Before the words could fully escape, Hert suddenly pulled Tessa into an embrace. It was then that Tessa realized Hert’s heart was beating violently, and his hand trembled ever so slightly.

“…Hel?”

“You… Tessa, you’ve always been everything to me.”

His voice, as if suppressing something, felt both joyful and sorrowful.

“You’ve never been… nothing to me. You… just your existence alone has been everything to me.”

Ironically, Tessa, who felt she was nothing, made him feel special. Her presence led to the Hert of today, and he could attribute much of his life to her. There was never a time when Tessa wasn’t a help in his life. One could almost say that Tessa saved Hert’s life.

So, from the moment Hert heard Tessa’s confession, his heart ached. He wondered if he actually knew very little about her compared to what he thought. The stories she told directly from her mouth were quite different from the Tessa he had in mind.

His vision blurred. Just like that day, tears welled up in Hert’s eyes, and he couldn’t hold them back.

“So….. what I want to say is…”

Hert met Tessa’s gaze once again. Tears were slowly welling up in her eyes too. Hert reached out and gently cupped Tessa’s small cheek.

“You’re the one… giving me a chance.”

“Hel…”

“…..Even now.”

Hert could now understand. The bright girl who first reached out to him was always there in front of him. He was unable to see that girl because he was blinded by anger.

Eventually, it was Tessa who extended her hand first. He now understood.

“I’m the one who should apologize. I… couldn’t wait for you. Ironically, I was the one lacking courage.”

I said it, didn’t I? Without you, I’m nothing.

You keep moving forward like this, while I remain the same unless you lead me.

“Tessa, you’re… braver than anyone. More than me.”

A stream of warm tears trickled down his cheeks.

At the same time, Tessa’s tears burst forth as well. She wiped away Hert’s tears with her sleeve, murmuring soothing words.

“Why… why are you crying… because you’re crying…”

I’ll end up crying too. I promised not to cry today.

The two of them stood there for a while, crying, and then, looking at each other’s reddened eyes, they burst into a small laughter. Even to them, the situation where both of them burst into tears while on a walk was both amusing and absurd.

Tessa extended her pinky finger to Hert.

“Let’s…promise. Always be honest with each other, without hiding anything…..”

“I promise.”

Hert firmly replied, hooking his pinky finger. Once the promise was made, they looked at each other again and laughed. Then, suddenly, Tessa clutched her stomach and let out a small groan.

“…Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

Hert quickly supported Tessa in worry.

“My stomach…”

At that moment, another small movement occurred in her belly. Something like a kick. Tessa looked at Hert with a surprised expression.

“…Hel, it’s the first movement!”

She hastily took his hand and placed it on her belly. The baby seemed to sense its father’s presence, and kicked in succession.

Feeling the vivid sensation on his palm, Hert found himself speechless. Is this… the baby’s movement? It felt like his chest was swelling with emotions, more intense than he had imagined, accompanied by subtle feelings.

“Our child is happy too… Hel?”

Tessa absentmindedly looked at Hert’s face, then was startled. He was shedding tears again. Perhaps moved by the baby’s first movement. Watching him, still unable to take his hand off her belly, Tessa also had tears welling up in her eyes.

“But, Hel… there’s one more thing I want to talk about…”

Even if tears are shed, what needs to be said must be said.

Worried that it might be forgotten, Tessa quickly continued, her eyes focusing with determination.

“Stop giving me gifts.”

“….Huh?”

“It’s too much… and burdensome. So, I’m saying, it would be better if you took back the gifts you gave me today. What are you up to? Suddenly making me… a landowner?”

Hert was momentarily confused by Tessa’s words. Gifts given today? A landowner…?

Soon, he remembered that he had recently signed documents transferring part of his property to Tessa. Recalling that Lange took the paperwork and was supposed to guide her through it once approved, everything fell into place.

‘Sir, you are now in big trouble.’

Once again, the warning that Lange had thrown at him came to mind. Could it be because of that? But why? Hert’s head was momentarily thrown into disarray by Tessa’s reaction, which was quite different from what he had expected. Everyone had assured him that she would appreciate it.

Unlike the first day, as time passed, Tessa didn’t seem to like the gifts he had prepared.

Eventually, Hert asked Marquis Borwen, who shares the same gender as Tessa, what women generally liked as gifts. The response he received was to give her land, something that doesn’t become useless, rather than items that are easily misplaced.

‘She doesn’t really like those trivial things as gifts.’

Just to be sure, he asked his subordinate knight, Mogen, if Tessa would appreciate receiving land as a gift. The answer was that she couldn’t not like it.

Hert immediately applied to transfer properties that could be handed over to Tessa’s name. Although Lange warned him that he was moving too fast, Hert ignored it, envisioning Tessa’s delighted expression.

“I didn’t think….you’d feel that way.”

“I’d rather just receive them as they are… No matter how much I think about it, your gifts are too much… If you really want to give something, one per day would be enough. Even a simple bouquet of flowers would suffice, Hel.”

“But…”

Hert still had many things he hadn’t given to Tessa. There was a pile of things he wanted to give her in the future. However, unless he had the king’s permission, he could only give them bit by bit.

It was never too much to give to Tessa. After all, what belonged to him ultimately belonged to her.

“Is that really… enough?”

“Yes. Spending time with you, that’s the best gift for me.”

At that moment, the baby in her belly kicked. Tessa wiped away the tears in her eyes and smiled brightly.

“Look at this, our baby feels the same way.”

“…..Alright. So, one per day.”

“I promise, one per day.”

Of course, that didn’t mean Hert was planning to give Tessa just a simple bouquet of flowers every day. The bouquet was a must, and since he could only give one gift per day, he intended to carefully choose the best ones for her. That was something he couldn’t compromise on.

Hert gently caressed Tessa’s belly.

“Tessa, how about building a house made of cookies? You like cookies, so…”

“Stop.”

“….yes.”

It was a day they would never forget.

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