Horace suddenly paused and glanced back at Lilith.
The little red-haired girl was covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking. She was clearly holding back laughter.
Something felt off, but Horace did not dwell on it.
He left the study and headed toward the bedroom.
When Horace pushed open the bedroom door, it was dark inside.
Only a small night-light burned on the bedside table, its warm yellow glow barely illuminating the center of the room.
Then he saw Rellana.
Caria's second princess, his wife, was standing beside the bed.
She was wearing something Horace had never seen before.
It was a piece of deep purple lingerie made of silk as thin as a cicada's wings-if it could still be called "lingerie."
There was pitifully little fabric, barely covering the essential areas, leaving broad expanses of fair skin exposed beneath the dim yellow light, gleaming softly.
Along the lace edges, the Carian Royal Family's crest, embroidered in silver thread, was faintly visible.
Rellana's face was so red it looked ready to bleed.
Her hands were folded over her lower abdomen, her fingers twisting together uneasily. Those eyes, always so clear and bright, were now downcast, not daring to look at Horace.
"This..." Horace stood in the doorway, momentarily at a loss for words.
"M-my sister gave it to me..." Rellana's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"She said... she said this kind of 'winning lingerie' could... could improve our chances..."
"Chances?" Horace closed the door and walked toward her.
"Chances of what?"
Rellana lowered her head even further.
"O-of... getting pregnant..." Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
"My sister said we have to hurry... We need to have a child as soon as possible..."
Horace understood.
He walked up to Rellana and reached out to lift her chin.
His