Content Warning: Sexual Harassment
Please be advised that the following chapters contain depictions of sexual harassment, including verbal and physical misconduct, that may be distressing or triggering for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
“Read my fortune for this year.”
A woman, clearly of noble status, entered the tent in disguise. Though dressed in the plain clothes of a common housewife, her elegantly styled hair and high, shiny shoes, crafted by a skilled maid, betrayed her true identity.
Romana stared at the lady for a moment before extending her hand to Niall. Niall handed Romana the crystal ball from the altar. While Romana pretended to peer into the crystal, Niall stood in the background with a dazed, mystical expression.
“This year, your husband will be promoted. However, he needs to be mindful of his health. Overwork could lead to illness. The color yellow will bring him good luck. And…”
Romana continued with other general advice, such as luck being curled up and ready to spring forward, or that the tightness in the lady’s chest was due to accumulated anger and could be relieved by drinking peppermint tea.
The lady seemed reasonably satisfied with the fortune and paid for the service. As she was about to leave the tent, Romana called out to her.
“Madam, when you see your daughter today, ask her what her favorite flower is and which dress she cherishes most.”
“Why should I?”
“Just ask. You won’t regret it.”
The lady left the tent with a puzzled look. Since it was advice from a fortune-teller, she didn’t take it too seriously. Once she left, Niall rang the bell and welcomed the next client.
The lady reappeared late the next afternoon. Her once beautifully styled hair was disheveled, and her eyes were bloodshot as if filled with blood. She dragged her dirt-stained dress across the ground as she stormed into the tent. A young lady having her fortune read screamed in surprise.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
The noblewoman pointed a finger at Romana.
“You knew! You knew my daughter was going to die, and you didn’t tell me!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Niall stepped in front of the crazed woman. The noblewoman, now more of a madwoman, lunged at him, barking like a dog.
“Tbe xcfk ws vjeutafg kbeiv revvfcis vlf, vlvc’a sbe? Ccv sbe vlv cbatlcu ab rabq la!”
“Ktja’r kts P abiv sbe ab olcv bea ktja vgfrr jcv oibkfgr rtf ilxfv.”
Ebwjcj jcrkfgfv mjiwis. Ktf kbwjc’r cjlir veu lcab Rljii’r jgw.
“Tbe mbeiv tjnf kjgcfv wf! Qtja ubbv jgf vgfrrfr jcv oibkfgr? Po sbe tjv pera abiv wf! Tbe klamt—!”
Men, alerted by the commotion, came in and dragged the woman away. She spewed curses as she was taken out. The young lady fled as well. Niall adjusted his torn sleeve and asked,
“Did you know her daughter was going to die?”
“Yes.”
“Could you have stopped it if you had told her?”
“Even I don’t know how to save a child who suddenly stops breathing. All I could do was give the mother a hint so she wouldn’t be sad not knowing her daughter’s favorite dress before she put her in the coffin. I thought knowing her daughter’s favorite flower and dress would bring her some comfort.”
Romana sighed deeply.
“I shouldn’t have said anything…”
Romana wasn’t a fraud. She didn’t need to read animal bones, flip cards, or examine leftover tea leaves. Just by looking at a person’s face, she could see their future. However, it didn’t happen all the time, nor could she do it at will. According to Romana, it was like getting caught in the rain.
It didn’t rain when she wanted, nor could she avoid it when it did. It was truly an uncontrollable event.
“I want a son.”
The lady of a lord, her face swollen from a recent childbirth, came to Romana.
“I know you’re a witch who predicts misfortune. I don’t care if you’re a witch. Tell me. When will I have an heir?”
The lady was the only daughter of the previous lord. Since she was a woman and couldn’t inherit the land, she had taken a husband with the hope of bearing a son who could inherit the family estate.
The lady had given birth four times, but all were daughters. After the birth of her fourth child, her husband died, and she remarried a young and handsome knight. She fell deeply in love with this knight.
“You will soon have a son. This son will be born into the world without causing you any pain.”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes, your heir will be born sooner than you think.”
Feeling elated, the lady paid the seer handsomely and returned to her castle. Until her eldest daughter’s water broke ten days later, Lady never dreamed that the child of the prophecy referred to her grandchild.
“You’re having a child! Who is responsible for this?”
The lady lost her composure and shook her daughter’s shoulders. The daughter screamed and burst into tears.
“Tell me! Who did this to you?”
“Father!”
In the face of her mother’s fiery wrath, the daughter eventually confessed the truth.
“Father came to my bed every night. From the day you married him, he visited me every night without fail.”
The lady staggered and collapsed in shock. After a long while, she muttered with a dazed expression.
“But… you’re only twelve years old.”
The lady calculated her daughter’s age from when she remarried and covered her mouth in horror.
The prophecy had come true. The lady obtained an heir without experiencing any pain herself. She switched her recently born fifth daughter with her grandchild. She then declared that the child born at that time was actually a boy.
The eldest daughter was sent to a convent. The switched daughter was sent to be the steward’s adopted child. The husband was left alone. The lady loved her young and handsome husband too much to abandon him.
“What will happen to me?”
Romana’s prophecy, which foretold misfortune, was as clear and cruel as a sharpened blade. After experiencing such events several times, Niall asked. Romana bent down to meet Niall’s gaze and spoke.
“You will live a long life, Niall. That much I can assure you.”
And Romana added one more sentence.
“But I can’t guarantee the same for your son.”
∞ ∞ ∞
The door to the room opened three days later. Niall tried to walk on his own but couldn’t manage more than three steps before collapsing.
In the end, the Duke lifted Niall into his arms. Niall tried to wrap his arms around the Duke’s neck, but even that was difficult. After several attempts, Niall panted heavily and sagged. As his upper body naturally bent backward, exposing his chest, the Duke sucked on Niall’s chest through his clothes. Then, holding the trembling Niall tenderly, he carried him outside.
There was a murmuring sound. Wrapped in a sheet, Niall buried his face deeper into the Duke’s chest out of embarrassment. From the Duke emanated an unmistakable sense of satisfaction and pride, like a young male triumphant after a successful hunt returning to a cave where his mate and offspring awaited.
“Please put me down now.”
Hearing the door close, Niall was convinced they had arrived in his room and peeked out from the sheet, only to be startled. He was standing in the middle of the Duke’s room.
“I want to go back to my room.”
Niall moved his feet, struggling. The Duke, looking at Niall with an expression of immense affection, placed him on the bed.
“Duke, please let me go.”
Paying little heed to Niall’s words, the Duke covered him with a blanket. Deciding one wasn’t enough, he fetched two more from the wardrobe and layered them on top. After pulling the blankets up to Niall’s neck and adding an extra pillow, the Duke knelt by the bedside with a satisfied expression, propping his chin in his hands as he stared at Niall. Feeling burdened, Niall bit his lip.
“……”
Even after a considerable amount of time had passed, the Duke continued to stare at Niall. Feeling awkward, Niall closed his eyes, unable to meet the Duke’s intense gaze.
A quiet time passed. The black stones in the fireplace blazed fiercely, and the three feather blankets were more than warm—they were stifling.
Having never attended to anyone before, the Duke’s eagerness resulted in an uncomfortable situation where Niall’s neck was stiffly bent at a 90-degree angle due to the extra pillows. It was exceedingly uncomfortable.
Even in that state, Niall feigned soft, steady breaths to mimic sleep. The Duke was busy. Having been secluded in the room for three days, there must have been a lot of accumulated work. Pretending to sleep, Niall hoped he would leave.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. The sound of the Duke’s footsteps receded, and the door opened, followed by a faint murmur of conversation. Niall peeked with one eye towards the door and then quickly shut it again. The Duke was returning.
Oh no… so Nail is going to have a son with Duke now I assume due the knotting but the kid is going to die????? Oh no wtf please tell me my ADHD is playing some trick again making me misunderstand it 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭