Misha whispered with tears welling in her eyes.

“Honey, hurry. Come inside me.”

“…how much.”

How much more do you need to twist me around?

He wanted to ask that, but he too was at his limit now.

He acted as if making his wife happy was his only reason for living.

That night, they tightly embraced each other in the office for a long time.

And for several days afterward, their bedroom was filled with m*ans of pleasure and sensual scents.

So much so that the servants whispered, “Has their honeymoon phase returned?”

But there was something neither Misha nor Chatrud had anticipated.

That their second child would arrive with love, accompanied by terrible morning sickness.

***

To begin with, Misha couldn’t remember her first pregnancy.

She didn’t even recall if she had morning sickness with Vincent.

She had been unconscious and confined in the imperial palace from the early stages.

But this baby, since entering her body, had made its presence known very firmly.

By draining its mother’s blood.

— Urgh, hack! Kuhak……!

This morning too, the sound of vomiting came from the bathroom several times.

Chatrud anxiously paced outside the bathroom.

He had bitten his lower lip so much that small droplets of blood formed, but he didn’t even notice.

‘This is maddening.’

Why was her morning sickness lasting so long?

No matter how severe morning sickness might be, wouldn’t a normal pregnant woman start gaining weight as she entered the middle stage?

At first, the couple accepted the morning sickness as normal.

They had already heard many stories about suffering in early pregnancy.

The servants also understood, saying, “The new young master must be particularly sensitive.”

However, as time passed, everyone in the grand ducal residence became alarmed by Misha’s condition.

Just then, the bathroom door slowly opened.

“Urgh……”

“Misha!”

As Misha staggered out, Chatrud rushed to her side.

“Are you alright? I told you to call me inside—”

“I don’t want to……”

Misha weakly shook her head, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

Why would she need to show him the sight of her retching every day?

But when her husband lifted her up, she was already in a half-dead state.

Though she was being laid on a fixed bed, her head spun as if she were on a ship tossed by stormy waves.

“I’m dizzy……”

“You can’t eat today either?”

“Absolutely not……”

“Haah.”

Chatrud glared at the tray of shortbread for today with an extremely displeased expression.

Misha had been surviving on carbonated water and shortbread until now.

Hard bread with flour, yeast, and a bit of salt.

It was a meal that couldn’t possibly fill her stomach or provide sufficient nutrition, but…….

It was the only meal his wife didn’t throw up.

The chef had tried to prepare other meals that wouldn’t cause nausea, but all in vain.

“This isn’t some wartime situation.”

How long would he have to feed Misha only this?

Every doctor he called said the same useless words: “The morning sickness will naturally subside when the time comes……”

‘All of them deserve to be hanged for spouting such nonsense and taking money for it.’

Misha wiped her sweaty forehead with difficulty and whispered to her husband.

“Huff, since I… insisted on having a baby, I know I shouldn’t be whining……”

“Don’t say that.”

Chatrud scolded her with a distorted expression.

“You didn’t decide to have a child alone. Why are you foolishly saying you insisted on it?”

“Ahaha.”

Misha burst into laughter at her husband’s characteristic scolding.

Sometimes she forgot, but when he set his mind to it, he could be kinder than anyone.

It was just that his kindness was often hidden behind his haughty tone and displeased expressions…….

But when Chatrud gently caressed her cheek, her smile quickly faded.

In her weakened state, such tenderness too easily stimulated her tear ducts.

In the end, though it would be of no use, words flowed out unbidden from her sorrow.

“Honey. I……”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I’m suffering… because I’m so hungry……”

“……”

“Hic, I want to eat something……”

Misha shed tears, unable to bear the terrible pain of hunger.

Staring blankly at this sight, Chatrud gritted his teeth.

‘How can such a ridiculous thing be happening?’

He was the Grand Duke of Saverhagen, wealthier than even the Emperor in this Empire.

He could provide any delicacy she desired.

Yet his wife looked like she was dying of malnutrition?

With her bones showing and only her belly slightly protruding, he never knew he could feel so frustrated.

Chatrud barely suppressed the urge to give a resentful look toward Misha’s belly.

What was in there was his and Misha’s child, not an enemy to hate.

The baby surely wasn’t trying to drain its mother’s blood to kill her.

Certainly, probably.

‘But this isn’t something we can just wait out.’

It was obvious that at this rate, both Misha and the baby would be in danger.

His mouth went dry with anxiety, and his mind raced frantically.

And in the midst of his agitation, someone suddenly came to mind, as if he’d spotted prey.

“Misha. I just had an idea.”

“Yesss……?”

“Let’s call that guy, Shushu or whatever.”

Misha looked up at her husband with a dazed expression.

‘Who could that be, with such a cute name?’

For a moment she thought she’d misheard.

But Chatrud continued with an utterly serious expression.

“Your old colleague. The pale one with glasses.”

“Wait… Schnauzer? Are you talking about Shu?”

“Yes. Shushu.”

“It’s just Shu—”

“Anyway, let’s call him.”

“We need to ask if he can come here first, but why……?”

After the Cambion disbanded, Schnauzer had settled as a scribe near the Saverhagen territory.

Though they couldn’t meet as often as during their Cambion days, they occasionally exchanged letters to keep in touch.

Chatrud nodded with a face that showed he hated the idea.

His pride was wounded at having to receive help from another man, but his wife was dying right now, so he threw away his dignity.

“There’s a use for his ability.”

“Mmm, then I’ll contact… urgh.”

“Misha!”

***

A few days later, Misha’s old acquaintance visited the grand ducal residence after a long time.

Schnauzer slightly lifted his hat and looked up at the magnificent castle.

Though he had visited a few times before, coming to a high noble’s residence still made him tense, as if his lungs were being compressed.

But more than the intimidating castle, he was more nervous about the man he would soon meet.

‘That Grand Duke really does order strange things.’

Schnauzer glanced glumly at the woman accompanying him.

The gray-haired commoner woman also looked bewildered about how she had ended up at such a magnificent castle.

‘Suddenly receiving a threatening request through the lady’s letter to find an ability user and bring them here.’

The type of “ability” they were looking for was also quite puzzling.

Were they developing some new form of t*rture at the grand ducal residence?

Of course, the investigation had been very smooth thanks to the enormous sum offered and the personnel support he couldn’t refuse.

He and his companion were guided to a luxurious reception room, not knowing where to put themselves.

“I am here to see the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess……”

But Schnauzer stopped mid-greeting and gaped.

‘Why does the lady look like that?’

His former colleague, whom he heard was pregnant, didn’t look like an expectant mother at all.

Sitting next to her robust husband, she looked so fragile that she seemed like she might crack if touched lightly.

With a bit of exaggeration.

‘She looks like when we first rescued her from the imperial palace?’

Schnauzer was so shocked that he stammered.

“Lady, no, uh, uhh—”

“Speak comfortably, Shu……”

“I-I’ve brought the ability user the Grand Duke was looking for.”

At that moment, the Grand Duke, who had been gazing worriedly at his wife, looked directly at Schnauzer for the first time.

Though it wasn’t his first time seeing this man, Schnauzer gulped at the renewed sense of intimidation.

He wondered whether to admire the lady’s courage for living with such a man…….

The Grand Duke pointed at the woman standing a step behind Schnauzer.

“So, is it true that this ability user can transfer pain?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Laura, come forward please.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

The trembling woman came to Schnauzer’s side but was too nervous to say anything.

On her behalf, Schnauzer opened his mouth to explain the situation.

“Laura can transfer pain felt by one person to another. Though its temporary nature is a weakness—”

“Can she transfer morning sickness too?”

“Pardon?”

Schnauzer and Laura simultaneously opened their eyes wide.

But the Grand Duke’s face was deadly serious.

The Grand Duchess beside him seemed to lack even the strength to keep her eyes open, silently resting her head on his shoulder.

Only then did Schnauzer understand the circumstances behind the Grand Duke’s request to “search for an ability user.”

‘Gasp, could it be. Is what I’m thinking correct?’

And any remaining doubt vanished when the Grand Duke sighed, embracing his former colleague’s shoulder.

“Transfer my wife’s morning sickness to me. If you can, do it right now.”

Laura was now standing with her mouth wide open in a daze.

But under the Grand Duke’s piercing gaze, she straightened her back like a soldier at attention.

“If it works, I’ll compensate you generously.”

“I-I’ll try!”

Soon the room bustled with servants preparing for the “ability use.”

While the servants helped the Grand Duke and Laura prepare, Schnauzer quietly approached Misha.

Misha weakly looked up at her former Cambion colleague and nodded.

“Shu, hello……”

“It’s been a while, Lady.”

“My husband… suddenly requested this… thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Don’t mention it. But, hmm.”

Schnauzer glanced sideways at the Grand Duke and muttered quietly.

“He’s really quite an unexpected person.”

“Indeed.”

Misha gave a weak smile.

She didn’t know how surprised she was herself when she first heard her husband’s plan.

Though this condition was painful, she had even asked if it wouldn’t end someday.

But once her husband made up his mind, no one could dissuade him.

Overwhelmed by fatigue, Misha closed her eyes and whispered in a thin voice.

“And he’s truly a kind person……”

***

Laura’s ability was remarkably effective.

Although the effect only lasted about two days, requiring her to stay at the grand ducal residence for a while, Misha’s condition improved immediately.

Finally, she escaped the hell of carbonated water and shortbread, able to have proper human meals again.

“Mom is eating!”

Vincent showed the most noticeable joy at this change.

Misha also smiled ruefully as she swallowed the savory soup after so long.