It was one of the news items I suddenly heard before returning.
When I first heard about my pregnancy after marrying Kaiser, I was diagnosed by a doctor who told me I was unwell and needed to be careful. I visited numerous doctors, but they all told me it was a congenital condition.
Concerned for my child, I asked Kaiser to procure me a rare magic stone. It was said that even if you lacked magical power, keeping one nearby would bring harmony to nature.
At first, Kaiser seemed reluctant, but when I pleaded again, saying it was for the sake of the child, he eventually procured one for me. It was a rare magic stone that had been unexpectedly unearthed in Duchzan Territory.
As it turned out, the rare magic stone did help me. However, I wanted to give it back. Leaving it in my room caused me to have strange hallucinations and nightmares.
Kaiser was very angry with me for that, saying I was extravagant, impatient, and didn't love the baby.
But since he came to me that night and apologized, I was lenient and mistaken in thinking that Kaiser was just a little sensitive, afraid that something might go wrong with the child. For whatever reason, he never really refused to do anything that involved the child.
"...If you go north of Duchzan Territory, something unpleasant will happen. I think it might have something to do with the rare magic stone."
“How does Madam know that?”
Julian looked straight at me and asked. It was only natural. Since I got married, I'd only been going back and forth between the Grand Duke's residence and the capital.
I died once and came back. I can't say that. Even if Julian is a devoted husband, he might treat me like I'm crazy. He might think, "That's why this woman talks so much," and lose his trust in me.
I went in the direction of being a little honest and lying at the same time.
“I have a capable friend.”
It seemed okay to tell Julian about Shuan. For a moment, I was afraid I'd seem too cunning, but it was better than being crazy, right?
When I finished speaking and stared at Julian, Julian stroked his eyebrows and said nonchalantly.
“Lete, you see.”
When the name "Lethe" came out of Julian's mouth, I was startled. I was also worried about what Julian would think if he knew about Lethe. My heart began to pound, as if I were afraid he would be disappointed in me.
“How... did you already know?”
Julian seemed quite pleased with my reaction. He seemed to believe I was being honest with him.
"Since you honestly agreed, I'll answer. Just as you researched me, I also researched you before we got married. In the process, I learned about a man named Leta. He was a childhood friend who died of an illness. Since you wouldn't exchange letters with a dead person, I assumed it was a code. I apologize, but I did open the letter."
“...There was no trace.”
“So you’re upset?”
Am I upset? No, I'm just perplexed. I never imagined anyone would open the letters I exchanged with Shuan. I knew Julian was more capable than he seemed, but I didn't know he'd be so adept at such secretive matters.
"No."
I shrugged and smiled mischievously. I'd thought it was something I should hide from him, but now that it was like this, there was no reason to. Maybe he could be of help to me. In many ways, my heart felt a lot lighter.
“I’m about to propose a deal with you involving rare magic stones. Would you be upset?”
“It’s a deal.”
"Yes."
Julian also smiled at me, but it quickly faded. He rarely smiled for long.
“I don’t need anything more from my wife.”
Is that so? I thought about it carefully. I was in a hurry, so I brought up the topic quickly, but I clearly had nothing to offer him.
All he wanted was an heir, and I had no intention of bearing another child, consumed by illness. It was a cowardly secret from him, though.
I was worried, so I shamelessly asked.
“Can I pay later?”
"Ma'am."
“Ha, just this once. Your wife is being taken away by a bad guy.”
I clasped my hands together desperately. I looked at Julian with a longing heart. He met my gaze, then looked away. My shoulders slumped, as if that meant something was completely wrong.
But Julian sighed and said something lenient.
“...First, let’s check if Lete’s information is accurate.”
“Yes! Thank you, Julian.”
When Julian trusted me, I grabbed his hand. Still not looking at me, Julian called out to the butler. The butler's eyes widened as he saw us holding hands, then he chuckled.
“You are on good terms.”
“Keep quiet and wait for the carriage.”
“Yes, master.”
Julian stood up, still holding my hand. I slowly tried to let go, but this time he took my hand. His hands were rough, calloused, but his touch was gentle.
“That old man has a lot of jokes because of you.”
“That’s a good thing. They say that if you laugh, you live longer.”
I was in a good mood, so I laughed and made a joke.
“...If that’s true, then Madam will live a long life.”
But I couldn't bring myself to laugh genuinely at Julian's words. How much longer do I have left in this life? In my last life, I only lived about a year and a half. If I value life in this life, maybe two years... Then, wouldn't I be able to give birth to his healthy baby? If I hurry.
I shook my head. I didn't have time for that. Having a baby would severely limit my activities. And no matter how hard I tried, the baby would still be weak and unfit to be Duchzan's successor. My desire to give him a baby was nothing more than a selfish desire to ease my guilt.
“Why is that?”
“It’s nothing. Go ahead.”
I walked ahead to hide my expression, thinking about the tingling sensation in my right hand, which was pulled back.
The mines, located in the northernmost part of Duchzan Territory, were eerily quiet. The sounds of miners working were completely absent.
“There definitely is something going on.”
I nodded at Julian's words. We went a little further in. One of the miners, horrified by the sight of us, bowed down on the rocky ground. I grabbed his arm and helped him up, worried his knees might break. The miner looked at me with a mixture of emotion and concern.
“Your Excellency, what brings you here?”
"I just came to take a quick look around. But where did all the workers go?"
Julian's calm words left the miner at a loss. But there was no need to rush him. Just looking at him with his red eyes lowered made the miner sweat and bend down. Respect and fear can coexist.
“I’ll guide you. But, please, don’t be surprised...”
“Guide me.”
“Yes, yes.”
The miner led the way, bowing. The ore was relatively neatly arranged in the area ahead of him, and safety measures were well-prepared. Even at first glance, the harsh conditions were hard to ignore. While the capital city often described the north as harsh, the lives of northern miners were quite pleasant.
The place the miner led us to was the entrance to a mine.
“Madam, it’s dangerous, so wait here.”
“No, I don’t want to. I want to go in too. I want to see for myself.”
At my insistence, Julian opened his mouth as if to say something, then shook his head and went inside. Realizing that this was permission to do as I pleased, I followed him.
It was darker inside than outside, but the equipment was well-equipped, allowing me to clearly see what lay ahead. As I stepped inside, careful not to trip over rocks, I heard the miners' murmurings.
“Oh, what should I do about this...”
“Shouldn’t this be reported to the higher-ups?”
"It doesn't seem like it'll work if you try to find another way. Seriously, this is a difficult situation."
“What the hell is this?”
There was a sound like someone kicking a wall. But the man screamed in pain because the wall was stronger than he'd expected.
When we finally appeared before them, they all panicked. There was no one living in Duchzan territory who wouldn't recognize Julian. And as a noblewoman standing beside Julian, they would naturally recognize me. It was understandable that the Duke and Duchess of Duchzan would suddenly appear before them, leaving them bewildered.
“Explain what happened.”
As Julian spoke to them, the leader of the miners stepped forward.
"Your Excellency, we were paving the way according to plan. But we ran into this strange rock. No matter how hard we hit it with a pickaxe, it wouldn't break."
The wall they were facing wasn't a wall, but a massive rock. Its surface was incredibly smooth, yet so black that it didn't even reflect light. The miners couldn't have seen this before. I approached the rock and said to Julian.
"We need to bring a wizard. If the wizard can interpret this stone, it will become a rare magic stone."
“Hee, you mean a rare magic stone?”
A nearby miner asked in surprise, then covered his mouth, perhaps thinking he dared speak to the Grand Duchess. I didn't punish him, but turned to Julian, one hand on the magic stone.
“Before interpretation, it is just a stone...”
Just before I finished speaking, I clutched my head in a sudden headache. As I stumbled, Julian came over and helped me up.
But the headache didn't go away; it only got worse. I even started hearing strange hallucinations. Sounds I'd heard before.
The sound of a woman sobbing...
I heard this sound before I returned and when I was pregnant.
“Who is it... Who is it...”
I muttered, resting my forehead on Julian's chest. The headache was palpable, but the sound of her cries was so sad and bizarre that it was unbearable. Fear surged through me to the tips of my toes.
“Julian, help me...”
The moment I grabbed Julian's arm tightly, a woman dressed in black appeared in front of me.
When I first heard about my pregnancy after marrying Kaiser, I was diagnosed by a doctor who told me I was unwell and needed to be careful. I visited numerous doctors, but they all told me it was a congenital condition.
Concerned for my child, I asked Kaiser to procure me a rare magic stone. It was said that even if you lacked magical power, keeping one nearby would bring harmony to nature.
At first, Kaiser seemed reluctant, but when I pleaded again, saying it was for the sake of the child, he eventually procured one for me. It was a rare magic stone that had been unexpectedly unearthed in Duchzan Territory.
As it turned out, the rare magic stone did help me. However, I wanted to give it back. Leaving it in my room caused me to have strange hallucinations and nightmares.
Kaiser was very angry with me for that, saying I was extravagant, impatient, and didn't love the baby.
But since he came to me that night and apologized, I was lenient and mistaken in thinking that Kaiser was just a little sensitive, afraid that something might go wrong with the child. For whatever reason, he never really refused to do anything that involved the child.
"...If you go north of Duchzan Territory, something unpleasant will happen. I think it might have something to do with the rare magic stone."
“How does Madam know that?”
Julian looked straight at me and asked. It was only natural. Since I got married, I'd only been going back and forth between the Grand Duke's residence and the capital.
I died once and came back. I can't say that. Even if Julian is a devoted husband, he might treat me like I'm crazy. He might think, "That's why this woman talks so much," and lose his trust in me.
I went in the direction of being a little honest and lying at the same time.
“I have a capable friend.”
It seemed okay to tell Julian about Shuan. For a moment, I was afraid I'd seem too cunning, but it was better than being crazy, right?
When I finished speaking and stared at Julian, Julian stroked his eyebrows and said nonchalantly.
“Lete, you see.”
When the name "Lethe" came out of Julian's mouth, I was startled. I was also worried about what Julian would think if he knew about Lethe. My heart began to pound, as if I were afraid he would be disappointed in me.
“How... did you already know?”
Julian seemed quite pleased with my reaction. He seemed to believe I was being honest with him.
"Since you honestly agreed, I'll answer. Just as you researched me, I also researched you before we got married. In the process, I learned about a man named Leta. He was a childhood friend who died of an illness. Since you wouldn't exchange letters with a dead person, I assumed it was a code. I apologize, but I did open the letter."
“...There was no trace.”
“So you’re upset?”
Am I upset? No, I'm just perplexed. I never imagined anyone would open the letters I exchanged with Shuan. I knew Julian was more capable than he seemed, but I didn't know he'd be so adept at such secretive matters.
"No."
I shrugged and smiled mischievously. I'd thought it was something I should hide from him, but now that it was like this, there was no reason to. Maybe he could be of help to me. In many ways, my heart felt a lot lighter.
“I’m about to propose a deal with you involving rare magic stones. Would you be upset?”
“It’s a deal.”
"Yes."
Julian also smiled at me, but it quickly faded. He rarely smiled for long.
“I don’t need anything more from my wife.”
Is that so? I thought about it carefully. I was in a hurry, so I brought up the topic quickly, but I clearly had nothing to offer him.
All he wanted was an heir, and I had no intention of bearing another child, consumed by illness. It was a cowardly secret from him, though.
I was worried, so I shamelessly asked.
“Can I pay later?”
"Ma'am."
“Ha, just this once. Your wife is being taken away by a bad guy.”
I clasped my hands together desperately. I looked at Julian with a longing heart. He met my gaze, then looked away. My shoulders slumped, as if that meant something was completely wrong.
But Julian sighed and said something lenient.
“...First, let’s check if Lete’s information is accurate.”
“Yes! Thank you, Julian.”
When Julian trusted me, I grabbed his hand. Still not looking at me, Julian called out to the butler. The butler's eyes widened as he saw us holding hands, then he chuckled.
“You are on good terms.”
“Keep quiet and wait for the carriage.”
“Yes, master.”
Julian stood up, still holding my hand. I slowly tried to let go, but this time he took my hand. His hands were rough, calloused, but his touch was gentle.
“That old man has a lot of jokes because of you.”
“That’s a good thing. They say that if you laugh, you live longer.”
I was in a good mood, so I laughed and made a joke.
“...If that’s true, then Madam will live a long life.”
But I couldn't bring myself to laugh genuinely at Julian's words. How much longer do I have left in this life? In my last life, I only lived about a year and a half. If I value life in this life, maybe two years... Then, wouldn't I be able to give birth to his healthy baby? If I hurry.
I shook my head. I didn't have time for that. Having a baby would severely limit my activities. And no matter how hard I tried, the baby would still be weak and unfit to be Duchzan's successor. My desire to give him a baby was nothing more than a selfish desire to ease my guilt.
“Why is that?”
“It’s nothing. Go ahead.”
I walked ahead to hide my expression, thinking about the tingling sensation in my right hand, which was pulled back.
***
The mines, located in the northernmost part of Duchzan Territory, were eerily quiet. The sounds of miners working were completely absent.
“There definitely is something going on.”
I nodded at Julian's words. We went a little further in. One of the miners, horrified by the sight of us, bowed down on the rocky ground. I grabbed his arm and helped him up, worried his knees might break. The miner looked at me with a mixture of emotion and concern.
“Your Excellency, what brings you here?”
"I just came to take a quick look around. But where did all the workers go?"
Julian's calm words left the miner at a loss. But there was no need to rush him. Just looking at him with his red eyes lowered made the miner sweat and bend down. Respect and fear can coexist.
“I’ll guide you. But, please, don’t be surprised...”
“Guide me.”
“Yes, yes.”
The miner led the way, bowing. The ore was relatively neatly arranged in the area ahead of him, and safety measures were well-prepared. Even at first glance, the harsh conditions were hard to ignore. While the capital city often described the north as harsh, the lives of northern miners were quite pleasant.
The place the miner led us to was the entrance to a mine.
“Madam, it’s dangerous, so wait here.”
“No, I don’t want to. I want to go in too. I want to see for myself.”
At my insistence, Julian opened his mouth as if to say something, then shook his head and went inside. Realizing that this was permission to do as I pleased, I followed him.
It was darker inside than outside, but the equipment was well-equipped, allowing me to clearly see what lay ahead. As I stepped inside, careful not to trip over rocks, I heard the miners' murmurings.
“Oh, what should I do about this...”
“Shouldn’t this be reported to the higher-ups?”
"It doesn't seem like it'll work if you try to find another way. Seriously, this is a difficult situation."
“What the hell is this?”
There was a sound like someone kicking a wall. But the man screamed in pain because the wall was stronger than he'd expected.
When we finally appeared before them, they all panicked. There was no one living in Duchzan territory who wouldn't recognize Julian. And as a noblewoman standing beside Julian, they would naturally recognize me. It was understandable that the Duke and Duchess of Duchzan would suddenly appear before them, leaving them bewildered.
“Explain what happened.”
As Julian spoke to them, the leader of the miners stepped forward.
"Your Excellency, we were paving the way according to plan. But we ran into this strange rock. No matter how hard we hit it with a pickaxe, it wouldn't break."
The wall they were facing wasn't a wall, but a massive rock. Its surface was incredibly smooth, yet so black that it didn't even reflect light. The miners couldn't have seen this before. I approached the rock and said to Julian.
"We need to bring a wizard. If the wizard can interpret this stone, it will become a rare magic stone."
“Hee, you mean a rare magic stone?”
A nearby miner asked in surprise, then covered his mouth, perhaps thinking he dared speak to the Grand Duchess. I didn't punish him, but turned to Julian, one hand on the magic stone.
“Before interpretation, it is just a stone...”
Just before I finished speaking, I clutched my head in a sudden headache. As I stumbled, Julian came over and helped me up.
But the headache didn't go away; it only got worse. I even started hearing strange hallucinations. Sounds I'd heard before.
The sound of a woman sobbing...
I heard this sound before I returned and when I was pregnant.
“Who is it... Who is it...”
I muttered, resting my forehead on Julian's chest. The headache was palpable, but the sound of her cries was so sad and bizarre that it was unbearable. Fear surged through me to the tips of my toes.
“Julian, help me...”
The moment I grabbed Julian's arm tightly, a woman dressed in black appeared in front of me.
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