“Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the capital. It’s on your desk in the office. You must reply today.”
“……Alright.”
Hadal’s palm briefly heated up then cooled down, indicating a surge of emotion.
I peeked through his fingers and looked up at him.
‘A letter from the capital, maybe from family or friends? But Hadal looks sad.’
Being a royal, it’s likely the letter is from parents, siblings, or friends. But why does he seem so troubled?
‘It could even be a proposal or divorce document.’
Even I had a fiancé when I was much younger. Hadal might have one, or might already be married. Royal marriages often happen early.
‘I realize I know nothing about Hadal.’
I pondered what the unpleasant letter could be about but then realized I knew nothing about Hadal except his name. Shrugging, I thought,
‘Well, I can learn more by exploring around.’
My friend Yunisia once told me my strength is my positive nature.
After breakfast, Hadal left for the office to work. I flapped my short front legs and set off determinedly.
‘Let’s go explore.’
Empowered by Hadal’s permission, I eagerly began exploring the northern castle.
‘I initially thought the castle was a lie, but a real castle is indeed a castle.’
Despite the coldness of the stone floors, I was too absorbed in experiencing the unique feel of the old castle to notice the chill.
‘I thought Hadal’s room was stark, but surprisingly, there are decorations.’
There were areas with antique armors on display, and others with ordinary paintings and tapestries on the walls.
After wandering around for about 10 minutes,
‘…But, does anyone actually live in this castle? Why is it so quiet?’
Surprisingly, I didn’t encounter a single person during my walk through the vast castle.
‘It doesn’t make sense. A castle of this size would need cleaning all day long.’
Despite the size of the castle, if there’s no management, it shows. And true enough, I noticed dust accumulating on some decorations. Probably in areas where people rarely pass?
‘If Hadal said everyone in the castle knows about me, then someone must be living here.’
But why can’t I meet anyone despite walking so much?
Then, I carelessly crossed a corridor cordoned off with a gold rope. When I finally regained my senses and turned back, I saw it.
“Quee?”
There were several portraits hanging there.
One large family portrait particularly caught my eye.
‘It’s Hadal’s family portrait.’
Even rolling around for a better view confirmed it. There were his parents and two more children, presumably his siblings.
My gaze lingered on a black-haired boy standing on the far right.
‘That’s Hadal. He looked the same when he was young. Even the expressionless face.’
His stark red eyes were notably red even in the portrait. Young Hadal was wearing gloves even then.
‘He must have had trouble controlling fire from a young age. It must have been hard.’
But did neither parent have the fire attribute? Usually, someone in the family shares the same attribute.
‘But those born with a lot of mana are rare. Even with the same attribute, they might have been unable to help.’
With that thought, I nodded and looked at the other royal family members’ faces. One person, apart from Hadal, caught my eye, on the far left.
‘But who is this?’
He looked a bit younger than Hadal, possibly a sibling. Yet, he had light silver hair, unlike Hadal’s.
His color resembled the cold hue of ice.
‘……He looks like Esben.’
In my past life, Esben, who always opposed me, caused a mana surge in our last battle.
His voice, calling my name desperately at the end, still echoed in my ears.
[Marian.]The face of the boy in the portrait, no matter how I looked, was unmistakably Esben.
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.
