“Why does your expression look like that?”

Belladonna asked with a smile, noticing Escalion’s furrowed brow and tense jaw muscles.

She gently stroked his face with her hand and asked again.

“You don’t think the baby is being impudent for kicking its mother, do you?”

“……”

Instead of answering, Escalion rolled his golden eyes and avoided her gaze.

I knew it. Belladonna burst out laughing again and placed her hand on his arm.

“This is natural behavior! It’s not trying to trouble me, but a small gesture of wanting to communicate with me.”

“I know, but it’s too much. You could get hurt……”

Seeing his seemingly aggrieved expression, it seemed he really thought that way.

“Escalion…… You’re going to be a very strict father when the baby is born, aren’t you?”

“I will be if it treats you carelessly.”

Really, there’s no helping him……

Belladonna gave a wry laugh, shook her head, and sat down in the chair in front of the vanity.

“Dry my hair for me!”

Escalion also let out a small laugh and stood behind her.

He picked up a dry new towel and began squeezing the moisture from her hair as he spoke.

“Did you eat anything delicious at the market?”

“Delicious things……”

“You know, like warm fish-shaped pastries.”

Ah!

Belladonna recalled a past memory.

A few days after marrying Escalion and coming to Griblata, she had gone sightseeing at the market with him.

It seemed he remembered how she had begged for warm fish-shaped pastries then.

“Unfortunately, they didn’t have those. Has the trend passed?”

“What about sky lanterns?”

“Those are only done during the year-end festival. They don’t do them in spring.”

“Ah, I see. Portraits?”

Belladonna looked up at Escalion through the mirror and spoke.

“Of me and Scarlet?”

“Come to think of it, that’s strange.”

Escalion answered with a small laugh, as if he also found his question amusing.

Belladonna stared at him blankly for a moment, lost in thought.

But warm fish-shaped pastries, sky lanterns, and portraits…..

“Escalion, you remember everything we did together at the last year-end festival?”

“How could I forget?”

“No, I thought you didn’t like those things……”

“Who said I don’t like such things?”

Escalion, who had now dried her hair as much as possible, leaned his upper body towards Belladonna and asked.

The hot energy flowing from his body was transmitted directly to the nape of her neck.

What kind of body heat……

“Bella, it seems you don’t remember, but I enjoyed everything I did with you.”

Instead of answering, Belladonna blinked her eyes and looked at Escalion in the mirror.

But I thought you found me annoying in the early days of our marriage?

“That’s a look of disbelief.”

“When I asked you to go to the year-end festival with me, you showed how annoyed you were and didn’t want to go.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you didn’t agree readily and set conditions!”

“What conditions?”

The corners of Escalion’s mouth turned up slightly.

Belladonna frowned as she recalled those so-called conditions. Ugh, I’ve been had!

“Hmm? What conditions, Bella?”

Escalion asked, placing his hand on her chin and turning her to face him. His burning golden eyes were right in front of her, not reflected in the mirror.

Belladonna felt herself tensing up unconsciously as she slowly opened her mouth.

“The conditions were……”

That, that was such a sly condition back then!

Belladonna glared at him reproachfully while inwardly exclaiming. You really want me to say this with my own mouth?

Escalion, who had been smiling leisurely, lowered his head and moved even closer to her.

By now, the distance between their lips was no more than a finger’s width.

His intense scent made Belladonna’s head spin.

“Bella, what condition did I set?”

When he spoke in a low voice, his hot breath tapped against her lips.

Belladonna lowered her gaze from his eyes to his full lips.

She felt an inexplicable thirst drying out her mouth.

“A kis…… mmph.”

Before she could finish the word, Escalion pulled the back of her head and swallowed her lips.

I knew it! This sly husband!

While she was off guard, her lips parted on their own. Belladonna felt his warm breath enter and tightly closed her eyes.

The kiss, which she thought would be brief, lasted longer than expected.

After holding onto Belladonna for a long time without letting go, Escalion picked her up and carried her to the bed.

“Es…… W-wait a moment……”

Belladonna managed to say in the brief moment their lips parted.

But her voice disappeared into Escalion’s mouth once again.

Even after laying Belladonna down on the wide bed, Escalion didn’t pull away for a long time before finally raising his upper body.

When she finally came to her senses and looked up, his lowered golden eyes were gazing down at her.

“I have more than a few complaints about this little one.”

At last, he spoke in a low, raspy voice.

He frowned as if holding something back and irritably brushed back the hair that had fallen over his forehead.

“I wish it would hurry up and come into the world so it would stop interfering between me and my wife.”

“I don’t think Escalion will be a good father.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ve given up. In this life, I’ll just try to be a good husband.”

Escalion flopped down next to Belladonna with a groan. As she watched him heave a deep sigh, Belladonna spoke up.

“Well…… The physician said it was alright.”

“That doesn’t mean we can overdo it. You’re weaker than others, so I don’t know how much more careful we need to be.”

Escalion opened his eyes and looked at her.

“It’s been a while…… I’m not sure if I can control myself.”

Somehow, his direct words and gaze made Belladonna blush.

Ahem, hmm…… W-well, if that’s the case……

After rolling her eyes for a moment in contemplation, she spoke without turning her head.

“But…… I-if we can do it moderately, they said it’s good for pregnant women.”

“……”

“And I also…… I also want it quite a bit……”

“……”

What’s this? Why isn’t he answering after I’ve said this much?

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by the silence, Belladonna glanced at him with just her eyes.

“……?”

Huh?

His burning golden eyes were fixed on her. Why, why are you looking at me like that?

Escalion, who had been staring intently at Belladonna like a predator eyeing its prey, slowly raised his upper body.

Belladonna parted her lips slightly as she looked at his large body that had now revealed its imposing presence.

“You said you’re alright with it.”

“That……”

“And that you want it.”

Belladonna nodded reflexively.

She closed her eyes tightly as she supported the large, solid body that was now covering hers.

Soon, an intensely hot energy descended upon her.

Knock knock.

The sound of someone knocking on the door was very distinct.

But having been exhausted all night, she couldn’t move a muscle due to the fatigue in her entire body.

Knock knock.

The knocking sound came again.

Belladonna furrowed her brow and fumbled for Escalion beside her.

“Mmm……”

She gently shook his thick arm, meaning for him to get up quickly and open the door. But there was no particular response from him.

Why isn’t he getting up? Usually, he would have been up and opened the door long ago……

Knock knock.

Finally having no choice but to open her eyes, Belladonna raised her upper body completely and looked at him.

“……”

“……Huh?”

It was truly a strange sight.

Escalion was so soundly asleep.

What is this? Belladonna looked down at him with surprised eyes.

Although their married life hadn’t been long, this was truly the first time she had seen him so deeply asleep.

The sight of Escalion snoring softly with his mouth slightly open was very unfamiliar.

“Wow……”

Belladonna let out a quiet exclamation. How amazing!

Escalion normally had such sharp ears that he would react sensitively to even the smallest sound, and he would even jump up to tuck her in and pat her back if she shifted slightly in her sleep during the night.

Moreover, since she had become pregnant, he had been so full of worries that he hadn’t slept properly……

Did Escalion overexert himself yesterday too?

Knock knock!

Belladonna, who had been staring at him with vacant eyes for a moment, was startled by the knocking sound again and turned her body.

“J-just a moment!”

She hurriedly got out of bed, found a robe to put on, and carefully opened the door.

Through the crack in the door, she could see Wolf and the knights standing there with proud smiles, their arms full of Escalion’s gifts.

“Good morning, my lady!”

“Yes, did you sleep well, Wolf?”

“Yes! I’ve brought what you instructed us to prepare.”

“Thank you. But Escalion hasn’t woken up yet……”

“What? The lord?”

Wolf asked with wide eyes.

You can’t believe Escalion is still sleeping, can you? Neither can I……

Belladonna smiled awkwardly and opened the door wide.

“Could you put them somewhere visible? As quietly as possible……”

“Yes, understood!”

Wolf nodded and signaled to the knights standing behind him with his eyes.

Making eye contact and nodding to each other, they raised their heels and tiptoed very carefully into the room.

Since it’s come to this, let’s think of it as a surprise!

Belladonna smiled as she watched the gifts being neatly stacked in the room.

I wonder if he’ll like it!