The Baby Isn’t Yours

Two lines.

Two red lines.

‘…Strange. I remember reading that if two red lines appear, it means pregnancy.’

Kalia Tacskate thought absentmindedly and once again lowered her eyes on the kit that was resting on her hand.

In her hand, she held the kit that contained the test paper.

Kalia carefully read what was written on the back of the box with the set.

[If two red lines appear on a white background on the back of the paper, it indicates pregnancy. If only one line appears, it indicates non-pregnancy.]

She looked back and forth between the clear two lines on the test paper and the writing on the back of the kit several times.

Unable to soberly digest the information, it took her several minutes before she muttered a word that clearly described the current situation unfolding before her eyes.

“… Pregnant?”

The test paper Kalia was holding fell to the floor.

She slowly clenched and unclenched her trembling fist.

Her rough palm, covered in scars, was clenched tightly and released multiple times, and she briefly looked up.

It was a mansion she had received directly from the Emperor as a reward for the achievements she made during the past seven years of war.

The splendid chandelier in that mansion sparkled as it received sunlight.

Momentarily blinded by the dazzling shimmer, she closed and opened her eyes again, taking a slow deep breath.

‘Phew, haa. Hooo.’

And then, she looked down at the paper that had fallen on the floor.

It was clear.

Two distinct red lines that couldn’t be mistaken.

The two stripes were very clearly marked in red on white, and it was impossible to make a mistake.

“…Oh, my goodness.”

‘I’m pregnant?’

At the moment she realized it, surprisingly, the first emotion that overwhelmed her was joy.

“A baby!”

Kalia jumped up from her seat, her hand unconsciously raised to cover her mouth in delight.

As she gasped and took a deep breath, her abdomen rapidly swelled and expanded.

An itching sensation spread throughout her body as if she were submerged in sweet cotton candy.

It felt dizzying, as if someone had struck her head hard with a hammer. At the same time, her heart thumped rapidly.

It was a mixture of astonishment and excitement at this unbelievable event.

‘…A real baby? Is there really a baby growing inside me, in here?’

She reached out her trembling hand and gently touched her slender and firm belly.

Her shaking fingertips that traced the surface of her belly were trembling.

‘Oh, my goodness… I’m having a baby… I have a baby inside my belly!’

Most female knights were often infertile.

Due to the daily grueling training, intense battles regardless of gender, and the stress of roaming the battlefield, the function of the uterus weakened.

To such an extent, the knights of the Rojas Empire were renowned for their relentless training, regardless of gender.

Thanks to this, they were able to firmly protect the royal family from numerous invasions, and the illustrious reputation of the Imperial Knights even instilled fear in neighboring countries.

And the person who greatly contributed to this brutal reputation was none other than Kalia Tacskate, the commander of the Red Lion Knights of Rojas.

A military genius who boasted an unprecedented level of strength in the history of the Rojas Empire.

Or an inspector or warrior.

A great war hero who ended the great war that lasted for seven years.

Kalia Tacskate was a fierce inspector, a just knight, and a typical soldier that enemies most wanted to avoid.

Without being a noble, she possessed such formidable power at a very young age that she rose to the position of supreme commander.

To achieve such overwhelming strength, she shed not a small amount of sweat and blood.

Her body broke, and parts of her body fell off and reattached multiple times.

That’s why Kalia naturally thought that she would never be able to have a child.

Not only she, but even her personal physician sadly mentioned the same.

That’s why this pregnancy to her was akin to a divine miracle.

“Pregnant. Me… I’m pregnant. Ha!”

Kalia trembled, trying hard to suppress her uncontrollable joy.

Tears welled up in her eyes, which she had never shed for over 20 years, due to the overwhelming emotion that surged within her.

‘…My baby, my baby.’

She was an orphan.

A thoroughly unfortunate and miserable orphan.

Abandoned in a back alley at a young age, she crawled and survived by picking up scraps and eating garbage.

From the time she had no memory until her first memory was formed…

Though she couldn’t eat or sleep properly, her growth was strangely good.

She was much taller than her peers, and she was incredibly strong and agile, to the point where she couldn’t be seen as a child.

That’s why, at the age of six, she was able to secretly rescue the son of a Duke who was kidnapped and taken to a back alley.

Thanks to saving that boy, from the age of six, she received the patronage of the Duke and was able to learn swordsmanship. She tenaciously established her reputation and eventually became a respected supreme commander of the Empire.

The wretched and insignificant orphan became a hero of this Empire, receiving lavish treatment and praise. She tried to console herself, saying that expecting anything more would be too greedy.

‘My family.’

That fragile and primal longing had been silently suppressed as a luxury for herself…

But one day, this tremendous miracle came to her like a blow to the back of her head.

‘Please… Let this moment not be a dream.’

Kalia took a deep breath, tightly closing her eyes to prevent the tears from flowing.

However, the joy couldn’t be hidden at all, and the excitement didn’t subside.

“Whoaa.”

She was taking short breaths, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back and let out a scream of joy.

“Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Ah, no. Let’s calm down. It’s not good for the baby. Uh, well, forget it!”

But she couldn’t stop her feet from dancing with excitement.

She tried her best to be cautious, but after spinning around the large living room 27 times, she finally managed to lean against a plush chair.

Now, let’s think about the remaining problem.

“…The problem is the baby’s father.”

Sigh.

When she recalled the person she suspected as the father, an involuntary sound of distress escaped her.

‘Simon Terroan.’

The fortunate part was that he was the only man she had a relationship with, and the unfortunate part was that he was not Kalia’s lover.

Even more unfortunate was the fact that he was the Duke of the Empire and Archmage, and a war hero standing shoulder to shoulder with her.

And even more unfortunate than that was the fact that he was the little child of the Duke who she saved when she was six years old, and now he was her closest and dearest friend.

…That’s right.

Kalia had become pregnant with the child of her dearest friend!

All because of one night’s mistake!

“…Oh, damn it!”

Unknowingly, a curse slipped out of Kalia’s mouth, and she quickly apologized while gently stroking her belly.

“Oops! Sorry for swearing, my dear. Mommy has been running around the battlefield, so her mouth gets a little rough. I’m sorry.”

With that curse, she couldn’t feel guilty.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, my baby. I’m really sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

A heartfelt desire to treat this precious life with the best things in this world, with the best language, welled up within her.

It was an emotion she had never felt before throughout her life, which had always involved breaking and killing someone.

A rosy blush appeared on Kalia’s cheeks.

She couldn’t understand the nature of the intense emotions surging up in her chest.

With those words, the essence of this overwhelming emotion that made her boil over in an instant.

“No matter what happens…”

She would protect this child.

No matter what happened, without a doubt.

She could swear with a sword pressed against her chest.

Her precious ‘my baby.’

The miraculous connection that came to her.

Even if it was the result of a magical encounter that happened by chance one night.