Watching Qiong Xing sleeping limply in his arms like he had completely exhausted himself only made Leander love him more.

The redness and swelling around Qiong Xing’s eyes from crying even seemed adorable, though Leander felt a little bad toward the others for thinking so.

When was the last time Qiong Xing had cried in front of him like this?

Normally, Qiong Xing could smile through almost anything, so naturally he rarely cried in front of people.

Well... except for that time.

When Qiong Xing cried while saying, "It feels too good, too good and scary," Elias honestly believed it was only natural for a male not to stop until Qiong Xing fainted in pleasure.

"There is no reason for him to feel anxious."

Qiong Xing had cried and apologized over and over, while Leander repeatedly reassured him that everything was alright.

It was not as though he had felt no disappointment at all.

But after hearing that it was only a possibility for now, and hearing Qiong Xing say that he would do everything he could, Leander decided he would keep trying as well.

More than anything, hearing Qiong Xing plead for him to stay by his side made Leander once again swear that he would never let him go.

"I might be carrying Nura’s child."

That was what Qiong Xing had told him several hours earlier.

For a moment, Leander’s mind had gone completely blank.

He knew he should congratulate him and say he was happy for him, yet the words would not come out.

Why it’s Iseulnura?

Why not him?

Why, why, why?

The thoughts raced endlessly through his mind.

He had believed that next time it would surely be his turn, yet that hope had shattered all too easily.

"We still do not know for certain if there really is a child. But I think the possibility is high... Leander?"

"Yeah... I see. So that is how it is..."

No one was truly at fault.

And yet, Leander could not stop himself from feeling as though he alone had been left behind, while resentment quietly stirred toward the other mates.

"...Are you disappointed in me?"

"Huh?"

Leander snapped back to reality at the sight of Qiong Xing looking as though he might burst into tears at any moment.

"You told me at first that it was alright even if I could not have children. But then Rui and Yue were born, so naturally you must have started hoping the next child would be yours too, right? And now that cannot happen... I could not make that wish come true for you, so you are disappointed in me, aren’t you?"

Seeing Qiong Xing clutching his own hands tightly as though afraid of something, Leander felt strangely happy realizing that Qiong Xing was hurting over this too.

Yes, he had felt disappointed.

That was not a lie.

But...

"I am disappointed that we could not have a child. Not disappointed in you."

Qiong Xing had already done so much for them.

Despite being a man, he had endured painful experiences again and again in order to bear children for his mates.

Rui and Yue might not be Leander’s biological children, but hearing them call him "Papa" with faces so much like Qiong Xing’s made them unbearably precious to him.

"Besides, it is not like people can just decide they want a child and magically have one, right? If it worked that way, nobody would struggle with this."

Surely things like timing and physical condition played a role as well.

"Besides, it is not like it has been decided that we absolutely can never have a child, right? It does not matter if it is after Iseul’s child. I do not care how long it takes, so someday have my child too. Okay?"

They would stay together forever, until death itself.

So as long as Qiong Xing someday gave birth to even one child of his, that alone would be enough.

"...Elias..."

"Hm?"

"...Elias said something. He said that maybe you have another mate somewhere besides me... a destinied mate."

That idiot...

What an unnecessary thing to say.

"So? Even if that were true, what about it? You want me to go searching for them now?"

As if he would ever do that.

Leander looked at Qiong Xing in exasperation, only to see him lowering his head with trembling shoulders.

"If that is what you want, Leander."

"..."

Leander had never expected him to actually say that.

Honestly, hearing those words hurt even more than when Qiong Xing told him they might not be able to have children together.

After loving him this much, had Qiong Xing still not understood how Leander felt?

While that sadness weighed on him, Qiong Xing suddenly looked up and apologized softly.

"For what?"

"For your happiness... I know... I know I should endure it, for your sake too. But..."

The tears spilling from Qiong Xing’s eyes immediately told Leander that those earlier words had not been his true feelings.

Still apologizing over and over, Qiong Xing reached out toward him, and Leander tightly grasped that hand.

"...Do not go. Stay with me."

Those were probably Qiong Xing’s real feelings.

Qiong Xing was kind.

Too kind.

He had likely convinced himself that for Leander’s happiness, he should step aside.

But from Leander’s perspective, none of that consideration was necessary.

At this point, there was no possibility he could ever fall for anyone other than Qiong Xing.

Even if some so called destined mate existed somewhere out there, Qiong Xing was already his mate, and the first and last person fate would ever mean to him.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry I cannot wish for Leander’s happiness."

"No, that is not it. Qiong Xing, that is not true. My happiness is being by your side."

This was not Qiong Xing’s selfishness or anything of the sort.

Leander himself had chosen to be by Qiong Xing’s side and become his mate.

Even so, Qiong Xing continued to cry and apologize, so Leander told him it was alright and pulled him into an embrace.