“When Damian’s position as heir is secure, we will divorce. No matter what.”
Edmund gazed at the hastily scribbled note from Daphne. His thoughts were running wild
‘When exactly would Damian’s succession be solidified?’ According to his plan, Damian would establish his position as heir within about two years.
‘…Two years.’
Does Damian want an engagement? Uncertain, Edmund dismissed the decided deadline.
‘Three years.’
There were still many monsters he hadn’t faced. The timeline had to be extended.
‘Five years.’
After reconsidering various factors, Edmund concluded that it would likely take around five years before Damian’s position could truly be considered secure.
‘What exactly is the standard for ‘secure’?’
Perhaps it would be just before the title was officially passed down. As five years stretched toward fifteen, a knock interrupted his thoughts.
“It’s Nick.”
“Come in.”As Edmund slid the newly added contract clause into his drawer, Nick entered the room. Edmund glanced at him as Nick looked around.
“I think you already know why I called for you.”
“I do.” Nick nodded obediently. Edmund had hired him to find Daphne, but it was Edmund himself who had located her, not Nick.
“I believe I gave you information about your sister… What do you make of that?”
“...I have a proposal.”Nick held out a ring set with a black gemstone, causing Edmund’s eyes to narrow as he recognized the object.
“It is exactly what you think, Your Excellency.”
“Why are you giving this to me?”
The ‘black stone,’ had been originally white. However, the color would get tainted as it got cursed with dark magic and used for mind control, embedded with enchantments that allowed people to easily subjugate slaves. Though illegal, the empire tended to turn a blind eye, as it didn’t directly cause harm to the mind but rather controlled the body.
“It’s linked to me.”
Edmund blinked at the absurd statement. This was a curse that could not be undone, not even death could relieve the contractor.
And Nick was saying he had willingly subjected himself to it.
“I judged that this was the only way to express my loyalty.”
“What’s the reason behind this?”
“Ever since I found out my sister had died, my life now has only one purpose.”
Edmund had conducted a thorough investigation and confirmed that Nick’s sister had, indeed, been dead for a long time.
“Revenge.”
“Against the Emperor?”Nick said nothing, but his silence was answer enough.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“I know Your Excellency’s secret.”
“And? Are you trying to use my weakness to coerce me into helping with your revenge?”
Nick chuckled and shook his head. “No, not at all. Though that would be nice, I’m not foolish enough to think I’d survive long with such a tactic. There’s only one thing I want from Your Excellency.”
Nick’s smile faded.
“Whether it takes years or even decades, let me meet the Emperor alone once. And when that day comes, no matter what I do, I swear it will never bring harm to you.” Nick added firmly, “I stake my life on it.”
Edmund looked down at the ring Nick had given him. Upon careful consideration, there was no real risk to Edmund. Everything about the proposal worked in his favor.
After calculating every potential scenario in his mind, Edmund took the ring in hand.
“I accept.”
* * *
Benjamin stared blankly at the ledger before him.
“Is that really what happened…”
Truly he couldn’t reconcile the image of Daphne with the deeds she had supposedly committed. ‘To think she had dug the previous Duke’s grave.’
Benjamin thought of the late Duke Winter, Edward Winter.
Edward had been a perfect man, born with a diamond spoon in his mouth. But that perfection was only skin-deep. Very few knew the real Edward, and Benjamin was one of them.
Edward had been, quite simply, a madman.
He had been a very late-born heir and, at the same time, an illegitimate child born from a one-night stand with a maid. His father, who prized bloodline and reputation above all else, had forced Edward to embody ‘perfection’ at all costs.
Violence begets violence.
Edward had taken out on Edmund what had been done to him, demanding perfection from a mere three-year-old and wielding the whip.
Strangely enough, Edward had genuinely loved his arranged wife. But when she learned of his cruelty and tried to leave him, Edward imprisoned her. After two long years of confinement, the former Duchess took her own life.
Unable even to hold her body, Edward turned his fury toward Edmund. He tried to kill him but failed and ultimately took his own life. Edmund had been only five years old at the time.
Edward Winter was the man who killed his own wife and attempted murder on his son before committing suicide.
It was a memory Benjamin preferred not to dwell on, so he squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them. His thoughts of the late Duke Winter had left him restless, despite the late hour.
Sighing, Benjamin reached for the ledger. It had been left untouched for three years, so he braced himself for what he might find. After brushing off the accumulated dust, he opened it.
“What is this…”
Benjamin fumbled for his glasses, and after a thorough inspection of the ledger, his expression shifted to one of surprise. It had been meticulously maintained, down to the last record before the final monster hunt.
— — —
‘Madam has returned.’
Marinda bit her lip as she paced nervously around the room.
‘The Madam had returned.’
The news had stolen Marinda off of her sleep.
‘Why? How?’
No matter how hard she wracked her brain, no answers came. There was no information, no plausible explanation.
‘If this continues…’
All her plans would fall apart.
“No…”
Marinda removed her finger from her mouth, tasting the metallic tang of blood, but she didn’t care. Though she didn’t want to believe it, it was obvious: Edmund had brought Daphne back.
The question was, why had Edmund done so? Marinda knew all too well the dynamics between the two of them. Something must have changed between them…
“…A child.”
“Daphne is pregnant. With my child.”
In the shock of learning that Daphne had returned, Marinda had completely forgotten that Daphne was carrying Edmund’s child.
‘When did that even happen?’ She had no idea, but the thought fueled Marinda’s rage.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Her bloodshot eyes raged with anger as she stormed out of the room. Then, someone covered her mouth and nose with a cloth.
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
Marinda struggled, but it was impossible to resist in the total darkness. She was dragged into a room and tossed roughly to the floor. The force of the throw left her whole body aching.
“Can’t you get up faster?”
At the sound of a familiar voice, Marinda’s head snapped up.
“Chambermaid…?”
It was indeed the Chambermaid. Marinda stared at her in a daze.
“That’s enough.”
“... Grand Mistress?”Standing beside the Chambermaid was Sophia. Marinda realized she was in Sophia’s room.
“You’ve put me in quite the difficult position, Marinda.”
“Your Grace, I—”
“You said you were confident, didn’t you?”
Marinda pressed her lips together, unable to respond. Sophia was totally right. At the time, Marinda's plan seemed robust but it crumbled down very easily. .
“I’ll give you one more chance.”
Marinda’s face lit up.
“One week. Find a solution by then.”
“Leave it to me, Your Grace. This time, I won’t disappoint you.”
As she left Sophia’s room, Marinda thought to herself. ‘The reason Edmund and Daphne had grown close was because of the child in her womb. If that child were gone…’
‘Then things will return to the way they were.’
Everything would go back to the beginning.
As long as the child in Daphne’s womb disappeared.
* * *
“A doctor?”
“Yes.” Anna nodded. “He said he was sent by His Excellency…”“Hah.”
At the mention of Edmund, Daphne let out a dry laugh. Anna flinched at her Mistress’s sarcastic reaction. She had only recently learned the news that the Madam was with child.
‘So Madam is truly…’
Anna knew that Daphne and Edmund had never shared a proper bed, and she was still trying to wrap her head around the news.
“Send him away.”
“Pardon?”“The doctor. Send him away.” Daphne spoke firmly as she rose from her seat and moved toward the bed. Assuming it was merely a reflection of Daphne’s changing moods, Anna left the room to dismiss the doctor.
Alone in her bed, Daphne blinked her dry eyes. The impulsive truth she had swallowed had only spewed out lies, and the result was this. The lie was spiraling down. She could send the doctor away in a fit of anger now, but eventually, the truth would come out.
‘...No.’
It wasn’t her fault. Edmund had misunderstood and jumped to conclusions all on his own. Daphne shook her head.
“Your Excellency, wait—!”
Just then, the door opened without warning, and Edmund entered. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her chest, Daphne sat up in bed.
“...Why are you here?”
She glanced at Edmund standing awkwardly in her room, then asked, a beat too late.
“I heard you sent the doctor away.”
That was fast.
“Yes, I did.”
“I also heard you skipped breakfast.”
Daphne turned her head and looked at Edmund.
“…Is the child in my womb that important to you?”
For five years, you didn’t come looking for me even once, and now you’ve come of your own accord.
“You have Damian as your heir.” There was an answer she wanted to hear. “He’s not lacking in anything. Whether this child exists or not, the Winter family line will continue.”
Her heart pounded. She tried ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach.
Daphne couldn’t even breathe properly as she focused entirely on the moment Edmund’s lips would part.
He surely knew. He had to know the intent behind her question. There was no way he didn’t know. He wasn't ignorant and there was nothing in this world that he didn’t know. And that made him all the more cruel.
“…It’s an unusual occurrence. For two children to be born in one generation.”
That was all.
“This is my will, but it’s also the will of the vassals. So, recover your health…”
Edmund’s words became faint, like a distant ringing in her ears. It was as though she were submerged in water, everything muted and muffled.
‘The will of the vassals.’