Chapter 46

“……That’s an astonishingly rude question.”

Ryan displayed a look of disbelief, his irritation clear.

“Am I obligated to answer that question right now?”

“Oh my. Still, I am your employer, and Daphne’s legal guardian, so I think I have every right to ask.”

Baldwin let out a small laugh.

“You’re someone the Pemburke Marquisate praised so highly, so I trust you know what’s right and wrong. If you truly care for Daphne, you should know what kind of conduct is expected of you by her side.”

“…….”

The two men fell silent, exchanging glances. An uncomfortable silence dropped between them, neither giving an inch. Wisps of smoke rose from the head of the pipe tobacco left on the ashtray. Tick-tock. The ticking of the wall clock seemed unusually loud.

“Don’t let a fleeting, reckless feeling ruin that child’s future.”

Baldwin slowly leaned forward toward Ryan, his gaze cold and threatening.

“If you do, I won’t let either of you off easily.”

* * *

They left the mansion and headed home as the sun was setting.

Daphne, driving the carriage beside Ryan, kept sneaking glances at his face. He said nothing, his expression blank as he focused only on the horse. It was unlike the Ryan she knew.

“What did you talk about for so long?”

Unable to contain her curiosity, Daphne finally asked.

“Did Uncle say something unpleasant to you?”

“……No. It was nothing.”

After a moment’s thought, Ryan shook his head at her worried question.

“He only asked if I was experiencing any inconvenience living here.”

“That’s a relief. He dislikes me so much, I was worried he might have started disliking you too, since you’re protecting me.”

Daphne let out a sigh of relief, her face relaxing.

Ryan, quietly watching her from the side, spoke.

“Why do you think that?”

“What do you mean?”

“That the Count dislikes you.”

Daphne blinked quickly at Ryan’s question, her attitude suggesting she hadn’t expected it.

“That’s because it’s true.”

Eventually, Daphne scratched her cheek with her finger and answered.

“It’s not just a guess, Ryan. Uncle really dislikes me. From when I was young until now, not once has he ever been affectionate. And it’s not just me; it’s the same for Lily.”

“…….”

“Well, there is a reason for it.”

“What reason?”

Ryan didn’t miss Daphne’s muttered words and asked. Daphne frowned deeply, her voice thoughtful.

“It’s because of my mother.”

“Your mother?”

“Yeah. Uncle is a noble to his core, and he hated my mother. He couldn’t stand her, even from a distance.”

Noble ideals?

Couldn’t stand her?

Ryan couldn’t understand Daphne’s cryptic words. Sensing his confusion, Daphne sighed deeply.

“Ryan. My mother was once a maid employed by the Sinclair family.”

Hearing Daphne’s shocking confession, Ryan froze on the spot.

* * *

Ryan sat alone in the darkness. Without even a candle lit, he sat at his desk, pressing his lips lightly to his clasped hands, lost in deep thought.

The child of a maid.

His gaze, devoid of emotion, wandered through the darkness.

A half-blooded noble.

His limbs felt heavy, his eyes dry.

Ryan had always harbored questions about the Sinclair family.

Why had Dublin Sinclair, the eldest son of the previous Count Sinclair, had to give up his place as heir?

Why had the legitimate successor of the Sinclair family been forced to move to this shabby house as if exiled?

Why was the relationship between the current Count Sinclair and his niece Daphne so awkward and strained?

All those questions were answered at once by the shocking secret of Daphne’s birth.

So that’s why they were so desperate to hide it.

Ryan finally understood why it had been so difficult for knights to uncover information about Dublin Sinclair.

A successor who married a maid and had children with her.

To choose a maid over the family, even at the cost of abandoning everything.

Nobles valued bloodlines above all else and were ruthlessly cold to anything that disrupted their world. If word about Dublin got out, the Sinclair family would face unimaginable disgrace.

From being ‘an insignificant noble family’ to ‘a shameful house to be avoided at all costs.’

Thinking about it, Ryan could fully understand why the previous Count had changed the already designated heir and cast out his beloved son.

No, in fact, the previous Count was extraordinarily generous for not erasing his son’s name from the family records, and for accepting both his granddaughters as members of the Sinclair family.

Ryan let out a long sigh.

He’d suspected some hidden secret, but never imagined it would be about Daphne’s birth. He’d thought, at worst, there was some flaw in Dublin Sinclair’s character.

‘Ryan.’

In the darkness, Daphne smiled at him, radiant as a flower.

‘You’re already a good person—more than enough, Ryan Clips. Just for being yourself.’

Just for being himself.

Nothing had changed, yet everything looked different.

Recalling her voice as if drifting through a dream, Ryan’s throat moved.

Daphne Sinclair. She was as beautiful, pure, and charming as ever.

She told him that he was enough just as he was, but he couldn’t look at her straight.

With unpleasant self-loathing and a throbbing headache, he pressed his hand to his chest. It felt as if a heavy stone sat on his heart.

He hung his head helplessly.

* * *

There were busy sounds coming from the kitchen. It was still quite early—who could it be? Marianne, curious, headed for the kitchen and was surprised to see an unexpected person there.

“My Lady, what are you doing here?”

Marianne blinked with a puzzled expression.

“What are you making?”

“Marianne, you’re up early.”

Daphne greeted Marianne as she stirred a creamy batter with a large spatula.

“I’m trying to make a pound cake.”

“A pound cake?”

“Yeah. I’m following a recipe from this book.”

Daphne pointed with her chin at a book open on the shelf. Marianne recognized it as a cookbook she often used herself, filled with simple yet high-quality recipes.

“It looks simple, but it’s not so easy to actually make.”

“It gets easier with practice. The first time is always the hardest.”

Marianne approached Daphne. The ingredients Daphne had prepared were neatly arranged on the shelf.

“Is today a special occasion? Did I forget something important?”

“No. I just thought of it on a whim.”

“If you wanted cake, you could have told me. I could have whipped one up quickly.”

The batter looked too dry, and Daphne’s slender arms struggled to mix it. Watching her, Marianne spoke with concern.

“Would you like me to help?”

“Hmm. Thanks, but I’m okay. Just this once, I want to do it myself.”

Daphne didn’t hesitate to refuse Marianne’s help. Staring at the batter, her eyes burned with determination as if waging war.

“When you’re feeling down, eating something delicious helps, right?”

“Excuse me?”

“Ryan’s seemed a bit down these past few days.”

“Oh…!”

Marianne finally realized why Daphne was up so early, making a cake. A strange smile spread on her previously puzzled face.

“So you’re making it for Sir Knight, hoping to cheer him up.”

Marianne looked at Daphne with admiration.

“When Sir Knight sees how thoughtful you are, he’ll surely be delighted.”

“…….”

“Actually, he’s been so smitten with you lately… My Lady? Why do you look like that?”

Contrary to Marianne’s expectation that Daphne would blush, her face darkened noticeably. Daphne stopped stirring and let her shoulders slump.

“Marianne, I think I made a mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“Yeah. I told Ryan about my mother.”

“Oh…!”

At Daphne’s words, Marianne let out a sigh tinged with regret.

Her former Madam, Daphne’s late mother.

A woman admired for her beauty and kind nature.

A woman who was criticized for climbing a tree she should never have touched.

Even without further explanation, Marianne could easily guess what worries were running through Daphne’s mind.