At that moment, I somehow lost my words.

It’s funny, really. A mere fifteen-year-old knows how to play with people’s hearts.

My heart softened unnecessarily, and I lightly rolled my eyes while placing my hands on my waist.

“It’s not over. Know that you’ll be scolded more when we get back. Understand?”

“I understand.”

“If you understand, get in the carriage. Since when have you been waiting in this cold?”

While pouring out nagging words to the point of tedium, I put my son in the carriage. While doing so, I was able to hear about what happened after sending the letter.

“So, that woman called Dorothea, she’s been properly confined?”

“Due to the possibility of escape, she has been imprisoned in the underground dungeon.”

Apparently, the three were momentarily confused by Dorothea’s sudden declaration of surrender.

It was because they couldn’t understand what on earth was going on.

Mistress Dorothea tried not to miss that gap. She immediately got up and attempted to escape, they say.

Unfortunately, her attempt ended in failure.

The imperial grandson Raphael caught Dorothea’s waist with his strong arms and subdued her right then and there.

‘And then he even apologized for handling her roughly, they say.’

Oh, but wait a moment.

“Didn’t you say that ruffians surrounded the carriage?”

“Those men were dealt with by His Highness the Imperial Grandson.”

“……?”

For a moment, I just blinked stupidly, not understanding. Lord Joseph, who had been listening, chimed in.

“Come to think of it, Imperial Grandson Raphael did possess remarkable martial talents.”

“Yes. I heard he learned it from a young age to go hunting.”

Come to think of it, I’ve also heard that his hunting skills are excellent.

Although I took it with a grain of salt since Adeline bragged about it so much like a doting parent…

“But isn’t hunting and martial arts a bit different? To have the skills to subdue all those ruffians…”

However, Lord Joseph gave me a meaningful smile in response to my question.

“The subduing of the ruffians was probably not done by the Imperial Grandson alone. There must have been someone who helped.”

“Ah! There were a few knights escorting the carriage.”

“No, my lady. I’m not talking about those people. Well, they might have been of some help.”

“Then who…”

“More importantly, Mother, there’s something I want to ask.”

It was when I was unwittingly drawn into the conversation that continued like a game of twenty questions, tilting my head.

Kardiel stepped in and halted this unnecessary conversation.

“How do you know Mistress Dorothea?”

“Ah.”

It’s certainly a part that’s worth being curious about. Lord Joseph asked the same thing too.

The problem is that the content is so provocative that it’s difficult to tell my still young son…

With Kardiel’s personality, it’s obvious he’ll dig into it one way or another if I don’t tell him. It would be better to clear away what needs to be cleared.

I sighed and said in a low voice.

“…Hmm, it’s difficult to explain in detail. A long time ago, when I was thirteen years old. That woman, Dorothea, made a big mistake towards me.”

“A mistake?”

I knew he would ask like that, which is why I said I wouldn’t explain in detail.

Ignoring my son’s question, I only said what I needed to say.

“Well, yes. Anyway, because of that incident, my grandfather became so angry that he had the entire area where that woman lived razed.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

The eyes of the two men listening to my story widened simultaneously.

Did Lord Joseph not know about this either? I continued speaking nonchalantly.

“I didn’t hear the details of how it was done either. I only heard that while rebuilding the area, they tried to eradicate the criminal organization that woman belonged to, but the organization was larger than my grandfather had thought.”

To be honest, I didn’t hear much about how they handled the incident back then from my grandfather or Teacher Rogier either.

This was their consideration. After all, I was just a thirteen-year-old girl at the time.

Moreover, after that incident, I suffered from severe emotional instability for almost a year, to the point where I couldn’t even go outside.

There was a time when I could barely walk because my legs would shake if there was a stranger nearby.

In front of me in such a state, matters related to the slums were truly taboo. Even though I was studying as the heir to Landgritz.

I said, drooping my shoulders.

“Anyway, it seems she was severely punished by my grandfather. I’ll have to confirm the details when I meet that woman myself.”

And I’ll have to exact a price for threatening not only me but also my children.

“But will you be alright, my lady?”

However, Lord Joseph’s question was unsettling.

Feeling uneasy, I turned my gaze, and his red lips, like his eyes, began to utter the words I had deliberately omitted.

“Didn’t you say that Mistress Dorothea was the person who kidnapped you in the past? To face such a woman in person…”

Ah, no!

I hurriedly reached out to cover his mouth. But…

“What did you say?”

In the end, I couldn’t prevent Kardiel from hearing. This is not good.

“…You were kidnapped? By that woman?”

In an instant, Kardiel’s aura sharpened.

It felt like a well-honed blade was touching my skin, giving me goosebumps. I knew this would happen!

Despite his appearance, Kardiel is only a tender fifteen-year-old child.

How shocking would it be for such a child to hear that someone close to them was a victim of a terrible crime?

As expected, the child’s clear blue eyes had become cloudy and fierce. I should probably ease the tension.

‘We’ll deal with this conversation later, Lord Joseph.’

I glanced slightly at Lord Joseph, then pushed him away and sat closer to Kardiel.

“I’m fine. It’s all in the past, isn’t it?”

“Even if it’s in the past, there’s no way you could be alright.”

I really am fine.

I’ve even stopped unnecessarily fearing strangers…

“Do you know something, Mother?”

Suddenly, Kardiel grabbed my hand. It was such an aggressive reaction that it felt more like I was being restrained rather than held.

Why is he suddenly acting like this? As I was wondering, Kardiel grabbed my other hand as well.

“When the fourth sibling died, and when you miscarried the fifth.”

Ah…?

“You told me you were ‘fine’ then too, Mother.”

For a moment, my mind went blank. Why bring up such an old story so suddenly?

“Do you think that’s all? You seem to think I don’t know.”

Wait a minute, could it be?

In that moment, I felt I should cover Kardiel’s mouth.

But as if anticipating this situation, the hand gripping mine was as firm as handcuffs.

“Mother, you even received a diagnosis of infertility…”

“Kardiel!”

Finally, my voice rose. At last, the inside of the carriage fell silent.

The Duchy of Daiern is located in the north of the Empire and the northern part of the continent, a considerably cold region.

Of course, strictly speaking, there are other kingdoms at the northernmost part of the continent, and since Daiern’s territory is so vast, it’s not cold enough to complain about.

In fact, the location of the Daiern ducal castle is in the southern part of the duchy.

Nevertheless, the winter chill feels so harsh probably because it’s compared to the warm climate of the imperial capital.

Or it might be due to the dizzying cliffs that make Daiern Castle a natural fortress.

Unlike other nobles who build their castles near rivers with moats, Daiern Castle is built on top of a mountain cliff.

Rattle rattle, clop clop.

The carriage only stopped after climbing a long, narrow mountain path for quite some time.

“We have arrived.”

The Daiern I saw on the way to the castle was still the same even after four months had passed.

Even in the dead of winter, the streets of the city were full of vitality, and people’s faces were filled with peaceful smiles.

The Daiern ducal castle remained unchanged as well.

Befitting a family that uses black gargoyles as their symbol, Daiern Castle was built with jet-black obsidian-like stone.

The roof was also covered with pitch-black tiles, but from December when winter begins, it often snows, characteristically turning the roof snow-white.

‘Of course, winter is the social season, so I was always in the imperial capital.’

So even for me, it was the first time seeing the snow-white Daiern Castle.

The surrounding trees were also wearing pure white coats, creating a truly spectacular sight.

“Welcome back, my lady.”

However, there was one thing that had changed, and that was the atmosphere of the castle staff.

“Have you been well?”

As soon as I got out of the carriage, I smiled at the staff who greeted me as if in chorus.