Chapter 16

As Grace entered the library, she keenly noticed a faint sound.

“Huh…?”

Realizing something was different from usual, her eyes narrowed. She carefully moved towards the source of the sound. Her ears didn’t miss the faint moaning, the continuous thudding, and the occasional creaking of a wooden desk.

With slow steps, Grace finally witnessed it. Vivian, bent over a desk by Cassius’s hand, being relentlessly pounded by him.

‘This is insane!’

Grace screamed internally, unable to shout. She quickly hid behind a bookshelf.

‘No manners…. No, no. Such a cultured person! This is a library, for goodness’ sake!’

In Grace’s mind, her brother Cassius wavered between being uncultured and cultured. Despite her inner complaints, her gaze returned to the two.

She saw Cassius roughly pushing Vivian and Vivian holding back her cries with tears streaming down. Afraid they might notice her, Grace quickly turned away. Even after turning away, she could faintly hear the sounds in her ears. Knowing from the previous sight what was causing those sounds, Grace found it hard to suppress her excitement.

‘Oh, this is crazy! This is truly insane! Doing such a thing in a sacred library…. It’s outrageous, so outrageous! Outrageously delightful!’

Grace barely held back a cheer, covering her mouth with both hands. She felt pity, sympathy, and overwhelming delight for Vivian caught by such a brother. That was Grace’s honest impression of witnessing the scene.

After reveling in it for a while, she realized that if she stayed any longer, they might discover her presence. Regaining her senses, she decided to leave, thinking it best to retreat for now to see better scenes in the future. She quietly tiptoed out of the library to avoid detection. Even as she walked down the corridor, she moved cautiously like a thief.

“Whew….”

Back in her room, Grace sighed with relief. There was a sense of pride mixed in for having escaped unnoticed.

“Oh? Miss Grace? Didn’t you say you were going to the library to read? Why are you back so soon?”

Anna, who was tidying Grace’s room, looked at her with curiosity as she returned shortly after leaving for the library.

“Ah…. I even forgot I was going to read a book.”

Grace murmured with a somewhat dazed expression.

“Pardon?”

“That’s not the point. With such an amazing scene unfolding before my eyes…. How could I focus on a book! Oh, this is serious.”

“What on earth did you see?”

“Knowing too much can be tiring. Anna, go tell the other staff that the library is off-limits for a while.”

Grace shook her head without answering. Anna, however, gleaned much from that alone. Grace assumed Anna understood with just that.

“Yes, understood.”

Anna bowed to Grace and left the room.

* * *

“Whew…, that was truly a relief….”

Vivian sighed in relief. She was currently lying sprawled on Cassius’s bed, having returned from the library. She was so drained that she had to be carried back by Cassius. As he wiped her body with a damp cloth, she mumbled while staring at the ceiling.

Unable to move a finger, she could do nothing but lie in bed. Cassius chuckled at her mutterings.

“Is there anyone in this estate unaware of the relationship between us? What does it matter if we’re caught?”

“No, it’s just… Knowing vaguely and seeing it are different things. It’s embarrassing.”

“Hmm, that’s true. Then I’ll try my best not to get caught next time.”

Cassius smiled brightly. Not doing it in such places didn’t seem to be an option for him.

‘It’s probably best to keep it a secret from Grace that she saw us.’

Cassius quickly came to a decision.

“Wouldn’t it be better to do it only in the bedroom?”

“I’m not sure if I can control myself well.”

“…….”

Vivian pouted slightly, looking up at Cassius with a dissatisfied face, as he tried to get away with a vague answer.

“When you look at me so cutely, it only feels like you’re asking to be pounced on again….”

Cassius made a troubled face, letting a smile play on his lips. Startled, Vivian flinched and wrapped herself tightly, avoiding his touch.

“No more. I have no strength left.”

“Haha, alright. I won’t touch you, so rest easy, Vivian.”

Cassius gently stroked her hair.

“You won’t touch me while I’m asleep, right?”

As sleepiness crept in, Vivian asked with drowsy eyes, looking up at Cassius.

“Hmm, if you wish, I could do that.”

Cassius slowly looked Vivian up and down. His gaze was excessively sticky.

“No, I don’t wish for that.”

Vivian hurriedly shook her head in fright.

“Then let’s postpone that for another time. Now, sleep well since you’re tired.”

It seemed not doing it at all wasn’t an option this time either. Fortunately, Vivian was able to sleep soundly without disturbance this time.

* * *

“Miss, I found your book while cleaning the library and brought it to you.”

“Oh? Ah, I left my book in the library, didn’t I? Oh?”

“This is how it looked when I found it. I tried to straighten it out as much as possible.”

Anna had a very apologetic look on her face, seeing the book Grace cherished damaged in such a way.

She must be shocked, what should I do….

Anna, who cared for Grace in her own way, worried about Grace’s reaction that was about to follow.

As expected, Grace’s eyes widened in surprise.

However, her reaction was entirely unexpected.

“Oh my…. How could a book become like this…. Hmm, isn’t this a reward? Ah, blessings never cease, truly.”

Taking the damaged book from Anna, Grace examined it with a strangely excited reaction.

“…Pardon? Miss, it seemed like a cherished book…. Are you alright?”

Anna asked with a voice mixed with concern.

“Ah, it’s fine. I have five copies of this for reading, display, business, spare, and a spare for the spare.”

“That’s quite a lot….”

Anna had a face that questioned the necessity of having so many.

“Haha, of course. I’m such a thorough and prepared person.”

Grace proudly displayed the crumpled book on her shelf in its current state.

‘Why… would she…?’

Anna looked at it with a puzzled expression. But she soon decided to give up understanding.

* * *

It was a day over three weeks since Vivian began staying at the Lofaere Marquis Estate.

Considering Vivian, who quickly tired every time they were intimate, she had a regular health checkup with the family doctor once a week.

“Um, is something wrong?”

Vivian asked cautiously, feeling uneasy as the family doctor took longer and had a more serious expression than usual during her examination.

“Ah, I was just double-checking carefully.”

“Huh…?”

“Congratulations, Miss, and Marquis.”

The doctor said unexpectedly, looking at Vivian and Cassius in turn.

“Pardon? Suddenly, what do you mean…?”

“You’re pregnant.”

The doctor offered congratulations to both with a kindly smile.

“P-pregnant….”

Vivian, quite shaken, showed large, trembling pupils. Eventually, her gaze dropped. Specifically, it went to her abdomen, where she presumed the child would be.

“Could you leave us for a moment?”

Seeing Vivian’s disturbed state, Cassius asked the doctor.

“Yes, understood, Marquis.”

The doctor bowed and left the room.

“…….”

Once the doctor had left, Vivian, sitting on the bed, looked up at Cassius with wavering eyes.

“Vivian….”

“Oh…. Cassius….”

“Are you alright? You seem surprised.”

“Oh…. A little…. Well, it’s not surprising. We did it so often…. It’s not strange for this to happen.”

Vivian smiled weakly. Inside, she felt it was no laughing matter. Though he had relations with her to have a child, she couldn’t predict his reaction when it actually happened.

“Then, since it was expected, can I purely rejoice?”

Cassius asked, sitting in front of her, meeting her eyes. He placed his hand over Vivian’s on her knee. His gaze was warm as he looked at her.

“…Cassius….”

“The fruit of our love has come so quickly…. It’s truly a joy.”

He whispered tenderly, pulling Vivian into an embrace and burying his face in her shoulder.

Seeing this, Vivian’s tension eased, and a smile appeared on her lips. She gently stroked his head nestled in her arms. His soft silver-gray hair pleasantly slipped through her fingers. Cassius, quietly accepting her touch, slowly lifted his head.

“…Are you crying?”

Vivian noticed the redness around his eyes and asked.

“Oh, without realizing…. Would you kiss me to calm me down, Madame?”

Unable to control his emotions, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and spoke to her with a pretty smile. He subtly emphasized the title “Madame” at the end.

“…Alright….”

Relieved by his appearance, Vivian accepted his request with a small smile. He closed his eyes, waiting for her kiss. Her lips lightly touched his and then parted. A bright smile spread across his lips as he slowly opened his eyes. His light purple eyes shone beautifully as he gazed at her.

“Thank you for choosing me that night.”

Cassius embraced Vivian in his arms.

* * *

“Jayden.”

Meanwhile, unaware of the situation, Grace headed to the research lab of Jayden, the family mage of the Lofaere Marquis, intending to chat.

“Oh, Miss Grace, welcome.”

The busy mage, Jayden, greeted Grace warmly.

“Yes. You seem busy.”

Grace spoke as she sat carelessly on a nearby sofa.

“Yes, indeed. I must work to earn my salary.”

He spoke just like Anna. Grace thought all the servants in her household seemed obsessed with their salaries.

“Well, that’s true. But I didn’t assign you any tasks. What are you making, Mage?”

Grace asked, looking at the potion Jayden was preparing.

“Oh, this? It’s something the Marquis specifically ordered.”

As Grace’s gaze fell on the potion he held, he shook the glass vial.

“What? My brother did?”

“Yes, about a month ago, he insisted it was necessary, so I made it. I think it’s time to stop making it now.”

“What did you make?”

“Oh, Miss Grace, you don’t know? I thought you were in on it….”

“What are you talking about? So, what is it?”

“Oh, this? It’s a potion that forces the body to maintain a state of ovulation.”

“What?!”