Late at night, Caliph sat with his arms folded, squinting his eyes.
It seemed like the sun had just started to set, but soon, there was no light to be found.
Even without closing his eyes, all he saw was pitchblack darkness. Yet, Caliph did not open his eyes.
He could not.
Because Evelia Caroline had not regained consciousness until the sun had set and the moon had risen.
“……Hoo.”
A thick, deep sigh seeped through the tightly closed lips.
As soon as he barely opened his eyes, Evelia’s pale and ashen face caught his eye. It made him sigh once again.
Suddenly, the mournful sobbing he had heard all evening came to mind.
[Heave, today, more than usual, is hard, when she said, that, I should have somehow, let her rest, heave.]
The maidservant, who repeated the sobbing words several times, left Evelia’s side, supported by someone, just before fainting.
Silence came in an instant. Only then could Caliph think.
Ah, she was struggling. Today, especially, was hard for her. Still, she had to go there because of the Empress’s command.
The onedimensional thoughts that began with the maidservant’s words lined up in his rigid mind.
The conclusion he reached was selfblame.
“……How much more do I have to be a bad person to you here?”
He couldn’t bear the skepticism that weighed heavier than ever.
He spat out only cruel words, knowing he couldn’t turn back. He was gentle with the cursed Net Duke’s daughter, knowing she was there, and drove her to the edge.
The excuse was always the same. He still couldn’t let her know his identity.
His heart was too heavy. But what made him more unbearable was that Liurian Petrov, not Caliph Dewit, could be by the side of the fallen Evelia.
Caliph stared intently at the sleeping Evelia. Her face, without a trace of blood, looked like someone who would never wake up.
So, he was suddenly scared.
If she doesn’t wake up like this, what should I do? I willingly became Liurian for her, not hesitating to kill. If she doesn’t wake up, then I…
“Such an unusual expression, Caliph…. It’s unlike you.”
Suddenly, a familiar voice crept through his tangled thoughts. He knew who it was without looking. It was Felix.
Evelia and he had been alone since he left the bedroom, and the door had never been opened, but when had he come in?
Ah, is this ability included in that ridiculous power?
Caliph merely gave a hollow laugh without moving.
“You’ve had a lot on your mind lately, that must be why. You’ve been suffering from insomnia too.”
“……Yes. The royal physician said something similar. He said the insomnia has been lasting for a while, and my energy seems depleted.”
“Get some rest, and you’ll be fine. Don’t worry and go back to the Crown Prince’s palace now. You’ve been here for hours. Skipping meals, and if you… ”
“That’s why I’m keeping watch here.”
Caliph abruptly cut off Felix’s words, as if they were not worth hearing.
“The reason Evelia collapsed is, precisely speaking, not insomnia, but because of Liurian Petrov.”
“……Caliph.”
“Isn’t it funny? All over the palace, I court her like trash, disregarding watching eyes, yet no one restrains Liurian Petrov.”
“……. ”
“Even with the Crown Princess right in front of him, he acts like a husband with the young lady and everyone accepts it as if it’s natural.”
Caliph gritted his teeth at the end of his words. He still felt his blood boiling, thinking about what happened in the glass chamber.
[Your Majesty!]
The image of Relia Net running towards him was as vivid as what he had just seen. Precisely, it was the sight of her patting Evelia’s shoulder affectionately.
How dare she commit such an act, yet no guilt or fear could be found in Lilia. Committing a capital crime against the crown prince’s wife, no less, on the mere subject of honoring the prince.
Indescribable rage had been boiling up since the beginning, but it couldn’t be revealed. Was that all? He even gazed at Lilia with apparent affection.
Kalif dropped his head in confusion.
To him, Lilia Nett had been a terrible woman. But if there was someone more terrible at that moment, it was none other than himself.
“Kalif. It’s just Liurian’s life. You shouldn’t feel guilty.”
“……Really? I’m the one who’s living that damned life.”
“It’s just pretending to be Liurian. It’s for your wife.”
“Maybe even that is a good excuse. Pretending to be Liurian Petrov is for her, but in the end, I’m the one pushing her into a corner by pretending to be Liurian.”
Kalif softly muttered, staring intently at the tip of Evelia’s finger, which had slipped out from under the blanket.
Even the fingertips left powerless were pitiful. So he wanted to hold them more, wanted to breathe life into them by sharing his warmth. But all he could do was endure and feign indifference.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
