Feasting Lord in Another World

#The Countess and Postpartum Care (4)

"So, you're suggesting that if I follow your instructions exactly, I can return to my pre-pregnancy appearance?"

"I assure you."

"...I'll place my trust in you. Frankly, I don't have any other options. I have just three weeks until I must be seen in public with my child. Is it truly achievable?"

"Absolutely, my lady. I will assist you in facing others with confidence."

Dominic came to understand the source of the lady's anxiety and even her tears.

‘After four weeks of giving birth, they need to receive a blessing at the temple? It appears to be similar to a birth registration.’

Upon inquiring, people mentioned that it wasn't particularly tied to any specific religion.

Even if one were non-religious, the birth blessing ceremony was still possible, so it appeared to be more of a tradition than a religious practice.

And there's another thing. Dominic might not be aware of it, but this blessing ceremony caused immense stress for noble women.

There's lingering swelling, unshed weight, changes in body shape and posture due to pregnancy, weakened joints, hair loss, and noticeably reduced skin elasticity.

Countess Sinclair, even before her pregnancy, had been a prominent figure in social circles, so such changes would have deeply troubled her.

‘Time is of the essence.’

Three weeks.

There was pressure to resolve everything within three weeks, but Dominic tried to reassure himself that he would find a way.

**

"Nice to see you again!"

"How have you been?"

The moment the lady's trust wavered, the first place he visited was the kitchen. The head chef warmly greeted him.

"Is Lord Theodore still in the tower?"

"I believe so. We deliver meals there every day. But you, are you now in charge of the lady's diet?"

"Has the word already spread?"

"You're not actually trying to take my job, are you?"

"Of course not."

Assured, the chef opened the pantry.

"Are the ingredients always fresh here?"

"Absolutely! They're consistently stocked with the freshest produce from our estate. Take a look around, and if you have any questions, just ask."

"Thank you."

After the chef left, Dominic began a thorough examination of the ingredients, contemplating the dietary plan.

‘Let's see...’

His expression turned serious.

‘To reduce swelling, we need to decrease sodium intake, increase potassium and mineral intake. Postpartum swelling usually subsides in a month, so with proper food management, the effect will be immediate. The challenge is not compromising on nutrition...’

After childbirth, the body loses a significant amount of nutrients, especially protein and iron. Adequate nourishment is essential, particularly if considering breastfeeding.

However, eating well might conflict with the goal of returning to the pre-pregnancy weight. Dominic's contemplation on this matter grew longer.

"Is the lady's situation more challenging than Lord Theodore's?"

Ian, who had been silent, began to speak.

"Well, in terms of severity, Lord Theodore's condition was more critical. Gout is a clearly defined disease. But that made planning the diet easier. When the problem is clear, so is the solution."

"I may not be well-versed in food or nutrition, but the lady's situation also seems clear to me."

"Are you referring to the swelling?"

"Yes. There was a time when I could hardly recognize the lady."

"Swelling is indeed a concern, but the ultimate goal is to return to her pre-pregnancy shape. And she needs to regain her energy simultaneously... It's not simple."

"Is it challenging to take it one step at a time?"

"Pardon?"

"When I train, I always think about the next step. By solving the tasks in front of me one by one, I eventually reach my goal. I'm wondering if this problem can't be approached the same way."

Ian's words dispelled the confusion that had been clouding Dominic's mind.

'Right, the ultimate goal is the ultimate goal, but let's concentrate on addressing the swelling first!'

Upon reflection, the lady wasn't attempting to conceal her drastically altered appearance from the lord after giving birth.

She began covering her body once the swelling started!

'I've been overthinking a simple matter.'

Dominic silently acknowledged how, at times, that prideful knight could be quite helpful.

The course for the meal was established.

***

"Lady Monica, breakfast is prepared."

"Can I really eat this, Emily?"

"Please trust it for a few days, at least. Even Lord Theodore has entrusted his meals to him, so he can't be entirely deceptive. You even mentioned that the seaweed he provided suited your taste."

"Well..."

Monica glanced at her still-swollen arms and legs and sighed.

They appeared worse than the previous day. To the extent that her wrists were barely discernible!

"I must have eaten excessively during pregnancy."

Murmuring, her gaze fell upon the breakfast brought in from the kitchen. Emily quickly folded back the tablecloth.

"...This is an unfamiliar arrangement."

"It certainly appears so. Is this rice?"

On the table lay a neatly prepared Korean meal.

The reason was straightforward.

[I'll stick to what I know. After all, cafeteria-style food is the best.]

Preferring the familiar to avoid errors, Dominic's preferences were evidently reflected in the meal.

In a situation where he couldn't accurately calculate calories, he wanted to assemble the meal with ingredients he was acquainted with.

Black beans mixed in brown rice, seaweed soup prepared with perilla seeds and boiled overnight, a warm salad made by steaming various vegetables, simmered lotus root and peanuts lightly seasoned with soy sauce, semi-dried fish grilled in advance, and radish lightly tossed in sesame oil.

'The aroma is enticing, but...'

Normally, her breakfast consisted of strong black tea mixed with warm milk, sweetened generously with honey and cream, and accompanied by a few pieces of dessert and dried fruits.

In comparison, Dominic's meal appeared to be quite substantial. Additionally, the assortment of vegetable side dishes, rice and soup, and dried fish was not prepared in the typical manner, making it somewhat unfamiliar and causing a slight hesitation before she began eating.

"After every meal, you're supposed to drink this. He stressed that you should have a cup after each meal and before bedtime from now on."

"What's this?"

"It's a pumpkin drink."

"Pumpkin? How did he prepare it?"

“I’m not sure..."

"Let's give it a try."

Sip-.

“Hmm?”

As Countess Monica Sinclair took a sip, she sensed that the seasoning was somewhat subdued.

"Emily, have my taste buds been affected from days of starvation? It seems a bit bland."

"That's deliberate. He intentionally made it mild."

"Intentional?"

"Yes. Apparently, it aids in reducing swelling more quickly."

"If that's the case..."

The meal continued for about twenty minutes.

Despite the seasoning not aligning with her preferences, after several days of proper meals, a contented sigh escaped Monica's lips.

"For some reason, I feel warmer, and with a full stomach, I feel drowsy... Should I take a nap?"

"Ah... about that..."

"What? Can't I?"

"After meals, he recommended a gentle thirty-minute walk."

The maid hesitated before delivering the news.

"...I pledged to follow his instructions."

Even though she felt a bit stressed, she couldn't go back on her promise on the first day, so she reluctantly took a step.

She didn't want to appear in front of everyone in the castle looking like this, so she had to keep walking around her reception room and bedroom.

'I'm following instructions, so if I don't see improvement, he won't get away with it!'

After walking for a while, as sweat started to form and her face reddened from exhaustion, resentment toward Dominic naturally began to grow.

"Thirty minutes have passed, Lady Monica."

"Huff, huff. Was my stamina always this poor?"

"It's because you moved a lot after a long time. I've prepared some water. Please freshen up first."

"Alright. Let's do that."

"Ma'am..."

"What is it now?"

She appeared visibly irritated.

"He mentioned not taking lengthy baths... Not soaking for more than ten minutes..."

"Ugh-. I guess there's no other choice then. It has to be that way."

Countess Monica was regretting her decision to hire him.

***

"Wow! This is too spicy!"

"If it's spicy, don't eat it. It's mine. Why is everyone digging into it with forks?"

"Next time, please make it less spicy, Chief."

"Ah, as I said, this is my snack!"

In the kitchen at that moment, the staff were voraciously devouring the tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes) that Dominic had prepared, while Dominic struggled to save some for himself.

After tending to meals for the lord's family and all the castle staff, Dominic decided to make tteokbokki for himself in the now-vacant kitchen.

‘Making it a second time is easy after having done it once.’

He had been craving the tteokbokki he left untouched before being called away. He hardly slept the previous night, thinking about it and almost had it all taken away.

"At least, thanks to us, you learned one important lesson. Can't you share even one snack with us?"

"That's a different matter... Ah, fine. I'm feeling generous now. I earn one gold coin a week, I shouldn't be stingy. Hehe."

These were the same people who had assisted Dominic when he was explaining the countess's maid about the dietary plans and precautions.

[After her walk, can she take a bath, right? She really enjoys baths.]

[Yes, it's good for relieving fatigue.]

[Oh, that's a relief! If you had said she couldn't, the lady would have been very upset.]

Then, a maid assisting in the kitchen added her thoughts.

[In that case, we'll need to prepare plenty of hot water. The usual amount to fill two bathtubs?]

[Yes, prepare it that way.]

[Hold on a minute! Why do we need enough for two bathtubs?]

[Oh, Lady Monica takes long baths. When the water cools down, we replace it...]

[That's not allowed!]

Taking a brief half-bath proved helpful for relieving fatigue and boosting metabolism, which also contributed to reducing swelling. However, excessive bathing was not any better than avoiding it altogether.

Considering the significant blood loss during childbirth, experiencing hypotension could be very risky. Additionally, forcefully inducing sweating by overheating the body wasn't necessarily beneficial for swelling either.

"I'm fortunate. I happened to stumble upon a crucial piece of knowledge."

"It's because you've lived wisely."

"If, Sir Knight, you ever feel like a string of misfortunes keeps befalling you, then consider, 'Ah, perhaps I've been living incorrectly,' and reflect on it."

"Ugh!"

Despite his attempt to start an argument for no apparent reason, he realized he couldn't outwit him in a verbal dispute.

**

Meanwhile, Countess Monica, who finished her bath three times faster than usual, somehow felt lighter.

"I'll give you a massage, ma'am."

"I declined because it's painful."

"But you should still have it..."

"...Was it the village chief's request again?"

It wasn't that she hadn't received a massage since the swelling began.

However, the pain overshadowed the relief, so she had stopped getting them. For someone who was always treated delicately, enduring a massage felt like torture.

"Ugh! ...Eugh..."

However, how much time had passed?

The seemingly endless pain began to diminish, and she started to sense a coolness spreading throughout her body.

Then, her eyelids gradually grew heavy.