I should have made the contract earlier!

She savored her leisure time sitting in a rocking chair, drinking tea. With so many eyes always watching over Allen, she wasn’t worried.

After contracting with the divine beasts, she used their power very efficiently, just as she had warned them. As a result, the divine beasts’ eyes were full of hostility when they returned to the duke’s residence.

Above all, the most satisfying thing was that thanks to the divine beasts playing with Allen, she and Cedric had more free time. Though somewhat free from childcare, her body was tired. Whenever there was an opening, Cedric would somehow appear beside her.

Just like now.

“I think they’ll soon express their dissatisfaction.”

Her heart pounded wildly. But she didn’t show it and countered his words.

“Contracts should be approached with caution. It’s already done, so what can we do?”

“That’s also true, but Claire…”

She noticed something unusual in his blue eyes and hastily changed the subject. When he called her name in such a gentle, soft voice, it was very dangerous.

“Oh! Isn’t Zeno going for a walk today?”

“Hmm.”

Cedric’s gaze shifted from her to Zeno. She smoothed down her chest and watched cautiously.

He hadn’t stopped walking Zeno. When Zeno acted up, he would bring a leash and ostentatiously put it around his neck. Perhaps because he had gotten used to the walks, Zeno now seemed to secretly enjoy them.

She had kept a leash just in case. She quietly took out the leash and looked at Cedric.

“Here’s the leash.”

“He seems busy playing with Allen, so I think we can skip the walk today.”

“That’s not true!”

She spoke urgently. The walks made both Cedric and Zeno tired, so they slept soundly at night. So she was doing this for her own survival.

“Wife.”

He leaned down and gripped the armrests of the chair. Her mouth went dry at the decreased distance. His eyes were already slightly, very slightly, spinning.

“Ce-Cedric?”

“We’ve been apart too much lately. I’ve missed your warmth.”

“No, that can’t be true?”

They had been together just the other day, so his memory seemed distorted. Until yesterday morning, it took half a day to escape from Cedric’s embrace. There had been many hardships until the birth of their lovely Allen.

And once her body recovered, Cedric had the physician check her condition several times. The night they heard she was healthy, she…

Memories kept surfacing. After barely shaking her head to return to reality, she wanted to escape back into her thoughts. Her body responded to the touch that gently caressed her lips. Not just him, but she was quite something herself.

Soon their lips overlapped. Her eyes, which should have been pushing him away, naturally closed, which was frustrating. The soft, warm sensation spread gradually. She put her hands around his neck and kissed him deeply. A sweet taste lingered in her mouth. Just as they were exchanging breaths, she sensed someone’s presence.

She hurriedly pushed Cedric away and composed herself. Soon after, Allen toddled over on his short legs and grabbed her leg.

“Mama!”

Her eyes widened at Allen’s words. Cedric also had a surprised look.

“Did you hear that? You heard it, right? He definitely just said ‘mama,’ right?”

He nodded. She picked up Allen and hugged him tight. Seeing his face giggling so adorably, happiness washed over her. Cedric smiled, embracing both her and Allen.

“Cedric, aren’t you disappointed?”

“I’m not disappointed, so don’t worry about me. No matter who he spoke of first, it doesn’t mean the child doesn’t love the other.”

“Well, that’s true……”

Truly, the more she saw him, the more she realized he was a wonderful husband and father. While she was smiling contentedly, she felt a strange energy creeping up behind her.

“I’m disappointed. Allen, you should have called my name first.”

“I think so too.”

“How could he not say our names first? Is this what emptiness feels like?”

“This is why they say not to take in black-haired ones.”

The divine beasts who had approached unnoticed crossed their arms and wore sullen expressions. It was unclear where they had put their age, but they were becoming more childish as time went on.

“If he had said a divine beast’s name instead of my wife’s, I would have been a bit disappointed.”

Cedric spoke, raising his eyes slightly. At his words, the divine beasts jumped up. They seemed to think their contribution to Allen’s upbringing was significant. In fact, that wasn’t wrong.

He liked playing with the divine beasts more than with the nanny, so she would have understood even if he had called the divine beasts before her. But as a mother, she felt relieved.

‘Though it’s a bit childish.’

The situation was indeed funny. Four large divine beasts were making sullen faces because their names weren’t called. Moreover, Cedric was holding Allen tightly as if to keep him away from them.

“Papa!”

Allen’s loud voice brought silence.

Cedric stared at Allen with a moved expression. His upturned lips clearly revealed his emotions.

And the standing divine beasts simultaneously looked at Allen with shocked expressions. Allen blinked and then stretched out his hands.

“Zeno!”

“Kalandu!”

“Sakin!”

“Herchi!”

As he called out each name in order, their expressions brightened. But that didn’t last long.

“Why is that guy first? Allen, call again. Have you forgotten that I carried you on my back every day?”

Sakin complained about being named third. Kalanzheld also didn’t seem pleased that he wasn’t first. Herchi was completely sulking, turning his head away and grumbling.

“How could I be last? I showed him the sky, cooled him with my wings when it was hot, how could I, how could I have raised him……”

“Herchi, I also showed him the sky. You picked up the child with your talons, but I carried him safely. I think he gave points for that aspect. I can also blow cool wind.”

“Have you forgotten how you blew the wind so violently that the child almost flew away?”

“Ha! That’s rich coming from someone whose sharp talons nearly tore his clothes and made him fall.”

Listening to this, it seemed they hadn’t been raising a child at all.

“Don’t ever take him to see the sky again! Who takes a baby into the sky in the first place?”

She shouted at the two divine beasts with a horrified expression.

“I’m okay, right? I didn’t fly in the sky.”

“Yes, we can’t fly, so we just ran a bit in the fields.”

“Riding on your back is forbidden too!”

Did Cedric not know about this? How could they with a child…

She threatened the divine beasts and then turned to look at Cedric. Seeing him subtly avoiding her gaze, it seemed he had known as well.

“I thought it would be good for him to have various experiences. Building courage too……”

“From now on, don’t do anything unless the nanny is present. Understand?”

“You were happy drinking tea earlier.”

“Yes, I think I trusted you all too much.”

She took Allen from Cedric’s arms into her own. Allen looked back and forth between her and the others, then laughed gleefully.

“Kyaha!”

It seemed she wouldn’t be able to relax until Allen grew up. But there was something more worrying than that. It was neither the divine beasts nor Allen, but Cedric himself.

She lay on the bed, looking up at the beast with flashing blue eyes. She had simply returned to the room after putting Allen to sleep, not expecting this situation to unfold so quickly.