Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

“Did something happen?”
Felix, who had returned to the study with Lowell, couldn’t hold back and asked after watching Lowell sit motionless, book open but unmoving, on the same page. Lowell, who had been lost in thought imagining what kind of trouble Zephyros might cause, flinched in surprise, his shoulders twitching.
“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Lowell didn’t want to tell Felix about something he wasn’t even sure °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° of yet, so he simply smiled faintly and waved a hand.
There’s no benefit to giving Felix a bad impression of Zephyros and straining the relationship. He’s still just a guest staying in Nyx for now.
Unless he could determine Zephyros’s true intentions or confirm any connection to the Emperor, it was too soon to act.

“I heard that brat talked to you again today.”
It seemed that, in Felix’s mind, Zephyros had already been firmly branded as “that brat.” Lowell instinctively glanced at Tia. He had no intention of reprimanding her—reporting to Felix was her duty, after all—but his eyes moved reflexively. Tia gave him an apologetic look in response. Lowell gave a faint smile and let it go.
“Yes. It wasn’t anything important.”

Though he phrased it gently, he meant it wasn’t a conversation worth reporting. Tia had probably relayed most of it already anyway.
“If he ever acts rudely to you, just tell me.”
“And then Your Grace will scold him for me?”

This time, Lowell couldn’t hold back and teased him. But Felix, either taking it seriously or simply treating it as such, nodded with a stern expression.
“If a guest is being disrespectful, a warning is necessary.”
Lowell’s lips quivered at the earnest look in Felix’s eyes. He wanted to maintain the teasing curl of his mouth, but his expression collapsed faster than he could hold it. This man, who never actually said the words I love you yet showed it in every gesture, every word, every action—he suddenly felt achingly dear to him.

“He hasn’t been that rude yet. If it becomes necessary, would it be alright if I ask for help then?”
“Of course.”
Felix replied bluntly, but to Lowell’s eyes, he looked a little embarrassed.

“Thank you for saying that—for me.”
At Lowell’s honest confession, Felix visibly reddened from his ears down his neck and cleared his throat.
“He seemed like he wanted to go for a walk. Would you like to join me?”
“Yes.”

In truth, Lowell had already used up most of his energy just from going out earlier that day. But he didn’t want to disappoint Felix by turning him down, and honestly, he did want to take a walk with him—so he agreed without hesitation.
“I heard walking is good for pregnant people. Walking in water is even better, apparently, but since getting into a river or the sea is impossible in Nyx…”
Felix kept rambling, as if trying to justify that this walk was for health reasons.

“It does feel better to get outside than just lying around all day.”
The sound of snow crunching underfoot was unusually loud. Since Felix, both a mage and a knight, moved almost silently, the sound was clearly coming from Lowell. Despite the lack of conversation, a calm atmosphere surrounded them.
“If you want to go into the water, I can make something underground. You saw the bath, so you know—with fire-aligned magic stones, it can be kept from getting cold.”

Felix had apparently been thinking about various things during the silence, and suddenly said something completely unrelated.
Does he think I want to walk in water?
Rather than answering immediately, Lowell traced the flow of Felix’s thoughts. Looking back at what he’d said before, it was clear Felix was still worried Lowell wouldn’t be able to adapt to Nyx.

Maybe he’s afraid that if I start wanting to swim, I’ll start missing the capital. Or maybe he just heard it’s good for me and wants to make it happen.
Even though Lowell had said multiple times that he never really got attached to the capital, it seemed Felix still harbored doubts. Thinking that, Lowell decided to give an answer that covered both angles.
“Just walking with you like this is more than enough. Even in the capital, I hardly ever went to rivers or the sea.”

In his former body, Lowell had actually enjoyed swimming quite a bit, but he’d never liked it enough to spend money and time building a pool just for it.
“I see.”
Felix muttered, clearly a little dissatisfied, and soon fell silent. At that moment, Lowell stumbled slightly over a tree root hidden under the snow.

“Lowell!”
Felix reached out instantly, his face more shocked than Lowell’s own. It wasn’t even a fall—just a brief loss of balance—but Felix’s eyes went wide like something terrible had happened.
“You need to watch where you’re stepping!”

His voice was slightly raised, shaken, but Lowell knew it wasn’t from anger.
“Wobbling from a tree root… how terribly fragile.”
Lowell held back the urge to reply that this kind of thing would make anyone stumble, especially an average person in this kind of cold and darkness. Felix truly looked like he’d been shaken.

“It’s dark and the snow makes it hard to see. I’ll be more careful.”
“You should carry a cane.”
Felix’s eyes gleamed sharply, as if he might pull up that tree root right then and there and carve a cane from it.

“Or would you rather I carry you now?”
Lowell stayed quiet for a moment, then held out his hand.
“Wouldn’t it be enough if we just held hands?”

His ears flushed faintly as he spoke. If he weren’t aware of his feelings, he might’ve said it more shamelessly—but right now, it genuinely felt like he was flirting.
“Your hand…”
Despite everything they’d done already, Felix cleared his throat, suddenly bashful.

“Right. Better than falling.”
Felix’s large hand wrapped around Lowell’s pale one.
And just like that, the two of them strolled for a long while through the soft moonlight, side by side in quiet warmth. It was a night graced by a pleasant, gentle breeze.

✧
Lowell woke up later than usual the next morning.
Maybe I walked too much yesterday.

Thanks to Felix bundling him up in clothes enchanted with warming spells, he hadn’t caught a cold—but his frail body was clearly feeling the fatigue.
I think Felix tried to wake me up for breakfast…
Lowell hazily recalled the moment. Felix had gently shaken him, anxious as if missing a single meal would be disastrous. But groggy with sleep, Lowell had waved a hand and mumbled, “Just five more minutes…” Felix had sighed, left with a firm “You must eat something” and quietly departed.

“He said you must have the soup.”
And so, Lowell found himself alone in bed, eating soup by himself. For a moment, he regretted not waking up to eat with Felix.
“Has His Grace gone out?”

“Yes. His Highness is conducting a purification ritual at the site where the monster appeared. He’ll return within four days—there’s no need to worry.”
Rubbing at his still-blurry eyes, Lowell nodded while swallowing another spoonful.
If it’s a ritual, it shouldn’t be anything dangerous.

There was still a lot to be done ahead—but for now, a fragile peace held.
If only Zephyros would behave. All I need to do is tell him I’m not here against my will, and this whole mess would be over.
Or so he thought—but of course, things never went that easily.

Lowell, out of habit, had started walking toward the study even though he knew Felix wasn’t there.
“Oh, we meet again, Young Master.”
Of all things, Zephyros was browsing books in the study, under the watchful eyes of two knights.

Why are you here?
Lowell was already proud of himself for not saying that out loud.
“I heard there are books here that can only be found in Halo, so I came to look. I was told it was fine as long as I brought knights with me.”

Lowell stared at Zephyros, who started explaining himself like a guilty thief. His silver hair gleamed under the sunlight—so much so that it hurt to look at. Using that as an excuse, Lowell narrowed his eyes slightly and replied coolly, “I see.”
“Since you’ve arrived, I’ll take my leave.”
Zephyros returned the book he’d been reading to its place and bowed.

“Apologies for the disturbance.”
“Not at all. The fault is mine.”
Zephyros exited the study more meekly than expected. After shooting a glare toward the knights standing by the door, Lowell pulled out the book Zephyros had been reading.

Nothing here.
It was so underwhelming that he slipped it back into place without much thought.
Huh?

But before the thought had even finished leaving him, he noticed something. A certain book that had definitely been on the table yesterday was now neatly tucked back into the shelf. Lowell pulled out the slim poetry book and flipped through it.
Just as he expected, there was a folded note tucked inside.
So he’s more gifted with magic than swordplay, huh.

Lowell couldn’t help but admire Zephyros’s cunning, having slipped a note past the eyes of trained knights.
Better read this one alone.