Chapter 363: Surprise Attack?

The light slipping through the curtains ended up hitting him square in the face, and Mark opened his eyes with a grimace.

It took him a few seconds to remember where he was, though the warmth of several bodies pressed against his helped quite a bit.

On his left, Cali slept on her back, practically the only position she still found comfortable with her pregnancy so far along. Her succubus tail was coiled over the sheets and her glasses rested on the nightstand.

Zilu had ended up on his legs, curled into a ball with her rabbit ears covering half her face, while Aria took up a good part of his chest, hugging his waist with her hair a complete mess.

Mark contemplated the scene for a few seconds before turning his gaze to the ceiling.

It had been a good night.

Then he looked at the window again. The room was fairly bright, but that didn’t tell him much. It could be the early hours of the morning or easily getting close to noon.

"I need to ask the dwarves to invent a clock," he murmured with amusement. "Or an alarm clock."

Then he decided the best thing was to get up and take a bath before one of the three woke up and tried to continue where they’d left off last night.

So, very carefully, Mark slid Aria to one side and settled her on the pillow.

Then he pulled his legs out from under Zilu, inch by inch, until the bunny girl was hugging the sheets instead of his thigh without waking up.

But then two arms wrapped around his torso from behind.

"Where are you going, Master?" Aria murmured against his back.

"To take a bath."

"Wouldn’t you like to stay a little longer?"

"Aria..."

"Just a little while." She tightened her hug and rested her cheek on his back. "It’s still early."

"You have no idea what time it is."

"Neither do you."

Mark couldn’t argue with that.

"And since when can the person who keeps the whole kingdom running afford to stay in bed late?" Mark said with a teasing smile.

"Hey, I have rights too," Aria replied with a pout. "I’m not just the empire’s administrator. I also want to spend time with my husband."

"Nice try, but you’ve already used that excuse."

Aria let out a groan of protest and squeezed him a second longer, as if that could change his mind.

But in the end she let go and flopped onto her back on the bed with a pout.

Mark got up, stretching until his back cracked, and went into the bathroom.

The hot water felt wonderful, and when he finally returned to the bedroom, he found Aria already dressed, brushing her hair in front of the mirror with quick movements.

Mark dressed in silence so as not to wake his other wives, who were still asleep, and once the two of them were ready, they left the bedroom, closing the door carefully behind them.

Out in the hallway, Aria let out the breath she’d been holding.

"Well, Master, I have to go," she said as she finished adjusting her dress. "I still have work to do for tomorrow’s meeting."

"Joseph’s?"

"That very one. I only have a few details left, but nothing I can’t settle before dinner."

Aria leaned in to give him a quick kiss before pulling away.

"See you later."

"Sure. I’m going to the royal garden. I promised Rose I’d go see some new plants with her."

"More plants?"

"That’s what she said."

"Ever since Emilia forbade her from leaving the palace, she’s gone crazy over that garden," Aria remarked, shaking her head. "Last week she had three carts of pots brought in from the port."

"At least it keeps her entertained."

"That’s true... well, whatever, say hi to her for me."

Then she walked away down the hallway at a brisk pace, already muttering something under her breath as she went over her tasks.

...

The royal garden was at the back of the palace.

It was a wide space surrounded by walls covered in vines, with stone paths winding between flower beds, fountains, and centuries-old trees.

The elven gardeners tended it with an almost obsessive care, and for centuries it had been one of the pride and joys of the elven royal family.

Lately, though, it had a section that looked nothing like the rest. An entire corner full of new pots with plants he had never seen before.

Flowers with black petals, others a red so dark it almost looked purple, and vines with silver leaves climbing a freshly installed trellis.

And beneath one of the garden’s trees, seated on a stone bench, was Rose.

She wore a rather loose black dress, though at this stage even that couldn’t hide how enormous her belly was. Both hands rested on it, moving slowly while a smile lingered on her face.

Mark slowed his pace a little.

It was strange to see her like this.

Rose smiled quite a bit, yes, but she usually did it right before saying something unsettling, mocking someone, or biting him too hard.

But this smile was different.

"Good morning," Mark greeted as he approached.

"You’re late," Rose replied immediately.

"Yeah, well... I overslept."

Mark sat down beside her and studied her for a moment.

"Did something good happen?"

"Hmm?"

"You look happier than usual."

Rose glanced at him sideways, and for a second it seemed she would deny it. But then she lowered her eyes to her belly.

"Emilia came to see me last night. She examined me, and she says it’s very likely our baby will be born this week."

Hearing that, Mark rose from the bench and crouched in front of her, level with her belly.

He placed his hands on it carefully, as if afraid of breaking something, and instantly felt a small kick against his palm.

An enormous smile escaped him.

"Hi," he said to her belly in a low voice. "So you’re already in a hurry to come out, huh?"

Rose let out a soft laugh.

Mark leaned in and kissed the dress, right where he had felt the kick.

"And have you picked a name yet?" he asked, looking up at her again.

"Not yet." Rose ran her fingers through his hair. "I’d rather wait until the baby is born. I want to know first whether it’s a boy or a girl, and see its face. I don’t want to pick a name that doesn’t fit later."

"Sounds good to me."

Mark stood and held out both hands. Rose took them, and he helped her up from the bench slowly, steadying her until she was secure on her feet.

"But that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking of some," he suggested. "Since we’re going for a walk, we can take the chance to make a list."

"A list?"

"Just in case. So we’re not left blank when the time comes."

Rose looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and her usual sharp smile returned to her lips.

"I remind you that you owe me that conversation since before you left for the beastmen’s kingdom."

"I know..."

"Good, then let’s go," Rose said as she clung to his arm. "And mind you, if you propose any ridiculous name, I’ll reject it without discussion."

Mark laughed, and the two began walking along the path.

But they had barely taken the first step when he stopped dead and spun sharply to the left.

He pulled free of Rose’s grip and shot his hand toward an apparently empty spot less than a meter from them, closing his fingers around something he couldn’t see but that was definitely there.

A thin, cold neck tensed beneath his hand at the same moment a choked gasp came out of nowhere, making Rose step back in alarm.

Mark hardened his gaze and tightened his fingers slightly.

"Who the fuck are you?"