Eventually, we decided to mix elements of the empress’s coronation and the knight’s investiture ceremony. Instead of kneeling on one knee, I would kneel on both and have a sword placed on my shoulder.
The sword was a thin rapier, light enough for a woman to handle. Since it was merely symbolic and I wouldn’t be using it, the type of sword didn’t matter to me.
“You mustn’t raise your head immediately after the ceremony, especially avoid making eye contact with His Majesty the Emperor.”
“I’ve heard it so many times it’s like a nail in my ear. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to get myself in trouble.”
Many were discontented with the decision to award me a title. Ironically, most of those dissatisfied were the ones who initially argued for granting the title to Claire, assuming she wouldn’t wake up. But their plans were thwarted when I awoke in Claire’s body.
The non-heritable title and lands were supposed to vanish with Claire’s death, but instead, they ended up strengthening the influence of the Mackein family.
Even those who now wanted the decision reversed couldn’t openly say so, but they’d likely try to find any excuse to strip me of what I’d been granted.
So, I practiced rigorously to avoid giving them any reason to fault me.
“Of course, it’s important not to give other nobles any reason to criticize, as nobility is all about maintaining appearances. But more importantly, you must not upset His Majesty the Emperor. You know how fearsome he can be.”
“Yes.”
The current Emperor Blake wasn’t initially close to succession. His father, the previous emperor, was politically incompetent and a libertine. He had five wives and more than thirty acknowledged children, not counting those unacknowledged.
His wives were greedy, each vying to have her son named crown prince. While pretending to get along, they engaged in cruel intrigues, often leading to the demise of each other’s children.
Most of the emperor’s lineage died young, and those who survived were sent to war. Blake, the son of the third empress from Stefan Kingdom, faced hardship after his mother died when he was just 12, either due to stress, inherent frailty, or difficulty adapting to a new country.
Without any protectors and far down the line of succession, his life was of little interest to the royal household.
Everyone expected his early demise in the battlefield, a place no mere child could survive. Yet, against all odds, he survived 15 years of war, eventually leading it to victory.
When he returned, everyone at the palace feared him. The insignificant life they hoped would perish had returned as a war hero, now perceived as a threat.
Those feeling insecure about their positions tried to assassinate him, but it was futile. Corpses found early in the morning outside his chambers only confirmed his resilience.
When he returned to the palace, within a month, six princes died under various circumstances, followed by the old, powerless emperor’s death from tuberculosis. Thus, Blake was the only one left with royal blood.
Although everyone suspected him of killing his brothers, no one dared to voice it. Within a month of his return, he already had control over the entire military of the Calobanian Empire.
Upon ascending the throne, his first action was a bloody purge. Nobles who had long used political power to increase their influence were executed daily.
The nobles didn’t just succumb; those with estates prepared for war in their lands. But none could defeat him, blessed by the goddess of war. All rebellions were quelled within six months.
After the purge, the emperor never drew his sword again. Instead, he ruled generously, earning the common people’s praise as a sage king.
Yet, the nobles who witnessed his bloody feast still remembered the terror, fearing that one day he might become enraged again, possibly targeting them.
Feeling my body trembling with tension, Illeyna quickly changed the topic to comfort me.
“You don’t need to be so scared. Even if you fall out of the Emperor’s favor, it’s not like you’ll be beheaded. At worst, he might revoke the title he granted you. So just go and come back safely.”
“Are you sure that’s supposed to relax me? It feels like my heart is tightening even more.”
“I didn’t mean to… Claire’s body gets stiff and speechless when she’s nervous, so I was just trying to lighten the mood…”
Realizing the gravity of offending the emperor, my tension seemed to intensify. Illeyna gently smiled and soothed my back.
“Don’t worry too much. Count Shuri Mackein is the emperor’s most cherished retainer. Even if Claire makes a mistake, nothing serious will happen.”
Although Illeyna assured me that having Count Shuri Mackein, my brother, as a backer was like having a strong support, it didn’t really calm my nerves.
“What if his name alone isn’t enough to save me?”
“He can rectify most mistakes, so don’t worry. It’s best to not make any errors, but even if you do, he’ll manage.”
I asked tensely, “Even if I go mad and grab the Emperor’s collar, will I still be protected?”
It was meant as a joke to lighten the mood, but Illeyna’s expression stiffened.
“You wouldn’t really grab the Emperor’s collar, would you?”
“Of course not. Why would I grab His Majesty’s collar unless he bears a grudge against me?”
“That was a really dark joke. But seriously, if the emperor has a grudge against Claire, will you really grab his collar?”
Instead of answering, I just smiled.
Illeyna took my smile as an affirmative, turning paler. Seeing her startled by my joke, I felt more relaxed. My shoulders seemed to loosen a bit.
I thanked her, “Thanks, Illeyna. I feel less nervous now because of you.”
“I don’t feel grateful at all. Your words made me incredibly anxious. I feel like I have to stay tense and watch over you until the ceremony ends.”
I laughed at her words, and she showed a pouting face.
“What about Count Mackein… I mean, Shuri, your brother?”
I wondered why my dearly loved younger brother, Shuri, wasn’t present at the ceremony where I was to be the first in the Calobanian Empire to receive a title. Illeyna laughed amusingly and said,
“He was worried that if he was present, it might overshadow your achievement. Today, you are receiving the title solely based on your own merits, without anyone’s help.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t worry. He will definitely appear when you need a dance partner. He’s been looking forward to being your first dance partner.”
Her words made me smile, and she playfully pouted, saying,
“There’s no brother and sister as close as Shuri and Claire in the whole world. Even I feel a bit envious… I think he’s not showing up at the ceremony to avoid being caught crying like when Claire woke up. He’s probably hiding somewhere, watching you receive the award and crying. I guarantee it.”
I couldn’t argue with Illeyna. From what I had seen of Shuri, that was very much like him.
Even now, just making eye contact with his sister would make his eyes turn red with concern. Watching his sister, who had fought hard for her title, being honored by the emperor, it was obvious he’d cry like a child despite his large stature.
“That’s a relief. It preserves the honor of the Mackein family.”
“Right? And I don’t want others to see Shuri crying. He’s already so handsome and cute that I worry others might covet him. I can’t let others see that cuteness.”
Male lead says he’s pregnant — and it’s female lead’s child
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.
__________
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