The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 159
It was a wound so deeply festered that she couldn’t share it with anyone… Ah, but now it seems she can finally heal.
Thinking that way brought a sense of relief to her heart.
“I saw everything. I got pulled into a book.”
“A book?”
“Yes.”
“Raphael said you just fainted. He reported about that suspicious book, though he hasn’t opened it yet.”
So, was only her consciousness pulled in? Perhaps her actual body appeared to have just fainted.
Well, it is magic. Anything is possible.
Although very tired, Amber cleared her throat to finish her story.
“In that book, I saw the origin of Nidhogg. I know how to make it disappear. And… finally, I understand why Nidhogg obsessively targeted me and the baby.”
At her words, Igmeyer held his breath.
Seeing him tense up, Amber shook her head to reassure him.
She wasn’t blaming him for not telling her.
Every form of magic has constraints and rules. Igmeyer likely wanted to speak but couldn’t.
“If the baby and I die, spring will come to this land, but I don’t want that. I don’t want such a horrific sacrifice, Igmeyer.”
“…Of course. I won’t let that happen.”
Igmeyer replied firmly, his body stiff with determination.
Amber felt a sense of relief, but at the same time, a wave of anxiety washed over her.
What if he faced death in front of her again?
The future was uncertain, and while she and the baby might survive, it was possible that only Igmeyer would die.
That was more terrifying than anything else. It was a crueler fate than any horror story anyone could tell.
‘Love isn’t just sweet, after all.’
To love someone more deeply than your own life… it truly felt miraculous.
‘If I had to choose, I’d rather die than see Igmeyer die.’
That couldn’t happen.
But Igmeyer likely felt the same way.
“I wish we could both stop breathing at the same time, on the same day, at the same moment. If only that could be… how wonderful it would be.”
As Amber muttered this softly, Igmeyer gently stroked her hair and patted her back.
She could feel that he shared the same sentiment.
After all, he was the one who brought it up first.
As Amber found a familiar sense of stability in Igmeyer’s embrace, she added one more thing she needed to say.
“I think the reason Nidhogg found out I was pregnant in the past… is because you knew.”
“If I know, then Nidhogg knows too?”
“It’s all connected, you know. The tree and the Grand Duke. And Nidhogg protects the tree.”
Igmeyer neither confirmed nor denied this. He couldn’t, really.
However, sometimes silence can serve as an answer, so Amber continued her discussion about the dragon.
“What if Nidhogg comes again? We’re still not ready.”
“Don’t worry.”
Igmeyer answered with clarity to Amber’s worry. This was a part he could speak about with confidence.
“The specialized weapon for Nidhogg that you devised previously? It’s already been created. We can respond immediately.”
“Ah…!”
“This time it will be fine. You won’t lose me or the baby. Raphael is here, and all the knights are as well, so you have nothing to fear. I will protect you.”
I will protect you. Was there a more reassuring statement than that? It was a promise that made her want to trust him completely.
Amber, feeling choked up, fought back her tears.
Emotions suddenly swirled within her, deep in her chest.
She felt relieved for speaking up, for being caught by him.
Such thoughts came to her mind.
“Plus, thanks to that, I’m a bit younger now than I was back then.”
Igmeyer joked with a smile, and Amber managed a weak smile in return.
“You’re finally smiling.”
“Ah.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressured you like this.”
As Igmeyer whispered and gently wiped her tears, Amber felt a pleasant warmth from his touch. Suddenly, she became curious.
Did he truly understand what she said?
In other words, she had indirectly mentioned that there was evidence of love growing inside her. While she hadn’t clearly stated she was pregnant… hmm.
‘He doesn’t seem to have caught on, does he?’
Igmeyer seemed to think she was only talking about the past.
Then perhaps she should just keep quiet. If she didn’t speak, he wouldn’t know.
That temptation crossed her mind briefly, but considering that it was an undeniable truth, especially with her morning sickness, it was better to tell him now.
After contemplating, Amber fidgeted with her fingers and slowly sat up. Igmeyer looked at her with surprise and also got up.
A moment later, Igmeyer appeared frozen as if struck by lightning, then staggered off the bed.
Unable to suppress the emotions welling up inside him, he knelt right down.
Kneeling before Amber, he pressed his lips against his wife’s noble foot and wept.
