The aide tilted his head slightly. He, too, seemed puzzled.

“If he intended to kill her with a blade, he should have struck elsewhere.”

“Then…”

“Moreover, does the shape of the dagger not trouble you?”

If the intention had been to kill her on the spot, a blade with a broader edge would have been more appropriate.

“I’m not certain I follow, Your Grace…”

“With a weapon like this, a single thr*st would not even be enough to kill a fawn.”

Somewhere along his back, where her small hands would rest whenever she embraced him.

If he told her that he had been injured protecting her, his gentle, tender woman might stay by his side out of guilt, if nothing else.

It was absurd. A reckless, almost deranged thought. And yet, disturbingly, it felt like a satisfying conclusion.

Forcing his thoughts back into order, Aiden rose, his expression carefully composed.

He lifted the fallen shawl and draped it over her shoulders once more. Then he leaned in and pressed a light kiss against the delicate curve of her ear.

‘Did Mother know that she fears water?’

The fragments refused to fit together.

Ivan had simply said that it was fortunate that none of her vital organs had been damaged. In a trembling voice, he repeated that there were no unusual findings.

That was what made it all the more strange.

The wound wasn’t severe, so why had she been stabbed in the abdomen at all? Why?

He could not fathom the reason behind his mother’s peculiar instruction.

“Lady Noma.”

At the sound of her name, Dennis—who had been parting his lifeless lips to speak—froze.

“She has yet to regain consciousness.”

“There are no signs of her waking?”

“Regrettably… no, Your Grace.”

Only when his mother awakened would the full truth come to light.

However long it took, he would uncover it.

Aiden gave his order.

“Station additional guards at the entrance to Lady Noma’s chamber and beneath her windows. Send me a list of all visitors immediately.”

“As you command.”

Dennis bowed deeply before leaving the study.

Aiden raised his wine glass and walked over to the window. Beyond it, the snow-covered maze garden lay in perfect silence.

As he gazed at the intricate frozen paths, he retraced the events of the day in his mind.

According to his plans, the hunting festival should have ended by now, and he should have been spending the winter in Levizan. He had intended to invite the Duke of Baiton to discuss their next trade agreement.

During that time, Sveta was supposed to remain at the ducal estate, waiting obediently for his return.

But everything had fallen apart the moment she escaped.

The hunting festival. The engagements in Levizan. It was all undone.

Now, he was unable to leave the estate at all.

As ridiculous as it was, the reason was fear: Fear that she would run away again. Fear that she would disappear from his life forever.

Losing her once had hurt more than he had ever let on, even to himself. Of course, she had not yet fully recovered. She couldn’t even leave her bedroom.

And yet, the unease would not fade.

“At times, I feel I should bind you to me…”

He murmured the words under his breath, lifting the wine to his lips.

A careful knock interrupted him. Dennis entered once more.

“Is there more to report?”

“A message has just arrived from Levizan by carrier bird.”

At Aiden’s slight nod, Dennis stepped forward and presented a small slip of paper.

“It concerns the matter you ordered investigated—the slave who escaped from Zloytan.”

“……”

“A few days ago, they secured one such slave and have sent him here.”

Aiden handed back the note once he finished reading. Dennis added,

“He should arrive tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow…”

He would find out how Sveta had lived by tomorrow.

He was certain that it would not differ greatly from what he suspected.

She had been a slave.

Nevertheless, confirmation from an insider would be significant.

She would no longer be able to claim that she was Beth Gould.

“And the informant?”

“It has not been easy to uncover information on Beth Gould. Strangely enough, not a single genuine portrait of her remains.”

“As expected. She was a target across the continent. But there must be something.”

“I will pursue further leads.”

“Do so.”

With a brief reply, Aiden turned back toward the window.

“Your Grace…”

Dennis spoke again, his expression slightly uneasy.

“What is it?”

“It is time for your meeting with the southern guild leaders.”

“Already?”

“Yes. Two o’clock in the afternoon.”

Two o’clock.

The time when his lover would have finished her bath and be enjoying a cup of tea.

She would stand by the window, steaming cup in hand, watching the snow fall.

Despite her hair still being damp, she would stubbornly linger there, coughing occasionally.

Thinking of her, Aiden left the study with measured steps.

***

“Amy, would you prepare the bath for me?”

“Yes, my lady.”

The brown-haired maid bowed her head and hurried into the bath chamber.

Once certain they were alone, Beth’s large eyes shimmered as though filled with water.

“Sveta… about your hair. What did you tell the duke?”

“……”

As a result of the recent kiss, Aiden allowed the maids to return. However, this time they were being sent in pairs, unlike before. This limited their chances to speak alone.

Beth must have known that. Yet the first thing she chose to ask was this. Sveta felt as though her heart had burned down to blackened ash.

After staring at Beth for a long moment, she answered quietly.

“I said it was just a whim.”

“Well, dyeing one’s hair is as common as changing dresses. You did well.”

Gradually, a smile lit up Beth’s face.

It looked unfamiliar.

Come to think of it, her expressions changed rather quickly.

The seed of suspicion that had taken root in Sveta’s heart began to grow immediately.

Perhaps Lady Nora had been right. Maybe it really was Beth who had told her about the pregnancy.

‘Why would you do that? You said you’d be a good aunt. You said we’d raise the child together. So why…?’

Questions gathered thick on her tongue.

Fearing nothing kind would come out if she spoke freely, Sveta bit her lower lip.

“So… the duke still believes you’re Beth Gould, right?”

She forced the words out with a stiff, dry tongue.

“…Yes.”

“I see. That’s a relief…!”

Beth opened her arms as if to embrace her.

Sveta stepped back.

Beth faltered, startled by a reaction she had never received before.

“Why—why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

“We’re not alone. I’d like you to be careful.”

“If you insist on being so cold, I suppose I have no choice but to obey.”

“……”

“You’re the noble duke’s bed slave, and I’m merely a maid.”

‘Bed slave.’

The word hung heavily in the air, crushing Sveta’s heart.

It was not untrue. But the hidden mockery stirred something twisted and sharp inside her.

She asked bluntly.

“Beth, did you tell Lady Noma?”

“Tell her what?”

“…About the baby.”

Beth’s shoulders jerked in visible shock.

“Yes. I did.”

‘I thought she would deny it.’

Her tongue went dry once more at the unexpected answer.

“Explain. Why?”

“I’m sorry, Sveta. I had no choice. I was afraid Lady Noma might kill you. I thought that if she knew you were pregnant, she wouldn’t dare.”

Beth’s eyes reddened abruptly, the flush stark against her blue irises.

“She’s an old woman who’s spent her whole life mourning her dead daughter. I thought she’d spare her own grandchild.”

“……”

“But then she said she would tell the duke. So I made sure that withered mouth stayed shut. You know what that means, don’t you? If I had been caught, I would have been killed. I risked my life for you, Sveta. For you…”

Her words poured out rapidly, sharp and merciless, like a wet whip striking bare skin. And they hurt just as deeply.

It hurt.

Her abdomen, where her child had once lived.

Her heart, where Beth had once been.

Sveta slowly placed a hand over her empty stomach.

“I swear it’s true. I’ve spent my whole life protecting you. You know that, don’t you?”

“So you’re the one who pushed Lady Noma.”

“Of course that was an accident. I might have… helped it along, but in the end it was for the best. Now no one knows you were ever pregnant except you and me.”

“……”

As she slowly sorted through the storm of words Beth had hurled at her, it almost sounded like a threat—only I know your secret.

After a brief hesitation, Sveta forced herself to speak.

“Did you know in advance what order Lady Noma gave the boatman?”

“What order?”

“……”

Beth’s wide blue eyes shimmered with apparent innocence.

“Sveta, I’m just a maid. Do you really think Lady Noma would confide something like that in me? You know how this family is. To them, maids are nothing more than furniture.”

“……”

As always, Sveta was overwhelmed by Beth’s eloquence. What unsettled her most was that there was truth in it.

Like Aiden, Lady Noma was not one to explain things.

They didn’t talk things through.

They informed.

That was how they treated others.

It was unthinkable that they would share secrets with a maid.

“Sveta, I’m just glad you’re safe.”

Beth smiled brightly and opened her arms once more, stepping forward faster than Sveta could retreat.

She was just about to pull Sveta into an embrace—

“My lady, the bath is ready.”

Amy had entered the bedchamber and tilted her head in confusion.

“Beka? What are you doing—”

Startled, Sveta pushed Beth away instinctively.

The next moment, Beth fell backwards with an exaggerated thud.

She hit the floor and rolled clumsily across it.