He briefly denied that it wasn’t like that. Reynard immediately said goodbye to the people he was talking with and supported Valentin’s waist. Then he moved towards the exit. It happened so quickly that Valentin was wrapped in her husband’s arm and moved along in a daze.

“Take care on your way back,” Shane’s voice was heard behind them, seeing off his superior and his partner.

“Is it okay to leave like this?” 

When Valentin worried about not greeting properly according to etiquette, Reynard frowned and held him up again.

“If you saw yourself in a mirror right now, you wouldn’t say that.”

“A mirror?”

“Yes. You’ve turned completely pale. What on earth happened?”

“Ah… Actually, I’ve been having some sharp pains in my stomach.”

Although he had been looking for Reynard thinking he could endure it, it seems it was indeed too much.

Reynard’s expression hardened and he completely lifted Valentin’s body. Then he walked quickly.

“I’ll have to call McClain as soon as we get back to the mansion.”

Somehow hearing his worry made him feel even weaker. He felt reassured having met someone who would protect him perfectly. Valentin buried his drooping body deeper, leaning in and hugging his husband.

Thus, their return home was carried out swiftly.

*

Dr. McClain, the personal physician who had come with them from Dales, spoke seriously while tilting his head slightly. Fortunately, it wasn’t bad news.

“The sharp pain you’re feeling is a sensation commonly felt by pregnant people, caused by the uterus expanding.”

While saying this, he seriously advised Reynard:

“But it would be better to have a more definite diagnosis. Although I’m a doctor who treats various ailments, I’m an endocrinologist specializing in studying trait carriers’ pheromones. Since His Highness the Consort is now past 6 months, it would be good to find a doctor who specializes in omega pregnancy and childbirth.”

At those words, Reynard nodded. Judging by his expression, he looked ready to put out a job advertisement for a doctor to assist with the Grand Duke’s Consort’s childbirth right away.

Valentin hesitantly pulled on Reynard’s arm.

“I think… it would be fine to continue with Dr. McClain for a while…”

The thought of a new doctor coming and starting with trivial inquiries again, and having to show his body anew to that person made him feel a bit reluctant. Valentin was already unfamiliar with his swelling belly that didn’t feel like his own body.

Valentin stroked his belly with a gloomy expression.

‘Do all people who get pregnant suddenly without preparation feel like this…?’

Whether it was because it wasn’t a pregnancy he had expected and waited for, the swelling belly and bodily changes weren’t just joyful and fascinating. Some days he would often become depressed even looking in the mirror.

“Still, we should start preparing for the birth just in case something unexpected happens,” Reynard said as he personally attended to Valentin, changing him into indoor clothes.

“…There’s still about 4 months left.”

“It’s not bad to prepare in advance.”

Valentin closed his mouth, seeing Reynard not backing down according to his opinion. Then he glared at the empty air with a disgruntled expression. As if there was some particularly displeasing dust in the empty space. It was the timid rebellion of a hamster unable to glare directly at his husband, knowing his feelings.

Noticing that sulky expression, Reynard gently soothed Valentin.

“It’s related to your health. We’re just preparing in advance in case anything happens.”

“Still…”

“Alright. Then I’ll arrange for a doctor in advance, but let’s meet properly a bit later. Is that okay?”

“Yes…”

Valentin reluctantly agreed.

In fact, he didn’t even know himself why his heart was so selfish and childish. Just endless minor complaints and discomforts kept arising. The young pregnant person was suffering from hormones like this again today.

Finally changed into comfortable clothes, Valentin quietly watched Reynard pouring water into a porcelain bowl and washing his hands, then got up from the couch.

“What are you trying to do?”

“I was thinking of burning some incense…”

It was something he often did these days to calm his mind that was about to pout again for no reason. Burning incense and sitting quietly as if meditating. Perhaps because it was Oriental-style incense, the atmosphere was quite appropriate. It was quite effective in subduing his fluctuating body and mind.

At Valentin’s words, Reynard rang the bell, and Powell came in and lit the incense very quickly.

Reynard frowned as he watched the incense melt and the fragrance rise from the uniquely shaped, glittering gold incense burner.

“If I had known it would be used this often, I would have brought in something else earlier. I’ll have it changed to herbal scented candles. That should be put away.”

“Really? I liked the exotic fragrance as unique as its shape.”

“This incense you’ve been burning continuously was something I ordered separately, Valentin.”

“Was it?”

“Yes, I felt uneasy about it. But every time I see that, its flashy appearance reminds me of the Leopold family who like gaudy things, which is unpleasant.”

Hearing that, Valentin burst out laughing as he recalled the flamboyant Rococo-style architecture and decorations of the Imperial Palace. He perfectly understood what his husband was thinking. He completely exploded over nothing.

Come to think of it, although the Imperial Palace and this incense burner were products of completely different cultures, somehow they had similar aspects. The dazzlingly glittering gold color and flashy appearance were exactly like that.

“So let’s use that only until today.”

“Okay, I will.”

Valentin agreed while wiping away the moisture in his eyes from laughing. He had just burned it because it was there, he didn’t have any particular attachment to that object. And having used it this much, he could probably talk about similar experiences directly when meeting the Emperor.

After taking a short break like that, it was when the two were holding hands and going down the stairs for dinner.

“Ah!”

Valentin suddenly remembered something and pulled on Reynard’s hand he was holding. Then he raised his eyebrows and waited for Valentin’s next words.

“I’ve been meaning to say this since earlier, but I forgot because I suddenly got sick.”

“What is it?”

“Do you remember the new drug of His Highness the 3rd Prince that we saw today?”

“I can’t forget it.”

Reynard continued escorting Valentin while smiling coldly with only one corner of his mouth raised. Somehow, he seemed to understand the emotions Reynard was feeling about the new drug from that expression.

“I know it’s not my business to interfere…”

“There’s nothing in the world you can’t interfere with. Especially with me.”

Valentin smiled brightly at the affection telling him he rightfully had the right to comment on all his affairs. But he soon put that away and spoke in a serious voice with a hardened face.

“In today’s speech, I heard His Highness Clifton say that the military and poor would be able to use the new drug first.”

“To be precise, he said it would be used for war veterans and injured people in the military.”

“Yes. Is it possible for the navy to refuse that?”

It was a very careful question.

Valentin had never interfered with Reynard’s work before. Even more so with the navy organization where the Grand Duke was an admiral. He had only watched it from a distance as a spectator and third party, never thinking of understanding or getting involved in its contents. That realm was so much their own. He thought it was an overreach for him to interfere in the ‘navy’ organization within the Dennox name, which was just his husband’s and father-in-law’s work.

But it was different when it came to the issue of this drug. He had to intervene even if it was too much.

‘It’s a dangerous drug. It will surely cause big problems like opium.’

Valentin was certain.

“…Is there something you’re concerned about?”

“……”

He didn’t know exactly where to start and where to end. The fact that he was actually a person who lived in another world with very advanced civilization in his past life was a secret to everyone.

Valentin swallowed hard and carefully chose his words.

“I don’t know the details either, but I know that the new drug is very dangerous, unlike what was announced today.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Not just today’s new drug, but also the existing Popinsa tincture made from the Popinsa flower. It certainly has powerful pain-relieving effects as well as calming effects. But that’s not because the drug actually heals the painful area or illness…”

“It’s because it dulls the senses and anesthetizes.”

“…You know that?”

“Yes.”

Reynard nodded and personally opened the door so Valentin could enter the small dining room. The footmen didn’t panic and only assisted with their master’s usual actions.

“We’re probably one of the families who know the side effects of that drug best. Because we’ve been researching it for a very long time.”

Reynard said, pointing to himself and Valentin. Although Valentin didn’t know well yet, it seems the Dennox family and the navy were already aware of this drug.

“So the navy doesn’t use Popinsa normally. Except when there are problems like very serious injuries during combat.”

Reynard added that in those cases, momentarily relieving pain to prevent death from shock helps save the injured person’s life. Well, using medically well-refined Popinsa tincture once or twice doesn’t cause addiction. It was the same with morphine extracted from opium poppies.

Reynard pulled out Valentin’s chair placed in front of the dining table.