The Reason for Marriage - Chapter 20.1

“The wound is shallow.” Iveca turned around to see her waist and spoke in a murmur. The flesh had been punctured, but it didn’t look nearly as bad as she thought it might. However, at her words, Daniel’s face turned to stone, and his voice was surprisingly cold.

“How can you think that wound is shallow?”

Iveca did not expect to see him so angry at her opinion, and she looked around before taking his hand gently.

“Your highness, how long have I been sleeping?”

“Three hours,” came Daniel’s reply, “and you barely moved in that time.”

“Three hours… have you eaten?”

Daniel didn’t respond, but instead shot her a sheepish grin that she knew meant that he hadn’t eaten anything.

“Please go and eat. Unfortunately, I believe I will have to eat what the Bureau of Medicine gives me and will not be able to share a meal with you right now.”

“No, I will stay here today. I want to make sure you are alright.”

“With all those guards?”

Daniel frowned. “Do you want them out? I thought you may feel unsafe when you woke up…” Daniel furrowed his brow as he answered quickly, but Iveca’s words came rushing out to assuage him.

“I am safe in the palace, your highness. But I cannot rest if you’re skipping meals. Could you help me by leaving me be?” Iveca managed a smile. “Please?”

Daniel said nothing in response to Iveca’s plea. He placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her, and Iveca flushed at him doing so in front of so many people. Her heartbeat quickened in embarrassment as he let her go and spoke in a low voice.

“If you wish, Iveca. If you think it will help.”

He kissed her briefly again before standing up and turning around. Iveca had no time to think of his coldness. As soon as he had left the chamber, she grabbed the Bureau of Medicine employee’s arm. The woman turned around, interrupted in her job of telling the maids what meals to give their mistress.

“Please…”

“I am Olita Gate, your Highness. Call me Olita, if you’d like.” She seemed like a very friendly woman.

“Olita, I wish to know something.”

Olita sensed her urgency. She bade the maids to go back out of the room and sat in front of her. There had been a reason to send Daniel out, she thought, and Iveca spoke cautiously to confirm this.

“The King and I have been… well, I don’t know whether I am pregnant yet, but would this be bad for the baby if I was? Is there a way to know?”

She could hardly control her words as she whispered to Olita. While Iveca did not know whether she was pregnant yet, she did not know whether she could control her face in front of Daniel if the news was bad. Daniel had spoken of an heir and her duty to produce one, and Iveca did not want to see his disappointment. She would only blame herself.

However, Olita looked dumbfounded despite her efficient manner up to now. She raised her glasses and tilted her head as she sat silent for a moment.

“Your highness, are you not under a birth control pill?”

Iveca blinked, then stared at Olita. The employee took out her medical reports from a large, leather bag and read them back to her.

“You have taken a pill… let’s see, last September, is that correct? The pill was Jegistra, which has no side effects and does not delay or advance your period much.” Iveca cocked her head. Sensing her confusion, Olita pressed on. “Jegistra lasts for a year, your highness. You won’t be able to get pregnant until September of this year.”

Iveca couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. “When was that report made?”

“Right before your physical, before your marriage. We did not report anything because you did not ask and there were no strange diseases. We only assumed you knew you were on birth control.”

Iveca had been working in the Bureau of Investigation last September. She knew that her periods had been regular all her life. She would have taken that pill for other reasons, and she did not open her mouth for a while. However, she thought of something.

“Why did you not report to his highness? He did not seem to know.”

Olita spoke in a careful voice after looking at her.

“His highness knows.”

“…What?”

“We had reported this matter immediately to him. It is a professional courtesy given to all Royals.”

Iveca was at a loss for words. It was surprising that she had taken a birth control pill eight months back, but to think that Daniel knew, and she didn’t… then, why did he mention heirs? Iveca controlled her breathing. What was going on?