#6

Empress Tigria is pregnant.

“A-Ah... Who’s the father?”

Leonia stammered in shock. She was so taken aback that even her words fumbled.

“Don’t tell me it’s that bastard Subiteo...!”

“Watch what you’re saying about my mother.”

Scandia frowned. Even after revealing such an enormous secret, his voice remained low, a whisper just for Leonia’s ear. Their bodies stayed close.

Leonia didn’t bother pushing him away.

In fact, she leaned her head lightly on his broad shoulder.

To an outsider, they might’ve looked like a sweet couple. And in truth, the two did care deeply for one another. But there was nothing romantic about the voice that whispered into her ear.

“Don’t tell me... Sir Ibecks?”

“Yes. He’s my father.”

“Oh my goodness.”

Leonia let out a grandmotherly exclamation.

“When?”

“That... even I’m not sure...”

Scandia hesitated. It wasn’t like he knew the details of his parents’ bedroom affairs.

‘I knew, though.’

Leonia had made a huge fuss the night Ferio and Varia first slept together, practically shouting it throughout the estate like the whole mansion was about to explode.

“Wait a second...”

Leonia paused.

“Did she... suppress a rebellion while pregnant?”

Scandia nodded.

“Father asked the same thing. He was very surprised.”

“Of course he was!”

Leonia completely understood Ibecks’ reaction. She’d been through something similar herself, which only made it more astonishing.

“Just remembering how my mom was kidnapped by that swan bastard makes me—!”

It was still horrifying to think about.

Leonia trembled. The sword dance she gifted Remus in the morning to purge bad luck felt like a wasted effort. She might have to give him another performance when she got back home.

“What did His Highness say?”

“My brother?”

“Well, he’s getting a sibling, isn’t he?”

Leonia pressed again.

“How does he feel about it? And what about you?”

“To be honest, we were both shocked.”

After all, this would be a much younger sibling. The news of the Empress’s pregnancy was no small surprise to either Prince Chrisetos or Scandia.

But at the same time, there was relief.

“My sibling won’t have to live the way my brother and I did.”

That’s why Scandia was a little happy, and he smiled.

“My brother hopes it’s a sister this time.”

Apparently, Prince Chrisetos had already begun stockpiling gifts, saying he really hoped for a little sister this time.

“He used to tease me, calling me his ‘fake little sister,’ you know?”

“He did? Want me to punish him?”

“He didn’t mean it in a bad way. My brother knew why I had to dress like a girl... and he made jokes like that to keep me from feeling sad.”

Prince Chrisetos, though burdened with the face of Emperor Subiteo, had a heart full of kindness and consideration.

He had always worried about the sibling who had to live in hiding. Sometimes, he would even dress just like Scandia to play along.

“You two got along well.”

Leonia pictured the young prince and princess. Imagining them playing together, relying on each other, brought a smile to her face.

“...Actually,”

Leonia said cautiously.

“My mom is pregnant too. So I’m supposed to name the baby.”

“That’s a wonderful gift.”

Scandia praised her sincerely. But Leonia’s expression remained clouded.

“But I can’t think of a good name.”

Without even realizing it, she had begun to confess her worries.

“I really love the baby. I truly do. I love ‘Muscley’ with all my heart, and I want to give them everything good in the world.”

But she was anxious.

“What if the baby hates me?”

“Why would you think that?”

Scandia, who had been quietly listening, asked.

Leonia already treasured her unborn sibling. But Scandia had sensed something off for a while now. The way she talked about the baby didn’t sound normal—it sounded like an obsession. Like she had to love her sibling no matter what.

“...Well.”

Leonia’s voice wavered. Scandia’s gentle, steady gaze touched parts of her she hadn’t even realized were there.

“To be honest.”

She confessed.

“I feel guilty toward them.”

Scandia’s eyes widened. Leonia gave a sheepish smile.

“Why do you feel that way?”

“Because I already have everything.”

“Well, you are the Duke’s daughter—the official heir to the North.”

“It should’ve been theirs.”

Leonia gave another awkward smile.

She hadn’t realized she felt this way until she spoke it aloud.

She had never once regretted the path she’d taken.

Becoming Ferio’s daughter and inheriting everything, rising as the next head of House Voreoti, meeting Varia and bonding over their love of muscles—she’d seen it all as deserved.

After all, she’d fought for it.

She was the one who stood in Ferio’s way at the orphanage. She brought Varia to the mansion. She swore she would become the next Duke and worked for it.

But at some point, the thought hit her.

“It was all supposed to be my sibling’s.”

Ferio and Varia’s love, the Voreoti succession—by right, those belonged to the child who shared their blood. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

“For the first time, I regretted it.”

What if the baby couldn’t have what was rightfully theirs because of her? What if she had stolen the heir’s position?

“What if Muscley resents me later?”

“Do you really think your sibling will resent you?”

“Well...”

Leonia hesitated.

“...It’s just, I don’t want to give up any of what I have.”

Not her parents’ love, not her title, not even the burdens and responsibilities.

She had lived desperately to have it all. So even if the sibling one day accused her of being a bastard and demanded what was theirs... she wasn’t going to give it up.

“That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?”

Even she laughed at herself.

‘I never used to care about this stuff.’

The plot of the original story—something she had long ignored—suddenly came back to grip her.

But it also meant she loved the baby that much. More than she’d realized.

That’s why the guilt had formed. And because she didn’t want to give anything up, the obsession to be good to the baby had taken root.

“...My Lady,”

Scandia looked at the rarely downcast Leonia and said,

“You’re a truly kind person.”

“No, I’m not.”

Leonia responded in a blunt voice.

“I’m greedy as hell.”

“No, you really are kind.”

Scandia said it firmly.

“The determination to give your all to a sibling who hasn’t even been born yet... that’s a heart so kind it worries me.”

“Isn’t it the same for you, though?”

“Of course, I treasure my sibling.”

But unlike Leonia, Scandia had never feared being hated.

“Your sibling will be very happy.”

“Why?”

Leonia asked, her tone skeptical.

“I’ve taken everything from them, and I don’t plan on giving it back.”

She figured Scandia only said that because he didn’t know her secret. If she were in the baby’s shoes, she’d be furious.

“This might be presumptuous of me...”

Scandia lowered his voice slightly. Leonia suppressed the tickle in her ear. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

If the topic weren’t so serious, she might have slammed him into the wall and kissed him on the spot.

“I know a little of the pain you endured from those rumors.”

Though he wasn’t the one who spread them, just mentioning them felt like a sin.

A bastard of the Duke. An orphan.

Before she made a name for herself as the Voreoti heir, the rumors had been cruel and malicious. The noble society, afraid of the North, spread them to keep House Voreoti in check.

But Leonia had made it, in full view of them all.

“The position you hold now—you earned it.”

Scandia knew Ferio better than most.

“The Duke isn’t the type to hand over the heir’s seat just because someone’s his daughter.”

Ferio surely loved his daughter. But he wasn’t soft enough to give her succession rights just for that.

He had laid out strict standards for Leonia. And trained her harshly, even more than expected.

Even Lupe, at times, had said it was excessive.

But Leonia had always worked hard. Even if she complained, she never slacked off.

“You’re incredible.”

Scandia said with conviction.

“......”

Leonia didn’t know where to look. If she looked at him, she felt like she might cry.

‘This is the first time...’

It was the first time someone other than her parents had acknowledged her efforts.

People always said it was only natural because she was a Voreoti. That of course she could do it because she was a Voreoti. They never made a big deal of her achievements. And Leonia, too, pretended it was nothing—just talent, not hard work.

But deep down, she had wanted someone to notice.

And Scandia had noticed right away.

Leonia gripped his hand tightly.

“And your sibling...”

Just then, his large fingers wove between hers like they’d been waiting.

“...will be overjoyed to have someone like you as their sibling.”

Scandia spoke with strength.

“If they ever come to hate you, then fight it out.”

“How am I supposed to fight a tiny baby?!”

There’s not even a good spot to hit!

Leonia «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» puffed up in protest.

“But your sibling will be a Voreoti too. A fierce beast will be born,”

“Well, that’s true.”

Leonia grinned, easily convinced.

It was strange.

Now, she no longer felt guilty about her sibling. No more guilt. No more shame.

Suddenly, she remembered something from her childhood.

‘She said she felt sorry for herself?’

Back then, when she’d tried to express pity, Ferio had listened calmly and taught her something profound.

The original story was just a moment.

And now, Scandia had helped her realize something new.

Or rather—something not new at all. Just something so obvious, she’d forgotten it for a moment.

“Besides, I’m still the Duke’s daughter. My legitimacy is solid.”

“Honestly, you won’t find a daughter more amazing than me.”

“Then stop having thoughts like that. If your parents had heard what you were thinking, they’d be heartbroken.”

“I could use that as leverage to get a few mines under my name.”

At that, Scandia burst out laughing.

“Feeling better now?”

“I’ve always been full of energy.”

To prove it, Leonia suddenly grabbed Scandia’s face in both hands and kissed him with an audible smack.

Caught off guard by the unexpected kiss, Scandia froze like a statue, arms awkwardly hovering in the air.

“Thanks, really.”

Leonia stepped back slightly, her face now visibly brighter.

“You really are the best, Boom-Boom!”

This world had a set flow.

But Leonia had completely overturned the original story.

There’s no original story anymore.

Now, there was only Leonia’s past and present, carved through her own effort.

And the future—no one could know.

Not even the arrogant gods lurking beyond the black northern mountains.