“Sitting still and receiving a hot compress isn’t so bad right now. Kar, you must be tired from dealing with mourners all day on my behalf. Why don’t you rest a bit?”

“I’ve rested here and there, so don’t worry.”

Kardiel said this as he handed me a glass of water. I was feeling a bit thirsty, so the thoughtfulness was sweet.

I thanked Kardiel and looked around.

Even though there were hardly any mourners left, it was too quiet. I could soon guess the reason.

“Come to think of it, I don’t see Chelsea and Euphi. Do you know where they both are?”

Chelsea is the youngest son. His full name is Chersion Tudor Daiern and he’s 11 years old now.

Euphi is a 14-year-old girl, 1 year younger than Kar. She has the pretty name Euphemina Sishel Daiern.

“Chelsea was crying until earlier and fell asleep, so I put him to bed in his room. As for Euphi, I told her to stay beside Chelsea since she might cause trouble.”

“I see. Well done.”

Come to think of it, Chersion had been crying throughout the funeral.

No matter how much of a father he was who tormented his siblings, the sense of loss must have been quite large for an 11-year-old child.

In contrast, Euphemina showed no expression throughout the funeral.

She usually had a somewhat blank look, but seen differently, it could also feel like she was smiling, which was no small cause for concern.

‘It’s fortunate that Kar handled it well on his own.’

At times like this, Kardiel was such a reliable son that it was hard to believe he wasn’t an adult yet.

Looking at my son, a feeling of pride washed over me and I patted the seat beside me.

“If you’d like, why don’t you sit next to me?”

“It’s alright, stepmother.”

“I want to sit next to my son.”

“…”

Only then did Kardiel sit down beside me, as if he couldn’t refuse. With that stiff face, his true nature is really gentle.

However, even though our gazes naturally aligned, there wasn’t much conversation flowing between us.

As much as Kardiel, I too wasn’t the type with an overflowing, affectionate personality.

Perhaps because of that, this silence wasn’t particularly awkward for us…

“Stepmother.”

“Hm?”

I was a bit taken aback as I hadn’t expected Kardiel to speak first.

When I turned my gaze, I met Kardiel’s eyes staring at me quietly. It seemed he had been looking for quite a while.

“What is it?”

“Perhaps.”

When I asked, Kardiel just furrowed his brow and couldn’t open his mouth right away.

“It’s alright, go ahead and say it.”

Only after my urging did Kardiel finally open his mouth.

“Do you really intend to remarry soon?”

“What?”

That question was a bit unexpected, so I blinked my eyes, unable to answer immediately.

Then Kardiel continued speaking.

“The mourners were whispering that it’s obvious you’ll decide to remarry soon. And that the person who becomes the new father will take the Daiern Duchy. Or even if not, a child born between you two will surely become the next Duke. So I…”

“Wait a moment.”

I rarely interrupt children’s words, but this was simply unbearable. In the end, I gave up on listening to all of Kardiel’s words.

“Who said such things?”

“I’m not sure exactly who, but it seemed like many mourners were all predicting the same thing. Even those who didn’t come in groups.”

They must be people determined to break up someone else’s family.

Or else a faction trying to make me into an evil stepmother straight out of a fairy tale.

‘Why are they wagging their tongues so recklessly in a house with three children at such a sensitive age?’

Even if it were true, it was something that shouldn’t be said.

I turned my body to face Kardiel. And I took both of his hands in mine.

“I was planning to talk to you all after the funeral was over. But alright. Since it’s come to this, I’ll tell you first, Kar.”

Kardiel was still quietly looking at me with focused eyes. But you know…

I thought I could see anxiety in those eyes.

In a way, it’s only natural.

No matter how mature a child Kardiel is, he’s still at an age where he needs emotional stability and needs a guardian by his side.

In other words, he’s not yet mature enough to distinguish the nonsense people are spouting.

Maybe he thought I might abandon him and his siblings. I shouldn’t make him feel that way.

I know that at times like this, I need to answer firmly.

“To get to the conclusion, no matter what happens, I will make sure the Daiern Duchy goes to you in three years.”

“…”

“Whatever people say, whatever changes happen to my circumstances, none of that matters. I have never once thought of anyone but you, Kar, becoming the next Duke.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes. You will definitely be the next Duke of Daiern. If you can’t believe me, I can even write you a memorandum.”

That neither I, nor my new husband, nor any child of my own blood will ever have anything to do with the Daiern Duchy.

Of course, if I were to actually write such a memorandum, it would rather give those around me grounds for keeping me in check.

Because that sentence implies the possibility that I might remarry and have a second child.

Whether he had thought that far or not, Kardiel slowly shook his head.

“No, there’s no need to go that far. It’s enough that you’ve said so, stepmother.”

Only then did the anxiety finally clear from Kardiel’s clear blue eyes.

There was still not a hint of a smile on his face, but I could tell the child’s mood had improved quite a bit.

“But stepmother. What I asked was something a bit different.”

“Hm?”

I thought I had given a proper answer, but what was lacking?

I was about to ask further.

Knock knock. Along with the sound of knocking, the butler entered.

“A mourner has arrived.”

I didn’t expect there would be more visitors even though we were receiving condolences until the sun fully set.

In any case, I adjusted my posture to prepare to receive the guest.

But for a moment, Kardiel’s brow furrowed once.

‘He looks displeased that our conversation was interrupted.’

I lightly patted Kardiel’s back, meaning we’d talk later, and got the child to stand up. A mourner had come, so the chief mourner needed to greet them.

“Who is the visitor?”

The butler mentioned an unexpected person in response to my question.

“Count Alperon, Lord Joseph Obreim Alperon.”

My pupils dilated without me realizing.

Why is that person coming here?

“I offer my condolences, Duchess. And young Duke.”

“Welcome, Lord Joseph. Thank you for coming to see my husband off. This is Kardiel Diark, the young Duke of Daiern.”

“Thank you for your condolences, Count Alperon.”

I was a bit surprised that Lord Joseph would come to pay his respects.

That’s because we didn’t particularly have any close relationship to speak of.

Of course, one could visit to pay respects regardless of current connections, to make an impression on families one wants to build relationships with in the future.

…But suddenly a strange thought occurred to me.

‘It seems Lord Joseph addressed Kardiel as the young Duke before I even introduced him.’

I wondered if he was the type of person with enough preparation and courtesy to look into such details in advance.

As expected, the more I see him, the more favorable my impression.

Especially calling Kardiel the young Duke first is what I appreciate the most.

“I’ll go pay my respects to the deceased first.”

After briefly greeting me and Kardiel, Lord Joseph approached my husband’s coffin to offer a silent prayer.

My gaze naturally followed Lord Joseph’s back figure dressed in black mourning clothes.

Perhaps because of the clothes, he had a markedly different atmosphere from when I encountered him at the banquet the other day.

Back then he had the image of a very mysterious and splendid fairy king, but today he gave the impression of a calm, settled spirit of mist.

‘Though they have in common giving an unrealistic feeling in terms of appearance.’

Since smiling in a place of mourning would be extremely rude, Lord Joseph’s expression was quite different from that time.

A subtle expression with one layer of smile removed, even a bit dry.

Perhaps that’s why those red eyes particularly captivate my attention.

They’re clearly a brilliant ruby color, but somehow also give an ominous blood-red feeling…

“It seems the Duchess’s ankle is still the same.”

“Ah.”

It seems I had unknowingly been distracted by Lord Joseph.

When I came to my senses, he had already placed a lily on my husband’s coffin, finished his silent prayer, and returned.

“But it’s recovering. The court physician said it should be better in a few days.”

“If that’s the case, then that’s fortunate.”

Saying that, Lord Joseph received a small box about half the size of a palm from the servant accompanying him. That box soon came into my hands.

“This is an ointment I used in Alperon. It’s an extremely effective medicine, so I thought it might help… If you find it suspicious since it’s an unfamiliar item, you don’t have to use it, just accept it.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Lord Joseph.”

I couldn’t refuse when he went that far.

I instructed the butler to put the box away safely.