“……Who?”

“The only daughter of Viscount Enwood, Melly Enwood.”

Eida Pelton looked around for a moment.

As if trying to find evidence that this place was not reality but somewhere in a dream.

Edric patiently waited for his mother to come to her senses.

“You’ve gone mad.”

Finally, Eida Pelton, having regained her composure, said.

“Is it, perhaps, out of sympathy? Was Melly that pitiful?”

“……”

“If you made such an absurd decision because you felt sorry for her, Edric.”

The lady took a breath and said.

“I’ll find you a better match. Not some wounded viscount’s daughter, but a count’s… no, I’ll even look for a marquis’s daughter. So……”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Edric relieved his mother of her pointless effort.

“I didn’t make that decision out of pity.”

From her son’s resolute tone, the lady realized that the situation was far worse than she had thought.

It was not a matter that could be resolved through persuasion.

“I cannot allow it.”

She decided to use the authority given to her as a parent.

“I cannot have such a damned beggar as my daughter-in-law.”

She now casually threw off her mask.

“Is such a girl even worthy of the position of a duchess? What would people think? How would they view the situation where a begging orphan girl seduced the son of a long-established ducal family and snatched the position of duchess?”

“I made the decision. It doesn’t matter what others say.”

Edric seemed to leave no room for change.

The lady was so dumbfounded she couldn’t close her mouth. She even felt as if this couldn’t be her son who had always valued honor and dignity, as if she was talking to someone else.

“Still, it’s not allowed. I have no intention of ever accepting that girl as my daughter-in-law.”

“You’ll have to accept it.”

“……”

“We’ve already consummated our marriage.”

The lady steadied her shaking body by gripping the chair with her hand.

She had already somewhat suspected that the two had gone all the way from her son’s insistent attitude, but hearing it directly was even more shocking.

She never dreamed that her son, whose standards had been raised by growing up among beautiful and cultured women, would give a second glance to someone like Melly.

So she had left them alone without worry, but that had been the root of the problem.

She should not have forgotten. That she was also a woman. That she was a wench whose plain looks could be covered up enough by the wrapping of ‘affection’.

But that shock opened up another possibility for Eida Pelton.

“Edric, you’re thinking in a way that’s not like you at all.”

She said with a somewhat more lenient expression.

“If one had to marry every woman he bedded, why would this world be overflowing with illegitimate children? Don’t you think?”

As she spoke, she became even more relaxed. She decided to compromise to some extent for her son’s sake.

“Marry Rosalyn, and just keep Melly as a mistress. Or if you don’t like Rosalyn, marry another lady. Instead, I’ll take care of Melly. Although I hope it doesn’t happen… if an illegitimate child is born, I’m willing to take responsibility for that child too.”

She believed that if she presented such good conditions, her son would also break his stubbornness.

It was a belief possible only because she had never seen her son’s obstinacy before.

“Mother.”

Edric smiled.

“What if I have no intention of having children unless it’s with Melly? Would that be alright with you?”

“……”

“If you say it’s fine, I’ll reconsider the marriage you desire, Mother.”

An inexplicable sense of unease crept over Lady Pelton.

She had believed that men could bed women as long as they just lit the fire.

Children were born just fine in numerous political marriages, and pregnancies had steadily occurred even between couples who couldn’t wait to tear each other apart.

But somehow, she felt that such common sense wouldn’t apply to this boy.

There was enough madness and obsession in those sparkling navy blue eyes to make her believe so.

“Was that thing so crafty in bed? Enough to make you lose your mind like this?”

The enraged lady threw away her decorum and spat out vulgar words.

Edric’s eyes widened at his mother’s coarse language, which he was hearing for the first time. But soon he smiled faintly.

So the root of the occasional vulgar and low-class behavior that showed in him was his mother.

Indeed, I’m not a mutant after all, it was a smile born from relief.

“No matter what, it can’t be. I absolutely cannot bear to see such a low-class girl enter our family.”

Eida’s voice, continuing her opposition in an agitated tone, somehow sounded hollow. Now she too knew that her opposition would no longer work. Her son would go ahead with the marriage regardless. If that wasn’t his intention, he wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place.

But simply allowing it as is was too great a humiliation for her.

Eida intended to oppose until the moment the wedding ceremony took place.

Edric quietly rose from his seat.

“Mother.”

He said, going behind Eida and embracing her affectionately.

His voice was as soft as if cotton candy would melt in his mouth.

“Please give your permission.”

“……”

“Isn’t a marriage below our status better than having the succession pass to a collateral bloodline?”

Knock knock−.

Oz, who entered Melly’s room with a knock, delivered Edric’s message.

“His Grace asks to see you on the terrace for a moment.”

Melly felt her heart sink.

“Wh… What for?”

“Well, I’m not sure about that. But he didn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

“……”

Those words changed Melly’s expression as well.

“Alright. Tell him I’ll be there right away.”

“Yes, I will.”

Oz bowed and left the room.

‘His expression wasn’t good……’

Melly recalled the words she had just heard from Oz.

Once again, ripples like concentric circles disturbed her newly peaceful mind.

How fragile was the peace she had achieved through hours of meditation.

To be shattered in an instant by a single message.

‘Why did he want to see me?’

Well… I’ll find out when I get there.

Melly steeled herself.

There wasn’t much to steeling herself.

It was just imagining the worst-case scenario.

Melly tried to recall the words a playboy might say when bidding farewell to a woman after a one-night stand.

‘I’ve been thinking, and I don’t think we’re meant to be.’

‘I’m sorry about last night. I must have lost my mind for a moment.’

Just imagining those words made her feel mentally drained.

Hoo-.

Melly took a deep breath and left the room with determined eyes.

She didn’t forget to look in the mirror and adjust her appearance before leaving.

She knew it was futile, but she wanted to do it anyway.

Walking down the corridor towards the terrace, the path across the vast mansion felt unusually close today.

Melly was bewildered to find herself at the terrace entrance after just a few steps.

As she opened the terrace door, she saw the broad back of a man standing at the smooth ivory railing.

It was the same back she had caressed all night long. She could almost still feel the supple, moist skin at her fingertips. Melly quietly clenched and unclenched her hand.

Meanwhile, Edric slowly turned around.

‘He looked displeased.’

Contrary to Oz’s words, there was no sign of displeasure.

But it wasn’t the kind, familiar gaze he usually gave Melly either.

It was just a face trying to capture the appropriate emotion to say something important.

‘No doubt about it.’

Melly was certain her guess was correct.

“You came?”

“…Yes.”

He lightly tapped the terrace railing as if telling her to come to his side.

Melly slowly approached and stood beside him.

Beyond the terrace, beautiful purple-tinged feathery clouds were scattered across the sky. The mountain ridges swayed gently in the wind like down feathers.

It was a peaceful evening. Just like the evening they saw at Milord Square that day.

“…”

Despite her firm resolve, Melly felt a bitter emotion.

She wished she could turn back time and return to that day.

To the moment she met him in the square. No, to the moment just before she fell for his seduction at the hotel.

If so, she would have run away without looking back.

How cruel was the price of being blinded by the sweet fact of being in his arms for even a moment, overlooking the bitter situation that followed.

“Melly.”

Edric called her in a low voice. Melly realized that the weight in his voice was much heavier than she had thought.

She felt that what he was about to say would bring emotions she couldn’t handle.

She didn’t have confidence in enduring the aftermath of the pain.

She thought she should speak first.

“Well… I was thinking the same thing.”

“…”

“Of course. That night, as you know, was just a one-night stand, right? Who would think about the future over one night? I’m not that narrow-minded.”

It was good that she had prepared what to say in advance. She could speak so calmly without stammering.

The heart pounding as if it would leap out of her throat and the cold sweat soaking her palms… that’s none of my business.

“It was enjoyable. Isn’t that enough? Wanting more would be greedy. For me, it was just a good experience. I think it’s fortunate that I had such a good experience for the first time with you… rather than a complete stranger. It will be a good memory in life.”

As Melly suppressed her self-loathing with relief and satisfaction after pouring out all her prepared words, it happened.

“Melly.”

At Edric’s voice, so low it was frightening, Melly’s petty satisfaction vanished in an instant.

“So you’re saying you slept with me without any intention of marrying me.”

“…”

“Is that right?”