The dining room was quiet.
The servants bringing in the meal, Fabri who oversaw and commanded the servants, and Bill who stood close to serve them all remained silent.
However, all of their gazes were fixed on one place.
"Um..."
On Rose, who was obediently taking the spoon I offered into her mouth.
A stew boiled with snow rabbit meat, and a soup made with Kalmar snowy mountain salmon.
All were foods that could warm the mana circuits and increase the mana absorption rate.
"...Oh my."
Rose, having chewed and swallowed the food thoroughly, covered her mouth.
"It's delicious..."
At her unintentionally murmured words,
"Waaaah!"
Fabri threw both arms up. It was a shout mixed with joy and elation.
"Ahem!"
Bill immediately stopped Fabri.
"Ahem, hem. I apologize. Oh my."
Fabri hastily covered his mouth and stepped back. However, his face was full of joy he could not hide.
"Fabri, you put a lot of effort into this."
Rose sent a soft smile toward Fabri.
"It's all delicious. Besides, eating it somehow makes me feel energized."
"Your joy is my happiness, Madam."
Fabri bowed his head deeply. As he raised his head again, his eyes met mine.
"......"
No conversation passed between us, but the meaning could be read in each other's eyes.
'It is a success, Your Excellency.'
'Good job.'
We had succeeded in feeding her mana-rich food, breaking through the powerful defense of morning sickness.
Of course, this was not the end.
"Shall we head over now?"
After the meal, I lifted Rose into my arms and moved to the office. Now, the servants, including Bill, acted as if they were used to this sight of me.
Lately, regardless of whether we were in the bedroom, dining room, or office, I was always staying close to Rose.
It was an intention to subtly pour my mana into Rose under the pretext of not letting her take a single step.
"Phew..."
Perhaps because of that, Rose's instances of falling into uncontrollable sleep had decreased lately.
So we were able to stay together in the office and prepare for the wedding.
"The royal seal has been stamped on the marriage vows... And the wedding announcement is finished, too."
"Hm."
The magic stones placed all around the office emitted a soft glow. The light was so brilliant that candles were unnecessary.
"Dane, but why do you keep magic stones in the room?"
Rose asked with a slight frown, perhaps momentarily blinded.
"Some high-quality ones came up recently, so I tried decorating with them."
I answered nonchalantly and kissed Rose's forehead.
"They are the most precious jewels in the world, suited for you. Aren't they pretty?"
"Pretty... they are, but."
"They're all yours, so enjoy them to your heart's content. If you want, use them to decorate your room."
I feigned the vanity of a husband using precious Kalmar-made magic stones merely to decorate a room.
And I quickly changed the subject.
"Are you tired? Lie down and rest. I'll handle the rest."
"No. Lately, strangely, my energy is springing up, so I feel well enough to run around."
"That won't do."
When I answered immediately, Rose beamed.
Then, this time, she began to focus on the wedding dress designs on the desk.
"Lucy put a lot of effort into these. They're all so pretty that I can't choose."
"Is there a need to choose? We can just buy them all."
"Dane, a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event."
"There's no rule saying you can only wear them at the wedding. If you want to wear them, Rose, you can just wear them as everyday clothes."
"I don't think that's how it works."
Rose giggled and picked up one of the designs. It was a gorgeous off-the-shoulder dress that elegantly revealed the shoulder line.
"How about this one? The decorations are fancy too..."
"No."
I firmly snatched the design from her hands.
"It reveals too much shoulder. I'll have to tell Lucy to add lace all the way up to the neck."
"Dane! Then it'll look too stifling."
"Better to be stifling. Rather than me gouging out the guests' eyes."
At my stubbornness, Rose pouted. But I paid no mind and flipped through the other designs.
I wonder how much time had passed while we bickered and worked together like that.
"Your Excellency, Andersen-nim has arrived."
Along with Bill's announcement, Andersen entered.
With disheveled hair and sunken eyes, but a face gleaming with a fanatical ecstasy.
"Greetings, Your Excellency. I hope the Duchess is also well."
"Welcome, Andersen."
Rose greeted Andersen with a delighted smile.
"How was your visit to the academic conference?"
"Ah, well, it was perfect. Obviously."
Andersen boasted, sticking his nose high in the air.
"From now on, Magical Device development will be divided into before and after today's conference—specifically, my paper presentation."
"Was it that significant?"
"It's because a circuit that reduces the mana loss rate like this is unprecedented. I named it the Semi-Perpetual Mana Circuit! It was created by reverse-utilizing mana reflux."
Andersen's shoulders bounced cheerfully.
"The other guys literally spewed fire from their eyes. One guy even grabbed my pant legs and wailed."
Finishing his words, Andersen let out an *ahem*, a fake cough. Then, while pretending to boast, he shyly handed something over.
"Uh... I named the core formula of the circuit I presented this time the 'R-Theorem'. Well, you would know the meaning, Madam."
"...Oh my."
Rose's face brightened as she received a copy of the paper. Andersen tried hard to look away and spoke nonchalantly.
"I'm different from that bastard Albert. I wouldn't do something so shameless as to steal your credit."
"Thank you... really, Andersen-nim."
That much was a tremendous display of sincerity by Andersen's standards.
He had proceeded with it purely out of gratitude toward Rose, without the usual 'Won't you become my disciple?' nagging.
"R-Theorem..."
Rose fell into thought, stroking the cover of the paper with her finger.
Seeing that, it occurred to me that Rose was still on a leave of absence from the academy.
"Do you want to graduate from the academy?"
In the past, I had been anxious that Rose might leave me to go to the academy, but not anymore.
If Rose wanted to graduate, I was willing to let her go anytime.
After pondering for a moment, Rose answered while glancing at me.
"...If I can. I want to graduate."
"Then just do it."
I answered readily and stole a quick kiss from Rose's lips.
"However, that's only if your body gets healthy. Especially not while you're pregnant."
"Dane!"
Rose rejoiced as if she would jump up and hugged me tightly.
"Thank you! I thought you wouldn't like me returning to school. Since we have a baby too..."
"You can just balance childcare and studies. Besides, I'm going with you, so what does it matter?"
"Huh?"
I couldn't leave Rose alone in such a faraway place.
There was no way people would leave Rose alone, now that she had become the elegant Duchess and grown even more beautiful than before.
I had taken a leave of absence midway anyway, so I planned to get my diploma alongside attending with Rose.
"Were you perhaps thinking of going alone? Leaving me behind?"
"Ah... that's not it."
Rose flushed slightly. It seemed she was quite happy to hear that I was going with her.
"I was just... so happy."
"Just with words?"
When I smirked, Rose's eyes narrowed.
*Slide.*
The moment Rose's finger touched my cheek.
"Ahem, hem."
Andersen's fake cough was heard from across the desk.
"I am still here. Please don't forget that there is someone else other than you two."
"Say, you haven't left yet?"
"No. I haven't left yet. Because I still have something to give you."
Andersen grumbled and took something out of his coat.
"Good grief, this is my first time being treated like a transparent human. I know you two are in love, but really! Goodness!"
*Clack.*
The jewelry box in Andersen's hand was placed on the table.
"First of all, congratulations on the wedding. Plus, news of a baby. It's a double blessing."
Andersen opened the box he brought and faced it toward Rose. Inside was an intricate necklace and bracelet set emitting a soft blue light.
"It is the result of incorporating the Semi-Perpetual Mana Circuit. It is my wedding gift to you both."
"Wow."
Rose stared at the jewelry box with wide eyes.
A warm energy faintly wafted from the accessory... no, the Magical Device disguised as an accessory, which was delicately crafted from Kalmar magic stones.
"Is it really okay for me to receive something so precious? Isn't this the first work utilizing the Semi-Perpetual Mana Circuit?"
"Because for you, Madam, deciphering that would be a piece of cake. Besides, this is tailor-made for your constitution, smoothly supplying the mana from the magic sto- *ahem*, never mind."
Andersen, getting excited and about to blabber, hastily swallowed his words.
"Anyway, I put a lot of care into it. Since you are the main contributor to the revolution in the magical field, Madam, you deserve to have this."
Andersen, who almost let slip the Magical Device's intended purpose, broke into a cold sweat.
"...Let's try it on."
I took Rose's hand and personally put the bracelet on her.
The cold metallic touch was brief; the moment the bracelet touched Rose's skin, a pleasant warmth spread along her arm.
"Wow... it's really warm, Dane. It feels like a spring breeze is blowing inside my body."
"I'm glad it is to your liking."
Only after watching Rose smile and stroke the bracelet did I nod toward Andersen.
"As a celebration for your paper presentation, I shall double your research funds for three months."
"As expected, Your Excellency is the best benefactor."
In truth, it was a reward for creating the perfect Magical Device for Rose.
But Andersen seemed to have understood my meaning and merely chuckled.
"......"
Rose stared at Andersen with a meaningful gaze.
"I will take my leave now. Please rest."
As Andersen left like that, Rose rested again, lying down using my lap as a pillow. It seemed her body had grown lethargic as the Magical Device's mana was absorbed.
*Flutter.*
It was while I was finishing going through the documents.
"...Dane."
Rose's low, sunken voice scratched the air of the office. I stopped my pen and looked down.
"Weren't you asleep?"
Then I flinched.
Her usual lovely smile had vanished completely, and Rose was staring at me with a cold face.
"Take this off for me."
Rose extended her arm toward me. The arm wearing Andersen's bracelet just moments ago.
"Rose? Why all of a sudden. Andersen worked hard to make this..."
"I don't like it. It feels unpleasant."
Rose slowly raised herself. Then, pressing on my thigh, she brought her face close to mine.
"It's not your mana. I don't want to fill my body with this kind of processed mana."
"...Rose."
"Tell me. Did you think I wouldn't know?"
Rose's large green eyes gleamed.
"That the child inside me is greedily sucking up my mana. That to hide that, you plastered the entire castle with magic stones, and even mobilized the people around you."