“I’m truly sorry. How could you abandon me like this?”

“That’s right. Honestly, the hardest thing when losing a child is for the mother.”

“Even after putting me on a pension, you didn’t bother to come!”

“It’s natural for both the body and mind to suffer when undergoing an inheritance… It must be very tough for you.”

“Yes. I feel so lonely and exhausted. I don’t understand why Her Majesty treats me like this.”

Slowly wiping the tears from Valier’s back as she bows her head and pours out her emotions, Countess Brianta examined Valier from head to toe with a chilly gaze.

“I wonder how Her Majesty can make such a pitiful person feel lonely… She should be loved more.”

With Brianta’s words, the affectionate gaze of Leopold, who used to look down on her with endless tenderness, came to Valier’s mind.

The cracked heart has ample room for something to seep in.

Sometimes it even leads to unreasonable and reckless decisions.

“Do you happen to have a way to contact Duke Leopold?”

“Why suddenly Duke Leopold? No, I don’t. Please check while you’re in the capital.”

“Thank you.”

Nodding her head, Valier, looking at the pendant, drew a mysterious smile from Countess Brianta.

‘This may be easier than I thought.’

In the moment when a sinister wind unknowingly infiltrates through the crack, she silently waits for the time to review the documents.

Certainly, at first, she felt sorry for Felio, who visited every day like clockwork. But, as days passed, Ermedelin’s heart became more shameless.

If she doesn’t see him for a day, it gets to the point where she can’t sleep because of emptiness.

Staring at his face with a sidelong glance while quietly reviewing administrative documents became almost a habit.

Although in her mind, she firmly promised to consider her situation and draw a line, she couldn’t help but be drawn to that direction, up to the point of her gaze returning.

Avoiding Felio’s suddenly lifted head, Ermedelin immediately shifted her gaze to the documents.

‘He didn’t notice, right?’

Ermedelin inwardly praised her agile reflexes.

‘Huh.’

However, due to Felio, who has been keenly feeling all of Ermedelin’s sidelong glances for the past few days, her actions only looked cute.

Thanks to him, there hasn’t been a day without a bruise on his thighs.

‘Married woman, married woman. Get a hold of yourself!’

‘But can these two really be considered a married couple? I’d rather have Leopold become the emperor for real…’

Thinking about her passionate father, she knew that her current thoughts were the height of filial impiety and betrayal, but she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering in that direction.

Felio, who was avoiding her gaze, openly stared at Ermedelin, who focused on the documents.

On her white fingers were rings symbolizing the empress and the Françoise Ducal House, both forming a huge wall between her and him.

‘Shall we break everything and go live in a place where no one is around?’

‘Would he agree if I suggested that? If we gather enough money, we can even buy a ship and go to a completely different continent…’

While Felio was swimming in the sea of endless delusions, Ermedelin, who was quietly reviewing the documents, noticed something strange.

“Gongja. I see the name Alicia on the interview list here… Could it be?”

Ermedelin’s question brought Felio, who had returned to reality, back to his senses.

“Yes. That’s correct. Although it’s weak, she is a sacred ability user, so she can heal to some extent. Since places with many children tend to have accidents…”

“Wow! Honestly, I didn’t even think this far, but as expected from Duke Leopold. Amazing!”

With Ermedelin raising her thumb and complimenting Felio, he seemed to recover from the floating thoughts in the air.
“Yes. And Alicia has been running a business by visiting patients so far, but due to her pregnancy this time, she seems to need a stable job. It’s not about giving her a job unconditionally; Her Majesty, the Empress, will personally conduct an interview…”

“I understand. I know what you mean. I’ll make the final decision after my direct interview.”

Ermedelin lowered her head again to examine the documents.

“Phew.”

Seeing Ermedelin’s serious attitude, Felio secretly sighed and blamed himself for his wandering thoughts.

‘Let’s focus on the documents. Her Majesty, the Empress, is working so hard for the people’s lives, and here I am…’

At that moment, white flower petals floated in through the window and settled on Ermedelin’s chin.

Felio unconsciously applied force to the hand that was about to pluck the petals, only to immediately block that gesture with his opposite hand.

‘Am I crazy? Really?’

As he debated whether to say something or not, the petals slipped and reached near his collarbone this time.

Felio unknowingly followed the falling petals with his gaze, then his eyes landed on Ermedelin’s chest, slightly visible above her dress.

Thunk!

At that moment, Felio’s chair made a loud noise, tipping backward.

“Gongja!”