Unaware of what thoughts Valentin was suppressing, Reynard kindly hugged Valentin and said,

“Take it slow. If anyone says anything, tell me.”

Upon hearing those words, the hairs on the top of his head stood up. A spine-chillingly embarrassing scene came to mind. Valentin imagined him threatening people like an overprotective parent, saying he wouldn’t let it slide if they bullied his child.

‘I must never tell him…’

His determination to not show that he was struggling only strengthened.

“By the way, you must be busy with work, so what brings you here? Didn’t you go to work on the base?”

Valentin quickly changed the subject before Reynard could show more overprotectiveness. Reynard had returned to his duties as a commander a few days after returning from their honeymoon, and he had diligently gone to work as he always had.

It was now almost 5:00 p.m. Normally, it would be the time for him to be at the naval headquarters building.

“Yeah. I came back early because I had something to do.”

As if that something was Valentin, Reynard naturally picked him up. And while constantly showering him with kisses, he gently carried him and walked to the sofa.

“Is it because of the banquet tonight?”

“Among other things.”

When Reynard snapped his fingers and ordered the servant, both doors of Valentin’s office opened wide.

“Actually, the wedding gift sent by the emperor has arrived.”

Contrary to someone saying they brought a gift, he had a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

Before properly grasping or asking about that expression, servants lined up in an orderly manner entered, each carrying boxes. It was a series of splendid cases that were difficult to simply call boxes, to the point where one could tell at a glance that they were sent from the imperial family.

“Greetings, Marquis of Valkyries, Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”

The person who entered with them, an imperial messenger and a high-ranking attendant, greeted exaggeratedly and elegantly.

“These are gifts sent by His Majesty the Emperor to both of you.”

Starting with those words, he presented the gifts by opening the boxes in order. The attendant sincerely added explanations, emphasizing the emperor’s boundless grace. There were tea from the East said to strengthen the fetus and aid in a smooth delivery, spices from the Middle East made with the same ingredients, and a small incense burner. Along with various luxury goods, many similar items came out.

As soon as the attendant finished his explanations with a proud face and completed another grandiose greeting before completely leaving, Reynard frowned.

“He’s really determined, isn’t he?”

“Pardon?”

“As you know, the emperor doesn’t know that you’re already pregnant. And he’s the one who desires the grand ducal house’s successor the most.”

Reynard spoke in a displeased voice while opening a box containing health foods said to make one conceive quickly. Although it was too direct, something immediately came to mind. Valentin recalled the emperor directly ordering them to quickly continue the grand ducal house’s lineage even at their last meeting.

“I wonder if he thought we would use these dubious items.”

“Still, it’s a bestowed gift from His Majesty the Emperor…”

As if explaining further was a waste of time, Reynard ordered the remaining servants.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s even more unpleasant that many of them are the edible kind. Get rid of all of these.”

At Reynard’s command, the servants moved expressionlessly as ordered by their master. Watching them clear the boxes again in perfect order, Valentin hugged one of the boxes in front of him.

“But if rumors spread that His Majesty’s bestowed gifts were handled carelessly…!”

Valentin recalled the events before the marriage was decided. Dawson, who was careful even when Empress Beatrice’s letter fell to the floor. A time when he was concerned that strange rumors might leak out.

In particular, Valentin was even more sensitive and attentive to rumors at that time, so Dawson, who was like his hands and feet, was the same. The habit of always being cautious, like the saying from his previous life, “Don’t even fix your hat string under a plum tree,” in case of any suspicion, still remained with Valentin.

“Here, no one is bold enough to dare leak information outside. Such traitors don’t exist in the first place. Above all, it’s suspicious that all the gifts sent are the kind that go into the mouth. It’s unpleasant, worrying if there might be poison.”

It meant that in this land, the Grand Duke’s orders took precedence over the Emperor’s orders.

“Surely the Emperor wouldn’t bestow poison…”

“Valentin, you are truly lovely and innocent.”

Reynard whispered softly while kissing Valentin’s earlobe. It seemed he couldn’t let even a mere servant hear the word “innocent” about his husband. Although he said it in the sense of being cute, it was evident that he was mindful not to let Valentin be looked down upon in front of them.

“You’re already pregnant. It won’t hurt to be careful about anything.”

Reynard was resolute. There was no hesitation in his order to clear out everything that went into the mouth.

“I understand. Then this one should be fine, right?”

Valentin said while opening the box he was holding. Fortunately, it was a Middle Eastern incense burner, not something to eat.

Just in case he met the Emperor later, it seemed good to have something to say about the gifts he bestowed. The Emperor, who had acted unusually friendly as if he were really a father-in-law at the last luncheon, suddenly came to mind.

‘I might have to have such a close conversation again.’

What problem could there be with just an incense burner?

Although Reynard looked displeased with anything gifted by the Emperor being in Valentin’s hands, he did not stop his husband who was pleading.

“Yeah. I suppose that much should be fine.”

He was only wary of the types of things that went into the mouth, but in fact, he wasn’t really worried that the Emperor would have poisoned them. Aside from themselves, the parents of the fetus, the person who desired the alpha bloodline of Dennox the most under the heavens was the Emperor. He wouldn’t do something that would be like hitting his own head.

Valentin’s office was quickly emptied.

After everyone had left, Reynard began to gently massage Valentin’s shoulders.

“Shall we go now then?”

* * *

A large-scale banquet held in the grand Great Hall.

Seated at the head of the table were Grand Duke Dennox, Reynard, and Valentin, the Grand Duchess who could be implicitly called the protagonist of the day.

It was a difficult occasion attended by many people, including all the main vassals who had attended the wedding or couldn’t, as well as their spouses or successors. It was also a place to formally introduce himself to them for the first time.

[You must not lose dignity as a superior.]

The stern voice of the Duchess of Haddington seemed to echo in his head. He was not born with any dignity, let alone borrowed it from anywhere in his life… His head was aching from having to forcibly gather something nonexistent in his life and pretend to be a superior.

“Does your head hurt?”

Reynard, who had been carefully observing Valentin all along, whispered and asked.

“I’m fine.”

Valentin quickly put a smile on his face and answered, worried that his husband’s overprotectiveness would be revealed again.

“Come to think of it, it’s Your Grace the Grand Duchess’s first visit to Dales. How was this land?”

A deep and aged voice resounded through the hall. It was Marquis Cavan, one of the main vassals. It was a pointed question asking Valentin, an outsider who had become the next mistress of this place through marriage. Pride in this region and bloodline was evident in his tone.

Valentin cleared his throat as he put down his glass to answer.

“It was my first time in a place so lively yet overflowing with discipline at the same time. I could see the dignity of you who live on this land.”

Valentin spoke calmly, drawing a curve on the corners of his mouth. As he had been trained, he tried to show an appearance that was not too loose or comfortable, displaying dignity while not losing his smile.

Similar questions continued to pour in, but Valentin answered them all nobly until the end.

Perhaps because of the unique atmosphere here, it wasn’t very friendly, but it was a polite atmosphere. As vassals and high-ranking nobles under the grand ducal house, most of them were favorable to Valentin.

Although it was not an easy occasion, it was not a bad time, even if their behavior was fabricated in front of the Grand Duke and Grand Duke’s heir, who were staring at the vassals with piercing eyes.

‘Still, it wasn’t an entirely easy occasion…’

Valentin rubbed his somewhat heavy solar plexus.

Despite his recently increased appetite, he barely ate due to nervousness. But when everyone moved to the drawing room after the banquet ended, Reynard, who seemed to pity Valentin for trying hard to eat, subtly suggested to him.

“How about briefly seeing the royal physician?”

“…I’m fine though.”

As Valentin tried to endure until the end and keep his place in the drawing room, Reynard ordered a servant to call the doctor.

“Dr. McClain is waiting in a nearby room.”

When Powell, who followed the order, came and reported, Reynard gently wrapped Valentin’s shoulder.

“Let’s hurry and get you examined.”

“If it’s like that, I’ll go alone and come back.”

Valentin kept dissuading Reynard, who was trying to escort him. At the refusal with the words naturally removing the hand on his shoulder, Reynard’s eyebrows rose steeply.

“Why?”

Who knows at what age and where this guy sold his ability to read the room. If he knew, he could go and retrieve it… Valentin poked Reynard’s side with his elbow and glanced. In the direction he glanced at, as if telling him to look over there, were vassals waiting to greet Reynard. Young Viscount Daker, the eldest son of the elderly Count Asics who attended in his place, and other nobles of similar age were constantly watching for timing to converse with Reynard.

“You’ve also returned after a long time.”

“I’ve lived here all my life. And they’ll want to talk to me even if they see me every day.”

“That’s how it is for someone in this position. Hurry and go fulfill your duties.”

Valentin showed a stern expression to Reynard, who was about to voice his complaints. And he pushed his back and sent him there.

Valentin followed Powell, who had been waiting, and walked to a small room at the end of the corridor on the same floor as the drawing room. And he entered there alone through the door opened by Powell, where the royal physician was.