A Father's Decision

"LADY Prescott and Captain Kiho, I'll be honest with you."

Tilly felt nervous at what Dr. Montero, the female doctor who checked on her, said. The doctor had dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and tan complexion. She was probably in her forties but her kind face made her look younger than her age. Also, her voice was soothing. She was the type of doctor that could make her patients feel at ease.

But still, when it came to her son, she could never not be nervous.

It seemed like Kiho noticed her nervousness because he held her hand and squeezed it tight. When she turned to him, she gave him a thankful smile before she faced the doctor again.

"You're only four weeks pregnant but the heart of your baby is already almost fully-developed," Dr. Montero said. "It happens when the child is gifted with a very strong Mana."

Tilly wasn't surprised to hear that. [Even in my past life, my doctor said that Winter had a very strong Mana befitting the child of the prophecy.]

Come to think of it, her doctor was given to her by Princess Nia then.

[Not this time. I'll find a doctor that I can trust.]

"The problem is your body, Lady Prescott," Dr. Montero continued. "Your Mana is weak and so you'll have a difficult pregnancy."

That also happened in her past life.

"Doctor Montero, what can we do to make sure that Lady Prescott and our baby are both going to be safe?" Kiho asked carefully. He referred to her formally because they were talking to someone they weren't acquainted with. "Can I do something for my wife and child?"

The doctor smiled before she answered Kiho's questions. "Lady Prescott is only at the early stage of pregnancy. She can still work as usual but of course, she has to be extra careful. It's also important to eat healthy food and have enough rest. You can support your wife by giving her moral and physical support, Captain Kiho."

This time, Dr. Montero directly talked to her. "Lady Prescott, I know that you're a businesswoman. I won't stop you from running your businesses but I'll advise you to lessen your working hours. If you want, I can also prescribe you some vitamins to make your body stronger."

"Thank you, Doctor," Tilly said with a smile. "I'll have to turn down the vitamins. I'll try to make my body physically stronger the natural way."

She couldn't trust other people easily now that she knew that people wanted her heart.

Once she found a trust-worthy doctor, she'd take vitamins if she needed to. But for now, she wouldn't take any medication from anyone she didn't trust yet.

"Tilly, are you sure you don't want to take vitamins?" Kiho asked worriedly. "We need all the help we can get to make sure you'd have a safe pregnancy."

"I'll be fine, Kiho," she assured him with a smile. "I want to be healthier the natural way. It's not that I don't trust the doctors or the vitamins. I just want it to be an option instead of a necessity."

"Lady Prescott is correct," Dr. Montero assured Kiho with a gentle smile. "We don't want your wife's body to be dependent on medicines. Although vitamins are proven to boost one's health, it's still a case to case basis. The vitamins may or may not be good for Lady Prescott. So f course, strengthening one's body through natural means is still the best way to go. Healthy food and enough rest will be enough for your wife, Captain Kiho."

Kiho seemed to be relieved by that. "Thank you, Doctor Montero," he said. Then, he turned to her. "Don't worry, Tilly. I'll make sure that you and our baby will be both safe and healthy."

Tilly smiled and squeezed Kiho's hand. "I trust you, hon."

***

"HONEY, should I carry you?"

Tilly was surprised by Kiho's question when she got out of bathroom.

[Gosh, he's overreacting.]

She turned to Leni and Lani who were standing behind her. The two gave her a bath as usual. "You may leave now."

The twin maids bowed to her and the captain before they left.

When she was alone with her husband, she put her hands on her waist and glared playfully at him. "Kiho, I can walk on my own."

"But I don't want you to get tired," Kiho countered with a pouty face. He looked like a child who was using his charm to get what he wanted. "The bathroom is kind of far from the room."

That wasn't true.

The bathroom was just a few walks away from their room. They had a toilet inside their chamber but the bathroom was built outside.

"I'm fine, hon," she assured him. Then, she linked her arm with his as they walked towards their room. "I'm not sick."

"Should we renovate our room?" he asked. "Let's make it bigger and build a bathroom inside."

She giggled at that. "Fine, let's do that."

The idea didn't sound bad anyway.

In her second life, she had an adjacent bathroom in her bedroom. Plus, once she became heavy with pregnancy, it would be more convenient if the bathroom was inside their chamber.

"I'll tap the architecture I know tomorrow," the captain said. "I want a room that will be safer and easier for you to move."

Aww, wasn't he so thoughtful?

When they settled in the bed, she kissed him on the lips to make him feel how much she appreciated his concern for her.

Kiho got into the kiss right away. Just a few moments later, he was already on top of her. She was so sure that they were going all the way tonight as usual. But suddenly, he broke the kiss and rolled over. Then, he sat up on the bed with a flushed face.

"I'm sorry, honey," the captain said apologetically. "I didn't mean to crush you and our baby. Are you okay?"

"Crush" her and Winter?

She almost laughed at that. "Kiho, you didn't "crush" us. I'm not that fragile. Plus, you're not that heavy."

Well, Kiho was a six foot tall of pure muscles (and sexiness). But even before, he was always careful not to accidentally crush her with his weight. It seemed like this time, he was starting to become paranoid.

"Is that true?" he asked worriedly. "I'm not going to hurt you or Winter?"

Hearing Kiho say their baby's name made her smile. "You're not going to hurt us."

His cheeks turned pink. "So, uh, we can still do it?"

Her smile widened at his question. "Yes, hon. We can still do it."

"Oh," he said, obviously pleased by that news. "But let's be extra careful."

"Of course."

The hunger in his eyes came back.

Kiho crawled towards her, straddled her hips ever so carefully, and kissed her fiercely.

[After a long and tiring day, we deserve this.]

Tilly wrapped her arms around Kiho's neck and kissed him back with as much fervor.

[Winter, this time, you're going to be born into a loving family.]

***

"THE SUPREME has awakened, Duke Prescott," Mikhail Denver told Duke Prescott while they were at the Fire Wielder Guild's Red Tower. As of now, they were in the basement of the tower where they couldn't be seen or heard by anyone else, especially the enemies. "Lady Prescott has taken it better than I expected."

Duke Prescott let out a frustrated sigh. "I never wanted Tilly to awaken as the Supreme, Captain Denver. I just want her to live as a normal person."

"It was out of our control," he countered. "We also didn't expect that the replica of the Red Phoenix would be chosen as this year's Ancient Beast. It seemed like the piece of the Supreme's heart inside the replica had resonated with Tilly when her life was put in danger."

"What did you talk about with my daughter?"

"She wanted to know everything about her heart and her connection with the first Supreme Fire Mage," he answered. "And she wanted to confess her real identity to Captain Kiho."

The duke's eyes widened in shock. Eventually, he slowly nodded his head calmly. "I agreed to marry my daughter off to the captain because I didn't want the emperor to doubt my loyalty to the throne. To be honest, I don't want my family to betray the emperor. But I also don't want my daughter to be punished just because she was born with a special heart. So in the end, I chose to bow my head to the royal family."

Mikhail's family respected Duke Prescott's decision to live quietly.

That was why they pretended that they didn't have any connection to them. His clan may not agree with the duke's resolve to bow his head to the royal family. But they understood that he wanted to protect his daughter.

[Especially after what happened to the late Lady Marianne Prescott.]

But things had changed now.

"I've observed Captain Kiho these past few weeks," the duke continued. "I can see the love he has for my daughter. If Tilly trusts him, then I will trust the captain as well. I know that if a war breaks out between the Fire Mages and the royal family, Kiho will protect Tilly. I believe that he will choose my daughter over the emperor."

Mikhail sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "Duke Prescott, are you saying that we should tell Captain Kiho about our secret as well?"

"Captain Kiho isn't an outsider," Duke Prescott lightly scolded him. "Kiho is now my son, Captain Denver."

***

KIHO stared at Tilly all night.

They had a "vigorous activity" last night and he was afraid that he may have exhausted her too much. He hated himself for having high libido. Why couldn't he keep his hands off his wife?

[I have to hold back starting now.]

It would be hard but if it meant protecting Tilly and Winter, he'd endure anything.

"You're up?" Tilly asked when she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her. Then, she smiled at him. "Good morning, hon."

Kiho kissed her on the lips. "Good morning, honey."

She looked at his face, then her forehead knotted. "You have bags under your eyes, Kiho. Did you stay up all night?"

"I was thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

[About how much I love you.]

But he didn't want to overwhelm Tilly with his feelings. He knew that he was important to her. But she was yet to say that she loved him verbally. He could feel it, though. That was why he wasn't pressuring her to say the words he wanted to hear most.

[I can wait.]

"I know how I can protect you and Winter during your pregnancy, Tilly."

"Really?"

"Yes," Kiho answered seriously. Then, he gently caressed her face with the back of his hand. "I'll quit my position as the captain of Black Serpent Knights, Tilly."

As expected, Tilly's eyes widened in surprise. "Kiho, are you serious?"

***

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