The cage in the corner had its door open, with two thin layers of bedding laid out.
The white fabric was slightly tinged with gray-yellow, yet its surface remained clean.
She leaned against the hard iron bars of the cage, using a small pillow to support her aching waist, and with her hands calloused from labor, she gently stroked the bedding.
“Eh… I just washed it yesterday, so why is it still so dirty?”
The room was small—barely enough to be called a room.
Dusk was nearly over.
She hadn’t lit a lamp, and the multifunctional Elemental Magic Stone had lost its ability to draw light, so she had to cherish the remaining faint glow.
The dim light filtered through like a veil, blurring and softening the restless emotions of the young mother.
On the cracked, brittle wooden table lay two pairs of bowls and chopsticks, neatly arranged to create a sense of homey warmth.
“Dinner’s ready, husband.”
Her voice echoed once around the room, then floated out over the high threshold, only to be swallowed by the vast sandstorm outside, returning the place to silence.
There was no mirror here; she wasn’t sure if her smile looked stiff.
If Lyte came back and saw her greet him this way, would he be startled?
On the windowsill sat a single Red Spider Lily.
She loved it very much—it was the first gift he gave her before heading out to exterminate the Evil Spirit, promising that when the flower bloomed, he would return victorious.
She gently touched her clearly rounded belly; the precious life inside kicked with tiny, underdeveloped hands and feet under her indulgent caress.
She smiled, though a strange sadness welled up in her heart.
The world was turning into a desert.
The Evil Spirit hadn’t unleashed a massacre but drained the planet’s vitality.
The powerless masses surrounded the Imperial Capital, their anger toppling the Empire’s heroes.
So, he fled with her, who was carrying his child.
This place was remote—almost unreachable by anyone.
He had brought enough basic supplies and even thoughtfully prepared milk powder and baby clothes.
If the Sage hadn’t found them, perhaps they could have lived here for a while, free from the shackles of the outside world’s judgments, quietly relying on each other and welcoming their child’s birth.
Her vision was limited in one corner, so she familiarized herself with the small room’s layout, climbed out of the cage, propping her round belly so it wouldn’t sag, then slowly moved toward the threshold.
The dunes rolled endlessly.
She gazed at the horizon, where the setting sun scattered a brilliant afterglow.
The beautiful scene stirred her heart.
She hoped and imagined that he had come to take her away.
Not just a temporary refuge, but that the Evil Spirit had been defeated and, although the world was worsening, only Lyte could lead them through with great difficulty.
‘Hmm… and he would bring along the babies yet to be born—because we are a family.’
Perhaps he would ride a magnificent Beast, his strong limbs pressing into the sand, shattering the loneliness in her heart, then leap down gently to embrace her.
His movements would be tender, careful not to harm the little life in her womb.
As a soon-to-be mother determined to be a virtuous wife, she thought she should tidy her clothes.
That would be more domestic.
She felt she wasn’t a qualified woman—she could only think about clothes because she longed to be like an ordinary girl who could change into a few pretty outfits.
But carrying so many things would be heavy, wouldn’t it?
What if it troubled him?
After clumsy pondering, she decided she shouldn’t wear clothes; he would surely protect her with his warm magic.
‘When we sit together on the Beast’s back and reach the big city’s shopping mall, I will change into one beautiful outfit after another for him to see. He’ll definitely want to kiss me then~’
Thinking this made her smile happily.
She slowly stood up to close the door, but left a crack open.
If he returned while she was asleep and saw that his little wife always left the door slightly open for him every day, he would surely be surprised.
Then, he would quietly slip in, kiss her soft cheek, climb into bed, and sleep in lazily together.
No naughty business yet—that could harm the baby.
If he gently woke her and held her face to formally propose, how should she respond?
“Yes! I will!”
“Yes… I will.”
“Yes, I will.”
Facing the wall, she repeated the phrase in different tones, seriously discerning her own voice for the first time and feeling disgusted by it.
It was a raspy, crow-like caw.
How could he find her to be a cute wife with a voice like this?
But, in the desert, there wasn’t much water to drink anyway.
She grew restless, wanting to pace back and forth, but the baby’s weight made her waist ache, and even one more step exhausted her.
She had to give up and sat down at the table.
Looking at the fine scratches on the wooden table, an idea came to her.
She picked up a chopstick and scratched deeply into the wood, writing, “Yes! I will!”
This way… after he says “Will you marry me?”, she can hold his hand, and with his attentive support, come to the table and point to these words in response—then flash him a flawless, sweet smile.
‘Yes, he would definitely be moved and kiss me again.’
Would he be full when he came back?
This place was so far from the mainland, and he said he’d return home after the war.
It must have been a long journey, so he’d surely be hungry.
‘I have to cook extra rice then. We won’t store any food here; after this meal, we’ll leave this little house. His appetite is big, and fighting is exhausting. Even if I eat less, I have to make sure he’s full—that way he’ll have the strength to keep going.’
‘All I need to do is lean in his arms, breathe in his masculine scent and unique manliness, and let his hand rest on my big belly, feeling our mischievous child’s restless movements.’
“Do you want to have a son or a daughter?” She blushed at the thought.
Then, as if in her ears, the man’s magnetic voice sounded: “We want to have many, many children—enough for a whole soccer team to play with me.”
‘What ambition! I need to rest too!’ That prideful thought stayed in her heart, soon melting into an indescribable happiness.
‘Hmm?’
Having children is tiring, but if he wants them, it’s all worth it.
Once the child is born, she’ll have to breastfeed, right?
Would the child’s father get jealous?
‘Hehe, child’s father~ child’s father~’
Realizing the intimate nickname, she smiled foolishly and wondered how he would call her.
Who will the child look like?
‘If it’s a boy, then he must look like his father! Such a dashing temperament can’t be wasted—the nose must be as high and straight as his, the mouth… thin and sexy like his, and the eyebrows, the chin line… better make it all like him.’
‘What about a daughter? I don’t look good, and he’s more handsome—so she should look like her father too. I won’t be jealous. I’ll hold the children’s hands and follow after their father, acting spoiled and loving.’
Carrying these sweet fantasies, she crawled back into the cage, pulled the bedding over herself, and fell into a deep sleep.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.