An awkward silence filled the drawing room.

Viscount Nielsen’s gaze rolled toward the Grand Duke. His expression was as if he wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him vigorously.

“…It was written on the notice.”

I barely managed to squeeze out those words, but the silence only grew heavier.

“I assumed it was a son because they like you.”

“…Pardon?”

“A boy wouldn’t be able to help but like you.”

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at the Grand Duke’s words.

‘Is he out of his mind?’

But his face was utterly serious.

‘Or did I mishear him?’

…If that were the case, Viscount Nielsen’s expression wouldn’t look as it did.

Only the Grand Duke remained composed, as if he had just made a dry statement about the necessity of raising taxes.

‘Well, objectively speaking, Odelia is undeniably beautiful…’

Could he have simply been stating an objective fact?

“Girls like pretty things too.”

“…Now you’re openly calling yourself pretty.”

The corner of the Grand Duke’s lips lifted slightly.

This was the closest to an actual smile of all the expressions I had seen on him since yesterday.

His allure seemed to double when such life appeared on his strikingly handsome face.

That absurd level of beauty… My heart thumped, making its presence known before I even realized it.

If my pulse quickens like this, there’s a high chance my chest will start hurting, and I’ll cough up blood.

I struggled to compose myself, masking my reaction with a deliberately aloof expression.

“It’s only natural to like me—I’m the most beautiful woman in Arcadia.”

“Since I’m the most beautiful in Arcadia, it’s only natural that Your Highness would favor me.”

I quoted Odelia’s infuriating catchphrase that had appeared countless times in Princess Flora Is Lovely.

“…Much better.”

Yet he spoke as if he had known Odelia for a long time.

‘But there’s supposed to be no connection between our families, and there wasn’t any mention of them meeting in the original story.’

I wished I could shake loose the lost memories of Odelia’s past.

As another peculiar silence settled over the drawing room, Viscount Nielsen hastily interjected to smooth things over.

“Well… The information provided by the mother was extremely sparse.”

“Then bring the mother here.”

At my firm words, Viscount Nielsen looked deeply troubled.

“The baby’s mother… well…”

“She is no longer in this world.”

“…What?”

I stared at the Grand Duke with wide eyes.

Judging by Viscount Nielsen’s similarly stunned expression, this was not something they had discussed beforehand.

“…She passed away?”

“……”

The Grand Duke fell silent again.

‘So, the baby’s mother was his secret lover, and she ran away because she thought the cold-hearted Grand Duke wouldn’t take responsibility… But then she fell terminally ill and was on her way back to him when she lost the baby!’

The years I had spent reading romance fantasy novels in my past life weren’t for nothing—my mind instantly pieced together a plausible backstory.

Once I heard that the baby’s mother had died, I found myself already sympathizing.

If that were indeed the case, it would explain how a man as rigid about relationships as he was could end up with an illegitimate child.

Completely engrossed in my interpretation, I forgot about the royal barrier magic.

***

“The new medicinal herbs seem to be working really well. The amount of divine power leaking has significantly decreased.”

“It has, but still…”

“Well… yes.”

Dame Gwendolyn smiled wryly.

In other words, my lifespan hadn’t actually increased.

Even though she was merely confirming the facts, she still looked at me with a rather apologetic expression.

“But your stamina has improved quite a bit. If I hadn’t seen you in a while, I would’ve assumed you’d been taking some kind of tonic.”

“The baby must be a good-luck charm.”

The baby, with its large, golden eyes fixed on me, was happily sucking on its tiny hands and feet.

“Again, I must remind you—this is purely psychological, so don’t put too much faith in it.”

“Yes, yes, I know.”

But I did have my reasons for believing it.

The violent coughing fits I used to have at the slightest breeze had become less frequent. And where I used to faint all the time, I now only faint occasionally.

Dame Gwendolyn seemed to think I sounded like someone talking about how beautiful words on water could turn into lovely ice crystals, but the truth was the truth.

I believed the baby’s presence was a sort of compensation from the world for the suffering I endured due to my illness.

“If the doctor says otherwise, I’ll say it myself—thanks to you, I’m staying healthy.”

As I playfully poked the baby’s soft cheeks, it let out a bright giggle.

It seemed to understand what I was saying at moments like this.

“Aww, do you understand everything your big sister is saying?”

“Uwum, ma!”

“So smart, aren’t you?”

Unable to hide my delighted smile, I lifted the baby into my arms.

See? My frail body could now easily pick up the baby. How could I possibly believe that I wasn’t getting a buff from it?

“How are you ever going to part with the baby at this rate?”

“Part with…?”

“I thought you were letting the Grand Duke keep visiting because he believes he’s the father. You haven’t even thrown tea at him once.”

“Haha…”

So, the original Odelia had such a fiery temper that even the fearsome Northern Grand Duke would have thrown tea at him?

‘The original villainess never let anything slide, huh… I heard she was always frail—maybe that’s why she was a little irritable.’

Dame Gwendolyn often mentioned how I wasn’t this sick before.

“…To be honest, I’m not completely convinced he’s the father.”

“Well, he certainly doesn’t look at the baby like a doting parent would.”

“So you think so too?”

“Then again, after visiting various noble families, I sometimes wonder what parental love is. I’ve never seen a noblewoman as protective of a baby as you are. Especially considering the Grand Duke didn’t even know the baby existed until recently.”

“…I suppose that’s true.”

I nodded at Dame Gwendolyn’s words, and she shrugged as she added,

“Well, the Marquis is among the few good fathers out there.”

“Hmm, well…”

The original work didn’t detail the relationship between the Marquis of Lure and his daughter.

I could only assume that their bond must have been profound, considering that Odelia even resorted to treason when her desired crown princess position was slipping away.

“And honestly, does it really matter if he’s not the biological father?”

“You’re giving him points for diligence?”

Dame Gwendolyn chuckled as she spoke.

Indeed, the Grand Duke of Norhart had diligently visited the mansion daily for the past week.

He arrived with various gifts each morning, cast fleeting glances at the baby, and only left around lunchtime.

I firmly covered the baby’s ears. There was nothing good for her to hear from this conversation.

“I can’t stay with the baby forever. Before long, she’ll grow so I won’t be able to handle her on my own…”

“She is developing at an oddly fast rate.”

“And besides, wouldn’t it be much better for her to grow up as the Grand Duke’s daughter of Norhart?”

“Especially since she has the same eye color as His Grace?”

Dame Gwendolyn added in a teasing tone, and I smiled.

At least in terms of appearances, the Grand Duke would undoubtedly be an ideal father.

With his royal lineage, his authority as the ruler of northern Arcadia, and the wealth that came from his vast territory…

As I spoke, my thoughts became more apparent.

‘Yes, I should let go before I become too attached. When the Grand Duke comes tomorrow…’

I gazed down at the baby with a conflicted expression.

“My sweet baby, you’re so precious that you’ll be loved wherever you go.”

After saying that, I slowly removed my hands from the baby’s ears.

Her large golden eyes, which had been fixed on me the entire time, seemed to carry a strange resolve.

There was no way she could have heard or understood, so it must have been just my imagination.

***

“How about spending less time showering us with gifts and instead focusing on obtaining a magic artifact for a paternity test?”

“My aides are already handling it.”

“Well, with Your Grace visiting here daily, your aides must be at their wits’ end. As if they’d really get it done.”

“I’m coming to see my daughter. What’s wrong with that?”

The Grand Duke placed an odd emphasis on the word “daughter.” His deep, low voice carried a subtle rhythm, resonating almost melodically beneath my ribs.

“And the result is already decided.”

He said it with such confidence that it almost sounded like he was declaring that, even if the results said otherwise, he would manipulate them to ensure his claim.

‘The way he’s so sure of himself… Could it be that even if she isn’t his direct daughter, she might still be a distant branch of the Norhart bloodline?’

After seeing him daily for the past week, I had become comfortable enough to speak casually with him.

In the original story, he may have been a villain, but in front of me, he was nothing more than a father hopeful.

‘I can’t throw tea at him, but I can at least say something sharp!’

Today, as usual, the Grand Duke had brought an array of extravagant gifts.

A magically enchanted bottle to keep milk warm, a mobile decorated with multicolored gemstones, a solid gold pacifier, a lace headband interwoven with gold threads…

After mistakenly assuming the baby’s gender on the first day, it seemed his aides had taken extra care in selecting the presents.

Yet, despite all the glittering objects before her, the baby clung only to her comfort blanket—well, my shawl.

“Your Grace, I’ve been thinking.”

The Grand Duke, who had been watching the baby closely, turned his golden eyes toward me. The baby, too, seemed to shift her gaze to me.

“Whether or not Your Grace is the biological father…”

“I am.”

“Yes, well, of course, you are.”

I shuddered slightly under the sharp edge in his gaze.

“But when considering the best environment for the baby, wouldn’t the Grand Duke’s castle be far superior? Wouldn’t it be best to move her there as soon as possible for the baby’s sake? Could you please expedite the paternity test? I can’t take care of the child forever.”

I recited the speech I had prepared overnight, stumbling over my words as I spoke.

However, instead of looking pleased, the Grand Duke’s voice took on a dangerous edge.

“You can’t take care of her forever, meaning…”

“Well, I mean, I have to get married someday, right?”

There was no reason to tell the Grand Duke, a near stranger, about my terminal condition, so I made up an excuse.

But for some reason, his golden eyes flashed sharply.

It was as if he had heard something completely unexpected.

The intensity startled me, and Odelia’s frail heart pounded loudly.

‘Ugh, this isn’t the kind of thing I can just brush off as a joke, is it?’

I tried to make my words sound as sincere as possible, using Odelia’s delicate features to express the concern of a temporary guardian.

“If it’s about marriage… do you perhaps have a fiancé?”

“No, but since I have a child now, I can’t exactly pursue one, can I?”

For some reason, a flicker of shock crossed the Grand Duke’s face.

As if he had just heard something utterly incomprehensible.

“So, please take the child soon. And hurry with the paternity test.”

Just as an odd tension filled the air,

The baby, who had been quietly watching us with rolling golden eyes, suddenly reached out with both hands toward me.

“…Ma!”

“Hm? Yes, you’re such a good girl.”

“Mmua!”

“Yes, but your sister is talking to His Grace—your supposed father—right now.”

As I gently patted the baby while speaking, she flailed her little arms as if frustrated.

“Mmua!”

“Oh my, you’re quite talkative today.”

“Um… Ma!”