A sudden feeling of pressure washed over them.

Noticing this, Sien and Dylan looked away awkwardly.

Elliope cleared her throat slightly before answering.

“No.”

“I see.”

Elliope fell into silent thought.

“It’s not unreasonable for her to expect such a thing.

After all, she and Kallian have been intimate far too often to count since they were married.

‘…To a rather extreme degree.’

Looking back, even she was surprised at how readily she had responded to Kallian, surrendering herself to him so completely.

Each time he gripped her tightly and moved her with force, it felt as if her very soul was being shattered. With each powerful thr*st, an overwhelming pleasure she had never known before surged through her, exploding and scattering through her senses.

Her most intimate flesh instinctively clenched around him, pulling him deeper into her, refusing to let go.

And each time, Kallian always c*m inside her.

The only time he hadn’t was when they were in Zenya – and that was the only time he had ever shown restraint.

‘How often we’ve been intimate…’

A sudden thought crossed Elliope’s mind – if that were the case, she should have conceived by now.

But she hadn’t noticed any signs of pregnancy. Even when they had called the doctor recently for a slight suspicion of a cold, nothing had been said.

‘How strange.’

It was often said that a child came when it wanted to – perhaps it was true.

Emma continued cautiously,

“If it happens too often… sometimes it can actually make conception more difficult.”

“Hmm…”

“Of course, you’re still newlyweds… and it’s not a bad idea to wait until you’ve made proper plans.”

“That’s right! Besides, you’re both still young, so there’s nothing to worry about!”

Sien interjected, nodding in agreement.

Dylan stroked his white moustache a few times before carefully bowing his head.

“My apologies, madam. It seems I may have put you under undue pressure…”

“…It’s all right. Having served my husband for so long, it’s only natural that you would have such expectations.”

After all, Dylan had been at Kallian’s side since he was a child.

It was said that Kallian had begun to make a name for himself as a distinguished knight around the time Dylan was already serving as his butler. So it was possible that he had been at Kallian’s side for even longer than Elliope knew.

With so much time together, it was no surprise that Dylan came to see Kallian as more than just his master – perhaps more like a son or even a grandson. And at that age, the desire to see one’s grandchildren was universal, no matter where one went.

‘…Even the Emperor was the same.’

Even her own father had often jokingly urged the princes to marry quickly so that he could have grandchildren.

Not only that – hadn’t he constantly urged her to have Theodor’s child as soon as possible?

‘…In my case, it was only meant to ensure that I couldn’t escape the marriage.’

By comparison, Dylan’s wish seemed far more well-intentioned.

Just as the Emperor had shown warmth and enthusiasm at the thought of the grandchildren his sons would have, Dylan probably felt the same – hoping to see and love wholeheartedly the child Kallian and Elliope would one day have.

Thinking about it that way, and looking at Dylan, she didn’t feel much displeasure.

Dylan spoke again in a calm voice.

“As you may have guessed, I sincerely hope that Lord Kallian will one day have a healthy and beautiful heir.”

“……”

“Especially… since Lord Kallian doesn’t have a single relative of his own…”

Elliope also knew that Kallian had no one to rely on.

Like her own birth, he was an illegitimate child – born to a nobleman who had relations with a servant. But instead of accepting him, his family had cast him aside, giving him only the surname reserved for bastards.

In reality, his situation was no different to that of an orphan.

This allowed him to be officially declared the child of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, at least in name.

“He’s always been alone.”

Dylan chose his words carefully, hesitating as if weighing what to say and what to leave unsaid.

“That’s why I foolishly spoke out of turn… because I thought it would be wonderful if Lord Kallian could have a family of his own.”

“……”

“And if possible… I would like to be the one to care for and serve your child as well.”

There was a strange sincerity in his voice, a quiet but unmistakable longing.

Sien clicked her tongue.

“Oh, come on. Are you going to keep talking like an old man?”

“Sien.”

“Dylan will live well into his hundredth year anyway. It’s not too late to have a child. Why are you telling the madam such things when she’s enjoying her newlywed life?”

Sien grumbled with a sharp look, but Elliope shook her head.

After all, Dylan had been Kallian’s loyal servant for a long time. She wanted to show him at least that much respect.

Dylan continued speaking quietly.

“Sien is right. I know this is just my own selfish wish, so please, Madam, don’t let it bother you.”

“I see.”

A child.

Even in her previous life, Elliope had never been pregnant. Nor had she ever had a real family.

The people she had once considered family had left her with nothing but bitter wounds…

But when she imagined Kallian holding a baby in his arms, an unfamiliar tingling sensation spread through her chest.

‘A baby that looked like Kallian.’

It was as if butterflies suddenly fluttered in her stomach, their wings flapping softly.

An inexplicable feeling of longing washed over her, making her slightly dizzy.

A possibility she had never considered before was quietly taking root in her mind.

‘My… family.’

Not her mother, who died young, leaving her unable to even remember her own face. Not the Emperor and Empress, who saw her as nothing more than a substitute. Not the Emperor’s children, the princes and princesses, who saw her as nothing more than a stray.

Not the people, who were as good as non-existent…

‘A family made with Kallian.’

A family of her own, made by her own choice.

Elliope quickly suppressed the swelling in her chest. Her heart continued to pound at her fingertips.

‘One day we will have one.’

As Emma and Sien had said, they were still very young. When the time came, a child would come into their lives naturally.

Although Elliope had her own thoughts, it was still uncertain whether Kallian wanted a child. It would be pointless to force herself to make a decision now.

Still, she whispered to Dylan,

“…I’ll at least try.”

“……”

“When I have time… I’ll ask my husband if he has any intentions.”

That much wasn’t difficult… probably.

Hearing this, Dylan bowed deeply, as if moved. Sien and Emma also turned their heads and laughed.

“Dylan, you might actually faint if the baby comes later.”

“Sien.”

“Live long enough to hold the baby, you should! Ah, madam, the… holding part… you’ll do that, won’t you?”

“I’ll let you hold it too, Sien.”

“Really? That’s great! I’m sure it will be wonderful!”

“Madam, me too.”

“All right. Emma, you too.”

As Elliope spoke, she pressed her cheek down again, feeling it warm. Just the thought of little baby booties and bonnets made her heart swell with warmth.

***

The interior of the Grand Duke’s castle was always busy, much like the capital of the Empire. Kallian entered with a neutral expression.

“Good day, Viscountess.”

“Viscount Elsen.”

The inhabitants of the Grand Duke’s castle, who remembered Kallian from his days as a knight, greeted him warmly. Due to recent events, their looks were tinged with both pity and pride.

Kallian accepted the greetings naturally, nodding as he returned each glance. The people gathered in small groups, whispering to each other.

“A trial, of all things. The Grand Duke’s words were a bit harsh.”

“Well, it wasn’t the viscount’s fault, was it? They were the ones who attacked first.”

As Kallian walked, ignoring the conversations, he seemed like a calm, leisurely wolfdog.

His calm exterior made it seem as if the rumours of his being brought before the Empire’s military tribunal were nothing but lies.

The sight only served to ignite a flame of pride in the hearts of the estate’s residents.

“Truly composed. They say he even showed Prince Seor a thing or two?”

“Even after everything that’s happened, he’s still so calm. That makes me trust him even more.”

The residents all exchanged glances and added their own comments.

“……”

Kallian, still letting them chatter as they wished, went to the marketplace. There was a shop that sold good medicine for Elliope. It was an herb shop he often visited when he stayed at the Grand Duke’s castle.

Just as he entered the bustling interior, a cry rang out.

“Thief!”

A man in ragged clothes suddenly began to run quickly, clutching a bag. The man happened to be running directly towards Kallian.

“This guy’s as good as dead now.”

As the townsfolk’s expectant eyes turned to Kallian and the man, Kallian casually twisted the man’s wrist and grabbed him.

“Ugh!”

“Pathetic.”

Kallian muttered softly, his cold eyes looking down at the shabby man. The moment the man flinched, the merchants rushed in and grabbed him.

“Truly, you are a viscount!”

“We’ll hand him over to the security team!”

“I haven’t seen him around. Anyway, with the current atmosphere in the Manor, there have been a lot of suspicious people lately. Tch.”

Various comments were added with bold exclamations.

As the merchants continued to chat and walked away, a small figure ran towards them, panting heavily. It appeared to be the person who had been robbed. From the shape and hooded cloak, it appeared to be a slender woman.

“Ah.”

The woman stumbled, almost falling into Kallian’s arms. He didn’t exactly avoid it, but just before she collapsed completely, he reached out and caught her to steady her. It was a graceful move, not too hard, but still composed.

“……”

Kallian handed her the bag with an indifferent expression.

“Thank you.”

At that moment, armed knights rushed towards them from a distance.

“Your Highness, the princess!”

Kallian tilted his head at the words. The woman slowly raised her head. Her pale green eyes, similar to Elliope’s, met his.