Reincarnated to Another World

reincarnated as a knight pt. 3

As I left the capital behind, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about starting over in the Visconti Dukedom. It took me almost a week to reach the Visconti Dukedom. The ambiance in this place is very different from the Capital. 

The snowy and colder climate was a far cry from what I was used to, but the people here seemed kinder and more welcoming. Holding my growing belly, I reminded myself that I wasn't alone; my baby was with me, and we would face this new life together.

Establishing my own bakery was no easy feat, especially with a baby on the way, but I was determined to make it work. The support and warmth I received from the locals were heartening, and it fueled my resolve to bake the best treats and create a gathering place for the community.

As I settled into my new routine, I couldn't help but hear intriguing tales about the Duke and Duchess of Visconti. Their love story, born from a life-threatening encounter, fascinated me. The Duke's bravery and the Duchess's compassion seemed like a fairy tale, a stark contrast to the harsh reality I faced in the capital.

But it wasn't all happiness in the Visconti Dukedom. The rumors about their missing daughter tugged at my heartstrings. 16 years of uncertainty and sorrow, I couldn't imagine their pain. I prayed that they would find closure someday.

In the quiet moments between baking and serving customers, my thoughts often drifted to the Duke, the Duchess, and their missing daughter. Their struggles made me cherish the life growing inside me even more. I was determined to give my child a warm and loving environment, just like the people of Visconti had given me.

As the days turned into weeks and months, my bakery flourished, and the community embraced me as one of their own. The cold exterior of the Visconti Dukedom was slowly thawing, and I felt a sense of belonging I had never experienced before.

Watching the snow gently fall outside my bakery window, I felt a mix of nostalgia for the capital and gratitude for the chance to start anew in Visconti. 

~~~

As I felt the life inside me grow, a sense of wonder and fear engulfed me. The knowledge of my pregnancy brought both joy and apprehension, but there was one reality that made it even more complicated – Claude's status as the crown prince of the empire and his engagement to one of the daughters of the Duke.

My heart ached at the thought of keeping such a significant secret from Claude, the man I loved deeply. But the weight of his responsibilities and the expectations of the empire were immense. He was bound not only by his duty to the throne but also by the arrangements made by the higher echelons of society, including his engagement.

Telling Claude about the pregnancy would undoubtedly create a web of complications. It could jeopardize not only his engagement but also the stability of the empire. The expectations placed upon him as the future ruler were unforgiving, and I feared that my revelation would put him in an impossible situation – torn between love and duty, between our child and his future as the crown prince.

I questioned whether our love could withstand the pressures of such a revelation. Would Claude feel trapped, forced to choose between his obligations to the empire and his love for me? I couldn't bear the thought of causing him such inner turmoil, and so, I kept the truth hidden deep within me, shrouded in the shadows.

In the quiet moments, I allowed myself to daydream about a different world – a world where Claude and I could freely embrace our love and the joy of our impending parenthood. But the reality was harsh and inescapable, and it reminded me that my silence was a necessary sacrifice, one I had to make for both our sakes.

I found myself grappling with conflicting emotions – the happiness of carrying our child and the sorrow of not being able to share it openly with the man I loved. I yearned to confide in him, to find strength in his arms, but the constraints of his engagement weighed heavily on my conscience. It was a lonely and heart-wrenching journey, navigating the complexities of my pregnancy without Claude by my side.