Dinner was sumptuous. Throughout the meal, Smelian kept stealing glances at Lu Xia. He couldn’t control his eyes; he wanted to see for himself just what kind of person Duke Lu Xia truly was.

Why did the people around her lack that stifling sense of inferiority? Whether it was Graces or the old butler, they all seemed to exude confidence from within.

In fact, what struck Smelian the most was the complete lack of a repressive atmosphere in Duke Lu Xia’s Mansion.

The people living here seemed completely free to be themselves, never having to worry about making a mistake or facing punishment for no reason.

Duke Lu Xia treated everyone as an equal, never looking down on them because of their origins.

Graces was living proof of that.

They were both ’defective’ males, and both were husbands to Duke Lu Xia. Yet now, he and Graces could both sit at the dinner table with the Duke, and even chat with her.

Graces even got to stay with Duke Lu Xia every night. These were things Smelian had never dared to imagine before. ’If Duke Lu Xia is just putting on an act... no, this is Duke Lu Xia’s Mansion. Why would she need to put on a show for them? They were all just people of humble status.’

With that thought, Smelian glanced over at Graces, unable to suppress a pang of envy.

He even felt a faint pang of regret. ’If he had stepped forward that night when the old butler was choosing someone to attend to Duke Lu Xia, would he be the one who was close to her now?’

"Smelian, is the dinner not to your taste?" Lu Xia’s sudden question snapped him out of his thoughts. He quickly sat up straight. "No, it’s delicious."

"That’s good. You don’t seem to be eating much. If it’s not to your taste, you must tell the butler. That’s a basic request I can certainly accommodate." Lu Xia gave him a gentle, friendly smile. But her kindness was tinged with a distance, completely unlike the natural ease she shared with Graces.

Smelian’s eyes instinctively met Graces’s gaze.

The other man’s dark eyes seemed calm, but the look he gave Smelian was anything but friendly.

Smelian subtly raised an eyebrow.

Lu Xia didn’t notice the silent exchange between the two. She simply paused mid-motion, drawing their attention.

Graces was the first to speak. "What’s wrong?"

Lu Xia looked up at Graces, meeting his concerned gaze, and suddenly smiled. "I think it just moved."

Graces almost asked ’who,’ but seeing the look of wonder in Lu Xia’s eyes, he instantly understood. "Did the little one move? Are you feeling any discomfort?"

As he spoke, Graces stood and moved to Lu Xia’s side. He knelt on one knee, wanting to reach out and feel, but he didn’t dare to touch her. His entire being radiated nervous caution.

To Smelian, the scene was utterly bizarre.

Before he could make sense of the situation, the old butler also spoke up nervously, "Should I message Doctor Eugene? To ask if there are any precautions we should take?"

Lu Xia was exasperated by the two of them. "It’s probably just normal fetal movement. There’s no need to make a fuss. I don’t feel any discomfort. It was just the first time I’ve felt it, so I was a little surprised."

This time, Smelian, sitting off to the side, was finally certain of what he’d heard.

He had heard Duke Lu Xia say ’fetal movement.’ Even if his medical specialty wasn’t related to reproduction, he was certainly familiar with the term. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

He couldn’t help but blurt out, "You... what are you all talking about?"

At his question, the other three people turned to look at him, and the atmosphere instantly grew quiet.

In the end, it was Lu Xia who broke the silence with a smile. "Since you’re part of the family now, and you would have found out sooner or later, I won’t hide it from you. I’m pregnant. I’m a little over five months along."

Smelian heard every word Duke Lu Xia spoke, but strung together, they made no sense at all.

He even began to doubt his own ears.

’Did Duke Lu Xia just say she’s pregnant? And that she’s over five months along?’

’Where is the child? In her belly?’

’Oh, right. It has to be in her belly. How else could there be fetal movement?’

Smelian could no longer remain seated. He abruptly stood and walked over to Lu Xia. He had to see it with his own eyes; otherwise, he would never believe it.

’Duke Lu Xia... had actually conceived naturally.’

’Not a single female in the Empire had naturally conceived for hundreds of years, and now, against all odds, Duke Lu Xia had succeeded.’

"How... how can this be?" Seeing Lu Xia’s swollen belly, Smelian’s pupils constricted. His voice trembled as he spoke. He sank uncontrollably to one knee, as if needing a closer look to confirm it. "Is this... is this Graces’s child?"

"Yes, it’s his," Lu Xia answered before Graces could.

Her direct, simple reply made Smelian’s gaze snap to Graces. If he had only been envious before, he was now outright jealous.

Graces met his gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching into a slight smirk. "Does Doctor Smelian have anything to say?"

Smelian knew Graces was taunting him, but the man had every right to.

His throat felt dry and tight, but he was accustomed to putting on a front. Even now, when he was reeling internally, he managed to speak with a calm and indifferent expression. "I have nothing to say. While I’m not a specialist in fertility, I know that fetal movement is a normal phenomenon during gestation. As long as it isn’t too frequent and there are no abnormal reactions, it should be fine."

As he spoke, he stood up. When he lowered his gaze to Lu Xia, his voice unconsciously softened. "However, you should get more rest."

"I will. Thank you. It’s certainly reassuring to have a doctor in the house." The smile never left Lu Xia’s face as she continued, "Is everything at work going smoothly, Smelian?"

"Very smoothly. You don’t need to concern yourself with me. It’s just... given your condition, there’s been no news from the Fertility Research Institute. Are you keeping this a secret?"

As a doctor, Smelian knew exactly what a natural conception meant to the Empire. In fact, no one could be ignorant of its value.

Yet Duke Lu Xia was already five months along, and there wasn’t even a whisper from the Fertility Research Institute. It was clear that the Duke had kept the matter hidden.

’It probably wasn’t that the Fertility Research Institute hadn’t heard anything; they just hadn’t been able to find the person in question.’

"Yes. I have no desire to become anyone’s research subject, so I found a doctor privately. However, on the day of the birth, if possible, I would very much hope for your assistance."

’After all, Smelian is a surgeon right here in the house. In a crisis, he should be quite skilled at performing an operation, shouldn’t he?’