Chapter 379
Irene was walking along the road with Chomp-chomp.
On one side, the lake stretched below, and on the other, majestic peaks capped with perpetual snow rose into view. It was a breathtaking landscape.
Since it was summer, the fields were lush with green, and summer wildflowers bloomed everywhere, adding to the beauty.
It was a scene so beautiful it wouldnât be an exaggeration to call it paradise.
But at this moment, not a bit of the scenery entered Ireneâs eyes.
She was gently stroking her stomach with one hand.
âItâs too soon.â
After subtly changing her appearance with an artifact, sheâd gone out to do some shopping when her belly suddenly began to feel tight.
It wasnât exactly painful, but it was uncomfortable enough that she stopped walking and checked her condition.
Somehow, her belly seemed to have grown a lot. Was something wrong?
Worried, she went to a nearby clinic, but the doctor just smiled and said,
âItâs nothing to be surprised about after five months or so.â
âUm⌠I think itâs only been just over a month since I got pregnant.â
At that, the doctorâs expression turned frighteningly serious.
An hour later, the doctor concluded that there didnât seem to be any major issues, but insisted that Irene check her calculations again, suspecting she had misunderstood the length of her pregnancy.
She also asked her to return with her husband.
âThat husband⌠he doesnât even remember me right nowâŚâ
He probably doesnât even remember how we made the child.
Then, Irene recalled what had happened in the monster realm.
She had been embraced by two different Michaels for several days.
From head to toe, every strand of hair, even beneath her fingernails, she had spent days drenched in his scent.
âThe miasma was pretty strong, too.â
It made sense, since heâd been in his Monster King state.
âThe child must have miasma as well, so could that be affecting things?â
Just then, Chomp-chomp, who was hopping along beside her, extending and retracting his tentacles among the rocks and trees, spoke up.
[Your Majesty, could I have just one more tomato?]
As he said that, he stared intently at the bag he was holding with another tentacle.
âEat as much as you want. I bought a lot just for you anyway.â
[Wow! Your Majesty really is the best!]
Seeing Chomp-chomp perk up again, as if heâd never been sulking, Irene laughed.
Then she felt that strange sensation in her stomach again.
When she stopped, Chomp-chomp came over with his mouth full of tomatoes.
[Mmmphh, arrr yuu okayy?]
âYou can finish eating before you talkâŚâ
Chomp-chomp gulped down several tomatoes and asked again,
[Whatâs wrong?]
âOh, it just feels like my stomach is being pulled. Itâs not painful, but itâs a very strange feeling. And I keep feeling pressure in two completely different places at the same timeâŚâ
Hearing that, Chomp-chomp spat out a tomato stem and replied, as if it was obvious,
[Isnât it because theyâre twins?]
âWhat? Twins?â
Irene was stunned by his words.
[You didnât know? I can see it.]
Chomp-chompâs mouth fell open, as if he was even more surprised that Irene didnât know.
âHow am I even going to tell Michael about thisâŚ?â
Maybe she could wait until his memory returned, but what if he got upset that she hadnât told him right away?
But if she told someone who was already reeling from marriage and pregnancy that it was twins, wouldnât he really burst into tears and hang himself out of despair?
Carrying all those worries, she returned to the log cabin.
âHuh?â
The cabin door was wide open.
And the door to Michaelâs room was open, too.
âMichael!â
Alarmed, Irene called out for him, but, of course, there was no answer.
âWhere did he go?â
Did he really succumb to guilt and go to a nearby temple?
As she ran outside, calling his nameâ
âMichael!â
[Your Majesty! If you donât come out, Iâm eating all the tomatoes myself!]
âshe saw someone walking down the distant road.
Chomp-chomp quickly hid himself, and Irene ran toward the person.
âExcuse me, butâŚâ
âAre you here looking for Sir Michael too?â
The man spoke before Irene could even ask, clicking his tongue and shaking his head.
âYou should have come earlier. Everyone already came and went.â
âEveryone came?â
âYeah. They heard Sir Michael was here, so of course people came to see. Even Princess Cecilia cameâŚâ
At the sudden mention of that name, Ireneâs breath caught in her throat.
Chomp-chomp, peeking out from behind the man, also shook his tentacles with a look of dread.
âAnyway, the princess took Sir Michael with her when she left. Iâm sure everyone else who came to see followed them as well. If you want to see him, youâll have to go there too.â
