Only With Your Heart - Only With Your Heart SS15
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Counting the Night of the Blazing Flame (15)
Chizuru woke up when she heard a commotion in her ears. Several familiar voices were discussing something.
“Hmm…”
She let out a muffled groan and twisted around. Arde was the first person to notice her.
“Oh my, Chizuru-sama, are you awake? I’m glad. We were all worried about you!”
Arde’s voice was strangely cheerful, even as she spoke of worry.
Chizuru’s eyes blinked, and she quickly looked around. She was in her bedroom, on her bed.
Daylight was coming in through the window, and it didn’t seem like much time had passed yet.
And…
“Estabelle?”
It was already warm in the daytime, but Estabelle, wearing a thick black cloak, was standing next to Arde.
It was the first time she had seen her in a very long time as Chizuru had been restricted from visiting the lab ever since the aphrodisiac incident. Estabelle’s back was still as taut as a bowstring, even though she must be very old.
Chizuru slowly raised her upper body from the bed.
She was still wearing the clothes that she had worn from her outing with Lukrov this morning.
As soon as Estabelle took a glance at Chizuru with her cunning eyes, she shifted her gaze to Arde, who was standing next to her.
“It will be a while before we know for sure, though. But my intuition and experience as a doctor clearly tell me that it’s black.”
For some reason, Arde clapped her hands in delight, which was her signature move when she was happy.
“I knew it! Oh, my goodness! I’m so happy!”
Chizuru tilted her head in confusion.
Looking at the lord’s wife, who had just woken up, the doctor determined that the symptoms were black, and the maid was happy about it… Something was wrong.
“What’s wrong? Black? …I’m pretty sure I collapsed while I was out…”
As she spoke, she realized that she was very thirsty.
Arde walked quickly over to the bedside and took Chizuru’s hand, looking deeply moved.
“That’s right. Lukrov-sama carried you back here at a crazy speed. But please don’t worry. He has already been informed that you’re safe and sound. If not–”
Just as Arde was about to finish what she was saying, the door leading to Chizuru’s private room was knocked violently.
“Open it, Arde! Has Chizuru woken up?”
Lukrov’s voice echoed through the door.
Arde smiled slyly at the bewildered Chizuru.
“If not, he would not have agreed to leave Chizuru-sama’s side, even for a moment. I needed to consult with the doctor alone, so I asked him to leave for a while. But it’s okay now.”
Arde then turned to the closed door and said, “Come in.”
Before Arde could finish her sentence, the door swung open, and a stiff-looking man entered with the speed of light.
Nadal followed, hurrying after him.
“Chizuru, are you okay? How are you feeling?”
Lukrov, who had instantly come to the side of the bed, bent down next to Chizuru and pushed Arde away.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry for making you worry. I think it’s probably just anemia.”
As she was telling him, Estabelle’s remark about “black” crossed her mind. But somehow, Arde was happy, so it shouldn’t be bad news.
When Lukrov took her hand, Chizuru tried to show a smile to reassure him.
“No, Chizuru-sama, it’s not just anemia. It looks like you’re pregnant.”
Arde, who had been pushed back by Lukrov, made a simple but significant announcement.
“…What?”
The first to react was not Chizuru, herself, but Lukrov.
Arde smiled as if taking revenge for being pushed away.
“I have always counted the days of Chizuru-sama’s moon cycle properly since I am the one who takes care of her. It rarely misses the schedule, but it’s already four days late for this month.”
Lukrov was looking back at Arde, but Chizuru’s hand was still in his grasp as his grip tightened.
“But no way…”
Chizuru mumbled. But come to think of it, she had been deliberately avoiding counting the days of her period lately, trying not to think about it too much.
However, it was Arde who prepared the cotton cloths for menstruation, and it was only natural that she, as a competent maid, had a good memory of her menstrual cycle.
Estabelle took over Arde’s explanation and said, “You don’t seem to have a high fever, but your temperature is a little high. It’s a symptom of pregnancy, you know. Anemia is also common at this time of the year. Well, it’s a nine out of ten chance that you’re with a child.”
Arde and Estabelle were nodding their heads together. It was an odd combination, but well…
“How would it be impossible?? It’s my job to fix the messy bed every morning and to mend the enormous amount of Chizuru-sama’s torn nightgown. It’s a wonder that it took so long, considering the enormous amount of work I do.”
In the corner of the room, Nadal blushed bright red as he exhaled. The “enormous amount of torn nightgowns” must have been too much of a shock for him to handle.
Lukrov slowly returned his gaze to Chizuru’s face.
──How can I describe the expression on his face at that moment? Surprise. Impressed. Joy… And a little bit of anxiety and doubt.
All of these things were mixed together and displayed on his neat face. Chizuru thought it was cute.
──This person’s child is inside of me?
A future she had almost given up on. A dream that she had almost given up on. A dream that she had tried to convince herself that wouldn’t have to come true.
“Is it okay? Lukrov.”
Chizuru asked softly.
“What do you mean by ‘Okay’?”
“If we have a baby, it’s going to be hard, right?”
Lukrov pulled her hand and softly placed it on his firm chest. It was a solemn gesture as if he was making a sacred vow.
“No matter how difficult it may get.”
The two of them brought their foreheads together against each other. She could feel Lukrov’s hot breath as he tried to control his excitement.
“No matter what we have to go through. I love you. I swear to help and protect you.”
As their lips met passionately, Estabelle rolled her eyes in annoyance, Nadal looked away in embarrassment, and Arde clasped her hands in front of her chest, weeping with emotion.
And as time gently moved forward, Arde, Estabelle and Nadal quietly left the room as the couple kissed each other repeatedly.
“I love you too, Lukrov.”
Chizuru whispered softly.
When she imagined Lukrov as a father, her love for him deepened.
When she looked into Lukrov’s eyes, she knew that he was feeling the same way as her.
Looking into Lukrov’s eyes at Chizuru, she thought he might have felt the same about her.
They finally became truly one. Lukrov put his hand gently on Chizuru’s abdomen and smiled happily.
──In this way… Beyond many blazing nights.
──Counting the number of them.
──Let’s move forward slowly while carving them in our hearts and learning lessons for the future.
──Together.
[Extra edition commemorating the publication of the book, Counting the Night of the Blazing Flame – End]
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