Chapter 63
Nox had no choice but to be separated from Sia because of work. He had wanted nothing more than to stay by her side, so he had hurried through his duties, but by then, the sun was already setting.
After glancing out the window, Nox quickened his pace. Cedric, following close behind, ensured there was no one around before leaning in to whisper quietly.
“Congratulations, Master.”
At Cedric’s words of congratulation, Nox’s ears flushed red.
“…Thank you.”
“It would be wise to prepare for the wedding quickly, since there may soon be a child.”
“……”
Nox couldn’t respond clearly to Cedric’s comment. Whether it was because this was his first time, or because Sia was human, he wasn’t certain, but his instincts told him that he had likely failed to induce ovulation during their mating.
Cedric, who had been dreaming alone of a bright future, cautiously asked, noting Nox’s silence.
“Did something happen?”
As a worst-case scenario flashed in his mind, Cedric quickly added,
“Did you… perhaps spend the wedding night without the young lady’s consent?”
That was something no gentlemanly male should ever do. Cedric’s gaze sharpened, and for the first time in a long while, he scolded Nox harshly. The title from Nox’s childhood slipped out naturally.
“Did I raise you to behave this way, Young Master? Didn’t I teach you that if a female refuses, a male must wait patiently?”
“…Ahem. I admit, at first I acted out of anger and didn’t ask for permission… but I did get her consent in the middle, so it should be fine.”
“Young Master!”
“I didn’t intend it that way. But then Sia tried to leave this place…”
“What?”
“Ahem. It turns out that was a misunderstanding, which I learned later. But I have no regrets. Even if things happened out of order, Sia will become my mate.”
Yes, he felt not an ounce of regret.
Instead, Nox was silently berating himself for his earlier complacency, even after a divine prophecy had descended.
“For now, humans might be difficult to find, but rumors spread in unpredictable ways. Even if we’ve silenced Marie, there were maids who overheard, and residents of the territory saw us when I brought Sia back.”
“That’s true, but…”
“That’s why it’s best to claim her firmly as mine before other males catch on…”
“Are you saying…”
Cedric, realizing what Nox implied, widened his eyes.
“Don’t tell me… you failed to induce ovulation?”
“……”
It had been none other than Cedric who had instructed Nox in matters of mating with females. Though his lessons had consisted only of illustrations and explanations in books, Cedric had always emphasized the utmost importance of inducing ovulation.
“In the mating process of cat werebeasts, the most important step is triggering the female’s ovulation. …Of course, this process causes her pain, but that’s why it must be carried out without hesitation. The quicker it’s done, the easier it is on her.”
“…Ahem. I must have made a mistake since it was my first time.”
Seeing Nox’s embarrassed expression, Cedric smiled warmly.
“That is how one grows. Even so, this Cedric here was impressed by you, Master. You acted so shy and awkward, yet when the time came, you proved yourself a man!”
“Shy, you say…”
“Did you think I didn’t notice all the times you hovered around the young lady, just to hold her hand?”
“……”
“When the two of you had tea together, I saw your hand flinching under the table again and again. Ah, there was that one time during a walk, too…”
The more Cedric spoke, the more Nox flushed red, not just his ears but even his nape. Cedric had witnessed all of his awkward behavior.
Though embarrassed, Nox found he didn’t entirely dislike it. Seeing Cedric, his longtime butler who he had caused so much worry, rejoice over his happiness brought him relief.
“…There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Please, Master.”
“If ovulation induction works differently because she’s a human female, what should I do?”
“Uh…?”
Cedric stared blankly at Nox’s question. After all, humans were nothing more than creatures of myth, so there was no way he would know about mating with one.
“…Hm. I suppose even you wouldn’t know anything about human mating either.”
At Nox’s follow-up remark, Cedric felt an odd sting to his pride. In most other fields he might concede, but when it came to the physiology and customs of noble society, he was always the one to teach.
“If you grant me access to the ducal family’s secret archives, this Cedric here shall find a way!”
“Do you think there will be any records about humans in our family?”
“The Blois family is a distinguished noble house with a proud history of 500 years, Master. Even a small record might still remain.”
“…Very well. For now, we can’t reveal that Sia is human. I’ll leave this matter to you.”
“I will surely live up to your trust, Master.”
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