#13

“Why are you just letting him hit you?!”

Leonia was distressed. She’d noticed how Scandia’s arms had been covered in bruises lately.

“It’s only natural to get hurt during sparring.”

“You idiot...”

How could someone be so kind and so foolish?

Leonia was genuinely upset.

And for the first time, she felt like she might hate Ferio.

“To be honest...”

Scandia gently cupped Leonia’s cheek as he spoke carefully. It was obvious how upset she was on his behalf, and that made him—secretly—feel a bit happy.

“He told me that if I managed to land even one hit on him during sparring, he’d acknowledge our relationship.”

Leonia’s eyes went wide.

“M-My dad said that?!”

Her dad? Said that?

She asked again, completely incredulous. But Scandia only smiled, as if to confirm it.

“My dad...!”

He went for the classic trope!

‘Give me your daughter!’

‘If you want to take my daughter, you must defeat me first!’

Just imagining it brought up lines both cheesy and moving.

Of course, Ferio hadn’t actually said anything so theatrical. In truth, he just hated Scandia and used sparring as an excuse to bully him.

And the reason he gave him that false hope?

Because he knew there was absolutely no chance he’d lose.

“You’ve got to win! Pierce through my dad’s heart with your sword!”

“...Wouldn’t that kill him?”

“It’s just a figure of speech!”

Regardless, with a hearty “good luck,” Leonia threw herself into Scandia’s arms.

Caught off guard by the sudden hug, Scandia staggered and toppled backward. Thankfully, the snow hadn’t melted yet, so the fall didn’t hurt too much.

Because of all the excitement, Leonia forgot one very important fact:

Ferio Voreoti.

Head of a household.

Warden of the North.

The strongest man in the world.

***

Spring in Voreoti was very different from elsewhere.

Even though the calendar said it was spring, snow still fell, and the shade-covered ground remained solidly frozen. One still needed thick comforters, and if you didn’t dry your hair properly after washing, it could literally freeze.

But change was happening.

The snow piled up in the flowerbeds had grown thinner. The falling snow was now soft pellets, and the sun stayed in the sky much longer. Tiny buds had started to sprout from the brittle trees and frozen ground.

And in the Voreoti estate, another major change had arrived.

“...Isn’t that too big?”

Leonia now worried more than she greeted Varia. She had never imagined a human belly could get that enormous.

“It’s because there’s not much time left before the baby’s born.”

Varia placed her hand on her belly as she spoke. The baby responded with a strong kick, the motion visible even through thick layers of clothing.

“Stuff like this is what makes the world feel so unfair.”

Leonia crossed her arms and muttered in irritation.

“There are mpregs, but why aren’t there pregs where the seme gets pregnant instead?”

“E-Excuse me, what?!”

Varia was clearly flustered.

But Leonia °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° was too deep into her own catastrophe of a thought spiral to climb out. Her twisted musings had long crossed the line and were now poking at the edges of evolutionary theory.

“Yes, that’s it...”

She stood on the threshold of revelation.

“If he’s a true seme, then he should be willing to get pregnant in his lover’s place...!”

Just before she could define a new dimension of yandere-dominant characters—

“Leo.”

Scandia entered the room.

“The Duke is asking for you.”

“Oh, come on...”

Leonia’s lips jutted out in a pout. She’d hoped to stall using Varia as an excuse, but Ferio had seen through it and sent Scandia to fetch her.

“I don’t wanna go.”

Her slanted eyes drooped sulkily.

“Dad’s been too strict lately.”

“Why? Did Ferio get mad at you?”

Varia asked, tucking back a stray lock of hair behind Leonia’s ear.

“Mm-mm.”

Leonia shook her head. That wasn’t it. Ferio wasn’t the type to explode like that.

“He doesn’t say anything.”

He used to go over the tasks she handled, pointing out what she did well and where she could improve. The assignments were always light, and he personally took care of the truly important matters.

But lately, he hadn’t given her any advice at all.

“He just glances over everything and says, ‘Is this all?’ That’s it!”

“That probably means you’re doing well.”

“No, he’s just messing with me.”

Leonia pressed her cheek to her mother’s belly.

Ferio only skimmed through the things she’d done. He offered no suggestions, no critiques. His aim was for Leonia to spot her own mistakes, learn the process, and grow faster from it.

“Humans are more charming when they make a few mistakes.”

Like he was so perfect from the beginning.

Leonia grumbled with a pout, tapping her foot on the floor for no reason.

‘But everyone says Dad was perfect from the start.’

Lupe, Kara—all those who knew Ferio as a child—testified the same thing about his early brilliance.

“Muscley, I’m heading out, okay?”

Leonia whined to her baby sibling.

“When you’re born safe and sound, we’ll go study how beautiful our rose garden is, okay?”

Muscley responded with a big kick. Varia let out a groan.

“Oof, Muscley! Be gentle!”

“I’m fine, so go on now.”

“Were you planning to take a stroll in the garden with your sibling?”

Scandia smiled. What a lovely wish, he said.

“...I really don’t want to go.”

She had to leave behind her rabbit-like mom, her sweet boyfriend, and her deeply bonded younger sibling.

With a heavy sigh, Leonia finally peeled herself off the chair.

Scandia, who had watched her disappear down the hallway, turned back toward Varia.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m not even sick—why is everyone fussing?”

“You’re carrying a life. That’s reason enough to worry.”

“You always speak so kindly.”

Varia smiled, saying she hoped Muscley would take after him. Scandia’s ears turned red.

“Would you like to take a walk?”

“I have been wanting to stretch a bit.”

Scandia gently helped Varia to her feet. As she awkwardly stood, he reached for a shawl and draped it over her shoulders.

“The weather’s nice today.”

“It really is. The sky is so blue.”

Yet, the two didn’t actually head outside. They walked through the hall and stopped before a large door.

Scandia opened it.

“The Duke is truly remarkable.”

He marveled.

“To create a garden indoors for the woman he loves...”

Beyond the door, a lush green garden awaited.

The incident where Varia had been kidnapped had left a deep scar on Ferio.

Since returning to the North, he hadn’t let her go anywhere alone. Varia, too, after that traumatic experience, had refrained from stepping out by herself.

But she couldn’t avoid going out forever.

Pregnant women needed regular exercise, so Ferio had the estate remodeled.

He had torn down a series of unused rooms near the delivery quarters and converted the space into an indoor garden.

“Leo calls it tacky,”

Varia said with an awkward laugh. Seeing the soft earth beneath her feet made her feel guilty. She could imagine how many people must’ve suffered under Ferio’s orders to build this.

“It just shows how much the Duke cares for you and the baby.”

The two strolled slowly through the garden. It maintained a constant temperature, so even in winter, small flowers bloomed.

In the snowy season, when drifts piled as high as a second story, they would spread out mats here and enjoy a humble picnic.

“Kara was so upset.”

Varia still remembered it clearly.

The face Kara made when Ferio began tearing down parts of the historic and venerable Voreoti estate.

The indoor garden was long. Ferio had converted nearly half a floor into it.

As a result, it had a smooth, earthy path ideal for a pregnant woman’s steps.

“Would you like to rest?”

“I’m not that tired...”

“The Duke specifically instructed that you must rest every ten minutes when walking.”

“Ferio...”

Varia was left speechless.

Luckily, there was a cushioned bench swing nearby.

“You should sit too, Scandia.”

Varia patted the seat beside her. Scandia didn’t refuse.

They sat side by side in silence.

But it was a peaceful, gentle silence. There was no awkwardness at all. Varia and Scandia were surprisingly alike. One of those similarities was their ability to enjoy silence together.

“Oh.”

But not the baby, apparently.

“Oh right, Muscley’s still here.”

Varia chuckled, rubbing her belly.

“Such a lively little one.”

Scandia was amazed. He’d never seen a day where the baby wasn’t active.

“Your little sibling must’ve grown a lot too, right?”

“My father mentioned in a letter that my mother’s morning sickness has been rather severe.”

“Oh dear.”

Varia looked truly concerned.

“I should send something nutritious over.”

She’d already sent plenty, but if they were still struggling, of course she’d send more.

‘They’ll be my in-laws, after all!’

Varia pressed her lips together firmly. Once Leonia got married, Scandia would be a true son to her. A little meddling like this was fine.

Ferio’s objections weren’t a major concern.

‘If it comes to it, Leo might just get pregnant first.’

With Regina as a precedent, they’d be careful—but if Ferio kept this up, he’d see a grandchild before he ever approved a wedding.

“Madam.”

Just then, Scandia spoke.

“If it’s not too much trouble...”

But he couldn’t finish right away. He hesitated for a while, and Varia waited patiently. She had a rough idea of what he wanted to ask.

Thankfully, Scandia soon found the courage.

“May I... touch your belly for just a moment?”

“Of course!”

Varia agreed without hesitation.

But Scandia didn’t place his hand right away.

He’d tried a few times before, with permission. But every time he spoke, the baby would kick so hard that he backed away in fear.

Varia watched him with a fond, bitter smile.

‘Still such a kid.’

She took his hand and gently placed it on her belly.

“...Oh.”

Scandia’s broad shoulders flinched. The baby had moved the instant his hand touched.

“They’re saying hello.”

“And I’m very pleased to meet them.”

He greeted instinctively—and the baby kicked again, with energy.

Scandia, startled, looked at Varia with concern.

“Are you alright?”

“This much is fine. I’m used to it by now.”

“But it feels like they’re going to burst through your skin.”

“That sounds just like something Leo would say.”

Varia laughed, shoulders shaking.

“I think Muscley likes your voice.”

A girl, maybe? she murmured to herself.

Scandia used the opportunity to speak a few more times. He said he had a younger sibling on the way too, and asked the baby to get along with them in the future.

The baby responded enthusiastically.

‘...Okay, that one actually hurt.’

Just as Varia began to feel a slight pain—

“I really can’t wait to meet you.”

Scandia spoke slowly, clearly, as if the baby were truly listening.

“You must be born healthy. Everyone’s waiting. I certainly am. And especially Leo—she wants to play with you in the rose garden...”

That’s when it happened.

Varia suddenly grabbed Scandia’s hand.

“Scandia...”

There was a tension in her voice that darkened his expression immediately.

“I’m really sorry but...”

Her upper body slowly pitched forward. Alarmed, Scandia stood up and grabbed the swinging bench to steady it.

“Could you go... call my husband and daughter?”

It seemed the labor had begun.