Chapter 229
That started to bother him, and he found himself about to say something. He knew Ashtel would be delighted to hear a compliment from him.
‘Wait, am I being self-absorbed?’
If Ashtel had overheard, she would have absolutely insisted he was wrong—but Payne was already regretting his own line of thinking.
Such vanity and hesitation weren’t exactly in line with humility or self-restraint.
‘And anyway, there’s no rule that says I have to call her pretty…’
Lost in these awkward thoughts, they soon arrived at the old clinic.
Ashtel greeted the place brightly.
“Hello! We’re here for a check-up!”
“Ashtel, that’s a bit loud.”
But even after her cheerful shout, there was no answer.
They glanced around with puzzled faces, only to finally spot a note taped to the exam table:
[Gone shopping, will be back soon.]
Grocery shopping in the middle of a weekday?
“Uh…”
Ashtel’s disappointment was clear, but Payne only shook his head.
“Let’s go back out for now. Since we’re here, why don’t we take a walk around the marketplace?”
“Yay, great! This is a date, right?”
“D-date? It’s not like that!”
But… was it really not?
Ashtel, out on a rare outing, was dressed up beautifully—enough that even the flower vendor had commented.
Payne was in simple clothes, not quite as striking, but still matched her in atmosphere.
‘Why am I even thinking about this…?’
He sighed and rubbed his cheek with one hand.
For now, his priority was keeping Ashtel—who looked about ready to dash off like an excited foal—from wandering off.
“Ashtel, if you keep this up you’ll get lost. Stay close to me.”
“Okay! Oh, look at that! Payne, let’s go check it out!”
“…Alright.”
The two of them attracted plenty of fond gazes. In a quiet village, a good-looking young couple moving in was enough to spark both curiosity and interest.
“How’d the groom end up with such a pretty wife?”
An old man out for a stroll asked warmly.
Payne was at a loss for words, hesitating until Ashtel eagerly clung to his side.
“I confessed to him first!”
“My, so you’re bolder than you look, miss.”
“Of course! Payne’s the best in the whole world.”
“Haha! So, when are you planning to have kids?”
“Sorry, we should get going now.”
Payne hurriedly led Ashtel away—he knew from experience that once elders started talking about children, there was no end to it.
“Payne, what does he mean? Do you have to have kids as soon as you get married?”
“No, you don’t need to worry about that.”
But Ashtel wanted to worry about it—after all, she was planning to propose to Payne soon and have a wedding.
‘Kids… children…’
She tried to imagine it, but the idea didn’t quite sink in.
Succubi couldn’t reproduce the human way. Even if they accepted s***n, it wouldn’t implant. If they wanted children, they’d pour their magic into the Asti tree and let it bear fruit, birthing new demons that way.
‘Humans are mammals, so I guess I’d have to actually give birth. The baby would come out of my stomach…’
The thought felt weird, and probably painful.
Still, most humans had children, so if she married Payne, maybe she would, too. She definitely didn’t want to go through pain more than once, so she decided—just one would be enough.
Now, which would be better, a boy or a girl?
“Hmm… Payne, do you want a son or a daughter?”
“What?”
“I like both! I think it’d be fun to raise any child, as long as they take after you.”
“What are you talking about?”
Payne’s cheeks turned red, and he dodged the question.
Ashtel smiled, seeing through his embarrassment. She knew it wasn’t because he disliked the idea, just that he was shy.
He was always bashful, after all.
She wondered if right now, he was picturing what their children might be like, just as she was.
‘Boy or girl…?’
And just as she thought, Payne found himself daydreaming.
She said she’d be happy if their child looked like him, but he secretly hoped their child would look like Ashtel—bright and radiant, unlike his own awkward, unremarkable self.
“I…”
Payne started, but before he could finish, Ashtel suddenly pointed across the way and dashed off.
“Grandma!”
The elderly doctor, who had left her clinic to go shopping, turned at Ashtel’s call.
Payne stood there, mouth slightly open, before sighing and following her.
Really, she’s such a handful.
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