I’ll Be The Matriarch in This Life [Novel] Chapter 285

"Ugh."

My consciousness gradually returned, like rising to the surface from underwater.

The first thing I saw was Caitlin, pale as a ghost.

"Are you awake?"

"I think I'm alright…"

I was lying down on the sofa in my office.

I was certain I felt the floor when I collapsed.

"What happened, Caitlin?"

"You suddenly collapsed after getting up from your chair…"

"Ah, right."

I remembered the moment right before I passed out.

A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I lost my balance.

"Ouch."

My wrist throbbed, likely from instinctively reaching out to grab something.

I shouldn't try to get up just yet.

"How much time has passed?"

"A-About ten minutes. Are you truly alright?"

I nodded.

But feeling my head spin again from that small movement, it seemed I wasn't as alright as I thought.

I let out a sigh and asked,

"Caitlin, did you move me to the sofa all by yourself?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"No one, Matriarch."

I shifted my gaze to check without moving my head as much as possible.

The office door was still firmly closed, just as it was before I collapsed.

"Appropriate action, Caitlin."

It meant she hadn't informed anyone.

I looked up at the ceiling of my office with a small sense of relief.

The health condition of the Lombardi family members must not leak to the outside.

When my father collapsed from Tlenbrew disease, my grandfather immediately silenced everyone.

Because we had businesses we each ran, and even if we didn't, all sorts of people in the Empire paid close attention to Lombardi's moves, big and small, reacting sensitively to them.

So just imagine what it would be like if information about the Lombardi Matriarch's health leaked.

What if a rumor spread that I had collapsed?

Just imagining it made me dizzy.

Take Perez, for instance.

For a moment, the thought, "Should I tell him?" crossed my mind.

But if I did, it was obvious he would abandon all his important work and rush over here.

"First, it would be best to finalize the guest seating arrangements tomorrow. And…"

I bit my lower lip thoughtfully for a moment before speaking to Caitlin.

"Only inform Clerivan, the twins, and Craney about my condition."

If Lombardi shakes, the Empire shakes.

Therefore, I only selected the minimum personnel who could prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

"And I'd appreciate it if you could tell the butler to fetch Dr. Estira."

The construction of the Lombardi Hospital was reaching its final stages.

Because of that, it was hard to even catch a glimpse of Estira these days.

Given the time, she was probably at the construction site, so it would take quite a while for her to get to the office.

"Will you be alright by yourself, Matriarch?"

"I'm feeling much better now that I'm lying down. Please hurry, Caitlin."

"Understood."

Still looking worried, Caitlin nodded and quickly left the office.

Left alone, another deep sigh escaped my lips.

The World Tree carved into the office ceiling felt exceptionally large today.

I raised an arm to cover my eyes.

"My body has been acting a bit strange lately."

My stamina had dropped unprecedentedly, and I suffered frequent dizzy spells.

I was also losing my appetite more and more.

It was no wonder my body couldn't hold up.

"I'm still young, so it shouldn't be a major illness, but…"

Still, it would be a headache if it was a disease that required immediate recuperation or long-term treatment.

"Perez must be so worried."

I really didn't want to see his dark expression.

As various thoughts jumbled in my mind, the fatigue washed over me again the moment I closed my eyes.

Before I could even debate whether I should grab some shut-eye until Estira arrived, I drifted back to sleep.

In the large conference room where Florentia and Lombardi's vassals normally held their meetings, five people sat gathered.

"What?"

"The Matriarch collapsed… What on earth do you mean?"

Gilliou sprang up, and Clerivan asked with a stiff, hardened face.

Mayron wore a distorted expression, looking as though he might kick his chair away and storm out at any moment.

"She has regained consciousness and is currently resting."

"But to think she actually collapsed."

Mayron nervously rubbed his face with both hands.

Caitlin explained to the four shocked men in the calmest tone she could muster.

"…Which is why I am informing you all of the Matriarch's condition."

A somber atmosphere weighed heavily over the conference room.

"It might be because of me."

Craney spoke with a tearful voice.

"Because I couldn't learn the work fast enough…"

He recalled a mistake he had made not too long ago.

Because of it, Florentia had to pull through an even busier schedule for days to clean up the mess.

"Has a doctor been to see her?"

Clerivan asked.

At that, Caitlin shook her head in frustration.

"The Matriarch ordered me to fetch Dr. Estira. I sent someone right away, but it seems it will take a little while for her to arrive from the hospital construction site."

"But still, shouldn't we bring in another doctor for now?"

Craney said.

This time, Clerivan answered firmly instead of Caitlin.

"No. We can't allow just anyone to examine the Matriarch. Moreover, if we make a mistake and her condition becomes known to the outside world…"

"Tia probably told you to fetch Dr. Estira because she was concerned about that as well."

Gilliou agreed.

Then, he stood up along with Mayron.

"I should tell the Commander to strengthen the estate's security."

"Because Tia being sick might not be due to an illness."

At the last remark, everyone's faces turned cold.

It was merely a hypothesis, but what if someone had poisoned the Matriarch of Lombardi?

"I'll stand guard in front of the office for now."

Mayron told Gilliou.

There wasn't a single trace of his usual playful demeanor.

The twins looked at each other with completely unsmiling faces.

Unable to hide his distress, Clerivan also stood up.

"For now, let us all do our best in our respective positions until there are further orders from the Matriarch."

Everyone gathered in the conference room nodded with heavy faces.

A knock echoed through the office.

"Come in."

At my reply, Estira immediately opened the door, panting slightly.

She hadn't run to avoid drawing attention, but it seemed she had walked as fast as she could.

"Matriarch, what on earth is…"

"It's nothing serious. I just felt dizzy and collapsed for a moment."

However, Estira's complexion grew even paler at my words.

"Are you saying you lost consciousness?"

"Yeah. Just for a moment, though."

"There were no signs during your checkup last month, so why…"

Estira's voice trembled with anxiety.

It was clear that the names of all sorts of diseases that could make the body sick enough to lose consciousness in a short period of time were floating through her mind.

But that only lasted a moment.

Estira quickly regained her composure and said,

"I will begin the examination for now, Matriarch."

The examination process was long and meticulous.

Instead of calling her apprentices, Estira went back and forth to the estate's laboratory herself, using all sorts of medical instruments to check my condition.

I pretended to remain calm every time another instrument was added.

But I couldn't help the anxiety steadily building up whenever Estira habitually furrowed her brow.

As I stared up at the World Tree on the ceiling, Estira finally began to pack away her examination tools.

Then, she opened her mouth, which had been closed for quite some time.

"Matriarch, by any chance, have you been feeling fatigued more frequently lately?"

"Right. I wasn't lacking sleep, but I kept feeling drowsy."

"How is your appetite?"

My eyes widened at Estira's questions, pinning down the symptoms I had been experiencing like a psychic.

"Hmm. My appetite hasn't been great either. Since my clothes have gotten a bit loose, I think I've lost weight as well."

At my answers, Estira nodded while looking at the medical record in her hands.

"By any chance…"

I swallowed dryly and asked.

"Is it a major illness?"

What do I do if Estira says it is?

Lombardi, and Perez, right this instant…

A million thoughts raced through my mind in a split second.

"It's not an illness."

"Haa."

A short sigh burst out of me, like releasing a tightly gripped string.

"Wait, it's not an illness?"

"Yes, that is correct. However, a significant strain on your body is expected for about the next eight months."

Was it just my imagination, or was there a faint smile playing on Estira's lips?

"And after that, you will likely need light recuperation for about a year, Matriarch."

It was making less and less sense.

"What do you mean by that, Estira?"

"You are pregnant. Congratulations, Lady Florentia."