While Edith was calming herself with tea alongside Helen, Walter was deliberately talking to Cassius about the assassins he had purposefully let go.
“The Duke of Lexion must be thinking about how to put the assassins to good use by now. It might have deviated a bit from the initial plan…”
Cassius didn’t know what was causing the shadow on Walter’s face.
As soon as he learned that Edith had been summoned by the Duke, Walter’s face became stiff.
⋙“The Duke called for her?”⋘
At Walter’s words, Cassius almost instinctively bowed his head.
After awakening his magical powers, there were times when Walter unleashed the power within him without even realizing it, especially when a problem arose with Edith’s well-being.
『 How can he exude such overwhelming power just months after awakening his magic?』
Cassius had always believed that effort and hard work were more important than innate talent, but looking at Walter these days, he seemed to have been wrong.
According to the plan, today he was supposed to confirm whether Walter truly shared the bloodline of Duke Lexion or not.
The plan involved baiting the assassins and leading them toward the armory with Walter deliberately emitting his magic energy.
The idea was to lead the assassins to lure the Duke toward the armory using Walter’s magical power.
『 If Walter is of Lexion’s blood, the Duke, sensing his magic, would come forward first, or if he doesn’t, the Duke’s response would be unsettling.』
However, because the Duke summoned Edith, not Walter, to his study, Walter lost his reason and rushed straight to her, deviating from the plan to confirm his lineage.
⋙“I don’t have magic, so I can’t say for sure, but the Duke used his magic to create a massive blade and threatened Edith with it. Imagine how terrifying it must have been…”⋘
When Helen talked about what had happened to Edith at the hands of the Duke, Walter let out a bitter laugh.
To Cassius, that laughter sounded like a curse, a vow not to forgive the Duke for what he had done.
“Walter, what do you intend to do by confirming if you’re related to the Duke?”
“…”
Walter ransacked his brain, as was his habit when something troubling occurred.
He originally wanted to confirm his lineage in the quickest way possible, regain his rightful status, and then give Edith the luxurious life she deserved.
Of course, he would have to keep it a secret from Edith, but he believed he could endure and overcome the challenges that Lexion would put him through if he were a Lexion.
Then, he could slightly disrupt Edith’s independent plan to raise their child on her own, which was progressing well even if he didn’t want it to.
However, the fact that the Duke himself had pressed a blade against Edith’s throat made Walter feel that he should bite his own tongue off in front of her if he were indeed of Lexion’s blood.
In his opinion, what woman wants to bear a child from the bloodline that tried to kill her?
It sounded crazy even to him.
“For now, let’s observe how the Duke uses the assassins.”
Walter said before returning to his room.
He was exhausted from being on high alert all day.
While he sorted out his confusion, Reinhardt’s wife, who was passing by, called him over.
“Oh, Walter, perfect timing! Could you take this to Lady Edith’s room? When you light it, it will release a soothing scent that helps calm the mind and body.”
She held out a tray with scented candles and herb oil that emitted a subtle fragrance.
Since Edith’s room was right next to his, Walter accepted the tray without much thought.
However, as he arrived at the door of her room, a fleeting thought crossed his mind.
『 She probably doesn’t think I’m a crazy bastard because of the things I did before, does she?』
For Walter, it was a question he had logically deduced.
If Edith looked at him as strangely as she did earlier in the carriage, he wasn’t sure he could maintain his composure.
That darn herb oil seemed to make the atmosphere sticky whenever it was nearby.
But because he wanted to calm Edith down after the absurdity committed by the Duke, Walter hesitated in front of her room, unsure of what to do.
Should I knock or not? Should I just leave it at the door? He, who was born audacious with a strong sense of action, felt hesitant and nervous for the first time.
Squeak—
“Walter?”
“…”
While he pondered, Edith opened the door. She appeared somewhat surprised to see him.
Her gaze, as it fell upon him, was as affectionate as it had been in the carriage. It was the kind of gaze one might cast upon something beloved, and it left him inexplicably thirsty.
“Reinhardt’s wife asked me to give you this.”
Walter said, recalling the feeling of her rubbing the back of his neck as their breaths mingled in the carriage earlier. His body was still tingling with that memory, but he extended the tray he was holding with superhuman endurance.
She gently took the tray from him before asking.
“If you’re not busy, would you like to come in for a moment? I still can’t sleep, so I was thinking about asking you to talk to me.”
“…”
Walter, captivated by her gentle smile and soothing voice, entered her room. The room was filled with objects she had touched and Edith’s sweet scent.
Being alone with her in this space, with her wearing only velvet pajamas that accentuated the curves of her body, was undeniably tempting.
“Bringing a man into your room this late at night, isn’t that something you should refrain from?”
Walter was deliberately sarcastic, but Edith just smiled and looked into his eyes.
He realized he wasn’t being sarcastic; he seemed like he would react this way even if she barked like a dog.
『 Why is she suddenly acting so recklessly?』
Walter repeatedly struck a match to light the scented candle, but his hand was shaking so much that the match broke.
In fact, Edith’s affectionate gaze toward Walter was due to her discovery that he was Isaac, the boy from her memories.
The fact that he stood before her in such a splendid appearance and that she carried this man’s child felt almost unbelievable.
Wanting to convey this to him, she asked as he was nearly discarding a pack of matches.
“Walter, how would you feel if you were of Lexion’s blood?”
He thought for a moment and responded with a simple answer.
“I probably wouldn’t feel too good about it; it’s a family with many regrettable aspects, especially after what they did to you today.”
“…”
From Walter’s perspective, it was a family that hadn’t sought him out regardless of the circumstances, and there were rumors of them dealing with their offspring ruthlessly, so he might not feel inclined.
Moreover, she, too, didn’t want to dwell on Lexion, especially after experiencing the Duke’s terrifying magic.
“Is the baby alright?”
But when Edith heard him ask carefully, she wanted to tell the child in her womb the truth she had discovered today.
『 Baby, the handsome man in front of you right now is your father.』
Although it was just a thought muttered in her mind, an indescribable feeling of happiness welled up.
She was convinced that their child felt the same way.
Walter, who had barely managed to light the scented candle after discarding two matchboxes, paused for a moment when he noticed Edith with sparkling eyes behind him.
Suddenly, a passage he had read in ‘Reproduction and Childbirth’ flashed through his mind: it was natural to experience sexual desire during pregnancy.
Could it be that this woman was… right now?
“Walter, could you… hug me until I fall asleep?”
“!”
“I couldn’t sleep because of what happened at the Duke’s manor, but I thought having you by my side might help.”
Edith even added what seemed like a reasonable excuse. Walter was astonished, as if an arrow had pierced his heart.
Despite his initial shock, he nodded.
Then Edith smiled as if she were the happiest person in the world and guided Walter to bed.
She got on the bed first and then patted the spot next to her. Walter, with a single knee step, climbed into bed and raised a hand to caress her chin.
“…?”
However, Edith shifted her position so that Walter could hug her from behind.
Then, she subtly took his hand and placed it on her stomach.
“You wanted me to hug you like this?”
“Walter… What are you thinking now?”
“…”
Walter felt like he had become trash, and he smiled bitterly but stopped himself.
Another surge of satisfaction filled him as Edith carefully intertwined her fingers with his.
“I was thinking that this child is mine, Edith.”
He spoke in a low voice tinged with obsession and tapped Edith’s stomach with two of his fingers.
“So, don’t think about running away. You too, little one.”
“…Little one?”
“The baby. It doesn’t have a name yet.”
Walter, not content with brainwashing Edith alone but now also attempting to influence the child inside her, told the baby that it was not the child of that man, Isaac, who was nowhere to be seen, but his own.
Edith, who now understood who was jealous of whom, held back her laughter as she listened to his voice.
“Let’s use ‘Little one‘ as a nickname.”
She murmured softly, feeling Walter’s warmth, and closed her eyes.
Until he came to her room, Edith was filled with fearful thoughts, wondering if there might be issues with the baby’s life expectancy due to its lineage as a descendant of Lexion and Mrs. Leah, or due to its magical power.
Edith was afraid that telling the truth would burden Walter, who was already busy. Since she had the opportunity to consult with the mage, she decided to confirm it herself first.
Anyone would be devastated to hear that their child will face life-threatening issues due to their own lineage.
Edith felt like she might have a panic attack, but as long as she was with Walter, she could find some peace of mind for a while.
『 No matter how much I worry, nothing will change. I tore up the stamp I got from Isabelle, so the mage should arrive by tomorrow.』
Edith held Walter’s hands tightly and slowly drifted off to sleep.
The following afternoon, the mage she had summoned arrived at Fortrion Manor.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
