Honey, Why Can’t We Get a Divorce? Chapter 172 - Side story 25

“I’m scared.”

 

Sylvester continued to speak intermittently.

 

“What if something goes wrong with you while giving birth?”

 

“I don’t think that will happen. My body is stronger than anyone else’s.” 

 

“You never know.”

 

He worries about nothing.

 

I know my body well. It’s particularly strong, so there’s no way I will die during childbirth. Plus, there will be several priests and physicians on standby, so nothing will go wrong.

 

“Just in case I die tomorrow, you should be careful.”

 

“…Are you going to keep mocking me? Why can’t you understand my concern?” 

 

“I mean, you don’t have to worry. Don’t be scared. It’ll be okay.”

 

However, despite my words, it seemed that Sylvester was still uneasy. He still had a gloomy expression and leaned his forehead against mine.

 

“There’s something else I’m worried about.”

 

Why are you so worried? Why do you look more anxious than me when I’m the one giving birth?

 

“What if the child… isn’t as pretty as we think?”

 

“….”

 

“So, what if I love the child less than I think? What do I do then?”

 

I was speechless for a moment because it was such an absurd worry, and I let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

 

“Seriously…” 

 

So I squinted my eyes slightly and pinched Sylvester’s nose.

 

“Worry about useless things.”

 

Then Sylvester frowned.

 

“Why don’t you take me seriously when I’m speaking seriously?”

 

“Because you’re talking nonsense.” 

 

“Why is it nonsense? I’m really worried about you.” 

 

“Honey.”

 

I tilted my heavy stomach slightly and completely laid down on my side. Then I held Sylvester’s cheeks with both hands.

 

“You love me, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Sylvester’s wrinkled face softened slightly. It seemed that my confession of love was more important to him than any unnecessary worries.  

 

In fact, it wasn’t that I wasn’t worried at all. They often say that a mother will adore her child so much that she’d die for them, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I could really feel that way. Would I truly find my child beautiful? Would I be able to love my child? I had the same worries that Sylvester had now.

 

But those worries aren’t in me right now.

 

The reason is simple.

 

“A child born from our love, how could I not love them?”

 

It was because I came to the conclusion that how could I not love a child that is the result of Sylvester’s love for me and my love for him. 

 

“…That’s.” 

 

He took a deep breath, as if he was speechless.

 

“It’s just because I don’t know how to give love properly.”

 

After mumbling, he blurted out these words. Oh my, I shook my head and pinched his cheek.

 

“That can’t be true. I’m already receiving more than enough love from you.” 

 

“…Really?” 

 

“Yes. So don’t worry.”

 

I said, smiling at him.

 

“We’ll be happy.”

 

“….” 

 

Sylvester’s eyes turned red again. I thought to myself, trying to hold back my laughter, that he was crying more and more as he became a father.

 

“Ophelia.”

 

He hugged me tightly. He started kissing my ear, forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, and cheeks.

 

“I love you.”

 

The very moment his hot breath touched the tip of my lips.

 

-Knock, knock

 

The door opened wide with a knock.

 

“Are you inside?”

 

The other person was, of course, Angela. Angela, who had suddenly come, rolled her eyes at us.

 

“I was going to ask if you wanted to have lunch… Did I come at a bad time?”

 

“No! No! You came at the perfect time!”

 

I was about to kiss my husband, so I quickly pushed Sylvester away and shouted. Tsk, I could hear Sylvester clicking his tongue.

 

“Isn’t it rude to open the door right after you knock, Mother?”

 

“Oh my. Should I close the door again?”

 

“Nevermind.” 

 

He clicked his tongue again and got up. Then he supported my upper body and helped me get up as well.  

 

“Mother, let’s have lunch together! My baby also wants to eat with Grandmother.”  

 

“Oh my. So? I should buy something delicious then.”

 

Angela hasn’t returned to the Demon World since that day. She says she has to see me give birth or something. Even if I do give birth, she doesn’t seem to want to go back because she wants to see the baby grow up. Well, it’s not that she doesn’t want to. The more family you have, the better.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Angela stretched out her arm in a familiar way, and I linked arms with her in a familiar way.

 

When we went out into the city like this, everyone thought we were mother and daughter, and that was nice. It felt like I had a mother too.

 

“Your skin has gotten rough. Are you having a hard time lately?” 

 

“Why would I be having a hard time? My husband took all the pain.”

 

“He can be in more pain, so take the medicine whenever you need to.”

 

“Mother? I’m here, okay?” 

 

Sylvester, who was standing behind her, said something as if it was ridiculous, but Angela didn’t care.

 

“If you’re going to eat too, come quickly. I can leave you behind.”

 

Then she pulled me along and hurried my steps. Angela took care of me more than her own child, Sylvester, so I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Oh, I don’t know if I should like this or not.”

 

Sylvester, who had been mumbling, shouted.

 

“Let’s go together!”

 

Under the name of family, the three of us, no, the four of us, headed to the restaurant together.

 

***

 

Who said giving birth would be easy?

 

“Ahh!”

 

It hurt so much that I wondered if it could hurt any more. The pain felt like my whole body was being shattered, and my mind was clouded.

 

“Ahhhh!”

 

“M, Madam! Just a little bit, just a little bit more!”

 

“What just a little bit…! You’ve been saying the same thing over and over! Ahh!” 

 

“Madam! Strength!”

 

If I had the strength, I’d hit your bald head! Aah! It hurts so much!

 

“You shouldn’t faint. You have to hold on somehow!”

 

I know. I know.

 

But it’s so hard. It hurts.

 

Did I take giving birth too lightly?

 

No. Did I get pregnant for nothing?

 

If I had known it would hurt this much, I never would have even considered having a child…

 

“Just a little bit! Just a little bit more!”

 

I hated the child that hadn’t even been born yet. I hated the child for making me suffer and hurt like this… I wondered if I was even fit to be a mother. But it was just so painful…

 

“It’s done!”

 

At that moment, it felt as though something inside my body was rushing out. Then, a shiver ran from my toes to the top of my head. My vision, which had been clouded with sweat, cleared up and became bright. It felt as though my eyes had suddenly opened wide.

 

“Waaaa!” 

 

I heard the baby crying. I reached out with my weak hands.

 

“Is the baby…healthy?” 

 

Then, the midwife holding the baby approached me. 

 

“Of course! He is a wonderful prince!”

 

Thanks to the midwife handing over the baby, I received the child in a daze. Waaaah, the baby, who kept crying, was so small and tiny that they fit snugly into my arms.

 

“Oh…” 

 

Why did I think I was pregnant for nothing? Why did I think I hated giving birth and hated the baby?

 

“So lovely like this…” 

 

I carefully cradled the baby, squeezing my eyes shut. Thump-thump, I could hear their heartbeat, faster than that of an adult. 

 

“I’m the mother.”

 

I said as I touched my cheek to the baby’s cheek, which had stopped crying.

 

“Mom will love you for the rest of your life.”  

 

For some reason, I felt like crying and sniffled. Unlike me, the baby seemed to be in a good mood and smiled brightly. How adorable. I kissed the baby’s nose and smiled. 

 

“Ophelia!”

 

At that moment, Sylvester, who had been hesitating by the door, suddenly flung it open and rushed inside. 

 

“How’s your body? Your body? Are you in pain? Are you okay?” 

 

As soon as he saw me, he started making a fuss, stomping his feet anxiously.The fact that he was sweating profusely showed how tense he was outside.  

 

“Tell the priest to cast a healing spell right away…What is that?”

 

Sylvester’s eyes, who had been chattering, fell on my arms. To be exact, he fell on our child I was holding.

 

 

“Is that, our child?”

 

“What do you mean by ‘that’? You’re being harsh.”

 

“No, no. I just… I didn’t expect them to be this tiny and wrinkly.”

 

“That’s just how newborn babies are.”

 

Sylvester looked at the baby with a curious expression. The midwife, who was wiping her hands nearby, added slyly.

 

“He’s a very healthy prince.”

 

Sylvester’s Adam’s apple twitched. He put his finger on the baby. Then, as if he saw a toy—of course, he couldn’t see yet— the baby tapped his finger.

 

“So, how is it?”

 

Sylvester, who had been blankly staring at his baby, slowly raised his head.

 

“I love you.”

 

Then he answered with a brighter smile than ever.

 

“You, the baby, everyone.”