This information only came in last night.

At Martiana’s request, he recently ordered an investigation into Ramelata. This is the resulting report.

Lawrence was surprised by how quickly it had been completed. After all, barely a day had passed since he sent out the temple’s knights.

In fact, perhaps what shocked him even more was its content.

“The Countess of Pumilum is currently staying at Duke Vandyk’s estate.”

“What?”

He was completely taken aback.

To be honest, until that moment, he had had his doubts. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his sister; what she was saying just seemed almost impossible.

She said she had seen their missing daughter. And that the child was being kept by someone who usually lived in the provinces?

No matter how many times he thought about it, he found it difficult to believe.

The situation had been urgent. She must have mistaken someone else for their daughter. Perhaps she had even been hallucinating.

That was what he had assumed.

But—

“She’s really in the capital?”

So it seemed.

What’s more, she had entered the estate on the same day that Martiana left the ducal house.

The timing was perfect.

On top of that—

“There’s a child with her.”

That was what the knight reported.

The Countess of Pumilum had arrived with a companion.

She had brought a young child with her.

A five-year-old — the same age as Licorice.

“That’s the child! That’s Licorice! I told you—I said I saw her!”

Martiana shot to her feet, her voice rising. She had been visibly agitated ever since Ramelata’s name was mentioned.

A mixture of relief at being right and desperate urgency filled her; she felt as if she might run out at any moment.

Of course.

What mother could remain calm after learning where her long-lost daughter might be?

Lawrence understood her feelings.

But he had to stop her.

“Calm down. The child is a boy. His name is Alex.”

That was the problem.

The gender and name were entirely different from Licorice’s.

“…A boy?”

Martiana blinked.

It was hard to believe.

A boy?

Surely she had seen the child with her own eyes that day?

With her ash-brown hair and red eyes, she looked just like Siliar.

Anyone would have thought she was Licorice.

But how?

“Think of Siliar’s sibling, Pameli.”

Lawrence raised the objective fact: Siliar and Pameli.

The two of them had features that were as identical as Martiana’s and Lawrence’s.

They had the same hair color. The same eye color.

If Licorice resembled her father, Siliar, then it was entirely possible that Alex resembled his father, Pameli.

“Ah…”

A faint sound escaped Martiana as she slowly sank back into her seat. Her slumped shoulders and lowered brows revealed her disappointment plainly.

“So it’s not Licorice?”

“Maybe.”

Lawrence answered, sliding a hand into the pocket of his priestly robe. Ultimately, it was probably a mistake. Martiana had only caught a brief glimpse of the child.

‘But…’

That dejected face of hers bothered him. He had thought she’d finally brightened, only for her to crumble again so quickly.

‘How am I supposed to comfort her?’

If he simply reassured her, it would seem thoughtless. However, he couldn’t give her false hope, nor could he suggest that the boy might be Licorice.

Ultimately, Lawrence had only one option.

“Even so, if you want to be sure, then there’s only one way. You’ll have to go to the duke’s estate and confirm it yourself.”

He spoke while stealing a glance at Martiana. She turned to look at him.

“Is that why you told me to reconcile with Siliar?”

“Yes. You’re not going to give up like this. You said you wanted to find Licorice. Wouldn’t it be better to know for certain?”

“…Yes.”

Martiana nodded.

After leaving the estate, only one wish remained inside her and she wasn’t ready to give it up.

Even after hearing that the child was a boy, she still couldn’t quite believe it.

‘I want to see it with my own eyes.’

She wanted to confirm it herself.

She needed to know if she had been mistaken or if she had seen the truth.

To find out, however, she would have to return to Duke Vandyk’s estate.

“I’m not forcing you. Do what you want.”

Sensing her hesitation, Lawrence spoke to her softly.

Martiana glanced at her brother, then bit her lip.

To be honest, she didn’t want to go.

That estate was poison to her.

It was crammed with suffocating memories. It was also where her mother-in-law, who had tried to k*ll her, still lived.

Returning there would require a courage she wasn’t sure she had.

‘But…’

Despite her fear, her heart was racing. As Lawrence had said, the only way to be certain was to see it with her own eyes.

She had to find Licorice.

She wanted to find her.

To do that, she had to learn the truth.

Then she would have to return.

That would be the fastest way.

Martiana was still the Duchess of Vandyk, and her husband wanted her back.

There could be no easier path than that.

“All right. I’ll go.”

She lifted her head, her expression firm.

As if he had expected that answer, Lawrence gave a faint, bitter smile.

“I thought you would. Don’t worry—I won’t send you alone.”

He would assign the most skilled escort the temple had to offer. Looking resolute, he patted his sister on the back.

He reminded her that, should anything happen, she was to come straight to the temple.

Martiana nodded.

She had no intention of returning to the ducal estate without preparation.

***

With the harsh sound of hooves striking stone, a man dismounted.

It was Siliar, who had just returned to the estate after visiting the temple.

“Welcome back, Master.”

“Where is my mother?”

He asked the question as soon as he saw the butler who had come out to greet him.

It may have seemed abrupt, but he felt it was urgent.

After all, days had passed since he ordered the butler to summon Drisena.

He should have found out the truth about the divorce much earlier, but he had been too busy.

After going to the royal palace to sign the divorce papers, he spent every waking moment searching for Martiana.

He scoured the forests with his knights and went straight to the temple afterwards. Because of this, he met Martiana without fully understanding what had happened.

All he knew was that divorce papers in Martiana’s name had been signed and given to her by his mother. If he wanted to understand everything, he needed to see Drisena immediately. Only then could he set things right and bring Martiana home.

“Her Grace is currently in the annex.”

As Siliar strode towards the main house, the butler spoke up.

His swift, unhesitating stride came to an abrupt halt.

“The annex? What business does she have there?”

“There is a guest staying there, sir. I mentioned it to you before…”

“Ah.”

Siliar let out a short exclamation and frowned.

He vaguely remembered.

It was the day he returned home from the provinces and saw the piles of luggage. He had asked about them then.

“Her Grace is preparing to receive a guest.”

That was what he had been told. However, he had forgotten all about it after hearing about the divorce.

“A guest…”

Siliar muttered something as he turned towards the annex.

He had found it strange before, too.

The House of Vandyk hadn’t received any guests for years. In fact, they hadn’t invited anyone since their daughter died.

How could they possibly have had the composure to entertain visitors with their family in ruins?

“Who is it?”

“The Countess of Pumilum and her child have arrived.”

“Hm?”

When he heard the name, Siliar tilted his head.

It was not someone he had expected.

“Wasn’t the Countess said to be in poor health? That she avoided going out?”

That was what he remembered hearing.

He remembered it clearly because it had been at a time when he was drowning in despair after losing Licorice.

Pameli had come to comfort him and mentioned it.

“It might be discourteous to bring one’s wife and child along.”

Those words lingered in his mind.

At the time, he had even felt relieved.

If he had heard a baby’s voice in this house, Martiana would have suffered more.

In a way, he was grateful, although it was hardly kind to wish for someone to be unwell. But his wife had always come first.

“I suppose her health has improved.”

“Yes, sir. She appeared quite well.”

“…And the child?”

Siliar slowed down in the middle of his stride as he walked towards the annex.

He had just seen someone there: a child.

With ash-brown hair and red eyes, just like his own.

For some reason, the gentle curve of the child’s eyes was reminiscent of Martiana’s.

“Hello. I’m Alex.”

The boy said.