Their eyes immediately turned to Alya, who was now sitting bolt upright on the bed, glaring furiously at the old physician, her voice rising sharply.
"What are you saying?!" she shouted. "With all due respect, that's complete nonsense! There's no way I'm pregnant! Are you some kind of quack?!"
The venerable physician stared at her in utter shock, his mouth slightly agape, completely taken aback by the young madame's explosive reaction.
Alistair raised a single brow, then let out a low, amused scoff.
"Quack?" He tilted his head, staring at her with faint mockery. "What exactly do you mean by that… my dear wife?"
Alya pointed an accusing finger at the old man, her voice growing more frantic.
"He… he said I'm with child! That I'm pregnant! How could I possibly be carrying a child?!"
Alistair's expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as he stated bluntly, "If the physician says you are with child, then you are with child." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze turning sharper, more assessing. "It seems the innocent appearance you wear is but a thin mask after all."
Alya stared at him, momentarily speechless, her heart pounding with alarm. She dropped her gaze, feeling a wave of unease wash over her.
'No way… This cannot be happening.'
Alistair released a soft sigh and turned back to the elderly healer. "Speak plainly, old man. Is she truly with child?"
The physician bowed deeply, his voice steady and respectful. "Please do not doubt this old one's abilities, My Lord. There is indeed more than one heartbeat pulsing within her."
Alya swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry as she listened.
"But…" the old man trailed off, his expression growing increasingly grave.
He extended his hand toward Alya, enveloping her body in a gentle yet probing wave of spiritual aura, carefully scanning her for deeper examination.
'What is he doing now?' Alya thought, her heart growing more uneasy by the second.
Suddenly, the physician's eyes widened dramatically. He turned to Alistair with visible urgency.
"My Lord… we must speak privately. Immediately."
Alya glanced back and forth between the two men in confusion as they stepped outside the room, leaving her alone with her racing thoughts.
"What? Hey…!" she called out weakly, then looked away, brows furrowed deeply at the terrifying possibility of actually being pregnant.
Outside the chamber, in the quiet corridor, Alistair crossed his arms and asked coolly, "Why the need for privacy?
The elderly physician hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low, solemn voice.
"After examining her again to confirm something… My Lord, the child she carries is undeniably yours."
Alistair's eyes widened in genuine shock.
"That is impossible," he said immediately, voice sharp. "I only married her yesterday. There has been no opportunity for her to carry my child."
The physician shook his head slowly, his expression grave yet filled with awe.
"This is not an ordinary pregnancy born of flesh meeting flesh, My Lord. There is a massive trace of your own essence, condensed and formed into a living being within her. Such miraculous conceptions are rare, but with you… this old one is not surprised in the slightest."
Alistair looked away, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
"But how could my essence have entered her body…"
His words trailed off as a long-buried memory surfaced.
The image of himself as a broken child, lying on the verge of death after days of merciless torture, flashed through his mind. His small body had been shattered, his life force flickering like a dying candle.
His hand rose almost unconsciously to grip against the center of his chest.
A cold, bitter smile touched his lips.
"I believe… I know precisely who holds that answer."
Then he vanished and reappeared inside a vast, pitch-black chamber.
One wave of his hand brought the room to life as dozens of candles flared into existence, bathing the space in a warm, flickering glow.
He walked toward the majestic golden throne at the center and sat down, eyes closed in deep concentration. His blazing, fire-hued aura surged outward like a living inferno, stretching far beyond the confines of the chamber.
"It has been more than sixteen years," he muttered, his voice deep and thick with long-buried resentment. Slowly, he drew the raging aura back into himself like a receding tide. "It ends soon."
The gathered energy coalesced at a single point in the chamber, igniting into a single, brilliant flame.
This was the Soulflame.
In a soft, feminine voice, it spoke with clear irritation:
"Finally, you've woken me, Alistair. How unfair, leaving me trapped alone in this dark place for so long!"
"You're not alone," Alistair replied with a sneer as he rose from the throne. "He is here."
"RARGHHH!"
A guttural roar echoed behind him.
Alistair turned.
A colossal beast loomed… six feet at the shoulder, covered in blazing red fur, and crimson eyes glowing like twin embers with razored fangs, lethal claws, and a single wicked horn crowned its brow.
It stood on four massive legs, radiating primal menace.
Alistair's lips curled into a cold sneer.
"I know it has been a long time, beast," he said indifferently, before turning his attention back to the Soulflame. "However, I did not come here for idle chatter."
The massive beast padded forward silently and took its place loyally beside the throne.
The Soulflame flickered with amusement. "The beast doesn't talk. It's terribly boring."
"But you need to remain here," Alistair said calmly as he sat back down. "If I were to bring either of you with me, it would draw far too much unwanted attention. Regardless… I came to ask whether you did something to me back then, when I was on… the verge of death."
The Soulflame paused, then answered softly:
"Back then, I was only just being born as a part of you. You were too weak, too fragile. Even with the immense power surging through your veins, you could not be saved. So… I sent a portion of your purest origin essence to seek a worthy vessel for your rebirth, just in case the worst came to pass."
Alistair frowned.
"But you have nothing to worry about," the Soulflame quickly added, almost defensively. "The essence can only be ignited through direct physical contact between you and the vessel. And even if it succeeded, it would only choose someone truly trustworthy. However, in this cruel and treacherous world, such pure souls are rarer than phoenix feathers. Most likely, it would have wandered endlessly without ever finding a host."
Alistair remained speechless for a long moment, lost in deep thought.
"Hmm…" he finally murmured.
He let out a long, heavy breath and asked, "Since I survived… and it actually worked… could it still be considered my rebirth?"
The Soulflame flickered brightly and let out a light, feminine laugh.
"Hahaha! Of course not. It can no longer be called your rebirth."
The flame paused, then spoke with unmistakable amusement:
"It would be considered your child."
Alistair looked away, deep in thought. 'What are the odds of such a coincidence occurring?'