Deep Boredom - Part 2

It was an incident where a drunken young lord dared to provoke Rasha without any fear. It was a blatant act of s*xual harassment rather than something that could be easily dismissed.

That day, Chedev coldly looked down at him without uttering a word. His gaze alone had the power to kill a person. The banquet hall froze as if it were a winter lake. The memory instilled a chilling and eerie tension in those who were watching, more than the ones involved.

Fortunately, the social gathering that day ended without any bloodshed. However, the consequences unfolded a week later. The young lord’s family, who had insulted Rasha, mysteriously vanished. Their business collapsed due to consecutive bankruptcies, and they faced severe penalties that violated imperial laws. They met their ultimate disgrace, the most dishonorable end possible. Everyone hushed, but they vaguely sensed the culprit who caused all these results during that social gathering.

Duke Cecilion had displayed such fervent affection toward his commoner mistress. With that affection as a driving force, it was not surprising that the blade might now turn toward his own family. Unlike Kaim, who was at a loss, Rasha remained calm.

“The Duke won’t come looking for me.”

“He won’t?”

With him urging her for a response, Rasha took a sip of fragrant tea. Even though the warm tea passed through her throat, her heart grew colder than ever.

Eventually, the realization struck that it was time for me to speak those words with my own mouth.

“That person…”

“…”

“Seems to have grown tired of me now.”

Kaim’s expression changed instantly. Her calm tone contradicted the content, creating a truly perplexing atmosphere that left no room for retort.

* * *

As if being chased away from a lover immersed in apathy, Kaim readily provided a place for Rasha to stay.

“Nevertheless, just to be sure, I will verify if your blood is mixed with our family’s.”

With those words, he took a drop of blood from Rasha’s finger along with the Countess ring. It had already been a week since that incident.

Rasha had been living in the room Kaim provided without making a single move. She had no choice. Since the intense night with Chedev, she hadn’t been able to rest properly and left the mansion burdened with fatigue. Moreover, carrying one more life, her body grew heavier day by day. Sleep increased noticeably, and she often found herself dozing off while sitting quietly.

It was when she rose from the bed still in a dazed state. Suddenly, she heard urgent footsteps from afar, followed by the door swiftly opening. Slowly turning her head, Rasha seemed to recognize the somewhat rude intruder.

“You!”

Kaim, who never seemed to tire of tormenting her, had a pale, worn-out expression today. As she suspected, Kaim’s soul felt drained.

“As you instructed, I requested an investigation from the imperial magician. The ring is authentic, bearing the unique sigil of Count Lippe, and the blood you drew matches yours.’

The secretary who spoke without hesitation stumbled at the next part.

“Um, but there’s something even more important than that…”

“What is it?”

Pressing the hesitant secretary for an answer, Kaim’s eyes widened. Upon hearing the news, she immediately rushed to Rasha’s bedroom. Kaim’s gaze, fixed on Rasha, slid down to the edge of her belly.

“You, you… Is it true that you’re pregnant?”

Facing the startled Kaim, Rasha nodded her head. It was a calmness without a trace of disturbance, just like their first encounter. She had already anticipated this since the moment he took that drop of blood. Looking back, she realized she discovered her pregnancy through that infusion of blood.

Upon Rasha’s confirmation, Kaim clenched her temples tightly. Then, in a suppressed voice, as if whispering to herself, she asked.

“So, is it Duke Cecilion’s child?”

“Yes.”

“…Damn it, this is f*cked up. Seriously f*cked up.”

The secretary who followed after him tried to draw attention to his casual tone, but Kaim didn’t seem to hear a thing.

“It’s enough to drive someone insane!”

“Count.”

“Secretary, isn’t that right? Isn’t this enough for me to turn my back on everything?”

“Please calm down…”

“I’m scared of Duke Cecilion, damn it! Do you know what expression he had when he looked at that insignificant young lord? He didn’t say anything, but there was no trace of mercy in his expression, he was absolutely ruthless… Ugh, just thinking about it gives me chills. If, by any chance, he misunderstands and thinks I took away not only his concubine but also his child, what will I do?”

“He doesn’t know that I’m pregnant.”

Rasha subtly whispered to the secretary in front of her, while Kaim was running around the room.

“And now, I’m no longer his concubine.”

“…?”

“Duke Cecilion is someone who has nothing to do with me anymore.”

Rasha’s calm demeanor made Kaim, who was running around, seem like a strange person. Perhaps aware of it himself, Kaim calmed down a bit as if asking when the chaos had erupted. He first instructed his aide and then sat Rasha on the bed, pulling a chair and sitting himself down.

“There are still some questions I want to ask about that.”

Having been restless all this time, Kaim now crossed his legs and folded his arms as if to save face. Rasha almost burst into laughter at his natural attitude. She barely managed to hold back her laughter and thought that maybe her husband was quite a funny person.

Without knowing Rasha’s thoughts, Kaim, who couldn’t possibly grasp her true intentions, asked in a serious tone.

“You said it was over between you two, but did you reach an agreement with the duke?”

“An agreement?”

“I heard that for the past few days, the duke’s knights have been wandering around the capital.”

“….”

“Is he looking for you?”

Rasha’s pupils flickered for an instant, although subtly.

It was an assumption that occurred to her while heading to the harbor to look for Chedev. However, when she was actually confronted with the news, she couldn’t hide her confusion.

But the moment she recalled Chedev’s attitude that she had witnessed with her own eyes, all of it seemed meaningless. The person who left her alone in the bedroom to take a walk with another woman, who held onto that woman and brushed off her arm, and who emitted the scent of that woman’s perfume, and now?

It was easy to deduce. It reminded her of the time when he stubbornly refused to break up due to some misunderstanding or jealousy.

“Well, it could be for a different reason, not me. Even if he is looking for me, it will probably be temporary. He’s just not used to the fact that I’m not there.”

“….”

“As much as you feel like you’ve lost something important after being together for so long, you will adapt to the empty space over time. If not, someone else will take that vacant spot.”

That someone may have already been found. There could be Lady Robeni, who confidently took his place by his side. Above all, the woman who made Rasha feel pitiful and insignificant.

Kaim stared at Rasha in silence for a moment and then let out a deep sigh. No matter how much she said, her despair couldn’t be concealed. Rasha stared back at him and tightly clenched the edge of her skirt.

“If you’re really worried, I’ll leave this place as well. Instead… I hope you can lend me some money.”

He already knew from a conversation a week ago that most of what she had was lost due to pickpocketing. Kaim remained silent for a moment. He seemed lost in thought. Even in that state, his gaze busily moved between Rasha’s tired face and her still-unnoticeable belly.

Then, he made a pained expression, clutching his neatly combed hair with his hand.

As someone who holds the power of the Empire, the Duke of Cecilion had an extraordinary network of information. So, even if he were to quickly send her away, there is a high chance that traces of her presence here would be discovered eventually.

What if he only gave her money and callously cast her aside, and she came to harm?

In that case, it would be truly difficult for the Count Lippe to avoid the Duke’s anger.

Indeed, there was fear, but for now, a more humanitarian issue took precedence.

Ever since it was revealed that the bloodline flowing within her belonged to this family, it became even more worrisome. Now that he finally know, she was, in fact, part of his family. Moreover, she wasn’t alone. How long would she last if she had to go out there hungry with a b*by in her belly?

If I were to dismiss her like this, I would become a heartless and merciless person, devoid of pity.

“I will allow you to stay here, but let’s make a promise. Make sure to explain it properly so that there are no misunderstandings with the Duke of Cecilion in the future. Understood?”

In the end, Kaim spoke with a half-resigned tone. Rasha nodded her head, but she didn’t forget to add her own speculation.

“There’s no need for an explanation. He will soon give up looking for me.”

“Well…”

Kaim’s face still showed uncertainty as to whether his decision was correct.

“I didn’t mean to trouble you. When the situation settles… I will leave here too.”

“So, you’re saying you didn’t come here to obtain the name of Count Lippe.”

“…..”

As Kaim pointed out, her coming here was simply a choice she made for a place to escape. She had nothing to immediately flee with, no money or anything else. After the intense night, her body was worn out to the point where she felt she could collapse at any moment. Even the lingering feeling of despair from being pickpocketed had taken away all her remaining strength.

What she had held at that time was only enough money to ride a cart and a ring that would allow her to confidently enter this mansion. So, there were no other options, it could be said.

Kaim left the bedroom with a remark telling her to rest.

Alone, Rasha lay sprawled on the bed, gazing out the window. The sky was clear, and the clouds peaceful. Why then was her heart so restless? She wondered if she, too, was unable to adapt to the vacant space and the changed environment.

Not just Chedev, but herself as well.

Rasha blinked her eyes, and before she knew it, she entrusted herself to the approaching darkness once again.

The loneliness that she had to adapt to was just beginning.