Free Web NovelChapter 359: Who will stay with Rory tonight?
Rory did not want to trouble Lian by making him come back again later, so she nodded and placed her hand into his waiting palm.
Lian’s warm fingers gently closed around hers.
The next moment, a stream of pure, soothing energy flowed from his fingertips into her body.
Almost instantly, Rory felt lighter, as though a lingering weight had been lifted from her.
"Thank you, Lian."
"You never need to thank me."
Lian withdrew his hand and looked at her with undisguised concern.
"You’re carrying a baby now, so you need to be especially careful with everything."
His voice was patient and gentle as he continued his instructions.
"Make sure your diet is balanced. Eat foods rich in energy, but avoid anything overly greasy."
He spoke with the meticulousness of a physician who refused to overlook even the smallest detail.
"Most importantly, keep yourself happy and relaxed. That’s good for both you and the baby. If you feel unwell, or if you’re craving something specific, tell me immediately. Never worry about inconveniencing me."
He paused before adding with unusual seriousness,
"Your pregnancy isn’t something that can be taken lightly."
Rory listened attentively and nodded.
"I understand."
Standing nearby, Jasper quietly observed the exchange.
A complicated emotion flickered through his deep eyes.
He had to admit that in certain respects, Lian possessed advantages none of them could match.
Having a doctor as one of Rory’s mates did seem like an excellent arrangement.
Lian subtly glanced at Jasper before turning back to Rory with a smile.
"I’ll head back now. Polly still needs me."
He was wise enough not to linger.
Offering Rory one last warm smile, he turned and left.
Lian understood better than most that too much of anything could become counterproductive.
As soon as he disappeared from sight, Rory immediately headed toward Vincent’s room.
Seeing Lian emerge from there moments earlier had made her worry that Vincent had suffered another severe bout of nausea.
She pushed open the door.
The room was quiet.
Xarion was reclining on the sofa with his eyes closed, appearing to doze lightly.
Vincent sat propped against the headboard beneath a thin blanket.
His face was deathly pale, devoid of all color. Even his lips had lost their usual healthy hue.
In his hand was a small green fruit, which he was nibbling at in tiny bites. Judging by his expression, every mouthful seemed like a struggle.
The moment he saw her enter, Xarion rose from the sofa.
"Female Master, what brings you here?"
"I came to check on Vincent."
Rory crossed the room quickly.
"Rory, I’m fine."
Seeing her, Vincent immediately set the fruit aside and offered her a faint smile.
"Your face is this pale, and you’re still telling me you’re fine?"
Rory sat beside him and gently cupped his cheek, her heart aching at the sight of him.
"I saw Lian come by earlier. Were you feeling sick again?"
"No." Vincent shook his head.
"Lian only came to check on my condition. Once he confirmed I was alright, he left."
As he spoke, he held up the fruit in his hand.
"Look, I can eat now. I’m much better than before."
Rory had noticed the fruit the moment she entered.
"You’re only eating that one fruit?"
A male of his size normally had an enormous appetite.
There was no way a single fruit could possibly fill him up.
She knew perfectly well that the transferred pregnancy symptoms were destroying his appetite.
That knowledge only made her feel worse for him.
"I just don’t have much of an appetite right now."
Vincent deliberately sounded casual.
"You don’t need to worry about me. I’m really alright. Lian said it’s normal for me to struggle with food at the moment. I can drink nutrient solutions if necessary. Once I get through this period, everything will be fine."
Rory opened her storage ring and pulled out a large pile of fruit.
They were the fruits Vangar and Nix had given her earlier.
"Take these."
She placed them beside him.
"I can eat normally now, so I don’t need so much fruit."
Living entirely on nutrient solutions sounded unbearably bland.
Since Vincent could still manage fruit, she wanted him to eat as much as possible.
"Alright."
Vincent accepted without refusing.
"Rory, it’s getting late. You should go get some rest."
A soft smile appeared on his pale face.
"Xarion is here looking after me. That’s more than enough."
"I’m tired too. I want to get some sleep."
Vincent was starting to feel sick again, but he stubbornly held it back in front of Rory.
The last thing he wanted was to make her worry.
Hearing that he wanted to rest, Rory nodded.
"Alright. Get some sleep first."
She smiled softly at him.
"I’ll go rest too. Tomorrow morning, I’ll come check on you again."
Ever since becoming pregnant, Rory had found herself growing sleepier than usual.
Now that all of the pregnancy discomfort had been transferred to Vincent, she assumed he had become drowsy as well.
Satisfied that he was alright, she stopped bothering him and left to rest.
The moment the door closed behind her, Vincent threw off the blanket, climbed out of bed, and hurried straight into the bathroom.
Xarion watched from the sofa and let out a helpless sigh.
Then he rose and followed him.
Meanwhile, in Vangar’s room, an oddly tense atmosphere hung in the air.
Vangar and Nix had Yuel cornered between them.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Vangar spoke first. His tall frame carried an unmistakable sense of pressure.
"Yuel, how are you planning to arrange tonight’s companionship schedule?"
His sharp gaze locked onto Yuel.
"Vincent is vomiting so badly that Xarion will be taking care of him all night. He won’t have the chance to stay with Rory."
Vangar glanced sideways at Nix.
"That means the person accompanying Rory tonight can only be chosen from Jasper, Nix, you, and me."
The moment Nix heard that, his eyes lit up.
"What if we let Rory decide for herself?"
He grinned.
There was no way he was leaving things up to drawing lots.
It had been ages since he’d spent quality time with Rory.
If he acted cute and coaxed her a little later, she would definitely choose him.
Yuel raised his eyes and calmly swept a glance across both of them.
Then he spoke leisurely, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Have you two forgotten what day it is today?"
"The third."
Nix answered without thinking.
Vangar frowned.
What was special about the third?
Then realization struck both men simultaneously.
The third.
At the beginning and end of every month, Rory spent three designated days with Yuel, her First Mate.
"So today is Yuel’s turn."
Nix stared at him with naked jealousy.
How could Yuel’s luck possibly be this good?
He didn’t want the title of First Mate.
What he wanted were the benefits that came with it.
Yuel looked at the two of them, his smile deepening.
"As the First Mate, the first few days and last few days of every month belong to me."
His tone was calm and pleasant.
"So tonight, I appreciate your concern, but it won’t be necessary."
Vangar pressed his lips together.
For once, he had nothing to say.
Back when Vincent had tried to hand that position over to him, he had refused repeatedly, convinced it was nothing more than an empty title.
Who could have imagined such incredible privileges were hidden behind it?
Regret.
Pure, agonizing regret.
At this moment, Vangar felt so frustrated he could practically choke on it.
Had he known about these benefits, he would never have surrendered that position, no matter what anyone said.
Just then, the door swung open.
Rory appeared in the doorway with a gentle smile.
"Yuel, I’m feeling sleepy. Let’s go get some rest."
According to the rules, tonight belonged to Yuel.
The rules had been created by her, after all.
Naturally, she intended to follow them herself.
Yuel immediately rose to his feet and walked to her side. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
He gently took her arm to support her.
"I chose the room on the east side."
His voice softened as he looked at her.
"I’ll walk you there."
Warmth spread through his eyes, as gentle and soothing as spring sunlight melting away winter frost.
