Rumors or scandals, once ignited, tend to run in one direction. Unfortunately, this time, it was about the succession that caught fire. Rumors were buzzing everywhere at home and abroad, so she expected it was going to be talked about internally.

“Your Majesty! National strength originates from the unwavering royal authority. Therefore, please produce a successor promptly to preserve the country’s well-being…!”

Selina rested her chin in displeasure as she listened to the courtier who appealed during the Cabinet meeting.

With her other hand, she stroked the head of the beast beside her.

“Groowll…”

The beast seemed to understand her mood and let out a low growl.

The courtier, who had spoken, flinched and shrunk his shoulders. However, he did not retract his words. Whether as a courtier, he wouldn’t retreat from tormenting Selina, or as a loyal subject, he wouldn’t step back from considering the future of the country.

There was no option for the servant to step back. Though intimidating them could scare them, it wasn’t necessary to go that far.

After her conversation with Jerryel, the King’s duties lingered in her mind.

It was because she was the King, lineage was crucial in this world.

She understood why these disturbances were happening. Still, her inability to come up with a clear answer stemmed from the fact that she was not yet prepared to accept pregnancy and childbirth as her obligation as an individual.

As the voices of the courtiers started to rise a little more, Kalcion’s voice intervened.

“Our King is a special being and a goddess, but I believe she cannot conceive on her own.”

The voices of the courtiers, which were just about to boil over, subsided like a simmering pot with its lid closed.

“Shouldn’t the succession issue be partially my responsibility as well? Is it my turn to listen to the nagging this time?”

No one had the courage to answer Kalcion’s sarcastic question. As the atmosphere became tense, he pressed even harder.

“To dare bring up the issue of succession right after Her Majesty’s recent ascension is nothing short of a disrespectful suggestion of when she might pass away.”

“That, that’s not what I meant!”

At the threat worthy of Duke Renbird, who would not hesitate to label them as traitors and have them executed, the courtiers jumped in alarm. Having escaped from Aclion’s deranged Crown Prince to Selina, Duke Renbird seemed to have gone even more insane.

“Pregnancy itself is a burden on the body. It wouldn’t be right to impose it on Her Majesty’s noble physique, would it?”

The emphasis on the importance of succession was, in a way, to preserve the royal lineage. However, it would be meaningless if the King’s health suffered to maintain that lineage.

It was a dilemma that had arisen mostly due to the fact that the majority of monarchs in history had been male. Having realized this upon hearing it from Kalcion, the courtiers once again bowed their heads deeply.

“The, the succession is the most critical issue in any royal family.”

The slightly courageous person in the room finally voiced their thoughts.

“Yes, it is an important matter.”

Kalcion nodded agreeably.

“Traditionally, the king’s consort has been responsible for pregnancy and childbirth, so wouldn’t it be appropriate for me to take on the pregnancy in this case?”

“…Excuse me?”

An incident was about to occur where the eyeballs of everyone in the room simultaneously bulged. Selina was among those people.

Kalcion, the only one who spoke, remained as composed and serene as before.

“Moreover, my body is much stronger.”

“The, the Duke is a man?”

The courtiers did not possess minds as open as the tailor. Had it been the tailor, he might have asked, ‘Was he a female?’ first.

“In a world where ancient races beyond the Beast Mountains still exist, is there a way for men to become pregnant?”

“Tha, that…”

“Whether it exists or not, it’s your job to find it or create it.”

Kalcion smiles cheerfully.

The threat was not to mention succession until a method for men to become pregnant was discovered.

It was an excellent example of ‘speak and be d*mned.’

* * *

“Is it really true?”

“What is?”

“The method for men to become pregnant.”

As Selina rolled over in bed and asked, Kalcion deftly rolled his body toward her and placed her on top of him. When she met his gaze as she lay on top of him, he grinned slyly.

“…Just something I said in passing?”

Selina chuckled back with a sigh. She wondered if he had come across such a passage in Songtullek’s records.

“It wasn’t just something I said. There was a reason behind it, a threat.”

Kalcion shamelessly justified himself.

“What if they find a real way?”

“Then, it’s good.”

The peculiar response followed without missing a beat.

“Don’t you have any worries about it?”

“If we could do it, it would be the best option, wouldn’t it?”

She knew very well that Kalcion wasn’t the type to joke about such matters.

“While we’re at it, should we try looking up Songtullek’s records?”

“… It’s really there, is it?”

“It’s nice if it were.”

The mere thought of a pregnant Kalcion was so strange that Selina stopped her train of thought.

“You love me too much.”

“That’s right.”

She placed her hand on Kalcion’s chest and rested her chin on it. Their lips hovered close to each other, almost touching. As he exerted a bit of pressure on his abdomen, bringing her chin a little closer, Selina extended her lips and lightly kissed him.

Kiss.

With a touch that seemed to be there but not quite, Kalcion narrowed his eyes. Trying to soothe him, she kissed him a bit longer and more deliberately, and his eyes softened, which was cute.

It was impossible to stay still after seeing that.

Selina abruptly sat up, cupped Kalcion’s cheeks with both hands and pressed her lips against his.

Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!

Their lips met repeatedly, making cute noises. He pulled her waist closer, and the light sound that had been falling suddenly became long and sticky.

“Umm…”

Feeling his familiar lips parting her and exploring, Selina let out a soft moan. They rolled around, tangled up in each other, and this time, she ended up lying down, entwined with him. For quite sometime after, their lips overlapped and heatedly caressed each other.

When their lips finally parted, both of them were breathing heavily.

“Haa…”

He seemed to imply that he was only giving her a brief break as he leaned in for another kiss. When did the awkward kisses of the past grow into something like this? Now, she couldn’t help but feel her breath catching in excitement.

Kalcion glanced at her and buried his face in Selina’s neck, his touch lightly grazing her soft skin, making her shiver.

“Hu-uht! Ah, Kalcion—!”

It couldn’t be more endearing as the desperate caress reached out to her as if he were a drowning person.

Kalcion could never resist this sweet desire. He was filled with worries about whether touching her would wear her out, or if she would break with his touch, or if her body would be harmed in any way. However, at this moment, he couldn’t restrain himself.

Worried that the northern air might chill her skin, they entwined themselves under the blanket, and soon, both of them were covered in sweat.

Their drenched skins made a squelching sound each time their stomachs met.

“Ah… Haha.”

Selina giggled awkwardly at the somewhat embarrassing sound.

“Seems like a perfect day for making a baby, doesn’t it?”

“While I haven’t yet found a way for me to become pregnant, Your Majesty?”

Kalcion couldn’t refuse, but he tried to pull back a little.

“Well, once we make one, I’ll do my best to figure out the best way to transfer it into your stomach, Kalcion.”

He could feel her sincerity in her enthusiastic embrace, pulling him closer by the neck. Kalcion hesitated, grabbing Selina’s arms to protest.

“Wait, wait. Of course, I’ll work hard to find a way, but there’s no need to rush because of the pressure regarding the heir.”

“Am I the kind of person who would be bothered by such things?”

He had witnessed her strength against external pressures, and he knew she was resilient. Nevertheless, he also knew she had a delicate side.

“Of course, I know Your Majesty is strong and resilient. But can you consider the worries of a loyal subject who is concerned that your body might be harmed?”

Unlike most royal couples, they shared the same bedroom.

While they had their own offices, they spent most of their time together. Sharing the same bedroom meant that things happened between them almost every night. However, they had been diligent in using contraception, so they had yet to conceive a child.

According to Songtullek’s records, there were methods in this world to make contraceptives with herbs. In addition to physical and traditional methods, they used all available means to ensure effective contraception.

“What if I say I don’t want to bear children for the rest of my life?”

Delaying it out of a sense of pity could only last a day or two. Eventually, they would have to come to terms with it.

“Then don’t bear one.”

Kalcion’s response was too easy.

“So, Selinia will end with just the first?”

“I don’t know what happens after I die. Without you, there would be no world.”

He spoke as though he could leave the world behind as soon as tomorrow if it happened.

“Childbirth isn’t an easy or comfortable task. It often involves a lot of struggle and even the risk of losing one’s life. Not to mention the physical changes and hardships that come with pregnancy and childbirth. If you don’t want it, you don’t have to experience it.”

He truly seemed like someone who had handed over the entire country to her hands. In his mind, there was only Selina. Of course, when other matters were right in front of him, he would concentrate and handle them well, but his priorities never changed.

Always, no matter what, Selina was his priority.

He didn’t want her to prove his successful life. Nor did he want her as a means to leave his descendants.

“How did I meet someone like you?”

Even though he was right in front of her, she still couldn’t believe it.

Using the excuse of brushing away the hair that fell over his face, she gently cupped his cheek. Kalcion waited as he gazed at Selina, then, as her hand descended, he couldn’t help but catch her, burying his lips in the palm of her hand.

Seeing that, her heart beat even faster. Selina roughly pushed Kalcion’s shoulders and straddled his waist.

“Selina?”

Though he would have been able to resist if he had wanted to, Kalcion, who never used force except when necessary, yielded easily.

“Why is my Cioni so beautiful like this?”

“…What—?”

While he was the type to agree with most things she said, it was hard for him to readily agree to being called ‘pretty.’

Seeing him surprised and flustered, Selina chuckled softly, finding the sight adorable. It was somewhat sinister.

“If we have a child who looks just like this beautiful Cioni, it will be twice as happy a life.”

“…Selina?”

With a seductive smile, she intentionally groped Kalcion’s body.

“Darling.”

“….”

He was shocked as he heard an unfamiliar term of endearment that he had never heard before. However, what followed was even more astonishing.

“Give birth to my child.”

Without waiting for permission, Selina pounced on Kalcion.

It was a given, he couldn’t resist.

__