“I heard there was an unpleasant incident at the tea party. …Is that why?”

Upon hearing those words, Valentin’s face turned even redder and he rushed forward with his fists clenched. He looked angry as if he had never been gloomy.

“Hey…!”

“Hey…?”

“Ugh…! I clearly told you not to assign people to watch me!”

The cotton ball punches of the angry hamster landed on the alpha’s chest. Actually, he didn’t actively assign people, but he didn’t tell the truth either. Because it was obvious that Valentin would feel uncomfortable if he found out that Powell was reporting. Reynard received the hamster’s cotton punches and hugged him tightly.

“It’s okay.”

When he hugged the struggling angry chinchilla and showered him with kisses, the punches that only he thought were fierce gradually subsided.

This was the know-how Reynard had gained from dealing with Valentin so far. When his husband was annoyed or angry, if Reynard accepted it as it was and cuddled up to him, he would soon calm down. It was like pouring sugar on fire. Then, as the fire went out, only sweet candy remained.

“…It’s not okay.”

The fire was out, but the sorrow seemed to remain. Seeing Valentin, who had made his eyes red and bitten his lower lip to make a walnut on his chin, Reynard kissed there too.

“…It’s so embarrassing…”

Valentin finally spat out the truth to Reynard, who was embracing him.

However, the one who heard those words had an expression of not understanding.

“What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

At his words that seemed to have failed to empathize, the face that had been full of sorrow was again covered in mischief.

“You don’t know because you’re a person who’s perfect from beginning to end! You’ve never failed at anything you do!”

Such a person wouldn’t know. One who was not only born with the best conditions but also had thorough perfectionism and self-management, never failing at anything.

It wasn’t simply because his innate background or conditions were excellent. The Reynard that Valentin had seen was always a person who did his best in fulfilling his assigned duties and achieving his goals. Although that best effort had a tendency to focus only on the goal without caring about anything…  Anyway, the word ‘failure’ did not suit the life he had lived.

Valentin was ashamed to show his sloppy and loose appearance as it was to such a person.

‘I’m really so embarrassed I could die…’

Love makes a person humble. Who wouldn’t want to show only good sides, only cool sides that are good at everything, to the one they love?

Seeing Valentin filled with a sense of injustice again, Reynard, who had failed to empathize, continued to speak as if soothing him. Although he lacked understanding, he had a knack for persuasion.

“Regardless of what kind of person I am, Valentin.”

The hands that were embracing him were already tearing through the sheet, gently stroking and caressing Valentin as if to comfort him.

“We made vows to each other before God. To always be with each other, whether in sickness or in health, in joy or in sorrow. Would I ever judge you for anything else? I vowed to love you no matter what, Valentin. And there is not a single fluctuation in that heart.”

“……”

“Would you mercilessly abandon me if I got sick and ugly?”

“No… I wouldn’t.”

“It’s the same. I don’t judge you even if there’s something you’re not good at, or if you fail at something. I just want to listen to you and comfort you.”

Valentin nodded at Reynard’s sincerely persuasive words. With a slight impression of when he had grown like this.

It was a righteous argument that excessively highlighted only the bright aspects of marriage and love, but he felt sincerity from his face.

“Still, I wanted to show you only the cool sides… I’m upset that it’s not going as well as I thought.”

Another truth of the hamster, who had been hiding gloomily in the blanket cave, popped out. Surrendered to the gentle, rubbing touch.

“…I’m really sorry for not being a person who fits this position…”

The Valentin in the anthill muttered as he received the head-stroking touch. It was so long since he had seen ‘Timid One’ that Reynard was reminded of when they first met. How pitiful and pathetic that he was worrying about such things.

“I don’t want to hear you say sorry.”

“……”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. So don’t apologize.”

The ones who did wrong were separate. Reynard solidified his thought that a warning was definitely necessary for the vassals who were subtly crossing the line, taking advantage of Valentin looking soft.

“Let’s stop all social activities for the time being.”

“What…?”

Rather, eliminating them altogether.

Removing everything that could cause trouble from the beginning. It was too much Reynard’s way.

As long as they don’t create a situation where Valentin gets hurt. Until he sorts everything out. Until the people of high society properly grasp the hierarchy and bow their heads.

“Yeah. That would be better after all.”

“But…! What if people say something again…? It won’t be good for His Grace the Grand Duke’s reputation. They’ll gossip that he couldn’t even properly bring in a family member. They’ll whisper again that I’m not a proper noble, unable to fulfill my duties as the Grand Duchess…”

As someone who values assigned tasks like you…? Valentin rambled again with an unbelieving face.

Even if he worked hard, they were people who would gossip and grind him up. There was no way they would stay still about Valentin’s failure to perform his duties and his seclusion.

“I’m sufficiently shouldering the duties, so it’s fine. You have a tendency to be overly conscious of people’s rumors and gazes. If you’re that worried about it, let’s rather announce the pregnancy.”

“Pregnancy?”

“Yeah. It will probably be a suitable excuse. It’s the 4th month now, so it’s a stable period, according to McClain. It’s a good time to announce it.”

The time for early miscarriage had indeed passed. Valentin’s body was definitely entering a stable period. The baby was growing well and healthy, and his belly was also becoming slightly bulging.

“If we say we’re stopping social activities and secluding ourselves for pregnancy and health, everyone will understand.”

Even if they didn’t understand, it didn’t matter at all, but Reynard persuaded him that way to reassure Valentin, who seemed to be constantly mindful of high society. Whatever it was, it was best for his spouse’s heart to be at ease.

“Then His Grace the Grand Duke…”

Valentin couldn’t let go of his worries until the end. He couldn’t tell what his father-in-law, who always nodded his head with an unchanged expression no matter what he did, would think. In fact, it was an attitude of cherishing the newly welcomed family member, but there was no way for Valentin, who had grown up among family members whose emotional expressions were always honest and bold, to know.

“Father will say it’s all fine no matter what you do. He always likes whatever you say.”

“Really…?”

Where on earth…? That person who always only says “Hmm.” with tightly closed lips under his magnificent mustache…? Valentin had never seen the Grand Duke speak more than three words.

“So just don’t worry and rest. I’ll announce the pregnancy and handle all matters related to social activities. You don’t have to do anything.”

“Okay…”

It was a clear answer.

‘But is it okay to do this?’

Of course, avoiding things when they happened had been Valentin’s specialty for a long time. He had some expertise in this area, so to speak.

But didn’t he decide not to live like that anymore after marrying Reynard…? It was completely opposite of his resolve to actively accept and act on his position and role.

‘Is there no expectation for me at all…?’

It’s a really strange feeling. He was happy to hear that it was okay no matter what he did and that he wouldn’t be disappointed no matter what, but at the same time, he felt upset. Having too little expectation isn’t a good thing either…

Then he came to his senses.

‘If you’re upset either way, what are you trying to do…?’

Unaware of his mood swinging up and down like a green frog due to hormonal changes from pregnancy, Valentin was once again blaming his own wavering heart. He turned the cause inward again.

“I understand…”

Although he felt a bit uneasy, Valentin decided to accept it as it was.

If he had his original mindset, the proper conduct would be to feel a little gloomy and then challenge again, but he had no energy at all. He lacked the energy to cheerfully overcome all these things. He also wanted to let go of everything and rest, as Reynard said.

Reynard stroked Valentin’s head as he nodded, saying he understood.

“But what’s this smell?”

A subtle fragrance that had been hidden by Valentin’s pheromones was gradually revealing its presence.

“Ah. It’s the incense burner bestowed by His Majesty. They said it helps with mental stability too.”

I don’t really believe it, but I thought I’d try to get help from external forces. Valentin added with a shrug. As if he intended to rely on things to eat as well, there was leftover herbal tea on the tea table near the bed. It was also a type that was said to help calm the mind.

As soon as he glanced over it, Reynard felt even more sorry for his soft and naive husband. His molars ground together.

‘I’ll definitely soak them in seawater…’

* * *

As Reynard had said, Valentin immediately went into seclusion.

The pregnancy was also quickly announced. Before he knew it, it had spread to the reporters, and within a few days, an article announcing Valentin’s pregnancy was published in the newspaper.

But this time, it wasn’t on the front page of the daily newspaper as he had worried.

On the front page, there was even more shocking news occupying it prominently.

《The True Marriage of the Century! The 3rd Prince and His Lover, “Unchanging Love”》