Breeding Instinct - Side story 02 (4)

Sian puffed out his cheeks as if displeased. His expression was so adorably sulky that everyone present burst into laughter.

“Oh dear, are you upset because there’s nothing for you to eat?”

With a lingering laugh in her voice, the Crown Princess looked at him. Strangely enough, Sian, who had been wary, suddenly reached toward her and smiled brightly.

“…Does he want to come to me?”

She looked at her husband with a puzzled expression. The Crown Prince also seemed amazed.

“Looks like it… Grand Duke, may I hold the child for a moment?”

“Of course.”

Damian stood up and gently took Sian from Kanna. She looked on with a slightly worried gaze. Damian removed the robe covering Sian completely—he, too, was a bit tense. This was the first time Sian would be fully revealed.

The Crown Princess couldn’t take her eyes off the tail that appeared just after the ears. The lively, twitching tail proved he wasn’t entirely human—but everything else looked exactly like Damian, her husband’s loyal retainer of many years.

Rather than feeling any repulsion, she felt an overwhelming desire to hold him. Having been trying to conceive herself, her maternal instinct surged as she held the child she couldn’t have. She realized she could never point fingers at a child just because he had something different. A life born with such difficulty deserved love.

“…He’s heavier than I expected, Your Highness.”

She looked down at Sian in her arms and commented to the Crown Prince. Heinrich watched his wife holding the child with a curious emotion.

“Uhh…”

“Hm? What’s wrong? Is he uncomfortable?”

Sian began to whimper in her arms, and the Crown Princess instinctively stood up and started gently patting and soothing him. The sight made the Crown Prince’s expression grow more complex.

Just then, the head lady-in-waiting approached Kanna and whispered,

“Does the young master have a favorite fruit?”

“Hm… he eats most fruits well now, but anything with firm flesh is still a bit hard for him.”

“Then would it be all right to offer some strawberries? They were specially acquired by Her Highness.”

“Please go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

With Kanna’s permission, the maid fetched strawberries that had been washed and now cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces and plated them nicely. From the moment she began cutting, Sian turned his head sharply to stare. Observing him closely, the Crown Princess chuckled and said,

“So, you know those strawberries are for you, huh?”

“Woo-woo…”

“If you wait just a little longer, you’ll get some.”

The maid hurried to bring over the dish and placed it on the table. Immediately, Sian tugged at the Crown Princess’s clothes with his little maple-leaf hands.

“Oh dear…”

“Shall I take him, Your Highness?” the maid offered, flustered.

“No need.”

The Crown Princess shook her head. She was surprised at how firmly he could tug with such tiny hands. Smiling in amusement, she sat down and quickly speared a strawberry slice with a fork, placing it in Sian’s mouth.

“Yum-yum.”

Sian made exaggerated eating noises as he chewed. His deliberate sounds were so funny and cute that the Crown Prince and Princess laughed aloud. Embarrassed, Kanna explained,

“He’s just started eating solids. When I made sounds while feeding him, he began to mimic me like that.”

“Oh-ho, so he remembers his mother’s voice and mimics her?”

“Did you already finish that piece?”

They both spoke in turn. The Crown Princess speared another piece and fed it to Sian. His little chewing mouth couldn’t have been more adorable.

“If we have a royal heir, he’d eat just as well, wouldn’t he?”

At her wistful comment, the Crown Prince gave her a look full of sympathy. Hearing this, Kanna felt a deep desire to help in any way she could. These were people precious to her husband, and therefore to her, too.

“…A midwife once told me that the god who oversees childbirth is a mischievous one. If you want a child too badly, they act like a contrarian. But I took it to mean this: the womb is healthier when the mother’s heart is at peace.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yes. After meeting my husband, I found peace of mind. Food started to taste better, and I found myself wanting to try new things again.”

Damian watched Kanna with deepened eyes. The Crown Prince and Princess also looked at her with serious expressions. They knew her past and what she had endured.

“Your Highness, would a short trip help the Crown Princess get a bit of fresh air and a change of scenery?”

“A trip?”

“Yes. A change of environment can provide distance from heavy thoughts.”

At Kanna’s suggestion, the Crown Prince’s eyes widened slightly. He had never thought about going somewhere—he assumed she should always remain in the palace. But now that he thought about it, it would be easier to take a trip while his father was still reigning.

“The Grand Duchess makes a good point.”

“Your Highness?”

“Now that it’s come up, why don’t we go on a trip?”

“…Pardon?”

The sudden proposal caught the Crown Princess off guard. Damian gently stepped in.

“You should go.”

“Oh-ho, with the Grand Duke’s approval, there’s no reason not to! You’re even offering to handle state matters in my absence, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.”

Damian’s quick agreement made the Crown Prince narrow his eyes.

“That’s odd… You’re not the type to agree this easily.”

“I did say I had something to tell you, didn’t I?”

“…Suspicious.”

As the conversation shifted, the Crown Prince stared at Damian with growing curiosity.

“In truth, we’re planning to return to our domain.”

“…So suddenly?”

“Yes, it is a sudden decision—but it feels like the natural next step.”

“Is it because of Sian?”

“Yes. Not everyone in the world will treat Sian with the same kindness as you and Her Highness.”

At Damian’s firm reply, the royal couple fell silent. When they first saw Sian’s ears and tail, even they had felt an undeniable sense of dissonance.

“…You must have struggled with this decision.”

“Yes. That’s why, if I can help Your Highness before I leave, it would bring me joy.”

“Hm…”

The Crown Prince let out a heavy sigh. Though he felt regret, he also understood Damian’s struggle—and felt grateful that even in such a time, the Grand Duke and Duchess were thinking of him.

“…Will five years be enough?”

“…Pardon?”

“Once I ascend the throne, you’ll return to the capital and assist me, won’t you? By then, perhaps the world will have changed—even just a little.”

At the Crown Prince’s words, Damian silently looked at him for a moment. Even for a crown prince, it was not something to speak of so openly while the emperor was still very much alive. But understanding the meaning behind the words, Damian simply nodded.

“Dear, while the Grand Duke is being generous, let’s choose a destination quickly. Let’s make it a week-long trip, what do you think?”

The Crown Princess, still a bit dazed, opened and closed her lips in hesitation. Then, feeling Sian tugging at her collar again, she hurriedly fed him another strawberry. As she watched his tiny mouth munch adorably, she softly spoke up.

“I’d like to visit a hot spring. It’s far from the capital, but I’ve heard there’s an open-air spring on a mountainside overlooking the sea. I’d love to go there, Your Highness.”

“A hot spring sounds nice. Even if it’s hot… it’ll be worth it, right?”

“Hehe…”

At the Crown Prince’s teasing tone, not only the Crown Princess but also Kanna laughed. At that moment, Sian grabbed a strawberry with his own hand. As if he couldn’t wait any longer, he stuffed a handful into his mouth, prompting the head maid to rush over and wipe his mouth and hands—causing a small commotion.

Kanna couldn’t take her eyes off her son as he naturally blended in among these people. Somehow, watching it gave her courage.

* * *

Only after the Crown Prince and Princess returned from their trip did Damian begin preparing for their move to the domain. First, he reorganized the staff, keeping only those absolutely loyal to his house and writing recommendations for the others so they could be employed by other noble families.

Since the plan included relocating the employees’ families to the Reuss territory as well, they needed a large number of carriages. Landon personally oversaw the purchase of supplies and foodstuffs sold only within the capital.

Olivia began packing the belongings with the maids, while Hermann organized the knights’ equipment and supplies. Lastly, Eric was locked in battle with the documents—discarding the unnecessary ones and carefully organizing and packing the important ones.

As each fulfilled their respective duties, Kanna took a walk through the garden with Sian. She was still anxious, so Sian wore a robe, but compared to just a few weeks ago, it was significant progress.

“We won’t be seeing this view again for a while, Sian.”

She murmured as she looked out at the city beyond the edge of the garden. Though parting felt bittersweet, a growing curiosity about Reuss—where Damian had grown up—began to stir in her. Then she heard footsteps approaching from afar.

Both Kanna and Sian perked up and turned around. From the distance, Moritz approached, waving cheerfully.

“Sister-in-law!”

“You’re here?”

“It’s nice seeing you out here during the day.”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“Ha, I appreciate the acknowledgment.”

While everyone else was busy preparing for the move, Moritz was not.

“Why aren’t you coming with us?”

Kanna asked with concern, as Moritz had said he would stay behind in the capital. He simply shrugged and reached a hand out to Sian.

“Ah-woo!”

“We won’t be seeing each other often now, huh, Sian.”

Holding Sian effortlessly, he turned to Kanna and said,

“I’ve found something I want to learn.”

“What is it?”

“Medicine.”

“…What?”

Kanna blinked in surprise at his unexpected answer. Moritz, as if expecting that reaction, explained with a smile.

“What if, someday… Sian gets sick?”

“He has a physician.”

“But that physician doesn’t know beastkin biology.”

“…Young master…”

“That title’s kind of ridiculous, don’t you think? I was called that as a kid, and I’m still called that as an adult. I’d rather people call me ‘Doctor’ someday.”

Kanna didn’t know much about the world. All she understood revolved around Damian. But even so, she knew how unusual it was for a noble to want to become a physician.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Are nobles not allowed to become doctors?”

“…Is this really because of our Sian?”

“Well… Sian’s one reason. But there’s a bigger one.”

“What is it?”

She knew that, deep down, Damian had been pleased that Moritz was staying behind. Even without saying it, his pheromones had made it clear.