The Villain's End Is Pregnancy - c88
The hall buzzed with the story Ryan had revealed and the prince suddenly kneeling and repeatedly expressing his gratitude.
“The prince’s child?”
“Then does that mean there really is nothing between him and that Julian fellow?”
“It’s still just an assertion from one side, it’s not certain yet!”
“Right, isn’t he very cunning? So even now, it could be a ploy to deceive the prince and His Majesty.”
“No, more than that, how could the prince… forgetting his dignity!”
Such words were rapidly exchanged, but regardless, Hendrick’s gaze remained fixed solely on Ryan, unwavering.
“And I’m sorry.”
“For what…?”
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ryan spoke curtly for no reason.
“I put you in a difficult position. Of all times, because I was absent.”
“That’s not it…”
In the first place, wasn’t it because of his own request? The Hydrian flower issue aside, the mine matter was something the Fitzroy family should have resolved, yet Hendrick readily stepped up.
Rather, the one who should apologize and be grateful was himself.
“That’s not true. No matter what happened, I should have stayed by your side. Because you’re the most important to me. But I failed to do that and put you in this predicament.”
At Hendrick’s repeated apologies, the lock on his heart that had already begun to open completely unlatched with a click.
Just then, a remark quite different from the atmosphere between the two was heard.
“Is that really Hendrick kneeling there? Am I mistaking him for someone else?”
“If it’s not a dream, I think it’s him. I find it a bit hard to believe too.”
“My goodness… It’s the first time I’ve seen Hendrick act like this. What on earth is going on!”
The royal couple was conversing as if astounded. Only then did Ryan also come to his senses with a start. It wasn’t just the two of them here right now. Watching were not only the king and queen, but also numerous nobles denouncing his crime!
“Ryan, thank you so much for telling me. And don’t worry. I’ll handle the rest.”
Just as Ryan was about to shift his attention, Hendrick drew it back again. Thanks to that, the king and queen made dumbfounded expressions, but he didn’t seem to care much.
“Handle what?”
“I heard a report from my knights on the way here. Some people are making preposterous claims about you.”
“Claims?”
In a short moment, the words the royal couple had brought up when interrogating him and the mockery Liam had spat out flashed through Ryan’s mind.
“Don’t tell me it’s something like I’m pregnant with Sir Julian’s child, but I lied saying it’s yours and tried to marry you?”
“Don’t mind it.”
Hendrick flatly said.
“I know it’s words someone deliberately spread to slander you.”
“Slander?”
“Yes. If not, they wouldn’t have gathered like this to unilaterally criticize you.”
Is that so? Hearing it, that made sense too. As Ryan hesitated, a sigh flowed from Hendrick’s lips. Then he raised their joined hands and kissed the reddened wrists and pale back of the hand.
“I’m truly sorry, Ryan.”
“Stop apologizing. It’s getting old.”
Just how many times are you going to say it? Feeling ticklish and warm from the sensation, Ryan glanced at the royal couple, embarrassed. They were observing this side like spectators.
“Are you hurting anywhere?”
“No, not really.”
Actually, his stomach had been aching dully since earlier, and he had a slight fever. But it seemed he shouldn’t show it now, so he shook his head.
“Your pheromones are unstable, is it because you’re tired?”
“Really?”
Ryan sniffed his nose for no reason. Then, as Hendrick said, he faintly sensed his own pheromones.
But until now, no one watching him had shown any sign of noticing.
“Hendrick must have really, thoroughly fallen for him.”
Meeting his eyes, the king spoke with a hint of laughter.
“To be able to smell it instantly to this degree when it’s so faint that we didn’t notice at all.”
“Ah…”
It seemed he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t noticed after all. It appeared to be because Hendrick was a prime.
“Of course. How important is Ryan’s physical condition? I can’t overlook even the slightest thing.”
“I see…”
The king waved his hand as if telling him to handle it himself from now on. Then he gathered his expression again and opened his mouth.
“Hendrick, I need to hear again what you said earlier. You mentioned there were people trying to slander Ryan? Who are they?”
At that question, Hendrick looked at Ryan. Ryan met his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek. The tightly interlocked hands also tensed up, and the throbbing in his stomach gradually intensified.
‘I can’t.’
He tried to soften his expression lest it shows, just in case. Fortunately, his efforts didn’t seem to be in vain.
As if feeling encouraged, Hendrick’s gaze grew even firmer. He pressed his lips to the back of Ryan’s hand once more before releasing it and turning his head towards the nobles gathered in a group.
“They are among them.”
As soon as the words were spoken, the hall filled with all sorts of voices.
Nobles expressing anger, demanding to know who it was, denouncing it as slander, and more.
They all alike claimed their innocence. Hendrick slowly looked them over, then fixed his gaze on Liam, who was glaring at Ryan with a stiff face.
“Your Highness is being deceived!”
Liam shouted as if shaking off his fear.
“I’m being deceived?”
“Yes. Your Highness is saying that because you don’t know what Ryan did at the coming-of-age party.”
When the coming-of-age party was mentioned, Ryan’s expression changed as well. Seeing that, Liam twisted his lips as if he had expected it.
“There is someone who saw Ryan offer you a drink with impure intentions that day!”
“Impure intentions?”
When the prince asked what that meant, Liam’s gaze turned to the back. Then a young man revealed himself, fidgeting.
Ryan recognized him too, as he was one of the group that usually hung out with Liam.
‘He pushed it onto someone else because he doesn’t want to say it himself.’
At the same time, he grew anxious as things seemed to be flowing no differently from the original work.
‘Still, I at least want to save my life and my family’s safety…’
As Ryan thought restlessly, the young man opened his mouth hesitantly.
“On the day of the coming-of-age party, when Your Highness was talking with other people. I saw Ryan approach holding a glass in each hand.”
The young man darted his eyes around and his fingers kept fidgeting nonstop.
“At that time, I just thought it was alcohol. But later, I happened to overhear a guy close to Ryan blabbering that the liquid extracted from Hydrian flowers was mixed in it.”
Then this time, he glanced at Ryan, and hostility was evident in his eyes.
“If you drink that, it temporarily causes confusion in the nervous system of alphas and omegas, so, I mean, pheromones just pour out, that sort of thing… A-anyway! R-Ryan definitely gave Your Highness the drink with Hydrian extract in it.”
The impact of his words was huge. Criticism towards Ryan and demands for immediate punishment began to flood from all over.
“Your Majesty! That young man’s words are true! After that day, rumors began to circulate in the palace that the prince and the youngest of Count Fitzroy’s family spent the night together. It’s certain that Ryan took advantage of the prince who was intoxicated by the drug that night!”
Amidst that, a noble from Count Seiden’s faction chimed in with the young man’s statement.
“Your Majesty, if those words are true, Ryan Fitzroy cannot be left alone. Please immediately issue a severe punishment!”
Count Seiden himself came forward and appealed to the king.
“That’s right, Your Majesty. To dare commit such a terrible act against the prince!”
“The crime of insulting royalty must be strictly punished!”
After that, the nobles following him joined in agreement, and the hall was in an uproar once more. Ryan bit his lip hard.
That was an undeniable fact. Even if it was something the past Ryan, who had no memory, had done.
He couldn’t muster the courage to face Hendrick. He said it was alright, but now that the truth had been revealed in front of so many people, he might be disappointed.
Perhaps he was even turning away from him…
Just then, a gentle but firm grip held Ryan’s hand again. He slowly raised his eyes. Then he could immediately meet a warm and affectionate gaze.
“Trust me, Ryan.”
As if he knew what Ryan was worrying about. At the resolute voice, something that had been suppressed inside welled up.
His eyes stung and his stomach churned.
For a moment, Hendrick’s eyes wavered. He hesitated for a while, then carefully caressed Ryan’s eyes.
“So don’t cry.”
He looked on the verge of tears too, so Ryan nodded, trying his best to seem fine. The tender touch wiped away the tears once more and brushed his cheek.
Not only that, a soft and tranquil pheromone enveloped Ryan. Only then did he feel the anxiety and distress stirring inside him gradually subside.
After soothing Ryan for a while, Hendrick stroked his soft cheek once more and tightly held his cold hand before turning to Liam.
His expression had turned frigid unlike a moment ago.
“There seems to be a lot to set straight in many ways, but first, the reason my condition was strange that day was because of my rut.”
‘Rut?’
Ryan sharply looked at Hendrick.