The Duke’s Substitute Bride is a Maid

Chapter 39: Ronald Regained His Freedom

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Caesar was in a dilemma. He let out a deep breath and took two steps forward to help Irene up. “You don’t understand the importance of this matter. If we’re not careful, we will be attacked from both sides. I need to discuss this with the ministers before making a decision.”
Irene looked at Caesar anxiously. “Can you let him go first? I really can’t stand to see such a proud person eating pig food and doing the work of a servant. You know, he should have been born to be a general on the battlefield. I will definitely persuade him to submit!”
Caesar looked at Irene’s teary eyes and went soft on her. “I can at most give him a certain degree of freedom. When he returns to Murcia, I will gather all the ministers to discuss this matter.” Seeing that Irene was still unwilling, Caesar continued, “You also have to understand your father. To make this decision, I already need to withstand the pressure from the ministers.”
Irene knew that she couldn’t push her luck any further. Otherwise, she would lose Caesar as a helper. “Okay. Thank you, Father.”
As she spoke, she was about to kneel down and bow, but Caesar stopped her in time. “You don’t have to stay here anymore. Let Ronald accompany you back to your tent to recuperate.”
The Princess’s tent was fine, but she had to treat this prisoner’s tent as her home. Caesar really had no way of dealing with this daughter of his.
When Caesar left, he removed the guards outside the tent.
Ronald was escorted here by soldiers. The maid who accompanied him on the way told him the good news of Irene’s pregnancy.
For a moment, he wondered if he was dreaming!
He was going to be a father?!
He was so ecstatic that he almost jumped on the spot like a child. However, the ecstasy was followed by deep worry. At this moment, when he was captured, what could he do to take better care of Irene and the child?
Thinking of this, his eyes turned gray, and his hands unconsciously tightened.
Ronald rushed into the tent and saw Irene sitting at the table with tears in her eyes.
Ronald squatted in front of her and wiped her tears away. “Why are you still crying? What happened? Did your father tell you something?”
“I’m fine. I’m just happy.” Irene shook her head and looked at Ronald. “I asked my father to let you go. You can stay in my tent with me now.”
So that was the reason why only a soldier and a maid brought him here. Usually there were at least five or six guards who were arranged by his side.
Ronald pulled Irene into his arms and took a few deep breaths as if he had obtained some rare treasure. “Irene, being able to marry you is the greatest fortune of my life. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Thank you for making me a father.”
Irene buried her head in Ronald’s arms, feeling his strong heartbeat and boiling body temperature. “Ronald, promise me that you’ll protect yourself. Don’t get hurt, and definitely don’t die. Do you hear me?”
Ronald revealed a soft smile on the corner of his mouth and said in a low voice, “I hear you. Yes, Your Highness.”
After Irene became pregnant, Ronald felt as if his hands and feet were bound. He was afraid that he would hurt Irene with everything he did.
He forbade Irene from touching knives and forks. During mealtimes, Ronald even fed her with his own hands.
Irene could not win against him. She found it funny. “I’ve just gotten pregnant. It’s not that serious.”
After feeding her the last mouthful of soup, he said, “Why not? I heard from the doctor that the first three months are the most important. You have to take care of yourself and protect yourself more than me.”
“Okay, okay, okay. I’m in good health now,” Irene answered readily. “But it’s so stuffy here. I want to go out for a walk.”
A proper walk would help the pregnant woman digest and increase her physical strength.
Ronald didn’t say anything and helped her walk around the tent.
“I heard that there’s a river not far from here. I want to go there to relax.”
“Okay.” As long as Irene’s request was not overboard, Ronald would agree.
Irene looked at Ronald, who was still wearing the anklet and handcuffs. “I told Father to take these things off you, but he didn’t agree.”
Ronald didn’t care at all. “It’s okay. This is also his bottom line.”
Caesar would definitely not let him escape. Right now, he was Caesar’s bargaining chip and chess piece.
He still didn’t know how Caesar would deal with him. Although he had always shown that he did not care, it was definitely a lie to say that he was not worried in the enemy camp. Moreover, now he not only had Irene, but also the fruit of their love.
He knew that Caesar wanted him to surrender, but for a general like him, surrendering was a hurdle that could not be overcome in his heart.
“Wen Shaoqing?”Irene cried out in surprise, bringing Ronald back to his senses.
Ronald followed Irene’s gaze and saw a familiar figure.

Wen Shaoqing walked toward them. “I come to the tent every day and think of ways to sneak in. I didn’t expect to bump into you guys outside.”
Looking at the warm and affectionate feelings between the two of them, Wen Shaoqing clenched his fists.
Ronald gave a meaningful smile. “That’s because your sister-in-law is pregnant. I’m accompanying her out for a walk.”
Wen Shaoqing’s eyes lit up. “Congratulations, Mrs. Ronald!” He looked at Ronald. “Congratulations to you too, Ronald.”
“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how dangerous it is?” Ronald’s eyes flashed with doubt.
Wen Shaoqing’s face had also become much more haggard. The long robe that had fit him now looked a little loose. “I’m just afraid that if you die, I won’t have the face to see my mother in a hundred years.”
“Seeing that you’re safe, I’m relieved. However I also have to remind you that Croce’s king was furious because of your surrender. He said that if you return to Croce, he will arrest you immediately. You should go to Murcia to hide for now…”
“Ronald!” Before Wen Shaoqing could speak, he was interrupted by an angry roar.
The three of them looked in the direction of the voice. Ronald guarded Irene behind him vigilantly.
The man was aggressive. He rushed at Ronald with a sword in his hand. The three of them had no weapons in their hands, so they could only retreat.
Irene saw the man’s face clearly. “The fifth prince?”
“Who?” Ronald hurriedly motioned for Irene to explain clearly.
Irene suppressed her fear and explained, “Rhett’s biological younger brother. From the looks of it, he should be here to avenge his older brother.”
“Then what should we do?” Wen Shaoqing asked in a panic.
“Run in the direction of the tent. The entrance of the tent is heavily guarded. He can’t enter.”
Ronald held Irene’s hand tightly, and the three of them ran toward the tent.
The fifth prince roared behind them, “Ronald, you’ll pay with your life for the murder you’ve committed. I’ll kill…”
The sound stopped abruptly. The three of them looked behind them oddly.
The fifth prince’s throat had been cut open by someone. A man in black stood beside him. Blood dripped from his knife. He turned around and gave them a deep look before leaving quickly.
The three of them went forward to check on the fifth prince’s injuries. Ronald touched his neck and shook his head. “He’s dead.”
Everything had happened too quickly. First, the fifth prince rushed out to kill Ronald. Then, he was immediately killed by the man in black.
The three of them looked at the fifth prince’s body and fell into silence.
“The fifth prince of Celt was killed here for no reason. The news will definitely reach the ears of General Celt soon. If they think that Ronald did it…” At this point, Irene’s expression became even more solemn.
“T-T-T-There’s a murder!”
At this moment, a soldier who was fetching water cried out in surprise when he saw the fifth prince’s body!
Celt and Murcia’s camp were very close to each other. That person was wearing Celt’s military uniform, so he lifted his feet and ran back.
They were done for. Irene and the other two had cold expressions on their faces.
They had fallen into a trap. Someone had done all this to frame Ronald.
Wen Shaoqing suddenly pulled Irene’s shoulder. “Sister-in-law, listen to me. If Celt comes looking for trouble, hand me over. “He then looked at Ronald, “Brother, don’t go back to Murcia’s camp. Go to Xandia. You have already become Croce’s stray. All the countries will definitely try to persuade you to surrender. As long as you pretend to surrender, Xandia will definitely take you in.”
Wen Shaoqing pulled the two of them up. “There’s no time, brother. Go quickly. Before you leave, go look for George around Croce’s city gate and ask him to prepare money and food for you.” As he spoke, he pushed Ronald in Croce’s direction.
Naturally, Ronald was unwilling to let Wen Shaoqing take the fall for him. “Then what about you?”
“They won’t do anything to me. After all, they want to make things difficult for you, not me. The general that the various countries want to fight for is you, not me.” Wen Shaoqing gritted his teeth. “Moreover, I promised Mother that I would do my best to protect you. Leave!”
Ronald looked at Irene again. Irene resisted the discomfort that came from her body and said to Ronald, “Hurry up and leave. Do you want our child to be born without a father? Just go! Wen Shaoqing and I will be here.”
Ronald took one last look at the two of them and finally made up his mind. He ran toward Croce.
Not long after Ronald left, someone from Celt chased after him. The soldier who was carrying water pointed at the two of them. “Where’s the other person? I clearly saw you three kill someone!”
Irene looked up, her eyes cold. “Be careful of what you’re saying!”