Inside the carriage bound for the Bastian estate, Leonie was drunk on happiness.

‘Amber will surely spin it as the Crown Prince humiliating me just to shake off someone bothersome. There’s no way some pink-tinged romance rumor will spread. After this, I won’t be entangled with him again.’

And since she had left the capital that very night and was already on her way home, it was perfect. People would make a spectacle of pitiful, pathetic Leonie for a while and then forget her soon enough.

Pushing Amber and the Crown Prince, future obstacles, out of her mind, Leonie turned her focus to the matter at hand.

‘All right. What now?’

The child existed. That was an unchangeable fact. And Leonie had no intention of giving up a life that had already begun.

She knew pregnancy and childbirth would not be easy. Unlike the modern world, this one had a poor medical system. Even giving birth, let alone raising a child, carried risks.

But she did not want to lose the chance to have a family something she had never been able to have in her previous life.

And besides…

‘It’s his child. The protagonist of the book. His looks will be flawless, and though he’ll have issues in temperament, he’ll grow into an exceptional knight and brilliant strategist.’

Still, that was not the only reason.

In her former world, Blood Rhapsody had merely been fiction. But for Leonie now, it was the future.

She could not stand by and watch a human being suffer so miserably that he would fall into darkness and become the Blood Emperor.

Not if that child was hers.

‘I’ll protect him.’

Perhaps she would not be able to provide the luxury he would have under Yulgen, but she would give him affection and attention. They would go out together in spring, play in the water in summer, admire the autumn leaves, and build snowmen in winter.

Having never had a proper family in her old world, she found herself eagerly anticipating this new one. And she also looked forward to seeing her father.

‘Mother died when I was young. No siblings either.’

Even in this world, Leonie had grown up lonely. But at least she had her father.

And soon, she would have her child.

‘For that, I need to sort things out with Father.’

He was a distant, cold man. He had provided her with money for whatever she wished but never warmth or affection. He had long been interested in marrying her off and bringing in a son-in-law to continue the family line.

He likely still was.

‘But there are many ways to continue a family line. I don’t need to bow to marriage pressure.’

She lightly tapped her still-flat abdomen.

‘I don’t need a man.’

In her previous life, she had truly loved that boy. Even if her style, appearance, or conversation had not suited his tastes, surely her sincerity had reached him. She had confessed.

He had not even bothered to respond.

‘Yulgen is no different. No matter how Amber schemed, he never once tried to understand me only dismissed me because I wasn’t to his taste. Then suddenly, because I wore a different dress and met him in a different setting, he took me and became interested. That’s fleeting. Meaningless.’

As she reached that conclusion, anger flared within her. She felt as though she wanted to crumple every man in the world and toss them into a trash bin.

‘Calm down. It’s not good for prenatal care.’

Taking a deep breath, she focused again.

‘The child will have pink eyes, just like mine. But dark brown hair… that’s a concern. Yulgen might suspect.’

Hair, fortunately, could be dyed.

She clung to that comfort.

‘I’ll raise him in secret until he’s old enough to dye his hair. I can ask Father to purchase a secluded villa somewhere. Or… I can proceed with the other plan. A contract marriage.’

She thought of Taylas Ramon Menes.

‘He’s decided never to marry. Because he loves someone he cannot marry. Did he confess? Or didn’t he?’

Whether Taylas had confessed or not did not matter. The relationship was impossible anyway. That was precisely why Leonie believed her proposal would appeal to him.

‘I’ll tell him he won’t need to lay a single finger on me. He won’t need to act as a husband. Just lend me his name.’

He was already in his late twenties. The pressure to marry must be intense.

Still, she worried whether his rigid sense of honor would allow him to accept a sham engagement or marriage.

‘There must be a clear father figure so no suspicion falls on Yulgen. Taylas is perfect…’

She needed him.

‘No—he must agree. He has to.’

Leonie rapped lightly on the carriage roof. The small window slid open.

“Yes, my lady?”

“Turn the carriage toward the Menes estate.”

If Taylas had intended to visit as promised, he would not have emptied his townhouse without even requesting a formal invitation. He clearly had no intention of coming.

Then she would go to him.

“My lady? That region borders disputed territory. Even in a truce, it’s dangerous.”

“I’m not going to the front lines. Just to the Duke’s main residence.”

The coachman looked alarmed. It was improper to visit another noble’s home unannounced let alone for an unmarried lady to visit an unmarried duke.

“…The master will not approve.”

“Trust me. Nothing will happen. Duke Taylas Menes is known as one of the most upright men in the empire. A brief visit won’t cause trouble.”

“…But, my lady…”

“And I know my reputation is already in the gutter. Visiting a man’s estate won’t ruin what’s already ruined.”

Silenced by her resolve, the coachman reluctantly turned the carriage. The escort knights exchanged uneasy glances but did not object.

Leonie silently thanked the father who had raised her as a willful, indulged daughter.

***

The Bastian estate was in turmoil.

The young lady had announced she would return, yet had not. Instead, an unexpected guest had arrived.

The servants floundered, uncertain how to receive someone of such high rank in their mistress’s absence.

“I have no invitation, but your young lady invited me. I would appreciate waiting in the drawing room.”

Though their lands bordered one another, the Duke of Menes had never visited. Now he stood at their door, insisting on seeing a lady who had been expected home from the capital.

“…Welcome. I am Daniel, the butler.”

“Daniel. A pleasure. Taylas Ramon Menes.”

“It is an honor, Your Grace.”

Yet the butler made no move to guide him inside.

Taylas paused at the entrance, wondering whether his visit was truly so troublesome or whether they simply did not know how to handle a guest in the master’s absence.

He decided to help.

“If there is a drawing room prepared, I would like to wait there.”

“There is… but…”

The hesitation displeased him. A butler was the face of a house yet this one seemed uncertain and lacking confidence.

“Show me.”

Even then, the butler’s movements were stiff and hesitant.

Only when they reached the door did Taylas realize something was wrong.

Daniel was not merely awkward.

He was afraid.

Taylas opened the drawing room door himself.

“…Ah.”

The room was not in disarray. Soft-toned wallpaper and light curtains created an airy atmosphere. Antique furniture provided balance. Fabric sofas well-kept and refined lined the space.

And seated upon one of them—

The reason for the butler’s fear.

“Taylas Ramon Menes, Duke.”

Behind him stood two escort knights like folding screens, offering the duke uneasy glances.

Taylas met their eyes briefly acknowledging them then turned to the man who had spoken.

And bowed.

“Taylas of Menes greets His Highness Yulgen.”

In a townhouse without Leonie—

Two men’s gazes collided.