Blair unconsciously gripped Herdin’s firm arm that was linked with hers. Her hand trembled subtly.

How should one face a mother who was involved in an accident where her daughter nearly died, and who even tried to kidnap that daughter and erase her memories?

Before Blair could answer that question, she came face to face with Katrina.

“Congratulations on your engagement, both of you.”

Herdin calmly offered congratulations to Ivan and Roen.

If they weren’t going to expose the truth of the incident from ten years ago right here and now, they had to pretend as if nothing had happened.

However, facing Katrina, who smiled affectionately as if there had never been a kidnapping incident, Blair found it difficult to open her mouth.

Blair barely managed to open her lips and repeat what Herdin had said.

“Sincere congratulations on your engagement.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for your congratulations, my lady.”

As Ivan and Roen smiled and accepted the congratulations, Katrina, who had been watching from beside them, strode towards Blair.

“Welcome, Blair.”

Unlike Blair, who didn’t know how to handle her emotions, Katrina embraced her daughter with a warm expression.

However, Blair was also aware that at this moment, everyone’s eyes in the banquet hall were on the mother and daughter.

The pungent smell of strong perfume and the unfamiliar warmth of a mother made her already queasy stomach churn violently.

Blair bit her lip hard, trying to suppress it.

“It’s so difficult to see your face even once if not at such a formal occasion. Since you treat me so coldly, isn’t it no wonder that such vile rumors spread about our relationship?”

“Mother is right. Even though you’re married, you’re still part of our family, aren’t you?”

Ivan agreed with Katrina’s words.

Despite knowing that those rumors were true, and that Katrina was somehow involved in the fire incident ten years ago.

“Soon you’ll have a new family too, so it would be nice if you could drop by occasionally to spend time with your mother and Roen.”

“I would always be welcome if the Duchess invites me. Although you’ve married, you’re more familiar with the imperial situation than I am, so I think you have much to teach me. If there’s anything lacking in me, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll listen humbly.”

Roen also chimed in with Ivan’s words, smiling.

How much did she, who would soon become a member of the imperial family, know about this incident?

Were these words sincere, coming from someone who knew nothing, or was she mocking Blair while knowing everything?

As Blair tried to gauge this, she suddenly felt dizzy and took a deep breath.

To them, she was no longer family. And it wasn’t different for her either.

Now they were enemies. She shouldn’t show any weakness.

Newly realizing this fact made her feel like she was going to be sick, and she just wanted to hurry and leave this place.

“I sincerely congratulate you both on your engagement.”

Just then, nobles who had been reading the atmosphere of the imperial family’s conversation and waiting for an opportunity began to interject one by one with congratulatory messages.

“Now that His Majesty the Emperor and the Duchess have both found perfect matches, the Empress Dowager must have been relieved of a great worry.”

“The imperial family’s happiness is the joy of the entire empire, isn’t it? It seems the day when we’ll hear the laughter of precious royal babies in the palace is not far off.”

As nobles gathered to offer their congratulations, Blair and Herdin were naturally pushed out of the center of attention.

But once her stomach started churning, it wouldn’t easily settle down.

Unable to bear it any longer, Blair gently released Herdin’s arm she had been holding. This caught the attention of Herdin, who had been casually receiving greetings from approaching nobles.

“Herdin, I’m going to get some fresh air for a moment.”

“Shall I come with you?”

“No, it’s alright. I’ll be back soon.”

Blair restrained Herdin, who was about to accompany her, and turned to leave the banquet hall.

As Herdin’s gaze narrowed, watching her urgent retreat, Ivan’s voice was heard from behind.

“Have you thought about what we discussed earlier?”

As Herdin turned around, Ivan handed him one of the two glasses he was holding. By now, the nobles had gathered around Katrina and Roen.

“The evidence you said would convince me. Have you found it?”

Herdin answered as he took the glass Ivan offered.

“I don’t think Your Majesty needs to worry about such things.”

There were still no clear symptoms indicating whether Blair was pregnant.

In the current situation, it was best to pretend to be swayed by Ivan. To make him let his guard down.

But Ivan came at Herdin more meticulously than he had anticipated.

“If you find evidence, bring it to me. I’ll see and judge for myself.”

Herdin’s lips twisted at Ivan’s words.

Although he outwardly said he would see the evidence and judge, having read his intentions from their previous conversation, the meaning of those words was clear.

It meant that he would destroy the evidence with his own hands before the tables could turn.

“I will obey your command.”

Of course, he had no intention of acting according to that will.

* * *

“Haa…”

Blair, who had even shaken off Lina following her, hid in a secluded spot in the garden and dry heaved.

Even though the cool night breeze swirled around, the lingering phantom of the thick perfume smell from earlier turned her stomach inside out.

Only after dry heaving for a while, clutching her empty stomach that produced nothing, did she finally calm down.

Blair collapsed onto a nearby bench and pounded her upper chest with her fist. Perhaps due to the long struggle, all her strength had drained, leaving her whole body trembling.

Blair pulled out a small pouch from her pocket. It was a pouch containing lemon candies. In her past life, it was the only thing she could eat when morning sickness was severe.

As she unwrapped one candy and put it in her mouth, the tangy lemon flavor and sugar spread, boosting her energy.

‘I hope it’s just a temporary symptom…’

In her past life, her morning sickness became severe about two weeks after the founding ceremony, and that’s when she found out she was pregnant.

If things flowed the same as in her past life, there was still time, but if today marked the beginning of severe morning sickness, it was dangerous.

‘By the way, I was supposed to meet Mikhail at today’s banquet.’

Just as she was thinking she should hurry back to the banquet hall, not knowing when, where, or how he would appear, a familiar voice was heard.

“Do you need assistance, my lady?”

When she turned towards the direction of the voice, she saw a servant approaching.

No, more precisely…

“…Mikhail?”

It was Mikhail, disguised as a servant of a noble family.

“It’s been a while, my lady.”

Although his hair color and face had changed, the soft voice and characteristic gentle smile were unmistakably his.

He approached with long strides and stood before her, examining her face, and furrowed his brow slightly as if noticing something.

“You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No, I’m fine. More importantly… what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Blair asked, looking around. Although she had come to a secluded spot, it was still a garden where anyone could come and go.

She didn’t know how Mikhail had gained entry to the imperial palace, but it certainly wasn’t through official means, so it would be best for his safety to finish the conversation before anyone else came here.

“To address what you’re most curious about first, all preparations for you to leave the empire are complete. I’ve also prepared the scandal to be spread whenever you wish.”

“Thank you. That’s a load off my mind.”

“Was the strengthened security at the duchy due to that rumored kidnapping incident?”

Mikhail was also aware of that rumor. It would have been stranger if he, as the guild master, didn’t know.

“I think so.”

“When do you wish to leave the duchy?”

Blair hesitated at Mikhail’s question.

Soon, her morning sickness would start in earnest. No, maybe it had already begun.

If her pregnancy was discovered like this, not only she but also the child could be in danger.

Nevertheless, what made her hesitate to leave immediately was the memory of the promise she had made with him.

‘You are the only survivor and witness of that incident. Your testimony at the trial could serve as powerful evidence to explain the unjust death of Her Majesty the Empress.’

And also the vow she made to reveal the truth when she visited Esmeralda’s grave right after her regression.

Mikhail, reading the hesitation on Blair’s face, added:

“I have a way to divert Duke’s attention for a moment.”

Blair’s eyes widened at the suggestion that there was a way to escape Herdin’s iron-clad surveillance.

Mikhail was about to answer her unspoken question, but his lips moved slightly before he closed his mouth again, as if he had thought of something belatedly.

“…I can’t tell you right now, but I should be able to help you when you want.”

The Duchess loves the Duke.

If she didn’t, the black magic engraved on her collarbone wouldn’t have succeeded in the first place.

Before meeting Blair, he had intended to tell the truth about that magic circle, but seeing her hesitation changed his mind.

If she knew that the mastermind behind the black magic could put Herdin in danger, she, who loved him, might not leave his side.

Even knowing that she herself could be in danger.

“However, there isn’t much time to use that method. So…”

He shouldn’t presume her choice, being neither her hidden lover like in the scandal nor anyone special to her.

Knowing this, he still arbitrarily set her safety as the top priority.

“You need to decide as soon as possible.”