As soon as she got out of the carriage, Blanche ran out.

“Mom! Where did you go leaving Shu Shu behind?”

She was quite upset because I had gone out while she was asleep.

“My baby, did you play well? Have you eaten?”

I gently pinched and shook her chubby cheeks.

“I already ate with Mary.”

“Is that so? Let’s go inside quickly.”

“But mom, are you hurt somewhere?”

Blanche was worried about me limping.

“It’s alright. My leg is just a bit numb.”

Not wanting to let her know I had injured my ankle, I made up another excuse.

“Mom! Shu Shu will support you! Just trust Shu Shu!”

Blanche held my hand and took one step at a time.

‘Whose daughter is she to be this lovely.’

The pain disappeared completely thanks to Blanche’s considerate behavior of going very slowly.

“Blanche, just a moment.”

“Mom?”

I hugged Blanche and put my ear to her heart.

Thump, thump, thump.

I could hear her heartbeat at a steady pace.

‘It’s beating well.’

Blanche was now 4 years old.

‘The child who was healthy until yesterday suddenly fell ill.’

It was still far from the age of 8 winters when Yenitid reportedly died.

Still, I was anxious after seeing the medical journal.

Afraid that she might collapse suddenly like Yenitid, her heart slowing down, and then breathe her last.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Blanche, can you take a deep breath and exhale for me?”

Blanche puffed up her chest with all her might, inhaled air, and then exhaled.

“Phew!”

I placed my hand on Blanche’s heart.

“Does it hurt here? Does it feel like there’s something there?”

“Shu Shu doesn’t hurt.”

Fortunately, the gem must be still small, so she doesn’t feel it yet.

‘Jade said he brought the watch, so it should be fine.’

Jade, who had secretly followed Larien, was watching from nearby.

The corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily at the sight of Blanche walking while supporting her.

Larien had a complex expression as she put her ear to Blanche’s heart.

‘Is it because of what was written in the medical journal?’

He stopped watching them and transformed into a wolf.

‘I should hurry to Ayla.’

He ran across the snowy mountains, which was a shortcut to Salome Castle.

Although the accumulated snow had melted, the terrain of the snowy mountains was still treacherous.

“…!”

The thorns of Clementine, a poisonous plant, grazed his neck.

It stung slightly, but he had already developed immunity from eating Clementine before.

It wasn’t life-threatening, so he moved on without delay.

The chances of Blanche surviving in these snowy mountains, where even he had to move carefully, were slim.

‘It’s fortunate that Larien found the records left by Wales Rowe.’

There were several blood relatives who had died in the same way as Wales Rowe’s only daughter.

If only they had discovered it earlier…

His speed slowed as he became lost in thought.

He resumed running, his silver mane fluttering.

Soon, Salome Castle came into view.

He returned to human form and looked around Salome Castle.

‘It’s been a while.’

He hadn’t visited Salome Castle, where he used to come every summer, since his parents passed away.

It felt somewhat unfamiliar.

He tidied his disheveled hair and touched his neck.

Dark blood stained with poison came off on his hand.

He frowned at the stinging sensation.

“Elder brother?”

Ayla, who had been walking around with Viscount Lumiere, approached from afar.

“Why do I see my elder brother? Is something wrong with my eyes?”

Ayla thought the Jade in front of her was a hallucination.

“Ayla. I think it really is the Marquis.”

“…Elder brother? Why are you here? Did something happen at home?”

Viscount Lumiere, who recognized Jade first, bowed his head.

Ayla was startled and jumped up dramatically.

“Sorry to interrupt your rest. I have something to tell Ayla, could you give us a moment alone?”

“Yes, please speak comfortably.”

“What could it be that you’re sending even my husband away?”

Ayla whispered, glancing at Viscount Lumiere as he went inside.

“Blanche is my daughter.”

Without the luxury of explaining calmly, he got straight to the point.

“…What? No, elder brother. Wait, what did you say?”

“Have you gone deaf already?”

“Is that true? That Blanche is your daughter?”

Even though it wasn’t particularly incomprehensible, Ayla asked again with a dumbfounded expression.

“You were the one who said she looked like me and might be my daughter, why are you so surprised?”

“Well, I did suspect it! But I couldn’t find any information, and… When did you find out? Are you sure?”

“I saw wolf ears appear on her. But, she can’t transform.”

“She only manifests wolf traits but can’t transform? What about the gem?”

Ayla’s face turned pale at the subsequent explanation.

“That’s actually why I came. Apparently, if she swallows someone else’s gem, it can cause a reaction and be expelled.”

Jade extended his hand and beckoned.

“Father’s pocket watch, you have it, right? Give it to me so we can extract the gem.”

Ayla lowered her head.

“…It’s gone.”

“Did you leave it at the Marquis’ residence?”

Jade sighed, thinking he might have come for nothing.

“I… I lost it, but I couldn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d be angry…”

He rubbed his forehead as he looked at the restless Ayla.

Long ago, their mother’s gem had shattered. Without their father’s gem…

He would have to give his own sapphire gem.

Of course, the difficulty breathing he had mentioned to Larien was only a small part of the symptoms.

The one time he had removed it briefly, his entire body had lost strength and he had nearly died.

It would probably be the same this time, but there was no other choice.

“Elder brother, at least give this to Blanche.”

Ayla took off her earrings and pressed them into his hand.

The emerald sprinkled with verdant hues was Ayla’s gem.

“Ayla, don’t you know how dangerous it is to not have your gem…”

Ayla cut him off, her eyes welling up.

“Then what should we do? Blanche might die because of me. If only I hadn’t lost the watch at the tailor shop…”

Her eyes had reddened in that short moment.

“You lost it at the tailor shop?”

“The day before the wedding, I went to a private room to try on the dress. I took it off for a moment and left it behind when I came out, but when I went back, it was gone.”

Perhaps the person who used the private room after Ayla, or an employee of the tailor shop, had taken the pocket watch.

Resta Tailor Shop was a place he owned. It wouldn’t be difficult to get cooperation in finding the pocket watch.

‘I should go look right away.’

He handed Ayla’s earrings back to her as he prepared to go to the tailor shop.

“Elder brother…? Where are you going?”

“To the tailor shop.”

“I’ll go with you!”

He stopped Ayla as she wiped away her tears and tried to follow.

“Don’t follow me, stay here.”

“But still…”

“I’ll contact you when I find the watch.”

Ayla hunched her shoulders and mumbled.

“Alright, but you must contact me right away. If you really can’t find it, I’m really okay…”

“Okay.”

“Elder brother, on your neck, isn’t that Clementine? Did you come through the snowy mountains?”

Ayla noticed the scratch on Jade’s neck as she examined him and took out a handkerchief.

“You know I’m immune to Clementine. It’s nothing.”

“Even so! Be careful!”

Jade turned around and left Salome Castle, using the handkerchief to staunch the bleeding on his neck.

‘I told Larien I’d be back in an hour.’

Having been delayed much longer than he said, he hurried down the snowy mountains.

Resta Tailor Shop.

“Marquis Rowe…?”

The madam, who had been attending to another customer, quickly rushed over to Jade, leaving the customer to an employee.

“Madam. I heard my younger sister lost a pocket watch in the private room the day before her wedding.”

“Yes, I heard about it and looked for it, but it wasn’t there… The employees said they haven’t seen it either…”

The madam bowed deeply with a humble posture.

If it wasn’t the employees, it must have been one of the people who used the private room.

Jade noticed a phonograph operating in the private room.

“What’s this phonograph for?”

“We placed it there for decoration, but it’s been running continuously.”

“Play the phonograph recordings from the day after Ayla’s visit.”

There was a possibility that the voice of the person who took the pocket watch was recorded on the phonograph.

“Well, Marquis. That contains personal and sensitive information, so we don’t usually check it…”

The madam trailed off, lacking confidence.

“What if I waive the rent for three months?”

The madam’s face lit up.

She had already calculated the benefits of not paying rent for three months.

“In that case, I’ll play only the time after the young lady’s visit.”

As the madam operated the phonograph, crackling sounds were followed by voices.

“Madam, I hear you have fabric imported from Relsio? Please use that to make my daughter’s debutante dress.”

A conversation requesting a debutante dress for a daughter.

“Father, please take me to the riding grounds!”

“You’re still too young, it’s dangerous. I said no.”

A conversation of a father restraining his son throwing a tantrum.

None of it was related to the pocket watch.

‘What a waste of time.’

Just as he was about to leave the private room.

“Hey, what’s that fallen there? Bring it here.”

The voice of Earl Winst, Sharlin’s father, played.

“It seems to be a pocket watch. Could it belong to the tailor shop?”

“No, I’ve seen Marquis Rowe with this before. I was wondering how to get back at that bastard, this is perfect.”