Who Stole The Empress

Chapter 174: Side story 3 - Monstein

***

As Asha, who was in Tamons arms, tried to get out, Tamon grabbed her tighter and wouldnt let her go.

Tamon.

Come on, let go of this hand.

Tamon shook his head sharply at the sound of a voice that came out of nowhere without realizing it.

Im sorry, but I cant release you right away. This isnt my intention.

What do you mean?

Tamon sighed and said to Asha who asked with widened eyes.

After holding you for so long, my body .

Your body? Ah, you have a cramp!

Once again, embarrassment swelled.

But thinking about it, it was natural.

Asha had been asleep for hours in his arms, which meant Tamon had not moved in that state.

As she tried to pull her body away quickly, in her bewilderment, Tamon frowned slightly and moaned briefly.

It hurts? Im sorry. Are you okay?

 Its not painful, just a little

He frowned and smiled softly. Somehow the smile was suspicious.

Because Im numb.

Youre numb? Do you want me to massage you? Please, Tamon. Let go of me.

As Asha fidgeted constantly, Tamon eventually let her go.

Every moment she moved, his expression twitched subtly.

Asha, who came down carefully from him, raised her hand awkwardly to give him a massage, but Tamon immediately grabbed her wrist.

No, Asha, dont do it.

But.

Watching her faltering, Tamon smiled mischievously and shook his head.

Id like to leave it in your hands if I could.

 But?

But I thought that would make it hard for you to take care of me.

Ashas eyes, who were frowning and wondering what he meant, moved downwards towards Tamons center involuntarily. (*Tamon wasnt numb, his manhood got hard lol.)

Seeing the purple eyes that grew rapidly, Tamon grinned.

Are you going to keep looking at me like that?

Oh no!

Startled, she quickly turned her head, but her face had already turned bright red.

With her eyes closed, she heard Tamons laughter in her ears.

It was Tamon who showed shame, but why was she embarrassed?

Thanks to this, all of the remaining lukewarm sleepiness ran away.

Why all of a sudden?

As it was nothing, Tamon ran the back of his hand across her cheek.

Asha, who slapped his hand down, glared at him, but it didnt seem to have offend Tamon at all. Anyway, he must have been a natural villain.

He was a very gifted man when it came to teasing her.

As Asha turned away, glaring at him with her brash eyes.

Knock. Knock.

Someone came where the two of them filled with sweet air.

Asha, its me. Can I talk to you?

It was Anna.

***

Monstein?

It will take another two or three days, but I was wondering if it would be better to stop by there. Monstein is a pretty big city, so there must be a lot of doctors and pharmacists.

Monstein was a small town about a day and a half from the current location. It was a city located on the central road extending to the center and the provinces under the Aokis Mountains, so it was not small, but the city has been in stagnation due to frequent occurrences of gap for the past two or three years.

It was information that came out while Anna was looking through the characteristics of the cities to be passed before leaving for the journey.

Asha thought deeply and shook her head.

Its too far from here. Its not on our way, and we have to get back to this road again, so at least 5 days or more of the schedule will be delayed. 

But Asha, we have to go to a city of that size to have a good doctor.

At Annas words, Asha looked at her quietly and responded with a smile. 

Im okay. Its not bad enough to delay like that. Look, Im still fine. 

Thankfully, the dizziness and nausea that seemed to pour out of the intestines had subsided as if washed away. Perhaps it was because she slept soundly in Tamons arms, and she thought she could proceed with the trip without difficulty.

Of course, that didnt mean she was energized, but Asha didnt want to delay her schedule with Anna whom she parted with for too long.

Motion sickness is common, Anna.

Asha dismissed her symptoms as common motion sickness.

But Anna, sitting face to face with her, didnt think so.

Anna looked at Asha with a complicated face, and sighed softly.

She (Anna) had a hard time figuring out how to verbally convey her guess to a friend who was wise but a bit naive in this regard.

Im really glad youre not sick, but.

Anna remembered Asrels voice last night.

She cant eat anything at all. Ashas symptoms are exactly the same as when I had my first child.

Those words that were whispered.

It stuck in her mind and never left.

Okay, Asha. As you said, motion sickness is common. But you, whom I have been watching, have never experienced motion sickness since childhood. But I think its kind of strange to suddenly have such severe symptoms. If you dont want me to worry, Id like you to see a doctor and hear that youre okay. Just in case

Just in case?

At Annas remarks emphasizing something, Asha asked back as if puzzled.

For some reason, Annas expression was unusual to just pass by.

Anna bit her lip nervously and then opened her mouth with difficulty.

it may not be. But Im saying this because I think that if theres even a slight possibility, its definitely something to consider.

What the hell is Anna trying to say?

Asha nodded her head with a serious face, unable to imagine what was to come. After a brief sigh, Anna asked.

Do you remember when your last period was?

What do you mean?

Asha was momentarily stunned, wondering why Anna was asking such a question.

But soon, Ashas face began to change as she followed Annas words and traced her last menstrual day.

Just before she met Gillotti again, she sensed that her period was running late.

Even then, it had already skipped a month, and a month and a half had already passed since then 

ah...

Asha was momentarily dazed at the thought of suddenly brushing her head.

A possibility she had never thought of pounded hard in her heart.

Asha?

Its been over two months.

When Asha said in a trembling voice that two months have passed, Asha and Anna looked at each other at the same time.

Neither of them could speak aloud, but their eyes showed 

the same possibility. As Ashas eyes shook violently with nervousness, Anna spoke first, gently wrapping her hand.

Lets see the doctor. That comes first.

Anna, I. No, I hope. 

Shh. Dont say anything yet. I wont say anything either.

Anna spoke calmly, but her cheeks were also burning with excitement.

Anna hugged the absent minded Asha for a long time.

Her small but powerful hug comforted Ashas thin shoulders for quite some time. And her cold body turned warm again.

Asha  was lost in thought for a moment after Anna left.

She didnt know if it was because of confusion or if she was hungry or nauseous.

She vowed a few times not to be pounding in haste, but she couldnt stop her trembling fingers going to her flat stomach.

Really..Is it possible that theres a baby in here?

She couldnt breathe properly because of the complex emotions that couldnt be defined in words.

Somehow, it felt like the night was too long.

***

That night, Asha dived deep into Tamons arms, avoiding his gripping hands.

Tamon, who had no intention of tormenting her because she was sick, embraced her, who had dug into his arms, and comforted her by telling stories in silence.

Perhaps because of the nap, Asha kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Tamon continued to rub Ashas cold hands and feet, constantly chatting about his childhood.

Asha sometimes laughed as she listened to his story, and sometimes looked up at him with a blank stare.

A child brought from outside.

A boy who didnt get enough love because of his sick brother.

Tamon from a young age had to become an adult early because of his extraordinary talent and brain.

Asha, who listened attentively to the story of the dry past as if it were a precious story, was simply lovely to Tamon.

Asha, who had been hesitating, asked cautiously.

Werent you lonely?

Well, not much. I wasnt that sentimental.

Still. You were a child.

At Ashas additional words, Tamon quietly raised the corners of his lips and smiled instead of answering.

Was he lonely?

To fall into such sentiments, he thought his position was too precarious.

A family was a family, but he was not a complete member.

His mother, who gave birth to him, had already done her duty and had gone away, and his father, who gave him birth, loved his mistress terribly.

What was she like?

Her blue eyes, which looked just like Cassions, always looked at Tamon with a complicated gaze.

It was the eyes of a person who wanted to hate but couldnt hate, who wanted to love but couldnt love.

So, her attitude towards Tamon was always distant.

Neither too close nor too far.

Tamon had never been pampered by such a mother. Because that was crossing the line.

Tamon, who was cautious, did not enter the boundary she had surrounded.

He always tried to keep a distance that she wouldnt close.

It wasnt difficult, but Yeah, it was bittersweet at times.

Although it was a family, it was not complete, and although it was inherited, he did not think that it was completely his family.

His world was always so halfway.

Was that why I was lonely?

***

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