‘Can I be happy without anything happening?’

I kept repeating those words in my mind several times for no reason.

‘With mom and dad…… together.’

Whenever I understood Blanche’s inner desire to stay with Jade, my heart strangely ached.

‘It’s not absolutely impossible, but it’s not easy either.’

There were still many situations to resolve.

‘Even if she manifests as a wolf and succeeds in becoming a lycanthrope…… the council of elders won’t welcome Blanche, a mixed-blood. Most will oppose her admission.’

Strictly speaking, it would be difficult for Blanche to be admitted to the Rowe family from the start.

Come to think of it, what was Jade thinking when he proposed?

‘He said he wanted to make Blanche the heir of Rowe.’

Even admission has such strict conditions, let alone becoming the heir. Did he have a plan?

Flustered by the sudden proposal, I didn’t ask Jade exactly what he was thinking.

“Larien.”

“……!”

Jade lightly flicked his fingers in the air. I snapped out of my reverie at that gesture.

“We’ve arrived in Madelburg.”

Along with Jade’s voice, the train gradually slowed down and came to a stop.

“……We’ve arrived.”

“Mom, what’s wrong? Are you sick somewhere?”

“Ah, I’m not sick. Blanche, let’s get off quickly.”

Looking at Blanche who was worried about me, I forced a smile and got up.

“Dad, bend down for a moment.”

As soon as we got off the train, Blanche beckoned to Jade.

Though perplexed, Jade obediently bent down.

Blanche whispered something in his ear.

“Jade. What did Blanche say?”

“She said you’re acting strange.”

When I asked curiously what she had said, Jade told me right away.

‘I’m acting strange? Was my reaction a bit off earlier?’

Blanche glared at Jade and protested.

“Dad, you dummy! I whispered on purpose, how could you tell mom!”

“You didn’t tell me not to tell your mom.”

“That’s something you shouldn’t do without being told. Hmph! Fine. I’m going with Mary.”

Blanche, who was quite angry, clung to Mary and badmouthed Jade.

I followed behind them and poked Jade in the side.

“What are you doing, Jade? You’re about to be hated by Blanche.”

“Give her a few macarons and she’ll get over it soon.”

Jade shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“More importantly, Larien. Is your bad mood because of that old man?”

I turned my head in the direction he was pointing.

‘He was watching me after we got off.’

The old butler who met my eyes flinched and quickly hid behind a pillar.

“I don’t know who it is that keeps following you, but I’ll go take care of it. It’ll only take 5 minutes.”

Jade seemed to be very wary, not knowing who the old butler was.

‘What does he mean by 5 minutes, what is he planning to do to the old butler.’

I firmly grabbed his arm to prevent him from going to the old butler.

“Just leave it. He’s doing it because he’s worried about me.”

“Is he someone you know?”

“He used to work at the Belaste duchy.”

The old butler’s urging to return, saying Duke Belaste was waiting, was cruel but……

‘I know he’s worried about me. I warned him I won’t go, so it should be fine.’

Jade made a displeased expression and clicked his tongue.

“Larien. You’re too soft.”

The old butler glanced in my direction a few times before boarding a train that was about to depart on the opposite side.

“He’s gone now, so it’s fine.”

It’s not like the old butler was going to keep following us. Now that he was out of sight, it seemed to be over.

“But Jade. How far are you going to follow?”

“Didn’t I say earlier I’m going to Lekah? I’m going there.”

Jade answered as if wondering why I was asking such an obvious question.

“You’re following all the way to Lekah?”

I thought he would go back now that the misunderstanding about me running away was cleared up and we had reconciled.

Rather, he narrowed his eyes as if my answer was perplexing.

“Then…… are you telling me to go?”

“Jade, you have to work. You don’t need my help anymore now. Since you can see.”

“My head hurts so I can’t go. I want to go to Lekah and rest for a while too.”

Before I could stop him, Jade approached Blanche and gave her a piggyback ride.

He didn’t seem to have any intention of going back.

‘Who can stop him.’

Blanche was also happy that Jade gave her a piggyback ride after a long time. Blanche, who was thoroughly enjoying it, beckoned me to come quickly.

‘Oh well, what can I do. There’s still time until the memorial reception anyway.’

Since Jade had no reason to return immediately either, I also closed the distance and stood beside him.

It had been a few days since we arrived in Lekah by boat from Madelburg.

As soon as we finished lunch, drowsiness hit me, so I sent Blanche out with just Jade when she said let’s go out to play. I, who had been leaning on the sofa, changed my posture completely and lay down on my side.

‘Why am I so sleepy these days.’

Mary, who was cleaning the room, told me to go to bed and sleep.

“I’ll just sleep here.”

“Miss, it somehow feels like we’ve gone back to when we lived in Lekah. When you were pregnant with Blanche, you became very sleepy and always slept on this sofa.”

I shook my head, too lazy to even move for a moment.

Mary brought a blanket, covered me with it, and left the room.

‘That’s right. When I was pregnant with Blanche, I became very sleepy and always fell asleep right after eating……’

As I reminisced about the past in a state of drifting in and out of sleep, I became even more drowsy and my eyes closed.

‘Where am I?’

I was definitely sleeping on the sofa. Yet, when I opened my eyes, I was standing in the middle of the hill where Earl Boston’s grave was.

‘What is this? Did I develop sleepwalking like Jade?’

Startled for a moment, I hurriedly moved to return to the villa.

It was strange.

If I went down the hill just a little, the villa should have been visible right away, but no matter how much I walked, I couldn’t leave the same spot.

“Child.”

At that moment, I turned around at the sound of a kind voice.

There stood Earl Boston with his hands behind his back. Seeing Earl Boston’s face smiling benevolently, I realized.

That this was inside a dream.

Otherwise, Earl Boston, who was already dead, couldn’t be standing before my eyes.

“Uncle!”

Even though I knew better than anyone that this was a dream, I ran to him in one breath and hugged him.

Earl Boston, whom I was seeing after a long time, had good complexion and wasn’t coughing.

It was good even if it was a dream. Because he looked healthy and not sick.

“Uncle, have you been well? Are you not sick anywhere?”

Even though it was clearly an illusion, I asked about his well-being out of worry.

“I’m fine. Larien, you’re the one……”

Earl Boston stroked my back, then separated from me and stared at my stomach.

“Uncle, why are you doing that?”

“That bastard who’s not worth spitting on, this time again……”

“Uncle? What are you saying?”

He repeated incomprehensible words and put on a bitter smile.

“It’s nothing. I guess it couldn’t have been helped.”

Just as I couldn’t understand at all until now, Earl Boston placed his hand on my stomach.

“This is rather good. The family line of Boston will continue unbroken.”

“Family line?”

“There will be some hurdles until you meet this child. However, you must endure it. No matter how hard it gets, you mustn’t give up halfway.”

Earl Boston’s figure slowly blurred and then he disappeared.

“Uncle! Where are you!”

I didn’t even get to have a proper conversation. Out of needless regret, I was wandering around the hill looking for him when suddenly.

“My lady?”

Someone shook my body.

“Why are you sweating so much?”

“Aaron……?”

Aaron bent one knee, took out a handkerchief and wiped my forehead.

“……What’s the matter?”

“I came by briefly because I have something to report.”

I was going to listen to the report after finishing my nap. If I fell asleep again now, I might meet Earl Boston again.

But Aaron shook his head with a troubled face and fiddled with his glasses.

I had a feeling something had happened. Aaron’s expression didn’t seem right either.

“What happened?”

I rubbed my cheeks, trying to come to my senses.

“Duke and Duchess Belaste have come to the estate.”

“……What did you say?”

The sleep vanished at the people mentioned by Aaron.

“Why them? For what reason?”

“It seems they went to Earl Boston’s mansion first, but since you and Blanche weren’t there, they came all the way to the estate.”

“No, why……”

Did they come to see Blanche? No, Duke Belaste never came after I rejected his proposal to let him see Blanche.

‘There’s no way he would suddenly come to meet Blanche now. Even if that were the case, there’s no need to come all the way down to the estate when we’re not at the earl’s mansion……’

The day I met the old butler on the train passed through my mind.

“It can’t be.”

“Yes, they came to the estate and called out ‘Lady Larien’s’ name, looking for you.”

A headache came on at Aaron’s words. The old butler must have told Duke Belaste.

That I was alive.

“I don’t know how they found out, but they seemed certain that ‘Lady Larien’ was alive.”

I should have not ignored the old butler who was following me that day.

I should have at least threatened him that Duke Belaste wouldn’t stay still if he told him.

‘I was naive. I thought the old butler wouldn’t tell Duke Belaste.’

I could only sigh at the situation created by my oversight.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“I’m fine, Aaron. I’ll wipe it myself.”

Aaron reached out to me.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“……Jade?”

At that moment, Jade, who roughly opened the door, strode over and kicked Aaron away.