Ah. In the end, I caused trouble.

Although it wasn’t intentional, I ended up running away from Samantha and Daniel again. At the thought of meeting the two of them soon, Dalia let out an involuntary sigh.

Whether he knew her mood or not, Lloyd was in high spirits.

Like a sparrow unable to pass a mill, he led Dalia to every shop that caught his eye for quite some time.

Just when Dalia was about to say she wanted to return to the mansion because she was too tired to continue,

Lloyd led her to a restaurant.

“Do you like seafood? This restaurant is really famous. Shall we have dinner here first?”

“Seafood…?”

Dalia unconsciously covered her nose at the fishy smell wafting from the restaurant entrance.

“No, I don’t think I can. I’m not feeling well.”

As Dalia stepped back to escape the rising nausea, Lloyd’s face hardened as he watched her.

‘Is she really sick somewhere….’

Worried, Lloyd examined Dalia’s complexion.

She looked fine, but the fact that she had been walking with her hand on her stomach since earlier made it seem like she was really feeling unwell.

‘Come to think of it, I met the Duchess in front of the doctor’s office.’

It didn’t make sense that Duchess Dalia would go all the way to that remote place for treatment, leaving behind the doctor residing at the mansion.

Hiding the reason for coming there, could it be…

‘Is the rumor true that she’s being ostracized at the mansion?’

Before meeting Dalia in the forest, the rumor circulating about the Hertz family was that the new Duchess was not adapting well to the Sayer family.

At that time, he didn’t pay much attention because he had no interest in the Duchess.

If she was really being left out at the mansion because of her humble family background, and if that’s why she came out alone for treatment even when she was sick…

When his thoughts reached that point, Lloyd’s heart ached as if it was being torn apart.

At the same time, another thought once again took over his mind.

‘If it were me, it would have been different.’

Unlike the Duke who didn’t even care what kind of humiliation his wife was suffering from the servants, if it were me, I wouldn’t have just stood by and watched Dalia go through such things…

‘If it were me, not that man, who was Dalia’s…’

While countless vain thoughts were flashing through Lloyd’s mind, Dalia, who had disappeared for a moment, appeared holding something in both hands.

“What’s that?”

“Spicy grilled chicken!”

It was unclear when she had bought it. Suddenly, red-seasoned grilled chicken was held out in front of Lloyd’s eyes.

“You try it too!”

Dalia had already taken a bite, as red seasoning sauce was smeared around her mouth.

It was behavior unbecoming of someone who had said they weren’t feeling well just a few minutes ago.

Lloyd tilted his head, finding the current situation somewhat absurd and a little funny.

“Is that okay for you to eat? Didn’t you say you weren’t feeling well?”

“Yeah. I did. But the moment I saw this, I suddenly felt like I had to eat it!”

It really was like that.

Could this be the effect of pregnancy? When her stomach was turning due to the fishy smell of seafood, as soon as the familiar scent touched her nose, she was buying the grilled chicken as if possessed.

Moreover, Dalia, who hadn’t been able to eat properly lately due to morning sickness, started eating the grilled chicken in a state of complete absorption.

“This is really delicious.”

Was she very hungry? Dalia was eating the grilled chicken without realizing that sauce was smeared around her mouth.

Pfft.

And ridiculously, finding that sight cute, Lloyd burst into laughter without realizing it.

Seeing Lloyd laughing without any intention of eating the grilled chicken, Dalia said,

“Come on, try it. It’s really delicious, I’m telling you. Oh, maybe you’re not supposed to eat things like this? If so, ignore it for today! I’ve told you many times to just eat what you want to…”

But she fell silent at Lloyd’s next action.

A hand, somewhat large to be called a boy’s, approached Dalia’s face.

And then.

Swish.

He wiped the wet corners of her mouth with his thumb.

As if savoring her lips with his finger, very slowly.

“You had some here.”

He murmured, licking the thumb that had stolen Dalia’s lips.

“…It’s delicious.”

At his action that was too natural, Dalia just blankly stared at his face.

For a very brief moment.

As if the surrounding noise had been blocked out, the two looked at each other silently.

* * *

At this time when the capital was bustling with the festival,

An unprecedented tension hung over the Hertz mansion.

After the death of the previous Count Hertz, when no visitors had been coming to the mansion,

The Duke of Sayer had barged in without warning.

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

The one who greeted Clayton, who had just set foot in the mansion, was the old butler, Simon.

He was a loyal servant who had worked for the Hertz family since childhood and also acted as a guardian for the young twin siblings after the sudden death of Count and Countess Hertz.

Simon, like the experienced butler he was, hid his bewilderment and paid his respects to Clayton.

Clayton, who entered the mansion with measured steps, glanced at him.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes. It has indeed been a long time since you last came. Before the previous Count and Countess passed away… 12 years ago, I believe. The last time you came here.”

“12 years ago, is it.”

Since the funeral of Count and Countess Hertz was held here 12 years ago, Simon’s words must be correct.

Simon’s voice was careful as he watched Clayton scanning the mansion with an indifferent expression.

“But what brings you here…”

To that question, as if asking about something obvious, Clayton immediately got to the point.

“Where is Rose Hertz now?”

As expected, when Rose Hertz’s name came out of Clayton’s mouth, Simon’s mouth went dry.

“If you had given prior notice, the young lady would have come herself… Unfortunately, the young lady is not in the mansion right now. She went out to see the festival…”

“I didn’t have any information that Rose Hertz had left the mansion.”

He had already confirmed through his people that Rose Hertz was in the mansion.

Not knowing that the Duke would go that far, Simon closed his mouth.

“I wonder why you’re suddenly lying. It’s suspicious.”

Clayton narrowed his eyes as he looked at Simon, who was telling an implausible lie.

The smile on his lips was chilling.

“Is there perhaps a reason why I shouldn’t meet Rose Hertz today?”

At the blatant suspicious gaze, the experienced Simon tried hard to compose his expression.

“Of course not. Actually, the young lady is not feeling well today, so I told a lie. I apologize. If you could be considerate, as soon as she feels better…”

But Clayton cut off Simon’s words as if they weren’t worth listening to.

“Guide me.”

“Pardon…?”

“Regrettably, I don’t have the leisure to observe etiquette right now.”

Simon swallowed hard at Clayton’s red eyes, which looked particularly sensitive.

Even a passing child could notice that his current state was different from usual.

Finally, judging that it was not something he could stop, Simon quietly murmured.

“…This way, please.”

Following behind Simon, Clayton quietly observed the mansion.

The Hertz mansion was an unusually quiet place.

Judging by the size of the mansion, they should have encountered at least one or two servants in passing, but it was so silent that not even an ant could be seen.

As if. As if there was some secret to keep.

‘Something’s strange.’

It was a natural course of action for them to be flustered since he had barged in without warning.

But how should I put it. It felt like the reason for their fluster wasn’t just that.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it felt like they had something they wanted to hide from me.

However, Clayton’s immediate thirst was too great, so he set aside his doubts for the moment and followed Simon.

After following him like that for a while, Simon stopped in front of a room as if they had arrived and knocked on the door.

“Young lady. Duke Clayton has arrived.”

After a moment of silence, a thin voice was heard.

“Tell him to come in.”

As permission was given from inside, Simon opened the door and stepped back.

Eventually, Clayton entered the room.

As if considering Clayton, thick curtains were drawn on the windows to prevent the sun from coming in.

Thanks to that, although the sun hadn’t set yet, this room alone was shrouded in deep darkness.

He approached Rose, who was sitting on the bed relying only on a single candle.

Then Rose, who was perched on the bed, pushed her hair to one side and exposed her nape.

As if she had anticipated what he would do.

Clayton stared silently at Rose like that.

He knew well that this kind of visit was wrong.

If it were his usual self, he would never have done this.

But right now, he didn’t know what he might do if he didn’t do at least this much.

So what Clayton chose was the lesser evil.

A touch mixed with a little guilt and terrible hunger reached Rose’s arm and head.

As soon as Clayton’s hand touched her, Rose’s body started trembling finely, unlike her usual composed self.

It was different from the usual Rose, but he was too hungry to notice that.

Just as Clayton, barely holding onto a thin thread of reason, was about to sink his fangs into the woman’s nape,

The pungent smell of blood starting from the woman’s fingertips pricked his nose.

And that blood smell…

Clayton pulled back his body as if doused with cold water.

Then he asked back in a lower voice than ever before.

“…Who are you?”

It wasn’t the blood smell of Rose Hertz that he knew.