Even though it was in the past, looking back on those moments still made their throats tighten.
It was a topic they tacitly avoided, so Lowell felt strange describing it as “good luck.”
“Yes. I’ve never been more grateful to God than at those times.”
“It’s a bit frustrating that we only entered that grace after becoming a pair… but paradoxically, I kind of like it. That was too cruel a thing to say to you, Felix. I’m sorry.”
Felix kissed Lowell’s face like a bird pecking at a tree.
He felt like he couldn’t stand how lovely Lowell was unless he did at least that much.
“The same goes for me, and I’m not even sorry.”
It was just like Felix to not bother adding the words, “So don’t you be sorry either.”
“I’ve talked for quite a while, but what I wanted to say is that there’s no need to be so afraid anymore. My health is improving, and even if a small misfortune finds us, we’ll be able to overcome it.”
Felix was starting to catch on to what Lowell wanted to say.
“Let’s let go of the past misfortunes now. There’s no need to be held back or frightened by them anymore.”
Felix’s hand stopped abruptly.
“Lowell.”
“Seeing Edwin and Tanner made you think all along that it would be nice to have one more child, didn’t it?”
“That’s…”
Felix sensed that lying would be useless and didn’t bother adding any excuses.
“I didn’t actually intend to bring this up and was going to wait until the end. But it just came out while I was talking. I think you need someone to nudge you along, too.”
“Right.”
Felix closed his eyes and contemplated for a long time before whispering softly.
“Let’s have a talk with Taysey as well.”
Those words were practically an agreement.
It was also a signal that Felix was finally overcoming a very old trauma.
“Let’s do that.”
Lowell smiled brightly.
He was certain that as long as he was with Felix, everything would turn out well.
Taysey nodded after checking Lowell’s condition with his holy power.
“Yes. You are improving, bit by bit. Since a person’s constitution doesn’t change easily, I can’t say you’re perfectly healthy yet, but you’ve gotten much better. It’s not as if you have a chronic illness that holy power can’t resolve. You mentioned your mana is also developing?”
“Yes. Although it’s not enough to actually cast magic.”
Taysey let out a thoughtful “Hmm…” before turning to Felix.
Felix was the type to not hesitate once he made a decision.
Yet, because it concerned Lowell, he still hadn’t gained full certainty, and hesitation seemed to linger around him.
“As long as the pheromones remain stable, I judge that there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Thank you, Taysey.”
“Not at all. It’s my job.”
A brief silence fell after Taysey left.
Lowell stole a glance at Felix, whose shoulders had slumped as if his tension had suddenly vanished.
‘He worries every time I get a checkup.’
Felix knew better than anyone that Lowell didn’t have any major issues since he was always by his side, but whenever Lowell’s health was being confirmed like this, Felix showed signs of tension, even if he didn’t say it.
“I’m going to stop taking the medicine starting today.”
Based on the timing, Lowell’s heat was next week.
Since Alphas often have long rut cycles but frequently enter a rut in response to an Omega’s strong pheromones, Felix had been consistently taking medicine.
“Will it really be okay?”
“If you’re okay, Felix, then everything is okay.”
Looking down at Lowell, Felix quietly kissed him.
His lips, touching Lowell’s eyes, nose, and mouth, held a slight tremor.
“Right. Honestly, as long as you aren’t in pain, I’d like it too. How could I not?”
The words he had been unable to say out of fear finally came out honestly.
“I knew.”
The two stared at each other endlessly before breaking into small laughs.
It was dawn on the third day after Lowell stopped taking the medicine.
As usual, Felix, who had been sleeping while holding Lowell tightly, sat up abruptly before the sun had even risen.
“Mmm… Felix?”
Feeling the bustling movement beside him, Lowell, who couldn’t even open his eyes yet, called Felix’s name as if talking in his sleep.
“You seem to have a bit of a fever.”
Felix said, feeling Lowell’s body here and there with his hands.
Thinking that just touching his forehead and neck wasn’t enough, he reached his hand inside Lowell’s clothes to feel more.
Lowell smiled softly and reached out to hug Felix.
“I’m still sleepy. Let’s sleep more.”
Lowell mumbled in a low voice, seemingly not fully grasping Felix’s words.
Instead of shaking Lowell awake, Felix cautiously continued his exploration.
The more he touched, the more Lowell’s skin felt subtly but clearly warmer than usual.
‘I should call a priest.’
Since Lowell having a fever was a somewhat frequent occurrence, Felix made a quick judgment without much panic.
If the fever had been high, he might have been more flustered, but a mild fever like this usually subsided after a day or two of solid rest.
“Where are you going, Felix?”
Felix carefully climbed out of bed, wanting Lowell to get some good sleep.
As a trained knight, he made almost no sound, but Lowell quickly noticed the empty spot beside him.
Seeing Lowell sitting up while rubbing his eyes, Felix stopped in his tracks.
“You stay and sleep more, Lowell. You seem to have a fever, so I was just going to call Taysey.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Felix gently stroked the back of the upright Lowell.
As the sleepiness faded, Lowell slowly understood Felix’s words.
‘I have a fever? I don’t particularly feel dizzy or unwell, though.’
Lowell felt like his body was warm, but he couldn’t sense any other problems.
Thinking that Felix was overreacting as usual, he grabbed the hem of Felix’s clothes just as he was about to head out.
“It’s probably just because I slept so deeply. There’s no need to call him.”
“No. You can’t even control your pheromones right now.”
Felix shook his head sternly, dismissing Lowell’s protest.
However, the moment Lowell heard Felix’s words, he realized what was happening to his body.
And then, he felt a little ridiculous.
‘No, it’s actually surprising that I noticed so late. Since Felix even noticed the pheromones, why did he conclude that I was sick?’
Lowell’s light laugh settled over the heavy atmosphere.
It was such a pleasant sound that Felix, who had been gritting his teeth in worry, unconsciously relaxed his jaw.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Felix, you usually get a slight fever a day or two before your heat starts.”
When Lowell whispered softly as if telling a secret, Felix’s mouth hung open slightly as if he’d been caught off guard.
He opened and closed his mouth as if to say something, but no coherent sentence came out.
He seemed to have a lot to say, and at the same time, nothing at all.
“It’s a natural occurrence, so there’s no need to worry.”
While soothing Felix, Lowell was also seized by a strange, difficult-to-describe feeling.
He hardly remembered the first heat he experienced after taking the medicine, and after having Edwin, he had taken the medicine consistently.
So, for Lowell, this was practically the first heat he was experiencing directly.
‘I’m the one who said I wouldn’t take the medicine, but now that it’s actually happening, I am a bit scared.’
A belated nervousness followed even Lowell’s shadow.
Furthermore, once he became aware of it, the heat didn’t subside but felt even more vivid.
‘I thought I’d have about two or three days of leeway, but maybe not.’
His body felt even more lethargic for no reason.
