After Cayena’s visit ended, Natasha came out of the solitary cell. Her legs felt weak, and after just a few steps, they gave out completely. The knight standing guard was startled and rushed to support the duchess who nearly collapsed.

“Are you alright? Let me escort you to your room!”

“No, it’s fine. I want to go alone.”

Natasha refused the knight’s help and stood up on her own. The knight was quite worried about the duchess, and a timid protest of ‘But still…’ escaped his lips, but this too was ignored.

The woman who had steadied herself against the wall slowly moved forward. Her unsteady body swayed back and forth.

As she was wandering aimlessly down the corridor, she encountered Sieghart. Judging by how he abruptly stopped his hurried pace upon seeing Natasha, it seemed he had been looking for her.

“Natasha, are you alright?”

Sieghart asked about her condition in a low voice. Only then did Natasha belatedly check her own state. She slowly wiped her face, which had become stiff as the tear stains dried. It felt as if a thin membrane had been overlaid on her skin.

She wasn’t sure. Was she alright?

At least it didn’t feel like her world was crumbling like when she had been betrayed by that man. But that was just because Natasha had become numb to emotions, not because her friend’s betrayal wasn’t shocking.

Just, simply…

Natasha removed the hand that had been caressing her face. She secretly hid the trembling, delicate thing in the folds of her skirt. Since she couldn’t hide her lips, she bit them firmly.

Avoiding answering, she looked at Sieghart. He was shining unchangingly, while the Natasha reflected in his exquisite eyes looked unsightly.

“You know, Sieghart. If… If I had really been pregnant, what would you have done?”

“…”

“Would you have disliked it, since it would mean an heir of lowly blood?”

It was an abrupt question.

To ask such a thing out loud. It was an impulsive action that even she herself couldn’t understand. However, despite having numerous opportunities, Natasha did not retract her mistake.

Sieghart’s expression hardened like stone. It was a reaction as if she had spouted nonsense. But he didn’t bother to point out the statement of a woman who appeared to be in poor condition.

“I’ve never thought that way. A child of yours and mine, I would have been overjoyed. Even when I heard the maid’s words, I didn’t even think to doubt it, and at first I rejoiced ignorantly. Like a fool.”

“…”

“Of course. How could I not love your child, Natasha?”

Sieghart gracefully extended his hand. What was caught in his grasp was Natasha’s own hand that she had been hiding all along.

It was of no use even when she curled her hand into a fist as if not wanting the contact. Sieghart bent his hand along the curves and gently enveloped the surface of Natasha’s hand. His attitude was as nonchalant as if it were a natural procedure.

Before long, surprisingly, the trembling stopped. It was just as the man had intended.

Natasha stared at him blankly. Sieghart Asthart, that man was straightforward. He was upright and steadfast.

She averted her gaze from him, who seemed to be speaking the plain truth.

‘It’s a lie.’

And she repeated to herself.

That is a lie.

It’s the sweet devil’s whisper trying to persuade the weak Natasha.

However, it was a warm and affectionate, soft and cozy blanket. One that was absolutely necessary for a girl facing a cold winter morning.

Even if bugs were crawling inside, there was no reason for a girl sick of the immediate cold and loneliness not to cover herself with the blanket.

“You really… are so different from the person I resent. To an unusual degree…”

Even while knowing that the Sieghart of her past life and the current Sieghart were different, Natasha was captivated by his answer. Through this innocent one, she tended to the wounds of the past.

The wounds she thought had been healed by time began to slowly mend, as if they had never healed in the first place.

Natasha took a step towards him. Sieghart, who followed by opening his arms, offered his broad embrace.

She naturally entered the space the man had created, and stood there for a long time with her face buried inside. Clutching his shirt tightly, she raised her head and asked.

“You know. Is there anything you’re hiding from me?”

Then, as if this was her only chance, she demanded a confession.

She was sick and tired of being betrayed by those she trusted. She was exhausted from belatedly facing the dark truths of all those she had loved. She wished they would admit it first and seek forgiveness.

The woman was not a solidly built sand castle, nor an impregnable fortress unaffected by any attack. It was natural for her to crumble when shocked.

The sand castle that had slowly sunk from the top now had only a shallow bottom left. Only then did Natasha feel the desire to protect her last rough edges.

She no longer, truly no longer, wanted to be toppled by the wind and waves.

“Even if it’s trivial, anything will do… Will you confess now?”

Ridiculously, that last one was Sieghart Asthart.

The man who had thrown her into the abyss in her past life. But in this life, the man leading her to salvation.

“…”

Sieghart was silent for a long time.

“…There isn’t anything, is there?”

She asked in a desperate voice. As if she actually hoped there wasn’t.

After a moment, Sieghart nodded.

Natasha might have felt relieved at that firm nod.

Not knowing what kind of deception awaited beyond that stubborn and straightforward answer.

A week later, Cayena Ten’s punishment was decided. Contrary to everyone’s expectations that she would receive a harsh punishment given her crime, her only sentence was restricted entry to the Asthart duchy.

It must be the final act of mercy from the Duchess Asthart. People admired Natasha’s benevolence for not severely punishing the assassin.

Everyone anticipated Natasha’s next move. Would she appear in social circles to speak about the unfortunate incident and how to overcome it? Or would she return to the duchy to punish Cayena Ten’s family to the roots?

All were wrong.

Natasha Asthart did not show her face anywhere.

However, uncertain information spread through word of mouth from the palace maids and knights that she had appeared at the imperial palace ten days later.

The Duke and Duchess of Asthart had a simple tea time after their meal. As the sunlight was strong, they spent time under a large elm tree. On the duke’s orders, a servant stood by the duchess’s side holding a large parasol.

Freshly baked scones and fragrant flower tea were prepared.

A rich aroma wafted from the scones slathered with butter. Natasha took a bite of a scone for appearance’s sake, then left it on the plate. If she ate a whole one with no appetite, she would have to starve through the afternoon banquet.

Sieghart, who did not prefer sweets, had also eaten only a fingernail-sized piece of scone.

If it was going to be like this, they shouldn’t have prepared so elaborately. Saying it should look good, the man always ordered the dessert stand to be filled to the brim.

After neutralizing the sweetness lingering in her mouth with tea, she raised her voice.

“Come to think of it, Your Grace doesn’t have any questions for me.”

He took his eyes off the teacup and met hers. It was an expression asking what she meant.

“About why I gave that child a light punishment.”

All the employees of the ducal residence disapproved of her decision. They questioned why she had given such a lenient sentence to Cayena Ten, as if they were the ones wronged. Even the young ladies and madams she exchanged letters with sent inquiries at lightning speed.

She thought Sieghart Asthart, who was closest on paper and physically, would ask too. But for some reason, he hadn’t opened his mouth about Cayena Ten for three days.

Just like the day he asked her not to punish Cayena separately and only issue a banishment order from the duchy.

“My wife wouldn’t do anything wrong.”

“…”

“When the person involved wants it, I didn’t want to dare judge the gravity of the crime as an outsider. And how could I put the knife back in your hands? It would be like encouraging cruelty.”

“…I’m glad at least Your Grace understands.”

Natasha smiled briefly. Yes, he was such a strange man. Pretending to look into her depths, no, actually looking into them, he was the only one who understood her.

Even if it was an act for something, she had no reason to refuse what she needed right now.

“Since when did you find that child suspicious?”

“Not long ago. From some point on, I noticed something odd.”

He summed up this answer, when normally he would have explained in detail.

The vague response gave Natasha a bit of certainty.

The man had known from the beginning. Whether to cover up his mistake or to not make Natasha look foolish, he was hiding that fact.

“I see… Perhaps you realized even faster than me. I… I can’t easily suspect people I love. Always-”

“…”

“I always realize only after it’s all over…”

It was distant.

If Natasha, who had considered Cayena as her own, hadn’t suspected her until the end?

If things had unfolded as before, with Sieghart drinking poison and Cayena being framed as the culprit. If she had offered her pride and happiness to the emperor to prove Cayena’s innocence.

If she had calmly accepted the pregnancy results, thinking she had spent a passionate night with Sieghart. If she had blindly pleaded for her innocence to be recognized when the man denied her child again later…

Her life would have changed miserably like before.

So, I’m sorry, Princess!

A bright voice was heard amidst her inner monologue.

It was that of the friend Natasha had loved so dearly.

Come to think of it, you haven’t made such a pure voice since coming to the ducal residence.

The truth she suddenly realized made the woman’s emotions fragile.

Love, love brought the woman to her knees.