A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 25

Chapter 25

I silently counted the seconds.

Then I suddenly stood.

Time to act.

“Ah! I just remembered something!”

“Huh? What?”

“I think I left something behind. Young Master, may I step out for a moment?”

Just yesterday, he had sulked when I said I was leaving.

But today—

His face brightened instantly, like someone handed an unexpected opportunity.

“Yeah! Go ahead!”

“Thank you. I’ll be back in ten minutes—make sure you take your medicine while I’m gone!”

“Okay!”

Such an obedient, cheerful answer.

Normally, I would have found it adorable.

Not now.

I have a bad feeling…

Ten minutes later—

I returned.

“Young Master, did you take your medicine?”

“Yeah. I took it.”

He avoided my gaze slightly, answering in a gruff voice.

I walked over and lowered myself until we were eye level.

“How was it? Tasty, right? I may not be confident in everything, but I’m very confident about strawberry flavor.”

“Yeah, it was… good.”

A pause.

Small.

But noticeable.

Got you.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Could you describe the taste in detail? I want to improve it next time.”

I leaned closer, blinking innocently.

His red eyes wavered.

“Uh… well…”

“Yes?”

“It tasted like strawberry. Sweet… So just make it the same next time.”

Barely perceptible stammer.

But not to me.

“You liked the strawberry flavor?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s strange.”

I tilted my head.

“I gave you grape flavor.”

His composure shattered.

“…What?”

“It was grape flavor.”

He scrambled desperately.

“Oh—right! Grape! I don’t eat candy often—I must’ve mixed it up!”

I stared at him calmly.

“So that’s your final answer?”

“I-I really took it!”

I didn’t scold him.

Instead, I reached into my pocket, took out a candy, and popped it into my mouth.

He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.

“That’s my medicine! Is it okay for you to eat it?!”

His panic was genuine.

If it had truly been his medicine, it could have been dangerous.

But—

“It’s fine. This one was just candy.”

“…What?”

“There was never any candy-shaped medicine. This is just a specialty candy from Heiron Village.”

I let it dissolve slowly.

Sweet grape flavor filled my mouth.

Then I stuck out my tongue.

“And when you eat this…”

“Huh?”

“…your tongue turns blue.”

His eyes widened.

“Why is your tongue blue?!”

“Because this candy stains your tongue blue.”

I pointed gently toward him.

“But what about you, Young Master?”

His lips parted slightly.

His tongue—

Bright red.

“…I…”

He tried to speak.

And failed.

His red eyes trembled.

Then—

Tears fell.

“Young Master… are you crying?”

“I’m not! Hic—!”

Even when his fever burned high enough to make him delirious, he hadn’t cried.

Now he scrubbed at his eyes roughly.

“Don’t look at me!”

Like a wounded kitten, he turned away.

“I’m pathetic… crying over something like this.”

Tears streamed down his pale cheeks.

My chest tightened painfully.

“Please… look at me.”

“No! You’re disappointed in me too!”

“I’m not.”

“I’m dragon-blooded… Dragon-blooded aren’t supposed to get sick.”

His breathing shook.

“I’m already defective… If I become weak too… then…”

“Who told you that?”

“Medicine is for weaklings… for half-blood failures…”

“…You’re not pathetic.”

“It’s a lie!”

My words weren’t reaching him.

So instead—

I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

His small body stiffened in shock.

“Let go!”

He struggled weakly.

Then his strength gave out.

He collapsed against my shoulder.

“…I lied. I didn’t want to depend on medicine.”

Because dragon-blood must be strong.

Must overcome everything alone.

“Why is relying on medicine wrong? It’s just treatment.”

“It’s what weak people do…”

“I’m already weak. If I get weaker…”

He bit his lip.

Trying not to cry.

Failing.

“I won’t cry… I won’t…”

Hiccups broke through anyway.

I looked down at him.

Normally, I would have comforted him softly.

But not this time.

My expression hardened.

My hands clenched.

I forced myself to breathe slowly.

And asked quietly—

“Who told you that?”