“Your Highness, I don’t see that woman today.”
Count Gerturk, who entered the palace as soon as he finished breakfast, inquired.
There was only one person in their conversation who could be called ‘that woman.’
“The Young Lady of Lexion said she would like to rest for a while due to health issues, but what can I do, Count?”
Normally, just being sarcastic would have made her feel a little better. But somehow, Patricia couldn’t shake off her uneasy feeling.
Until Edith adapted suspiciously well to her new position at the Health Bureau, Patricia was merely agitated. However, when the Emperor summoned her and spent time alone with her, an unexplainable feeling of nervousness came over her.
It was her unique intuition that she put to good use in elevating House Gerturk to its current position.
『 I was obviously holding that woman hostage.』
And yet, Patricia strangely got the impression that Edith was taking advantage of the current situation. Even the Little Duke of Lexion, who dared to file a lawsuit against the Imperial Family while holding his wife hostage, wasn’t someone who lacked courage.
These days, Patricia was worried that she had made House Lexion angry by keeping Edith by her side, but when Edith requested some time off, it felt like a fortunate turn of events.
“By the way, Count, have you found Rosaline?”
Unlike her voice just a moment ago, Patricia’s voice was sharp like a blade. Although his mouth did not drop as if it had been glued on, Count Gerturk finally answered.
“Not yet. However, we have recently discovered that Rosaline has headed to the capital, so we will be able to catch her soon.”
“It looks like she decided to hide among people. Rosaline is quite clever.”
Patricia’s lips were firmly sealed. She found this situation very uncomfortable.
After realizing that Rosaline, who had promised to return to work after giving birth, was trying to cover her tracks, Patricia became extremely agitated whenever Rosaline’s name came up.
It always struck him as odd, so the Count couldn’t help but ask.
“But is there a reason why you keep looking for that servant?”
“…”
At that moment, Patricia’s eyes slightly wavered. Because the moment she heard the question, something from a long time ago came to mind.
⋙“I’ve prepared a bath for you, Lady Patricia. And… what will you do with that man?”⋘
⋙“I will confine him for a few months. When I see clear signs of pregnancy, I’ll kill him and throw him into the sea. It would be difficult to find a man who resembles the emperor in his youth as much as he does.”⋘
At that time, the affair was something neither her parents nor Count Gerturk, who was in front of her, knew about. Of course, the old emperor didn’t know either.
It was hard to call it an affair. She only wanted to have a child who resembled the emperor whom she only knew as infertile.
Soon after, Claude was born, and that man died. So, the only people in this world who knew who Claude’s biological father was were Rosaline and herself.
『 But Rosaline… What are you thinking?』
Patricia clenched her fists but soon gave up. Instead, she replied as if it were obvious.
“It’s because she’s been serving me for a long time, so I’m just comfortable with her. I also want to see if her beautiful baby was born well.”
“Now that I think about it, Rosaline has been with you since before she was ten years old, right?”
“Yes.”
So, Rosaline knows everything about her.
Patricia gently raised the corners of her mouth. For some reason, she felt an ominous feeling, so she couldn’t smile naturally, but she managed to calm herself.
There was no way she was going to sit idly by while the source of her anxiety, Rosaline, was missing.
“Count. How many magic bombs did you manage to stockpile with the stolen magicites?”
Patricia knew from experience that she had no choice but to become stronger to avoid being stabbed in the back.
──────────✿◦•
That evening, three luxurious carriages arrived at Lexion Manor.
“What’s going on, Vane? You said it’s urgent.”
“Is there something wrong with Father’s health?”
“You’ve never called me like this before. Is everyone alright?”
Melissa, Hestia, and Lilliette’s faces were filled with worry as they rushed to the manor after their father’s call.
As soon as they entered, Vane spoke to the three women, who, in an instant, went from being treated as noble adult ladies to young ladies.
“Well… It’s quite a serious matter.”
Even Vane, who was usually a calm person, couldn’t help but feel perplexed this time. If this wasn’t a serious matter, then what on earth could be considered one?
“Everyone is gathered in Lady Leah’s room.”
“Why that room… Well, We’ll find out first.”
The three women quickened their steps. Then Franz appeared with an unreadable expression on his face.
“You’re here. Sit down.”
“What the hell is going on, Father?”
Uncharacteristically, Franz took a deep breath before he spoke.
“We found out who Walter’s father is.”
“Then there’s no need to be this serious, right? It’s good news.”
“Agnas XIV.”
“…?”
His three daughters couldn’t figure out why Franz was suddenly talking about the Emperor.
“Is there a problem with His Majesty’s health?”
Everyone in the empire knew that the Emperor was a single man with no interest in women or heirs. In a way, the reaction of the three women was understandable.
Walter briefly summarized the situation for the three ladies, who had question marks all over their faces.
“The man, my mother, Leah Lexion, spent the night with was His Majesty, Agnas XIV. My capable wife over there has even done a blood paternity test.”
“…!”
For a moment, the three ladies couldn’t help but doubt their ears. This wasn’t a story that simply said that since Walter’s father was found, his magic outburst could be controlled; it was more than that.
“So you…”
“Imperial bloodline. I don’t know whether His Majesty will recognize me as his heir or not.”
From the moment Walter first entered Lexion, they knew that if they wanted him to join the family, they should start by meeting his demands. However, Walter’s audacity was unparalleled.
Walter, even after learning that he was the Emperor’s son, did not get excited but instead calmly patted the son in his arms. Rather, it was Franz who was both nervous and thrilled.
“Walter’s presence completely changed the game. The power that Patricia has wielded until now comes from the fact that her son was the only bloodline of the Imperial Family.”
“An heir between the Imperial Family and Lexion… But how did you do the paternity test? Does His Majesty know about this?”
Instead of answering, Franz looked at Edith, who was sitting quietly next to Walter.
“During my work at the Health Bureau, I had the chance to ste—… borrow a bit of His Majesty’s blood.”
The three ladies could not help but be surprised by the bold answer, which did not match her docile appearance.
『 Could it be that Edith had this in mind from the beginning when she accepted the position as Patricia’s lady-in-waiting?』
『 She’s spent so much time with Leah Unnie, she must have picked up on something.』
『 If I look closely, Edith is the boldest. Now I understand why Walter can’t do anything.』
The three ladies looked at Edith with eyes filled with admiration.
Suddenly, goosebumps broke out in Edith’s arms. As she gazed at their faces, which resembled Leah’s, a thought flashed through her mind.
“Perhaps it was Mrs. Leah’s calculation to leave the capital with His Majesty’s child.”
“Edith, sometimes you have to take the long way around to protect what you love.”
“Why, M’lady?”
“Well, sometimes the person you love might need time, whether it’s to become stronger or to fulfill their desires.”
Edith now seemed to understand the meaning.
『 She wanted to protect both Walter and the 4th Prince, whom she loved but had no power yet.』
As soon as Leah’s name came out of Edith’s mouth, everyone in Lexion paid attention.
“When Mrs. Leah left the Lowell Manor, she said it was time to return to the capital. That was when Walter was sixteen. At that time…”
“When the 4th prince, who had the weakest position among the princes, forcefully ascended the throne and became Agnas XIV, the hierarchy was roughly settled.”
Franz answered in a trembling voice. Edith nodded slightly.
“That’s right. If Mrs. Leah had sent Walter to the Imperial Family when he was a baby, it would undoubtedly have become a weakness for His Majesty.”
“If he had a child to take care of, he wouldn’t have been able to seize power as quickly as he did back then.”
“I’m not sure what happened after leaving Lowell Manor, but if Walter had arrived in the capital safely, things would have been very different. He’s the son born between House Lexion and the Imperial Family.”
“…”
In that case, there would be a blood relation between House Lexion and the Imperial Family.
Naturally, the Emperor would have joined hands with the aristocratic faction to gain absolute power and rule the empire in peace.
With an heir behind him, who inherited both the nobility of the Imperial Family and the magic power of Lexion, the Imperial Family would have had no reason to be uneasy as it is now.
Franz lowered his head at the thought that it might all have been a ploy by his dreaded daughter to put House Lexion in a position to rival Agnas’s Imperial Family.
When Franz watched his daughter reluctantly consume potent potions every day to delay her inevitable death, Leah used to say something to him.
⋙“Father, don’t look at me like that. Even though I’m terminally ill, I will put House Lexion in the highest position. After all, I am your daughter, right?”⋘
Franz wondered if that was what her confident voice had meant. He felt both heartbroken and filled with joy at the thought of finally completing the puzzle left by his daughter.
『 If someone else had become Lexion’s future duchess, I would have never known Leah’s intentions.』
Franz was silent for a while, feeling a sense of gratitude so immense that he could not even begin to fathom it. His three daughters also looked at Edith with affection.
“Edith. Thanks to you, I was happy every time I heard about my sister, but now… What can I say, I don’t think saying thank you would be enough.”
“It’s nothing compared to how much Mrs. Leah cared for me. What’s really important is how His Majesty will take this.”
However, there was an unusual warmth in the Emperor’s voice as he recalled Leah. Edith chose to believe in that.
In the end, Lilliette wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and smiled.
“Alright. There will soon be a suitable occasion to reveal this truth.”
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
