“Just now. We came because we missed our Blanche. What were you doing?”

“I was playing blocks with Mary. Auntie, come join us too.”

“Shall I?”

Ayla and Blanche were busy sharing their joy at seeing each other.

Somehow feeling it difficult to join in between them, Jade carefully brought over a potted plant from the windowsill.

Cautiously placing it on the desk so as not to drop and break it on the floor.

‘It was always here, I thought you were just cherishing and growing it.’

Gently rubbing the orange fruits, careful not to burst them.

Until he knew the effects of this fruit, a long-held guilt had slumbered in Jade’s heart.

That guilt had arisen since childhood when he believed his father lost his sight because of him. So he never mentioned his situation to Blanche.

He didn’t want her to eat away at herself thinking she had blinded her father like that. Even if it meant reducing time spent with the child, he thoroughly hid that he couldn’t see.

‘Still, to think he was recovering his sight with this.’

It was fortunate.

Though not all the guilt towards his father was washed away, he could at least unburden some of the guilt he had always carried.

At last his heavy shoulders felt lighter.

Because Blanche was saved, because he learned of the fruit that restored his father’s sight.

This was all thanks to Blanche.

Until recently, he had been self-deprecating that it was only natural Blanche didn’t follow him since he hadn’t given her affection.

That he never wanted it in the first place.

‘…Because of that I fought with Larien, and thought she would resent me when her memories returned.’

In fact, when Larien’s memories returned, she said little besides a brief scolding.

So he could think about it carefully.

‘Do I really love Blanche.’

It was still difficult to say that word aloud.

Nevertheless, when he heard the news that the child had disappeared, his insides were burning up.

He repeated many times, praying she would just be safe.

The moment she ran to him calling “Papa” and relied on him was overwhelming.

Could there be anyone else besides Blanche who could give him those earlier emotions?

There wasn’t.

In the end, Jade had to admit it.

That he had been deliberately denying it because the sight of hoping and then being disappointed was unsightly.

“Young lord, young lord.”

As if knowing he was thinking about her, Blanche approached just then.

Blanche pulled the corners of her mouth up, making her eyes crescent-shaped.

Though her face was still blurry, he recognized her right away because she resembled Larien.

Since childhood, Larien would make that expression when trying to be clever.

“Shu Shu heard everything. You’re trying to lie to Mama. But don’t worry. My mouth can be easily shut if you give me what I want.”

It wasn’t time to breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn’t Larien.

He had overlooked something.

Blanche was Larien’s daughter, and at the same time his child.

‘What does she want? Money? Jewels?’

He didn’t mind giving money and jewels, even adding a building on top. After all, what was his would soon be Blanche’s possession.

It was all planned to be inherited by Blanche someday.

“Shu Shu’s mouth can be shut with 3 macarons. How about it? If 3 is too much, you can give 2 today and 1 tomorrow.”

However, the words that came out of Blanche’s mouth were completely unexpected.

3 macarons. Simple and trivial.

It was Larien trying to be clever, and Jade negotiating to get what he wanted.

Laughter naturally burst out at the confident demand of a being that was half of each of them mixed together.

‘She really likes macarons. No wonder she’s Larien’s daughter. If you offered her a box of macarons, she’d follow anyone and agree to marry them.’

Didn’t she immediately accept the proposal of that arrogant Estufe prince she met on the ship?

“Shu Shu wants to eat macarons. Papa.”

When he was momentarily lost in thought and not concentrating, Blanche called him by a title that forced him to snap back to attention.

Indeed cunning. Who did she take after for this?

“Ayla. Go find some macarons.”

Jade said, gesturing to Ayla with his chin.

“Hehe I’m so excited! Young lord is the best!”

Why “young lord” again?

‘Larien said not to call me Papa just anywhere because someone might hear, but.’

Setting that aside, she immediately took back what she wanted once she got it.

“Auntie, Auntie do you like macarons too?”

Moreover, Ayla had been calling her “Auntie” the whole time.

“Very much. Let’s go eat them with milk. Blanche.”

For some inexplicable feeling of emptiness, Jade stared at the backs of the Rowes leaving the office hand in hand.

Lumiere who was originally a Rowe.

Boston who was also a Rowe.

Ayla would become a Rowe again if she divorced, but not Blanche.

Unless Larien allows it, people don’t know that Blanche is a Rowe.

Larien doesn’t want to reveal the fact that Blanche is his daughter, even while getting married.

Does she not want Blanche to become a Rowe?

Or is she reluctant because she would have to become a Rowe first for that to happen?

‘Blanche has already accepted me as her father, and our relationship isn’t bad.’

Even if Larien just asked him to be kind to Blanche like now, how long could this situation be maintained?

A relationship that was nothing, where they could abandon each other and run away at any time.

It was just a slow escape in progress because Blanche was in between. Though it didn’t show on the surface, the distance that would eventually grow apart was evident.

“Jade. What are you doing with the door open?”

“…Larien?”

A calm voice tinged with puzzlement.

This time it really was Larien who entered.

The days when he lost his sight and everything before his eyes was pitch black.

Jade despaired more at not being able to see Larien in the future than at not being able to see.

‘But now, I can see Larien’s color.’

Light brown. Sea blue mixed with purple.

“Jade. Do you know who I saw when I was leaving Retan prison?”

“Did that Sharlin woman escape or something?”

Seeing her furrowed brow as if something serious had happened, he felt like teasing her.

“Don’t joke. Jade.”

Larien sighed in disgust.

“Who did you see that’s making you like this?”

This time he asked obediently at her reaction.

“Grand Duke Usith.”

Jade chewed on his displeasure at the identity of the person who came from Larien’s lips.

“…Are you sure?”

“Yes. I bumped into Grand Duke Usith and saw him. He was hurriedly entering the tower wearing a robe.”

Not only encountering Grand Duke Usith, but even bumping into him – his mood plummeted to the worst.

“Jade. Why would Grand Duke Usith come? He didn’t come to see Sharlin, did he?”

“…I don’t know about that. He could have come to meet someone else, and even if he came to see Sharlin… we don’t know the reason.”

Jade gestured for Larien to come closer.

He sat Larien on the desk in front of him and touched her face to check.

“Jade….. What are you doing right now?”

“Stay still. Since I can’t see directly, I have to know like this.”

When he made the excuse that he couldn’t see, Larien stayed obediently.

Indeed, it was better to hide the fact that his vision was recovering for as long as he could conceal it.

“I’m not bread dough. Stop touching me.”

Larien started to protest as she reached her limit and got down from the desk.

While touching her, the emotions that had been dirtied by Grand Duke Usith subsided.

Sharlin Winst, no. She’s not even a Winst anymore. Sharlin scratched the floor in humiliation.

Her dirty nails felt unfamiliar. She had always lived a life where they were kept smooth and long, but now they were short and stubby…

Though there was no direct physical labor being confined here, she had fallen to a position no different from the maids who used to serve her.

Sharlin felt wronged.

Besides bringing the child in a fit of anger and keeping her confined, what crime had she committed so greatly?

If she had known it would be like this, she should have just sold the young child to a place that collects slaves.

Then she wouldn’t feel so wronged now.

This was all because of Diane, that woman.

Diane, who had clearly come to mock her, called her Sharlin Winst and then corrected herself saying she wasn’t a Winst anymore.

It was definitely something she said deliberately with intent.

She dared to look down on her and judge her.

Even when she threw away her pride and begged prostrate, Diane didn’t even spare her a glance.

She couldn’t say anything even when receiving such insults from Diane, whom she had always thought was beneath her.

“Lady Winst.”

…Who is it?

Now that she had been expelled from the family, there was no one who would call her that.

Sharlin, who was struggling to open her eyes, startled in surprise.

“Your Grace… Grand Duke Usith?”

Standing in front of the iron bars was Grand Duke Usith.

He bent down without taking off his robe.

This was the first time she had seen Grand Duke Usith since that day. After all, she had received Jade’s help to give birth to avoid him.

“Quiet.”

She felt suffocated by Grand Duke Usith’s oppressive atmosphere.

“Why… did you come here?”

Sharlin barely managed to exhale, sputtering. It may be a pitiful sight, but she wanted to live even if she had to do that. She didn’t want to rot away here for life.

“I heard from Lady Winst.”

“…”

“That you gave birth to a son.”

…Mother knew that Sharlin’s child was of Grand Duke Usith’s bloodline.

So Grand Duke Usith must have already heard.

Sharlin was afraid that Grand Duke Usith might harm her son.

“I will get you out of here. I will also raise your son as a legitimate heir.”

“Is, is that true?”

Her father had disowned her, and her mother had abandoned her.

The unexpected biological father of her son was offering help.

Why?

“In exchange, you must grant me one favor.”

“A favor… you say.”

Sharlin swallowed dryly. What kind of favor could it be?

To come all the way here and propose such tempting conditions.

“Jade Rowe. Killing my nephew.”

Grand Duke Usith whispered in a chilling voice.