“Goodbye, teacher!”

“See you next week, Harriet.”

After sending off the last child, the school became quiet.

The sudden silence that replaced the bustling atmosphere just moments ago felt somewhat lonely, when movement was felt in her belly.

Blair chuckled and stroked her stomach.

“That’s right, I’m not alone anymore.”

A few days ago, right after the kidnapping incident, worried that the shock might have affected the baby, she called for a doctor first, but fortunately, the child was fine.

It seemed that the baby had inherited its father’s innate toughness, making her somewhat grateful to Herdin.

Since that day, the baby’s movements had become more frequent.

Perhaps it was because the baby’s movements had become more pronounced as it grew, but Blair found it endearing and admirable, as if the child was trying to ease her worries.

After catching her breath while gently caressing her belly in response to the baby’s movements, Blair stood up and began tidying up the classroom.

Just then, with a knock, a large man entered. He slightly bowed his head in courtesy and then silently began helping to clean up the classroom.

He was the person Mikhail had assigned to guard her after the kidnapping incident.

“Thank you.”

The kidnapper had not been caught.

Mikhail wanted her to leave immediately, but they decided to stay here until the kidnapper’s identity was revealed. Contrary to his concerns, it could have been a simple break-in robbery. There were also rumors of burglars in the town recently.

It was fortunate for Blair, who had grown attached to this city over the past month or so.

“It seems we’re done cleaning up now, let’s head back.”

As Blair was about to leave the classroom with the man, hurried footsteps were heard approaching from outside.

Soon, the classroom door burst open from the outside, and a child rushed in.

“Teacher!”

“…Alisa?”

It was the child whose hair Blair had tied a few days ago.

The child, who was about to stride into the classroom, hesitated upon seeing the man standing next to Blair.

“Teacher’s boyfriend…?”

Blair smiled and explained.

“No, he’s a friend of a friend. He’s here to help for a bit.”

“Ah, I see.”

“But why did you come back?”

“I forgot that I promised to do a card reading for you last time!”

Only then did Blair remember that the child had promised to do a card reading for her a few days ago.

Blair glanced at the man, who nodded slightly as if to say it was okay, and took a step back.

Blair sat down at the desk facing the child. The child skillfully shuffled the cards she had brought and asked,

“Teacher, is there anything you want to ask the cards?”

“What kind of things can I ask?”

“Um, like fortune in wealth or love? Or we can just look at your general fortune.”

Her demeanor was quite professional, which made Blair smile. With a smile on her face, Blair readily answered,

“You can read whatever you’d like to see.”

“Then let’s go with a general fortune reading.”

The child spread out the well-shuffled cards in front of Blair.

“Now, think about your fortune and carefully choose a card.”

Blair looked at the cards before her with slightly tense eyes. She was becoming sincere about the card reading she had agreed to in response to the child’s kindness.

“I’ll choose this card.”

After careful consideration, Blair selected one card.

The child flipped the card with a rather serious expression. It was a card with an image that looked like a clock or a wheel in the center.

The child’s eyes narrowed upon seeing it. Blair, watching the child, cautiously asked,

“Is it a bad card?”

“Well… It could be, or it might not be.”

“What does that mean?”

“This card is called ‘The Wheel of Fortune.’ It signifies change, turning points, and new beginnings.”

“Change…”

“That change could have a good meaning, or it could have a bad meaning.”

“If it’s a bad meaning, is there no way to change that fate?”

“You can’t avoid the approaching fate, but you can change it! That’s up to you, teacher.”

“Hmm.”

“But don’t worry too much.”

The child added with a reassuring smile.

“I’m sure you have the power to change that fate, teacher.”

It was quite a professional encouragement.

* * *

October, when the harvest festival was held, was the busiest month of the year for the people of Nerha.

The lord who managed Nerha and the servants residing in his mansion were no exception. This year was especially hectic.

Thanks to the esteemed guest who was scheduled to visit during this time.

“Come on, scrub it until there’s not a speck of dust to be seen.”

Raymond, the lord of Nerha, who had just finished preparing to welcome the guest, was giving instructions to the maids cleaning the corridor.

Two weeks ago, the Duke of Delmark’s side had expressed their wish to ‘visit quietly so as not to disrupt the festival atmosphere, since it’s the harvest season’ in response to Raymond’s invitation.

Raymond had just finished preparing to welcome Herdin without the knowledge of the domain’s residents, in accordance with that intention.

Walking down the corridor, he arrived at a door and knocked.

“Betty, may I come in?”

His voice was quite different from when he was instructing the maids.

Soon, a maid opened the door. Entering the room, he saw his daughter Beatrice, who had just finished dressing up.

“Oh, my daughter! You look especially lovely today.”

Raymond was satisfied with his daughter’s dressed-up appearance.

After all, the gift he was going to present to the esteemed guest visiting today was his well-raised daughter.

‘They say the Duchess ran away with another man.’

Whether he loved the Duchess or not, his heartache must be great. At times like this, it’s easy to win someone’s heart by exploiting their loneliness.

The Duke of Delmark not only possessed wealth surpassing the Ardel Imperial Family, but he was also a war hero with formidable military power.

If Beatrice were to please him and secure the vacant position of Duchess, it would mean gaining influence not only over the Libren domain, which shared a border, but also over the northern part of the Empire.

But Beatrice was displeased with his plan.

“Dad. Do I really have to make a good impression on that person? Even if he’s a Duke of the Empire, he’s a married man, isn’t he?”

“He’ll soon be divorced from the Duchess, so he’ll be single again, won’t he?”

“What does it matter if he’s divorced? Then I’d be becoming a second wife.”

Beatrice grumbled.

Her father, who seemed to love her more than anyone else in the world, had only managed to find her a position as a second wife. And to a man whose wife had run away with another man, at that.

She was still upset about her father’s decision to push her towards such a man for his own gain.

Raymond tried to soothe Beatrice.

“Still, I hear the Duke is an exceptionally handsome man. Seeing that everyone who has seen his face, a hundred out of a hundred, says so, it doesn’t seem to be just empty words.”

Beatrice didn’t argue further with his words, but she didn’t seem to fully believe Raymond’s words either.

She had heard rumors that the Duke of Delmark was handsome. However, Beatrice was skeptical of those rumors.

‘Isn’t it just a false rumor created out of fear, because he’s a war hero?’

If he was as handsome as the rumors claimed, why would the Duchess have run away with another man?

Just as Beatrice was questioning those rumors, a butler rushed in with news.

“My Lord, Young Miss. The Duke of Delmark has arrived.”

Upon hearing the news, Raymond and Beatrice hurried down to the entrance to welcome Herdin.

Soon, a carriage that had passed through the mansion’s main gate came to a stop in front of the entrance, and the awaited guest alighted.

The moment she saw his face, an interesting light appeared in Beatrice’s eyes, which until then had been unable to hide her indifferent expression.

The man who walked up and stood before her was more handsome than any man she had ever met in her life. No, he was beautiful. He was a man to whom that word perfectly applied.

She revised her earlier thoughts.

‘The Duchess of Delmark must have been out of her mind. To run away with another man, leaving behind such a man.’

The rumor that had been unwelcome now seemed like a stroke of luck for her.

Beatrice, who had been absently admiring Herdin’s face, snapped back to reality upon hearing Raymond’s greeting.

“You must have had a tiring journey, Your Grace. I am Raymond, the lord of this Nerha. It is an honor to receive you.”

“It’s a pleasure, Lord.”

“Ah, this is my daughter.”

Beatrice followed suit and paid her respects.

“Thank you for your esteemed visit. I am Beatrice.”

Herdin glanced at Beatrice with his usual indifferent eyes, merely nodding slightly before turning his gaze away.

However, Beatrice’s eyes could hardly leave him.

“You must be tired from your journey. I’ll first guide you to your accommodation.”

Raymond led Herdin to the guest house. Although this was typically the butler’s job, the fact that he was doing it himself signified how much he valued Herdin.

Upon entering the guest house, a large window facing the front, capturing the beautiful seaside village and the blue ocean, came into view. It was a suitable place for an honored guest to stay.

“I appreciate your kindness.”

Herdin sat on the windowsill overlooking the sea and took out a cigar to light it. However, Raymond was still standing there, not having withdrawn.

“Do you have something else to discuss?”

At that, Raymond quickly sent Beatrice, who had followed, away.

“During your stay here, my daughter will introduce you to Nerha. As she was born and raised here, I believe she will be no less capable than any attendant.”

Ah. So that was his intention.

Despite his efforts to disguise it, Herdin coldly sneered at Raymond’s obvious ulterior motives that couldn’t be hidden.

“I didn’t come all this way just to buy your daughter.”

It was a statement that treated Beatrice like an object. At the same time, it was a remark that pinpointed Raymond’s intention of presenting his daughter like a commodity.

Both Beatrice and Raymond’s faces flushed at the insulting yet direct words.

“Se-Selling my daughter! You misunderstand. I merely wanted to introduce her as a noble of suitable rank, hoping that you might have a comfortable companion to converse with during your stay here.”

Despite Raymond’s explanation, Herdin turned his gaze to the window, pretending not to have heard.

Feeling awkward, Raymond cleared his throat and bowed his head.

“Ahem, I shall take my leave now.”

Raymond took Beatrice and left, almost as if fleeing. Soon, the sound of the door closing was heard, and Herdin was left alone in the guest house’s living room.

He exhaled smoke and quietly looked down at the panorama of Nerha. His eyes gleamed sharply, like those of a predator searching for prey.