* * *
“The baby is quite strong. In fact, it seems to be developing even faster than average. There’s really no need to worry.”
This time, the priest kept babbling, unaware of the mood.
Felix’s brow furrowed even deeper.
“Bring another priest. No, a mage will do—anyone who can explain Lowell’s condition.”
Felix didn’t take his eyes off Lowell as he issued the order.
The clueless priest was promptly dismissed. More than ten priests had come and gone in just one day, but giving up was never an option for Felix.
He seemed determined to summon every priest in the empire.
“Understood.”
Those who understood Felix’s desperation gave only short, direct answers.
Over the past five days, he hadn’t eaten a single meal, nor had he gotten even the lightest sleep.
Those who passed through the guest room began to realize that love could be felt without a single word spoken.
“Lowell, when do you plan on waking up?”
Once the knights cleared the room, Felix wasted no time and spoke to Lowell.
It felt like someone had stolen his soul, leaving only his body behind.
“Isn’t it lonely being alone in a dream? If you’re sleeping like this because you’re getting ready to leave… please tell me first.”
His rough hand gently brushed the now-short hair.
But that wasn’t enough—it didn’t feel like they were truly connected.
So he kissed each individual strand of hair.
His movements were so delicate, so reverent, that he resembled a priest performing a sacred ritual.
“I’ll go with you so you won’t be lonely. Okay?”
His voice was so tender, it could melt, yet carried a sorrowful resolve.
“Even if you don’t want me to follow… I can’t help it. You broke the promise first.”
He whispered in Lowell’s ear, telling him that if he didn’t like it, he should just open his eyes. It was a gentle threat.
Yet cruelly, Lowell didn’t stir at all, deep in his slumber.
Felix closed his eyes for the first time and kissed him.
He loved the way Lowell kept his eyes tightly shut when kissed, how his golden lashes trembled and the corners of his lips curled slightly when tongues intertwined.
How, despite being much shorter, he’d naturally grab Felix by the nape of the neck and try to take the lead.
So this time, Felix shut his eyes on purpose.
He was terrified of seeing no response from Lowell when he kissed him.
Yet he couldn’t stop himself.
He gently tapped and brushed Lowell’s lips with his tongue over and over, then pulled back with a face that looked like he was about to cry.
“Are you angry because I didn’t protect you properly? If it’s about the lies you told, I’ll forgive you. So I hope you can forgive me, too.”
Once again, Felix pressed his ear to Lowell’s chest.
It had become a habit now.
His ear moved slightly up and down with each weak thump, thump of Lowell’s heartbeat.
That fragile sound was what pulled Felix out of hell and back into reality.
He finally exhaled the breath he’d been holding.
Knock knock.
Even though the knock was loud and clear, Felix didn’t say a word.
He didn’t want anyone to interrupt his time with Lowell.
“Lord Felix, His Highness the Crown Prince has come to see you.”
Even after the man beyond the door revealed his identity, Felix’s stance didn’t change.
Eventually, the impatient crown prince spoke up.
“I need to speak with you regarding the handling of the Clarke family.”
Only then did Felix turn his head toward the door.
“Lowell, we might have to talk about some dirty things for a bit, so you can cover your ears if you want.”
He whispered gently to the sleeping Lowell, knowing full well it was an impossible request.
Worried he might be cold, Felix tucked the blanket around him before slowly rising from the bed.
“Come in.”
Unlike the warmth he’d shown Lowell, his voice now carried no trace of emotion.
The crown prince, long used to Felix’s cold demeanor, didn’t seem bothered and entered the room without hesitation.
Striding in, he prepared to get straight to business—but stopped in his tracks, stunned by the state of the room.
“I thought you lost your mind ever since you got the bond mark… but you really are insane.”
The crown prince sighed, looking at Felix, whose appearance was even more ragged than the patient’s.
“Are you planning to die with him or something?”
“I intend to.”
Felix said it bluntly, but that only made the words sound more sincere.
“Are you insane?”
“Did you come here to debate my sanity? If so, I’d appreciate it if you left.”
Felix dismissed him without hesitation.
The Crown Prince judged that any further conversation would be futile and decided to stick to the essentials before leaving.
“What do you want done with the Clarke family? I believe you’re entitled to decide that much.”
“Is he still alive?”
“Yes. He’s barely clinging to life in prison.”
Despite the Count suffering a fatal wound unlike Lowell, the fact that he survived made Felix nauseous with disgust.
“I’ll deal with him myself.”
“I’ll concede that. But remember, Lowell Clarke is still officially part of that family.”
Because Lowell still bore the Clarke name, the family couldn’t be immediately brought down.
If it happened now, Lowell would be considered part of a treasonous household.
“I’ll have his name moved to the ducal house today. Handle it then.”
“All right.”
Felix rose, indicating the conversation was over.
The Crown Prince, who had been sitting expressionlessly, let out a deep sigh before speaking again.
“I heard you’re looking for someone who can properly assess Lowell Clarke’s condition.”
Felix froze in place.
“I think I know someone.”
“…What did you say?”
Though he clearly understood, Felix asked again, as if to confirm.
His eyes made it clear: if the Crown Prince was joking, he would not forgive it.
“All the priests have said the same thing—that Lowell Clarke is merely asleep, right?”
“There’s no need to repeat what we already know.”
The Crown Prince shook his head, noting Felix’s growing impatience.
An alpha on the verge of losing their bonded mate was more beast than man.
Without dragging it out, he continued.
“If more than thirty priests all said the same, then it’s likely true. So what if we bring in a priest who specializes in sleep?”
“You mean a priest from the Temple of Hypnos?”
Felix frowned.
The Temple of Hypnos was among the least respected.
Not only did it have few priests, but its healing abilities were considered far inferior.
They focused on sleep-related treatments, often done through counseling rather than immediate solutions.
Naturally, compared to priests from other temples who showed immediate effects, they were seen as less effective.
“You should know I don’t trust their abilities.”
Indeed, many believed priests of Hypnos lacked divine power altogether, and Felix was one of them.
When he returned from his first victorious campaign and suffered nightmares, he had sought their help—but found no relief.
That experience had seeded a deep distrust.
“Didn’t you want to try something?”
“…”
Felix, unusually, said nothing.
If it were about anyone else, he wouldn’t have looked back once a decision was made.
If not for Lowell, he wouldn’t even spare a glance toward the Hypnos priests.
“Very well. I’ll request someone of senior rank or higher.”
But again, Lowell was the exception.
* * *
