Chapter 91: Rabies

Edelweiss looked at Anemone, who was anxiously rubbing her hands.

Her small, skinny shoulders were tightly hunched.

With shallow breaths, Anemone kept avoiding eye contact, her gaze filled with tension and hesitation, until she finally parted her lips.

“Mm-my mother, she pretended not to know me. Even when Lady Ivana locked me in the attic and only gave me hard bread, she just passed by. Even when I said it hurt after she hit me, she… she didn’t help me….”

Her words trailed off weakly. Clenching her hands tightly, Anemone stared only at the floor.

Under her trembling eyelids, tears seemed ready to fall at any moment.

‘Judging from the fact that she was secretly kept at the Celine estate despite being born out of wedlock, it seems there was some kind of arrangement with the Count.’

Still, it seemed she deliberately ignored Anemone to avoid upsetting the Count.

‘If it came out that she had an illegitimate child from an affair, she’d never be able to lift her head in society again.’

Anemone held her breath, trying hard not to cry.

“I-I’ll be a good girl.”

Her small voice cracked as it continued.

“I-I won’t cry, and I-I’ll fix my s-stuttering.”

“…Anemone.”

“I-I’ll study h-hard to become the heir too.”

To stop stuttering and avoid crying, Anemone pinched her own thigh.

“S-So… can I s-stay here…? I-I don’t want to g-go back to the Count’s estate.”

Edelweiss gently took Anemone’s hand.

She was so small—where could there possibly be a place to hit?

“I-I don’t want to live with Lady Ivana. I’m scared of her.”

That final sentence was filled with desperation, squeezed out from the depths of her soul.

‘Just how many times have you begged for someone to stop… to help… only to be turned away?’

From Lady Ivana’s perspective, it might make sense to hate the half-sister born from her mother’s affair…

That still didn’t justify the *buse.

‘To trample on Anemone and then lie that she’s your own daughter just to swallow up the Blossomweaver marquisate…’

Edelweiss couldn’t simply stand by and watch.

She softly stroked Anemone’s cheek, pushing the child’s damaged hair back and meeting her gaze. At first Anemone only stole fearful glances, but gradually her eyes fixed on Edelweiss.

“Anemone. You don’t have to become anything. I’m the Marchioness of Blossomweaver, so I’m obliged to protect you. My aunt once gave me that same protection.”

Anemone’s eyes widened.

“Even if you’re not a ‘good’ child, even if you stutter, even if you sometimes skip heir lessons—it’s fine. Don’t force yourself to prove your worth.”

Her lips quivered, as though she could no longer hold back tears.

“How hard and painful it must have been all this time.”

“H-hic…”

Large teardrops spilled from Anemone’s pink eyes. The little girl who’d tried to act grown-up now sobbed aloud.

Edelweiss drew her close, gently rubbing the small shoulders—as if embracing her own younger self.

After a long cry, sleepiness crept over Anemone’s face. Edelweiss wiped the tear-stained cheeks and silently called Anna.

Anna nodded and carefully carried Anemone to the bedroom.

Edelweiss slipped into the hallway without a sound. The Marquess of Blossomweaver was leaning against the wall in silence.

“Father.”

“…Is Anemone all right?”

He must have heard everything through the slightly open door.

“She cried herself to sleep. Anna’s watching her, so don’t worry.”

“Let’s postpone adopting her formally. For now, she’ll stay here under our guardianship.”

“The collateral relatives will object strongly—will that be okay?”

“Your child hasn’t been born yet; we can ask them to wait until then. After that, we should register Anemone as Violet’s and my adopted daughter.”

Indeed.

‘I’m both Marchioness of Blossomweaver and Grand Duchess of Lorendel. Legally adopting her is complicated. If she became my adopted daughter and Lorendel’s eldest, keeping her here would be awkward…’ Edelweiss thought for a while, then nodded.

“Then Anemone would be my little sister.”

“…Yes. Be a kind sister to her, Edel.” Facing him, she smiled.

But to act as her guardian I’ll need Damian’s consent. Just as I became Duchess of Benacé, Countess of Delphier, and Lady of Rese through his titles—he, too, belongs to Blossomweaver, so he must sign.

“…I’ll go to the Rüer Palace before the collateral branches arrive tomorrow. I need His Highness Damian’s signature on the guardianship document.”

She had planned to wait until her resentment toward Damian faded…

I’ll just get the signature and come straight back. Edelweiss sighed softly, placing a hand on her belly. The baby moved gently—growing healthy and strong.

***

Next morning, Edelweiss left the softly closing gate behind and stepped into the Rüer Palace.

Is someone here?

The atmosphere felt off—a faint tension unlike the usual calm.

Sensing upheaval, she hurried to the main lobby. There, lined up in the vast hall, stood officers at attention.

“…You sent an unapproved written report to Kanitz Port?”

Damian’s low, sharp voice cut through the air. For an instant his gaze flicked toward the direction where Edelweiss stood, and she unconsciously held her breath.

Their eyes had definitely met, but Damian turned his head away.

“I’m sorry. The situation was urgent at the time…”

“The more urgent it is, the more you need to follow protocol. Can you guarantee right now that document hasn’t been leaked?”

“…”

“Lieutenant Colonel Matiel.”

Damian reached out his long, thick-jointed hand.

Rip—

The epaulet on Lieutenant Colonel Matiel’s shoulder was roughly torn off, and the attached metal ornament clattered across the floor.

Matiel lowered his head in silence, unable to say anything. Damian quietly turned and walked into his office.

“Hasn’t he been a little too on edge lately? Honestly, the lieutenant colonel did make a mistake, but it wasn’t a big deal…” Another officer who had been watching finally spoke up.

“It’s fine. No need to comfort me.”

“Still, I didn’t expect him to tear the epaulet off.” Matiel shook his head with a pale expression.

“I thought he mellowed out after marrying Her Highness, but I must’ve been crazy. Like a mad dog would ever turn into a man. My knees were literally shaking. Having my epaulet torn off was lucky—better than having my neck bitten.”

“Didn’t Her Highness go to the Blossamweaver marquessate yesterday? Then why do I feel like I’m seeing her here right now?”

“Did the rabies spread to you too?”

At Matiel’s exaggerated gesture, Edelweiss entered the lobby with an awkward smile.

As she approached, the officers instinctively straightened up and raised their right hands in a sharp salute to their foreheads.

“We greet Your Highness!”

The crisp motion sliced through the air, followed by a deep, resonant voice.

“You may relax.”

“Um, Your Highness… did, did you hear by any chance?”

Especially flustered was Lieutenant Colonel Matiel, who had called Damian a mad dog and mentioned rabies.

“I don’t know. I was lost in thought and didn’t catch it.”

“Your Highness…!”

When she responded as if she hadn’t heard, Matiel looked on the verge of tears, clearly moved.

Just then.

The office door opened and Damian stepped out again.

His irises grew even more bluish, seemingly surprised to see Edelweiss.

‘Why is he surprised? He saw me earlier, didn’t he?’

They had clearly made eye contact.

“…Why are you here?”

Damian’s heavy voice broke the silence.