A warm spring breeze drifted in through the window of the carriage. While the ducal couple had been away enjoying the early spring in Hetar, spring had also arrived in Kalang.

Yuis’s gaze, fixed on the scenery of Haben radiating the full bloom of spring, glowed with that same gentle warmth. As she reached her hand out the window to feel the breeze, she soon turned her eyes toward Edric. Their gazes met at once, and Yuis suddenly asked,

“How was it?”

They had just returned from a second honeymoon in Hetar. Yuis was well aware that Edric had juggled a tight schedule just to make the trip possible.

With a soft smile still lingering on her lips, Yuis looked into his blue eyes, filled with affection, and said,

“Our trip, I mean. I was truly happy.”

Watching her speak with such a radiant smile, a faint smile began to spread across Edric’s own lips.

It had been a rather different journey from their first honeymoon. This time, they had spent nearly every moment together—as ordinary lovers, as husband and wife, simply sharing time side by side.

“I was, too. Of course.”

Edric chuckled softly as he recalled moments that would have been unthinkable in Kalang, where prying eyes were ever present. He remembered how they had spread out a picnic blanket in the park, enjoyed the lunch that Yuis had lovingly prepared for them, and let the breeze carry their laughter. They had even dozed off together in the middle of the day.

“It really feels like we’ve just come back from a dream.”

She had said it throughout the trip—that it all felt like a dream. At her words, Edric let out a deeper, more genuine laugh. Yuis’s violet eyes widened slightly in response.

Only after the laughter subsided did Edric finally speak.

“Do you know how many times you’ve said that now?”

“But it’s true.”

She replied, utterly sincere. Though his tone held a hint of teasing, Edric couldn’t deny the truth in her words. It had felt like a dream—because he had never imagined such happiness would find its way to them.

As the two continued their quiet conversation, the carriage gradually began to slow.

When it came to a complete stop, Edric was the first to tidy his coat and step down. Yuis followed shortly after—and as she did, Edric reached out and lifted her into his arms.

Instead of asking to be put down, Yuis simply laced her fingers through his and allowed herself to lean into him, docile and trusting.

His strong hand held hers tightly as they began to walk forward.

***

Since their return, time had slipped by quickly. The Duke and Duchess, Edric and Yuis, had their own responsibilities to attend to.

The most pressing matter, of course, was the question of an heir.

Given what they had both endured, it was only natural that concerns were being voiced about the lack of a successor to the ducal line. Yuis shared these concerns, though Edric appeared unaffected.

One moonlit night, Edric kissed her countless times and made love to her with burning intensity. As always, he withdrew before climaxing.

Even during their honeymoon, it had been the same. Edric held her over and over again, but the outcome never changed.

Ever since they had confirmed their feelings for each other, Edric had treated Yuis as if she were his entire world. He paid close attention to her moods and every moment of her day, showing his care and affection in ways she could not possibly overlook.

Yet despite receiving this love, Yuis couldn’t bring herself to talk to Edric about having a child.

Would it be too overwhelming for a man who once thought he wasn’t meant for marriage, let alone having a family? Would it feel like she was pushing him before he was truly ready?

These heavy questions lingered, silencing her whenever she tried to speak.

Her violet eyes dimmed slightly as she watched Edric silently wiping her body with a warm towel, careful to clean away every trace of himself.

He was focused on the task, unaware of the emotions stirring within her. Traces of him—of his passionate persistence from earlier—still lingered across both their bodies.

“I think we should just bathe together today.”

Yuis nodded quietly.

Edric gently lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bathroom. As she was enveloped in the warmth of the bathwater, a drowsy heaviness began to settle in. Yuis leaned in closer, clinging to him as if seeking something more.

Noticing her quiet insistence, Edric finally broke the silence in a soft voice.

“Why?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You need to tell me what’s bothering you.”

Yuis hesitated, searching for the right words, then gently shook her head.

“This… isn’t something I should say. Not like this, not here.”

“Say it anyway.”

At his quiet insistence, Yuis lifted her gaze to meet his. When she frowned, he gently ran his finger over the space between her brows and continued in a soft voice.

“What’s wrong with saying it here, like this? We’re married. We’re closer than ever right now—and I think this is the perfect time for a private conversation.”

His voice was low and tender. It conveyed permission and assurance that whatever she wanted to say would be accepted.

The love shimmering in his deep blue eyes stirred something in her, filling her with courage.

Yuis wanted a child.

She thought of the child she had seen in a sad dream: a child with blonde hair and violet eyes. But she would love a child with her hair and Edric’s blue eyes just the same.

In truth, none of that mattered. She simply wanted a child.

She knew that Edric’s reluctance stemmed from old wounds. She also knew that she had no right to demand something that might reopen them.

Nevertheless, Yuis wanted to talk to him about it.

There was a time when she never believed that she could have a happy family. Her life with Edric had changed all that — it was nothing short of a miracle.

Edric had healed her broken past. He gave her a place, a home. He had become her true family.

That’s why Yuis believed—with all her heart—that he could become a wonderful father.

And if he couldn’t believe it himself, she was willing to whisper that belief to him, every single day.

Yuis held no doubt that Edric could become a wonderful father because he had stitched together the wounds of her past and become her true family.

And if he didn’t believe it yet, she was willing to whisper that belief into his ear every single day until he did.

“Edric.”

“Mm?”

After a brief pause of hesitation, Yuis finally asked him, her voice cautious, delicate.

“Don’t you want to have children?”

Edric, clearly unprepared for the question, went silent. His eyes remained on her as if deep in thought.

But Yuis didn’t wait for him to answer. Instead, she gently offered her own heart.

“I think it would be a beautiful thing.”
“…”

“To carry a child who resembles you… to raise that child together and find a whole new kind of happiness with you.”

“I already feel complete.”

“I do, too. Truly. But… I just hope you’ll consider it. Just once. Of course, I would never force you to do something you don’t want. You matter more to me than anything else.”

Yuis was not someone who often voiced what she wanted. She had always lived carefully, quietly.

But for Edric… this wasn’t a simple thing to hear.

A child.

Due to their mistakes, a child born to parents who had loved each other in the wrong way had almost lost the concept of love altogether.

If Yuis hadn’t chosen him… Edric might have lived the rest of his life never knowing what love truly was.

The thought that he could be a father—that he could give a child love—felt almost impossible.
Unbelievable.
Unreal.

“You really think I’ll be a good father?”

“Yes, I do.”

Yuis answered without hesitation.

“How can you be so sure?”

“…”

“I just… don’t think I can.”

At those words, a gentle smile curved Yuis’s lips. Even when his eyes searched hers in quiet doubt, she didn’t let that smile falter.

“Because you’re already a good husband to me.”

‘The one who showed me that this world holds joy, that love is real, that I, too, can be happy.’

“Just as I became everything to you, you have become everything to me.”

She pressed kiss after kiss onto his face, brushing her lips against his smooth forehead, the arch of his brow, the slope of his nose, his cheek, and finally his lips.

Between breathless moments and shared warmth, she whispered sweet nothings in his ear once more.

“That’s why you’ll be a good father. No matter what anyone says, I believe it. I’m sure of it.”

“If you’re that sure, then I have no choice but to believe it too.”

A faint hint of emotion coloured Edric’s deep voice, betraying feelings he could no longer conceal.

Yuis wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned close, whispering softly into his ear.

“Trust me. The way I trust you.”

Edric felt a dull ache bloom in his chest.

Given the unwavering trust and love she gave him so freely, he was afraid that he might disappoint her. He was afraid that he might not live up to her expectations.

But then, from the depths of his anxiety, a memory surfaced.

A dream.

Of a child who looked like her.

A beautiful child who had once smiled at him before vanishing like a mirage.

Edric had avoided the topic of children for a while, citing Yuis’s health as the reason. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t just that.

It wasn’t something that could be avoided forever.

“You’ve regained your health, and I’m healthy now too. Besides… an heir is part of our duty as the ducal couple, isn’t it?”

How could he turn away from her, especially now that she was sitting before him like this: vulnerable yet brave, speaking of children with such tenderness?