I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 107

I was about to return from a walk.

The due date was still far off, and since they said moderate exercise was good, taking afternoon walks in the castle’s front garden with Cassion had become part of my daily routine, but today I wasn’t feeling well.

“Hey, amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid.”

Suddenly, I felt liquid leaking from below. Truly, just like clear liquid gushing out, even without any particular knowledge, I instinctively knew my water had broken.

As I clutched my belly and stupidly repeated the same words while feeling my clothes getting instantly soaked, Cassion’s expression hardened for a moment before he scooped me up.

“Go ahead and prepare everything!”

The gushing was so intense that not only my clothes but also Cassion’s, who was carrying me while running and shouting, quickly became wet. Was there really this much water inside me? Is this normal for amniotic fluid?

“There were still weeks left…”

“It’s okay, Asil. It’s okay.”

There was almost a month left. As I stammered, Cassion kept repeating that everything was fine, almost like a mantra while running. In the chaos, the surroundings blurred past, maids and the physician flashed by, and suddenly I was lying on a prepared bed.

This wasn’t just for resting.

“What, today?! Now? Are we preparing for delivery?”

“We’ll need to examine first, but it seems so. Your Grace, please step outside for a moment!”

For the first time, the physician shouted and pushed away Cassion, who was refusing to leave my side, and began examining me from below. Everything happened so quickly. Or did it? Time was flowing normally, but was I just confused?

“It’s dilated about one finger width. We need to prepare for delivery, my lady.”

“I don’t, I don’t feel pain. Is it dilated? I’m not mentally prepared. Can’t we just do something about the amniotic fluid? There was a whole month left.”

“Calm down, my lady. Remember the breathing technique I taught you? Keep breathing like that. It’s only slightly dilated, so it will take time.”

“Then can’t we give birth later?”

Even I knew it was nonsense as I said it. But being scared of such an early delivery, I kept spouting nonsense. Despite this, the older maids and the physician, without showing any irritation, soothed me and began full preparations before letting Cassion back into the room.

“They say I’ll give birth today. Right now. What should I do? What do I do?”

“Calm down, Asilia. It’ll be alright… The baby’s just coming early to spare you some suffering. Nothing will go wrong.”

Neither of us was in our right mind. The only difference was that Cassion was at least trying to control his expression? While we both kept repeating the same words more than usual, preparations were completed, and I started to feel pain gradually.

“Hoo, ha.”

Whether it was survival instinct or maternal instinct, I found myself repeating the learned breathing while tightly gripping Cassion’s clothes.

“How long… How long…?”

“…Just hold on a little longer, my lady.”

Time, which seemed to flow crazily fast earlier, began to slow down as the contractions became more frequent. Frustratingly, unlike the amniotic fluid that broke early, the cervix took its time to dilate.

In the end, I endured until the sun that had been high in the sky began to set, clutching Cassion’s hand as if I would tear it off before the real delivery preparations began.

“Your Grace…”

“Continue. I’ll stay here.”

Cassion showed no intention of leaving. Though they started to speak, perhaps they never thought Cassion would leave while I was giving birth; the maids and physician quickly refocused on me.

And me?

As I started to push, I couldn’t think of anything else.

“My lady! You need to breathe!”

“Asil. Don’t hold your breath. Hoo… That’s it.”

Although I was pushing with my breath as I had been diligently taught, theory and practice are different, it seems. When I pushed with all my might, I unconsciously held my breath, and each time this happened, Cassion would stroke my head and whisper as if troubled.

“Hnnngh…”

“This won’t do! My lady’s fever is too high. It’s dangerous for the baby too, as oxygen isn’t being supplied properly. We need to pause for a moment…!”

“Wait, wait. Can’t you just take it out somehow? Do something… I don’t care about the baby. The fever is so high, do something!”

“No, Your Grace! Please step aside!”

But Cassion’s voice, which had seemed calm, began to tremble as my fever rose dangerously high from repeatedly holding my breath. However, I had no presence of mind to comfort him. It hurt too much, time wasn’t passing, and the baby wasn’t coming out. Literally, I couldn’t come to my senses.

“It’s cold…! No. Sob.”

“My lady, please bear with it for a moment. It will be over soon. Your fever is dangerously high right now. Come now, let go of his hand for a moment…”

When the maids, who were applying cold towels all over my body, removed even Cassion’s hand that I had been holding onto like a lifeline, my slightly leaking tears burst forth completely. I wanted to struggle, but I had no strength left, and I shouldn’t have anyway.

“We’ll start again!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Asil.”

Once my temperature had dropped, they removed the towels, and the physician and maids tried to comfort me. What did they mean by starting again? I was about to lose my mind, and while I was wondering blankly how to push, I heard a terribly trembling voice choked with emotion.

“…Cassion.”

I reached out my hand again toward Cassion, who was covered in tears. This time, the maids didn’t separate our hands, so I used all my strength while clinging to his hands that had become unusually cold.

And then, finally.

“Agh…!”

Along with a scream that escaped my lips, I felt something slip out. However, due to the premature birth and difficult labor, there was no leisurely announcement of whether it was a girl or boy, nor any invitation to hold the baby.

“Asilia!”

“The umbilical cord, Your Grace, cut the umbilical cord. Quickly!”

The baby looked too small, even at a glance. And red. Although they had cooled down my fever midway, the maids’ movements became urgent as if proper oxygen hadn’t been supplied, but Cassion ignored them completely and just held my face.

“Handle it! Treat Asilia first, hurry!”

Whether it was a daughter or son, it was customary for the father to cut the umbilical cord of their first child, who might become the heir, to remember that moment. But because Cassion absolutely refused to take his eyes off my face, the physician ended up cutting the umbilical cord.

And watching the baby being hurriedly moved somewhere… I thought I had survived.

“Huuung… Cassion…”

“You did well. I’m sorry, Asilia. This will never happen again. Asil…”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t worried about the baby at all, but truly, my first thought was that I might live. Because just a few minutes ago, I really thought I was dying.

We both cried our eyes out, hugging each other, thinking:

There will absolutely never be a second child.

***

“…Hmm…”

“….”

“Cassion.”

“….”

But they say human memories fade and beautify over time. Cassion didn’t even go to see the baby, let alone leave my side until I had recovered and could get up. The baby, for its part, received intensive care, so we were only able to go see it after a month had passed.

“A second child… Shall we try?”

“…No.”

It had been enough time to blur the shock and fear of childbirth, and the child… was an adorably miniature version of me. Were Cassion’s genes weak? Looking at our piglet who looked exactly like me, Cassion, with an entranced face, belatedly widened his eyes and objected.

“But it’s so cute. Oh my. Don’t you think it looks like a miniature version of me? Anyone can see it’s my daughter!”

“It is cute, but… The most important thing is you.”

“Our piglet, inheriting my beauty so perfectly, what should we do? It’s going to cause quite a stir. So, one more…”

“No, Asilia.”

Despite his completely softened expression, he’s not giving in.

“Would you like to hold her?”

“…I can’t. You hold her.”

“Why? Are you afraid you’ll drop her? I thought you said she was a wild boar?”

As the maid moved to hand over the child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and looking at us with bright eyes, Cassion hesitated and stepped back. The baby was incredibly cute, but Cassion was just as adorable, making me laugh as I took the child with trembling arms. She was small and warm.

“Even her nails look like yours…”

“Ah, you’re right!”

Cassion, who had been peering at the child from all angles, murmured as he looked at the child’s half-clenched fingers. The baby had inherited my slightly round, pebble-like nails on her long fingers. How could even such a small detail be so similar?

“…I think my future is going to be tough.”

And Eugene, who would usually follow silently, rarely showed himself and sighed.

But his face was also melted in a way I’d never seen before, so there was nothing to worry about.

“Mommy’s here, our little piglet. Let’s say hello to Daddy and Eugene.”

As I smiled while covering her hand warmers again, the child smiled back. Oh my, oh my precious baby.

“…Oh my goodness.”

And Cassion, receiving the simultaneous smile attack from me and the baby, covered his face and collapsed. Even then, as if determined to keep watching until the end, he peeked out with his red eyes between his large fingers, causing my laughter to burst out once again in the corridor of the Duke’s castle.