However, after hearing Merlin’s words, it seemed that the maids at Portrian Mansion had shown similar reactions when they were pregnant, as Merlin had described. In that case…

‘Edith is…’

Why hadn’t he thought about the possibility sooner, after spending the night with her? Just as he was about to blame himself for realizing it too late, Merlin dropped a bombshell.

“But she asked me to keep her pregnancy a secret because she had asked me. But if I had known, I would have helped her, Walter.”

“…”

“However, I overheard her talking about her pregnancy. That’s why she left.”

Merlin confirmed that Walter’s face had noticeably stiffened. It was the reaction he had expected.

“…”

Walter looked out the window. When he saw that this year’s first snowfall, which seemed endless, was covering the world, he knew exactly what he had to do.

‘You bastard. You watched me until you disappeared with the pharmacist.’

Edith tried to muster some positive thoughts, feeling pitiful that she had been thrown out when she had only gone to get wine. Although Walter might come to rescue her, there was no telling what might happen if they crossed paths on the road on a day like today. Since she had a child, it seemed safer to find shelter in a building until morning.

The Volunteer Corps building was in a remote location, but if she ventured a little further through the forest, she reached a familiar neighborhood. There was somewhere to go.

‘It’s a bit late to go to the Ho Man Clinic…’

Since it was nearing midnight, she thought that if she went to the clinic right away, she would likely wake up all the sleeping patients and staff.

But by tomorrow, the clinic people would welcome her warmly, so for now, all she needed to do was find a place to shelter for the night.

Fortunately, today, even though it was snowing, the wind wasn’t too fierce, and a healthy adult could survive a night in the cold.

She walked the familiar path as her body remembered. She couldn’t help but laugh as she fondled the necklace she was wearing.

‘I’m just getting kicked out with what I had when I was kidnapped in Portrian.’
It was close to midnight, and if she went to the clinic right now, she might wake up all the people sleeping and the patients there.

However, by tomorrow, the people at the clinic would surely welcome her warmly, so for now, all she needed to do was find a place to spend the night away from the snow.

Luckily, today, even though it was snowing, the wind wasn’t too fierce, and a healthy adult could survive a night in the cold.

She walked the familiar path as her body remembered. She couldn’t help but laugh as she fondled the necklace she was wearing.

‘I’m just getting kicked out with what I had when I was kidnapped in Portrian.’

Once she spent the night somewhere away from the snow and wind, she could send a letter to Walter or Vivian.

That was one of the reasons she had left willingly. If Merlin confirmed that she had been kicked out, he would undoubtedly be expelled from the Volunteer Corps. There was no way a mere secretary like Merlin could stop the mail addressed to an author from reaching its destination.

Moreover, he didn’t even know that she was pregnant with another man’s child, so he wouldn’t even suspect that she would send a letter to Walter.

Then, if Merlin became suspicious and requested an investigation into whether he had a benefactor, and her affairs were resolved, she would retrieve her belongings from the Volunteer Corps and…

‘If Merlin stays in the Volunteer Corps, will Walter find out about my pregnancy sooner?’

A woman who claimed to have another man’s child was making such a statement, how would Walter react? Edith swallowed her doubts with a bitter smile.

Her freezing feet had unknowingly carried her near the small cabin where she had lived until she was kidnapped by Portrian.

It was her own space, completely owned by her, even though it might have been abandoned and dirty.

However, for some reason, light from a lamp shone in the windows of the supposedly empty house. Smoke even rose from the chimney.

‘Who could it be?’

When Edith knocked with her freezing hands, a man who made her blood run cold just by facing him appeared, emitting the smell of alcohol.

“Oh, Edith?”

“…Philip, my uncle.”

The man who had sold herself to Nicholas Portrian to pay off gambling debts, why was he here?

“It’s been a while. Come in.”

Philip, clearly intoxicated, opened the door for her.

Edith quickly moved to the hearth and looked around the room.

Seeing that her carefully collected household items were still there, her life seemed to be torn to shreds.

She had given up her body to Portrian and was leading a comfortable life in the house she had worked so hard to get.

“It’s my house here.”

“I know, but… I lost my home this winter. I tried to take advantage of the small fee that Lord Portrian gave me, but I gave it all up.”

The words that came out of his mouth were beyond human comprehension. At least if he were human, he would have realized what he was saying and lied.

He had sold himself to gambling, and now he was gambling again?

“Well, I thought your house would be empty around this time. I had a hard time cleaning it.”

Philip, who was stumbling as he continued to speak, suddenly noticed something strange.

“But, Edith, shouldn’t you be living a luxurious life in the author’s house right now?”

“…”

“Oh, right… Our author has passed away. Which means…”

Philip’s eyes, which had been half-hazy, began to sharpen with desire.

“You must have inherited the estate, Edith, right?”

“…”

“Once again, you’re saving me, Edith. Our lovely niece.”

Philip, with his eyes gleaming with greed, approached Edith, who was still partly frozen.