Chapter 15: A Prince's Request
Shen Xinghui's mind reeled.
Sure, Ignatius had an air of nobility, but to think he was royalty—it was surreal.
Ignatius gave a bitter smile, his expression riddled with complexity. "I've been traveling the world as an adventurer, searching for someone willing to bear my child. It's been... difficult. A few of them have volunteered, but none of them have stayed."
"I understand your situation is urgent, but I'm not sure what to say," Shen Xinghui admitted.
Searching for a wife across three thousand miles? He thought. The real problem was that the wife in question was nowhere to be found.
Still, it was impressive that Ignatius had managed to get volunteers for such a request—asking for someone to bear his child.
Perhaps it was because he was a prince, and not just any prince, but an incredibly handsome one.
"I can only take it slow and keep searching patiently," Ignatius said. "Running around frantically would only make things more embarrassing."
"Yeah, I can see that," Shen Xinghui replied with a chuckle.
"What about you, Xinghui?"
"Huh?"
What did he mean by "what about you"?
"When I held you earlier, I noticed something," Ignatius said calmly. "You have a wonderful scent—soft, sweet, and... arousing. If you're willing, would you consider trying with me, just once?"
"Uh... my brain can't even process that right now..." Shen Xinghui stammered.
Coming from a world where the idea of men having children was absurd, Shen Xinghui felt completely out of his depth.
The notion of having sex with a man was already a shock enough for him, but Ignatius wasn't just asking for a casual sex—he was serious about having a child with him.
And with Ignatius's circumstances, there was no way he would agree to the idea of men getting pregnant.
The idea was terrifying for him.
"That's unfortunate," Ignatius said with a faint smile. "But I won't force you. If it were to happen, I would want it to be out of love and mutual care."
The sadness in Ignatius's smile stirred an odd sense of guilt in Shen Xinghui.
Ignatius was undeniably a good man—gentle, kind, and likely to be a devoted partner.
He even had stability and a royal title to offer.
A life with him would probably be happy.
But despite those thoughts, Shen Xinghui couldn't bring himself to agree with his request.
"I'm sorry, but this is just too much for me," he said, resolving to firmly decline for now.
"Let's put that topic aside for now. When we reach the capital, I'll be able to register as a resident, right?"
"Yes, that's right," Ignatius confirmed. "We're not far from the capital now. If we leave tomorrow morning, we'll enter the Cindralith Kingdom's territory by early afternoon. From there, we'll rent horses, and it will take about five days to reach the capital."
"What should I do once we get there?" Shen Xinghui asked.
"Go to the administrative office and register. They'll explain everything to you there. I'll accompany you during the process, so don't worry."