Sieghart would certainly not welcome the child. Would someone who doesn’t love her change their attitude because of a child? Natasha didn’t have high expectations of him either.

Still, she had to stay in the duke’s household.

It would be more beneficial for the child to remain as a child of the great House of Asthart than as the offspring of a fallen princess. Regrettably, he possessed important things that Natasha lacked—such as money, status, honor, and power.

Upon returning to the mansion, Natasha immediately sought out Sieghart’s study. The other party seemed to realize something belatedly upon seeing Natasha enter without knocking.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, sighing as if tired—

“I have something to say.”

Natasha, having skillfully seized the timing, took the lead in the conversation. She knew that if the man gained the upper hand, not only would the conversation be impossible, but even this forcibly arranged meeting would be in vain.

“Today, I received confirmation of God’s blessing. It means a child has been conceived between us.”

She continued speaking with a slightly nervous voice.

There was no romanticism in hoping that the other party would preserve her chastity. At the very least, she hoped he would protect the child’s safety and dignity as a father.

With that sole intention, she presented the doctor’s note confirming the pregnancy and a test flower pot.

The expected response was repeatedly delayed. Fortunately, this did not multiply her anxiety. It was because she could understand the man who would be perplexed on one hand.

“It is not our child.”

However, the answer was beyond common sense.

From the lips that finally opened came words that disregarded the blessing they had cultivated together.

“It may be the princess’s child, but it is not my child.”

“…Sieghart.”

Natasha called out his name in disbelief.

“What are you saying? It’s our child!”

She expressed her frustration at the other party’s continued insistence. Despite bringing the doctor’s note and the flower pot, the man thoroughly disregarded the evidence placed before him.

“Since it is not our child, I will say this. Get rid of it.”

And he simply kept repeating the same words.

“Because it is our child, I too can say this. I will not get rid of it.”

“If it’s a brazen intention to register a child conceived elsewhere under the duke’s family registry, I won’t turn a blind eye.”

“…Surely, you’re not saying I’m carrying someone else’s child?”

“There’s too much evidence you’ve shown to call it the princess’s misconception.”

Sieghart irritably flung the doctor’s note after confirming it. The paper flew back, grazing Natasha’s cheek as it passed.

As if the stinging pain had awakened her senses, she finally understood the entire situation. That was the man’s way of turning a blind eye. He must be using alleged infidelity as an issue because he didn’t want to acknowledge the precious life Natasha carried as a member of the Asthart family.

“If you dislike the child, just say so honestly. I won’t force a father’s love! How, how can you deny our child and claim that I mixed bodies with someone else?”

With each movement of her mouth, the wound slowly opened. Blood trickled bit by bit, tilting and bending circuits. The fishy and bitter scent that entered her lips was no different from the current situation.

“Princess, you claim to be with child regarding us who have never had relations.”

It was cruel.

It was terrible.

It was miserable to the point of wanting to bite her tongue and die right there.

“Or are you a blessed body that can conceive life without a special relationship? That would be convenient, wouldn’t it? You could increase the lineage without mixing with lowly bodies and flesh.”

“…Lies, you know my innocence better than anyone, Sieghart! If you’re slandering me because you want to abandon the child, it’s in vain. No matter what happens, I will raise this child and continue this lowly bloodline!”

“That’s exactly what I should be saying. No matter how much you deny me, the perpetrator of this wrongdoing knows better. Don’t think about raising a child mixed with lowly blood in the duke’s household, Princess.”

It hurt, and it was painful.

She could confidently say that even death wouldn’t be this agonizing, so arduous was her current situation.

Sieghart’s denial and harsh words. The trust between the two, shattered mercilessly.

Although these were things she had experienced before, they became larger and sharper blades, carving into the woman’s heart.

In the cold, desolate room, she sat in a daze. The potion Sieghart had given her glittered on the table across from her.

‘If you drink it, I’ll consider it as if nothing happened. This is my last act of mercy.’

He handed over the potion to terminate the pregnancy, adding that this was the last chance for the duke’s household to accept a body tainted by infidelity.

‘I will have this child. I will give birth and prove it’s his child.’

If she were to take the potion, her long-standing chastity would be denied. All those nights she spent sleepless with excitement over the tiny life would be completely killed.

Given the situation, she had to protect the child at all costs. For her own sake, absolutely.

The child to be born was the only way to prove the duchess’s innocence.

Suddenly awaking from sleep, she turned her body to the side. At that moment, a moist liquid wet her legs.

Recognizing a strange sense of déjà vu, Natasha abruptly sat up. After lighting a match, she rushed to check the sheets.

“Ah…”

The pure white sheets were stained with blood.

‘There’s no way I could have my monthly during pregnancy.’

Natasha, who had become an expectant mother, had studied things that pregnant women should know. One of them was how a pregnant woman’s body changes.

Pregnant women naturally do not have their monthly cycle.

However, blood was staining the white sheets. It was bright red blood, as if from a monthly cycle.

Beyond suspicious, it was worrying. She crumpled the sheets and gathered them in one place, then frantically pulled the bell cord.

Frightened, she ceaselessly shook the cord until someone arrived. The long pendulum swung back and forth. The sorrowful cry of the bell seemed to be in pain from its owner’s abuse.

Though the signal must have rung throughout the mansion, not a single person came to Natasha’s room. In this vast mansion, not one person besides Cayena worried about the duchess’s well-being.

“My lady, are you alright? Why are you so agitated…!”

Cayena, who had come running breathlessly, inquired about the situation.

Natasha, who had been tightly hugging the sheets, suddenly stood up and rushed to her.

“Ca, Cayena. You know. Pregnant women don’t have monthly cycles. But there’s blood. I, I think something’s wrong with my body.”

“Blood?”

“Yes, blood. And, it’s just like a monthly cycle… I, I don’t know. Why this is happening. Am I alright? Wh, what about the child? The child is fine, right?”

She pressed on urgently until she received the answer she wanted. Her fragile voice demanded a response. Natasha, who had always been cautious about touching others, was now gripping Cayena’s collar without hesitation.

“Ca, Cayena. Answer me. The child and I are alright, aren’t we? We, we can protect it, right? Hm?”

Though not everything Cayena said would be the truth, Natasha blindly believed in her and her words. It was only natural, as Cayena Ten was the only one who consistently stood by her side and listened to what she had to say.

“…Ac, actually, I think I heard something yesterday, my lady.”

“What? What did you hear?”

One person.

That was the number of people who arrived during the ten minutes she had been desperately calling for help. Was there anything more justifiable than trusting the words of Cayena Ten, who was no less than a benefactor?

It didn’t matter how forced the other’s words might be.

“The duke’s maids were whispering among themselves. They were saying shouldn’t they secretly give you medicine while you sleep. I thought it was a joke because it was such an absurd plan, but…”

After finishing her words, Cayena subtly turned her head to look at one spot. Natasha hastily shifted her gaze as well.

Their gazes locked onto the medicine bottle.

“Ah, ah…”

It can’t be!

Natasha, who had been writhing in agony, collapsed right there. She repeatedly scratched the floor with her nails raised.

“Ah, ah, ah!”

It was a child she was supposed to protect, a child that was supposed to protect her.

She never expected that Natasha’s last bit of pure love would end so suddenly, in such a cruel manner.

The physician she visited, unable to believe the truth, said the same thing.

Even the physician, who had been conducting the examination with a gloomy face from the start, as if guessing something from the haggard face of the expectant mother who had been smiling brightly just days ago, only revealed the truth after a long while.

The truth was no different from what Cayena had told her. It was the terrible diagnosis that the child had died.

Even Natasha’s last hope was shattered miserably. The puzzle pieces she had gathered for a beautiful future were all scattered. When she finally managed to piece them back together, the completed picture was the opposite of what she had dreamed of.

“There may be mild pain in the lower abdomen. The bleeding will last for about five days to a week.”

They say that because the child was small, its death wouldn’t have a significant impact on the mother. As the doctor had diagnosed, the time to expel the remaining traces of the child was not painful. It was exactly the same as having a monthly cycle. Both the duration and the intensity of pain during that time.

I’m sorry, mommy is sorry.

I was greedy because I had nothing to give you, but I didn’t know it would turn out like this. I should have run away instead. Even if we lived a bit less fortunately, at least I wouldn’t have lost you…

Natasha repeatedly whispered, clutching her stomach. She apologized countless times towards a distant star that could not be reached. The blood soaking below was nothing but resentful.

Six days later, when the bleeding had finally stopped, Natasha at last ended her secluded life and came out of her room.

When she went down to the first floor, a delicious smell suddenly stung her nose. The clock was also pointing to lunchtime.

She naturally headed to the dining room and encountered Sieghart. Sitting opposite the designated seat of the duchess, Natasha shot at him.

“It was your child.”

At that moment, his eyes seemed to tremble. It was a ridiculous illusion. It might be understandable if Natasha’s eyes were shaking, but there was no way it could be the case for him.

“Sieghart, it was your child.”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to vent your anger at the real father, not me, Princess?”

“I am venting at the real father. You killed me and the child, Sieghart. You trampled all over my dreams and hopes…”

The miscarriage led to the loss of long-cherished wishes. That’s why it was even more despairing.

Unlike the wound left on her cheek, the wound received from Sieghart would never heal, even after an eternity had passed.