perplexed.

“I think there’s a misunderstanding…”

“Misunderstanding? What do you mean?”

Sienna asked him back. What misunderstanding could be caused by the news of Bluebell’s pregnancy? Carl hesitated and soon spoke with a sigh.

“Later… I’ll tell you later.”

Sienna wondered what he meant by misunderstanding and what he would say, but did not ask back because Carl’s expression seemed so perplexed and irritated.