The Baby Isn’t Yours

ugh the air towards her as that crazy shadow monster launched itself at her. She shuddered and waited for the pain to come, but somehow,  she didn’t feel anything.

 

‘What…?’

 

Peaking open her tightly closed eyes, she cautiously looked up.
She could see the shadow reaching for her, but as if it was hardened by something, it was frozen in place.
From behind the shadow that was trembling as it seemed to fight against an invisible force, someone’s voice was heard.

 

“What a mess.” A languid, somewhat familiar voice, murmured, as if annoyed.

 

“I know right.
Where the hell did this thing come from? Hey, why are you on the ground… isn’t this the lord of the castle?”

 

The voice that followed was unfamiliar.

 

When Humming heard the familiar voice again, she felt her heart tremble even more than when the shadows were coming at her.

 

“ ……So dirty.”

 

As soon as the person uttered the last word, the huge shadow’s shuddering increased, its trembling almost frantically.
Suddenly, a part of the darkness that had been tossing and turning rebelliously broke off and escaped. It was only the size of a palm, but it wasn’t as fast as it would be normally.

 

Simon’s eyes glanced at the fleeing darkness, but he didn’t pay it much attention. Soon, blue flames burst out, covering most of the great darkness. Humming collapsed in awe at the flames that overwhelmed her eyes. White sparks sprang around the sea-like bluish flame, bouncing around its edges.

 

Humming stared blankly as the shadow was engulfed by the blue flames.
From beyond the black shadow that died instantly without even a sound, the man stepped into the room and dazzling silver hair shone in the moonlight.
At his appearance, Humming unconsciously swallowed her breath and covered her mouth in surprise.

 

‘How can he be here…!’

 

The tall man with bright golden eyes and that sacred6 silver hair, looked at Humming with indifferent eyes.

 

Simon Terroan!

 

Kalia’s only best friend and possibly Shasha’s father.7

 

She was so surprised that she forgot to breathe when she looked at him.
The longer he stared at Humming, the more those indifferent eyes of his began to change.
His stiff complexion twitched subtly and soon, his chest swelled in surprise.8

 

His face contorted into a heart-wrenching look and his chest clenched.
Disregarding the two bodies on the ground, he quickly approached Humming.
Humming, who saw him getting closer, trembled even more than the moment the shadow tried to attack her.
Hugging the egg tighter, Humming hurriedly lowered her head to avoid his gaze.

 

She stammered out a sentence from his lips that were trembling like a fool.
“T-t-thank you for saving me-“

 

“Kalia.”

 

Hick.

 

Hearing Kalia’s name, Humming hiccuped, bit her lip and stopped talking.

 

Seeing her response, Simon hastily grabbed Humming’s wrist and asked in a simmering voice.
“……Where’s Kalia?”

 

His unfathomable emotions threatened to well up and bubble over.
She glanced down at the white fingers encased around her wrist.
The big hand gripping her didn’t hurt, but was holding on as if it won’t ever let go. 9

 

She had been caught with no way out. 10

 

‘Oh, I’m screwed.’11

 

Humming closed her eyes tightly and kept her mouth just as tightly shut.

 

This night felt so damn long.

***

It was a noisy morning.

 

Even the sound of rain falling all night did not calm the bustle in the lord’s castle.
The lord’s wife had woken up to an empty bed and came out looking for her husband who did not return no matter how long she waited.
As she headed out to find him, she heard a loud disturbance from the fourth floor.

 

To her surprise, she was greeted with the sight of her husband lying on the floor, sweating profusely and the guests’ room a mess. Furthermore, there were even 2 imperial wizards in the room and no one knew when they had arrived.
One of them was a person so prominent and significant that she would have never thought she would ever encounter in her entire life as a humble noble situated in the countryside.

 

The lord’s wife stood in a daze for a while before she hurriedly came to her senses. It was because her husband lying on the floor was writhing in agony, groaning as he held his balls.

 

“I- I would like to properly greet and welcome you once I have taken care of my fallen husband.
Hey, call the young master right now.
Also help the lord to his room!”

 

The castle’s knights rushed into the room to carry the lord out.

 

Unfortunately, there was no doctor residing in the castle, just Allen.
Allen, who had only fainted, was woken and checked the lord’s condition without knowing the truth of what had happened.
After the examination, Allen looked briefly at Humming, who was squatting in a corner with a guilty look, and Simon, who was just staring at him, before explaining the condition to the lord’s wife with a very troubled expression.

 

“He just fainted because he’s feeling weak.
……He’s been in a lot of pain, so I’ve given him some painkillers.
Fortunately, there seems to be no loss of function, but for the time being… I don’t think you should do it.”

 

Although he specialized in gynecology and pediatrics, as a man, he could understand how much pain the lord was in right now. His voice trailed off after the awkward and embarrassing explanation.
The lord’s wife turned red and could only nod in response. He didn’t know what happened, but given the fact that Humming couldn’t raise her head, he made a  feeble guess that she probably played a significant role in everything that transpired.
When he woke up after he had suddenly fainted, the situation became strange in many ways. Putting aside his urgent need to leave, Allen tried to figure out the precarious situation.