The Villain's End Is Pregnancy - c63
– Hendrick
It seemed he had a dream. Hendrick thought as he looked at the empty spot beside him. But he knew better that it wasn’t the case. The messy bedding and sunken pillow indicated that someone had been sleeping here.
“I apologize, Your Highness.”
Standing with his head bowed as if truly apologetic was Peter. Not much time seemed to have passed since Hendrick instructed him to bring the court physician and briefly closed his eyes.
“How long did I sleep?”
While asking, he looked out the window. Seeing the bright sky, he could tell it was close to noon.
“You slept for about 3 hours.”
It was an unexpected answer. Those words meant it was already afternoon. It appeared Hendrick had slept more soundly than he anticipated.
With slightly widened eyes, Hendrick looked at Peter again. The faithful attendant kept his gaze on the floor, not noticing the change in his prince.
“I will go to Fitzroy Street right now.”
Ryan might be resting after returning home by now. Even if he fell asleep from exhaustion and Hendrick couldn’t meet him, having to return, he couldn’t just stay still.
As Hendrick began to move busily, Peter also became occupied. He had to serve his prince while going out and simultaneously handle preparing the carriage.
“Have a safe trip, Your Highness.”
But the reason he didn’t feel any difficulty was because Hendrick’s expression as he left looked so excited.
‘It’s a good time.’
Unbeknownst to the attendant with a satisfied smile, Hendrick spent the entire journey organizing the words he should say when meeting Ryan.
He had already confessed.
‘I should properly ask to be in a relationship again.’
At that time, it was a hasty statement blurted out without knowing his own heart. So it was only natural to be rejected. This time is different.
He became aware of the fact that he likes Ryan, and his desire to continue being with him had solidified.
“Haa…”
Anxiously and earnestly hoping that Ryan would understand his sincerity, Hendrick looked out the curtained window.
Before he knew it, the carriage was entering the street where the nobles’ residences were located. The Fitzroy estate was at the very entrance.
Being closest to the palace while possessing a vast plot of land meant being a trusted subject and friend of the king.
Naturally, the advice the king had given came to mind.
‘The words about needing to confirm each other’s feelings first must have been advice in anticipation of a situation like this.’
Now he could understand. Because he was currently experiencing the consequences of acting hastily without knowing his own heart.
It was just as the large gate of the Fitzroy estate came into view. Suddenly, the tightly closed iron gate split open sideways and a carriage was seen quickly coming out.
“Ryan?”
It wasn’t difficult to figure out who was riding inside. Because he was blankly looking out the window.
Lost in thought, Ryan didn’t even notice the royal carriage nearby.
“Follow behind.”
Hendrick immediately changed the direction he was headed. Then he added an order.
“Maintain an appropriate distance so as not to be noticed.”
No matter how he looked at it, Ryan’s expression he had just seen concerned him. He needed to observe more calmly why he was acting like that.
Such worries only deepened as the carriage carrying Ryan reached the front of the fortress walls.
“Where on earth is he trying to go?”
When it seemed like the destination was outside the capital no matter what, questions arose. Did something happen to his family? Or did he receive some kind of urgent contact?
‘There’s no way someone would contact Ryan, who has never left the capital, to come out.’
Even if that were the case, he wouldn’t be sent out so hastily, not even a few hours after returning from the palace.
Because he was the youngest son that the family cherished so much.
“Lady Elena.”
“Yes, Your Highness, did you call for me?”
While Ryan was waiting to pass through the fortress, Hendrick secretly summoned Elena, who had been following behind, and gave a different order.
“Find out what Ryan did from leaving the palace to entering the Count’s residence. And also if something happened to the Count’s family.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“As quickly as possible.”
“I will take action right away.”
The carriage that had been waiting for a while finally passed the fortress. Hendrick immediately followed behind. The movement wasn’t faster than expected, and it was difficult to grasp the whereabouts.
“Your Highness, a report has come in.”
While taking a short break, Elena approached. And Hendrick’s eyes sharpened upon hearing what she conveyed.
“He met with his attending physician as soon as he left the palace?”
“Yes, apparently he received an examination because of knotting.”
Even at the mention of knotting, his expression didn’t change. Instead, his gaze softened considerably.
‘It seems he went to find him out of worry about that.’
Indeed, when an alpha and omega engage in intercourse, knotting increases the probability of pregnancy, so he understood why.
“Shall I tell them to find out more details?”
“No.”
Hendrick shook his head and observed Ryan from a distance.
“I will go and check for myself. When we arrive at the village, bring that coachman to me first.”
To find out why Ryan suddenly left the capital, it seemed he needed to ask that person. As the day grew darker and travel became more difficult, the carriage carrying Ryan stopped at a hotel.
It was evident that this wasn’t the destination just by looking at the surroundings. As soon as he confirmed with his eyes Ryan disappearing inside, Hendrick also got out of the carriage.
“Your Highness.”
Not long after, Elena appeared with the trembling coachman. Hendrick didn’t hold onto him for long.
“I have something to verify with you.”
Instead, he went through the process of cross-checking what he had been told with what the coachman might know. Then, unexpectedly, he heard that the coachman had also witnessed Ryan going to meet his attending physician.
“Did you say the place Ryan said he was traveling to was the vineyard managed by the Fitzroy family?”
“Yes, Your Highness. That’s what I know for now.”
“He simply said it was a trip.”
“That’s right. Ah! Th-that, when talking with Lady Catherine, I heard him mention meeting up with that friend of his.”
“Friend?”
When Hendrick stared intently, as if asking who that was, the coachman profusely sweated and tried his best to recall the name.
But only a sly face came to mind, and the desired information didn’t appear in his head at all.
“What did he look like?”
When Elena asked, the coachman finally stuttered out the appearance he remembered.
“He was going to meet Derek, huh.”
Hendrick’s brows twitched, immediately recognizing who that description referred to. Because he was also aware of the culprit who had caused trouble for him and Ryan at the coming-of-age party.
“Do you not know when they were supposed to meet?”
“No, he didn’t specifically mention it.”
At those words, Hendrick felt something strange. It was strange from the beginning. If Ryan was going to see Derek, why was he stopping by various places?
And why, out of all the places, a vineyard and a wine farm?
‘Ryan doesn’t even enjoy drinking much.’
It was equally abrupt for him to suddenly show interest in such things now.
“I see, you may go now. Keep your meeting with me confidential.”
“Y-yes, Your Highness, how could I dare!”
The coachman seemed relieved that his life was spared, loudly answering and bowing his waist. Watching his hastily disappearing back, Hendrick ordered Elena,
“Keep watch, I’ll go check and come back.”
“It’s far. I will go instead.”
Hendrick immediately refused Elena’s words. This was something he had to find out for himself. He promptly took out a horse from the carriage and began to gallop.
When he arrived in front of the attending physician’s house in the dusky night, the knights who had already heard the news were waiting. Hendrick entered the interior, receiving their quiet greetings.
The trembling attending physician, upon discovering the prince, turned pale and slumped to the floor.
“Y-Your Highness! Please spare my life. I only kept my mouth shut because I was worried about Lord Ryan.”
Then, with his head deeply bowed, he tearfully spilled out the words he had suppressed.
“I-indeed, in Lord Ryan’s womb, Your Highness’ child…”
No, before he could even spit it all out, he had to swallow it back down due to the chilling sensation of a sword suddenly pressed against his throat.
“Heu-heuk…”
The startled attending physician looked at the tip of the sword with shaking eyes.
“Say it again. What did you just say?”
An even colder voice that seemed ready to cut him at any moment was heard.
“Ryan is carrying my child?”