Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

When Felix first heard that a letter had arrived, he assumed it was a report from his estate. But upon receiving it, he realized it had come from the Count of Clarke’s household. And based on recent investigations, Lowell was none other than the seventh and youngest son of Count Clarke.
Is he writing to cancel the contract he proposed?

Felix wouldn’t have been surprised if Lowell had changed his mind. After all, no matter what schemes he had in motion, it was hard to imagine he truly wanted to marry someone like Felix.
Maybe he’s scared the curse will cling to him after all.
Felix smirked as he opened the letter, convinced the claim of pregnancy was a lie. But the contents turned out to be nothing like what he’d expected.

To Grand Duke Felix, Soon to Be a Father
Did you sleep well last night?
I had a restless night thinking about our future.

If it’s alright with you, I’d like to choose a name for the baby before it's born.
Some of the options are Little Wriggles, Lovebug, Sturdy, and Mochi.
If nothing in particular comes to mind for you, I’ll just pick one myself.

Also, before we leave, could you tell me more about your estate?
I’d like to know more about the place we’ll be staying soon.
Felix reread the letter several times, wearing the expression of a man who’d just seen something utterly absurd. He even tried reading it vertically, or skipping certain characters, suspecting there might be some hidden code. But in the end, it was disappointingly straightforward. There was no secret pattern, no metaphorical subtext. Aside from a few oddly shaped letters, there was nothing remarkable about it.

Why is he treating it as if it’s already decided we’ll be going to the estate together?
Felix hadn’t even given an answer regarding the contract, yet Lowell seemed to take his agreement for granted. And those bizarre “names” he’d listed for the child only left Felix more bewildered. Written in imperial script, the words were legible—but far too childish, even grotesque, to be considered names. Still, one particular word stood out to him.
The ink for this “Lovebug” is unusually dark. He’s definitely trying to manipulate me. What a skilled temptress.

In truth, the ink had only bled slightly, but Felix had wildly over-interpreted it.
As he sat staring at the letter, wondering whether or not to reply, another one arrived near sunset. This one too, from Lowell. Felix had hoped it might contain a change of heart—but it was just more of the same.
“What in the world does he want from me?”

Every time Felix tried to seriously weigh the idea of entering a contract, Lowell would send another message. The contents weren’t anything significant, but reading them ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) repeatedly made his skin crawl. And so ten days passed without a conclusion, until Felix finally raised the white flag and headed for the Clarke estate. His plan was simple: tell Lowell to knock it off with the absurd letters.
Whenever Felix coldly reprimanded people, they usually reacted with fear or disgust. He assumed Lowell would be the same.
But of course, Lowell was not that easy.
***

Felix’s eyes drifted toward Lowell, who was calmly looking down at the letter he’d just handed over. Felix couldn’t tell if Lowell was an excellent actor or genuinely fearless—he looked completely at ease. In fact, he even seemed cheerful, smiling as brightly as a sunflower. His radiant expression fit perfectly with the sunlit parlor, and that very harmony made Felix avert his eyes.
Lowell, unwilling to let him look away, chased Felix’s gaze and spoke up.
“Of course I’m in my right mind. I’ve just been giving Your Grace updates about Little Wriggles every day—because you have a right to know how the baby is doing.”

Felix stared at him with a bewildered expression, wondering if this was really normal behavior. Lowell, perceptive as ever, seized the opportunity to push further.
“I’m just doing what any expectant parent would. It’s perfectly natural.”
“Then why do you feel the need to report every detail of your physical condition? It seems like you’re trying to guilt-trip me.”

It seemed Felix felt himself being drawn into Lowell’s pace again, so he tried to steer the conversation elsewhere—hoping to drive Lowell away with coldness.
“In the early weeks of pregnancy, there’s a high risk of miscarriage.”
At the word miscarriage, Felix flinched. Lowell hadn’t expected a man who’d just had his first sexual experience to be familiar with pregnancy, so he explained slowly, almost like teaching a child.

“That’s why expectant mothers have to take care of their health and be very cautious. When I talk about how I’m doing, I’m really just talking about the baby.”
“Is miscarriage really that common?”
His tone, usually as sharp as a blade, carried a trace of warmth now. Lowell had to stifle a laugh.

What, is he feeling guilty for saying harsh things to a pregnant person when he didn’t know better? I wasn’t even bothered by it.
He tilted his head fondly, finding Felix’s clumsy concern oddly endearing.
“I just wanted you to understand the possibility. That way, if something does happen, you won’t be too disappointed.”

“As if I’d be disappointed.”
Despite his words, all of Felix’s aggressive energy had evaporated. He still looked imposing thanks to his height and noble bearing, but the edge was gone.
“I’ve heard that miscarriages aren’t good for the mother’s health, either.”

That added thought softened the entire mood in the room.
He’s already worrying about someone else?
Lowell inwardly cheered at the progress. Whether it was paternal instinct or latent humanity surfacing, either way was a win in his book.

“That’s why I started exercising—to ensure a healthy birth.”
Felix furrowed his brows, thinking for a while before speaking again.
“Do you really plan to give birth?”

Lowell answered immediately, “Of course.” Felix’s frown only deepened.
If frowning made people ugly, that one would still look like a painting.
Oblivious to the turmoil in Felix’s heart, Lowell leisurely admired his face.

“If you care about your health, not having the child would be best.”
Felix said it bitterly, recalling his painful past.
“Well, I’m already pregnant, so there’s no changing that. The best I can do now is stay healthy.”

Lowell sensed that Felix was beginning to tread into the territory of past trauma—and he wasn’t about to let him fall into that spiral. So, with a brighter voice, he cut him off.
“If I’m pregnant with your child, shouldn’t I be blaming you?”
“Why?”

Lowell responded gently to the man who couldn’t find the words to answer.
“It’s true that we were caught up in something beyond our control. But that doesn’t mean we get to run from responsibility. If I’d decided not to have the baby, it would be different—but I made my choice. That makes it my responsibility, not yours. And you did your best back then, didn’t you?”
Even though it was all perfectly reasonable, Felix looked like he’d been hit over the head. He had lived a life where he was always blamed for things beyond his control. Lowell’s words must have felt like a revelation.

“There’s no fault in the baby, in Your Grace, or in me.”
“Even if childbirth nearly kills you, can you still believe that?”
The ghosts of the past clung to Felix’s limbs. A man who had been a powerhouse on the battlefield was shrinking before Lowell.

“Are you really that worried about me?”
Lowell decided he had to snap Felix out of his projection. So he gently touched Felix’s thigh, flashing a mischievous smile. The unexpected contact startled Felix back to reality, his expression twisting in surprise. But Lowell didn’t wait for a reply.
“Then you just have to watch me closely. Make sure I don’t do anything suspicious, and protect me so I don’t get hurt.”

“No matter how noble someone is, no matter how powerful their protector, people die when their time comes.”
“Even so, I want to struggle. Someone like you, Your Grace, might be able to knock down Death at least once.”
Lowell patted his thigh. He felt something firm beneath his touch, but feigned ignorance and pulled out a rolled-up parchment from his waist, handing it to Felix.

“Which is why—please take this.”
“What is it?”
Felix opened the scroll with a look that said Another letter? He could’ve just said it.

The contents, however, were entirely different from any letter he’d received before.
“It’s a contract.”
As Felix blinked down at the document, Lowell spoke as smoothly as water.

“Go ahead and sign. Then you’ll just have to protect me.”
Felix stared blankly between Lowell and the contract. He’d come to issue a stern warning—but now he was standing on the verge of signing a deal instead.