The Obsession of the Tyrant Sub-Male Lead is Unnecessary

Episode 27

“She’s such a dutiful daughter.”

“You always say that with such certainty. What if it’s not a daughter?”

“Of course, I’d be happy with a son too, but I’m just sharing my hopes.”

“If the child heard that, they might feel a bit hurt.”

“Hmm, that wouldn’t do.”

Carlos put on a serious expression.

“Then, to make sure our child doesn’t feel upset, let me start with the son’s name.”

“What do you mean, start with the son’s name?”

“The name, of course. I’ve already picked out a few options.”

“You’ve already chosen names?”

Verona’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, I’ve prepared a few options for both a son and a daughter. I plan to finalize the names after a few more discussions before the birth.”

“What names did you choose?”

“I’ve picked out five for each, but there’s only one I truly favor.”

Carlos reached out toward her lower belly. Verona flinched slightly but didn’t avoid his touch. His warm, large hand settled on her thin indoor dress.

“If it’s a son, Lennox. If it’s a daughter, Rainstra.”

Carlos spoke each syllable with care, as if he couldn’t hide the overwhelming emotion he felt just imagining it.

“The royal genealogists and scholars will check if any of our ancestors or heroes bore those names, and they’ll decide if they’re suitable. The other options are decent too, but those two are my favorites.”

“If it’s a name you’ve chosen, the child will surely love it.”

Verona repeated the names quietly to herself.

Rainstra Waterfall.

Or, perhaps, Lennox Waterfall.

She would be grateful no matter which one it was.

“Right? I hope my choices are the final ones too.”

Carlos spoke in a low, gentle tone, repeating the names once more.

“Lennox Gruenwaldt Clarence. Or, Rainstra Gruenwaldt Clarence.”

Yet he used a different surname from hers, ensuring to include the middle name that marked the royal bloodline.

As much as she couldn’t deny that the names suited the child well, Verona hoped their child would carry the name “Rainstra Waterfall.” But she couldn’t voice that thought to Carlos, who was proudly caressing her belly.

“Lennox Gruenwaldt Clarence. It certainly sounds noble.”

So, she took a step back. After all, a crown prince seemed a more fitting heir to the empire.

“My mother originally wanted to name me Lennox. It’s the name of one of my maternal ancestors.”

Carlos seemed unaware of Verona’s thoughts.

“He lived a long life and was a master of horsemanship. It’s actually why I thought of the name for our son. And Rainstra is a childhood name of a goddess from ancient times. The Pope might not like it, but what can we do?”

“If it’s a son, he might be upset. Naming a daughter after a goddess and a son after a mere human?”

Verona teased, and Carlos responded with a laugh.

“How can you be so sure it’s a human name?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

Verona asked, eyes wide with curiosity. Carlos replied with confidence.

“I told you, he was a master of horsemanship. He rode like he wasn’t human. He could stand on a horse without a saddle and shoot arrows, hitting a target set up beyond a hill ten times in a row.”

“No way, is that true? Isn’t that more like a legend?”

“It’s a fact.”

Carlos nodded firmly, leaving no room for doubt. Remembering what Retrius had once told her and her own lingering suspicions, Verona finally accepted his story.

With skills like that, perhaps he truly wasn’t human.

‘Well, considering I’m not human myself, giving my child a typical human name might not suit them either.’

With that thought, Verona found herself in a long discussion with Carlos, debating whether their child would be named Lennox or Rainstra.

As a result, Carlos ended up staying late, even after dinner, and Verona found herself not having to sleep alone in the wide bed that night.

“Go to sleep, Verona. You’re tired.”

Carlos pulled the thick blanket up to her neck, tucking her in. As soon as her head touched the pillow, drowsiness washed over her, and she slowly blinked her eyes.

“You’ll leave early again, won’t you?”

“I have to, so I can find time to be by your side.”

Carlos spoke while settling in a spot a little distance from her. Verona reached out, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer.

“Come here and lie down.”

“But, Verona…”

“Hurry.”

She suddenly felt a desire to have him closer.

After a moment’s hesitation, Carlos moved his pillow beside hers. Only then did Verona close her eyes, a satisfied smile on her lips.

That night, she slept far more comfortably than usual. It might have been because Carlos held her close, his warm hand resting on her belly.

Of course, Verona had no idea how hard it was for Carlos to stay so well-behaved beside her.

Carlos spent the entire night thinking of their child, enduring and enduring, until he finally fell asleep. And when he woke up in the morning, he made a decision.

He’d increase the intensity of his morning and evening sword training to wear himself out more.

* * *

“How curious. Normally, you wouldn’t touch anything made with tomatoes.”

Mary commented with a puzzled expression as she placed Verona’s second bowl of stew in front of her.

“It’s like my tastes have completely changed.”

“You’re starting to like every kind of food?”

“Yeah, this is really delicious! I can’t believe I never ate it before.”

Verona took a big bite of the tomato beef stew. The chef’s pride in using only the finest ingredients was well-deserved. The juicy beef was a pleasant surprise, a complete change from her earlier preference for seafood.

Watching her, Luigi smiled with satisfaction, handing her a napkin.

“It’s so nice to see you eating so well, especially considering how you used to gag at the smell of shellfish. You haven’t had any morning sickness since then, right?”

“Yeah, instead I’m worried I might gain too much weight from eating so much.”

“I’ve heard that some expecting mothers experience no nausea and just develop a better appetite. And two bowls isn’t really all that much.”

“But I’ve been eating two servings at every meal, plus desserts in between.”

“Dr. Burton said it’s fine. Besides, Your Highness always should have eaten more. Your arms are still so thin!”

“That’s just because I don’t gain weight easily. I’ve always had a good appetite.”

Of course, in Waterfall, she often swam as a mermaid, so she never had much chance to put on weight.

But unaware of this, Luigi looked at her with a sympathetic expression, almost like she was her own daughter.

“You’ll need plenty of strength for the baby. Even if you don’t need to raise the child all by yourself, you should still eat well to prepare for the birth.”

“She’s right. Since you’ve always preferred seafood over meat, this is a good time to enjoy more meat.”

Mary chimed in, listing off dinner options in advance. Sipping her warm tea, Verona listened with interest to Luigi and Mary’s conversation.

‘It’s strange. Aside from that one bout of nausea, I don’t feel any discomfort.’

In truth, Verona had studied many medical texts as soon as she decided to have a child. She wanted to understand and prepare for the changes pregnancy would bring and what to expect during childbirth.

She’d read about how pregnancy could bring significant changes to a woman’s body and how difficult it could be to endure.

Of course, she was still in the early stages, so it was too soon to be certain. But just the absence of morning sickness had eased her fears.

Plus, she no longer had any symptoms of her walnut allergy, which was a huge relief.

All food tasted delicious now, and every night she found joy in imagining their child before falling asleep.

“Oh, speaking of which, Your Highness.”

Mary suddenly remembered something and spoke up.

“Do you need anything?”

“Need anything? No, not particularly.”

“Well, surely there must be *something*, right? Like a pretty dress or earrings?”

“I already received more than enough of those after the engagement. Just organizing the storeroom took forever, remember?”

“Yes, but still…”

Mary’s expression turned a bit dismayed.

“This ring is more than enough for me. You know I don’t usually wear much jewelry, Mary.”

“Yes, I know…”

Mary’s disappointment was evident as Verona waved the hand with the diamond ring Carlos had given her.

“But why are you asking about this all of a sudden… Ah, my birthday is in four days.”

“Haha… You remembered this time, huh?”

“Well, it’s not like it’s a big deal.”

Back in Waterfall, birthdays weren’t an extravagant affair. While they couldn’t completely ignore the heir’s birthday, they never hosted lavish parties or invited foreign nobles.

It was more about preparing a slightly fancier meal and sharing it with those in the palace.

Her father couldn’t eat rich foods due to his health, and Verona was content with simply sharing a meal with the maids she was close to.

She’d never needed much more, given the heirlooms her mother had left behind and the occasional treasures they found in sunken ships.

Besides, she was more interested in things like lands, estates, and antiques that appreciated over time, rather than temporary things like dresses and jewelry.

But since no one would give her real estate or precious art as a birthday gift, she never expected much for her birthday.

Sometimes, she’d only remember it was her birthday when she woke up that morning.

“How can you say it’s not a big deal!” Luigi countered her sternly.

“There’s no way His Majesty would overlook the birthday of the future Empress. I’m sure he—”

“Head maid!”

Mary quickly cut Luigi off, her voice panicked. Realizing her mistake, Luigi clamped her mouth shut and awkwardly looked away.

“Um, I think His Majesty might bring some new jelly tonight. I heard the Grand Duchy of Tartane sent it as a gift.”

It was a poorly disguised attempt to change the subject.

‘They’re hiding something.’

Verona immediately sensed it, but she decided to play along.

Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like everyone in the palace, including Mary and Luigi, had long been conspiring with Carlos. None of them were making eye contact with her now.

That evening, when Carlos arrived, Verona finally understood what Mary had been trying to avoid.

“Are you sure there’s nothing?”

Carlos looked at her with furrowed brows, as if he had just heard news of an enemy crossing the border.

“You really don’t want anything?”

“Yes, really.”

Verona nodded, biting into a piece of jelly that had a texture reminiscent of Turkish delight. She winced as it got stuck in her throat.

Carlos quickly handed her a glass of water and added,

“That can’t be true. How can you not want a gift?”