Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

After that, the nightmares still occasionally disrupted Lowell’s sleep. They were no longer as long or severe as before, but fragmented memories would sometimes swell and unfold into dreams. What made them bearable was thanks only to Felix, who stayed by his side every time. Each time Felix pulled him out of a nightmare, its shadow shortened just a little more.

“You slept well today.”
It hadn’t even been a full week before the monster lingering by Lowell’s bedside vanished under Felix’s watchful gaze.
“That’s because you always wake me.”

“You still don’t plan on telling me what those dreams were about?”
“It’s just… hard to explain.”
Whenever Felix asked him to talk about the dreams, Lowell gave vague, roundabout answers. He didn’t trust himself to explain properly—so silence was safer.

“As long as you’re doing better, that’s what matters.”
Felix looked a little dissatisfied, but as always, he didn’t press. To shift the mood, Lowell deliberately brightened his tone.
“You said we’re expecting a guest today, right?”

“There won’t be a flashy entrance like with that brat last time. He just wants to be left in peace. I’ve only assigned two knights to accompany him.”
“He must really trust you, Felix.”
Felix touched his chin, thoughtful.

“That’s what puzzles me. I’ve built some trust, sure—but not enough that he’d entrust me with protecting his partner. Maybe he doesn’t care about him as much as I thought.”
Lowell answered internally, That can’t be right. The Crown Prince’s obsession with Robin wasn’t something ordinary.
The Imperial Palace is a mess right now. The Emperor, those nobles pretending to side with him—total headaches. And now there are those openly targeting Robin. All things considered, Nyx is probably the safest place.

In the original novel, Robin stayed at the estate of the Crown Prince’s dearest friend around this time. But when that friend left to subjugate monsters, Robin was kidnapped. It had all happened without Lowell’s involvement, the butterfly effect unfolding on its own. But to Lowell, the Crown Prince’s decision to send Robin to Nyx was a brilliant one.
At least here, he won’t get kidnapped.
Felix stared at Lowell, whose lips had parted in unconscious thought, his gaze fixed on nothing. He barely resisted the urge to slip his tongue into that slightly open mouth. His throat tickled like he was coming down with something.

“I thought about it, and I think it’d be best if he pretended to be your attendant.”
“…What?”
Lowell, who had been deep in thought about the Crown Prince, straightened up in surprise.
“He was originally a retainer, and it’ll make more sense if we say your security detail has increased.”

“Still, won’t it seem odd for someone from outside to act as my personal servant?”
“We can make up a decent excuse. As long as no rumors spread while he’s here, it’ll be fine.”
Lowell had now found himself in a situation where the protagonist from the novel had to pose as his servant.

***
“Hello. I’m Robin Dayvon. Please just call me Robin.”
Lowell had admired several of the key characters upon first meeting them, but seeing the face of the main character—through the lens of a narrative he had followed—brought new impressions. Robin’s physique and stunning blond looks suited the original description that made everyone assume he was an Alpha or Beta.

“Hello, I’m Lowell Clarke. Feel free to call me Lowell as well.”
“It’s an honor to serve you.”
“I’m just pretending, that’s all. I heard you were injured recently, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“No, if I’m doing this, I want to do it properly. I’ve never looked after someone who’s pregnant before, so I might be inexperienced—please let me know if anything makes you uncomfortable!”
Robin spoke with an upbeat cheerfulness. He seemed like someone made up of all the best parts of a Phoebus citizen.
He’s kind of like a Californian, if I had to compare.

He had a gift for brightening the atmosphere around him. Smiling genuinely, Lowell extended his hand for a handshake, and Robin firmly grasped it in return.
“I hope you’ll stay here peacefully and avoid causing trouble.”
The one who ruined the warm atmosphere was Felix. He couldn’t take any more of the cozy back-and-forth from the study and finally interrupted.

“Yes, I’ll be sure not to offend His Highness. And of course, the same goes for you, Lord Lowell.”
Having served as an attendant for a long time, Robin had sharp instincts. He subtly stepped back, putting just the right distance between himself and Lowell.
“No need for that. Please just relax and stay comfortably.”

A beat later, Lowell turned his attention to the knights standing silently behind Robin. The two hadn’t spoken a single word since entering the study, but their eyes never left him.
“Please take care of me as well.”
He offered a polite greeting, and one knight gave a deep, wordless bow, while the other responded with a peculiar smile.

“We’re Robin-nim’s shadows. You don’t need to worry about us.”
The red-eyed knight seemed to be acting courteously, but his actual words were anything but.
He’s drawing a line, probably because his job is to guard Robin without fail. Red eyes are rare here too… who was he again?

Lowell rifled through the novel in his mind, but no character clearly matched.
Well, I didn’t memorize every single character. He could be an extra, or maybe someone whose appearance wasn’t described.
Lowell finished observing them without making the man uncomfortable.

“Yes. I’m just worried Robin might get bored—my daily routine isn’t all that exciting.”
“No way! There’s no room for boredom, really!”
And true to his word, Robin didn’t leave room for any boredom.

***
“Lord Lowell, how about we visit the lake at the edge of the estate today? I saw it at dawn, and it was absolutely stunning. The weather’s warm too, so it’d be lovely to enjoy while the sun’s up.”
Robin suggested the outing the moment breakfast was over. Lowell, who had planned to lounge in the study again, nearly spat out his apple tea. Barely stopping himself in time, he dabbed at his lips with a napkin.

“The lake?”
“Yes! I’m sure the baby will enjoy the beautiful view, too.”
He made it impossible to say no. It wasn’t as though Lowell hated walks, and the lake wasn’t even that far.

He probably factored that in too. He’s very thoughtful.
Putting aside the book he’d left unfinished yesterday, Lowell stood up.
“Alright. But you’ve only just arrived—how do you already know your way around the estate?”

“Oh! I’ve spent all of yesterday and today exploring nonstop. Nyx has a charm that’s completely different from Phoebus, and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a huge place, so I haven’t seen everything yet, but I plan to while I’m here.”
They had told him to rest and recover from his travels—but instead, he had spent the entire day touring the Grand Duchy. Thanks to his excellent physical condition, he even managed to explore places Lowell wouldn’t have dared try.
“Nyx is beautiful, isn’t it? I was surprised the first time I came too.”

“Definitely. It feels like I’ve seen all the sights I need in this lifetime.”
As Robin helped Lowell bundle up for the outing, he chatted away cheerfully. He offered just enough help to avoid being overbearing, more like a friend than a servant.
He’s been through difficult things too, and yet… he’s amazing.

On the way to the lake, Lowell couldn’t help but feel genuine admiration. It wasn’t easy to remain so unbent.
“Ah, there it is. It looks so different in daylight, doesn’t it?”
Lowell followed the direction ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Robin gestured. Except for the center, most of the lake had frozen over shallowly—but it was startlingly clear. Dense conifers reflected on the glassy surface, merging with the surrounding snow to create an uncanny, haunting atmosphere. It was, as Robin had said, a stunning view.

“I knew there was a lake, but this is my first time seeing it up close. It’s really beautiful.”
Lowell murmured in awe, his mouth slightly open, and Robin smiled like he was glad Lowell had come to see it at last.
“I’m glad we could admire it together.”

Their long conversation lulled into silence, and the two walked quietly by the lakeshore. Then—without warning—a large bird suddenly lunged at them as if to attack.
“Watch out! Move back!”
The knights, who had been silently observing until now, moved swiftly to intercept the bird before it could get too close. But Lowell, who had been standing closer to the lake, had already lost his balance and tilted backward.

I’m going to fall!
Lowell instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.