Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 154
‘A child, Kyden and my child!’
The joy bubbled up so much that a cheer wanted to escape her lips. It felt like she was floating all day long, overwhelmed by happiness.
‘What kind of child will it be?’
She was curious about the child who had settled in her womb after a tumultuous week. The very fact that she was carrying a baby inside her was both awe-inspiring and miraculous.
Just this morning, she hadn’t even known of the child’s existence, and now it had become the most precious thing in the world to her.
Then suddenly, a thought struck her.
‘…Will I be able to make this child happy?’
Having a child seemed like a natural part of married life, and she had always thought that there should be no special doubts or considerations about it.
When they hadn’t conceived right away, she became anxious. The idea that the child, which should naturally be there, wasn’t coming to her made her feel insecure. She felt like others saw her as the problem, which only intensified her feelings of inadequacy.
Kyden always reassured her that it was okay and that being happy together was enough, but Roel felt the need for a child.
Yes. She thought she simply needed a child for herself. She had never pondered what kind of child it might be, how she would love them, or what kind of parents they would be.
Realizing this selfishness made her heart drop.
‘I need to be a good mother…’
Roel had grown up feeling the absence of her mother from a young age. She longed for the mother who had passed away shortly after giving birth to her.
While she couldn’t visualize her mother’s face, she remembered her father, who had done his best to raise her.
‘I will give it my all. I want you to feel loved. I will give you all the love in the world.’
The pure joy and happiness she had felt transformed into determination. Responsibility and resolve made her feel steadfast.
For the first time, Roel felt like a truly strong person.
To protect her beloved child and Kyden, she felt as though she could face the world head-on.
Lying on the bed, she playfully swung her fists in the air. It made a flabby sound, but her expression was resolute and serious.
* * *
A month later, Kyden returned to the mansion.
He had made significant contributions to resolving the issues surrounding the new Countess and had been granted part of the estate as a reward.
Roel had a slight belly now. Would he notice? With excitement, she approached him.
“Roel, come here. I heard there was an invasion by raiders. Is everything okay?”
As soon as Kyden saw Roel, he rushed over and hugged her. He was so overjoyed to reunite after a long time that he didn’t care about the curious gazes around them.
Feeling the same joy, she settled into his embrace. She touched his stubbled chin and asked,
“How about you? Are you hurt? Did everything get resolved?”
“I’m fine. You executed the leaders as an example, right? Good job. It must have been a tough decision. You’ve worked hard.”
Even while holding Roel tightly, Kyden didn’t notice her change.
“Kyden, I can’t breathe.”
She pushed him away, feeling her belly being squished. But Kyden, excited to see her, didn’t let go easily.
“…I missed you.”
“Okay, I get it, but just a little space…”
No one would understand how much Kyden had longed to see her.
He rubbed his rough chin against her cheek, his joy so overwhelming that even her struggling felt cute to him.
“Kyden! Let go!”
Only after Roel, unable to bear it, shouted did he release her.
“Why…?”
Kyden looked down at Roel with a hurt expression, something unusual for him. His pupils trembled slightly.
Roel suppressed her frustration and turned her back on him.
“…Sigh. Let’s just go inside.”
For a whole month, she had thought about how to convey this news, and seeing Kyden rush to her made her decide that she needed to reveal her pregnancy as soon as possible.
As he held her, she felt his body hardening, and she anticipated that he would want to undress her as soon as they entered the room.
‘I know you’re happy to see me, Kyden, but not right now.’
Roel glanced back at him as he followed her, letting out a small sigh.
As she had predicted, once they entered the room, he came right up to her.
“Roel.”
“Wait a moment.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
Roel took a step back, but Kyden moved closer, even more excited.
“I thought I was going to lose my mind missing you.”
His eyes looked wild with excitement.
‘I wanted to surprise him with this news during dinner!’
There was no way to calm the excited beast before her. At this rate, the surprise would have to wait; keeping the baby safe was the priority.
“Y-you can’t do this now! I…”
Just as he pulled Roel in and buried his face into her neck, breathing heavily, she blurted out,
“I’m pregnant!”
“…What?”
He slowly lifted his head, blinking as if he couldn’t comprehend what he just heard.
“I think it happened on Kyden’s birthday.”
Kyden’s gaze fell downward to her slightly rounded belly.
“Ah.”
“It’s our baby.”
Roel’s voice trembled. She didn’t understand why she was so nervous; her breath quickened, and her nose tingled. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She hoped he would be happy about it.
“Do you want to touch my belly?”
Until now, he had been indifferent about having a child, treating it as something that was fine either way.
Yet, for some reason, his hand trembled as he brought it to Roel’s belly.
‘Is he happy too?’
Kyden was a responsible man. He would do anything for his beloved Roel.
Because of that, she believed he would be the best father in the world.
After a moment of silently caressing her belly, he lifted his gaze. His yellow eyes sparkled like starlight. He was just as happy as she was.
“I’ll do better.”
“Thank you.”
“No matter what happens, I will protect you and the baby.”
Roel, who had secretly worried that his reaction might be underwhelming, felt a wave of relief wash over her. As she nodded, a big tear rolled down her cheek.
Kyden gently and reverently pressed his lips to hers. His breath was warm and soft.
They were finally going to be parents.
With the weight of responsibility and the busyness that lay ahead, love and concern for the baby would soon fill their days. She was ready to embrace all of it joyfully.
As soon as his lips parted, Roel asked,
“But aren’t you hungry?”
Some people struggle to eat due to morning sickness, but Roel often felt hungry and had a strong craving for food.
“Do you want me to carry you?”
“No, I can walk!”
“That seems dangerous.”
“What’s dangerous about going to the dining hall?”
“No, it’s risky. There are lots of stairs.”
“Ah! Ky, Kyden, just let me down!”
He was a bit overprotective, but it also made her feel like he was going to be a great father.
