Although Zimmer hesitated, he didn’t oppose Adele’s decision. At this moment, she was the one who wanted to save Kristin more than anyone else.
Zimmer, who had entered the clinic as the protector of the Viscount, returned after a while.

“How is the Viscount?”

Zimmer lowered his head with a dark expression.

“Inform the family quickly and prepare for the end. I can’t guarantee how long he’ll survive.”

A heavy sigh escaped Adele’s lips. In urgent situations, she had to make the most sensible decision.

“Then, Zimmer, please go to Empress Isabella. The Emperor must not know first. Hurry!”

The Emperor had entrusted Kristin with the assassination of Viscount Rodwell. However, he was a traitor who had planned to send soldiers and Stone to pursue him.

If the Viscount goes wrong, he could shift the blame to Kristin and escape. Moreover, considering Kristin’s current condition, he wouldn’t be able to oppose the Emperor for a while.

So, at least, he had to stay alive until Isabella arrived.

That way, he wouldn’t falsely accuse him.

“Are you saying Adele alone will take care of the Commander?”

Of course, Zimmer also had the same thought. But leaving only Kristin and Adele, both dying, behind, he couldn’t step away.

Adele, on the contrary, smiled courageously.

“Jennifer is here, and soon the knights will join us. Don’t worry.”

“Yeah, don’t worry!”

Jennifer, who had lost her energy driving the carriage, shouted loudly again.

“And a qualified healer has come to mind. So hurry, Zimmer!”

When Adele said that convincingly, Zimmer couldn’t hesitate any longer.

“Damn it, then I’ll trust only Adele! Jennifer, if anything goes wrong for you two, you’ll die by my hands!”

“Don’t worry. I swear on my middle finger.”

Jennifer raised her middle finger towards Zimmer, smirking.

A while later, when Zimmer started riding the borrowed horse from the clinic, Jennifer, folding her finger, looked back at Adele.

“Let’s go too. But where to?”

“Greenhill.”

“Greenhill?!”

Even if they rode the carriage all night, they would arrive at Greenhill around dawn. Adele was worried if he could endure until then.

However, Adele said without hesitation.

“There’s a reliable doctor there.”

Upon hearing that, Jennifer no longer opposed. Like Zimmer, she knew that Adele was the one who wanted to save Kristin the most.
Early in the morning, Mark, as a habit, went upstairs. Jade and Pauline were lying side by side on the bed, sound asleep. Pauline was the son of the town drunkard whom Adele had once saved, and now he lived with Mark’s family as if he were one of them. Thanks to Pauline, Mark could breathe a sigh of relief. Because of his busy work, there was always a shortage of time to spend with Jade. Nevertheless, the time alone with his young son weighed on his mind. However, since Pauline came, Jade seemed busier than Mark. Pauline taught him letters and numbers and was always busy going out with him to play with the neighborhood kids. Then, they would come home exhausted from the evening. Perhaps because of this, in the past few months, Pauline and Jade had grown considerably, becoming quite the young boys.

“Kid, you still have to cover yourself with the blanket. You’ll catch a cold.”

Mark pulled up the blanket that Jade had kicked away.

“Dad…?”

Due to that, Jade woke up from his sleep.

“Sorry. Sleep a bit more. It’s still early.”

But the son, who had frog-like tendencies, opened his eyes as if trying to wake up.

“But I had a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Aunt Adele came to our house and baked cookies.”

At the mention of Adele’s name, Mark’s chest tightened. Did she still have unsettled feelings?

“Is that so? It must have been a good dream.”

“Yeah, but does Aunt not come anymore?”

“Maybe… probably.”

“Why? I want her to come. I sent her a message saying I miss her.”

Mark smiled bitterly and gently ruffled Jade’s bangs.

“Instead, you have Pauline, right?”

Jade lowered his head.

“Since there’s Pauline, it would be even better if Aunt Adele were here too. Dad, Mom, Pauline, and me. That way, the picture would be prettier.”

He was talking about a family portrait. Jade’s family portrait always only had Dad and himself.

Mark sat on Jade’s bed and gently stroked the child’s cheek.

“Would Jade like to have a mom?”

“Yeah, a pretty mom who’s good at cooking, like Aunt Adele.”

“Alright, let’s think about it. But Adele won’t do.”

“Why? I like her. Aunt Adele also said she likes me.”

Mark chuckled and tousled Jade’s hair.

“Does Jade think Aunt Adele dislikes Dad?”

“Well… I don’t know? But there’s someone she likes more than Dad for sure.”

“Is it that Vice Viscount?”

Mark was surprised. He thought Jade was still a child, but he realized he noticed such things.

It felt like he was revealing his innermost thoughts to his young son.

“Kid, get more sleep.”

As Mark was about to get up from the bed, Jade quickly shouted.

“Dad, I hate that uncle Kwon!”

“Huh?”

When Mark turned around as if asking what he meant, Jade giggled.

“Dad said so. Eating beans makes you strong and healthy. So maybe Vice Viscount is weaker than Dad because he doesn’t eat beans.”

“Well…”
“I’ll help, Dad. Fight against that uncle! I fought with that uncle and won!”

Seeing the serious Jade, Mark barely held back the laughter about to burst out.

“Dad is a pacifist. Besides, I don’t think Aunt Adele would like Dad more just because he won in a fight.”

It was impossible to say that he couldn’t win against Vice Viscount in a fight.

Jade turned sulky.

“Dad, I hate you! Fool!”

Watching his son put on the blanket inside out, Mark sighed.

He thought he felt less lonely thanks to Pauline, but was it not true?

The empty space in his heart that only a mother could fill seemed to remain unchanged.