Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

“Imprinting?”

Lowell searched his memory. There had been a scene in the novel where the main characters imprinted on each other—after they confirmed their feelings and overcame some life-threatening crisis. In other words, it was something that only happened near the end of the story.
And now you’re telling me Felix has imprinted?
And not just imprinted—a one-sided imprint.

Well, I guess it makes sense. No way I imprinted… So that means he imprinted on me?
Considering Lowell was the only new person Felix had been around lately, it was only logical. The shock tangled up his thoughts.
“Yes. I could already tell yesterday that His Grace’s feelings weren’t normal. And now he’s gone and «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» imprinted. Congratulations.”

“…Is this really something to celebrate?”
Lowell mumbled, still half-stunned. Taishi patted his back lightly.
“It may be a bit inconvenient for His Grace, but for you, it’ll actually be helpful. During pregnancy, an Alpha’s pheromones are essential. It’s not uncommon for Omegas to instinctively seek those pheromones in early stages. That’s why giving birth without an Alpha nearby is extremely difficult for most Omegas. But in your case, the Alpha will follow you around—so you won’t have to worry about that.”

Even in the midst of this absurdity, Lowell realized that this must be why he’d been drifting to Felix’s room every night. It was reassuring to finally understand that—but the new problem now looming over him was far too overwhelming to feel any comfort.
“After a one-sided imprint, the Alpha’s desire to keep their mate nearby becomes instinctive. They don’t even realize it’s strange. Being apart causes extreme anxiety, and staying close feels like the natural state of things. So right now, His Grace is probably suffering from the unbearable anxiety of feeling like he’s leaving an arm behind every time he steps out of this room.”
Lowell felt dizzy just hearing it. He knew all too well how powerful pheromones could be.

“Isn’t there a way to fix it? We can’t just stick together constantly. Isn’t there some medicine or a way to break the imprint?”
Taishi sat thoughtfully for a moment, then spread out three fingers.
“There are three ways. First—if you imprint on him too. That’s a mutual imprint.”

Lowell’s brief hope at hearing there were three options quickly died.
“When a bond becomes mutual, the symptoms do lessen. But imprinting usually only occurs when there’s a strong emotional desire and the pheromones resonate accordingly. Beyond that, we don’t really know what triggers it. So it’s not easy.”
Lowell’s confidence took another hit. Honestly, he couldn’t imagine himself imprinting on anyone.

“Books and plays romanticize imprinting as a symbol of true love or the ultimate proof of devotion. But in reality, it can be restrictive and inconvenient. Only hardcore romantics or people who’ve completely lost their minds for love truly wish for imprinting.”
Taishi said this calmly, but to Lowell, the implications were deafening—Felix was apparently one of those people.
“What’s the second option?”
“You wait. The symptoms are the worst right after imprinting. But after two moons pass, the anxiety usually decreases—if you don’t spend too much time apart.”

So not a real fix either. It meant that, for at least two months, he’d have to drag Felix around like a tail.
“And the last option?”
“You break the imprint. Some people experience deep grief after that, but the symptoms do vanish.”

Lowell finally perked up—something practical at last.
“How do you break it?”
“By either the mate dying… or their pheromone function shutting down.”

Lowell’s head dropped with a thud. Taishi shook his head sympathetically.
“So really, the best option is to wait for the two moons to pass. It’s inconvenient, but not all bad. Unless His Grace dragged you here against your will?”
Taishi lowered his voice so the guards outside couldn’t hear.

“No, of course not. I came willingly.”
Lowell flinched at the insinuation.
“Then there’s no problem. You’ll have reliable protection until the baby’s born—think of it that way.”

Taishi stood and gave Lowell a reassuring pat. Something about his calm demeanor made Lowell feel just a little more convinced.
“Are there other symptoms of imprinting?”
“Well, sometimes the Alpha tries to build a nest for their mate. Some become temporarily more jealous. And it’s common for them to seek out the mate’s pheromones and press close. I’ll bring you a book that explains it in simple terms.”

“Thank you.”
“But never stay apart for too long. That’s the most important thing.”
In short, there was only one thing Lowell could do right now: keep Felix by his side until the early symptoms of the imprint faded.

But then Felix won’t be able to do anything else… I guess I’ll have to help him manage.
***
Lowell ended up spending most of his time glued to Felix’s study and office. It was the only way Felix could get any paperwork done. On one table sat Lowell’s books and apple tea. A blanket and pillow were thrown carelessly on the sofa. The study was slowly turning into Lowell’s room—but Felix, far from annoyed, seemed completely pleased by it.

“Is there anything else you need?”
In fact, he seemed to want to bring more things in. He probably felt like his mate was building a nest inside his territory. Compared to earlier, his mood had noticeably mellowed.
“This is plenty.”

Lowell sipped his tea and continued reading the book Taishi had brought. The language was nearly identical to English, but still not as intuitive as reading in Korean, so his progress was slow.
“If you go anywhere, call me.”
Felix said this while signing papers. But even if Lowell didn’t call, the moment he so much as stood up from the couch, Felix would dash over like a bullet. Still, he never forgot to say those words.

Lowell shut his book with a soft thump and looked over at Felix, bathed in sunlight, calmly working. He looked far more peaceful than when they first met—truly at ease now.
I wish he could be this way even when I’m not around.
But that peace was possible only because Lowell was around.

Getting fixated on one person is never a good thing.
But if he voiced that thought, Felix would only get hurt. For now, Lowell decided to let it go. Things were finally going well—he didn’t want to test someone who was just starting to feel okay.
“I’d like to tour the territory tomorrow. Would it be all right if you came with me?”

It was something concrete he could do. Felix hadn’t stepped outside the castle since their return. While lords weren’t expected to inspect their territory constantly, it was different in a borderland like this. They needed to check for signs of unrest, bandit activity, or infiltration from neighboring regions.
Felix, who rarely leaves the estate, just came back from a long trip to Phoebos. Now it’s even more important.
Felix’s hands stilled mid-signature.

“You want to go outside? Is the castle making you feel… stifled?”
His voice was panicked, like the world might collapse if Lowell said yes.
“You remember I asked to go before, right? I just thought it might be nice to walk around a bit in warm clothes. And I want to show the baby the territory, too.”

Lowell knew rest was important—but staying cooped up all day didn’t seem healthy either. He barely touched the ground inside the castle, and that was starting to make his body itch for movement.
“Sure. We’ll be living here from now on, so it’s good to get to know the place.”
Felix emphasized “from now on” and “living here” like they were sacred vows.

“Let’s spend three or four days looking around. Just in case, we’ll bring honey too.”
Felix’s brows twitched at Lowell’s playful tone. His morning sickness still hadn’t fully subsided, but as long as there was honey in the food, it usually went down fine. Lowell had even heard the head chef mutter, “They really do start resembling each other…” under his breath.
They weren’t married yet, but Lowell had no rebuttal.

Only able to eat food that smells like each other’s pheromones. This is getting a little… ridiculous. We’re not some legendary couple.
Lowell sighed inwardly.
“Fine. I’ll tell them to prepare for tomorrow.”

“But I don’t want anything fancy like last time. Let’s go the same way you usually do when visiting town.”
“…Of course.”
Felix’s pause was a beat too long, and Lowell was glad he said something ahead of time.

That was close. If I hadn’t, rumors about the Grand Duke riding a gilded parade wagon into town would’ve spread across the entire territory.
He was already worried about what tomorrow would bring.