Throughout the carriage ride back to the mansion, Herdin didn’t say a word.

As soon as they entered the couple’s bedroom, he pressed his lips against hers without warning. Blair’s bonnet, which had been adorning her head, was quickly removed and rolled onto the floor.

Blair was momentarily taken aback but soon yielded herself to him. A pained moan escaped her lips from the violent kiss.

When he parted his lips to change position, Blair spoke, breathing heavily.

“Herdin, are you very angry?”

To that question, Herdin chuckled and replied.

“What nonsense.”

“Then are you anxious?”

“No.”

As he answered, he turned Blair around and began to caress her skirt. Unlike his casual response, he showed no hint of composure.

Blair hurriedly grabbed his hand.

“You’re lying.”

At that, Herdin’s hand hesitated.

Blair took advantage of that moment and turned to face him. She cupped his cheeks, looked into his eyes, and said.

“You can’t fool me anymore.”

Her eyes were deliberately stern.

Herdin let out a small laugh, as if admitting defeat to his wife’s sharpness. His demeanor, which had been like an enraged beast just moments ago, softened considerably.

He leaned his face into her hand and spoke.

“Would you dislike it if I said I want you to stay by my side now, not going anywhere?”

Blair’s eyes blinked slowly at his unexpected question.

Herdin caressed her flat belly as he continued.

“…If I said I want you to carry my child in this belly and rely only on me, would I be trash?”

It was the complete opposite of what he had said a few days ago.

At first, he had said those things wishing for her happiness. And that feeling hadn’t changed even now.

But when Blair started spending more time outside, meeting many people, his petty consideration quickly ran out, and possessiveness reared its head.

He wanted to have her all to himself.

He wanted her to look only at him, do everything with him, and stay by his side always.

He was appalled at his own attitude, wondering how ridiculous she must find him.

However, Blair’s response was not what he expected.

“Then let’s do that.”

“…What?”

Herdin frowned slightly as he asked again.

Blair then continued speaking gently, as if teaching something to a child.

“As you said, I’ve tried things I hadn’t done before these past few days, looking for something that could be the reason for my life.”

“…”

“But whenever I went to nice places, ate good food, or saw beautiful things, I always thought of you and Asiel.”

“…”

“That’s when I realized. My happiness lies in building a happy family.”

Just as for some, happiness is in their own development and sense of achievement, and for others, it’s in sacrifice and service for others, her happiness was simply in her family.

If before it had been a choice swept along by circumstances and conditions, now it was a conclusion reached entirely by her own will.

Blair wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered.

“Someday, when our children have all grown up and no longer need me, then you’ll become the sole reason for my life.”

Herdin, who had been staring intently at Blair, asked.

“Are you sure? That this will make you happy.”

Blair nodded without a moment’s hesitation. It was thanks to her husband, who had given her time to think, that she could reach such a confident conclusion.

Hearing that answer, Herdin had no reason to hesitate any longer.

He immediately pressed his lips against hers as she smiled brightly at him. Unlike before, it was a gentle kiss.

However, the kiss that started gently soon became as turbulent as a storm.

Unable to withstand his devouring intensity, Blair’s body kept being pushed back until it hit something. It was the dressing table.

Trapping her between the dressing table and himself, Herdin moved his hand that had been wrapped around her waist to grasp her buttocks.

Their bodies pressed tightly together. Even through the voluminous dress, it was clear how much he desired her.

And Blair was just as heated as he was.

Blair, thoroughly flushed, twisted her waist and grabbed his arm.

“Herdin, quickly…”

As if answering his wife’s plea, Herdin turned her around. Their figures were clearly reflected in the mirror in front of them.

Surely not.

Blair, who had naturally assumed they would go to the bed, twisted her body at the ominous premonition that overcame her.

“N-not here…”

“Didn’t you say to be quick?”

But her back was already blocked by Herdin’s large body.

He held her slender waist tightly, preventing her from moving, while unbuttoning her dress from behind with his lips. Even as he did so, his fervent desire to delve into her was palpably felt.

Pop, pop…

With each button undone, the dress slipped down, revealing her shoulders and her snow-white body.

Herdin kissed along her straight spine and grasped the exposed, round mounds.

“Herdin!”

Blair’s face turned pale as she saw the reflection in the mirror, but she had no time to be shocked. Soon, his hand traveled up her leg and slipped under her dress.

“Ah!”

A clear sensation tingled up her spine even without looking.

Blair tightly closed her eyes after seeing her flushed face reflected in the mirror. She looked like the most lascivious seductress in the world. She couldn’t bear to see herself like that.

However, soon a heavy heat that completely robbed her of her senses came crashing in, making such concerns irrelevant.

“Ah!”

At last, her vision began to shake violently.

Herdin, watching Blair’s delicate back swaying precariously, caressed her flat stomach and luscious breasts while pressing his lips along her spine.

Again, if a child of ours grows in this belly.

The mere thought of her rounded belly carrying their child and her beautiful breasts swollen in preparation for motherhood drove him mad. He couldn’t help but laugh at himself.

“I really am a bastard, aren’t I?”

“…”

“I want you to get pregnant soon. I want you to carry my child in this belly and stay by my side.”

And what set fire to his already crazed reason was her single sentence.

“Then… hurry and impregnate me.”

At his wife’s audacious provocation, Herdin lost all reason and thrust into her.

“Mmnh!”

The dressing table began to shake precariously. Herdin held onto Blair, who kept threatening to collapse as her arm strength gave way.

He drove in deeper and stronger, until at some point he reached the end. At the same time, the heat he had been holding back burst forth.

Herdin embraced Blair’s exhausted back as he felt it.

It was a cozy ending in her embrace after a very long time.

* * *

The Delmark mansion began to appear through the carriage window.

As the mansion drew closer, an excited Asiel began to fidget in his high chair.

The past ten days spent at the Arbon Count’s villa had been very fun.

During the day, he ran around the forest with Jamie and Senika, and at night, they looked at the constellations in the night sky or told scary stories.

But even after playing so well, when he lay down to sleep, he would invariably think of his mom and dad. His mother’s voice whispering good night, his father’s gentle caress.

Holding back the urge to go home immediately and crying quietly under the blanket before falling asleep was something Jamie, who fell asleep as soon as he lay down, didn’t know about.

Spending several days without mom and dad, the child had grown once again.

Finally, the carriage passed through the gates of the Delmark mansion and entered. Asiel clutched his chest, pounding with anticipation.

Of course, part of it was because he was seeing mom and dad after ten days, but there was something else that excited the child even more.

‘Now I’ll have a sibling, right?’

Asiel got out of the carriage with a heart full of excitement. But neither mom nor dad, who he thought would naturally be waiting for him, were there.

Only Mason was waiting, as always.

“Did you have a pleasant time, young master?”

Asiel looked around once more before asking him.

“Mason, where are mom and dad?”

“The two of them are sleeping in late. They’ll be out soon, if you could just wait a little…”

“But it’s daytime now?”

“Well…”

Mason trailed off with a troubled expression.

Herdin and Blair had just woken up after hearing that Asiel had returned.

Of course, it was partly because Asiel had returned earlier than the scheduled afternoon return, but more than that, it was due to the aftermath of the couple’s passionate night.

While Mason was at a loss for how to explain this to the young master, Asiel suddenly remembered something he had read in a book.

The content that when a sibling is on the way, mom always gets tired and sleeps late.

‘Then, really, a sibling…?’

Just as Asiel was filled with expectation, the voice of his much-missed mother was heard from inside the mansion.

“Asiel!”

Looking in the direction of the voice, there were Blair and Herdin just coming down to the first floor. As Mason had said, they seemed to have just woken up, wearing only robes.

The child’s face lit up with undisguisable joy at seeing mom and dad after ten days.

“Mom! Dad!”

Asiel ran towards his mother, who was opening her arms. Just as he was about to jump into her embrace, he suddenly stopped.

Blair looked at the child with puzzled eyes.

“Asiel?”

Asiel looked at his mother’s belly, then slowly approached and hugged her. The book had said that when there’s a sibling in mom’s belly, you should be careful with mom.

Blair hugged the child, puzzled by his somewhat cautious behavior.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes. But mom, are you tired?”

“Huh?”

“They said you slept late. Did I wake you up?”

“No, it’s alright. Now that I see my baby, I’m not tired at all.”

Although Blair said it was fine, Asiel still seemed unsure.

After examining Blair’s complexion with a somewhat serious expression, Asiel hugged her neck tightly with a solemn face.

“From now on, I’ll protect mom.”

At her son’s sudden resolute declaration, Blair looked at Herdin with bewildered eyes, but he just shrugged as if he didn’t know either.

Although the intention was unclear, his heart to protect his mother was beautiful. Blair chuckled and kissed the child’s peach-colored cheek, whispering.

“Thank you. Mom is a very happy person.”

Herdin, who had been watching his wife and son cuddling with his arms crossed, approached and gently patted Asiel’s head, asking.

“Then shall we start with lunch and hear about what you did and played at the villa?”

“Yes!”

Asiel held his mom and dad’s hands and headed to the dining room. In the not-too-distant future, he might have to give up this place when a sibling is born, but it seemed okay.

Because mom and dad love him very much.

The shadows of the three family members holding hands faded down the corridor. Along with it, the child’s chattering voice and the laughter of the two adults gradually grew fainter.

Behind that picturesque scene, the gentle spring breeze followed, fluttering softly.

Side Story Fin.