IRGS 28

Chapter 28

“After Regressing, I Ended Up with a Son” Episode 28

Owen’s voice was so low that I would have missed it if I hadn’t been listening carefully.

“In the ducal estate…”

I tensed up completely and focused all my attention. The ducal estate?

“Is there anything you would like to change?”

“Something… I would like to change?”

It was a completely incomprehensible question. While I blinked up at him—though he probably couldn’t see it—he added,

“Yes, Sophia. Anything you don’t like… or anything you would like more of.”

“Well…”

If anything, I couldn’t imagine it being better than this. A perfect room that suited my taste exactly. A spacious, well-maintained manor. Meals prepared with obvious care and attention to detail.

At first, I had even wondered if he was trying to make it so comfortable that I would never want to leave.

But Owen hadn’t asked, “Do you like the ducal estate?” but rather, “Is there anything you want to change?” It made me feel like I should at least say something.

But honestly, there wasn’t anything. What should I do?

After thinking for a while, I found an answer.

“I’ll take a look and let you know.”

Owen seemed very pleased with my answer.

“Yes, Sophia.”

The man slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

He was still just looking at me.

Owen at night felt different from Owen during the day. The light, teasing layer that had wrapped him during the daytime felt like it had been peeled away in the darkness.

And then I realized something. Owen was quite close to me, but he wasn’t attempting any kind of physical contact. Not at all.

In fact, he seemed to be staying as close to the edge of the bed as possible, avoiding touching me. Earlier, he had even said something about making the bed smaller, yet here he was.

To be honest, I had expected something different. I thought that once the lights went out and Arne fell asleep first, he might use various excuses to get closer to me. I had even been slightly tense because of that.

But now, what I felt from him wasn’t just his usual looseness gone—it was caution.

“Why?”

Ah.

I quickly found the answer. I had come to understand him a little over these past few days, so it didn’t take long.

He’s smart. He understands me.

He knows that what I feel between us isn’t close enough for sharing a bed to be natural. He knows that if he pushes too hard, I might run away.

I had the resources, status, and even the will if I wanted it—and two strong legs to leave with.

A strange feeling warmed my chest and spread slowly.

This man… even while worrying I might fly away, he wasn’t stopping me. He wasn’t restraining me. He hadn’t set any traps.

And strangely, that was exactly why I wasn’t leaving.

It was an irony we both understood.

“Goodness.”

I felt as though I could float through the night sky. I didn’t know why, but I did.

…Wait.

Then something didn’t make sense. Why had Owen come into my room at all? Even risking it like this? He could have just left me and Arne to sleep alone.

And why was he sitting uncomfortably at the edge of the bed?

My gaze drifted to Arne.

Arne wasn’t in my arms. At some point, Owen had taken him.

The moment I realized that, my mouth moved on its own.

“Did the ducal family investigate Arne’s identity?”

I had to whisper carefully so as not to wake Arne.

The moment my voice faded, Owen closed his eyes. I could tell because the glow in his eyes disappeared in the dark.

“Owen?”

When I called him, he opened them again.

I tensed slightly. I knew I was about to confirm something important.

But Owen seemed tense for a different reason. Or maybe… a little excited. Or perhaps… just less able to hide his emotions than usual.

After a moment, he spoke again, his voice as usual.

But the content was different.

“May I… hold your hand?”

“…Huh?”

It felt strange hearing that from a man who had been so bold during the day. Perhaps because I couldn’t see my expression, my tone came out colder than usual.

Owen added hesitantly, his voice deep like a cave.

“It just feels like a dream… since I can only hear your voice.”

For a moment, I missed my chance to respond. Taking my silence the wrong way, Owen hurriedly spoke.

“If you don’t like it—”

Suddenly—

“!”

He grabbed my hand too suddenly. Startled, I pulled away slightly, then slowly placed my hand back on top of his.

I could feel the firm, smooth skin of his hand and the raised veins beneath it.

Owen waited until my fingers were fully resting on his hand. That awareness made me oddly self-conscious.

Slowly, I placed my entire hand on his.

My toes curled slightly beneath my nightdress without me realizing it.

Owen turned his hand over so his palm faced mine. Then he interlaced his fingers with mine.

Our palms pressed together completely. His gaze stayed fixed on me. But I could tell something in his eyes had changed.

I whispered,

“How is it? Does it feel real now?”

Owen paused briefly, then let out a soft laugh.

“It’s getting harder to believe.”

As he said that, he tightened his grip on my hand. His thumb gently stroked mine. It was ticklish.

“Sophia.”

He called my name, then closed his eyes again. And whispered once more,

“Sophia.”

“Yes, Owen.”

“Sophia—”

I murmured,

“If you say it one more time, I’ll hit your butt.”

I was serious, and fortunately, Owen understood. He immediately tightened his grip and moved on to the main point.

“What do you think of Lady Elouise?”

Oh. I hadn’t expected him to ask about Elouise here. But she was also the only clue we had about Arne.

It wasn’t a difficult question.

“She’s probably not much different from what you already know.”

Elouise ta Bartoli. The empire’s famous genius and eccentric.

The youngest of the three Bartoli sisters, she inherited the family’s musical talent the most. And geniuses often come with eccentricities.

In her case, it went too far—eventually even leading to the point where she ended up giving a child to her older sister.

Owen nodded.

“Yes, Sophia. You didn’t tell me the identity of the child sent to me by your younger sister. I assumed there must be a reason for that. Especially since Arne had no memories.”

“No…”

I almost said she shouldn’t be trusted too much, but stopped myself. It was also true that Elouise had kept quiet about where she found Arne.

Owen continued in his low voice.

“And since Lady Elouise is fond of you, I assumed the child she sent would not be someone who would harm you. But…”

Anyone can be wrong.

He didn’t say it, but I understood.

“…Ah.”

Now I understood why Owen had come to my room, even at the risk of my displeasure.

He didn’t fully trust Arne yet.

I subconsciously rubbed my knees together, a slight chill running through me. The blanket shifted a little.

I didn’t think Owen was being excessive. On the contrary, it was more unusual to simply accept a mysterious child as my son just because of a single claim.

But I also trusted my own feelings.

That sense of familiarity whenever I looked at Arne. The strange feeling that I had never met him, yet he didn’t feel like a stranger.

The certainty that he would never harm me.

I was about to defend Arne, so after thinking for a moment, I asked,

“Did you investigate the letter Elouise sent?”

Owen’s voice came from the darkness.

“Yes. We had no choice since it was the only lead. The chances are slim, but we had to consider the possibility that Lady Elouise might be in danger…”

He paused briefly, checking whether I was upset. I quickly shook my head.

“Yes, that was the right judgment.”

“No signs of coercion or threats were found in the handwriting, and no hidden codes were detected in the content.”

I expected that.

It was obvious even just by looking. The pressure of the writing was steady, no trembling.

And above all, Elouise had casually sent a birthday gift along with the letter, sealing the matter.

“I’ll write to Ellie…”

She probably didn’t expect me to sit still anyway. But she also wasn’t someone easy to catch.

The man asked,

“Do you know where your younger sister is?”

“Not yet, but… I think I’ll find out soon.”

Owen seemed curious, but I didn’t explain further. It wasn’t the right time to talk about Night Rain.

Slowly, sleep began to creep in.

My eyelids grew heavy.

Because I had cried earlier, I was sure my eyes would be swollen when I woke up.

My eyes closed. Even as my consciousness drifted, I whispered,

“Good night… Owen…”

“…Yes, Sophia.”

I suddenly remembered that Owen was sitting in an uncomfortable position.

I had meant to say it earlier, but the timing had slipped away.

“If you stay… at the edge of the bed… it’ll be uncomfortable…”

You can come closer.

But I couldn’t tell whether Owen heard me. Because I had already fallen asleep before I could know.