Chapter 88
“Sia.”
“Lord Nox.”
He immediately checked her complexion. Thankfully, she looked fairly bright, and that eased his heart.
“I was curious. What’s got Cedric so delighted?”
“Ah, Milord. The lady not only allowed me to keep that curious herb but even gave me this much of it!”
Cedric beamed and opened the handkerchief wide.
“…Isn’t that too much?”
Nox’s quiet remark made Sia answer for herself.
“It’s Cedric, after all. He’s earned it. And besides, if he wants to brew it into tea and share it with his wife, how could I not give him plenty?”
“I see…”
As he spoke, Nox slid another box, tucked under his arm, in front of her. Sia, sipping warm tea, gave him a questioning look.
“What’s this?”
“Mm… nothing big, but…”
His face was tense. His eyes darted here and there. He’d thought hard to prepare this, but worry filled him. What if she didn’t like it again?
Seeing her hesitate, he opened the box himself. Inside sat a smooth, round gem.
“…A gemstone?”
“No, a mana stone. More exactly, a magic device made from a mana stone.”
When Sia’s curiosity sparked, he quickly lifted the item and activated it, explaining as he did.
“Mm, I read in a book that it’s good for females to keep their lower abdomen warm. I thought it might help you too, so…”
Before he could even finish speaking, Sia took it and set it on her stomach. The warmth was perfect, so comfortable she almost let out a little “haaah” of relief.
It felt like lying belly-down on the heated floor of a cozy room.
“Wow… it’s wonderful.”
“Really?”
“My stomach’s been so cold and achy… This helps a lot.”
“…I’m glad.”
Watching Nox’s sincere relief, Sia quietly reached out and took his large hand. After all the unreasonable moods he’d patiently endured since yesterday, she felt deep gratitude, and now he’d gone and prepared something like this. He was impossibly dear to her.
Meanwhile, Nox couldn’t take his eyes off Sia’s delight at his gift. He was overjoyed. For the first time, he fully understood how other males felt when they brought gifts to their mates. He held her small hand a little tighter.
“Well done, Milord!”
Cedric, too, couldn’t hide his joy. Marie, standing nearby, looked relieved.
“Hm? You’ve finished the chocolate cake instead of fruit cake this time.”
Nox had always paid close attention to what Sia ate, ready to bring her better things if she liked something.
“Today I just craved chocolate cake. And the chocolate in this one was perfectly rich and sweet, so delicious.”
At once Nox glanced at Cedric and called him.
“Cedric.”
“Yes, I’ll inform the pâtissier.”
Cedric didn’t need extra instructions. He understood Nox’s intentions right away. The catnip in his pocket clearly had him more energetic than usual.
Sia rested a hand lazily atop the warm magic device on her belly and murmured drowsily.
“Now that I’m warm… I feel like eating ice cream.”
“Cedric.”
“Yes, I’ll fetch some from the city at once.”
“Mmm… that pudding I had last time was delicious too…”
“Cedric.”
“Yes, I’ll have the pâtissier make it immediately.”
Cedric tucked the handkerchief with the catnip carefully back into his inner jacket pocket and exited briskly. Marie slipped soundlessly into the bathroom and set down the box she’d been handed by the Duke.
Meanwhile, the parlor was filled with their gentle voices.
“Nothing else you’d like? Won’t you get tired of only sweet things?”
“Mmm… actually, I’m craving something spicy.”
“Spicy?”
“But you don’t have that kind of food here, right?”
Nox instantly caught the faint shadow in her expression and answered with quiet confidence.
“If it’s what you want, I can make it happen. Tell me what kind of food you mean.”
“Well…”
He couldn’t look away from Sia as she chattered softly. He felt deeply relieved that her mood, which had been as changeable as a stormy sea all day, was calm again like still waters.
Seeing her look uncomfortable, he wordlessly lifted her calves onto his thigh and gently massaged them while listening to her voice, light and birdlike.
Truly, the saying was right. When the home is peaceful, everything outside runs smoothly. And for him, the only thing that mattered was Sia.
No one and nothing else.
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