The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 120 (Side Story 4)

At first, I thought Kyle was just embarrassed and joking.

But as time passed, the suspicion crept in—had he really lost all desire?

He took me to a grand dining table, ensuring I ate properly, constantly checking if I felt unwell.

When I spotted a delicious steak and casually requested a bottle of red wine, he clasped my hand tightly, eyes brimming with tears as he pleaded:

“Sister… do you really need to drink?”

The sheer look of desperation made me feel like a full-blown alcoholic, completely killing any craving for wine.

Under normal circumstances, we would have enjoyed a glass together. Why was he acting so strangely all of a sudden?

And it wasn’t just Kyle.

The servants who assisted me in the bath were excessively cautious.

They lathered the soap onto the softest cloths—ones typically reserved for bathing infants.

When selecting scented oils, they scrutinized every option with absurdly meticulous standards, as if choosing the safest product for a delicate child.

Normally, my young husband would have dismissed the attendants and slipped into the bath with me.

But tonight, he didn’t even appear.

And in bed? It was even worse.

As he gently dried my hair, his fingers were warm, sending pleasant tingles down my spine.

I assumed that all his earlier restraint had been building up for this very moment.

Kyle laid me down, his fingers tracing my face, his voice honeyed and tender.

Just hearing it made my heart melt.

“Sister, would you like to hear a fun story? A long time ago, deep in the mountains, there lived Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear.”

I was immediately convinced—he’s about to tell me how they made another baby bear.

But no.

His tale ended with the three bears happily sharing honey in their cozy little home.

There was nothing heated about it—only wholesome family warmth.

‘Well. I have drained him dry of all his desire before…’

I never imagined desire could be depleted so completely.

Even if Kyle shaved his head and became a monk, I would still love him.

But the way he had suddenly changed overnight was… baffling.

＊＊＊

Kylean Chaeild was losing his mind.

Because, in the end, he hadn’t told her about the pregnancy yesterday.

Guilt loomed over him like a storm cloud.

Meanwhile, his wife—who was unknowingly carrying their child—kept asking for wine and him.

‘Why does she only become aggressive when I need to hold back?’

Resisting her was exhausting.

It took every ounce of strength in his body to push her away.

And he had to do it multiple times a day.

It was unbearable.

Amelia Chaeild had always been beautiful.

But now, knowing she carried his child, she had become so precious, so breathtaking, that all he wanted to do was hold her close and treasure her.

He desperately wanted to tell her the truth so they could celebrate together.

…If she was happy about it, that is.

‘Claire’s reaction is weighing on me.’

That tone—as if Amel’s pregnancy was a blessing only for Chaeild, not necessarily for Amel herself.

Worries piled up.

He wanted to tell her the news when she was at her happiest.

But what if she greeted it with a cold, emotionless face?

‘I just want her to be as happy as I am.’

But in the end, she was the one who had to bear the child.

She was the one who would endure the pains of childbirth.

Suddenly, it felt selfish to expect her to only be happy about it.

And there was so much to be cautious about in the early stages of pregnancy.

She needed to avoid excessive movement.

Be mindful of what she ate.

Once she knew the truth, she wouldn’t be able to just be happy about it.

Maybe hoping she would was just his selfishness.

‘I need to tell her and protect her, as a husband should.’

But the opportunity never seemed to come.

Kyle grew increasingly restless.

He hurried through the morning’s paperwork, frustrated that he had to sit at his desk while this was happening.

“Haild. Did my wife eat well today? Did she rest?”

“She wasn’t feeling well, so we prepared a puree of ripe fruit. Afterward, she took a short nap.”

The report was satisfactory, but Kyle couldn’t shake his concern.

A small crease formed between his brows.

Amel had grown up without personal attendants.

She hated inconveniencing others.

Even if she was feeling unwell, she would try to endure it without saying a word.

“She should have some herbal tea. Where is she now?”

“Well… she, um… went horseback riding.”

“……”

Kyle’s vision darkened.

“What?”

Kyle shot up from his seat, his heart dropping in alarm.

＊＊＊

I hadn’t eaten anything heavy, but my stomach had felt uncomfortably full all day.

After considering the cause, I concluded that it was simply stress.

So, naturally, I made my way to the stables.

Riding one of Chaeild’s magnificent white horses across the fields by Amelia Lake would surely clear my mind.

Since my father was a knight, I had been trained in horseback riding since childhood. Not just to the level of staying on the saddle—I could handle a horse as well as any seasoned rider.

The Chaeild estate’s servants knew I often went riding.

Yet, today, the stable master paled and refused to meet my eyes.

“L-Lady! The horses are… currently under inspection!”

“Inspections? For horses? What, like a carriage?”

I turned toward the stables, bewildered.

At that moment, the majestic white stallions of Chaeild—who had been standing proud and healthy just seconds ago—began staggering.

‘Did an epidemic break out in the stables?’

Strangely, they seemed to be faking illness while darting uneasy glances at me.

Chaeild’s horses had always been eerily intelligent, but this was next level.

And then, Kyle came sprinting toward me.

Over a horse ride?

And—was that the hospital director?!

His health paranoia had officially gotten out of control.

“You don’t need to worry so much, Kyle,” I reassured him, amused. “I can take care of myself. But if the horses aren’t well, I suppose I’ll head back.”

“That would be for the best. I’ll inform the kitchen to prepare a light snack. We’ve also received a fresh shipment of premium herbal tea—perhaps a tea time?”

“Maybe later. I need to stop by the imperial palace first.”

Kyle’s expression darkened instantly.

You would have thought I’d just announced my plan to waltz into a monster-infested dungeon.

“…Why?”

“Princess Lienne mentioned she’d like someone to talk to and invited me to visit whenever I was free. I thought I’d take the carriage over—just for a brief outing.”

“…What if you get into an accident?”

“Then I’ll die, I suppose.”

Kyle looked as though he had been struck by lightning.

His stunned face was so adorable that I couldn’t resist teasing him further.

“People die when it’s their time. If my fate is to perish in a carriage accident today, then so be it.”

Before I could even finish, he wrapped me in a tight embrace.

His voice trembled with desperate pleas for me not to say such things.

…It was oddly addictive, the way he begged me to be careful.

But, of course, Kyle wouldn’t let me get away with it.

“Haild,” he called, voice firm. “Go to Lady Claire. Ask if she can use Arete to transport my wife to the imperial palace safely.”

＊＊＊

Both Claire and Kyle had insisted on accompanying me.

It took considerable effort to dissuade them.

Using Arete for transport was certainly convenient.

One blink and I was standing at the imperial palace gates.

Claire, ever the meticulous one, declared that she would personally return later to pick me up.

I informed the palace guards of my arrival.

Since Lienne was no longer just a princess of Keltman but the Empress of Hail, I could no longer freely walk in to see her.

Yet—

“Duchess Chaeild! Please, come in!”

—Lienne practically ran out to greet me.

A whole Empress, rushing out barefoot to welcome a visitor?

Her maids all bowed deeply in my direction.

“Her Majesty has been eagerly awaiting your visit.”

Lienne beamed and took my hands. “Amel! I have so much to talk to you about! I’ve already had tea prepared.”

As we made our way inside, a group of palace servants arrived carrying a glowing artifact.

“Your Majesty, His Imperial Majesty requests that you check.”

Lienne glanced at the device and sighed, waving a dismissive hand.

“I’m in the middle of a conversation with Duchess Chaeild. Leave it there. I’ll deal with it later.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

After they left, she glared at the object before shaking her head and grasping my hand.

“Amel. We’re close friends, aren’t we? And friends share their troubles with each other.”

Her voice was achingly sincere.

I already had a feeling where this was going.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied smoothly.

“Haa… I’m going crazy because of Emperor Berndt.”

As expected.

Lienne had married Berndt about a month ago, and she had many complaints.

Not romantic ones—like ‘I love him too much and don’t know what to do’—but rather…

“His Majesty has no consideration for anyone but himself. I know he likes me, but honestly? I feel nothing.”

“…Ah.”

An unfortunate mental image of Berndt dramatically ripping open his robe surfaced.

My head hurt.

Lienne spent the next several minutes venting about Berndt’s… performance issues.

“At this rate, I’ll never have children.”

“I didn’t realize Your Majesty wanted children.”

“As a foreign-born Empress, having a child is essential for my position. It’s not just me—most noblewomen are constantly stressed about producing heirs.”

“…Ah.”

“Look at this,” Lienne muttered, gesturing toward the glowing artifact. “Every time we sleep together, they immediately send a pregnancy detector. If they’re so desperate for an heir, maybe His Majesty should actually—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

She had tapped the device absentmindedly while speaking.

The artifact—previously an unremarkable gray—began glowing with a soft yellow light.

I looked down at it, blinking.

Lienne’s eyes widened.

She stared at me.

I stared at the device.

The device shone an unmistakable, vibrant yellow, like a tiny baby chick.

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