Gradually, the man’s movements began to quicken. Daphne’s hair started swaying faster in response. Her hair, spread wide like a butterfly across the bed, grew damp rapidly.

“Ah, aah!”

She finally reached her peak. Colorful fireworks seemed to explode above her head in a vivid illusion.

Astaire willingly took Daphne’s hand and climbed the stairs to cl*max together.

They sweated because of it, made each other sweat. Their breaths tangled and mixed until no one could tell whose was whose, seeping deep into each other’s lungs.

Without even thinking to straighten the crumpled sheets, Daphne fell fast asleep.

“Sleep well, Daphne.”

“Mmm…”

Astaire lightly stroked her cheek from behind. Daphne rustled and burrowed into his embrace.

Likewise, Daphne was docile with him, at least in this room.

That’s why Astaire liked this bedroom.

Because here they could be nothing but man and woman to each other.

Astaire pulled the blanket up to Daphne’s collarbone as she lay without a thread on, then propped himself up on his arm and quietly looked down at her.

He recalled his conversation with the Emperor earlier.

The best lie is one that deceives even the person involved.

Astaire made his decision.

He decided to deceive Daphne too.

“Sleep well, our baby.”

He caressed Daphne’s lower abdomen with distant eyes, like the nonexistent baby truly existed.

Then Daphne also twisted her body and naturally brought her hand to her lower abdomen.

“Good.”

Astaire smiled with satisfaction.

She was faithfully acting her part too.

But acting wasn’t enough.

It had to become real.

A few weeks later.

Just as Daphne emerged from the bedroom, a maid came to find her.

“The gynecologist has arrived.”

A gynecologist?

At first she almost widened her eyes in confusion, but soon she changed her thinking. She was known to others as pregnant.

Astaire probably sent her.

Though she had many questions, Daphne swallowed all her doubts and went to meet the doctor.

“Pleased to meet you.”

The gynecologist who greeted her politely also added that she had worked at the imperial palace and delivered Second Prince Phaios.

Click.

The door closed, and the gynecologist’s expression changed.

When she smiled meaningfully, Daphne couldn’t smile back.

The gynecologist looked like she had something to say but never said it in the end.

What is this?

Daphne swallowed even more questions inside.

She couldn’t even lean back comfortably on the sofa and sat with her back straight, uncomfortable perhaps because of the situation.

“Duke Astaire Seyfried sent me on His Majesty the Emperor’s recommendation.”

So it was Astaire after all.

He’d once stopped even gynecological appointments, saying he wouldn’t burden her. Of course, given the current situation, she couldn’t say she didn’t understand the man.

‘What is he thinking?’

Naturally, if the gynecologist examined her, she would immediately realize Daphne wasn’t pregnant.

Yet the reason for calling a gynecologist was…

“Please don’t worry too much. I’m here to confirm your pregnancy and help you manage yourself as an expectant mother going forward.”

The gynecologist smiled gently, seemingly noticing Daphne’s anxiety.

“When was your last period?”

“Two months ago. But my cycle is usually irregular…”

Daphne trailed off.

“A blood test is certain. Could you give me your wrist for a moment?”

Perhaps because the rumors had already spread far and wide, the gynecologist seemed to speak on the premise that Daphne was naturally pregnant. It really seemed like confirmation for confirmation’s sake.

Daphne hid her lukewarm feelings and extended her bare wrist. She’d had this kind of blood draw several times before. It was to confirm pregnancy through a blood test.

‘Obviously it won’t come back positive.’

If Astaire chose this doctor, her lips were surely more than usually sealed. Still, Daphne couldn’t help her anxious heart.

A drop of Daphne’s blood fell onto paper specially made to detect women’s pregnancies.

And the result was.

“As expected, you’re pregnant.”

“…What?”

Daphne asked back, startled out of her wits.

Then, realizing her attitude looked strange, she immediately corrected her expression.

“Is there a problem?”

The gynecologist’s tone suggested of course it would be positive, so what was the problem? Daphne quickly waved her hands, pretending to be calm.

“No, no.”

It was a natural result—no, a result that should be natural.

Right now, Daphne was publicly an expectant mother.

But how could this be?

Daphne calculated in her head when she’d last spent the night with Astaire and when her last period was.

Of course, since her last period was late, the possibility of pregnancy wasn’t entirely absent.

But the pregnancy that hadn’t happened despite all their efforts until now had suddenly succeeded in one try?

Her head was in chaos.

It was luck achieved at a truly exquisite moment.

“You’ve probably heard this many times, but congratulations.”

The oblivious gynecologist smiled and offered congratulations.

“Th-thank you…”

Daphne tried not to let her face look too strange right now.

She looked at the paper soaked with her blood once more.

Daphne had seen this paper many times and knew it well.

If the paper turned pink, it meant pregnancy; if it stayed blue, not pregnant.

The paper was dyed a vivid hot pink.

Even with clear evidence of her pregnancy right before her eyes, something still felt off.

Like she was missing something.

Daphne stroked her belly with an unfamiliar feeling.

‘Am I really pregnant?’

It felt strange.

Either way, they were saying there was a baby in her belly…

With clear evidence before her eyes, it felt wrong to deny the living, breathing existence inside her belly any further.

‘I’m sorry, baby… for doubting you for no reason.’

The fact that she’d become a mother still felt bizarre. She couldn’t adapt to it at all.

While she still couldn’t fully accept the news of her pregnancy, she felt sorry to the baby in her belly for doubting the truth.

“From now on, what should I, what should I… do?”

She asked, pretending to be an expectant mother—no, now that she’d become a real expectant mother. What management should she do going forward?

“Don’t lift heavy objects, don’t be overly startled or angry, and it’s good to listen to nice music occasionally. There’s nothing special to do; just continue as you are now, but it’s best to always keep your mind and body stable. I’ll give separate instructions to the servants about the details.”

“Okay.”

Somehow the air in the room felt muggy. She seemed to be sweating.

Was it because she was carrying a child? Her body reacted sensitively even to minor changes.

“Madam, are you all right?”

“I feel a bit unwell.”

“That can happen in early pregnancy. I’ll give you medicine that expectant mothers can take.”

The gynecologist brewed herbs on the spot and made medicine. Shortly after, dark red liquid was brewed in a cup and prepared for Daphne to drink.

‘The color is exactly like the previous medicine.’

Daphne suddenly had that thought.

The medicine she’d taken daily when trying to conceive. It was the same color family as that medicine but darker.

“The medicine is very bitter.”

As the doctor said, the medicine was as expected but far more bitter than imagined.

‘The taste is exactly like the previous medicine too.’

Not just similar but identical, with only a difference in the degree of bitterness. There was no way she could forget.

“That’s all for today’s examination. I’ll visit again next time.”

The examination felt extremely long, but looking at the wall clock, less than an hour had passed.

“Do you have any questions?”

The gynecologist asked, looking at Daphne’s expression.

Daphne opened and closed her lips repeatedly for a moment. She actually wanted to ask about this medicine. Exactly what the ingredient composition of this medicine was. That’s what she was curious about.

‘No.’

The pregnancy test paper was clearly telling her. That she was an expectant mother.

As Astaire said, what hadn’t happened despite countless attempts had finally happened.

But why did her heart feel so uneasy?

“It can feel awkward in the early stages.”

The gynecologist, reading Daphne’s subtle expression, added understandingly.

“Most expectant mothers are like that. They can’t quite accept that they’re pregnant, and while they’re happy, they’re also surprised and amazed… It’s a perfectly natural reaction.”

Was she really in that state?

Daphne ignored the doubt peeking out from her heart.

The gynecologist said so, so naturally she had no choice but to accept it.

‘I’m sorry, my baby.’

She still couldn’t believe her belly would swell large in a few months. It was amazing that another heart was beating inside her along with her own.

Following that, emotion welled up. She felt like crying, so she bowed her head deeply.

‘Don’t worry, my baby.’

Your father is still annoying and irritating to look at.

‘But I’ll love you with all my strength.’

She wanted to pour out on her baby all the love she hadn’t received from her late mother and her gambling-addicted father. She wanted to let the baby live buried in love.

‘You don’t have to worry about anything, because you have your mother.’

Daphne looked down at her belly and whispered inwardly.

After leaving the ducal estate, the gynecologist immediately boarded a carriage.

Her destination was the Seyfried Trading Company where Duke Seyfried worked.

“This way.”

A young man who introduced himself as the Duke’s aide guided the gynecologist down a secluded, quiet path. She deliberately ignored the aide’s persistent, puzzled gaze sticking to the back of her head.

Finally, she met Duke Seyfried alone in a room.

“So, did the job go well?”

“To be honest, she seemed a bit suspicious.”

“Your role is to make sure she doesn’t doubt her pregnancy going forward. Remember that.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The gynecologist took the heavy bag the aide handed her and smiled broadly.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best until the Madam’s safe delivery.”

At the gynecologist’s blatant lie, Astaire sneered coldly.

“You may leave now.”

Click.

After the gynecologist left, Astaire sat quietly at his desk with his hand on his chin.

At least he’d somehow resolved the urgent matter.

He’d succeeded in deceiving even Daphne.

He’d even made her believe she was an expectant mother. That’s why he’d had no choice but to bribe the gynecologist.

He would try to get Daphne pregnant, but Astaire also knew. There was no way a baby would suddenly appear as desired in such a short time.

That’s why he had to prepare in advance.

Astaire was still diligently searching for a way to save her father, Viscount Brandley.

‘And at the right time, I’ll announce that she miscarried.’

Before others suspected that Daphne’s belly wasn’t swelling, he just had to announce that Daphne had miscarried.

The head maid who approached from behind supported him.