Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

Even though Felix had returned and Lowell felt a sense of relief, he couldn’t fall asleep. Just like a child who only starts crying after noticing their wound, Lowell found his heart pounding violently through his whole body once he finally acknowledged his emotions—and couldn’t calm down no matter what he did.
“You didn’t seem to sleep at all.”
When he opened his eyes the next morning, Felix asked him that. Even if they hadn’t slept together, anyone could’ve guessed from Lowell’s bloodshot eyes.

“I think I napped too much during the day.”
Lowell gave the excuse, though he knew Felix probably wouldn’t believe it. The knights had likely already reported that he’d stood by the window the entire time, worrying about him.
“Maybe it’s just because you’re not used to the bed. Let’s head back to the castle. It’d be better to eat there, too.”

If that were the case, he shouldn’t have been able to sleep last night either—but Felix deliberately said it that way.
“Yes.”
Lowell was just as exhausted in many ways, so he agreed without resistance.

***
After returning to the castle and finishing their meal, Lowell’s strange behavior began.
“Where did he go, Lowell?”

Normally, around this time, Lowell would be in Felix’s study, curled up in a blanket, reading a book or nodding off. But today, only the blanket lay there, and Lowell was nowhere to be found. Felix ran his hand over the cold covers, then promptly set off to find him. After searching for quite some time, he picked up on the faint scent of sweet pheromones wafting from near the greenhouse used for cultivating herbs.
“Did Lowell happen to come ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ this way?”
“Yes, Your Grace. The young master entered just a moment ago.”

The gardener tending the greenhouse bowed in fright and reported to Felix. Accustomed to this reaction, Felix showed no particular response and simply nodded before striding into the greenhouse.
Lowell, who had been staring blankly at the herbs, immediately tensed when the tall, broad-shouldered Felix walked in.
“You’re here?”

Lowell forced an awkward smile and waved as if to say he was happy to see him. Felix glanced back and forth between Lowell and the herbs, then asked with a puzzled expression:
“What are you doing here?”
It wasn’t as if Lowell had ever shown interest in plants. In fact, when he first saw the greenhouse, he had lost interest the moment he realized it was just full of herbs. Lowell’s eyes darted about before he finally answered, a beat too late.
“I heard looking at plants is good for the baby.”

“So you suddenly felt like looking at plants?”
Felix didn’t bother hiding his skepticism, but Lowell nodded as if nothing were amiss.
“Then take your time looking around.”

Felix sat down on one of the chairs in the greenhouse and began watching Lowell intently. His subtly released pheromones carried a clear intention: to mark Lowell with his scent.
What should I do?
Lowell was in a bind. He had planned to get some distance and collect his thoughts, but Felix hadn’t given him a single chance. After spending the entire day together, Lowell had slipped into the greenhouse while Felix was off training. Yet he’d been found almost immediately.

This castle is huge. How does he manage to find me so fast?
It wasn’t even like he’d sent servants to search—he’d come directly himself, which made it all the more absurd.
“I think I’ve seen enough. Let’s head back.”

It hadn’t even been thirty minutes, but under Felix’s constant watch, Lowell raised the white flag.
“You sure you don’t want to stay longer?”
“Yes. I wish there had been more flowers—it would’ve been nicer.”

He didn’t really care for flowers, but he thought they might help brighten the castle’s grim atmosphere.
“You want to make a flower garden?”
But when Felix asked the question so seriously, Lowell immediately sensed he’d misspoken and rushed to rephrase.

“No. I just meant it would be nice if there was one. It’s not like I actually want one made. I just came to see the plants because I heard they’re good for the baby—I’m not someone who really likes flowers or anything.”
Worried that Felix might order a flower garden built right then and there, Lowell launched into a long explanation. Felix looked at him, eyes weighing the sincerity of his words.
“Alright. Then let’s head back to our study.”

Lowell bit his tongue to avoid correcting him—that it was his study, not ours. It didn’t feel like Felix had said it intentionally, either. More like it had slipped out as a reflection of how he already viewed things.
“Yes.”
Lowell followed along like a man being dragged back to the nest. Wrapped tightly in the blanket in Felix’s study, he quietly accepted a piece of fruit Felix offered him every minute and sank into contemplation.

I can’t let this continue.
Lowell wanted to objectively evaluate his own heart. Did he truly love Felix? How much? Was it alright to let his feelings keep drifting this way? There were too many things to consider. Past heartbreaks had made Lowell cautious—he’d learned to scrutinize and censor his own emotions.
“Open up.”

But Felix wasn’t giving him any time to think deeply. With one hand holding a document, he held an apple slice to Lowell’s mouth with the other. His icy expression paired with such gentle behavior made Lowell’s chest feel warm and fuzzy, and he couldn’t help but smile.
He’s doing it again.
Lowell used to think Felix was simply being cute—that was why he smiled. But now, looking back, he realized this might’ve been where it all started to go wrong.

There’s nothing more dangerous than something you find adorable.
As he sighed deeply, a knock came at the door.
“Come in.”

“Your Grace, I have a report regarding the magical beast you dealt with yesterday.”
It was Tony, who burst in urgently—only to freeze and squeeze his eyes shut the moment he saw Felix feeding Lowell an apple. His expression said he never expected to see Felix doing something like that.
“Speak from there.”

“I’d like you to examine the magic stone retrieved from the beast’s corpse. It appears to be quite high-grade.”
Felix furrowed his brow, then stood. Processed magic stones sold for high prices, but unprocessed ones were dangerous to handle without highly trained mages. And the most capable mage in Nyx… was Felix.
“I’ll be back.”

Before leaving, Felix released a thick wave of pheromones onto Lowell. Surrounded by the warm, smoky apple scent, Lowell suddenly stood up.
This is one of my rare chances.
He began thinking about where he could go to be alone.

If I keep moving, maybe they won’t find me right away.
Outside, the sky had darkened. Lowell left a note on the table—[Going for a short walk around the castle. I’ll be back soon.]—and slipped out through the window. If he left through the door, the knight posted outside would definitely follow.
“Phew.”

Stars slowly began to glimmer in the dusky sky. Pulling his coat tight, Lowell stepped into the crunching snow. The chill cleared his head.
“My lord, why are you out alone?”
Avoiding every knight and servant wandering the grounds was impossible. Lowell didn’t intend to vanish—he just wanted time to think—so he replied:

“I just felt a little suffocated. I’m walking it off.”
“It’s cold. Maybe you should head inside soon? It’s not like the capital, after all.”
“I like Nyx. The snow is beautiful. I’ll only be out a little longer.”

The servant couldn’t insist any further and watched Lowell walk away.
I should head back soon so Felix doesn’t worry.
Lowell had come out to get away from Felix, yet was already thinking about returning—for no other reason than not wanting to make him anxious.

There’s no denying it anymore, is there?
He clutched his pounding chest.
When was the last time I felt emotions this intense?

As he searched his memory, he realized that even during what he once thought was his first love, he’d never been this flustered. His heart had never raced like this, either.
Maybe it’s just because I’m physically weak?
Lowell shook his head at the ridiculous thought and kept walking.

“Lowell!”
Suddenly, Felix appeared, hair in disarray, and grabbed Lowell’s arm, turning him around.
“Your Grace?”

Lowell flinched at the unexpected touch—then gasped again when he saw Felix’s face. He, who never even broke a sweat during intense training, had damp sweat at his throat, and his expression… looked as desperate as a lost child. The deeply furrowed brow made Lowell sigh without thinking.
“Where were you trying to go?”
The words that slipped through Felix’s clenched teeth were low and wet, like a snake crawling through a dark abyss.

“Why are you avoiding me? Did I disgust you all of a sudden?”
Lowell realized his small, thoughtless act had stirred something deep and dark within Felix.