Hessen, the only doctor in Aeskis Castle, had been treating Dimint and Lili. Dimint had shown improvement in recovery after regaining consciousness once, and Lili was still lying in the dragon infirmary after having his broken wing treated.

Then Hessen was dragged to the dragon’s nest by Dion, who had burst in as if breaking down the door. Although his nerves were on edge from staying up for several days and nights, the news that Gerard might be pregnant was enough to stimulate his medical curiosity.

The problem was that Gerard would hardly allow Hessen to come close.

In fact, a dragon’s pregnancy cannot be detected with the n*ked eye. One can only know that a dragon was pregnant after it lays an egg. The period of incubation after laying the egg is also considerable. Dragons are beings that can only be met after a long period of patience.

Hessen felt quite embarrassed to have been dragged by Dion in the name of being a doctor. Of course, he fully understood his anxious feelings.

“So you’re saying that Gerard is really carrying an egg?”

Hessen demanded confirmation from Dion once more with skeptical eyes.

“It seems so. Well, it’s not certain, but…”

“I’m sure of it.”

Jeremiah spoke to Dion and Hessen with sparkling eyes. Unsuited to his large build, he clenched both fists in front of his chest and pursed his lips.

Excited emotions stirred in his heart as if he had a child of his own.

Of course, there was also a sense of guilt for not even knowing the gender of his own dragon properly. So Jeremiah was mentally prepared to grant whatever Gerard wanted unconditionally.

It’s not unreasonable that Jeremiah assumed Gerard was male based on her appearance. Gerard truly looks majestic.

Moreover, dragons are animals that don’t menstruate, so it’s impossible to accurately determine whether they are female or male just by looking at their exterior.

That’s where the problem arose.

“Who thought so?”

Jeremiah scratched his cheek and pretended not to know. Dion crossed his arms and puffed out his chest intimidatingly in front of Hessen.

“I did.”

Clementina stood behind Dion, looking at the ceiling and rolling her eyes.

“You, Your Highness? You just said you weren’t certain.”

Dion’s eyes, which had been staring intensely at Hessen, slowly turned toward the window. The sunlight poured strongly into the dragon’s nest today. He narrowed his eyes and faced the hot sunlight directly. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he didn’t blink once.

Hessen frowned as he scanned Dion’s shameless face and confident posture.

He wasn’t the type of person to act so absurdly when it came to dragon-related matters. This was the first time his words didn’t match up.

“Why?”

“Let’s just say that for now. I don’t believe it, but.”

“What should we do now?”

“What?”

“No, our Gerard is pregnant. So what should we do? She won’t eat her favorite beef and just keeps vomiting. She should eat more at times like this. She doesn’t go out, doesn’t train, and just keeps sleeping.”

“First, try to collect some urine if possible.”

“Urine?”

“In some distant country, they say you can confirm pregnancy through urine. I’ll try that method. And let’s change her food.”

“To what?”

“Well, even pregnant women with severe morning sickness can usually eat fruits. I don’t know if it works for dragons too.”

“Fruits? I’ll bring them right away.”

Jeremiah dashed out of the dragon’s nest as if his feet were on fire.

“I’ll go to the library. I need to find some related books. I don’t think my presence here will be of much help.”

“Good.”

Dion reluctantly nodded. After even Hessen left the dragon’s nest, only he and Clementina remained.

Clementina squatted on the floor and took out another candy from the basket. Gerard noticed her action and slowly approached.

“How did you know?”

A voice filled with coldness came from behind Clementina. The affectionate time they had spent making candy together in the morning was gone.

Clementina squeezed her eyes shut. Now she had no more excuses.

She raised her head and stood up. Dirt clung to the hem of her skirt and fell off, but she didn’t care. Gerard simultaneously raised his head and stuck out his tongue.

When she placed the candy on Gerard’s tongue, Gerard ate it deliciously.

Clementina hadn’t done anything wrong. She thought it would be better to confess everything and get even a small reward if possible. At least she had let them know that Gerard wasn’t sick.

Clementina slowly turned around. Dion was smiling. With his eyes curved like bows.

“Why are you smiling?”

Clementina was momentarily flustered. She had expected sharp questioning about her suspicious behavior, but Dion seemed rather pleased.

“How did you know?”

Unlike his face, his voice deliberately suppressed emotion.

“……”

“Clementina Aeskis.”

It was the first time. The first time he had called Clementina’s name with Aeskis attached. It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t quite right either.

He was telling her that now was the time to be honest.

Dion shifted his gaze from Clementina and moved to kneel beside Gerard, who was lying down. Gerard chewed the candy noisily and went back to sleep.

“I’m waiting. Until you speak honestly. I’ve been patient for quite a while, but today, even though something good happened, strangely my patience is running out.”

Dion absolutely could not speak first.

Caroline had told him to keep their meeting a secret. She wanted her daughter to live according to her own will, not her mother’s.

“Do you remember when I told you that Arakan liked Mago?”

“Yes.”

“After hearing that, when I carefully observed Arakan’s behavior, it seemed similar to how young boys chase after girls they like.”

“I’ve never lied.”

“But Arakan never shares food. Not even with Mago. That’s not a matter of liking or disliking. It’s a dragon’s habit. They never give up their food.”

“But I clearly saw it. I……”

“You probably did see it.”

“Yes!”

“Because you must have told him.”

“……”

“You must have told Arakan. That if he gives food to Mago, he could gain her favor. Right?”

Clementina’s eyes widened. Dion abruptly stood up and approached Clementina.

Dion didn’t open his mouth. The temperature in the dragon’s nest rose, making Clementina’s skin tingle.

“How did you know Arakan liked Mago?”

“……Arakan told me.”

Clementina’s shoulders shrank. She had been tensing her body so much that her neck became stiff.

“Do you think I’m crazy?”

Clementina slightly raised her eyes to check Dion’s expression. Any trace of a smile had long disappeared from his face.

“It’s not a lie.”

“I know.”

“……You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Do you think you’re crazy?”

“……Yes.”

Clementina pouted.

“Huh—”

Dion approached Clementina. Behind him, sunlight streamed through the window where the wooden shutters had been opened. The dust scattered everywhere sparkled brilliantly.

“Then, let’s say I’m crazy too for believing you.”

“What if we’re both crazy?”

“I’ll believe what the crazy you says. People might not believe what the crazy me says, but they’ll pretend to believe, so everyone will manage. Just believe in me.”

“I do believe you.”

“Only believe in me.”

“I said I believe you.”

“Only believe in me. Really.”

“……”

All strength drained from Clementina’s body. Suddenly she felt light-headed. She couldn’t tell what state her emotions were in.

At that moment, Gerard opened her eyes. She got up from the thorn bush nest and looked around quickly. Then she stared intently at one nest and moved her feet heavily.

It was Lili’s nest.

Gerard squeezed her now somewhat smaller but still sufficiently massive body into Lili’s small nest. After tossing and turning, she seemed to realize it wouldn’t work, so she dragged Lili’s nest with her mouth back to her own nest.

She placed her back against the thorn bush nest and buried her face and upper body in Lili’s nest. Her hind legs and tail stuck out of the nest.