Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

“That’s not it at all, Your Grace.”
Lowell’s first instinct was to deny it. He decided that rather than diving into the complexity of his own emotions, it was more important to calm this man down first. In a gentle, slow tone, he made sure his feelings were conveyed clearly.

“You were uncomfortable being with me all day. Are you trying to say that was just my imagination?”
Felix wasn’t overreacting just because Lowell had briefly disappeared. His five senses, honed sharply from the battlefield, had recently been entirely focused on Lowell, allowing him to detect even the slightest change faster than anyone else. He’d been trying to let it slide, exercising patience—but the moment Lowell vanished without a word, everything boiled over.
Lowell rose onto his toes and wiped the sweat from Felix’s brow, sweat born from a day’s worth of worry.

Though Felix’s brow furrowed at the unexpected touch, he didn’t pull away. Instead, he slightly bent down, making it easier for Lowell to wipe him.
“To be honest, I had a few things on my mind and wanted to be alone. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to make you worry—but if I’d known you’d be this anxious, I would’ve told you. I’m sorry. A single note wasn’t enough to reassure you.”
Lowell deliberately adopted a sincere tone. He figured showing his sincerity would be the best way to give Felix peace of mind. But out of all that explanation, Felix latched onto a single word.

“Things on your mind?”
Felix stared hard at Lowell’s face, as if trying to read his thoughts directly. Of course, that was impossible.
“There’s been a sudden change in my environment. I just needed time to process it.”

“Do you miss the capital?”
Felix asked without so much as a breath. It was the suspicion that had haunted him ever since they returned to the territory, bursting out reflexively.
“You might not believe me, but I don’t have any particular attachment to the capital.”

Lowell sensed his fear and answered firmly. In truth, he had only lived in Phoebos for a few months—he had no real affection for it. So it wasn’t a lie.
“Nyx is far more appealing to me, so that’s not something you need to worry about, Your Grace.”
He hadn’t spent more time in Nyx than in Phoebos, but he had no trouble envisioning the future. Phoebos was warm and opulent, yes, but the people he’d met there were mostly smiling on the surface while sharpening blades behind their backs. There was no warmth to be found.

“You like Nyx more?”
Felix, still full of suspicion, removed his cloak and wrapped it around Lowell before pulling him into his arms. His mouth and mind might have been skeptical—but his body followed his heart honestly.
“Yes. I think our little one probably feels the same way.”

Lowell shyly mentioned the baby’s nickname, which he still sometimes forgot, and smiled. It was a bashful expression, but more than enough to capture Felix’s gaze. Under the moonlight, Lowell’s loving smile recalled the moment they had first met.
Felix lowered his head and kissed him. It was an impulse as irresistible as gravity.
Startled by the sudden kiss, Lowell’s eyes widened—then gently closed as he opened his lips. Felix, as if he’d been waiting, slid his tongue inside.
The forceful way his tongue had first moved, as if intending to ravage every corner, instantly softened the moment it touched Lowell’s. What had been a rough, invasive motion shifted into something tender, tickling gently inside his mouth. Lowell almost laughed from the sensation—but instead, he allowed the tide of affection to wash over him.

While Lowell had closed his eyes, Felix kept his open, staring intensely as if he couldn’t bear to miss a single moment of his mate’s expression. Of course, Lowell had no idea.
Holding on to the past and hurting someone new isn’t right.
Lowell didn’t yet have the courage to fully trust his own feelings, or Felix’s, or even the concept of love itself. Emotions weren’t something that flipped like a coin. But still—he decided to stop running.

Running away doesn’t make anything go away.
Human beings were made to fight their fears. Lowell accepted that truth. And in the moment he overcame it, he resolved to be honest with Felix about his feelings, too.
Felix’s hot breath flowed into him, and with that, their lips finally parted. Even with their bodies separated, they stared at each other hungrily. A cold wind blew between them, and Felix opened his mouth with a hint of reluctance.

“It’s getting cold. Let’s go inside.”
He wrapped the cloak tighter around Lowell and practically lifted him into his arms. Rather than resist and ask to be put down, Lowell simply nestled into him and closed his eyes. Maybe because the tension had left him—sleep was washing over him.
“If you’re sleepy, don’t fight it. Just sleep.”

Felix gently closed Lowell’s eyes with his palm. And Lowell obediently followed his words.
***
When Lowell opened his eyes again, it was morning. Felix didn’t speak to him at first—just stared, as if trying to commit every detail to memory. It was hard to tell if he’d even slept at all.

“Did you sleep well?”
Lowell mumbled from halfway inside Felix’s arms. His hoarse voice, rough from sleep, made Felix sit upright at once. Before Lowell could even miss the warmth, Felix was holding a glass of water to his lips.
“Here. Open up.”

Lowell wanted to say he’d rather drink on his own—but couldn’t bring himself to. He opened his mouth just slightly. The water flowed in slowly and gently, as if Felix feared he might choke if it came too fast. After a few careful swallows, the cup finally moved away. Felix raised it again, silently asking if he wanted more.
“I’m okay now.”
Lowell’s voice had returned to normal. Only then did Felix finally seem satisfied and lower the cup.

“I heard we’re expecting a guest in four days. They’ll only be here a short while, and you won’t need to interact with them much.”
“A guest?”
Lowell couldn’t guess who it might be. The novel hadn’t covered much of Felix’s everyday life.

A guest coming all the way to Nyx—a border region? And not long after the Blessing Month, at that. Who could it possibly be?
Felix’s brow furrowed—not out of shyness or embarrassment, but from genuine irritation.
“Yes. A delegation from Maia, a friendly nation to the Halo Empire. They’re sending the third prince. He’s not using teleportation, so they ordered he rest in Nyx during the journey.”

“Why would he travel such a long distance by horse?”
“He said he wanted to meet the people and experience the Halo Empire firsthand.”
Felix didn’t seem touched by the sentiment—just annoyed. It was fair, considering how many people had to move just to make the prince’s ‘wish’ happen.

“Was it an order from His Majesty?”
But what stuck with Lowell wasn’t the prince’s motivation. The only person who could issue Felix an order was the Emperor.
Asking Felix to host an honored guest? What’s the angle?

Nyx, with its steep terrain and constant snow, was a logical place to rest before crossing into Phoebos. But from what Lowell knew of the Emperor, he’d never go out of his way to create a favorable connection for Felix.
Maybe it’s because he knows Felix wouldn’t build a bond with the man? Still… what would the Emperor gain from this? It wouldn’t have been hard to send him to a neighboring territory instead. Unless the prince specifically asked for Nyx, it doesn’t make sense.
When Lowell went quiet, Felix seemed to think he was just reluctant about having guests and spoke again.

“If you don’t want ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) to meet him, it’s fine. You don’t have to greet him. If you’re uncomfortable with his visit altogether, I can have it declined.”
But rejecting an imperial command wasn’t that simple. And Lowell didn’t like the idea of refusing without knowing the Emperor’s true intentions. He shook his head.
“No, it’s alright. I’m just thinking about how to welcome him properly.”

“You don’t need to. He supposedly wants to learn swordsmanship from me. A few lessons and he’ll be satisfied and on his way. There’s no reason for him to linger in frigid Nyx.”
Felix added some extra explanation.
Then he really did want to come to Nyx?

Suppressing his unease, Lowell simply nodded. The knot in his chest remained, but time waited for no one—and soon enough, morning arrived.
Someone knocked on the Grand Duke’s castle gate at dawn.
“Greetings. I have come to meet His Grace, the Lord of Nyx.”

The man who introduced himself as the third prince of Maia was a robust Alpha youth with a bright and lively aura.
“My name is Zephyros Maia Gen. Please, call me Zephyros.”