Chapter 180

The setting sun cast a shadow over his handsome face.

The lake, which previously reflected a refreshing blue light, was now dyed red.

Gretel got her heart together and tried to tell him. But somehow she didn’t have the courage, so she kept her mouth shut, but a low voice interrupted her words.

“You don’t have to tell me if it’s too hard.”

“Yes?”

Fritz said with a lonely look like the setting sun just before disappearing.

“I also have something to tell you, Miss Gretel.”

***

Although he didn’t express it outwardly, Fritz was just as conflicted as Gretel felt.

It was good that he became Gretel’s lover.

The days they spent together in the mountains were sweet and happy.

However, the relationship between the two has been getting farther and farther since returning to the capital.

Taking the chance that they came to the summer palace together, he wanted to see and spend more time together than when they were in the capital.

However, Gretel avoided him even more after coming here.

Even when she was alone, there were many times when she was just answering questions sparingly and lost in her thoughts.

Gretel was still his precious lover, but Fritz somehow felt distant from her.

‘Are you trying to get away from me?’

Although Gretel seemed concerned about the difference between his and her own status. On the one hand, Fritz noticed that Gretel saw this relationship as a temporary one.

He was very serious, but Gretel seemed to see their relationship as a short-lived game.

After thinking about it, Fritz consulted his maternal grandfather, the Marquis, here.

Because he didn’t have anyone to talk to about it.

The old marquis lamented as he listened to his grandson’s story with an annoyed expression.

“I don’t know why all my grandchildren take the difficult path.”

The Marquis gave simple advice to just have a frank conversation.

If the other person is uncomfortable, you should know how to withdraw first.

Fritz agreed with his maternal grandfather’s words.

He wanted to talk more, but then Kaizen approached the two of them.

As the conversation cut off, the topic shifted to Astelle’s past.

Fritz mustered up his courage and spoke his mind openly to Gretel once more.

“My feelings for you are the same as before. But if you feel uncomfortable with our relationship, I won’t force you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ll step down at any time if Miss Gretel wants me to.”

This means that if you want to break up, then so be it.

Fritz’s face as he said it looked sincere, yet lonely and sad.

In an instant, Gretel realized what he had misunderstood.

‘Actually, it wasn’t a misunderstanding.’

Initially, I thought this relationship was a short sweet dream that would soon end.

But now I’ve changed my mind.

“I…… I really like you, Duke.”

Gretel was the first to speak her mind. “I don’t know what will happen to our relationship in the future. I have no intention of leaving you right now.”

Even though I’m not pregnant, I have no intention of leaving.

I don’t know what will happen later. But one thing is clear: I probably won’t have the heart to leave this man even in the distant future.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Fritz’s eyes, which were clouded like deep water, instantly sparkled with joy.

Seeing that, Gretel was both embarrassed and excited. At the same time, she also felt a bit uneasy.

“What about you, Duke?” Gretel asked, looking down at the moonlit water.

“Yes?”

“You are a nobleman. If you get tired of me later, then, um… you might want to meet a noble lady, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

He replied confidently without the slightest hesitation.

As Gretel raised her head, Fritz looked at her with his most sincere eyes, smiling.

“I know I am too hasty to say this, but I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”

“Yes……?”

What did he just say?

It sounded like a proposal.

“Oh, what do you mean…….”

How long have we been dating?

In that short time, I am now pregnant.

Gretel involuntarily took a step back. But at that moment, vertigo got to her.

Before she even received his confession, she felt dizzy for a moment.

This time, the dizziness intensified, making her body tremble. Gretel almost lost her balance.

“Gretel!”

Fritz, surprised, caught her.

The two fell into the water together.

-splash.

Cold water splashed everywhere.

Fritz got up first and helped Gretel up.

“Are you all right?”

“……I am.”

She stumbled and fell, but fortunately, Fritz caught her right away, so she ended up sitting in the lake.

The water is shallow anyway, so there’s nothing dangerous about it.

“I’m sorry. I said something stupid…….”

Fritz apologized as he held the drenched Gretel to the shore of the lake.

“I was too hasty, I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

“Oh, no, I am fine. I was just a little dizzy.”

Indeed I was surprised, but I’m also pregnant so I feel sleepy and dizzy all the time.

So far I’ve only been sleeping in my room, so my stamina must be dropping.

Fritz came close to her.

“If you don’t mind, I…….”

“Yes?”

Before she could ask what he was talking about, her body went up.

Fritz held her dearly in his arms.

“No, I—”

“Stepping on stones with wet shoes can be dangerous.”

Your shoes are also wet…

But Gretel listened to him and decided to remain calm.

If you insist on walking, you might stumble and fall into the water like before.

What’s more, I’m not alone now.

“You said you had something to tell me earlier.”

“Yes.”

‘Can I tell him now?’

I don’t think it’s something to talk about while being hugged soaking wet like this.

But at the same time, it seems better than talking while looking him in the face.

I can’t really see what face he’s making right now.

“We, we have a problem.”

In his arms, Gretel closed her eyes and confessed honestly.

“I think I am pregnant.”

At that moment, his footsteps stopped.

Fritz just stood still without a word.

Surprised, Gretel raised her head.

“A- are you okay?”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes?”

“Pregnant…… you have a child?”

Gretel blankly nodded.

‘What should I do?’

I had to seriously discuss it, but Fritz looked so shocked that I couldn’t say a rational word.

That’s not surprising though.

First of all, he might need some time to calm down his shock and accept reality……

As Gretel was thinking that, Fritz suddenly took her into his arms even tighter.

“Ugh…… excuse me.”

Gretel, suffocating, struggled a little.

Fritz immediately let her go hearing her groan.

“I’m sorry. I’m so happy.”

Gretel looked at him carefully.

“……are you happy?”

The light green eyes that looked down at Gretel sparkled with happiness.

“Of course I am. You must be very surprised that I did it all of a sudden. Thank you for telling me.”

Fritz looked genuinely pleased.

You are happy.

Well, of course she expected him to.

Still, she had anxiety. But hearing his answer made her relieved now.

As Gratel stared at Fritz quietly, he paused slightly and hardened his face.

“Don’t you want to have a child?” he asked.

“Oh, no. It’s not like that.”

Although unexpected, she didn’t want to get rid of it.

Gretel continued, “But you must be surprised to hear that I have a child all of a sudden…….”

“What I just said was sincere.”

“Yes?”

What did he say?

She was confused because so many things happened in a row.

Suddenly, she remembered what she had just heard.

“I know I am too hasty to say this, but I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”

She herself was surprised to hear that and fell into the lake.

“First of all, we’d better go back to the castle. It would be better to talk slowly after taking care of your health.”

Fritz took another step, embracing her.

Her heart was relieved by his touch, which was much more careful than before, but she was also dumbfounded.

‘Are you really saying that you want to marry me?’

How are you going to get the emperor’s permission to marry me? What will people say?

That’s what she wanted to ask.

A lot of realistic problems came to mind, but on the other hand, deep down she didn’t want to spoil this atmosphere.

Gretel just wanted to savor this moment slowly.

Maybe it will be the most beautiful memory in her life.

Gretel leaned her face on Fritz’s shoulder with that thought.

***

It was near dawn when the two returned to the castle.

It makes no sense to enter the gate at this hour in wet clothes.

Rumors would circulate if they forced themselves to enter like this.

While Gretel was worried about that, Fritz quickly walked to the side of the castle without any thought.

“Where are you going?”

“We can go this way.”

The place he walked to was a small wooden door next to the castle wall.

In front of him, tense soldiers and knights were waiting.

Where is this?

“Duke.”

A soldier bowed his head and opened the door without asking anything.

After passing through the door, a small staircase came out.

“Well…….”

“This is the staircase leading to the west tower. There is a door in the middle that leads to the balcony. The room next door is my bedroom.”

Maybe it’s because it’s the imperial family’s detached palace, so it’s subtly like a maze.

After going up for a while and passing through another small wooden door, the door to the balcony could be seen.

It looks like a secret passageway.

As they entered outside, the glass door on the balcony leading to the break room could be seen.

Gretel was about to ask Fritz to put her down, but a familiar voice came from inside the room.

“Fritz?”

The Marquis of Carlenberg was looking at the two of them from behind the glass door, wearing only pajamas.

“Huh, Marquis?”

Gretel belatedly realized where this was.

Now that I see it, the Marquis’s room should be around here.

She remembered that the Marquis and Fritz’s bedrooms faced each other across the hallway.

“I went out for a while, but it’s already late. This is the only secret passage that I know of. I’m sorry,” said Fritz with a smile.

“No, that…….”

The Marquis looked at the two with a puzzled look, which is not uncommon.

Gretel was embarrassed to the ends of her hair.

Then, a faint voice came from inside the bedroom.