The Villain's End Is Pregnancy - c101
“Dumplings?”
As Hendrick tilted his head with a puzzled look, Ryan finally realized that dumplings would be unfamiliar to him.
“So what it is…”
How should I explain this? But when I actually tried to put it into words, it was unexpectedly not easy.
“Hey, can you give me a pen and paper?”
After pondering, Ryan decided to draw a picture to show him. As he tried to sit up from lying down, Hendrick naturally supported his back to assist him.
Being embraced in his arms, the familiar warmth and his scent wafted strongly, making Ryan a little excited.
“…Thank you.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ryan thanked him while rolling his eyes. At that moment, Hendrick gave him a very natural short kiss and left the bed to get paper and pen.
“Here.”
As Ryan was watching his reliable figure, Hendrick placed the paper on his lap. Ryan declined his offer to also hand him the pen and took it directly from Hendrick’s hand.
“It looks like this. Inside, there is meat, cellophane noodles, and vegetables. There are also ones with kimchi, but since that would be difficult here, let’s leave it out.”
Soon, round dumplings were drawn on the white paper.
“Hmm… it has a unique shape. How do you make this shape? Do you poke a hole in the center with your finger?”
Ryan looked at his drawing with a surprised face. It was good that he drew it with sophistication as it had been a while, but Hendrick seemed to have misunderstood it differently due to the unfamiliar appearance.
Well, it would be intriguing since it’s a circular shape with a hole only in the middle.
“It also looks like a donut, but it’s different and I’m curious about the taste too.”
“You make this by rolling flour into a circular dough, putting the filling inside, folding it in half, and then sealing it by rolling it round.”
“The process is complex.”
“Once you try it, it’s not that difficult.”
“Ryan, have you made it before?”
“Yes, my parents used to…”
Ryan flinched for a moment when he was about to say they ran a dumpling shop. There’s no way Count Fitzroy’s parents would have made dumplings.
This was the occupation his parents had in the distant past life, not now.
When he was young, he used to make dumplings together to help his parents, so he naturally thought about it and opened his mouth.
Now that it’s come to this, should I reveal the fact that I have memories from before living as Ryan?
While pondering over that…
“I guess Count Fitzroy received it as a gift.”
“Ah, right. Someone from a country across the sea said it was their specialty…”
Fortunately, thanks to Hendrick’s misunderstanding, he was able to naturally change the topic. Well, since dumplings are a dish eaten in Asian countries, maybe there is something similar still existing somewhere over there.
“By the way, you want to eat this?”
“Uh-huh…”
Drawing it made me salivate. I guess this is also a case of ‘seeing is wanting’.
“Then let’s ask them to make it.”
Hendrick said casually. But Ryan was skeptical. He doubted whether the cooks would even know about it. Then a thought flashed through his mind and Ryan’s face brightened.
“Right, Hendrick. What if I go to the kitchen and try making it myself?”
“Yourself?”
“Yes. The cooks might not know either. Then I think the chances of failure would be lower if I make it.”
Thinking about it again, that was still the best option.
‘First, they won’t have cellophane noodles here, so let’s leave that out. Instead, let’s put in lots of vegetables and meat.’
Once he started making specific plans, the desire to eat it right away grew stronger. Ryan immediately moved his body to put it into action without hesitating any longer.
“Be careful.”
Just as he was about to put his feet on the floor, two long arms slipped under his armpits and easily lifted Ryan up.
Ryan blinked, finding himself suddenly lifted in the air.
“You might get dizzy if you move suddenly.”
Although Ryan had only experienced drowsiness and cravings as pregnancy symptoms so far, without anemia, he obediently let Hendrick hold him.
‘If it makes you feel at ease.’
Honestly, it was also convenient for him to just stay still and be carried. When Ryan only stared blankly at him, Hendrick smiled again. Then he adjusted his posture to properly carry him in his arms.
“Am I not heavy?”
“Not at all.”
“Even though it’s for two people?”
Even if it was two people, one was only about the size of a thumb. Still, even though he was slim, Ryan thought he wasn’t light enough to be easily lifted like this as an adult male, but the answer was the same.
“Still not heavy.”
Hendrick, who replied lightly, began to walk. Just as they left the bedroom and entered the corridor…
Meow. Meow.
A black cat was wagging its tail with its yellow eyes shining.
“Ah, Kitty!”
Ryan was delighted to see a welcome presence. He looked at Hendrick to be put down, but instead, he bent his upper body and easily lifted the cat with one hand, placing it in Ryan’s arms.
“Hold it well.”
The alpha, who was carrying three living beings at once without any difficulty, began to walk indifferently. Of course, the only ones who were not shaken were the soon-to-be-married couple.
Due to the not-too-late hour, there were still quite a few maids and servants working in the palace. When they encountered the prince carrying Ryan, they hurriedly bowed their heads in surprise.
And they exchanged glances and had a silent conversation with each other.
‘The prince seems to be getting more and more anxious.’
‘At this rate, I wonder if he will not let him lift a finger and take care of everything from eating to washing.’
‘When his belly gets bigger, we might see an even more extraordinary sight.’
When imagining it, they wondered if it was possible, but the prince’s current appearance somehow made them nod in agreement that it could happen.
“Anything else you want to eat besides dumplings?”
“Mmm. For now.”
“If anything comes to mind, don’t hesitate and tell me.”
“Okay.”
The very people who caused confusion among the palace staff were having a honey-dripping conversation as they headed to the kitchen.
And naturally, the kitchen they finally arrived at was in chaos as expected.
The cooks, who had been spending the day busily cooking and were discussing the dishes for tomorrow, were greatly surprised by the sudden appearance of the prince and his fiancé.
“Your Highness! What brings you here? If you had called, I would have come to see you right away.”
The head chef representing the kitchen, turning pale, paid his respects and quickly looked around. Fortunately, there were no cooking utensils or food remnants that would offend the prince’s eyes.
“Hmm, it’s fine. Ryan said there’s a dish he wants to make and eat, so we just came here. You don’t need to mind us.”
“Himself? Oh my, you’re not alone and you can’t do that. Please just tell us. We will prepare it right away!”
When the head chef spoke confidently, Ryan hesitated for a moment. First of all, this wasn’t the viscount’s house, so he thought it would be natural for him to step up.
“No. I want to make it together, so just preparing the ingredients is fine.”
But Hendrick easily resolved Ryan’s concern.
“Pardon? You too, Your Highness?”
The questioning tone of ‘pardon’ was drawn out to the point of ‘pardon me’, showing how startled the head chef was. It was shocking enough that the prince came to the kitchen.
But now that he said he would cook himself, it was a natural reaction.
“Yes. Together with Ryan.”
Somehow, those words sounded like they wanted to play house together. At the same time, Ryan felt a tickling sensation near his heart.
Ryan surreptitiously scanned the cooks in the kitchen. They all had dazed expressions, wondering what on earth they had just heard.
‘Ah, really Hendrick.’
He grumbled inwardly, but honestly, he didn’t feel bad. Wasn’t his kind partner willingly taking care of what he would eat and saying he would do anything together?
“Then what should we prepare for you?”
The head chef finally brought up the most desired question. Ryan didn’t miss the opportunity and requested the necessary items.
Fresh vegetables, meat, flour, water, salt, and so on. Soon the table was full of ingredients to make dumplings. Until then, Ryan, who was still in Hendrick’s arms, tapped his arm as a signal to put him down.
Hendrick seemed to hesitate for a moment, then obediently released Ryan. Ryan, smiling at his face that looked somewhat regretful, gave him a surprise peck on the lips.
At that, Hendrick widened his eyes and soon smiled back. Unlike the sweet-looking couple, the remaining cooks were all unable to hide their bewilderment, but even that went unnoticed.
“Shall we try it now?”
Ryan first poured flour into a large bowl and rolled up his sleeves. He was about to knead the dough, but suddenly his arm was grabbed.
“I’ll do it. Just tell me how.”
Soon, an unprecedented spectacle unfolded in the kitchen where the prince kneaded flour dough for the first time in his life.