A cold breeze brushed the tip of her nose.

Belladonna frowned as she awoke from her sleep. She still couldn’t quite get used to the harsh winters of Griblata.

Just as she was about to snuggle further into the blanket, a hot, thick arm suddenly shot out and pulled her into its embrace.

“Bella, use your husband, I told you.”

A relaxed, deep voice floated down to her ear.

Belladonna smiled softly and rested her forehead against Escalion’s chest.

She could feel his firm chest rising and falling with a steady rhythm.

“What on earth did you eat? How can a person be so hot even in the dead of winter?”

“It’s not that I’m hot, you’re just too cold.”

Escalion said teasingly as he tickled the small of her back. Belladonna let out a slightly louder laugh and twisted her body.

“That tickles!”

“That’s why I’m doing it… Wait a minute.”

At that moment, Escalion stopped moving his hand and stared at her intently.

Confused by his sudden stop, Belladonna looked up at him with puzzled eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s not that you’re cold…”

He raised one eyebrow and lifted his large palm to press it against Belladonna’s forehead.

Beneath the dark-colored palm, her white, round face tilted.

What’s he doing?

Finally, Escalion let out a deep sigh and began to tuck the blanket tightly around Belladonna.

“I think you’ve caught a cold.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you have a slight fever.”

No wonder I felt a bit chilly…

Belladonna blinked her eyes as she was tightly wrapped in the thick blanket.

Escalion’s thick arm muscles were wasting unnecessary strength in trying to keep her warm.

Finally, after bundling Belladonna up in the blanket to his satisfaction, he exhaled and brushed back the hair that had fallen over his forehead.

Unlike Belladonna, who was wrapped in the blanket with only her eyes and nose peeking out, he was almost half-naked.

“Wait a moment. I’ll call for a physician.”

“You really don’t have to! If I just sit by the fire and dress warmly, it’ll pass quickly…”

“No, winter is getting deeper. Even if it’s not because of a cold, it’s good to have a regular check-up.”

After finishing his words, Escalion raised one hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

Belladonna nodded helplessly and closed her eyes. His tickling, gentle touch lingered near her face.

‘…Winter again already…’

She had married Escalion in early winter last year, and returned from all the events when the harsh cold was easing and spring was approaching.

And now winter again.

That meant it had already been a year since she married Escalion.

“It was nice for a while.”

Belladonna muttered, remembering Griblata’s summer, which was more cool than hot.

“Will you say it’s still nice? That’s too much in the past tense.”

Escalion said, gently tapping her nose.

Feeling playful at his reaction, Belladonna narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“We’ll see. You know I don’t like the cold.”

“If you want to go to the townhouse in Silenia, just say the word. I’ll call a magician for you.”

“As if you’d come with me, saying you’re too busy.”

Seemingly a bit surprised by her unexpectedly sulky response, Escalion’s golden eyes widened. He soon visibly flustered and reached out to her soothingly.

“That’s not true. If you want, I’ll go with you anytime. No matter how busy I am.”

“You say that, but you’ll be the first to come back soon.”

“No, that’s…”

Perhaps in a hurry, Escalion made an empty promise.

Belladonna chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m joking. I’ve gotten somewhat used to the cold living here. It’s where I’ll have to live for the rest of my life, the lord’s wife can’t just run off to the south because it’s a bit cold!”

“Really? It sounds even better hearing it in your voice.”

Pleased with Belladonna’s bold answer, he lifted the corners of his mouth in a satisfied smile. The charming curve of his smile was beautiful.

My husband, always so handsome no matter when I look at him…!

Belladonna nodded with a contented feeling.

“Still, you need to live healthily with me for the rest of your life, so I’ll call a physician.”

“Alright.”

Escalion lowered his head to pull Belladonna’s back of the head closer and lightly kissed her forehead.

He then kissed her soft cheeks a few times before completely rising from the bed.

“Rest well. I’ll have breakfast brought to the room.”

Belladonna nodded as she watched him open the wardrobe and roughly throw on whatever clothes he grabbed.

He ran a hand through his hair, gave her a smile, and left the room.

As soon as he closed the door and completely left, Belladonna flopped onto the bed as if she had been waiting for it.

“Ugh, it is cold.”

This damned cold gets colder just when you think you’ve adapted, and then gets even colder when you think you’ve adapted again!

So far, she had endured each day warmly thanks to Escalion’s devoted care, but she couldn’t even imagine what Griblata’s midwinter cold, which she was experiencing for the first time, would be like.

Belladonna curled up tightly under the blanket and placed a hand on her lower abdomen.

The stabbing pain in her lower abdomen and back that had been particularly noticeable since last week made her think she should indeed get a regular check-up through the physician.

“I do need to stay healthy after all…”

Although there was no longer a risk of major harm to her body since she couldn’t use her spiritual power anymore, her body was inherently weak.

I should tell Cindy to prepare some thick socks…

With various thoughts about preparing for the harsh cold, Belladonna drifted back into her morning sleep.

“My lady! Are you sure you’re done eating?”

Cindy, who was clearing away the finished meal dishes, said as she looked at Belladonna. The plate she was about to clear away was not even half empty.

“Does the soup not suit your taste? Should I tell the chef to bring out a different dish?”

Belladonna quickly shook her head.

“No, the food was excellent.”

“Then why did you leave so much?”

“Somehow, I feel like I haven’t been digesting well lately. I think it might be because of the cold…”

Belladonna replied, scratching her head. She felt sorry for leaving the food that had been prepared with such care.

At her answer, Cindy lifted the dishes with a worried face.

“I heard the physician is visiting this afternoon. You heard, right? I’ll ask him to prescribe the strongest cold medicine in Griblata!”

“Yes, thank you!”

Belladonna nodded as she looked up at the determined Cindy.

That afternoon, upon hearing news of the physician’s arrival, Belladonna went down to the reception room on the lower floor.

The physician, who had been waiting for her to come, stood up as he saw her enter the reception room.

“My lady, hello. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“Yes, I think it’s the first time since summer.”

Belladonna gave him a bright smile as she took a seat on the opposite sofa.

The physician stared at her smile in a daze before coming to his senses and opening the examination bag he had placed on the floor.

“So, you’ve caught a cold, I hear.”

“Yes, please give me the strongest medicine so I can recover quickly.”

“What are your symptoms?”

He asked as he took out a pen and paper.

Symptoms… Belladonna pondered before speaking.

“I think they’re typical cold symptoms. I have a slight fever, I feel chilly, and sometimes I have trouble digesting.”

“Hmm…?”

The physician, who had been listening to her symptoms with a serious face, made a strange sound. His small eyes seemed to sparkle behind his thick glasses.

What, what is it? Belladonna furrowed her brow at this unfamiliar reaction.

Surely it’s not something serious?

“My lady! If I may be so bold, I think it would be better to do a different examination.”

“A different examination?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

After finishing his words, he rummaged through his examination bag and began to take out tools she had never seen before.

What kind of examination is he going to do?

Belladonna quietly watched what the physician was taking out with a puzzled look.

He brought out examination tools and placed them against her wrist, carefully measured her temperature and blood pressure, and even conducted a potion reaction test.

“What kind of potion is this?”

Belladonna asked, curiously watching as the faint green potion into which a drop of her blood had been added instantly turned blue.

Soon, after confirming the changed color of the potion, the physician nodded with an indecipherable smile. He flared his nostrils and met Belladonna’s eyes.

“My lady, I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to prescribe strong cold medicine.”

“Why not? When I’m this sick…!”

Belladonna said in a pretendedly aggrieved voice. I don’t want to be sick!

But the physician, seeming even more excited, took a rough breath and opened his mouth.

“Congratulations, my lady. A precious new family member will be joining Griblata Castle.”

“Kyaaak!”

Cindy, who had been standing quietly behind, suddenly screamed.

Belladonna was even more startled by her reaction and flinched. Cindy was jumping up and down in place, making strange noises.

Belladonna, watching the reactions of the physician and Cindy, blinked her eyes, feeling rather dazed.

Wait a minute. A precious family member? Does that mean…

“Are you saying that I’m…”

“My lady, congratulations on your pregnancy!”

Cindy exclaimed in an excited voice, clapping her hands.