No one wanted to die. What if she were to return to the place she originally came from? Was she already dead? Besides, her memories had long since become blurred.

“Thank you, I’ll decorate the room with them.”

“Yes! Next time, I’ll make sure more flowers bloom!”

She didn’t know she could think so morbidly. Startled, Amelia dropped the flowers on the ground. The moment she saw the deep purple flowers, she realized. They weren’t meant to be given to her. That’s why she ended up breaking them all off.

She was confused. She had never anticipated having such greed.

“Ah….”

She quickly picked up the flowers, but Leonel had seen everything already. He must have noticed. He must have realized that she wasn’t the real Amelia.

“The flowers have gotten dirty. It’s okay.”

“No, they can be decorated just like this.”

“No. Let’s just throw them away.”

She continued to speak as if making excuses. Leonel, who was much more sensitive than other children, must have felt something was off.

“Now that I look again, they don’t resemble you at all, Mother.”

He snatched the flowers from her hand and turned them into ashes right there. She heard that he had grown them carefully with magic…

“Mother is much prettier.”

“Leonel… I didn’t hate them.”

“I know. Next time, I will gift you something even prettier.”

She felt ashamed, as though the child had seen her ugly heart. She remembered her initial goal when she first arrived. Wasn’t it purely to make Leonel happy? To never create such an unhappy future again.

Yes, her goal was for Leonel to escape from Raphael and find happiness.

“I’d prefer a warmer country.”

“Huh?”

“Then we wouldn’t need to grow flowers with magic, right?”

Besides, this cold and barren place was not suitable for raising a child. Staying here would lead even a healthy person to become desolate. She couldn’t afford to become lax.

“Leonel, is someone listening to our conversation right now?”

Amelia spoke while hugging Leonel, appearing to be a loving mother and son to anyone watching. There were many eyes in the Grand Ducal castle. Even now, while they were not visible, someone was surely watching her. The watchful eyes did not seem to lessen.

Shouldn’t they be lessening now that I’m not following him around or causing trouble? Why does it feel like they are increasing?

“There’s someone nearby.”

“Yes, I see.”

It seemed that someone was indeed hiding in the bushes. Could ordinary maids really hide this well? As innocent as they seemed, she must not forget that Ann and Jane were also part of the Archduke’s household.

“I’ll make sure they can’t hear us.”

Before she could even ask how he would accomplish that, Leonel busily fidgeted. He seemed capable of using magic, but being a child, his aura felt completely different from Raphael’s.

“It’s done.”

“Won’t they be suspicious if we don’t say anything?”

“It’s fine. I casted illusion and image magic.”

Can he use two types of magic at once? She heard that was very difficult, but Leonel did it with such ease. Of course, he didn’t seem as skilled as Raphael.

“They won’t be able to hear properly. They’ll probably think we’re just talking about everyday things.”

She wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or disheartened by Leonel’s quick understanding of what she intended to say.

“Do you remember what we talked about last time?”

“About giving up becoming the Grand Duke of Siegfried?”

Sometimes it wasn’t good for a child to be so mature. Should she feel relieved that she didn’t have to say it again?

“Yes, you gave an answer then… but it might be very different from what you’re thinking.”

“…”

“Will you still give it up?”

She didn’t know what answer she wanted from Leonel. She had to admit it. As time went on, she was growing more fond of Raphael. Or was it because of the memories of Amelia, the body’s true owner?

Her heart raced when she saw him.

“Yes. It wasn’t just something I said.”

In fact, everything was almost ready. They were just waiting for her decision.

“I’ll leave the Grand Ducal house before spring comes next year.”

***

The deadline was set. It was she who had been dragging her feet with ridiculous excuses. Despite her statement, Leonel was not at all surprised. He just nodded calmly, with a composed expression. Maybe the child had already prepared his mind long before.

It was she who had hesitated.

“I’m ready.”

“You can let go now. About this matter…”

“It’s a secret between just you and me, Mom.”

Amelia smiled faintly at Leonel’s spirited nodding. She was thankful for Leonel’s presence. Now she could even say the word ‘mom’ properly. She couldn’t express her pride in how he had become such a bright child. Initially, he couldn’t even look her in the eyes…

“I’m fine with anywhere.”

Still, there were times when she expressed her anxiety about what she might be leaving behind.

“Your Grace, it’s time for dinner.”

She signaled Leonel with her eyes at the voice coming from behind, but Leonel nodded as if to reassure her. It seemed that Ann and Jane really didn’t notice anything unusual.

“His Grace?”

“He has gone out. He will return tomorrow.”

Raphael went out? And overnight? Recently, he’s acting quite frantic, unable to follow her around. It had been more so since a definite diagnosis came out. As if he was scared that she could die at any moment.

Indeed, according to their diagnosis, it was a miracle that she was still alive. But it didn’t feel good to be treated that way continuously.

“Is that so?”

“Mother, will you sleep with me?”

“What if your Father scolds us?”

“It’s okay!”

Amelia chuckled at Leonel’s flirty response as soon as he heard that Raphael was not around. Whoever’s son he might be, he was certainly naughty. If she was a girl his age, they might have fallen for him. But to her eyes, he was just cute.

“I’ll come to you when you’re asleep.”

She had to go up to her room, take that tasteless medicine… and receive the last examination from the attending physician. Everything was a secret from Leonel, so she couldn’t tell him.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

He usually didn’t go out. What was it that made him leave this time? She wondered if he might return midway again, just like the last time.

“Ah, His Grace left a message for you.”

“What is it?”

What could be so important that he had to leave a message?

“He said that you need to practice sleeping alone.”

“Practice sleeping alone…?”

“Yes, that’s all he said.”

Although the message was meant for her, the intended recipient wasn’t her. It was Leonel who needed to practice sleeping alone… In the end, it was a message telling her not to sleep with Leonel in his absence.

“Just give me the soup.”

“Yes.”

With two pairs of eyes anxiously watching her, worried she might not eat, she reluctantly picked up her spoon. What was the point of all this?

“Well… we’ll leave now.”

Only after they had confirmed that she had finished everything in her bowl did the two of them leave the room, having completed their tasks. When she turned around, she was completely alone. Originally, he should have been watching her even as she ate the soup.

Click.

How long had she been lying down alone in the dark? She heard the door open carefully. Could it be Raphael returning? Since he had come back midway before, it was possible.

“Are you back?”

“……”

But there was no response from the other side.

“Leonel? Is it you, Leonel?”

The person who had just entered through the door definitely did not harbor good feelings towards her. There was no sound of breathing, but she could tell.

“……It would be better not to move.”

The moment she tried to ring the bell, she flinched at the voice that came through. Just hearing it made her throat ache, a grating, metallic rasp. It was so damaged that it was hard to understand without listening carefully.

Who is it? She didn’t know anyone with a voice like that.

“Wh-Who’s there…….”

“You seem frightened.”

If only the moonlight could come in, but even the moon that shone so brightly before was nowhere to be seen tonight. The fear set in as she listened to the eerie voice in the pitch darkness. Could there be an intruder in the Grand Duke’s castle?

“Have you already forgotten about me?”

The voice cracked higher, and the more it broke, the scarier it became. She could barely guess it was a woman’s voice.

“Jane! Uh…….”

“Be quiet.”

The hand covering her mouth to stop her from ringing the bell and screaming smelled musty. Amelia shivered at the creepy voice that was now next to her ear. Now she noticed a damp mossy smell? A foul stench as if something was rotting wafted towards her.

“I’m holding back from killing you right this instant.”

“Uh, uh!”

“Goodbye, Your Highness.”

It was May, whom she thought had disappeared.