Blanche had been told she could come out when she felt better, but the chiming clock rang signaling the hour.

As the clock hands pointed to 8 pm, I worried about Blanche being hungry on an empty stomach.

‘She only ate cake during the day, so she must be hungry. What should I do?’

I went in with chicken soup that Blanche likes.

“Blanche, aren’t you hungry?”

“……”

“I made some chicken soup, would you like to try it?”

Blanche was in bed with the blanket pulled up over her head.

“Sweetie, are you still sleeping?”

Her breathing sounded strangely labored. I set down the bowl of chicken soup on the nightstand and pulled back the blanket.

“Blanche!”

Blanche’s forehead was burning hot and her cheeks were flushed red.

“Mama…?”

“Blanche, how long have you been like this, hm? You were fine earlier.”

I shouldn’t have left Blanche alone thinking nothing would happen.

I picked Blanche up and ran to the house of Rukah’s only doctor, knocking on the door.

I was out of breath from running non-stop, but there was no time to waste with Blanche limp in my arms.

“Viscountess? How did you come all the way here without calling for me…?”

The doctor came out, looking surprised.

“Blanche suddenly got a very high fever and became unresponsive.”

“First, try to calm down. Lay Blanche down.”

We went inside and I laid Blanche down, brushing aside her sweat-soaked hair.

The doctor examined her with a serious expression and gave her fever medicine.

“It seems she lost consciousness briefly due to the high fever. I’ve given her fever reducer, so she should be okay soon.”

“Thank goodness it’s just a simple fever.”

The doctor shook his head at my words.

“It’s not a simple fever. Have you seen the mark on Blanche’s shoulder?”

“…Mark?”

There was a complex vine-like mark prominently visible on Blanche’s shoulder.

“It seems Blanche has developed holy power.”

“H-holy power? Don’t holy power bearers usually have it innately from birth?”

“Certainly, I’ve never heard of a case like Blanche’s where it suddenly appears.”

I was shocked by the fact that Blanche had developed holy power.

“It seems she’s entered a depletion stage from being unable to control the suddenly manifested holy power.”

Holy power depletion. That was an important plot element in the original story.

Oscar and Erna’s first child, Prince Serendio, also died after going berserk from holy power depletion.

‘What if the same happens to Blanche?’

With a devastated heart, I brought Blanche back and laid her in bed.

“Viscountess! I heard you went to the doctor because of Blanche!”

The door burst open and Aaron came in.

“She’s sleeping now.”

After confirming Blanche was asleep, Aaron lowered his voice in relief.

“What exactly happened?”

“Blanche developed holy power, but it’s depleted because she can’t control it.”

“Her holy power is depleted?”

Aaron couldn’t hide his confusion at the sudden turn of events.

“…If she receives the Pope’s blessing, it can temporarily stop the depletion.”

I remembered that if Prince Serendio had received the Pope’s help, he wouldn’t have died.

“Viscountess. The Pope only stays at the Great Temple in Langransha.”

Aaron’s point was correct.

The problem was that the Great Temple where the Pope resides was in Langransha.

For me, Langransha was the place I had left behind, abandoning everything.

I had made up my mind when I fled after setting fire to the annex of the Belaste mansion.

That I would never return to Langransha.

But if that was the only way to save Blanche, I had to go to Langransha.

“I’ll go to the Great Temple in Langransha. I’ll leave for Agriche Port right away.”

“…Will you be alright? It’s too dangerous if things go wrong.”

Aaron’s concern in trying to dissuade me was valid.

There were too many dangerous elements in Langransha.

If it was discovered that I had been living in hiding as Diane, raising Jade’s child…

I knew truly terrible things would unfold.

Even so.

“It’s better than Blanche dying.”

I resolutely pushed away the horrifying scenes that flashed through my mind just from thinking about it.

“Don’t worry, Aaron. I’ll be careful and just go to the Great Temple and come right back.”

“…I’ll contact Earl Boston. You really must be extremely cautious.”

I couldn’t forget the day Blanche was first born and held my hand.

‘Your hand is still so small. Blanche, Mama can’t live without you.’

I gripped Blanche’s hand tightly.

“Miss, are you sure I shouldn’t come with you?”

“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”

“It will be cold in Langransha now. At least wear a winter robe.”

“Thanks, Mary. I’ll be back.”

I covered my face with the robe Mary handed me and boarded the ship to Langransha with the sleeping Blanche.

It had been 5 years since I left Langransha.

A quiet stillness settled in the dining room of the Rowe mansion.

“The, the foie gras is delicious. You should try some too, Marquis.”

Sharlin nervously addressed Jade sitting across from her.

“…No thank you.”

Though polite enough, it was a clear rejection.

As if the time spent with her was bothersome, Jade coldly surveyed the food.

“Marquis, you really won’t open up to me at all.”

Sharlin expressed her disappointment at having her carefully mustered proposal dismissed.

He still showed not a shred of interest.

Jade Rowe.

It had been quite some time since their engagement.

The engagement talks with Jade first came up when Sharlin’s father, Earl Winst, was considering investing in Rowe’s business.

Sharlin fell for Jade at first sight.

His beautiful silver hair like melted moonlight and ruby-red eyes were like a meticulously crafted statue.

Sharlin desperately wanted to be engaged to Jade.

However, Marquis Rowe said he didn’t need the investment and nullified the engagement.

He wouldn’t meet with Sharlin no matter how many times she visited.

A sufficiently prestigious family. Looks that easily garnered marriage proposals from eligible men.

Only Jade treated Sharlin so coldly, wounding her pride.

Just as Sharlin was about to give up on him, she heard from Earl Winst that she would be engaged to Jade.

Of course, it wasn’t an engagement that reflected Jade’s wishes.

It was a matter unilaterally decided by Rowe’s elder, Grand Duke Usith, while Jade was in seclusion.

Jade was furious at Grand Duke Usith for proceeding with the engagement without permission and tried to break it off with Sharlin.

Not wanting to break off the engagement with him, Sharlin went to Jade and tearfully pleaded.

She didn’t want the label of having been the Marquis Rowe’s fiancée for just a week.

Whether swayed by her persuasion to break off in 4 years, he maintained the engagement, but Jade treated Sharlin with a lack of sincerity at every meal.

He drew the line each time, not even allowing her to call him by name.

This was all because of Larien, the Belaste princess.

‘Butler. How is my brother? His meal?’

‘He hasn’t touched it. He hasn’t come out since Lady Belaste passed away.’

She had overheard Ayla and the butler’s conversation about how Jade had lost the will to live after Larien’s death.

‘Why can’t he forget a woman who’s already dead?’

Sharlin didn’t want to break off the engagement with him.

If they had never been engaged at all it would be different, but Jade was already Sharlin’s man.

She couldn’t lose him to Larien who had been dead for so long.

“Lady Winst.”

“…Yes, Marquis.”

“The 4-year period you promised is almost up, so please prepare for the dissolution of our engagement without any issues.”

Sharlin despaired at Jade’s still cold demeanor.

“M-Marquis. I… I don’t want to break off the engagement. Of course, I said that at first. I asked you to maintain the engagement for just a little while…!”

4 years.

It was a time limit she had set thinking she could capture him.

‘Even if he didn’t love me, I thought we’d just have the wedding if he didn’t have anyone else…’

Jade still had breaking off the engagement in mind.

“I think maintaining the engagement until now is enough to fulfill your request.”

Sharlin’s hands trembled at his cynical tone.

“I’ll be a really good wife. I’ll do my part as the lady of Rowe and be of help to you. Please…!”

Sharlin touched Jade’s gloved hand and desperately pleaded.

“I don’t need you.”

Jade sharply brushed off Sharlin’s hand. The back of her hand stung painfully.

“…Then will you keep the position of Marchioness Rowe vacant? If you join with the Winst family, it will be much more comfortable for you!”

“The welfare of Rowe is not your concern. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Left alone in the dining room, Sharlin threw the dishes in front of her.

“Not only does he ignore me every time, but he even insults me like this?”

There were two reasons she wanted to marry Jade.

She wanted to escape her father who kept pressing her about winning Jade’s heart and her scornful Sorority peers.

And…

Because of another man’s seed conceived through a momentary mistake.

Sharlin placed her hand on her belly where new life was growing.

‘Somehow, I need to marry Marquis Rowe before spring comes… He doesn’t even want to touch me briefly.’

There wasn’t much time left if she wanted to pass off the baby in her womb as Jade’s child.

She was desperate after Jade’s notification to prepare for breaking off the engagement.