Celia felt as if the world was spinning for a moment.

This was what it meant to receive the Hilbert seed.

It meant producing an heir to continue the family line at any time. It also sounded like it didn’t matter much if the current head of the family passed away, as long as there was a definite successor.

Especially Mrs. Letten’s chilling expression made Celia suddenly fear that he might really die.

“What I wanted was.”

Celia said, swallowing her tears deeply.

“Not a Hilbert child, but……”

Her tear-soaked voice continued.

“Eugen’s child.”

“Madam……”

Mrs. Letten couldn’t hide her surprise at Celia’s confession. In front of such a person, Celia couldn’t stop talking as if her mouth had burst open.

“It’s not the same, it’s no use. None of that matters. This child is his child. Not someone else’s……”

“Madam, please calm down.”

Mrs. Letten supported Celia, who was suddenly muttering like a person who had lost her mind.

“I want to see Eugen.”

“Not now.”

Mrs. Letten strongly dissuaded her.

“Go when you’ve calmed down a bit. The master also needs to rest.”

“But, but……”

If he were to die without any chance to do anything. If that were to happen.

“It will be alright. He’s a person who has overcome many crises. So this time too……”

“This time might be different!”

When Celia shouted, Mrs. Letten was startled but quickly regained her composure.

“You seem very worried.”

“……”

Celia couldn’t answer and just let her tears fall. The image of him on the verge of collapse kept coming to mind. His pale complexion reminded her of Andro’s face, already dead in bed.

What if Eugen ends up like that too? If she can’t see him again…

“Let me… see Eugen. Please?”

Hearing that plea, Mrs. Letten looked troubled for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll ask the doctor.”

There was no color at all in Eugen’s face as he lay there. His face, which was already white, looked even paler, making Celia suddenly frightened.

“……”

She could feel a faint breath on her hand as she brought it close to his nose. Hearing the clear sound of breathing, Celia sat down beside him with relief.

“Eugen.”

She called his name desperately. It was when she gently placed her hand on his hand resting on the bed.

“……!”

She was startled by the strong grip of his hand. She thought he might have woken up, but he didn’t open his tightly closed eyes.

It was as if he was asking her to stay by his side. Celia began to sob quietly while looking at the hand that was held.

It was because she finally realized clearly what she wanted to become.

As she lowered her hand, she felt her belly, which had started to swell quite a bit.

When this child is born.

“Eugen.”

Celia sat down, swallowing the tears that were welling up.

She wanted to live as his wife.

From the moment that intense desire began to consume her mind, she couldn’t bear it anymore.

Once the crying started, it became unstoppable like a broken dam. Finally, Eugen’s tightly closed eyes opened at the sound of falling tears.

“Celia… Celia.”

She raised her head at the sound of him calling, but she couldn’t see his face clearly because of the tears.

“Hic……”

“Why are you crying?”

His hand gently reached out and cupped her face.

“Let, let go.”

“Why?”

“I’m, I’m a mess.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“……”

“Actually, I haven’t been feeling well, so I couldn’t visit you. I have no excuse if you call me heartless.”

“It’s, it’s okay. Hic……”

Celia kept saying while sobbing.

“I told you. I need an heir because I don’t know when I might die.”

“……”

“I tried to hold onto you out of that greed.”

At Eugen’s whispered words, Celia’s body trembled slightly. Now that she felt Eugen’s death so close at hand, which she had forgotten about until now, she couldn’t come to her senses.

“Kuh… ugh.”

An ominous sound echoed in her ears.

“……”

Celia looked at where the suppressed groan came from.

“Eugen!”

Celia let out a convulsive scream as she watched the man collapse while clutching his chest.

“Eugen, Eugen!”

Celia, who had rushed to him without knowing how she got there, lifted him up in her arms.

“Are you okay? Eugen, look at me, okay? This can’t be……”

Her sobbing voice echoed in the air.

“I’m… fine.”

“Eugen!”

“I’m alright. So… don’t worry.”

He gently grasped Celia’s hand. Feeling the touch of his cold hand, Celia cried even louder.

“It was my greed from the beginning. From the moment I desired you, as you sat alone in your mourning clothes at my father’s funeral.”

“……”

“I tried to get you by any means… I wanted to hold you in my arms.”

“Don’t… talk. Quickly, the doctor… hic.”

Eugen covered Celia’s mouth with his lips as she tried to shout. Unlike usual, it was a weak force, but Celia couldn’t resist it.

“Become my wife.”

“…What?”

“Become my wife, live as the Duchess of Hilbert, Celia.”

“Eugen…”

Eugen smiled at the dazed gaze looking at him.

“The answer is always as I’ve taught you.”

9. The Duke’s Bride

The wedding of Duke Hilbert was held on a clear, sunny afternoon.

The chapel where the wedding was to take place was crowded with far more people than could be compared to the funeral of the previous Duke Hilbert.

“They say they met while studying abroad.”

Rumors about the mysterious bride had already spread to everyone in the capital.

“Then her status must be insignificant.”

“What does it matter? Duke Hilbert has everything.”

“How much must he cherish her to have kept her hidden until now…”

There were many rumors about the woman who was to become the new Duchess, but none of them had been accurately confirmed.

People’s curiosity about the unknown Duchess, who had never shown her face in society, had already reached its peak, and now that the day had finally come to see her face, everyone flocked to the chapel where the wedding was being held.

While everyone was filling their seats with eyes full of curiosity, the young Duke was slowly walking into the waiting room where the bride would be waiting.

The Duke’s bride was standing under the sunlit stained glass, radiating a dazzling figure.

The bride, with her pure white veil draped down, was kneeling and praying earnestly for something. With the voluminous white silk dress spread out around her like petals, she looked like a fairy just born from a flower.

“……”

Even as he approached, the bride continued her prayer without moving. Finding her appearance beautiful, Eugen just stood beside her for a long time, looking down at her.

Finally, as the bride slowly lifted her eyelids after finishing her prayer, her eyes immediately filled with surprise.

“When did you come?”

“Just now.”

He held out his hand, and the bride took it without hesitation and stood up.

“Celia.”

Eugen looked at his bride, who had finished her preparations, with admiring eyes. The bride, dressed all in white from head to toe, was like a woman bestowed by God himself.

“Do I look good?”

Celia asked with worried eyes.

“Very much so.”

He smiled as if he had the most brilliant thing in the world before him.

“Is it noticeable?”

Celia asked, placing her hand over her stomach. She was wearing a wedding dress with a generously cut waist to hide her slightly swollen belly.

“It’s fine. And everyone will know anyway once the child is born.”

“Still…”

Celia bowed her head with flushed cheeks. Her face, visible through the translucent veil, was as beautiful as a flower.

The dress that flowed down to the floor further accentuated her elegance. The veil decorated with lace and pearls did the same. She was the perfect bride.

But somehow, there was a shadow on Celia’s face.

“What are you afraid of?”

Eugen’s hand caressed the bride’s face through the veil.

“Just in case.”

Celia’s face was full of fear that the people in the wedding hall might discover her identity.