“The master seems to be late.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

I read Baker’s letter as if flaunting it. More precisely, it was a letter imitating his handwriting. The timely delivery of the letter carrying regards was meant to hide the fact that something happened to him and to buy time.

But that couldn’t last long. There was a limit to imitating the letter.

After folding the last letter and putting it into the envelope, I turned my head.

Looking at the time, it was about time for the awaited news. And it was just a few moments after the cuckoo clock announced the hour. The outside became noisy.

“Madam, something big has happened!”

“What happened?”

“There’s been an accident.”

“An accident? What kind of accident?”

“W-well, that…”

The servant who rushed over stopped speaking and looked at me. More precisely, it was my belly hidden under a blanket.

I quickly swallowed my breath and focused my eyes.

“I’m fine, tell me.”

“His Excellency had an accident on the way back to the mansion.”

“…What did you say?”

“It seems that the ground weakened due to continuous rain. The cliff collapsed, and debris and soil poured down.”

“M-Madam! No, no! No! First, a doctor! Get a doctor quickly!”

I trembled, covering my mouth like hearing the news for the first time.

The steward hurriedly grabbed me trying to fall backward, making me lean on the backrest relatively easily because I was sitting on a chair.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t easily calm my shocked chest and breathed roughly.

I knew well how I should look right now.

“What about the search operation?”

“We are doing our best, but the rain continues, causing continuous delays.”

“…”

“I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”

“…No.”

I looked down at the window and lowered my head weakly. The dry body made it easy to mimic the appearance of a wife who lost her husband with a slight movement.

For a while, pretending to look at the pouring rain, I observed the faces reflected on the window glass.

In the faces of the servants whom I thought were just standing, various emotions were mixed, but the most visible gaze was the sympathy for me and the anxiety about Crayton’s future.

Pulling up the thick shawl to my shoulders, I turned my body carefully. Along with that, the gazes watching me hastily fell below.

“Prepare a place in his office.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s been over a week since he went missing. Everyone is already looking at Crayton with a certain look.”

“B-but…”

“Crayton has to continue, in any way possible.”

A look of confusion briefly appeared in the steward’s eyes, but it was momentary. His gaze was on the belly I was holding.

In a fleeting moment, I read the thoughts reflected on the faces of the servants.

The only one who could be considered the successor to Crayton now was the child in my belly.
“Then whose orders should we follow now?”

In a short moment, glances quickly exchanged, and soon the steward stepped forward.

“You shouldn’t overexert yourself.”

“As long as Crayton can still demonstrate his well-being, it should be enough. Just until he returns.”

How many people here believed that Baker would come back in this situation? Like the uncertain weather, there seemed to be no one with hopeful thoughts.

At this time, the rain falling from the empire was especially prone to accidents, and those who safely returned were rare.

I stood up, protecting my belly as if flaunting it.

To use an unborn child, or to be honest, a child that couldn’t even be born, to secure Crayton’s position wasn’t an easy task.

Crayton was a tempting prey, deeply entwined with the prince who Baker had followed. In a situation where Baker’s safety was threatened, the prince had no choice but to try to take care of his own interests. It was dangerous.

But thinking in the opposite direction, this was an opportunity.

Crayton was too massive to secretly swallow. Moreover, just leaving him alone was too tempting.

Even the prince who was desperately trying to preserve his life might have to step forward when necessary. Losing Crayton on top of the weakening foundation would truly be a difficult situation.

‘If so, this might be better.’

I touched my belly.

Of course, I couldn’t feel anything even if I did.

“I knew this would happen someday. Crayton has had times when it was hard to distinguish between the front and back when it mattered.”

“…”

“Of course, I also have responsibility for that.”

Felt lightly laughed. The white face seen through the transparent glass looked very calm, as if he had heard good news, even creating an illusion.

But those who had seen him for a long time knew.

Felt always had that expression. Whether he was in a bad mood or a good mood, he always wore a faint smile on his lips and spoke in a graceful tone, like whispering poetry.

It looked as if the etiquette manual of the empire had been pasted directly onto him. It was so perfect that it felt unbearable and didn’t make him seem like a human being.

“What should we do?”

“Well.”

Although he answered vaguely, the answer was already there.