On the plus side, her already impressive chest had been swelling as she became closer to motherhood. Her orbs became full with the nourishment your twin children would one day need.

Not to say Herta was fragile. She's the only wife of yours that was a Savant like you. It might be more accurate to say that you're a Savant like her, since she, as the Goddess of Artifice, was responsible for (unknowingly) creating the phenomenon of Lunacy Savantae. And she had the stamina and resilience of a Savant as well. Phrases like "I can handle more punishment, Master~" would be said to you if she ever thought you were being too 'gentle' with her.

Besides the natural chemistry you and Herta's have for one another, there were other things that brought you two together; how you both entered this world and surviving with each other, the connection you had with her through how she was directly 'communing' with you, led to the uniquely intimate bond you and Herta shared.

You still worried about her sometimes. And not just because of her physical exhaustion.

At first, you thought she had an infinite mana pool. Or at the very least had a nearly endless well of Holy Magic in flowing through her veins. It was true that her Divine Power was massive and could self-replenish much quicker than the average human. Her body practically overflowed with the stuff. Doctor Nicodemus was the one that brought that to your attention, insisting there was a cause for concern. But his scrutiny, and subsequent conclusion, lacked a key element: The fact that she is the Goddess of Artifice. Meaning she was perfectly healthy in that front.

The total amount of mana she had easily overshadowed everyone else's mana. And that was only a fraction of her full powers as a goddess. That didn't mean Herta didn't have limits; she still suffered from the occasional bouts of mana sickness whenever she was too absorbed in the madness of creation, exceeding what she's capable of. This part is why you tolerated her lazing around, since you knew she wasn't taking advantage of condition to skip her job (unlike a certain mastermind).

Potions, whether they be for recovering stamina, healing or even mana, didn't do much to replenish the amount of sheer magic she needed to use. But that said, you felt like you were overlooking something obvious here...

Either way, it didn't really matter. You felt heartened simply by being around her.

She only requested your 'cruelty' in return for her servitude. It was something that you were getting more and more comfortable with. At first glance it sounded superficial, a carnal relationship at best, but she was the only person that cared enough to help you get out of your shell. She'd become someone truly special to you, almost as special as you were to her. Your closest friend, your lover, the companion that always stuck by your side and cheered you on. You felt like you could trust her with anything, and you knew she likewise trusted you the same way if not more.