The northern Smao region was bitterly cold. The sound of the fierce wind brushing against the dry leaves was enough to give one goosebumps.

Hinael wrapped her arms around her belly inside the rattling carriage. The belly, now too big to call just full, brought a bitter smile to her face today.

Just before giving birth, her husband had sent her to the distant home of a distant relative. To anyone, this was not an act of consideration.

A normal person would not have burdened his heavily pregnant wife with such a perilous journey.

‘It must be all because of that woman.’

Isabel, her husband’s mistress.

A few months ago, after giving birth to a son, she had started to openly express hostility towards Hinael.

It was clear that it was because of that woman that Chetter had made such an unreasonable decision.

As the princess of the Sarr Kingdom, she was despised for the reason that her mother was a maid, and even after marriage, she was not respected by her husband. The love she thought was love at first sight was as shallow as a puddle.

Suddenly, she missed her mother.

Her mother must also be living a lonely life in the secluded corners of the palace.

‘Now that I have a child, I miss my mother even more.’

The midwife, who had been summoned in advance, had confirmed that the baby in her belly was a boy. She knew that the woman had inflamed Chetter’s eyes and seduced him because it was a son.

But if she really gave birth to a son, no matter what anyone said, this child would be the heir to the Count’s family.

Hinael believed that when the biting northern wind subsided, Chetter’s coldness towards her would also subside.

“My baby, I will protect you. When we return home, your father will be delighted, so be born healthy.”

She gently stroked her belly, showing a sense of parental security.

Right then, the carriage rocked violently to the side, and her body swayed to the side.

“Kyaa! M-Madam, are you alright?”

Dea, who was sitting across from her, quickly moved to Hinael’s side to support her.

Hinael shouted while being supported by Dea,

“What’s happening outside!”

As the unstable carriage came to a stop, the voice of a guard soon came.

“The wheel was damaged after getting stuck in a rock buried in the snow. You’ll have to get off for a while.”

What a misfortune to have this happen not far from their destination.

Since she couldn’t just sit there, Hinael took Dea’s hand and got off the carriage. Crossing the rugged mountain with heavy snowfall, they could not see even an inch in front of them.

Covering her face from the swirling snowflakes with her palm and relying on Dea’s guidance, they walked for a while.

“Madam, there’s a tree stump up ahead. It’s best to sit there and wait until the carriage is repaired.”

“Okay, let’s do that.”

“The sun is starting to set. It will quickly become dark in the mountains, this is a problem.”

“We can’t help it. If we get anxious, it will only burden them more.”

“Madam, you’re really thoughtful. If I were you, I would have pestered them to hurry the repairs.”

They walked about a hundred steps from the carriage and settled down on the wide tree stump.

Dea worriedly looked at the increasingly pale Hinael and blew her warm breath onto their joined hands.

“This won’t do. I’ll go back to the carriage and get all the fur blankets.”

Hinael didn’t stop her, as the cold was seeping into her whole body. She watched Dea walk away, hugging herself tightly and shivering.

Just as Dea reached the carriage, a sight that Hinael could hardly believe unfolded before her eyes.

“What, what are you doing? Why are you doing this? Let go of me!!”

Unexpectedly, the guard dragged Dea and pushed her into the carriage.

“Dea!”

What on earth is happening?

Hinael struggled to get up, her heavy body moving with difficulty.

In her haste, her shoe slipped on the icy ground. But she couldn’t leave Dea in danger.

As soon as her bare foot touched the snow, an unbearable cold seeped in. Her senses were numbed, and a dull pain arose.

Still, she moved her legs, sternly shouting at the guard.

“What are you doing! Release Dea immediately!”

Suddenly bursting out in anger, her abdomen immediately tightened.

“Ugh…”

Even as she grimaced in the gripping pain, she did not stop walking.

Limping desperately to catch up, the supposedly broken-down carriage suddenly turned in the opposite direction and started speeding away.

Frantically searching with her eyes, she ran faster, but the carriage carrying Dea was quickly disappearing.

“De-Dea! Dea!”

Hinael hurried her steps, cradling her belly.

After trudging through the deep snow for about ten paces, a horse approached in the distance.

She narrowed her eyes and looked closely.

Seeing the man who had now come up to her, she gasped in surprise.

“You… you…”

Why was Chetter here?

She racked her brain for the reason, but only negative thoughts came to mind. She trembled her chin and barely managed to utter the words.

“Chetter. Why are you doing this to me? Why…?”

“I didn’t want to go this far either.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Get on.”

Overcome by a sense of crisis, she vehemently shook her head and ran in the other direction.

But it was nothing more than a futile struggle.

Chetter snatched her with tremendous force and seated her in front of him.

“You’ve been a nuisance till the end.”

“Let me down! Let go of me!”

She shouted and hit his arms, but he became impatient and drove the horse even more roughly.

Soon after, he roughly pulled Hinael off the horse and dragged her somewhere.

Eventually, she was forced into a position where she could not resist, standing on a cliff.

A chasm of unimaginable depth yawned before her, and a biting wind slashed across her cheek.

A voice colder than the blizzard crushed even the slightest glimmer of hope.

“Isabel has to become the Countess, you see. So there’s nothing I can do.”

“And what about me? I’m your wife!”

“I’d be better off if you disappeared.”

His voice was as soft as his face.

Chetter languidly stroked the fur of his coat and then gave her a gentle push.

One step, then another. She backed up helplessly until she was at the edge of the cliff. As she struggled to survive, the snow pushed against her soles and plummeted down the cliff.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

“So just disappear.”

Hinael trembled like an aspen, shielding her belly.

“But, but, but it’s your child. The child must be protected!”

“The bloodline of the child in your belly is not so noble, tainted as it is with the blood of a maid.”

With a tone devoid of paternal affection, he severed the family ties and pushed Hinael without even listening to her final plea.

“Aaaaah! Chetter!!”

A terrifying scream tore through the air.

The sound of the wind rushed past her ears like arrows in flight.

Hinael sensed her impending death, but she clung to her belly with all her might.

Until the moment her body was torn apart by the added weight…

* * *