“I’ll refer to past records for preparation.”

“I’ll make sure you can review them starting tomorrow.”

As Blair was concluding her conversation with Mason, the approaching footsteps were occasionally heard. It was Meli.

“Madam, Her Imperial Highness, the Queen, has summoned you.”

It was an unexpected piece of news.

“Any news yet?”

In the first meeting with her daughter after the marriage, Katrina’s first question was about the news of pregnancy.

It was not a surprising story for Blair. After all, that’s how a mother naturally is.

Blair responded calmly, “No, not yet.”

“Are you two having regular conjugal relations?”

“Yes.”

Katrina lifted a moderately cold teacup as if calculating her luck.

“Men are foolish creators who can only see the immediate reality. They won’t understand fear until they have a child hanging on their neck. Even if it’s a child tied around their neck, they won’t know how to escape it.”

The subject of that statement is Herdine.

Having lived as her daughter for twenty years, Blair sensed that she wasn’t saying such things without any reason.

Now, she became curious.
What could the two remaining individuals have talked about during Katrina’s birthday banquet?

“What’s the matter?”

“I heard you’ve been meeting Lady Lorelei regularly these days?”

Blair, holding a teacup, paused.

Originally, she had no intention of hiding the issue. It wasn’t something to be avoided. It was just a matter that had to be addressed and moved on from at some point.

However, knowing that it was a sensitive topic for Katrina, she chose not to reveal it unnecessarily.

“Are you considering hypnosis too?”

Knowing that Lady Lorelei has not yet attempted hypnosis meant knowing the progress of the counseling sessions. And to understand that progress, someone must have been planted in the ducal house.

“… Did you send someone?”

“Because I’m worried about you. How would I know if the Duke mistreats you?”

Katrina showed no effort to conceal her probing into the ducal house. Instead, she was assertive. As always, under the pretext of a mother’s love.

It was even more bitter to feel the unwavering sincerity in her eyes.

‘The one who worries about her daughter so much – in the past life, did she see and hear how isolated her daughter was in the ducal house, yet chose to leave her alone?’

The dormant resentment surfaced like a night-blooming cereus hidden in the quilt, unexpectedly poking out.

Blair suppressed her emotions with the feeling of swallowing that warm night-blooming cereus.

Putting down the teacup she held at her throat, Katrina spoke.
“Tell her to stop. It’s unpleasant to cast doubts on your mother like this.”

“I’m not doubting my mother. I’m just reexamining the unclear aspects from back then.”

“I’m doubting the testimonies I gave, aren’t I?”

Katrina’s voice gradually intensified. She closed her eyes as if enduring the urge to scream and opened them again.

“I’m tired of this. It’s dreadful. How long do I have to be tormented by the ghost of that crazy woman who died ten years ago?”

“Mother.”

“What changes by uncovering that now? Does it bring the dead woman back to life?”

“…”

“That woman is dead! She was so crazy with jealousy and took medication for neurosis, died while trying to vent her anger on you.”

Blair silently watched Katrina, who was boiling with rage, just by recalling Esmeralda.

She, too, had lived her entire life under suspicion from Herdin and the ducal retainers regarding Esmeralda’s death.

Knowing this, she didn’t want to casually doubt Katrina, especially when it came to suspicions about her birth mother.

Above all, she was afraid—afraid of doubting her birth mother.

On that day ten years ago, Katrina went to Gerard herself to seek help. She, who never visited anyone, went late at night. Only for the sake of saving Blair.

Through that incident, Blair realized that even she, who always prioritized herself, was ultimately Gerard’s daughter.
Ivan and Blair. If someone had to give up one of them, it would be ruthless to abandon Blair, but still, Katrina’s heart at that time was undoubtedly sincere in wanting to save her daughter.

So, it seemed that after that incident, she became even more entwined with Katrina’s love.

Still, Mother loves me.

Based on that hope and affection.

She sincerely believed that.

No matter how much her mother treated her like a trophy, even if she used her daughter as a pawn for her son, she believed that her mother wouldn’t go so far as to exploit her daughter’s life.

But when she saw Katrina, who was reluctant and fearful of recovering her memories, long-suppressed suspicions resurfaced.

“Mother. If that’s the truth, what’s so frightening about it?”

Katrina’s eyes were filled with various emotions as they faced each other. Anger, betrayal, surprise, and… fear.

Reading those emotions, Blair added, “Please don’t oppress me anymore, Mother.”

“…”

“Really, if you truly considered me your daughter.”

In Blair’s eyes as she looked at Katrina, there was a determined resolve, along with a hint of sadness.

She was still afraid of what might be behind the veil of truth.

However, this time, she wasn’t planning to run away.