“Heavens! Then, it really must be the trend in the Paradigm Empire. Even Reneb has dyed her hair!”
Reneb glanced sharply at Icar.
“……?”
Reneb tilted her head at Icar’s reaction and sat down next to Selma.
The head of the table was empty, with Icar opposite Selma, and Druhan opposite Reneb.
“Really, I can’t recognize you!”
Indeed, the fact that she had washed and polished after feeling a bit… no, very sheepish on the way here made her look quite transformed.
Reneb quickly scanned Selma. As a result, she noticed that the sparkling decoration in her hair was the point of today’s fashion.
“Silver jewelry suits your fair skin very well.”
Apparently correct, Selma’s expression brightened.
A rattling sound.
Just then, maids pushed a trolley into the dining room.
After that, a comfortable meal continued with occasional conversation, mostly Selma asking questions, and Icar responding curtly as if annoyed.
Just like now.
“Duke Druhan, how do you spend your leisure time?”
“Leisure time… I have no time for that.”
Icar answered briefly as he sliced into his bleeding calf steak. Selma let out a soft moan, as if sensing another deadend in the conversation.
“Ah… I see.”
Then she quickly opened her mouth, as if she had thought of a new question.
“Ah, yes! I heard Duke Druhan has a sister my age.”
“Yes, I do. A very cute younger sister.”
Icar’s eyes curved up a bit as he smiled.
Was it because his reaction, which had been sour all along, was a little better?
Selma quickly asked.
“I will participate in the founding ceremony as well as the debutante ball. Could you introduce me to Duke Druhan’s sister then?”
“Cough…”
Druhan, who had been quietly continuing his meal, coughed as if choked. Selma, who gestured to a nearby maid to pour water, asked with concern.
“Duke Vane, are you okay?”
“Yes. Of course. But, Your Grace, it’s a bit sensitive to speak about someone else’s sister like this.”
“……”
“It seems difficult to introduce Duke Druhan’s sister to Your Grace.”
At Druhan’s words, Selma looked at Icar and asked.
“Why, Duke Druhan?”
“Perhaps, because the sister will not be attending the founding ceremony?”
Icar replied, looking at Druhan.
“Yes. My, I mean, Duke Druhan’s sister, is not a good fit with graceful young ladies like you.”
“……Is that so?”
Selma clasped one cheek with a disappointed expression, and Reneb sent a sympathetic glance to Druhan.
She felt a kind of fellow suffering for him, caught in a difficult situation because of Icar.
Living as the empress, looking after Emperor Lucius, she too lived each day as if walking on thin ice.
Druhan also seemed more tired now than when they first met.
“……”
Icar’s gaze, which had been staring intently at Reneb, turned to Druhan.
Druhan was startled by Icar’s chilly look, which could be somewhat creepy.
“Why, why are you staring at me like that, Duke Druhan?”
Icar gulped down his wine without answering. Reneb looked at Druhan with narrowed eyes.
And she repeated to herself.
‘Hang in there! Druhan. Don’t give up.’
Druhan, who could not know such inner thoughts of Reneb, tilted his head, and Selma opened her mouth again.
“Right, lately in the Paradigm Empire, dying one’s hair is a trend, isn’t it? Then, is Your Grace’s silver hair also dyed?”
Reneb recalled the excuse Icar had wrapped around.
“Yes. I also dyed my hair. It’s a big trend among the Paradigm nobles now.”
Thus, she spat out a lie and turned her head towards Icar.
But unexpectedly, Icar asked with interest.
“What was the original color then?”
Icar had wrapped around a lie to prevent his own lie from being exposed, but to have it come out like this?
“Brown. It was brown.”
A little annoyed, Reneb played along once more.
Then Selma, as if realizing something, nodded her head and said.
Silver hair would have looked pretty, too, but it definitely suited Her Highness like a pearl. Should I try dyeing my hair this time?
“Thank you. But seeing your pretty brown hair, I kind of regret having it dyed.”
“Is that so?”
Reneb’s compliment made Selma’s face turn red.
On the other hand, Reneb wished the mealtime would end soon.
Hoping that Selma wouldn’t ask me anything more, I slightly bowed my head toward the plate.
Drhan, too, was staring down at his plate, as if trying not to make eye contact with Selma.
But Selma kept asking this and that.
And for some reason, Icar’s mood seemed a bit uncomfortable.
(This is a time separator.)
As soon as the meal was over, Drhan tried to escape to his room.
But the deep voice from behind stopped Drhan’s steps.
“Vane.”
Drhan forced a smile and turned around.
“Yes, Sir Drhan. Speak.”
Icar stared piercingly at Drhan, exuding an intimidating aura.
Drhan involuntarily gathered his polite hands and swallowed dryly.
I have no guilt other than fitting into this beggarlike play at His Majesty’s will.
Yet, it was not my will that my throat choked at Icar’s single glance.
“……It’s okay.”
Icar clicked his tongue and began to walk ahead.
Drhan carefully let out a sigh of relief and quickly looked around.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
