She needed someone she could trust.

If she were to be honest, her family would undoubtedly come first.

Her brothers had always believed in her.

Then there was her husband, Siliar, who held an unquestionable position of social authority.

If this were an ordinary matter, Martiana would go to them first.

Especially Siliar, who lived under the same roof.

But she did not.

No — she could not.

“Martiana, I do not accuse someone based on mere suspicion.”

The words he had spoken at the temple not long ago were still clear in her memory.

When she mentioned Drisena in relation to the divorce papers, Siliar said exactly that.

He had not believed her.

She could not bring herself to tell her husband until something became certain.

‘It’s all just suspicion.’

Martiana was the only person to suspect that Ramelata’s child could be Licorice.

Furthermore, Siliar had explicitly stated that the child was not theirs. This made it all the more difficult for her to voice her doubts.

However, she could not summon her brothers from afar over something so uncertain.

The most practical option was ultimately to consult the nearby knights whom her beloved brother had sent to her.

As holy knights, they would never abandon Martiana, who was related to the High Priest by blood.

“First, I’m sorry to trouble you with a personal request when you were assigned here for escort duty.”

Before dawn, Martiana summoned Melissa via Tapnad and spoke to her calmly.

Initially, she had intended to speak to Tapnad alone. However, after hearing the circumstances, he said that Melissa should know as well.

And so she faced them both.

“It’s all right. Lord Lawrence likely assigned the two of us together for moments like this.”

Melissa shrugged lightly, as though she had expected as much.

Yet the glance she cast toward Martiana carried a trace of pity.

“Please speak freely. Forgive me for saying so, but Lord Lawrence informed us before we began this mission.”

“Ah.”

Upon hearing Melissa’s words, Martiana let out a small breath.

She had not expected her eldest brother to send guards without offering an explanation.

However, she did not know how much he had revealed.

‘How much do you know?’

Her gaze swept over both of them.

Melissa answered on their behalf again, this time more carefully.

“That you lost your child… and wish to find her.”

“Ah.”

That was almost everything.

Every action Martiana had taken revolved around that single sentence.

Naturally, everyone in the Kingdom of Aetium was aware that the Duke and Duchess of Vandyk had lost their child.

Nevertheless, hearing it spoken aloud never got any easier.

“Then did you also hear whom I suspect?”

“Countess Pumilum.”

This time, Tapnad answered. Martiana’s gaze shifted toward the voice.

“That’s correct.”

“It was him,” Melissa added, tilting her head toward Tapnad. “By Lord Lawrence’s order, he confirmed that the Countess was staying at the ducal estate.”

“Ah, I see.”

Martiana nodded in understanding.

Now that she thought about it, Lawrence had mentioned that he had found out about it from a knight. So that knight must have been Tapnad.

This unexpected connection brought a faint light to her face. For reasons she could not quite explain, she felt she could trust him even more.

They had both studied at the same seminary.

Her brother had sent them both.

They already knew the circumstances.

It might have been a fragile sort of faith, but at least it spared her the burden of giving a lengthy explanation.

“Yes. I suspect Countess Pumilum. Unfortunately, I don’t have proof yet.”

Martiana forced a small, awkward smile.

“You wish to prove it,” Melissa said.

“Yes. I thought returning to the ducal estate would make it easier… but it hasn’t.”

“I heard from him that the Countess has already left,” Melissa continued.

“Yes. That’s why I’m asking for your help.”

Martiana clasped her hands politely.

“I will repay you properly in the future. Please find out where Ramelata has gone.”

“There’s no need for repayment,” Tafnad replied calmly. “It seems we were sent here for matters like this from the beginning.”

“Even so—”

“We belong to the temple. Accepting private compensation is forbidden. But, more importantly, what would you like us to learn? Just her location? Or would you like us to find the child as well?”

“For now, just her location. I don’t want to frighten the child prematurely.”

Once they had found them, confirmation would come first.

Then they could proceed with everything else.

If Ramelata’s child was indeed Licorice, Martiana would take her home.

Otherwise, Martiana would have to come to terms with it alone.

For now, the important thing was to find out where the two of them were.

Above all, she needed to know where the child was.

***

Sniff.

In the dead of night, beneath the thick darkness, the faint sound of sniffling could be heard coming from outside a building.

A small child was crouching near the entrance, unable to leave or enter.

It was Alex, who had been sent back in a carriage on the way to his grandmother’s house.

“When are you coming…”

He had been sitting there for quite some time, curled up and gazing at the road ahead.

He had come because his mother had told him to.

However, he did not know what he was supposed to do once he arrived.

The capital was unfamiliar territory for him. There was not a single passer-by nearby.

A six-year-old child would find it hard to summon the courage to wander alone at night.

So all he could do was—

“Please hurry. I’m hungry…”

Curl himself into a smaller shape and wait for his guardian.

“Young master, how long do you intend to remain outside?”

At that moment, someone appeared behind him.

They emerged from a building that had looked abandoned, with not a single light on.

It was a man dressed in black robes that covered his head and trailed along the ground.

“The Countess will arrive shortly. Please wait inside.”

He was the doctor who had travelled with the Pumilum family from their estate to the capital.

He was the same man that Alex had seen in the forest cottage earlier that day.

As he approached, he added gently.

“You haven’t had dinner.”

“It’s okay. I’ll eat with Mother.”

Alex muttered, not even turning his head.

There was a hint of resentment towards the mother who had sent him here alone.

In truth, the child already knew this place well. He had been here several times before. Since arriving in the capital, he had accompanied his mother here on several occasions. Their outings into the city always began here. There was no way he could fail to recognize it.

After leaving Grandmother’s house, his mother would always come here first. Afterwards, she would make her way to the doctor’s cabin in the forest.

Of course, Alex did not know exactly what this place was for. Adults only ever gave children fragments of the truth.

What he did remember was this: The building had once been a temple, long ago, before it fell into ruin. Now, no one visited it. Instead, it was used by the ‘physician and his friends’ in secret.

He had been told that they must never be discovered. They mustn’t even light a lamp carelessly.

This had never made much sense to young Alex. But there was one thing he remembered clearly.

“From now on, treatments will be conducted here. Your illness as well, young master.”

He had been told that the cabin in the forest was just a preparation room for the treatment.

He wondered what kind of preparation would require such a secluded location.

But he did not ask.

After all, adults only tell you what they want to.

“It’s cold. Please come inside. If you stay any longer, you truly will catch a cold.”

“I’m fine. Sniff. I’ll go in later.”

Alex shook his head stubbornly. His nose was running and his body was trembling, but he was determined not to give in.

The physician looked down at the child quietly and sighed. He took a pocket watch out of his sleeve. His expression hardened further as he checked the time.

“I would prefer to indulge you, if I could.”

“…?”

“But we cannot remain here much longer.”

“What? W-what do you mean?”

Alex had barely begun to protest when he cried out.

The doctor behind him had suddenly lifted him up.

In an instant, his feet were no longer touching the ground. Alex flailed around as the doctor held him at his side.

“What are you doing? Put me down!”

“I cannot. The time has come.”

“What time? I can just go in by myself!”

“The service will begin shortly. Surely your mother would not want you to miss that as well, would she?”

He froze.

At the sound of that familiar word, the child’s small body stiffened. His wide eyes turned towards the doctor.

After that, however, he did not resist.

Without further protest, he allowed himself to be carried inside.

His limbs hung limp.

It was as though he had already given up.

Between them hung a high tapestry depicting an inverted moon and a tree, which was draped from the ceiling in the dim interior.

It was the same emblem that was engraved on the physician’s pocket watch.