A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Supporting her carefully in both arms, Kain stepped into the corridor.

She was absurdly light.

Does she even eat properly?

With such a fragile body—what did she think she was doing, swallowing poison like that?

Her limbs felt soft, lacking the solid strength he was accustomed to. No muscle. No weight.

He adjusted his hold instinctively so she wouldn’t sway.

Then he carried her straight to her room and laid her gently upon the bed.

“Mm…”

The moment her body touched the mattress, Viola shifted faintly and settled.

Her breathing evened out.

Slow. Steady.

The unstable rhythm from earlier had softened.

Perhaps the antidote had begun working.

Unaware of the chaos she had caused, she slept deeply.

Peacefully.

After throwing the entire estate into turmoil.

Kain remained standing beside the bed.

There was nothing to do but wait.

She herself had insisted she would be fine. Calling another physician would only create more panic.

And yet—

This unfamiliar helplessness gnawed at him.

What is wrong with this woman?

Why was she so reckless?

If he took his eyes off her for even a moment—

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

From outside came the soft voices of maids.

And a smaller voice.

“Lady Viola? Are you inside? We’re coming in!”

Apparently, the earlier disturbance hadn’t reached the annex.

The door opened.

“Lady Viola, are you sle—… Huh?!”

The maids froze when they saw him standing there.

“Y-Your Grace!”

“We greet Your Grace!”

They clearly hadn’t expected to find the Duke in Lady Viola’s bedroom.

Between them, a small pink-haired child toddled forward.

She spotted Viola on the bed and hurried over.

“Mama?”

The maids panicked.

“L-Lady Melody! You must greet His Grace first!”

“U?”

The child tilted her head.

Kain waved dismissively.

“It’s fine.”

“Pardon?”

“Leave her.”

“Y-Yes!”

The maids bowed hastily and fled.

Melody’s Perspective

Left alone, Melody blinked.

Why did everyone run away?

More importantly—

There was a man next to Mama.

She looked up.

He was tall. Huge. Like the ancient tree back in Heiron Village.

She knew who he was.

Duke Kka-kka Uncle.

That’s what Mama had called him.

Mama said he was someone to be grateful to.

But why “kka-kka”?

Did he give Mama snacks?

Melody narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Mama was pretty.

Men always hovered around her.

And Melody had bravely chased them off.

Uncle James the herb gatherer.

The fruit seller in the next village.

She had been very busy protecting Mama from wolves.

Recently, things had been peaceful.

Don’t tell me Duke Kka-kka Uncle too?

If so—

She would protect Mama.

Mama was hers.

With solemn determination, Melody marched toward the bed.

Then stopped.

The mattress was too high.

She couldn’t climb up.

After a moment’s thought, she turned to Kain.

Suspicious or not—

She needed access to Mama.

“U!”

She thumped her chest.

Kain’s red eyes narrowed slightly.

“…You want to be lifted?”

Melody’s eyes widened.

She nodded vigorously.

He understands me?

Aside from Mama, no one ever understood her that quickly.

Kain lifted her effortlessly and set her onto the bed.

Melody crawled straight toward Viola.

Grateful for the lift—but not willing to share Mama.

“U? Mama?”

She shook Viola’s shoulder.

No response.

Suspicious.

Was Mama sick again?

Absolutely unacceptable.

Melody pressed her ear to Viola’s chest.

Something hard poked her ear.

Ow.

The necklace.

She pushed it aside and listened again.

Thump. Thump.

A steady heartbeat.

…I have no idea what that means.

She turned to Kain, eyes glistening.

“U? U?”

Is Mama sick?

She didn’t expect him to understand.

But he answered calmly.

“No. She’s not sick.”

“U?”

Her eyes widened.

“Then why isn’t she waking up? She is sick!”

“She’s just sleeping. She’s tired.”

At that moment, Viola stirred and instinctively wrapped an arm around Melody, pulling her close.

“Mm…”

Hey! The conversation isn’t finished!

Melody squirmed indignantly.

Above her, Kain’s voice lowered.

“Your mom’s sleeping.”

“U?”

“She’s just tired.”

Melody looked up at him.

He seemed like he wanted to say more.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he stood there quietly, gazing at Viola’s sleeping face.

Duke Kka-kka Uncle…?

His expression was unreadable.

But somehow—

He looked sad.

Like Mama did when Melody scraped her knee.

After a long moment, Kain reached out and switched off the bedside lamp.

“Sleep too, little one.”

Then he turned.

Left.

The door clicked shut softly.

Weird uncle, Melody decided in the darkness.

Elsewhere

Only after being dragged away did Celia truly comprehend what had happened.

Dragon-blood.

That was what the Ashellen ducal family was called.

Descendants of dragons.

Perhaps closer to dragons than humans.

Standing before Kain’s aura—

So suffocating she could barely breathe—

Celia finally realized:

She may have touched the dragon’s reverse scale.

That reaction—

It was not how a man responded to an ordinary apothecary collapsing.

It wasn’t simple courtesy.

It wasn’t mere responsibility toward a valued guest.

It was something deeper.

And Celia prided herself on understanding romance.

No man looked at a mere guest like that.

What does that woman even have…?