Chapter 9 (Part 2)

“Madam, will you tell His Grace yourself? I think it would be better if you shared this wonderful news with him.”

The doctor’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Now that she thought about it, Cardin would probably be the happiest to hear this news. After all, he had worked hard to change the family laws because of her inability to conceive. Perhaps even now, his busy schedule was related to that.

“Don’t tell anyone. I’ll tell Cardin myself.”

“Yes, I won’t share this with anyone.”

The doctor smiled brightly. As she packed the vials she had laid out back into her leather bag, she added,

“For now, I’ll let the staff know that your health seems a bit delicate so they can take extra care.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all. Please rest well.”

The doctor bowed politely and left the room. As the door closed, silence enveloped the space. Her previously calm heart swelled with joy, and a smile slowly spread across her face.

‘Pregnant.’

Even as she thought about it again, it felt unbelievable. The guilt that had weighed her down began to fade, and the vision of a future with Cardin became clearer.

Tears suddenly fell in streams. All the sorrow she had bottled up because of her infertility came rushing out. The endless medications, the despairing sighs—it all seemed like it would no longer haunt her. It felt like the radiant sunshine after a heavy rain. The burden that had crushed her heart seemed to lift.

Yet, the tears kept falling. This time, they were tears of overwhelming joy. It felt as if everything was finally falling into place, as if staying by Cardin’s side was no longer something to feel guilty about. It seemed like the circumstances were finally aligning in her favor after all the times she had been greedy to remain by his side.

After crying for a long time, she suddenly remembered the theater she had visited with Cardin the day before. The tears abruptly stopped. A sudden worry took over.

‘What should I do? Is it safe to have relations during pregnancy?’

Her mind filled with concerns as she placed a hand on her stomach. It didn’t hurt, nor did it feel tight—it seemed perfectly fine. Besides, the doctor had confirmed her pregnancy earlier.

‘It doesn’t seem like there’s a problem.’

She stared at her flat stomach. Since there was no visible bump, it was hard to believe. The thought that a new life was growing inside her felt incredible and brought a smile to her face.

Now, she wondered how to tell Cardin the news effectively. As she lifted her head, her gaze fell on the newspaper. Her expression gradually hardened.

***

Cardin arrived at the Messerode family’s townhouse without delay. He had planned to deal with his mother soon, but he hadn’t expected her to strike first.

And at such a happy moment. Cardin felt a headache coming on as he stepped out of the carriage. Damon, who had been fidgeting nervously beside him, looked at him with concern.

“Are you all right?”

Cardin pressed his fingers to his temple and replied,

“Yes.”

Damon watched him cautiously, saying nothing. His heart raced with unease. With things as they were, he felt sure something dramatic would happen today.

Cardin’s calm demeanor as he took deep breaths seemed almost dangerous, as if he were suppressing a fiery rage. After standing still for a moment with his hand on his forehead, Cardin turned to gaze at the fountain. Beyond it, the imposing mansion loomed in the distance. Originally, he and Brienne should have been living there—not his mother.

He had allowed her to stay there out of gratitude for giving birth to him, but he hadn’t expected her to create such a mess.

“Have the documents regarding Roquek been submitted to the court?”

Damon answered promptly, as if he’d been waiting for the question.

“Yes! They’ve already been submitted, and by today, all of Roquek’s authority will be revoked. I’ve also informed the retainers in advance.”

The retainers had reacted with shock, as if hearing the news for the first time. They had supported Roquek, attributing his arrogance to his secure lineage. Some had even subtly expressed dissatisfaction with Cardin.

However, everything changed the moment it was revealed that Roquek was an illegitimate child. Those who had sided with Roquek quickly reversed their stance, scrambling to make excuses. They claimed they had only offered mild opinions out of consideration for Cardin and had no intention of fully supporting Roquek.

Cardin had dealt with their excuses decisively. He reclaimed the lands he had granted them and stripped them of their titles. Since they had always invoked family law, he punished them according to it, charging them with disloyalty to their lord. It was a clean and indisputable resolution.

Originally, Cardin had intended to protect even his cousins. Roquek hadn’t chosen to be born the way he was, after all. But Roquek had crossed too many lines. People should know their limits, but Roquek had charged ahead recklessly, making a spectacle of himself.

As Cardin entered the drawing room, the corners of his lips curled upward uncontrollably. The person who had been shouting behind a stack of papers glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

“So, even my cousin is here with you, Mother?”

Hernes sipped her tea as if nothing had happened. She quietly set her teacup down without a sound and spoke.

“Sit down.”

It seemed she had anticipated Cardin’s arrival here, her demeanor indifferent. Roquek glared at Cardin as if he wanted to kill him. Cardin, however, sat down casually, maintaining a faint smile.

“Don’t you think you’ve gone too far this time?”

Though his lips were curved into a smile, his eyes were as cold as the dead of winter.

“Stabbing me in the back, Mother? That’s not like you.”

Hernes gestured toward Roquek, who raised his head as if ready to leap forward.

“You’re the one who stabbed me in the back. How dare you—”

“Roquek.”

Cardin deliberately spun the teacup in front of him, making a sound. It was the tea his mother had always favored, brewed from the finest lavender grown in the Olalid region, with a pinch of salt added. He picked up the teacup and poured its contents onto the saucer, letting the yellow liquid overflow onto the table.

Despite the situation, both Hernes and Roquek kept their eyes fixed on Cardin, seemingly curious about what he would say next.

“I was willing to accept my cousin, even if he was illegitimate.”

Cardin set the teacup down with a clatter and smiled faintly. Roquek’s eyes wavered as he looked at him, and Cardin spoke slowly, meeting his gaze.

“But you ruined it.”

Leaning back leisurely in his chair, Cardin watched Roquek’s reaction as if savoring it. Roquek’s face grew red with anger, and the veins in his neck bulged.

“Who said I wanted your approval? While you were off daydreaming, I was the one thinking about the Messerode family, caring more than anyone about its prosperity. I was the one trying to take responsibility for its future, but you—”

“And that’s why I’m here.”

Roquek let out a hollow laugh, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Cardin, speaking slowly as if to clarify, continued.

“For the Messerode Family’s sake, I’ve taken over.”

Roquek’s trembling eyes suddenly hardened with defiance.

“You never cared about inheriting the Messerode Family in the first place! No matter how hard I worked, you acted as if it was all predetermined…”

“Roquek.”

Hernes’s cold voice cut through the air, and Roquek turned to her in surprise. She spoke as if stating the obvious.

“Cardin is the current head of the Messerode family. He inherited the title formally as a legitimate heir. Your words are becoming increasingly inappropriate.”

“W-why are you saying this? Didn’t you promise to support me to some extent, Lady Hernes?”

Hernes responded as if she were hearing this for the first time.

“Support?”

She didn’t even raise an eyebrow. Roquek, flustered by her calm demeanor, began to speak hastily.

“You said you’d already given a hint to the Gardrea Family! You promised to divert the Emerald Mine near Devok to your side as a condition for not breaking off the engagement with Foyne!”

Hernes opened her lips, her expression unchanged.

“And what does that have to do with this situation?”

“Of course it’s relevant! Weren’t you planning to turn against Cardin completely and side with me? I even heard you’d already finalized things with Foyne!”

“Mother.”

Amid the confusion, Cardin’s sharp voice rang out. Roquek, startled, fell silent, while Hernes gazed at Cardin indifferently.

“Why are you acting so pathetically, Mother? That’s not like you.”

For the first time, a crack appeared in her perpetually composed expression. Cardin smirked and continued.

“There’s no need to pretend to be on my side now. It’s disgusting.”

Hernes sneered coldly.

“You certainly have a way with words when speaking to your mother.”

“Don’t I? I only seem to say these kinds of things in front of you.”

Cardin’s lips curled into a mocking smile. A heavy silence settled over the room, the atmosphere growing colder by the second. It was Roquek who appeared the most shaken.

Having been exposed as an illegitimate child, he had come here hoping to salvage whatever benefit he could. Hernes had once promised to support him, and although he wasn’t fond of his engagement to Foyne, he had been told that if it was successfully arranged, he might gain something out of it.

But now, Roquek felt trapped in an inescapable snare, overwhelmed by a sense of defeat. Coming here had been a mistake. This rigid duchess was someone who placed great importance on bloodlines, and Cardin, who seemed to have taken everything from him since birth, pressed down on him even more, leaving no room to escape.