He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 173 - Side Story 8 - What will the Baby look like?

 

“Your wedding is going to be beautiful.”

 

“Mmm, really?”

 

“Yeah. I want it to be everything I’ve ever wanted. I want it to be in the most beautiful place in the world, and I hope it’s the most magical.”

 

I chuckled softly at my brother, who always seemed so excited about my wedding, even when he was against it.

 

When I just smiled, he seemed to realize the weight of his words. 

 

He quickly threw up his hands and corrected his earlier statement.

 

“…Well, not that I’m looking forward to the wedding.”

 

“Mm, yeah.”

 

“But he likes you, and I’m sure he’ll be nice to you now that he has you at the House of Vietry.”

 

“Yes, I’m sure he will.”

 

“If all goes according to plan, Astel, you’ll be a spring bride.”

 

If he’s right, if the wedding plans go according to plan, it indeed would be soon.

 

My brother stroked my hair affectionately.

 

“Mmm…”

 

With a soft smile, I nodded. Knox really would be good to me, almost as good as my brother.

 

‘But it’s so weird.’

 

Even in the midst of this touching conversation with my brother, my mouth was strangely watering.

 

Of course, I knew the cause. The lemon sorbet right in front of me.

 

‘I have a weird sour food craving.’

 

This lemon sorbet was also a dessert that my brother had brought over when I expressed a desire for sour food.

 

I stared at the surface of the sorbet, which glistened with a bright yellow light, and said to myself in a whisper.

 

“Something’s wrong…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“No.”

 

The last thing I wanted to do was show my drooling while we were talking.

 

I clamped my mouth shut, but I couldn’t stop the saliva from pooling in my mouth.

 

After finishing my conversation with my brother, I concentrated on eating my dessert.

 

…Ten minutes passed?

 

Like a mesmerized person, I finished the ten sweet lemon sorbets in a flash, patting my stomach.

 

I didn’t even realize it was weird until my brother’s mouth was agape in shock.

 

“Why the sudden appetite, Astel? Is it weight gain season?”

 

“Mmm, I suppose it could be.”

 

My stomach felt like it was getting a little tight.

 

I smiled awkwardly, flipping my blonde hair over my shoulder in a gesture of acknowledgment.

 

“If I don’t want to gain weight, I’m going for a walk!”

 

Because there’s nothing like a walk to curb your appetite.

 

My brother spoke up as if he’d just remembered.

 

“Oh, Astel. Take a walk with Rune. Rune wants to play with his Ant.”

 

He squinted. I smirked and nodded. It was time to be a good Auntie to Rune after all these years.

 

💫

 

Walking down the hall, hand in hand with Rune.

 

Curious, Rune’s eyes flickered as he took in the surrounding sights.

 

“Whoa, Ant, look there!”

 

After a long moment of looking around, Rune stood tall and stared at a tree. I bent down to his eye level and asked him sweetly.

 

“What are you looking at, a tree?”

 

“No, big cat in the tree!”

 

Rune raised his hand and gestured to the tree.

 

True to his word, a huge, cheese cat with a ridiculously large face peeked through the leaves.

 

“That’s cute.”

 

“No, it’s a big, strong cat! Rune wants to be a big brother to that big cat.”

 

“Eh, is the big cat really that strong?”

 

“Yup! The big cat’s brother is very strong, just like brother Belle!”

 

Rune stomped his paws, thrusting out his tiny baby body like a full-bellied baby.

 

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but Rune seemed to look up to Belle. I smiled at the cuteness and spoke soulfully.

 

“Yeah, that’s really cool.”

 

Rune said with a twinkle in his eyes.

 

“Oh! Rune wants to be big brother too!”

 

He wanted to be a ‘big brother’. There was actually no way for Rune to be the big brother he wanted to be.

 

Unless, Cassian married and had a brother of his own.

 

For the time being, he seemed intent on focusing on his work and not marrying, even for the sake of House Vietry.

 

But no Aunt could make such a realistic statement in front of her adorable nephew.

 

I pondered what I could say to protect Rune’s innocence.

 

Then, Rune spoke, “Uhm, Rune will be a good brother. But Rune will be the captain and baby brother will be the member, and…”

 

At the mention of member, I smirked and ruffled his hair.

 

The way he wanted to be a captain, he reminded me of my ambitious brother, who used to run the streets as a child.

 

So I turned to Rune and said in a tone that said I understood.

 

“Ah… so you wanted to take care of your brother, huh, Rune?”

 

“Uh-huh. I want to play captain. I want a little brother!”

 

Pouting his lips, I patted Rune’s head. Then Rune’s eyes widened as if he realized something.

 

“Humph.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Rune wants to be the captain, then Ant have baby!” (Rune will be the captain of Auntie’s baby)

 

“…Huh?”

 

Sure, I have a lover, Knox, but we’re not even married yet, and suddenly, a baby. I laughed a little and shook my head.

 

“We don’t have a baby yet.”

 

“You’re going to have one!”

 

I didn’t know how to explain to a child who didn’t even know what a baby was like, so I just laughed.

 

“I know.”

 

“Heehee, Ant baby!”

 

As Rune threw himself into my arms, I had a sudden thought.

 

‘Seriously, I wish Knox and I could have a baby like Rune.’

 

At the same time, another thought interrupted me.

 

‘…Wait.’

 

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

 

Come to think of it, haven’t I… gotten my period lately?

 

💫

 

Just in case, I called the family doctor without my brother and Knox knowing. The doctor’s eyes widened as he showed them the test.

 

It was made of gemstone and glowed with a blue light.

 

So, the blue light…

 

“You’re pregnant,” said the Doctor.

 

…and, to my surprise, I was pregnant, all at once.

 

💫

 

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to break the news to them.

 

But I realized that no matter how carefully I delivered it, my brother would collapse in shock and Knox would burst with happiness.

 

The only way to break the news was to be direct.

 

I summoned Knox and my brother to a small restaurant outside the Vietry mansion on an evening when there was no scheduled teatime.

 

My brother sits across from me and Knox sits to my right, feeding me like a mother bird.

 

‘He’s overprotective as it is, but if I tell him I’m pregnant, he’s going to freak out.’ 

 

Over some serious dessert, we chatted about the wedding. 

 

What flowers to use to decorate the wedding aisle was the topic of the day.

 

My brother whined a bit, but we agreed that the wedding altar should be decorated with pink roses.

 

After such a delightful meal, the sweet sorbet served as the finale.

 

As the soft melody filled the restaurant, I opened my lips.

 

“I have something to say.”

 

My brother seems to have had a satisfying meal and has relaxed for the first time in a long time, and Knox looks at me affectionately with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

 

I’m a little worried about dropping a bomb in this atmosphere, but I have no choice.

 

“I’m having a baby.”

 

“Huh?”

 

 “…What?”

 

My brother’s and Knox’s eyes widened at the same time.

 

How they both react exactly the same.

 

I smirked and drove the wedge in, “Knox’s child is growing in my belly.”

 

There was a moment of silence, followed by my brother jumping to his feet.

 

“What, w-what?”

 

There was a bizarre, eerie, chair-dragging sound. He had the look of someone about to collapse from hypertension.

 

Still thinking that he shouldn’t be shouting at a pregnant woman, he spoke in a hushed voice.

 

“Wha– are you feeling okay?”

 

“Not bad, I’m fine.”

 

“Well, getting married is one thing, but being pregnant is hard on your body… What if the baby has a baby?”

 

The baby has a baby.

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“Of course!”

 

Apparently, I was still my brother’s baby. I shook my head in disbelief and looked over at Knox. He was unexpectedly calm, but…

 

“…Huh?”

 

His blue eyes were unreadable.

 

Instead, Knox’s eyes were turned halfway back.

 

At first glance, I quickly shook Knox, who was sitting right next to me. Moreover, he wasn’t breathing.

 

“Oh, brother. Knox is not breathing!”

 

At that, my brother said in a calm tone.

 

“Then let’s leave him to die.”

 

“…Oh, no…”