Despite everything she had endured, the child within her continued to grow steadily and strongly. As though understanding its mother’s concerns, the baby developed quietly, without even the usual tightening pains. After the first gentle flutter of movement, her morning sickness eased significantly, leaving her in optimal condition to carry the child.

Delphius let his gaze rest on Ilenia, her form draped in a soft negligée. As the seasons changed, her clothing had grown thicker, yet even beneath the layers, the curve of her body, shaped by the growing life inside her, was unmistakable.

Slowly, he lowered his hand.

That once slender waist had already blossomed into this before he had fully realized it. No matter how many times he looked, it still felt nothing short of a miracle.

“Mm… Delphius…”

Her soft body melted against his as she nestled closer. As her belly rounded with the growing child inside her, Ilenia herself began to fill out, too.

There was a time when she was so thin that it was difficult to tell she was pregnant, but now the weight she had gained gave her cheeks a gentle warmth, making her look all the more radiant.

Even so, this change was only noticeable in comparison to how she had been before. Aside from her swollen belly, it was still difficult to believe that she was pregnant.

As his thoughts drifted, he briefly thought of someone who had always been difficult for him. His brows drew together faintly as he pushed the thought away. She had rejected him until the very end, even refusing him as she left this world. There was no way any maternal affection or bond could have remained.

And yet… was it because of his childhood obsession that he kept seeing traces of her in Ilenia?

Delphius gently brushed his fingers against Ilenia’s flushed cheek. At his touch, she leaned into his hand.

The sight stirred something warm in him — so much so that he found himself softly stroking her hair, as though comforting and praising a child.

One thing was certain: The woman before him and his mother were nothing alike.

Even if he couldn’t clearly articulate every difference, he knew that much without question.

Above all, the greatest difference was—

“Ilenia.”

At the sound of his voice, she lifted her head. For a brief moment, her gaze felt distant—almost like that of a stranger.

But then her eyes softened, curving gently as they settled on him.

And in that instant, he knew.

This was Ilenia.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his movements slow and unhurried.

“Ah… Delphius…”

“Does it hurt?”

“No… it doesn’t hurt…”

She shook her head gently. The nape of her neck, revealed between strands of her hair, was flushed red—so unlike the boldness of the woman who had once dared to suggest a night together. Now, there was only shy hesitation.

“If your stomach starts to hurt, tell me anytime. I’ll stop.”

“No… I’m still alright, it’s fine—ah…”

Her fragile breath trembled as it fell against the sheets. Lying on her side so as not to press down on her rounded belly, Ilenia lifted one leg slightly. Even so, no matter how he moved, the position made it difficult to reach deeply.

At a shallow thr*st, her shoulders quivered.

“Ah… nn…”

Perhaps it wasn’t enough—the way he lingered at the edge without fully pressing in. Ilenia placed her hand over his, which rested on her chest, and guided it, pressing it more firmly against her soft br*ast.

“Will you help me?”

Her tearful gaze returned to him, her eyes clearly asking, ‘You already know the answer, so why ask?’

Delphius let out a quiet, restrained laugh.

The frustration was not hers alone.

Their interactions remained shallow and restrained, never reaching any real depth, merely brushing the surface. It felt like skimming the surface of shallow water, never fully submerging. And yet, to say it brought no pleasure would have been a lie. Delphius kept himself firmly in check, repeatedly suppressing his instincts and being careful not to move too roughly.

He had never intended to touch her like this until Ilenia had safely given birth. There was nothing to be gained by risking harm to the child she was carrying. Besides, he didn’t believe her small, fragile body could withstand the strain of pregnancy and him at the same time.

However, now that she was carrying their child, Ilenia thought differently.

“The physician said… since I’ve reached a stable stage, it’s alright to do it little by little now.”

“To do what?”

“Th-that… what married couples do at night.”

It was only a single sentence, yet her face flushed as though she had confessed something immense.

“Delphius… I want to.”

“That’s rather abrupt for a seduction.”

“It’s not abrupt! I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I wanted you to touch me… to hold me.”

Her hands clung to him a little impatiently. Drawing him closer through the soft fabric of her negligée, she guided his hand to her chest and pressed it against her br*ast.

The unfamiliar softness against his palm stirred something dangerous within him. For a moment, he was seized by the urge to squeeze it hard enough to crush it, but he managed to restrain himself.

However, that restraint crumbled at her next words.

“…Delphius. I’ve missed your touch.”

It was, for all intents and purposes, irresistible.

How many men could remain unmoved after hearing such words from their wife?

Delphius tightened his hold and drove his hips forward.

“Ah—!”

The moment her body tensed around him, he experienced a sharp wave of pleasure running up his spine. In that instant, he was certain that, if no one else would, then he certainly never would be able to escape Ilenia himself.

As her pregnancy became more stable, Ilenia’s anxiety eased considerably.

Perhaps it was because Delphius had set aside most of his pressing duties and returned to a quieter life, but whatever the reason, she seemed far more at peace.

The more time Delphius spent by her side, the more her condition visibly improved.

The hollowness that had once lingered in her cheeks gradually faded, replaced by a soft fullness. At last, she truly looked like a woman carrying new life.

For her comfort, the bedroom was prepared early, with soft fur rugs laid across the floor as her body grew heavier with each passing day.

Ilenia closed the book she had been reading and slowly lowered her hand.

“…My baby.”

Thump.

Each time she felt the child stir, as though answering her, Ilenia would light up with joy. There were even times when she spoke endlessly, hoping to feel those movements again.

“By the time you’re born, this place might be covered in white snow.”

A miracle that had come to her.

Several times a day, she would imagine the color of the child’s eyes, the shade of its hair, and reflect on all the days that had led her here, whispering softly as if sharing a secret meant only for the two of them.

“Mother is always waiting for the day she gets to meet you.”

Bathed in the warmth of sunlight, she murmured gently.

And then—

“M-Milady! Milady!”

Startled by the sudden cry, Ilenia lifted her head to see Anna clutching the doorframe, breathless.

“Please, look at this!”

She thr*st forward a crumpled news sheet in her hand. Ilenia’s gaze was drawn at once to the bold headline splashed across the front.

[Calteho—On the Brink of Collapse! Where Is the Luckhardt Fortune Disappearing To?]

“…What on earth does this mean?”

“I—I haven’t read it properly myself… I came straight to you, Milady…”

Ilenia took the paper from Anna, lowered her gaze and began to read. Beneath the illustration of a sinking ship, the article continued in dense lines of text.

The problem was that it was mostly just harsh and scathing condemnation of Luckhardt.

The world was pointing fingers at Luckhardt and accusing them of setting sail recklessly and bringing about their own ruin.

“Th-this is bad, isn’t it?”

“…Where is Delphius?”

“He left this morning without saying much. He seemed to be in quite a good mood, so I thought things had been going well for him lately, but now this…”

“We don’t know that yet.”

“M-Milady…”

“We haven’t heard anything from Delphius himself. So we don’t know how things will turn out.”

She spoke calmly, trying to reassure Anna. But once her expression had changed, it refused to return to what it had been before.

…Would Delphius be alright?

If the written accusations were already this severe, then the judgment of the public must be far harsher still.

‘Please… let him be safe.’

Just as her growing anxiety began to gnaw at her, a sudden commotion rose from outside.

“It seems the Master has returned!”

Anna quickly glanced out the window and cried out. Ilenia rose to her feet without thinking.

“I need to go.”

Her swollen belly had grown so much that when she stood still, she could no longer even see her own feet. The moment she tried to leave the bedroom on her own, Anna hurriedly stopped her, alarmed.

“You’re so close to your due date—you have to be careful!”

It was only a short walk indoors, yet in Anna’s eyes, it was as if she were trying to balance ten crystal bowls on her head.

In the end, supported by Anna, she slowly made her way down the stairs—only to come face to face with Delphius as he was coming up.

His gaze flickered in surprise—once to her face, then to her belly.

“Why did you come out? It’s not easy for you to walk anymore.”

Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms. He carried her as though her large belly posed no difficulty at all, the motion entirely familiar.

As she buried her face against his chest, the faint scent of the cold air clung to him.

“…I came too quickly. You must still be cold.”

“No.”

Ilenia shook her head at once.

“This is what I want right now. Truly, Delphius.”

Ilenia reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. The sight of him—whole and unharmed—slowly soothed her racing heart, calming the turmoil within her little by little.