Liz startled and quickly withdrew her hand.

“Ah… It’s nothing. Just… a habit. A habit.”

“Do you have such a habit?”

Hershis grinned and said. At times like this, it felt unfortunate that they had known each other for so long. When you know each other too well, there’s no way to escape, right?

“It’s just a recent habit. Maybe I gained some weight, and that’s why I unconsciously want to hide it.”

“Well, it seems like you’ve put on some weight.”

Hershis nodded. Suddenly, Liz felt an odd sensation.

“Really… Do you think so? Have I gained weight?”

Liz asked cautiously, hoping for a denial…

“Yes, I think so.”

“Oh my. Is it that noticeable?”

Liz felt a bit down. She couldn’t say it was due to pregnancy, making it even more difficult.

With a slightly sullen expression, Herchis pursed his lips and burst into laughter.

“So now, I should take a good look. You were too skinny before.”

“….”

It wasn’t much of a comfort. Somehow, it felt like just saying something.

If it were the child she wished for, would she have welcomed these changes in her body with joy? Would she have felt proud, thinking it was evidence that the baby in her belly was growing well?

Unfortunately, Liz felt neither joy nor pride. Instead, she felt melancholy and confusion. She worried that her lacking maternal instincts might resemble her mother.

Now, she wanted to stop thinking about pregnancy.

“But really, what’s going on here? You didn’t come to talk about my body, right?”

“There’s no big reason. I just came to see your face briefly before going out.”

“Going out?!”

Liz widened her eyes in amazement, and Hershis said.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do it now, but later in the afternoon.”

It wasn’t very reassuring.

“It’s still today. No, you can’t. You barely woke up the day before yesterday. It hasn’t even been ten days since the accident. You don’t even have your full memory…”

“If someone hears, they might think I’m seriously regressing.”

Hershis laughed, cutting off Liz’s words.

“Don’t worry. I have something simple to take care of.”

His voice was incredibly soft, but his tone was firm. Liz didn’t seem convinced.

When Liz sighed as if giving up, he said.

“You’d better not go out. You look very tired.”

“It’s okay. I slept a lot.”

“I’m not okay.”

Before Liz could object, Hershis swiftly lifted her. She felt as light as usual.

After laying her down on the bed and covering her up to her chest with a blanket, Hershis said as Liz had a resigned look.

“You should be the one not going out. You seem very tired.”

“It’s okay; I slept a lot.”

“I’m not okay.”

Without giving her a chance to protest, Hershis picked up Liz. She sounded just as carefree as usual.

As he laid her down on the bed and covered her up to her chest with a blanket, Liz, with a slightly sulky face, said.

“The patient is not me but the Empress.”

“If I had seen your face just now, you wouldn’t say that.”

“What’s wrong with my face?”
A little while ago, when I looked in the mirror, there was nothing unusual. Except for two faint bluish rainbows under my eyes, floating upside down…

“I’ve been thinking.”

Hershis, lying next to Liz, put his arm around her and, as if it were a habit, began to play with her hair, saying.

“I think we should stop living separately now.”

At those words, Liz’s eyes widened. Hershis continued to gently brush her hair with a tender gaze.

“You’re a bit cold, aren’t you? It’s not good for your health to sleep alone all the time. The quality of your sleep will suffer.”

‘That’s not necessarily true.’

On the contrary, sleeping separately could be a path to maintain both health and sleep quality. Especially now, more than ever.

When Liz made a reluctant face, Hershis spoke.

“I know what you’re concerned about. I won’t insist if you don’t want to.”

“…….”

“I’ll give you your independent space. Only you and your people can enter.”

Liz realized that Hershis was making a significant concession now. His unexpectedly unyielding attitude was surprising, but she had to say something.

“I’m comfortable as it is. Besides, I have to hold hands with you to sleep anyway, so instead of that…”

“I’m not comfortable.”

Hershis firmly interrupted Liz’s words.

“It’s okay to just hold hands. I want to fall asleep and wake up in the same bed as you.”

“…….”

“If I’m restraining you too much, making you feel suffocated, then I won’t do that anymore. Do whatever you want, go wherever you want. Just let me know in advance.”

There was a gaze mixed with earnestness and determination. No, it seemed to contain even more emotions. For example, anxiety…

‘Why is he suddenly saying this?’

Liz thought.

‘Maybe his emotions weakened after the accident?’

She didn’t know. Usually, people tend to have weaker thoughts after a significant injury.

So, Liz found it difficult to refuse his request.

She was already quite weakened. She couldn’t bring herself to say it was impossible when her husband, who had almost died, pleaded with her with pleading eyes.

“……Okay. Let’s do that.”

Liz agreed.