Just as I was eagerly waiting for Avery to speak:

“…Soniel is currently spending time in seclusion within the mansion.”

“Time in seclusion?”

When I asked with a strained voice, Avery let out a long sigh.

“Everyone seems to have lost interest in the Viper family now. When rumors were rampant, they were all desperate to know first.”

“Ah.”

“There’s hardly any talk about Soniel these days, so I really struggled to find anything out.”

Only Avery could say she struggled without sounding annoying.

“Without you, I wouldn’t have survived in this harsh and complicated social world.”

“Oh, come on, it’s nothing.”

“I mean it. Even when I was bedridden at the mansion, you were my eyes and ears. I’m always grateful.”

“Leonora, I’m touched that you say so.”

“I’m the one always touched by your help.”

I tried my best to match Avery’s mood.

Of course, Avery would readily share what she found out even without such effort.

Pleased by my praise, Avery shrugged her shoulders once.

“You’re very precious to me too.”

“Oh my, look at me. Should I ask Sabine to bring some tea? Maybe sweet cookies too?”

“No, you’re more curious about Soniel. Let’s talk about that first.”

Avery adjusted her posture and began speaking in earnest.

“I heard Madam Pollietti rarely goes out, so I was watching for an opportunity. I thought she would know their situation best.”

“Yes.”

“When I heard she was going out to buy ribbons, I rushed after her.”

I listened with a serious face to Avery’s heroic tale.

“Soniel seems to have caused some big trouble. The atmosphere there isn’t good. I heard all her lessons for this week were canceled too.”

“Did you hear what kind of trouble?”

Avery slowly shook her head.

“The madam didn’t seem to know either.”

Soniel was a perceptive and intelligent child for her age.

Moreover, she had figured out her father’s temperament and acted cautiously.

Because of this, I couldn’t readily understand the claim that she had caused trouble.

‘Because of that trouble… she’s now confined to the mansion, unable to come out or do anything?’

My lips trembled as I recalled my former father’s piercing eyes.

“She didn’t seem like a child who would cause trouble.”

“I think so too. Perhaps they’re trying to educate her more strictly since she’s an adopted daughter.”

Avery gently shook her head and continued.

“But it should end soon, right? Since she’s at home, I don’t think we need to worry too much.”

That’s the problem.

The fact that she’s at home.

That very fact that she’s only at home!

“Avery.”

“Yes, Leonora.”

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

Yes, she might be forbidden from attending social gatherings and confined to self-reflection at home for doing something wrong. That wasn’t such a big deal or surprising.

But this was Foil Viper’s mansion, of all places.

If I hadn’t overheard my former father and his secretary discussing Soniel that night, I wouldn’t be this anxious.

Wasn’t she with someone who said he would dispose of her if she proved useless, and who secretly raised a large private army?

‘Surely he doesn’t already think she’s useless?’

I couldn’t bear the anxiety.

“A bad feeling?”

Yet I couldn’t honestly tell Avery everything.

‘Oops.’

Duke Viper’s public image was quite different from what I had experienced.

I regretted my excessive reaction due to anxiety.

“Are you afraid Duke Viper might send her back?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I awkwardly raised the corners of my mouth in agreement.

“I’ve already grown attached to her, so I’d feel sad if she left.”

“Well, that’s true. She was quite fun to be around.”

Avery lowered her eyebrows and made a gloomy expression.

“And she was cute too.”

“She had such a beautiful and kind heart.”

“That’s right.”

“She also really liked babies—”

Avery stopped mid-sentence and suddenly clapped her hands.

“Ah.”

Then she tapped her head and looked at me.

“This probably doesn’t have much to do with Soniel, but…”

“Yes, did you hear something else?”

“I heard a midwife visited the Viper household. Someone there must be expecting a child.”

“A midwife?”

“Yes, she apparently came and went several times, but I don’t know for whom.”

My heart began to pound unpleasantly at the mention of a midwife.

Midwives here had played quite a few roles after all.

‘It can’t be that… it couldn’t be.’

But once the floodgates of anxiety opened, it persistently drove me forward.

‘What if it’s for that reason.’

Generally, mothers provided s*x education to their daughters, but in the Viper household, there was currently no one to call mother, no one to play the role of mistress.

What if they had called a midwife to educate Soniel about something?

“Leonora, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Nothing, just—”

But I couldn’t completely hide my anxiety. Avery, staring at me, opened her mouth again.

“If you’re that concerned… shall I find another way?”

“Another way?”

“The inner workings of the Viper family would be best known by someone inside. I’ll see if I know anyone who knows the head maid.”

I nearly jumped up to hug Avery.

“Avery, you’re the best.”

“I’ll come back in three days.”

“Please, Avery.”

“Just trust me.”

Avery left with a confident face.

❀❀❀

However, making Avery’s efforts seem futile, Soniel came to see me herself the next day.

“Soniel.”

“My lady, have you been well?”

She looked as lovely as ever in a beautiful dress, adorably dressed up.

No, she seemed even more splendidly attired than usual, having paid attention to every detail.

“I was worried. I thought something had happened.”

“Were you? I’m sorry, well…”

Soniel continued with a gentle smile.

“I wasn’t feeling well. The doctor said I seemed to have a fever.”

“A fever?”

“Yes, but I’m much better now.”

“Oh my, that could have been serious.”

I glanced at the maids who had come with her, then led Soniel to the sofa.

Soniel sat on the sofa without making a sound and looked at me with a calm face.

Her eyes clearly had much to say, but somehow she seemed reluctant to speak.

With an uneasy feeling, I looked around and made eye contact with the maids.

‘Why are they standing like that anyway?’

One of the maids standing by the door was Johana, and the other had a face I hadn’t seen before.

“You two wait outside.”

The unfamiliar maid replied politely.

“Miss Soniel hasn’t fully recovered yet. The master instructed us not to leave her side for a moment.”

Haha, what did she just say?

I suppressed my rising anger and spoke.

“What’s your name?”

Johana, who had been quiet, flinched.

“It’s Lili.”

Yes, Lili wants to be scolded too.

How dare she, does she know where she is?

“Lili, I understand your concern, but this isn’t the Viper household.”

“……”

“Since you’ve entered this place, you must follow my orders, so wait outside.”

“I apologize, my lady. But I must follow my master’s orders, my lady. Please—”

I raised my hand to cut off her words.

“Your current master is Miss Soniel Viper. If you’re worried about her, I’ll call a doctor.”

Then Lili spoke again with anxious eyes.

“No, my lady. I can take good care of Miss—”

“Wouldn’t a doctor residing in the imperial palace be much more capable than you?”

“Still, I must stay here.”

“So you insist on standing there and eavesdropping on the conversation between me and your master.”

“No, my lady.”

Despite her words, her politely clasped hands remained rigid.

Unlike Johana, Lili was quite a strong-willed girl.

‘There’s a reason my former father sent this girl along.’

She didn’t even blink at my words, suggesting I shouldn’t see her infrequently.

But even so.

“I don’t want to repeat myself. Leave my room.”

“My lady.”

“No one is to enter until I call.”

Just then, Soniel abruptly stood up.

“My lady, I’m not feeling well, so I think I should go.”

“Soniel.”

I didn’t know what to do at this sudden reaction.

Surely she wasn’t doing this because I said a word to the maid she brought.

But she seemed to have already made up her mind to leave, picking up her hat.

“I’ll come back when I feel a bit better.”

Then she turned and slipped past the table. Just as I stood up to follow her, Soniel secretly pressed a small piece of paper into my hand.