"No, that's not it...!"
As Gremory transformed into human form, their eye level changed in an instant. Chession was startled when he saw Gremory's face sitting on top of him.
"Hey, wait a minute! Mori!"
"Why? You don't like it? You asked me to do it last night?"
"I'm not mentally ready yet! And it's broad daylight!"
"In broad daylight? Does that matter?"
"That's not it! Ah! Mori!"
Chession's face turned bright red. Gremory smiled as she saw how cute he had become.
"Hey, Chession. I think you're misunderstanding something."
"What am I?"
"I just didn't know the difference between a kiss and a peck. I'm not so naive as not to know what those two things are."
"... Yes?"
"So you don't have to try to protect me when I'm innocent. I'm a witch who knows everything."
Chession's eyes briefly shook.
"You know everything?"
"Yeah. Just in theory."
"Oh, like that."
Chession laughed. Then he cupped Gremory's face with both hands and kissed her. Gremory naturally gave in to his movements.
That afternoon, Chession finally couldn't get his hands on any work. He picked up Gremory and went straight to the bedroom.
Chession was a little embarrassed that he was acting like this in broad daylight, but he decided to just adapt to Mori. What can he do when it has become like this?
***
As she passed the corner of the hallway, Isolene quickly hid around the corner. This was because she had witnessed Chession carrying Gremory.
After the bedroom door closed, the corners of Isolene's mouth slightly rose.
'If this continues, you won't end up having a child before you even get married, right?'
A list of possible events that could happen quickly began to form in her head. If Mori were to become pregnant before marriage, ridiculous rumors would spread among the nobles. In particular, rumors that would be fatal to the bride's family would spread, but was Mori the kind of witch who would care about such things?
In that case, let's throw away all distracting thoughts and start preparing the baby's room first...
'Wait a minute. But is it possible for a witch and a human to have a child?'
She heard a lot of superstitions and tales about witches, but she never heard anything about children. It was probably a natural result, since there were only stories about witches eating humans, not witches and humans loving each other.
At that moment, there was a figure who stood out. Alice was sweeping the floor and humming in the distance. She might know the answer.
Alice felt Isolene's gaze and approached her, smiling brightly.
"Do you have something to say to me? Hoho."
"I have a question. Is it possible for a witch and a human to have a child?"
"No way! In the first place, demons and humans are completely different species, like dogs and snails! There's no way they can have children. Hoho."
"Is it that different? They look the same on the outside."
"That's because the demons evolved. They want to easily deceive humans. Up until 500 years ago, the demons looked more like animals than humans."
Isolene's expression turned sullen. The difference between demons and humans is like that between a puppy and a snail. If they are that different, how on earth did the humans of 200 years ago become demons?
"Haha, don't worry too much. I'm sure those two will live well even without the child."
"That's true. Then, thank you for your hard work."
Isolene turned around. If she couldn't get answers from Alice, she had no choice but to find them herself.
Isolene headed to the Grand Duke's forbidden book storage room. A year ago, Chession, who had come to trust Isolene, had personally told her the location of the storage room.
At the end of the deserted first-floor hallway. When she tilted the picture frame, the wall that had been covered by magic disappeared, revealing a passage leading to the basement.
Isolene headed straight to a corner bookshelf, which was filled with books about witches.
"Let's see. "The Witch's Trait."
Although it was a book she once despised, Isolene turned the cover with the intention of grabbing at straws.
"There is. "The Witch and the ChiId."
[ Witches generally do not prefer to have children. Their long lifespan makes reproduction meaningless, and due to the nature of their race, it is rare for them to be united through love.
...(syncopation)...
There is no such thing as a witch and a human mating. To a witch, humans are just prey. Have you ever seen a cat and a mouse mating? Even if they love each other, they can't have children. ]
"Oh my god."
The ghosts huddled behind Isolene clicked their tongues.
- Oh my goodness. It would be really sad if you wanted a child but couldn't have one.
- That's okay. If you two really want it, you can consider adoption.
- But if you are the successor to the Grand Duke's family, bloodline is important, so I'm worried that if you adopt the child, the child will not be looked down on.
Suddenly, the book fell from the shocked hands of Isolene. Then, the last page was opened. There was this written there.
[ This book is based on a folktale.
I hope no one believes it to be true. ]
"Ha! That's right. There shouldn't be any fools who believe such things."
Isolene picked up the book, put it back in its place, and leisurely left the basement. Trying to ignore the fact that the witch tales known to the human world were quite true.
'If a human can become a demon, isn't that proof that there is a connection between the two races? If so, pregnancy might be possible.'
It was ridiculous to worry about the child of a couple who were not even married yet. Isolene decided to hurry up and prepare for the wedding first.
***
Five days later, Chession called Isolene into his office. He solemnly announced the important matter.
"Isolene. I think we need to hurry up and prepare for the wedding."
"Yes, I knew this would happen and prepared everything."
Isolene placed a pile of documents on Chession's desk. It included a list of nobles to whom invitations would be sent, a budget, and other documents. Since they had previously hosted a banquet, preparations were quick.
"You knew this would happen? Did Mori tell you in advance?"
"Everyone thought you were going to get married. Even the Duke of Ortega came to Mori out of the blue and asked when you were going to get married, so I guess you've said it all."
"Yeah. Anyway, thank you for preparing it. And there's something else I need to prepare."
"What is it?"
"Baby's room."
"Cough!"
Isolene hurriedly put down her teacup and wiped the tea that had spilled over her lips with her sleeve.
"Our Mori is pregnant?"
"No, it's not like that, but I'm just preparing for the future."
Isolene's eyes shook.
"Does Mori want that too?"
"Well, I haven't asked yet."
"Your... Grand Duke."
"Why?"
"No, I'll get ready."
Isolene, who had been hesitating, smiled silently. Chession must have read the book "The Witch's Traits" hundreds of times. Chession must have known full well that Mori was unlikely to have children, so his words about preparing a baby's room were probably filled with small hopes and wishes.
“Isolene.”
"Yes."
"...Keep it a secret from Mori. If she finds out, just say it's Bailey's new room."
"I will do that."
Bailey's room was filled with things that children would like. Bedding with childish patterns all over it, cute dolls, etc. It was no different from a baby's room, so Gremory wouldn't have suspected anything.
Chirp- Chirp-
The peaceful sound of birds could be heard through the crack of the open window. That peaceful spring sound made Isolene's heart even more bitter.
Chession chuckled as he noticed what Isolene was thinking.
"Don't look at me so pitifully. I'm not that desperate."
"You look so desperate."
"No, that's not it."
"Yes."
"All that's left is for me to live in peace in this house from now on, so that's enough for me."
"Is it so?"
"Why are you crying?"
"Your Highness, it seems you are trying hard to hold it in, so I am crying on your behalf."
Chession shook his head and drank tea. He really didn't mind not having children. He was grateful that he could live with Mori, but he didn't want to be so greedy that he desperately wanted children.
Just continuing these peaceful daily routines was truly satisfying.
... Just as he was thinking that, Chession's adjutant barged into the office and shouted.
"Your Highness! We are in trouble!"
"What's going on?"
"Those who claim that Miss Mori is a witch are storming the Grand Duke's residence and staging a protest!"
"Those guys are crazy. Ignore them."
"I was going to do that too! But their arguments were so plausible that I couldn't ignore them."
"What are they claiming?"
"Look at this! These are the leaflets they are spreading throughout the empire."
The adjutant handed over a piece of paper. Chession took it and read it. The paper was filled with the reasons why 'Miss Mori, who rules over Grand Duke Ethel,' was a witch.
"What is this..."
As he read the contents, Chession's expression, which had been indifferent, gradually hardened.
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