The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 130

I ran my hand over my stomach, now flat once more.

The aftereffects of childbirth lingered heavily on my body. For a while, every movement sent aches through my joints, forcing me to stifle groans of discomfort.

The fatigue was overwhelming, limiting me to only the exercises necessary for postpartum recovery. Most of my time was spent resting, replenishing my strength.

It was only possible thanks to the people helping care for the baby—and Kyle, of course.

Not to mention, our little one is especially calm.

I knew it was a privilege to even think this way, but there was a certain frustration in living like this.

My range of movement was restricted, and there were so many things I could no longer do.

It felt as though my sense of self was steadily eroding.

But this morning, as I easily sat up in bed, I was certain—my body had fully recovered.

It had been eight weeks since giving birth, so perhaps it was only natural.

“I want to go out!”

I laid back down, preparing to coax Kyle into granting me permission.

Beside me, he was fast asleep, a look of sheer contentment on his face—no doubt from spending another late night watching Eclit breathe.

Leaning close to his ear, I whispered carefully,

“Honey.”

“…!”

Kyle’s eyes flew open, his expression caught between dream and reality.

His reaction speed made me question whether he had even been sleeping at all.

“Amel, did you just… No, I must have misheard. Could you say that again?”

His words made no sense, but I humored him anyway.

“Honey.”

“…Yes, my love.”

“Honeyyy…”

Adding the slightest hint of a nasal lilt to my voice made Kyle freeze in place, his face slowly turning scarlet as he covered it with both hands.

I wrapped my arms around him and whispered,

“Can I step out for a bit today?”

“Anywhere you like. The weather is perfect for a stroll together.”

As expected, Kyle had already assumed he would be coming along.

Smiling brightly, I summoned every ounce of charm I could muster.

“Hmm, no. You stay here with Eclit, and I’ll go out to the square by myself.”

“Understood. I’ll stay here with Eclit, and… wait. By yourself?”

Kyle repeated my words, seemingly in a daze—until the meaning sank in.

His entire face stiffened.

“I feel a little cooped up staying inside all the time. Hmm?”

“Why… Why not go together…?”

Kyle trailed off mid-sentence, his expression blanking out.

His trembling hand reached for mine, his eyes shimmering as if pleading for me to reconsider.

“Could it be… Could it be that she doesn’t want to be seen with me?”

“Don’t make that face like you’re about to cry. It’s not that. Sometimes people just need a little time alone.”

“But if she gets hurt while she’s out alone… what will become of Chaield? What about our baby…?”

“I’ll be going with Vanessa… Kyle?”

Kyle suddenly scooped up Eclit, who had been peacefully sleeping beside him.

The baby blinked in confusion, tilting her head slightly.

“Uuung…?”

“Amel. Just look at how beautiful our Eclit is…”

“Kyle. I said I wanted to go out, not that I wanted a divorce—wait! That was just an example! It wasn’t even a little bit serious, so please don’t make that abandoned puppy face.”

“…”

“Have I been reading too many magazines lately? I keep saying things I don’t even mean… Maybe going out together is better, after all. We are a couple.”

Sighing, I gently patted Kyle, who was now clinging to Eclit like a lifeline.

It seemed that going out alone was no longer an option.

Kyle, now in an excellent mood, ordered an extravagant carriage to be prepared for our outing.

The staff, caught up in the rare excitement of the duchess leaving the estate, also seemed quite lively.

As Kyle and Eclit sat patiently inside the carriage, the preparations outside took on a rather peculiar intensity.

“Did you pack the cushions?”

“Of course. And all the supplies for the young lady, correct?”

“I even stored some weapons for emergencies.”

“It’s best to be prepared for anything.”

Before long, the carriage was stocked with enough emergency food supplies to last an entire week.

Watching this unfold, Vanessa let out a weary sigh.

“Honestly, the people of Chaield are still absolutely obsessed with the lady. What could possibly happen in a carriage this large and cushioned?”

She stood waiting, unimpressed, until finally, Amel arrived—her cheeks flushed pink from excitement.

Vanessa nearly fainted on the spot.

“My lady! You haven’t worn heels in ages—why are you running?! It’s only been two months since you gave birth!”

“It’s been two months. Don’t be so overprotective. Besides, the grass is soft. Even if I trip, I won’t get hurt.”

“What kind of reasoning is that?! If you fall and even graze your knee on the grass, I—Wait a moment! The carriage steps are too high—please step on my knee. I’ll kneel!”

“I really don’t need to do that.”

Amel simply smiled and stepped into the carriage on her own.

Soon, they were on their way.

Their destination? The Hail Times building.

Today marked the official release of the economic textbook Amel had been writing.

As the carriage moved, she leaned out of the window, taking in the crisp afternoon air.

The ride was slow, but after being cooped up for so long, the fresh air outside the duchy felt exhilarating.

Holding Eclit in her arms, Amel began pointing out landmarks, explaining their significance to her daughter.

It wasn’t long before fatigue crept in.

Apparently, her postnatal stamina was still lacking.

She had intended to ask Kyle if she could take a short nap, but as she turned, she found his face far too close.

“Kyle? Do you have something to say?”

“…No. Nothing at all.”

His tone was anything but convincing.

Anyone else might have brushed it off with a simple “If you say so…”, but Amel had an Areté that prevented misunderstandings before they even began.

“Give me your hand.”

“No.”

Kyle’s refusal was firm, but Amel wasn’t the type to leave misunderstandings unresolved.

Instead of arguing, she lightly tapped the toe of her shoe against his.

“Why… why doesn’t she understand?”

“She asked if I had something to say.”

“How am I supposed to answer that?”

“I moved closer because I wanted to kiss her—how could I possibly admit that?”

Amel shut her eyes tightly and turned toward the window, pretending to admire the view.

He had approached her so cautiously, looking so serious, and yet…

“He’s too cute…!”

Suppressing a giggle, she leaned her head against his chest.

His rapid heartbeat only made her amusement grow.

“My body’s recovered now, after all.”

It seemed like tonight wouldn’t pass uneventfully.

“It is an honor to have Your Grace visit in person! And this must be the adorable heir of the great Chaield—oh!”

Pringles, who had been greeting them with his usual enthusiasm, suddenly winced.

Eclit had reached out and tightly grasped his curled mustache.

“I’m so sorry, sir. Eclit, you mustn’t do that. Let go now.”

Pringles, ever the businessman, would have willingly sacrificed not only his mustache but also his limbs if it meant winning over the future heir of Chaield.

But Eclit, realizing she wasn’t allowed to play with the fascinating object, looked utterly heartbroken.

“Hng…”

She clenched and unclenched her tiny fists in frustration.

Amel gently soothed her, but soon, tears welled up in the little girl’s eyes.

Eclit, known for her unusually gentle temperament, had one weakness—once she started crying, she couldn’t stop.

Both Amel and Kyle instinctively knew that chaos was imminent.

Kyle acted first.

“I’ll calm Eclit down. Please continue your discussion.”

With practiced ease, he scooped up his daughter and swiftly exited the room.

His movements were so quick that Amel didn’t even have time to follow.

But love was best repaid with love.

Before diving into their discussion about the economics textbook, Amel discreetly called Vanessa over and whispered,

“There’s an Areté-infused item like that?”

“There is, but… do you really need it? Considering your situation, I don’t think it’s necessary at all.”

“Just go get it. The Aretist building is nearby, isn’t it?”

Vanessa’s face flushed as she hurried off.

Meanwhile, Amel relaxed and focused on reviewing the textbook.

The effort put into its production was evident—the layout, the quality of the paper, even the font size were all exactly to her liking.

She set aside a few copies for herself before continuing,

“There should be enough copies printed to distribute for free to the public. Please make that a priority.”

“As you wish.”

“I want them sent to orphanages, schools, and places where children work in large numbers. I’ll do everything I can on my end as well.”

Pringles agreed, though he couldn’t hide his curiosity.

The duchess before him had already obtained wealth and status beyond measure—so why?

“I want to help those who are determined to escape poverty through their own efforts. I want to give power to those who are trying to change their fate.”

Amel answered before he could even voice his thoughts.

This had been her goal from the very beginning.

The book didn’t focus on complex investment strategies or high-level financial tactics.

Instead, it covered fundamental concepts—what loan guarantees were, why blindly following investment trends was dangerous, and how to navigate the high-interest economy wisely.

“Of course, I couldn’t resist slipping in some economic theory.”

Some might find the information obvious.

But for others, it could be their very first exposure to these ideas.

Especially for those who had never received any financial education.

“In the end, money will govern everything. The ones who understand its flow on a grand scale will be the winners. I just want more people to have a chance in that world.”

She smiled.

Without once uttering the grand word capitalism, she conveyed its entire essence.

Pringles, as always, had no idea how to decipher that enigmatic smile.

Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, where Kyle, Eclit, and the staff had gathered, a heavy atmosphere loomed.

Kyle gently stroked his daughter’s tiny hand, deep in thought.

“Why… why has Amel been leaving me alone lately?”

The post-childbirth recovery period had officially ended.

Two days ago.

Kyle had personally overheard the physician’s report.

So what had gone wrong?

Why was his wife no longer drawn to him the way she used to be?

His thoughts spiraled.

In the carriage earlier, she had definitely read his mind.

He had wanted to kiss her, and normally, Amel would have responded instantly.

But she hadn’t.

No, even before that—

“In the past, when I refused to give her my hand, she would simply touch my waist or my stomach instead.”

She used to use physical contact as an excuse to read his thoughts, indulging herself under the pretense of Areté practice.

Sometimes, she would even slip her hand under his shirt without warning.

Yet today, she had merely tapped his shoe against hers?

This was a serious issue.

Kyle was so distraught that he could no longer maintain a neutral expression.

A terrifying possibility entered his mind.

“Could it be… that she no longer finds me attractive?”

A chill ran down his spine.

He recalled an article from a magazine he had read recently.

It told the stories of couples who had become little more than strangers after childbirth, staying together only for the sake of their child.

“Papa, Mama…!”

“No, Eclit. Mama… will return.”

Kyle murmured, his voice filled with quiet despair.

At that moment, Vanessa, who had just returned from her errand, spotted him.

After a single glance at the scene, she promptly decided to pretend she didn’t know him.

Support The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me