“I suppose that’s true.”

He unexpectedly agreed, nodding his head. Eugen had just made a casual remark, but Celia felt strange, wondering if she had oddly projected herself into it.

“But hearing what you said, I feel sorry for the fish. To be in a position where they can’t live without others’ help.”

Celia added with a weak smile.

“Those fish might not think that way.”

At Eugen’s reply, Celia looked again at the fish swimming in the pond. They appeared to be frolicking perfectly in nature’s embrace, but in reality, everything was just artificially created.

Realizing this and looking again, it felt somehow incredibly sad. However, the statement that the fish themselves probably didn’t think anything of it also sounded right, so she decided to put aside such clumsy sentiments.

“If you like the fish, I’ll have an aquarium placed in your room.”

He added as she watched the fish swimming, fluttering their tail fins.

“An aquarium?”

“It might not be as big as the pond, but it should be quite a sight.”

Keeping fish in an aquarium in the room. Just hearing about it made her eyes widen in wonder, but she quickly lowered her head to hide her expression.

“You don’t have to go that far. I’ve seen plenty in the pond, so it’s fine.”

“My younger sibling seems to like it, so I’d like to prepare it for you.”

At Eugen’s additional words, Celia paused and looked at him.

“I’ve heard that everything a pregnant woman does is closely related to the child. If the mother is happy and feels good, the child will like it too, so it should be good for prenatal care.”

His smiling face truly looked like someone waiting for a younger sibling.

“You said you were certain there was a child in your womb. Then do you have a feeling whether it’s a boy or a girl?”

“That’s……”

Celia was flustered and couldn’t continue speaking. She hadn’t expected that the words she had hastily uttered to avoid the situation when he had pressed her in the office would come back like this as an arrow.

“Then do you want a younger sister, Your Grace? Or a younger brother?”

Celia clenched her sweaty hands and barely managed to answer with a smiling face.

“Either is fine. I’m just overjoyed to have a young sibling at this age, so I think it doesn’t matter. Whether it’s a girl or a boy, they’ll just look cute to me.”

“Since the half-brother likes the sibling so much even from the womb, I must tell them when they’re born.”

When Celia added in a cheerful tone, a deeper smile was drawn on Eugen’s lips.

“You must do that. Please make sure to let them know how much I’ve been looking forward to and waiting for my sibling.”

“……I will.”

Eugen’s eyes were shining with such pure joy that Celia felt as if her breath was caught. Was he really waiting for the half-sibling that his father’s new wife would give birth to? His joy seemed too great to say otherwise. There was no particular reason for him to put on such an act.

The wind blew. Suddenly feeling her bare shoulder, she turned her head to see her shawl floating in the pond. Celia’s face filled with dismay at the sight.

“I’ll have a servant retrieve it.”

“Thank you.”

She hurriedly thanked him.

“But what brings you here……”

Celia asked, he smiled, narrowing his eyes.

“Is this a place I shouldn’t come to?”

“That’s not what I meant……”

Celia momentarily forgot what to say seeing his gentle smile. He was a man who perfectly matched the afternoon sunlight and the cold air of late autumn. Her legal stepson, standing at the opposite end from her, with whom she had to share the inheritance.

“……I was just surprised. I didn’t know you came.”

She finally concluded her words. She felt foolish for being so nervous now that she could barely speak properly, when she had been so bold in calling him ‘son’ before.

“I just came to check on the mistress of the Hilbert family.”

Unlike the nervous Celia, Eugen acted without hesitation. As if he had really just dropped by on a whim while passing, there was no sense of awkwardness from him.

Celia knew well that the discomfort she felt in facing him was due to the lies she had boldly told. She never deceived anyone to gather money before, so it was even more so. She had always thought that fraud and lies were other people’s business. But when she was actually cornered, she too had become a fraudster spouting lies.

Celia unconsciously bit her lip. The sudden encounter with him felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

“Aren’t you bored?”

“Not particularly.”

“This place was where my mother stayed, so it was decorated according to her taste.”

Celia looked around again at his words. She realized that this was the reason why it looked different from other noble gardens.

“She had a weak constitution, so she grew up in a countryside estate when she was young. After she returned here, my maternal grandfather had this built to recreate the scenery from that time.”

“I see. It’s so beautiful.”

Everything in this back garden was natural yet perfectly arranged. Not a single blade of grass or piece of stone was placed carelessly. It was just so natural that she hadn’t noticed at all. It was no different from a beautifully decorated aquarium with water plants and stones.

“Madam.”

“……Yes?”

Even at just being called, Celia couldn’t help but startle as though she got burned.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“……”

For a moment, she was truly startled. Even knowing that the word that fell from his neat lips referred to her, it strangely gave her an odd feeling.

She could feel Eugen’s keen eyes observing her reaction. Celia quickly composed her expression and looked straight into his eyes. She couldn’t have anything to hide or any suspicious aspects.

“You asked me to look after your younger sister and father, didn’t you?”

“……Yes.”

“I’ve sent people to ensure they lack nothing in their lives. I’ve also sent a doctor to your sister and arranged for appropriate treatment. As for your father……”

“Th-thank you.”

Celia let out a big sigh of relief and bowed her head towards him.

“……I’ve also given money to your father.”

“……”

“It’s enough for him to buy alcohol right away, but not enough to pay off all his debts.”

At those words, Celia quietly gripped her dress. It was ridiculous to expect anything more from her father who had already squandered even the money Andros had given as a down payment for taking her as his wife.

“It’s alright. As long as my sister…… is healthy, that’s all that matters.”

“You seem to care for your sister very much.”

“She has a very weak constitution.”

“It’s quite remarkable that you thought of marrying far away, leaving such a sister behind.”

As he spoke words that could be either mockery or praise, Celia’s face reddened with shame.

“……One can’t live on feelings alone. Food and warm bedding are also necessary. I just wanted to give those to my sister.”

“Only to your sister?”

He persistently pressed on.

“Of course, I wanted to be comfortable too.”

She added in a resigned tone. She knew too well now that trying to act noble would only invite his mockery, especially after such an embarrassing contract had been exposed.

“I see.”

He smiled an unreadable smile.

“Is that not allowed?”

Contrary to her mindset of not wanting to offend Eugen, her words came out quite sharply.

“I was just curious because you were speaking as if your sister was your only family.”

“That’s.”

Celia bit her lip hard. She felt as if she had exposed her vulnerabilities to Eugen, realizing that he had caught her unconsciously thinking of Sophie’s and her father’s well-being separately.

He probably had thoroughly searched the house when he sent his people, and if so, he would have realized that her father, half-dissolved in alcohol, was far from normal.

All of it was just shameful. To such a perfect man of noble blood, she must look like a parasite trying to suck the lifeblood of her father.

But it didn’t matter. If she had wanted to live so nobly, she wouldn’t have signed a contract that was tantamount to selling her body in the first place.

“Have you ever thought that you wished your father was dead?”

At Eugen’s sudden words, Celia looked at him with startled eyes.