“Three bodies were discovered. However, they were so brutally mutilated… I heard it’s difficult to identify them. By any chance, was the priest who accompanied Your Highness there?”

At that time, there were a total of four people in the villa.

Gerard and Mikhail in the basement, and two of Gerard’s subordinates guarding the villa.

The discovery of three bodies meant that not only the subordinates but also Mikhail had died.

Upon hearing this news, the corners of Gerard’s mouth slightly lifted.

“No. Those who died there were all evil ones.”

“That’s a relief!”

Miela exclaimed joyfully with a bright smile.

Although the deceased were said to be evil, her delighted reaction to the news of people’s deaths seemed somewhat bizarre.

As Gerard was contemplating his next move, Miela spoke again in a subtle voice.

“By the way, the hunt for the dark mage isn’t over yet, is it?”

Gerard looked at Miela suspiciously as she asked this.

It wasn’t exactly a hunt for a dark mage, but it was true that his “work” wasn’t finished yet. The intent behind her question seemed dubious.

Miela smiled brightly and immediately got to the point.

“I think I can help Your Highness.”

“With what?”

“I saw it. Someone with dark magic inscriptions on their body.”

As she said this, her golden eyes gleamed ominously.

* * *

As late autumn approached, the wind had become quite chilly, but the sun was still warm.

After finishing lunch, Blair took Pipi for a walk.

The maids advised her to rest more. After all, it had only been yesterday that the undead attack occurred.

However, Blair went out to the garden, ignoring their protests. Due to her heavy body, she could only sit on the garden chair.

Yet that seemed to be enough, as she watched Pipi scurrying around the garden with a faint smile.

Herdin, who had been observing that smile she rarely showed in front of him through the window, suddenly recalled what she had said yesterday.

‘When this is over, let’s part ways.’

She still loves him.

When he first regained his memories, he couldn’t understand why she wanted to leave him even though she still loved him.

But the moment he saw her bid farewell to him with a relieved expression, he belatedly realized.

If she’s saying we should break up even though she still loves me, how much pain must I have caused her?

‘I think it’s best for both of us.’

She said the reason for the farewell was for his sake as well.

Only then did he realize.

How contradictory, selfish, and cruel those seemingly altruistic words “for your sake” can be.

How convenient and irresponsible those words are, granting absolution no matter what hurt is inflicted on the other person.

He wanted to take it all back, even now. He wanted to hold onto her.

But like water already spilled, no matter what he did, he couldn’t put it back, so he could only stand there helplessly like a child in front of an overturned water bowl.

When this is over.

So this was the grace period she was giving him.

Not time to win back her heart, but time to empty his own heart in front of the already spilled water.

… He felt suffocated.

“Your Excellency.”

Just as he was rubbing his mouth, feeling his throat constrict, a knock was heard along with Luth’s voice.

“It’s time.”

There was a lunch appointment with the Lord of Nerha today.

After checking the time, Herdin put on his jacket and left the office. As he went down to the first floor, he ordered Luth.

“Tell Caligo to go to the Elir Plains.”

“Sir Caligo? Wouldn’t it be faster to send the knights of the Order rather than Sir Caligo? It would take quite some time just to get from here to the Order.”

“There are many monsters appearing in the plains, so a skilled person will be needed. It’s better to entrust it to someone trustworthy.”

Although he gave a plausible reason, the real reason for sending Caligo was different.

If he directly questioned Caligo about the mastermind or killed him, the mastermind behind this might use a different method if it wasn’t Caligo.

If that happened, it would become impossible to know who was behind all this, potentially putting Blair in greater danger.

“And attach a trustworthy observer.”

He planned to send Caligo far away so he couldn’t approach Blair, and attach someone to monitor him. To see who he contacts.

Luth, understanding Herdin’s intentions upon hearing the order to attach an observer, nodded with a stern expression.

“… Understood.”

Just as Herdin was about to leave the villa after finishing their conversation, he encountered Blair, who was returning from her walk.

While Herdin hesitated, unsure how to react, Blair, who had been quietly observing him, spoke first.

“Take care.”

There was no trace of past resentment or hatred on her face as she greeted him calmly.

But her demeanor, no different from usual, made him even more anxious.

How much time was left for him to face this expression, the time she had allowed him?

Once again, he felt his chest tighten, as if crushed by a stone.

“Your Excellency?”

At Luth’s puzzled voice, Herdin finally snapped out of his thoughts.

He swallowed the emotions that had risen to his throat and responded to her greeting.

“… I’ll be back.”

Blair, having received his response, passed by him and entered the villa.

Even after that, Herdin fumbled with his tight throat and mouth for a while before loosening his cravat and heading towards the mansion.

Upon arriving at the mansion, the waiting butler guided him to the dining room.

“A massive dark magic circle was discovered in the basement of the villa, and it seems to be related to the undead that appeared in the square yesterday.”

Raymond, who had been receiving a report from a knight who had just arrived, saw Herdin enter the dining room and dismissed the knight before greeting him.

“Welcome, Your Excellency.”

Listening to their conversation, Herdin suddenly recalled something and narrowed his eyes.

The dark magic circle found in the outskirts, the undead appearing in an unexpected area, and… the behavior of the undead that seemed to particularly chase Blair.

“Yesterday was too chaotic due to the unfortunate incident, wasn’t it? But thanks to Your Excellency’s help in managing the situation, we were able to minimize damage and handle it smoothly. Thank you.”

“I couldn’t help but overhear… A dark magic circle was discovered in a villa in the outskirts?”

“Ah, yes. It seems to be related to the undead appearance yesterday, but we need to investigate further. By the way, I hear you’re leaving soon?”

When Herdin mentioned the dark magic circle, Raymond, who seemed momentarily flustered, gave a vague answer and changed the subject.

Herdin understood Raymond’s intentions.

‘From the lord’s perspective, he wouldn’t want an outsider to know about security issues in his territory.’

Especially not to a war hero from another country.

If he showed interest when the lord of this place didn’t want his involvement, it would look strange. In the worst case, he might even be suspected as the mastermind behind this incident.

Herdin decided to pretend not to notice for now, following Raymond’s intention.

“Thanks to you, I think I’ve seen most of Nerha. Now I’m planning to go to Libren to draft a more detailed plan.”

“With the Duchess’s due date approaching, I suppose you’d feel more comfortable in a place where your own people are, rather than in unfamiliar foreign lands.”

At Raymond’s casual mention of Blair, Herdin’s eyes sank quietly, but he passed over it without any particular reaction.

After the lunch ended in a peaceful atmosphere, Herdin left the mansion and quietly ordered Luth.

“Find out more about the villa collapse accident that occurred yesterday. Discreetly.”

* * *

“Pipi, stop. You shouldn’t do that. Come here.”

Blair, who had returned from her walk, tried to stop Pipi from turning over all the items in her room and making mischief. But the playful creature ignored its owner’s words and continued to mess up various parts of the room.

Blair sighed in defeat, and at that moment.

“Ah…”

Even the baby in her womb started to move vigorously. Startled, Blair reflexively wrapped her arms around her belly and sat on the bed.

The baby was growing day by day, and its kicks were becoming increasingly strong. Sometimes it was so painful that she could hardly breathe for a moment.

Nevertheless, Blair was simply overjoyed because it was evidence that the baby was growing healthily, and it meant that the day to meet the child was getting closer and closer.

Exhausted by the continued movement of the baby, Blair lay down on the bed.

Then Pipi, who had been messing up the room, seemed to sense its owner’s presence, perked up its ears, and trotted over to her. It sniffed around the reclining Blair, then curled up into a ball and sat next to her belly.

Blair smiled, amazed at Pipi’s behavior, as if it knew about the baby’s existence.

“Pipi, are you waiting for the baby too?”

Pipi lay still, meeting her gaze with its black eyes and perking up its ears.

“Good. You’ll be a very reliable friend.”

As she smiled gently, stroking Pipi’s soft fur, Blair suddenly thought.

Pipi had been taken in by humans, living with them and losing its wildness. Although it was for Pipi’s sake, the small creature’s own will wasn’t considered in this decision.

Similarly, although she had decided to part ways with Herdin, she hadn’t considered how the child, who would lose its father because of this, might feel.

‘Is my choice really for your sake?’

Under the pretext of doing it for the two children, wasn’t she committing the same mistake as him in the past towards these children?

As Blair’s eyes clouded over with these thoughts, there was a knock at the door.

“My lady. The priestess is here.”

Blair’s hand, which had been stroking Pipi, paused.

She had heard that it was Miela who had treated her after she was overwhelmed by the undead yesterday. She was probably here to check if the wounds were healing properly.

Although it was awkward, it was only polite to express gratitude for the help she had received.

“Let her in.”

As soon as Blair gave permission, the door opened and Miela entered. She greeted Blair with her usual smile.

“Hello, Madam. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, thanks to your quick treatment. Thank you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Miela sat down across from Blair with a bright smile, but as if she had never been smiling, she looked at Blair with cold eyes and immediately got to the point.

“Then why don’t you leave His Excellency’s side now?”