“...Because she said she was unhappy next to me.”
Madame Cronach was going crazy.
How could he not know a woman’s heart like this?
“It’s me that Claudel hates. Not Valquiterre.”
Kaian’s shoulders slumped a little.
“She might think she’d rather be by his side than by mine.”
“Ha.”
Madame Cronach hit her chest in frustration.
“Then what about you? You should be happy too.”
“I don’t deserve that.”
“That’s not true.”
Madame Cronach was going crazy.
How could he not know a woman’s heart like this?
It was lamentable.
High-ranking nobles were married through political marriages without exception.
The stability provided by a marriage alliance was very useful for wasting time on exchanging feelings.
Furthermore, marriage was a union between families. Even if they were attracted to each other and had a love affair, if the families were not in line, they would often end up with a brief relationship before marriage and end up with someone chosen by the head of the household.
So there was no way that the head of the household would specifically ask for the ability to talk or be good at dating.
It was a wretched first love.
The fact that Kaian had taken Claudel, who had married into a family he had enslaved, seriously and had feelings for her was probably what had tangled everything up.
“So it must not be sincere.”
“Who would risk their life if they weren’t sincere?”
“What can’t you say when you’re angry?”
Kaian had an absolute role to play, but it was difficult when he acted like this. If Madam Cronach couldn’t convince him, it would be difficult to get Claudel out of the castle.
‘That guy Valquiterre is absolutely not allowed.’
This is where Kaian and her positions clashed.
Unlike Madame Cronach, who wanted to tear Valquiterre apart, Kaian was shocked by the betrayal and didn’t know what to do.
Fortunately, he realized while rescuing the baby that the person he trusted so much was cruelly pointing a knife at him.
“Look at me. I actually hid in the bedroom with a knife to kill you.”
Madame Cronach took a deep breath.
“And yet I tried to forgive you and understand you.”
“...”
“But Claudel is a misunderstanding. I explained the village affairs on your behalf, but you have to resolve Valquiterre strife.”
“It’s not Valkyrie’s fault.”
Kaian, who had been stern-faced and unresponsive to her words, opened his mouth.
“It’s all my fault. I hurt her because I was lacking.”
“Kaian.”
“She hates me so much. At first, I thought I had to get her back, but maybe that wasn’t for Claudel’s sake,”
Kaian said bitterly.
“I made her leave. I made her not believe me and think she couldn’t rely on her husband.”
“Valquiterre is the bad guy. No one would be fooled by a determined swindler.”
High-ranking nobles were married through political marriages without exception.
The stability provided by a marriage alliance was very useful for wasting time on exchanging feelings.
Furthermore, marriage was a union between families. Even if they were attracted to each other and had a love affair, if the families were not in line, they would often end up with a brief relationship before marriage and end up with someone chosen by the head of the household.
So there was no way that the head of the household would specifically ask for the ability to talk or be good at dating.
It was a wretched first love.
The fact that Kaian had taken Claudel, who had married into a family he had enslaved, seriously and had feelings for her was probably what had tangled everything up.
“So it must not be sincere.”
“Who would risk their life if they weren’t sincere?”
“What can’t you say when you’re angry?”
Kaian had an absolute role to play, but it was difficult when he acted like this. If Madam Cronach couldn’t convince him, it would be difficult to get Claudel out of the castle.
‘That guy Valquiterre is absolutely not allowed.’
This is where Kaian and her positions clashed.
Unlike Madame Cronach, who wanted to tear Valquiterre apart, Kaian was shocked by the betrayal and didn’t know what to do.
Fortunately, he realized while rescuing the baby that the person he trusted so much was cruelly pointing a knife at him.
“Look at me. I actually hid in the bedroom with a knife to kill you.”
Madame Cronach took a deep breath.
“And yet I tried to forgive you and understand you.”
“...”
“But Claudel is a misunderstanding. I explained the village affairs on your behalf, but you have to resolve Valquiterre strife.”
“It’s not Valkyrie’s fault.”
Kaian, who had been stern-faced and unresponsive to her words, opened his mouth.
“It’s all my fault. I hurt her because I was lacking.”
“Kaian.”
“She hates me so much. At first, I thought I had to get her back, but maybe that wasn’t for Claudel’s sake,”
Kaian said bitterly.
“I made her leave. I made her not believe me and think she couldn’t rely on her husband.”
“Valquiterre is the bad guy. No one would be fooled by a determined swindler.”
“It’s me that Claudel hates. Not Valquiterre.”
Kaian’s shoulders slumped a little.
“She might think she’d rather be by his side than by mine.”
“Ha.”
Madame Cronach hit her chest in frustration.
“Then what about you? You should be happy too.”
“I don’t deserve that.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s okay now. I have a child.”
Kaian’s expression blossomed with a hopeful softness.
“When Claudel disappeared, I didn’t have much left behind.”
She had seen him sob, clutching the braided hair bracelet and the stone fragment that Claudel had left in a box, more than once.
Even the fact that Claudel left without taking the things that Kaian had given her as gifts seemed to be hurtful to him.
“I will raise the child well. That alone is enough.”
“What is enough?”
Madame Cronach raised her voice.
“Don’t you even think about the child’s position?”
Kaian raised his eyebrows as if surprised by her words.
“Throw away all that nonsense. You should think about the child. Why should a baby grow up without seeing the face of her mother, who is alive and well in the world, because of the emotions of adults?”
“...”
The face of the man, who had always shown no emotion, showed an unexpectedly naked emotion that he had never thought about such a thing.
“That is...”
“Do you know how much a child lacks without a mother or father as they grow up? Look at Claudel. Do you want your child to grow up lonely and pitiful like my daughter?”
Tears welled up in Madame Cronach’s eyes as she threw out her self-deprecating words.
“I never thought about it.”
“Kaian.”
Madame Cronach looked into Kaian's eyes.
Ever since he rescued the child, he had been locked up in the house and had even sent away all the servants. Except for the time when the baby went to the nanny to feed, swaddle, and wash, he spent the whole day holding the child.
How could he suspect that there was no love in her?
"Bring Claudel. If you treat a woman well, her heart will be at ease."
He was so damn sincere, and the whirlwind of his cunning affection was still eating away at Kaian.
"There will be a chance to undo the things I couldn't do. The things I regret."
"...I understand."
Kaian reluctantly answered.
"But what if she's having a hard time?"
"Don't worry about that. That won't happen, but I can take her with me."
Claudel had asked Madam Cronach to take her away from the palace.
Then, at least it was clear that Claudel wouldn't want to be near Valquiterre.
Madame Cronach took out a neatly folded note from her pocket and handed it to Kaian.
"It's the same as the note I sent to Claudel, so read it. Go to this place and meet Claudel before the ball starts tomorrow."
"If she doesn't come..."
"She'll come. She'll definitely come because it's the note I sent. You have to talk about the baby."
There was no way Claudel would pretend not to know that the baby was alive.
"Once the ball starts, it'll be hard to get a chance to get Claudel out. You have to take her out before then."
"I understand."
“Valquiterre... wants to beat you. He’ll want to show off that he stole Claudel.”
However, once he achieved that goal, Kaian would likely be banned from entering the palace as well.
“You only have one chance. You have to succeed.”
Madame Cronach was clenching her fists and encouraging Kaian.
Aww, wow.
A thin, clear sound of a baby crying could be heard from outside the door.
Knock.
After knocking on the door, Hannah came in holding the baby.
“Are you okay now?”
“Did the baby wake up?”
“Yes.”
Kaian took the baby from Hannah.
Aww, wow.
The baby, who had been trembling all over and crying until her face turned red, miraculously stopped crying as soon as Kaian held her.
Heh.
The baby’s nostrils, which were as small as the tip of a pinky nail, flared and soon fell asleep sucking the index finger of the hand that had clenched her fist.
“Oh my. This is so amazing.”
Hannah couldn’t hide her smile as she looked at the baby in Kaian's arms.
“If the lord holds her, she stops crying and sleeps well.”
It may be because her life was precious, but there was another reason why Kaian took part in taking care of the baby the whole time.
Kaian’s expression blossomed with a hopeful softness.
“When Claudel disappeared, I didn’t have much left behind.”
She had seen him sob, clutching the braided hair bracelet and the stone fragment that Claudel had left in a box, more than once.
Even the fact that Claudel left without taking the things that Kaian had given her as gifts seemed to be hurtful to him.
“I will raise the child well. That alone is enough.”
“What is enough?”
Madame Cronach raised her voice.
“Don’t you even think about the child’s position?”
Kaian raised his eyebrows as if surprised by her words.
“Throw away all that nonsense. You should think about the child. Why should a baby grow up without seeing the face of her mother, who is alive and well in the world, because of the emotions of adults?”
“...”
The face of the man, who had always shown no emotion, showed an unexpectedly naked emotion that he had never thought about such a thing.
“That is...”
“Do you know how much a child lacks without a mother or father as they grow up? Look at Claudel. Do you want your child to grow up lonely and pitiful like my daughter?”
Tears welled up in Madame Cronach’s eyes as she threw out her self-deprecating words.
“I never thought about it.”
“Kaian.”
Madame Cronach looked into Kaian's eyes.
Ever since he rescued the child, he had been locked up in the house and had even sent away all the servants. Except for the time when the baby went to the nanny to feed, swaddle, and wash, he spent the whole day holding the child.
How could he suspect that there was no love in her?
"Bring Claudel. If you treat a woman well, her heart will be at ease."
He was so damn sincere, and the whirlwind of his cunning affection was still eating away at Kaian.
"There will be a chance to undo the things I couldn't do. The things I regret."
"...I understand."
Kaian reluctantly answered.
"But what if she's having a hard time?"
"Don't worry about that. That won't happen, but I can take her with me."
Claudel had asked Madam Cronach to take her away from the palace.
Then, at least it was clear that Claudel wouldn't want to be near Valquiterre.
Madame Cronach took out a neatly folded note from her pocket and handed it to Kaian.
"It's the same as the note I sent to Claudel, so read it. Go to this place and meet Claudel before the ball starts tomorrow."
"If she doesn't come..."
"She'll come. She'll definitely come because it's the note I sent. You have to talk about the baby."
There was no way Claudel would pretend not to know that the baby was alive.
"Once the ball starts, it'll be hard to get a chance to get Claudel out. You have to take her out before then."
"I understand."
“Valquiterre... wants to beat you. He’ll want to show off that he stole Claudel.”
However, once he achieved that goal, Kaian would likely be banned from entering the palace as well.
“You only have one chance. You have to succeed.”
Madame Cronach was clenching her fists and encouraging Kaian.
Aww, wow.
A thin, clear sound of a baby crying could be heard from outside the door.
Knock.
After knocking on the door, Hannah came in holding the baby.
“Are you okay now?”
“Did the baby wake up?”
“Yes.”
Kaian took the baby from Hannah.
Aww, wow.
The baby, who had been trembling all over and crying until her face turned red, miraculously stopped crying as soon as Kaian held her.
Heh.
The baby’s nostrils, which were as small as the tip of a pinky nail, flared and soon fell asleep sucking the index finger of the hand that had clenched her fist.
“Oh my. This is so amazing.”
Hannah couldn’t hide her smile as she looked at the baby in Kaian's arms.
“If the lord holds her, she stops crying and sleeps well.”
It may be because her life was precious, but there was another reason why Kaian took part in taking care of the baby the whole time.
Even if she cried a lot, when Kaian held her, she would calm down as if nothing had happened.
Madam Lepel, who had been taking care of the baby, took care of bathing and changing diapers, and although she had found a woman who had just given birth and hired her as a nanny, it took a lot of hands to hold her, put her to sleep, and take care of her. However, when Kaian held her, she fell asleep right away and there was no need to soothe her.
Furthermore, when the baby opened her eyes, she smiled so beautifully at her father’s face.
Every time Hannah saw that, she unconsciously placed her hand on her round lower belly that had begun to swell, and sighed, thinking of Claudel.
“Hannah. Let’s leave for the estate early tomorrow morning with the baby.”
“Yes?”
“Baron Colon will escort you.”
“What about the lord?”
Maybe she should have hurried a little more. If he had been a little later, Valquiterre might have been caught for lying to him about taking the baby’s life.
“I’ll talk to Claudel at the ball and then we’ll set off together.”
“Yes...”
“Keep your promise to Claudel.”
Hannah always said that she would stay by Claudel’s side for the rest of her life, raise the baby she gave birth to, and take care of the baby when it grew up to be her successor and have another child.
Hannah nodded with reddened eyes at Kaian’s words.
The Marquis Frean was an old man with a white head and beard.
His forehead and eyes were deeply wrinkled because of his combed hair, but his gait, even with his cane, was so upright that it showed the Marquis’s character.
As he walked down the hallway of the mansion, young noblemen who were always coming and going to get investments for their businesses followed him.
“Marquis, haven’t you heard that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“At this National Foundation Ball, King Valquiterre is announcing his national wedding.”
“But the person he’s talking to is the second daughter of House Vermont.”
“Is that true?”
“Of course. Well, the rumors are so widespread that it can’t even be considered a secret.”
One of the men glanced at the end of the hallway.
“Wouldn’t it be better to talk in a quiet place?”
“Hehe. Please invite me to the Flower Room.”
“Hmm. Follow me.”
At the end of the Marquis’s hallway, two guards stood guard on either side of a thick door decorated ornately.
As the Marquis approached, the two men, bowing their heads, opened the doors on both sides.
The sight inside was a world beyond compare.
Various precious flowers were in bloom in the sunroom made of thick glass. But what was even more impressive was that the beauties dressed in thin silk clothes that showed their bodies were tending to them.
“Oh, my lord.”
“You’re here?”
“My fairies.”
A satisfied smile appeared on the old Marquis’ face. The young men looked at him with longing eyes, unable to hide their greedy gazes.
“I have something important to talk about, so go away.”
He waved the women away, and the Marquis and the men sat around the sofa.
“The second daughter of the Vermont family? Isn’t she the daughter who was given away as a marriage between two families that were enemies?”
“Yes. In fact, King Valquiterre coveted that woman.”
“What?”
The men were excited when the Marquis Prean showed interest.
“So he withdrew the royal order and made the marriage null and void.”
“This is a mess.”
“Wouldn’t it be difficult if the Duke of Vermont became the head of the state?”
“Yes.”
The Duke of Vermont. The Marquis Prean ground his teeth. It was already a shame that his precious son, who was as precious as a child, died in battle and returned. The body of the son whom he had married off as Vermont son-in-law was buried in the Marquis’ family cemetery, not in the basement of the Castle of Valmonde.
“We must do something.”
At that moment, the woman who had been crouching in the corner of the flower room got up and approached the Marquis. Her striking black hair, which reached down to her waist, swayed with every step she took.
“Master.”
The beauty, who had just been bought from the slave market, was still proud and unwavering. The woman who had kept her mouth shut for months and had not said a word, sat down on the Marquis’s leg without hesitation.
“Oh. Antjone. What are you doing?”
Her blue eyes sparkled.
“Take me to the ball.”
Madam Lepel, who had been taking care of the baby, took care of bathing and changing diapers, and although she had found a woman who had just given birth and hired her as a nanny, it took a lot of hands to hold her, put her to sleep, and take care of her. However, when Kaian held her, she fell asleep right away and there was no need to soothe her.
Furthermore, when the baby opened her eyes, she smiled so beautifully at her father’s face.
Every time Hannah saw that, she unconsciously placed her hand on her round lower belly that had begun to swell, and sighed, thinking of Claudel.
“Hannah. Let’s leave for the estate early tomorrow morning with the baby.”
“Yes?”
“Baron Colon will escort you.”
“What about the lord?”
Maybe she should have hurried a little more. If he had been a little later, Valquiterre might have been caught for lying to him about taking the baby’s life.
“I’ll talk to Claudel at the ball and then we’ll set off together.”
“Yes...”
“Keep your promise to Claudel.”
Hannah always said that she would stay by Claudel’s side for the rest of her life, raise the baby she gave birth to, and take care of the baby when it grew up to be her successor and have another child.
Hannah nodded with reddened eyes at Kaian’s words.
***
The Marquis Frean was an old man with a white head and beard.
His forehead and eyes were deeply wrinkled because of his combed hair, but his gait, even with his cane, was so upright that it showed the Marquis’s character.
As he walked down the hallway of the mansion, young noblemen who were always coming and going to get investments for their businesses followed him.
“Marquis, haven’t you heard that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“At this National Foundation Ball, King Valquiterre is announcing his national wedding.”
“But the person he’s talking to is the second daughter of House Vermont.”
“Is that true?”
“Of course. Well, the rumors are so widespread that it can’t even be considered a secret.”
One of the men glanced at the end of the hallway.
“Wouldn’t it be better to talk in a quiet place?”
“Hehe. Please invite me to the Flower Room.”
“Hmm. Follow me.”
At the end of the Marquis’s hallway, two guards stood guard on either side of a thick door decorated ornately.
As the Marquis approached, the two men, bowing their heads, opened the doors on both sides.
The sight inside was a world beyond compare.
Various precious flowers were in bloom in the sunroom made of thick glass. But what was even more impressive was that the beauties dressed in thin silk clothes that showed their bodies were tending to them.
“Oh, my lord.”
“You’re here?”
“My fairies.”
A satisfied smile appeared on the old Marquis’ face. The young men looked at him with longing eyes, unable to hide their greedy gazes.
“I have something important to talk about, so go away.”
He waved the women away, and the Marquis and the men sat around the sofa.
“The second daughter of the Vermont family? Isn’t she the daughter who was given away as a marriage between two families that were enemies?”
“Yes. In fact, King Valquiterre coveted that woman.”
“What?”
The men were excited when the Marquis Prean showed interest.
“So he withdrew the royal order and made the marriage null and void.”
“This is a mess.”
“Wouldn’t it be difficult if the Duke of Vermont became the head of the state?”
“Yes.”
The Duke of Vermont. The Marquis Prean ground his teeth. It was already a shame that his precious son, who was as precious as a child, died in battle and returned. The body of the son whom he had married off as Vermont son-in-law was buried in the Marquis’ family cemetery, not in the basement of the Castle of Valmonde.
“We must do something.”
At that moment, the woman who had been crouching in the corner of the flower room got up and approached the Marquis. Her striking black hair, which reached down to her waist, swayed with every step she took.
“Master.”
The beauty, who had just been bought from the slave market, was still proud and unwavering. The woman who had kept her mouth shut for months and had not said a word, sat down on the Marquis’s leg without hesitation.
“Oh. Antjone. What are you doing?”
Her blue eyes sparkled.
“Take me to the ball.”
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