#5

“Ahhh, I feel so refreshed!”

Coming out of the underground prison, Leonia wore a beaming smile.

Guess I’m the type who relieves stress physically.

She had particularly enjoyed today’s blade dance and was inwardly praising her own skill.

After performing what was unquestionably an R-rated blade performance, Leonia felt noticeably lighter. Back at the estate, she handed over her blood-stained training clothes to the maids and bathed thoroughly.

“Did you sleep well, Mom?”

Heading to the dining room, Leonia greeted Varia—who had arrived earlier—with a peck on the cheek.

“Did our little Muscley sleep well too?”

She kissed Varia’s belly in greeting as well.

“You’re in a good mood today, Leo.”

Varia smiled warmly and returned a kiss to Leonia’s cheek. Seeing her energetic daughter in the morning made her feel happy too.

“Mmhm! A lady’s secret~”

“Says the fourteen-year-old who thinks she’s a lady.”

Ferio chimed in as he entered the room.

“Dad always nags me even though he finds me pretty and lovable.”

“Your conscience sinks lower by the day.”

“Ferio’s just shy, that’s all.”

“Don’t be like that to Muscley! Our baby might get hurt feelings!”

After their cheerful and noisy breakfast, Leonia headed straight up to her room.

“Connie, Mia.”

Leonia stood before the mirror with a very serious expression.

“I’m going out today.”

“Are you visiting the atelier?”

“Hmm, a little stroll while I’m at it?”

“Shall we prepare your usual outfit, then?”

After a moment’s thought, Leonia shook her head.

“No. I want to dress differently today.”

Instead of her usual shirts and trousers, she carefully chose a dress. A dark, subdued green—she liked it very much.

She tied her hair into a more elaborate style than usual and wore only the necklace Scandia had given her.

“How do I look?”

Gazing at her reflection with satisfaction, she turned to the two maids.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

“When did you grow up so fast?”

“You used to be so small and adorable...!”

“Of course, you’re still adorable now!”

The two doting maids showered her with sincere praise.

Feeling delighted, Leonia switched into a pair of pretty—but uncomfortable—shoes.

For the finishing touch, she took a bottle of perfume from Varia’s room and sprayed it onto a handkerchief, slipping it into her pocket.

Well, Mom barely wears perfume while she’s pregnant anyway.

This shameless “thief daughter” had no remorse.

All ready, Leonia took a carriage to the plaza.

“You’re always beautiful, but...”

Meleis, escorting her, was taken aback by how done-up she looked.

“You look especially stunning today.”

“Oh stop, you’ll make me blush!”

Leonia covered her face with both hands, giggling brightly. Meleis smiled quietly at the sight.

“I’m just really happy to see Boom-Boom again.”

“You didn’t tell your lord, did you?”

“Of course not. Dad would’ve gone ballistic.”

“Because he cares about you deeply.”

Meleis recalled when Ferio had been bedridden. Everyone in the Voreoti estate now knew that the cause of their lord’s collapse was Leonia’s kiss with the imperial princess, Scandia.

“That’s why—no telling Dad!”

Leonia stuck out her pinky.

“You mustn’t be late coming back, then.”

Meleis, just this once, had decided to defy her lord’s orders. He couldn’t bring himself to stop the spring breeze that had reached his young lady.

The carriage stopped at the plaza.

Leonia wasted no time rushing to the atelier.

She often stopped by when she was bored, but today, the familiar place seemed to sparkle and feel new. It was because of the silver-haired man standing outside.

A breathtakingly beautiful man with distant eyes stood, so captivating he made passersby stop in their tracks.

“Scann!”

Leonia shouted joyfully.

The beautiful man turned—his eyes widened with surprise and then curved into a joyful smile.

Scandia opened his arms wide and caught the charging Leonia in a tight embrace.

***

Scandia was wearing a large winter cloak. The North’s early winter was bone-chilling. For someone who had grown up only in warm climates, this weather was still unfamiliar.

But today, he felt thankful for it.

“Have you been well?”

Scandia wrapped Leonia within his cloak. He hadn’t meant to. It just happened as he embraced her mid-sprint, and she sneakily slipped inside like it was her rightful place.

As a result, Scandia’s heart raced wildly.

“I missed you.”

Just moments ago, Scandia had been rehearsing what to say when they met. He wanted to appear cool after how clumsy he’d seemed last time.

But seeing Leonia’s bright smile «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» as she ran toward him made all of that irrelevant. He didn’t mind becoming a fool in front of her.

Because—

“I missed you too!”

Leonia looked so utterly happy. And if that happiness was because of him, Scandia needed nothing else.

“Ahh, my Boom-Boom’s scent...”

Leonia buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply.

Every time she did, her inhaling chest pressed against Scandia's body quite explicitly. He struggled to keep his composure.

“Uh, um...”

Scandia stammered.

“I, I washed up at the inn...”

“Boom-Boom’s scent is a good scent!”

Leonia beamed up at him. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

How is someone this beautiful and cute at the same time?

He wanted to take her home right now, build a cozy little prison in the small room next to his, and keep her forever.

Leonia kept her perverted little thoughts to herself and simply hugged him tighter before stepping back.

Scandia was relieved—but also disappointed. Things had been getting dangerously intense.

“Your hair’s all over the place.”

Scandia gently smoothed Leonia’s bangs with his hand.

“Are you okay out here?”

“Everyone around here knows who I am.”

Leonia had been visiting this plaza with Ferio since she was young, so the residents all knew her.

And Voreoti residents were more used to the color black than people from other regions. They didn’t find her appearance shocking at all.

“They usually pretend not to notice. Sometimes kids come up and ask questions, though.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Do you really have the Fangs of the Beast? Can you show me?”

“And what do you do?”

“I show them my canines.”

Because pulling out the actual fangs could kill them.

The two of them walked hand in hand.

Just as Leonia had said, no one paid them much attention. Occasionally, though, people looked at the silver-haired man holding the young lady’s hand with curiosity.

“But the letter...”

Leonia brought up the one she’d received yesterday.

“It barely made it in time.”

She pouted—if it had come any later, they might have missed each other.

“If that had happened, I would’ve just waited and come to the estate.”

“Oh, don’t say things like that!”

Leonia scolded him with a firm expression.

“If you really like me, don’t do anything that’ll make me worry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yes, you should be sorry.”

Leonia hated seeing her loved ones suffer.

So she sternly instructed him to wait somewhere warm and safe next time if he wanted to see her.

Scandia nodded obediently.

“That day...”

He hesitated for a moment.

“After we parted...”

After the kiss.

“I kept thinking about you.”

Scandia answered honestly, his cheeks tinged pink. Despite his size, the innocence on his face made him look like a blushing youth.

“I’m really glad to see you again.”

He gently stroked the back of Leonia’s hand with his thumb.

Leonia narrowed her eyes at him.

“Wanna get married?”

“Pardon?”

“Oh—sorry. That was too sudden, wasn’t it?”

Leonia mumbled that it might be too early for that, but she didn’t let go of his hand. If anything, Scandia’s grip grew tighter as his palm dampened with nervous sweat.

“...You just need to hurry and become an adult, my lady.”

Scandia’s round ears, half-hidden under his pale silver hair, were glowing red.

“Do you like rings?”

Leonia suddenly blurted.

“Rings...?”

Scandia blinked at the unexpected question. But Leonia gave no answer—her mind was already busy with enormous plans.

Northern jewelers are the best in the Empire...

How lucky that the North was famous for its gemstones.

She was already set on having a variety of rings made with Northern jewels the moment she got back to the estate. That way, she could ask Scandia which ones he liked best—and they could wear matching engagement rings.

“If you don’t like rings, how about bracelets or... shackles?”

“Anything is fine.”

Scandia replied earnestly—anything they could do together, he welcomed.

Leonia couldn’t understand why they were still outside.

If we were indoors, I would’ve kissed him already!

Noticing her growing frustration, Scandia glanced around to see if there was somewhere nearby where they could rest. They seemed a bit tired from all the walking.

The two wandered around the plaza, exchanging hurried yet ordinary words.

“Remember that place?”

“That’s where you took me and my brother last time.”

The bookstore had a street stall set up thanks to the good weather.

“That’s my favorite shop.”

“You mentioned it before. Said it was well-toned in everyday life muscles.”

They passed Leonia’s favorite rice cake shop.

“Fluffy Cloud Cream Puffs?”

“My all-time favorite snack!”

“It’s a bit sweet.”

“Don’t like sweets?”

“No, this is just right.”

Each bought a fluffy cloud cream puff.

Scandia wiped some cream off the corner of Leonia’s mouth with his finger and brought it to his own lips. Leonia, noticing how clean his mouth still looked, sighed in disappointment.

“So why did you come?”

After they’d seen enough of the plaza, they went into a tea house to rest.

“You didn’t come just to see me, did you?”

“My desire to see you was the biggest reason.”

“Oh, I’m flattered.”

But Leonia knew that Scandia hadn’t come to the North just for her. He had a real purpose here.

“My brother’s appointment as crown prince will be moved up.”

Scandia said.

“I read about that in your letter.”

Leonia recalled the contents.

“Isn’t even next spring kind of rushed? There’s so much to prepare, and the capital’s still barely managing things internally.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

The rebellion had been quelled, but the capital’s public sentiment was still uneasy.

Fortunately, cleanup had gone smoother than expected.

Since the root of the problem had been the former emperor Subiteo and the Olor family, the situation stabilized once they were gone.

Especially helpful was the support Prince Chrisetos received from regional leaders.

But that alone wasn’t enough reason to move the ceremony up.

Something’s going on...

Leonia squinted at Scandia.

“Is it a big secret?”

“For now, yes.”

“You can’t even tell me?”

“It’s not that.”

He’d already gotten permission in advance.

Scandia smiled faintly and stood. He pulled a chair closer and sat beside Leonia. Her eyes widened.

“Actually...”

Scandia leaned in and whispered into her ear.

“My mother is with child.”