Philip was utterly indifferent to the fact that Edith’s expression was growing increasingly cold.

His sole concern was how much the Countesses of Portrion had managed to secure following the death of their Count.

“So how much did you inherit?”

“…….”

“The words of our distant relative are true, aren’t they? A woman just needs to marry well to get her share—ugh!”

With a thud, Philip toppled backward. It was the result of Edith, who could no longer bear to listen to his drivel, pushing him with all her might.
She continued to pour the water filled in the glass over him as if wielding a whip. Yet, doing this did not alleviate the rage that had built up inside him.

“Judging by your refusal to shut up, it seems you have absolutely no conscience.”

Her shoulders shuddered. The fact that her precious life had plummeted to ruin because of such a man was unbearable, causing her eyes to heat up.

“Leave. Now.”

As Edith pointed toward the door, Philip clumsily rose from the floor where he had been lying, raising a commotion.
“There’s a limit to being ungrateful, you know. You get married into a rich family, and now you’re pushing your uncle away because you don’t want to share the inheritance?”

Philip couldn’t admit that he had been bested by Edith, whom he’d always considered an easy target.

Overwhelmed by something—whether it was intoxication or anger—he grasped an empty liquor bottle that happened to be in his hand.

“Listening to you, it seems like you’ve forgotten your place. Let me remind you of it today.”

Just as his eyes were rolling back in fury, intending to swing the bottle at Edith, that moment came.

“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Ugh—!”

Edith, who had tightly closed her eyes, opened them at the sound of her uncle’s familiar groan. There she saw Walter, firmly gripping Philip’s arm from behind.

“Walter…?”

The glass bottle that her uncle had been about to swing at her shattered with a sharp noise against Walter’s shin.

However, Walter was unfazed, twisting Philip’s arm to subdue him.

“If you’re going to drink, you should sleep peacefully. If you can’t do that, you shouldn’t have drunk in the first place.”

“Ah! Let, let go of this! What the hell are you doing?”
His arm ached as if it would break, but emboldened by the alcohol, Philip who shouted defiantly regained his senses slowly upon seeing Walter’s reflection in the mirror.

As soon as he made eye contact with a man who looked like he could easily snap his wrist if he wanted to, his whole body trembled as if his liver had shrunk. It was an aura that instinctively made him want to crawl away. As a result, the rage that had him acting recklessly was automatically subdued.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Walter forcibly dragged the subdued Philip to the entrance.
As he took those few steps, he pondered why he was doing this, just as the drunkard had said.

“Seems like the only parasite here is you.”

“What?”

“Whether or not Edith has a child, she’s someone who can fend for herself. The term ‘clinging to me’ seems more appropriate for you right now. You thought I wouldn’t know you’re trying to use me?”

It was also directed at Merlin, who had said that Edith was with another man—telling him not to speak like that.
Then, he immediately mounted his horse and recklessly rode to her haven, which he had researched a long time ago through Cassius, following scarcely visible footprints.

These were acts committed before he even had a chance to think about why he was moving so hastily.

Regardless of who the father was, he couldn’t let Edith endure the cold without even a proper winter coat, as she stroked her still unborn belly.

After walking quite a distance beyond the door, he carelessly threw Philip, whom he had been dragging along, onto the ground and sneered as he spoke.
“Perhaps it’s because I was the bastard who was involved with the lady behind the master’s back.”

Walter couldn’t deny it any longer, although he wasn’t sure what exactly to call this emotion.

The moment he saw his own reflection in her eyes, drenched in sensuality, he had resolved not to allow any other man to be the subject of her gaze.

“Crazy bastard…”

Walter didn’t particularly refute Philip’s response.

“By the looks of it, I doubt I could win against a crazy bastard like you. So, I suggest you leave gracefully.”
Walter considered kicking Philip, but decided against it. Partly because Edith was watching him through the window, and partly because he had already thought of a way to get revenge on Philip, should they meet again someday.

“Lifetime labor contract? Signing your life away is illegal, but there are still many salt farms and plantations that do it.”

He let the stumbling drunkard flee on his twisted leg. There was no need to waste time now; he had planned to send Cassius away before leaving the territory anyway.
Walter went to the shack where Edith was waiting. Then he closed the door to prevent her from running away again.

“Edith.”

Walter had much he wanted to say to her.