Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

Their territorial tour ended up taking a day longer than planned. With Lowell coming along, they had to add extra guards and secure entirely new lodging.

Still, not a single knight or servant voiced a complaint. Instead, quiet whispers spread through the estate:
“They say love hits hardest when it’s late—guess His Grace really fell for his first love.”
“I know, right? I thought he’d just lock him away and forget about him.”
Apparently, Felix had reminded people three separate times to pack warm blankets in case Lowell got cold. The butler, looking utterly fed up, had specifically demanded high-quality ones, and the attendants carefully selected the best they had—murmuring all the while:

“At least without the blackout curtains, the place feels more alive now. At first I thought he was being ridiculous, but…”
“And the lazy ones all got fired, which is great. Honestly, a few more should go too. What’s up with all the new hires since His Grace returned? It’s like none of them know how to do anything.”
“Exactly. And I was sick of hearing them talk crap about His Grace behind his back.”

The two of them stepped out of the carriage after loading supplies. The unused vehicle had been cleaned until it gleamed. They clicked their tongues in awe.
“This is devotion on another level.”
They sighed again as they spotted Lowell and Felix walking toward them. Felix was practically wrapped around Lowell, looking every bit like a love-struck youth—and he wasn’t hiding it one bit.

“Guess he’s that pretty.”
And truthfully, he was. With hair like spun honey and a face that could enchant a fae, Lowell had a beauty that made that sort of reaction natural. He was tall enough to stand at Felix’s side without looking mismatched, and together, they looked like a perfectly matched pair.
Meanwhile, Felix kept circling Lowell like an overexcited dog, constantly checking for ice underfoot. Even just making it to the carriage took effort. As Felix neared, the two servants exchanged a glance—Even for him, this is a bit much, their eyes seemed to say.

“Careful getting in, Lowell.”
Felix’s deep voice held a gentle warmth. Lowell took his hand, looking a little awkward—but not displeased—and climbed into the carriage. As it rolled forward, the remaining servants sighed.
“What kind of magic did he use on the Grand Duke?”

“Isn’t His Grace the one who uses magic?”
“…Fair point.”
They watched the carriage roll away, still not quite believing the transformation in Felix.

“Unless… the rumors are true, and His Grace used dark magic to brainwash the young master—”
“If I hear you say that again, you’ll be ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) fired on the spot.”
The sharp voice of Butler Hamilton cut through the air like a blade. The two attendants bowed their heads, apologizing as they hurried back into the castle. Hamilton watched the departing carriage, then turned and muttered to himself.
“Magic, my ass… They just seem to like each other.”

Realizing he’d said it out loud, he glanced around in a panic. Once he confirmed no one was near, he too disappeared into the castle.
***
Lowell was bundled up like a snowman. Felix, concerned for his health, had kept layering clothes on him. It was a bit cumbersome to move, but with Felix constantly at his side, Lowell wasn’t in any danger of falling over.

“We’ll park the carriage by that thicket. I plan to take things slower than usual today.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Felix had dyed his hair yellow using a magical potion. He had to reapply it daily—an annoying task—but it was the most efficient way to change his appearance. He could shapeshift, but that used far more mana. Since the general public associated the Grand Duke of Nyx with black hair, he preferred dyeing it when traveling.

Lowell recalled how curious he’d been, asking, “Do you make it yourself?” only for Felix to scoff, “Of course not—I buy it,” and smiled involuntarily at the memory.
“What’s so funny?”
Felix caught the smile and, after a long moment of staring, asked. Lowell, unaware he’d even been smiling, blinked.

“Huh?”
“You were smiling just now. I was wondering what you were thinking about.”
“Oh, was I smiling?”

“Yes.”
Lowell touched the corner of his lips—he really had been smiling. He wasn’t even sure why. He’d just been remembering a silly little exchange, and for some reason, it had made him happy.
“…I was just thinking your blonde hair actually suits you more than I expected.”

It wasn’t a lie. Felix suddenly turned his head away, ears flushed red.
“This is my first time dyeing it blond.”
He hesitated a while before answering. Lowell didn’t know what to say.

“I usually go with red or brown.”
Those were common colors in the northern region. Still, there was only one reason Felix had chosen blond this time: Lowell.
Did he think being the only blond one would make me stand out too much? But now he stands out even more. Maybe I should’ve dyed mine red instead.

Lowell tugged his hood lower.
“We’ve arrived.”
They disembarked midway between the castle and the village and began their tour. Contrary to expectations, the cold region wasn’t lifeless. Children clustered together as they played, and adults bustled about, busy with their work.

A territory that was plagued by war just a few years ago… and it feels this lively?
It was thanks to Felix, the war hero. The capital might brand him as cursed, but here in the territory, the people believed they were safe so long as Felix was around. After all, he had won battle after battle to secure their peace.
“Let’s check that place first.”

Felix pointed to a tavern in the center of town.
“Well, we’ve had a lot of outsiders lately!”
The largest tavern in town, frequented by commoners, was already bustling despite the early hour. The owner, spotting their unfamiliar hair colors, greeted them warmly.

“Yeah.”
If they were trying to blend in and gather information, Felix probably should’ve made friendly conversation. But small talk wasn’t one of his skills. Usually, a knight handled such things—but today, they were all hanging back.
“This is the coldest place I’ve ever been.”

“Hah! So that’s why you’re bundled up like that. I thought you were a snowman walking in from a distance.”
Lowell flushed, realizing how ridiculous his outfit must look from the outside. Still, he kept his tone casual.
“Everyone warned me it’d be cold, so I dressed for it. But Nyx is more vibrant than I expected. Has anything unusual happened lately?”

“Huh, you mean people still think Nyx is gloomy? That’s been outdated for a while. With all the magic education going on, we’ve had lots of new visitors from outside.”
Apparently, the magical education facilities Felix had built were working well.
He’s so competent.

Lowell was relieved to see Felix was respected—at least here in his own land. But the tavern owner’s next words broke his train of thought.
“Oh, well… I guess there was one notable thing recently.”
Felix leaned in slightly. Lowell, worried they were about to hear something threatening or suspicious, also focused. The tavern owner’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“I heard His Grace brought his future spouse to the estate! Said they looked like a fairy or something.”
All the strength drained from Lowell’s limbs.
“But… lately, people are saying they didn’t come of their own free will.”

That snapped Lowell upright again.
“At first, everyone thought the Omega came chasing wealth. I thought so too! But then word spread that a bunch of castle staff got fired all at once. That’s when it started to feel strange.”
The man’s voice dropped even lower.

“Then people started whispering… that His Grace used dark magic to forcibly bring them here. And he fired all the servants who realized the truth.”
The mass firings at the castle had ignited rumors in the most unfortunate way possible.