Side Story 5. Tender Affection (5)

Percy smiled softly but refused to back down.

“I can handle this perfectly well.”

“I know you can. It’s just not your job.”

“There’s nothing about you that isn’t my responsibility.”

This overprotectiveness again. While I found his devotion endearing, it also left me a bit flustered. Percy had become even more attentive since our marriage, something that was both sweet and overwhelming.

As he hung up my cape, I sat on the bed and removed my shoes. Just as I bent down to take off my socks and slide into my slippers, Percy’s large hand gently held my calf.

“Are your legs hurting?”

“They don’t hurt, but my heels feel a bit tight. I think my feet are just surprised from all the walking.”

“Let me massage them for you.”

“T-There’s no need for that!”

Unfazed, Percy knelt on one knee in front of me. His hand slipped beneath the hem of my skirt to remove my thigh-high stockings.

‘Ugh, this is so embarrassing.’

His fingers deftly undid the garter belt holding the stockings in place. The touch sent warmth flooding to my cheeks, and I bit my lip, worried he might hear the rapid pounding of my heart. Unlike me, Percy continued speaking in his usual calm tone.

“I should’ve accompanied you. If I’d carried you around, your legs wouldn’t be hurting at all.”

That was exactly what I’d expected him to say. I laughed softly and waved him off.

“Don’t be silly. If you had done that, I wouldn’t have lasted an hour before rushing back to the castle out of embarrassment.”

“And why would that be? Are you ashamed of me?”

“Of course, it’s embarrassing for a grown adult not to walk on their own two feet!”

At my response, his fingers pressing against my calf suddenly applied a little more pressure. Surprised, I glanced at him. His ruby-like eyes locked onto mine, burning with intensity.

“Our princess is as strong-willed as ever.”

Though the words weren’t threatening, the sharpness in his gaze sent a chill down my spine. Perhaps it was the firmness of his touch that unnerved me.

‘He used to always wear gloves.’

Since our marriage, Percy rarely wore them anymore. While the sensation of his gloves had been subtle and slightly formal, the direct contact of his bare hands made it impossible for me to stay calm.

As his fingers kneaded my legs, he asked, “So, what did you buy at the baby store?”

“Did I say I went there? Hey, d-don’t press there!”

His hand moved to the sensitive area just above the back of my knee. I flinched, but Percy continued casually, ignoring my squirming.

“Your muscles are tight even up here.”

“I-I can get the maids to massage me later… Ugh!”

His hands worked their magic, both soothing and maddeningly intimate. I pouted.

‘How is he this good at massages too? It’s making me feel ridiculous for enjoying it.’

Just as I was debating whether to pull my leg away, Percy shifted the conversation at the perfect moment.

“What did you buy?”

His timing was impeccable. Resigned, I decided to answer.

“A ‘baenaet jeogori’. It’s a small baby garment meant for newborns to wear during their first month.”

“I see.”

In some ways, it was the perfect topic. Ever since I started wondering about the baby’s gender, I’d been consumed by the thought that we hadn’t discussed the baby much at all.

As Percy continued his massage, I found myself blurting out a question.

“Percy, do you want the baby to be a girl or a boy?”

It took him a moment to answer.

“…I’m not sure.”

He hesitated, and for once, his fingers stilled. While his expression remained composed, I could tell he was unsettled.

‘Why is he hesitating?’

Was it possible that, like me, he was secretly overwhelmed? Hoping for an honest answer, I pressed him further.

“Wouldn’t you need a son to carry on your title?”

Percy’s fingers brushed my ankle as he gently slid my foot into a slipper.

“That’s unnecessary. The curse is broken, and Emperor Julius has decreed that women may inherit titles. It doesn’t matter if it’s a son or a daughter.”

“Julius did that? How commendable.”

At my praise of Julius, Percy’s brow furrowed slightly. It seemed the two of them still bickered like cats and dogs.

After finishing the massage, Percy stood and sat beside me on the bed. In a calm voice, he continued, “I’m not particular about the gender. What matters to me is having more than one. Three sounds ideal.”

“Three?”

I had planned to tease him for being unprepared to discuss children, but his sudden specificity caught me off guard. Percy tilted his head, amused by my reaction.

“That’s what people say is a good number.”

“That’s unexpected. I honestly thought you wouldn’t be fond of children,” I said.

“How could that be? They’re ‘your’ children,” Percy replied without hesitation.

“Ugh.”

This felt like a loss on my part. It seemed I was the only one who hadn’t been taking things seriously.

“What about you, Sienna? Would you prefer a girl?” Percy asked with a radiant smile.

Unable to meet his gaze, I covered my flushed face with my hands.

The truth was, I hadn’t given it much thought. If I hadn’t come across the baby clothes earlier today, the topic wouldn’t have crossed my mind at all.

“I honestly haven’t thought about it much,” I admitted. “And now I feel embarrassed for not having taken it seriously.”

Percy’s gaze lingered on me for a moment before he sighed softly.

“…This wasn’t the kind of contemplation I intended for you.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You seem so earnest about it now that I don’t know how to respond,” he said, his tone light but sincere.

“I wasn’t asking for an answer,” I mumbled, feeling even more flustered.

Three children? Just the thought of discussing something so far into the future left me overwhelmed.

“I just…,” I began but couldn’t finish. My thoughts were too scattered. I fiddled with my fingers, unsure how to continue.

Perhaps sensing my uncertainty, Percy wrapped his arm around my shoulders and spoke gently.

“It’s natural to feel this way. After all, the doctor said you’re expecting, but there haven’t been any visible changes yet.”

“That’s true.”

I admitted, raising my head. He was right—there was no visible bump yet, and while I was sleeping more, I’d always struggled to wake up easily anyway.

‘So it’s normal that I haven’t fully grasped it yet.’

Now that I understood, I felt more determined to face the reality of becoming a mother.

Clenching my fists with resolve, I declared, “From now on, I’m going to take this seriously! I’m the only mother my child will have, so I need to do my best to be a great one.”

I could do it! I’d survived a hellish game with death looming at every corner, after all.

I expected Percy to reassure me with his usual gentle words, to say we’d face it together. But instead, there was only silence. Confused, I turned to him.

“Percy?”

His smile had vanished, and his ruby eyes glimmered with a sharp, candle-like light.

“…I’m a little jealous,” he murmured.

“What?”

Jealous? Of what? I blinked at him, trying to understand. Did I say something wrong?

Running a hand through his hair, Percy clarified, “Thinking about sharing your time with the baby makes me feel… a little sad.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“What are you saying? You love children!”

Here was a man who hadn’t even had one child yet but already dreamed of having three—and he was jealous of a baby?

‘It has to be a joke.’

Surely, it was his way of lightening the mood. I was about to tell him he didn’t need to worry anymore when my body suddenly tipped backward.

Before I could process what was happening, I found myself lying on the bed, with Percy towering over me, his gaze predatory.

“Then I’ll just have to monopolize you before the baby arrives,” he said, his deep voice resonating with intent.

His fingers deftly flicked open the buttons of my shirt. The meaning behind his actions was unmistakable. His sheer intensity overwhelmed me, and I instinctively shrank back, blinking rapidly.

“Th-there’s still an hour until dinner,” I stammered.

Since learning I was expecting, I’d made a habit of sticking to mealtimes religiously.

‘But if I stay with Percy now, there’s no way this will end in an hour.’

Whenever he had that look in his eyes, Percy became unrelenting and mischievously persistent.

As I swallowed nervously, he flashed a seductive smile.

“I’ll feed you myself,” he whispered.

My face grew impossibly red.

 

 

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