Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

The knights standing beside Lowell were just as shocked. After all, it was unimaginable that that Grand Duke could be seriously injured.
“There’s no need to worry. We don’t yet know the extent of the injury, and it’s just loose talk from those with flapping mouths, isn’t it?”
It was said to reassure Lowell, but it didn’t seem to help. Understandably so—Lowell’s expression had vanished, and his hands were visibly trembling. Anyone could tell he was in shock, and if even the knights showed signs of agitation, it would only make him more anxious.

“But it’s true that temple priests have been dispatched.”
Lowell, having long since abandoned the playful attitude from earlier, murmured with tension. He knew he was being overly afraid, but he couldn’t calm down. His hands continued to tremble slightly.
It’s not too late to assess the situation and then be shocked. He knows I’m here, so if it were serious, someone would’ve…

Even as he tried to think rationally, the image of Felix drenched in blood kept flickering before his eyes.
“My lord.”
Tia, who had been near Lowell, spoke in a firm tone.

“Temple priests are always summoned once a battle with magical beasts concludes. If the subjugation takes long, they usually accompany the troops. So the presence of priests cannot be considered evidence that anything happened to His Grace.”
At her calm, measured words, Lowell gradually began to regain his breath.
“Yes. Thank you for explaining.”

His voice, which had been shaking badly, finally found a bit of steadiness, though his body remained frozen from tension.
“Let’s head back to your room. It would be better to eat after you’ve regained some composure.”
With a nod toward the other knights, Tia moved to support Lowell. He was about to refuse, but when his legs gave out, he gave in and let her help. For now, doing his best to ignore the unpleasant images that kept surfacing was all he could do.

“It seems the subjugation itself is over, so I’m sure news will come soon. If it’s nothing serious, he’ll return quickly.”
Phil added gently. Lowell realized how dire he must look, but still couldn’t bring himself to say he was fine. He didn’t have the strength to pretend.
As the sun dipped and a red-tinted moon began to rise, Lowell stood restlessly by the window, as if enduring an eternity. One knight, seeing his anxiety, brought over a chair. Lowell sat for ten seconds, then sprang up again, repeating the cycle.

Too much stress is bad for the baby.
It hadn’t been long since he’d vowed to take care of the child in his womb, which made him feel all the more guilty. But his trembling only grew worse.
Why am I so anxious? So scared?
Lowell scratched at his fingernails, afraid that the visions born of his anxiety might turn real.

“Perhaps you should at least cover yourself with a blanket.”
Phil, seeing Lowell trembling, wondered if it was due to the cold and brought him a blanket. Without taking his eyes off the window, Lowell pulled it loosely over himself.
The knights seemed to realize that nothing they said would calm him anymore and fell silent. How much longer passed? A group emerged from the darkness in the distance. Lowell immediately shot to his feet and threw open the door. The knights didn’t stop him—they ran with him, staying close by his side.

At last, as they reached the lodging’s front gate, the face he’d been waiting for all day appeared.
“Felix!”
Lowell called his name, not his title. Felix widened his eyes in disbelief when he saw Lowell stumbling toward him. Yet, worried he might fall, he quickly dismounted and rushed forward to catch him.

“It’s freezing out here and you’re not even properly dressed!”
Felix began to scold him, but stopped short the moment he felt Lowell trembling in his arms.
“Why are you shaking so much? Are you that cold?”

He asked, trying to smooth out his voice, but Lowell simply shook his head against his chest. Felix, swallowing his satisfaction at holding his mate quietly in his arms, gently pulled Lowell back to look at him.
“Why are you crying?”
Only then did Lowell realize tears were welling in his eyes. The fear that had gripped his entire body spilled out in drops onto the ground.

“I heard… you were injured, and I got scared, so…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence, choked by the swell of emotion. Felix clicked his tongue and raised his arm, previously hidden under his cloak.
“It’s just a scratch. I got treated right away. I don’t know where you heard otherwise, but it wasn’t anything worth worrying about.”

A long scar was visible on his arm, but it was already healing, the edges faint. Anyone could see it would vanish in a few days. Lowell traced the fading wound with his finger.
“You promised you wouldn’t get hurt.”
The words slipped out, driven by the backlash of long-held worry. But Felix didn’t scold him. Instead, he released a wave of pheromones to soothe him.

“There was one that came down close to the village. It was about to attack a child, and before I knew it, my body just moved on its own.”
Felix’s gaze dropped to Lowell’s stomach. It was easy to see why he had reacted so strongly to a child in danger—he was thinking of the one growing inside Lowell.
“Still, I apologize for not keeping my promise.”

He completely unfurled his cloak and wrapped it around Lowell. The cloak, tailored to Felix’s frame, covered Lowell from head to toe. Lifting him into his arms, Felix strode into the lodging without hesitation.
“Y-Your Grace?”
The innkeeper, finally realizing who the visitor was, stumbled over his words in panic.

“I’ll be staying one quiet night. Just go about your business as usual.”
Felix said it like a simple command.
“Y-Yes, sir!”

It was effectively impossible, but also not something he could refuse. The innkeeper obediently answered, hoping no trouble would arise. Felix passed through the prying stares and entered the room Lowell had been using.
“Are you calm now?”
Laid gently on the bed, Lowell nodded. Only after confirming Felix had no injuries aside from his arm did he begin to feel relief—and embarrassment.

“I’m sorry I lost my composure. It’s my first time seeing someone I care about return from battle. I think I got overwhelmed.”
Even as he said that, Lowell knew it was excessive. He wasn’t the one who went into battle.
“I see.”

Felix leaned against the bed and pulled Lowell onto his lap. As Lowell settled without protest, Felix began massaging his limbs and buried his nose in the crook of his neck, as if refusing to miss even a trace of pheromone.
“I was worried too.”
Felix finally ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ admitted after a long silence. Having imprinted one-sidedly, he couldn’t stop thinking about his mate left behind in unfamiliar territory. Anxious that something might happen, he had wrapped up the subjugation faster than usual and rushed back.

“I didn’t leave the inn, though.”
“Did you eat?”
Felix asked like he was checking off tasks on a list.

“I managed a little.”
Lowell chose honesty over a lie. Felix signaled to Tia with his eyes.
“While he was eating, he heard about Your Grace being injured and was startled. I think it would be best if he finished his meal later.”

“I see.”
Felix held back a sigh of disapproval. Lowell looked a little dispirited.
“We’ll eat something light together in a bit.”

“Yes.”
In Felix’s arms, Lowell gradually began to calm down. The dark cloud that had gripped his heart lifted, only to be replaced with a sudden wave of embarrassment.
“I’m the master of this land. I can’t promise I’ll never go to battle, but I swear I’ll always come back in one piece. In return, Lowell, I want you to swear you’ll do everything in your power to stay safe.”

Felix’s voice was firm. Even after leaving Lowell in the safest possible place, it was clear he would still worry.
Worry, by another name, was affection.
Lowell had a lightning-like realization.

Why did Felix make me think of my late parents?
The reason was obvious. He was afraid of losing someone precious again. To rephrase it slightly—Felix had already become someone precious to Lowell.
What should I do?

Even when he tried to deny his feelings, haunted by past wounds, his heart had quietly continued to grow.
Lowell had realized, at last, that he was completely soaked by Felix’s steady, drizzling affection. And now, unable to fully accept it but also unable to pretend he didn’t notice, he buried himself deeper into Felix’s embrace.