Became Pregnant With the Demon King’s Child

Just because they’d completed a mutual imprint didn’t mean the world had changed. That is to say, it wasn’t as though everything suddenly looked more beautiful, or that all worries had magically disappeared. And since Lowell hadn’t expected such things to begin with, he didn’t feel let down.
Still… I thought the overprotectiveness might ease up a little.
Lowell believed much of Felix’s anxiety stemmed from the one-sided imprint. That constant tension—watching Lowell like he was a newborn beast just learning to walk, scooping him up at the slightest sign of imbalance, refusing to be apart even for a second—he’d thought maybe it would ease, now that the bond went both ways.

“Lowell, the sunlight’s strong today. You should wear a hat. Wait—those shoes don’t pinch your feet, do they?”
But even that had turned out to be wishful thinking. Felix still trailed after him like an oversized dog following its master, constantly alert for potential threats.
“I’m fine. It’s not that hot, and we’re not walking very far.”

Ready to leave, Lowell gave a slight shrug under Felix’s inspecting gaze. The sky was bright, as if it had never rained the day before. They were finally setting out for the boat ride they’d skipped.
“We’ve got about three days, so it’s fine to take things easy today.”
Felix still hadn’t erased the anxious glint from his eyes, likely still concerned about the aftermath of last night.

If he was going to worry this much, he should’ve gone easier. He kept going until dawn…
Sure, Lowell had enjoyed it too—but keeping up with an aroused Felix was no small task. Still, he had no intention of complaining aloud. Felix always suppressed his own desires out of concern for Lowell. Just this once, Lowell had wanted to let him indulge.
“I slept in, so I’m okay. We came all this way—I can’t just lie in bed all day.”

Besides, Lowell had a strange feeling—like he ought to enjoy these moments while he could. He didn’t know why, but it was the kind of premonition that came from someone who had lived through enough disasters to recognize the weight of instinct. It wasn’t conscious—but something inside him sensed it.
“All right. The boat’s ready—let’s head out.”
As Felix said, the boat was docked and waiting for them. The young boatman, cheerful from a generous advance payment, greeted them with over-the-top kindness.

“No need for you to steer—I’ll handle the boat myself.”
“Pardon? Ah, it might look easy, but for someone new, it’s hard to manage—”
“I’ve been on boats plenty of times. It’ll be safer if I do it.”

Felix stepped past the flustered boatman and climbed in first. The man, who had been stubbornly trying to do his job, fell silent the moment he saw Felix take up the oars. The posture—firm, balanced—was something only seasoned boatmen showed after ten years on the water. There was even a weight to the way he examined the boat, like he was assessing a weapon.
…Is he going to find fault with something?
The boatman, now stiff with nerves, had another shock waiting.
“Be careful getting in, Lowell.”

Felix’s icy gaze melted instantly, filled with warmth as he looked at Lowell. And his voice—soft enough to seem like it came from someone else entirely. While the stunned boatman gawked, Lowell took Felix’s outstretched hand and stepped onto the boat.

“Ah!”
But his legs still felt weak, and just that small motion sent his body wobbling. As if expecting it, Felix pulled him in and lowered him safely onto the boat. If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, the whole thing might’ve capsized.

“Ugh… I nearly fell.”
“I’d never let you fall.”
Felix smiled gently as he brushed Lowell’s cheek. That, more than anything else, was the biggest difference Lowell felt after the imprint.

He smiled like that all night… and now again today.
To the outside, there hadn’t been any drastic change. But inside Felix’s chest was a sense of security from being bonded—and fullness from knowing he was loved in return. That expressionless face he had spent years maintaining was finally beginning to soften. It was inevitable.
Lowell had watched the transformation gradually, so to him it felt like nothing extraordinary. But for those who’d only seen Felix from a distance, it was like seeing an entirely different man.

“I’ll be careful not to get hurt around you too, Felix.”
Lowell settled into the boat and gazed at the river blooming with flowers. It had seemed beautiful yesterday, too—but now, riding along the surface, it felt like entering a tunnel made entirely of blossoms.
“It’s really beautiful.”

As Lowell stared in awe, Felix dipped the oars and slowly began to move the boat. They floated downstream, catching glimpses of the town along the way.
“Oh—looks like that’s the market that was closed yesterday. There’s so many people today, probably ‘cause the weather’s nice.”
Lowell couldn’t hide his delight—it had been ages since he’d felt this kind of travel joy. But Felix only had eyes for Lowell’s expression, lit up with excitement.

“Yes. It’s very crowded. Do you want to go later?”
“Mm… maybe we could have lunch there? Or, if it’s too packed, we could just eat at the inn.”
“Either’s fine.”

Lowell changed his answer, knowing how much Felix disliked crowds—but Felix just shook his head, as if to say it didn’t matter anymore. These days, the only thing that mattered to him was whether Lowell was there or not.
“What about you, Felix? Do you like it here?”
“I do. Seeing you happy is enough for me.”

Lowell had asked what Felix thought of the destination—but the answer he got was a reflection on Lowell himself.
“Once the little one’s born, it might be nice to come back together.”
Lowell murmured, recalling the black jaguar cub he had once seen in a dream. At that, Felix’s hand on the oar faltered slightly.

“Once the little one’s born…?”

“Ah, well—obviously it’d have to be after they’re walking.”
Felix kept rowing automatically, but his eyes drifted to Lowell’s belly. Lowell let him be—he knew Felix often went silent like this before saying something important.

A breeze lifted a flower petal into the air. Lowell instinctively reached for it, but the wind caught it, and it slipped away.
Wasn’t there some superstition that catching a falling petal brought good luck?
He didn’t really believe in such things—but still found himself staring regretfully at his empty hand. While Lowell gazed at it, Felix finally opened his mouth.

“How do you want to raise the child?”
It wasn’t a subject they’d really discussed before. Consciously or not, Felix had always avoided talk of the baby. And Lowell had respected that, keeping his own comments vague.
Even when we talked about the pregnancy, it was always about me—he hardly ever mentioned the baby.

Now, Lowell smiled gently, thinking maybe this too was progress.
“What about you, Felix? How would you want to raise them?”
“First, to become a good ruler, they’ll need a certain level of strength. Especially if they’re to rule Nyx—they’ll need to master swordsmanship. If they have talent for magic, they should study that as well.”

But what followed made Lowell’s eyes widen. Felix, his expression intense and serious, continued without noticing Lowell’s surprise.
“Of course, training the body isn’t enough. They’ll need knowledge of history and philosophy, and enough artistic culture not to be looked down upon. We should start selecting strong tutors now.”
And it didn’t stop there. Felix continued laying out a grand, detailed vision for their child’s future, like a strategist planning an entire dynasty. Overwhelmed, Lowell turned his gaze to the drifting petals on the water.

At this rate, it’ll be like sending them to ten academies a week. I mean, sure, being a Duke’s child comes with expectations, but isn’t this a bit much?
It was hard to argue—Felix was so passionate, it was hard to get a word in. Honestly, to Lowell’s ears, it sounded like the kind of thing someone would say who’d never actually met a child before.
When Felix finally finished, he noticed Lowell’s dazed expression and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“What about you, Lowell? What do you want?”
“I… I just hope they grow up to be kind. Someone who receives lots of love, is polite, and knows how to respect others.”
Lowell fumbled a little as he spoke—a rare thing for him—and Felix was visibly thrown.

“K-kindness… Well, yes, kindness is good.”
Felix looked like he wanted to argue that a ruler had no business being “kind,” but he couldn’t bring himself to contradict Lowell. And so, the two of them remained quiet until they reached the shore.
“Sh-should we go get lunch?”

Deciding it was too soon to be debating parenting philosophy for a child who hadn’t even been born yet, Lowell awkwardly changed the subject.
“Yes. We’ll talk about this another time.”
Leaving the awkwardness behind them on the boat, they headed toward the open market stalls—and there, they ran into someone unexpected.

“Wait… Felix, doesn’t that person look familiar?”
It was Lowell who noticed first.