It was a clear morning.

However, for Shuelly, it was a morning filled with dark clouds.

“You slept separately from Annette, didn’t you…?”

In the early morning, Shuelly, who habitually searched for Annette’s room, couldn’t hide her disappointment. It was natural, given that she expected to find her daughter comfortably asleep in the bed that should have been empty.

Even after offering the carefully prepared elixir to Hertian!

“How did that… How did it turn out?”

Shuelly, who couldn’t bring herself to say the word “medicine,” asked cautiously. It was a famous elixir even among noble ladies for its effectiveness. However, openly admitting to using it brought embarrassment.

“You didn’t take that I gave you?”

“I did drink all of it, but…”

Hertian trailed off with a troubled expression.

“All of it?”

Even if he had just taken a sip, the elixir’s effects should have lasted for at least two days. He drank the entire bottle?

Her gaze wavered.

Yet, he appeared perfectly fine today, indicating a problem.

“Did it have no effect…?”

Suddenly, doubts arose about the conditions for the elixir’s effectiveness.

The elixir’s efficacy requires sincerity towards the other person. It was intended to prevent things from happening merely out of instinct.

‘If the Duke doesn’t like Annette, there’s no way the elixir would be effective.’

She concluded that the conditions were not fulfilled.

Otherwise, Hertian, who had consumed such a large amount, wouldn’t be walking around so smoothly in front of her.

Is their love already fading during the honeymoon, or was there never any to begin with?

Shuelly’s face went beyond disappointment, turning serious.

“Thanks to you, I had a meaningful time.”

To Hertian’s composed response, she questioned immediately. Then what about Annette whom she saw in the morning?

“A meaningful time? Nothing happened between you two…”

“A child doesn’t only happen at night.”

Shuelly’s face turned red with hope.

“Then?”

As he smiled slightly, Shuelly’s face brightened in an instant.

“Oh my! B-But can you come back so quickly?”

“Well, Madam saw me collapsed, drenched in sweat, and brought the antidote.”

Heh, she gasped.

She hadn’t even thought about that.

Annette’s body may not accept the effects of the elixir, but she was knowledgeable about herbs.

“It’s my mistake.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

It was her fault for not knowing her daughter well enough. Having suspected Hertian despite that, she had nothing to say.

“If there’s another way, I’ll look into it.”

“It’s already enough.”

Hertian politely declined her offer.

Shuelly nodded without insisting on proposing again.

‘She really doesn’t need it.’

Her face looked relieved, different from what Shuelly saw yesterday. Seeing that, Shuelly suddenly felt like she had been overly anxious.

“It’s because she’s my only daughter; I must have become impatient.”

“That’s only natural, isn’t it?”

Hertian, feeling embarrassed, gently held her hands that were tense from discomfort.

“But from now on, please leave it to me. I will do my best to make sure you don’t have to worry about such things again.”

Despite saying she wouldn’t fuss, her eyes became moist. In contrast, Hertian displayed a kind smile.

“As it happens, I have a gift for the Viscountess. Would you like to see it?”

“Oh my, my gift?”

“Forgetting everything else, you must take care of the gifts for the Viscount and Viscountess.”

“You’re so thoughtful.”

Shuelly happily laughed, redirecting the conversation to make herself feel more comfortable.

‘I worried for nothing. Where else can you find such a perfect match?’

“Please go ahead. I will stop by the room for a moment and join you.”

She left the garden with light steps.

Left alone, Hertian finished the tea that Shuelly had prepared. The warm weather kept the tea from cooling quickly, emitting a pleasant fragrance.
It was a lighter scent than the wine Shuelly gave yesterday.

“There must be a reason for its strong efficacy.”

He smirked, recalling himself from yesterday.

The moment Hertian took a sip of the wine, he sensed that something was wrong with his body. He roughly guessed the effects of this medicine.

It was easy to recognize the secretly delivered medicine with Shuelly’s repentant smile. While contemplating what to do with it, Hertian couldn’t focus due to the rising heat. His body was raging.

Only then did he see the accompanying instructions on the wine bottle in his eyes. Shuelly hadn’t cleared it away.

Sure enough, there were such conditions. It seemed strange that his body started to rage after just taking a sip. His lightly regarded body collapsed, emitting heat.

“I didn’t even finish a glass, let alone all.”

He only claimed to have drunk it to avoid revealing such a reaction.

And the result of that sip was disastrous.