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I was surprised again that the ‘honor’ and ‘pride’ of the nobility was horrifying.
I felt pity for Bertin, the only human in the mansion swarmed by the monsters who felt nothing in sacrificing a few people for those.
“I’m fine. I’m thinking of staying inside the Temple for some time. There’s also a good excuse called closed training.”
“. . .”
“Call me after you check the record. I’ll take it back.”
As I looked up at him with a complicated look, he pinched my cheek.
“You’ll buy me tasty food because I’ve done a good job, right?”
“Choose what you want to eat.”
“That’s good. First, let’s go to the dessert store I wanted to visit.”
I walked around the downtown area after a long time, ate snacks, looked around, and when I returned to the mansion, a carefully prepared meal was waiting for me.
I ended up overeating and groaning on my way to my room, and I had to lie down in bed early.
* * *
Whether I was tense or not, the dream came to me without fail.
It came even if I didn’t want it anymore.
This time, it was an unfamiliar space again.
It was really sad that there were no interesting and happy memories amidst the scenes that appeared in the dream.
Was my life this dark?
As I looked around the dark surroundings, I saw someone sitting near the fire.
The man, who was touching his short beard, looked at the opening door with emotionless eyes.
The one who opened the door and walked in was unexpected.
Red hair.
Jewel-like eyes.
The lively face, which was younger and more beautiful than now, entered my eyes.
The wavy hair was longer than her waist.
It was the outfit I had seen in the promotional photos of the play she starred in a long time ago.
She, in her youthful days, was full of confidence and bravery.
Mom, who wore a dress that displayed her lean figure, slowly kneeled before the man and then got up again.
Duke Bolton looked at Mom with a cold ecpression as if observing her.
It wasn’t hard to find out his identity.
Because if the current young duke got older and reached middle-age, he would likely look like that.
The sweet voice traversed the room as smoothly as it was pleasant to hear.
“Long time no see, Your Excellency.”
“Didn’t I tell you to stop coming to the mansion?”
“I tried to do that. Even when I rejected the offer, I didn’t really have any reason to hold hands with you.”
A calm smile spread on her face.
The inevitable resignation and despondency were contained in that smile.
Since when did Mom know him?
Duke Bolton replied to her without even looking at her.
“So there’s a reason now?”
“I think I’m pregnant.”
She, who spoke calmly, slowly caressed her stomach.
It was a carefree and leisure attitude for someone who dropped such a bomb.
My complicated head began to throb.
Looking at her slim body, she seemed to be still in the early stages of pregnancy.
I calculated her age and the time in my head.
Perhaps . . . Wouldn’t the child in that stomach be me?
The lips of the man that were closed tight opened.
There was no sign of surprise in the flat voice at all.
“Didn’t you tell me that you used contraception?”
“I ate the medicine. However, this child withstood it. This child has quite the perseverance.”
The emotionless gaze moved from her face down to her stomach.
He wasn’t only not surprised, it was as if he didn’t feel any other emotions.
Annoyance pervaded the eyes looking at the stomach that was still slim.
As he lightly flicked his fingers, the knight in guard in front of the door walked in and stood before her.
“Bring her to the doctor. Make sure you check everything right until the child is aborted, then come back.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
The knight soon grabbed one of Mom’s arms roughly.
The smile on her face widened.
Even in that moment, she caressed her lower abdomen with the other hand that wasn’t caught.
Those eyes moved to that hand.
To the hand that was grabbing the flat abdomen desperately.
“You still haven’t listened to my words.”
She continued, staying calm all the while.
“I will cooperate in the work you offered me back then.”
The eyes of the man who was watching the boring fire glanced at her.
“It’s meaningless. Before discussing negotiation or anything like that, that is something that shouldn’t exist.”
It was such a dry answer that it was hard to believe that he was addressing the life in her stomach.
Even though I knew I couldn’t do anything, my heart raced.
Even though I went in front of Mom and tried to catch her, the transparent hand only moved past her— I couldn’t do anything.
Inside the room filled with silence, Mom was still smiling.
Before she got dragged, an unfamiliar voice made the knight’s rough hand stop.
“It’s difficult to find someone suitable for the job as that woman.”
There was no warmth felt, but it was quite a young voice.
When I turned my head, I saw a young child showing his figure from the dark shade.
The Duke terrifically had no expression in his face as he heard that voice.
“Although it was only for a moment, isn’t she the woman who made your heart move, Father? If she can help actively, she will be useful for your plan.”
“. . .”
“It doesn’t matter if the child is a girl, right?”
I guessed he was only around seven years old.
Every word spoken in the voice of the young boy stuck to my ears.
The Duke’s eyes moved to Mom’s stomach.
The cold eyes scanned her as if weighing the gains and losses.
She still looked brave in front of the intimidating eyes that made everyone couldn’t help but tremble.
“How do I believe you?”
“This child will be my shackle. Even now, I visited you of my own volition and said I will be a ‘tool’, did I not?”
Therefore, I am trustworthy.
The red lips drew a curve.
The eyes looking at her slowly moved and looked at me.
The glaring eyes, as if he knew I was there, made my breath stop and my body stiffen.