Though Evelyn herself didn’t know, the maids serving her had noticed her changes early on and reported to Elkas that she was pregnant. 

What stopped Elkas, who had been about to rush to her immediately in joy like he’d gained the whole world, was a report that remnants he’d thought completely eliminated in the last territorial war were watching for a chance at revenge.

Since they were cunning bastards, there was ample reason they’d target his wife, given that Elkas had only recently married. 

So Elkas tripled or quadrupled the estate’s security to guard it strictly, and didn’t even inform the person who was actually pregnant, citing the risk of discovery through inadvertent behavior.

“Don’t worry. There’s no way the remnants know my lady is carrying Berenberg’s heir.”

“Yes. The maids were also careful to ensure absolutely nothing leaked out. Even the other servants don’t know, so how could those vicious people have noticed?”

That would be fortunate, but still, he couldn’t relax.

Worries that something might be wrong with Evelyn’s safety endlessly tormented him.

Suppressing the various anxieties rising within him, Elkas dispatched knights to search for Evelyn’s whereabouts and gripped the reins tightly.

“Find her immediately without letting it reach anyone’s ears.”

* * *

The moment something damp touched her cheek, consciousness slowly awakened from drowsiness. The scene seeping into her vision was identical to last night. Through her eyelids seeped a view of long whiskers and wide-open eyes staring at her.

What had forcibly dragged her awake was none other than Popo.

Meow.

‘You’re awake.’

Popo, who seemed to be enjoying spending time together these past few days, rubbed its body against Evelyn’s ankle. Behind it, cats of various colors gathered around to greet their owner.

“Ow… that tickles. Okay, okay. I’ll get up.”

Evelyn, who giggled at the excessive affection shown by the cats taking turns, stretched both arms out long. The cats’ antics, which she hadn’t seen in a while, quickly restored her mood that had been gloomy until yesterday.

“I overslept.”

Evelyn, who roughly gauged the time by the sun beyond the window, couldn’t help but smile. 

Five whole days had passed since leaving the estate. Not knowing that her running away had turned several households upside down, she’d slept soundly and woken around late noon.

Sunlight seeping through the window gap cast long rays into the space that was the cats’ nest. 

The house made of woven brown logs resembled a warehouse in a way, but was spacious enough for a commoner family to live in. 

The place she’d secretly hidden in at dawn a few days ago was a space attached next to the annex of her family home, House Windelson, prepared for raising cats.

“Ugh. I’m hungry.”

Evelyn, who glanced at the cats’ food, momentarily became gloomy, realizing her pitiful situation.

Trusting that unusually kind innkeeper was the problem.

When Evelyn woke up at the inn, she discovered her money pouch had disappeared without a trace. The suspected culprit was clear. 

Though she’d endured the uncomfortable bed, never waking up once meant the tea she drank before sleeping had some effect in it. If so, nine times out of ten, the suspect was the innkeeper’s wife.

She went straight to confront them, but what came back was a shameless reaction. With the couple banding together to refute her, Evelyn alone was no match to argue.

<Where do you get off suspecting people without any money? Get out right now.>

Like that, Evelyn was kicked out without properly protesting. She wanted to run straight to the security force and appeal her injustice, but she couldn’t go as the Duchess.

<Where can someone without a husband go to complain?>

Muttering like that, Evelyn thought of Elkas. If he were here, he would have gotten angry on her behalf about the humiliation she’d just experienced.

Actually, she’d never seen Elkas angry, but if his wife was disrespected somewhere, he wasn’t the type to just sit still.

But not being able to call him was this sad. Her eyes grew hot with sorrow.

Kicking stones in her path and wandering aimlessly, the place Evelyn’s feet finally reached was none other than Count Windelson’s estate.

Startled at the fact she’d come here without realizing it and about to run away, what flashed through Evelyn’s mind was:

‘They say the closer the place, the harder it is to find.’

Though she’d borrowed the words of an old sage, in reality she had nowhere to go since she had no money. 

Since it was still the place she most wanted to avoid, instead of the main gate, she used the small hole in the Count’s estate wall that she’d always used when secretly sneaking out as a child.

Her father, angry about her nearly getting hit by a carriage, had blocked the passage, but since over ten years had already passed, Evelyn had held vague hopes that she might somehow be able to get through now, but was soon disappointed.

The wooden boards were blocked so firmly that even gripping them with both hands and shaking for a long time didn’t budge them. 

If she hadn’t had the good fortune of meeting Nora coming out through the servants’ passage just then, she’d still be wandering the streets. She’d settled in the far end of the annex from there.

Since then, she’d been secretly living off food Nora brought her, but until now, no one had discovered her.

“Still, it’s nice being with you guys.”

Since it was a cabin attached right next to the annex, though she couldn’t go out, it was possible to receive necessities through the maid. The interior also had a small bed where one person could lie down and plenty of warm blankets brought in, so it was fairly livable.

The only thing that bothered her was her uncomfortable feelings.

“It’s quiet… like they’ve been waiting for this.”

Though she’d expected it all along, the fact that outside was this peaceful felt bitter.

Like her existence had disappeared from the world.

Meanwhile, the nearly twenty cats were busy playing among themselves. While some rolled around scattering fur everywhere, one jumped up onto the shelf closest to the ceiling.

Only Popo lay quietly on her lap like it was a pillow. The way it even purred through its nose looked so carefree.

Just then, with a clatter of metal bars, the sound of footsteps on creaking old wooden planks was heard. Evelyn, who put down the cat she’d been holding and stuck her head out, caught a delicious smell flowing in.

“My lady!”

“Ah… it’s you.”

Perhaps she’d held vain hopes that Elkas might come saying it was all a misunderstanding. In five days, Nora was the only one who’d opened that door, yet in that brief moment she’d hoped.

“What did you bring today? What? No meat?”

Evelyn’s face, which had quickly scanned today’s menu with her eyes, became sullen. 

Though she knew she was in no position to complain, receiving food like a freeloader without anyone knowing, compared to the delicious foods she’d eaten to the point of being sick of them, the food the maid brought each meal was only meager.

Hard bread that fit in one hand and soup made from mashed potatoes.

Were the Windelsons in bad straits? Evelyn clicked her tongue at the simple food, enough to make her worry about the servants’ meals.

“I’m sorry. I can’t dare touch the food the master and mistress eat, and even secretly taking from my own food, I have to watch the head maid’s mood.”

“The head maid… that makes sense.”

She’s so strict. Watching her, it was understandable that she was so close with Mother—the two had similar personalities.

Evelyn, feeling slightly sorry for Nora who secretly brought food from her own portion, grabbed both of Nora’s hands.

“Just hang in there a little longer. I’ll repay you properly for this later. You remember the money I gave you before?”

“You gave me a lot. For managing these guys.”

“Right. I’m generous, so you don’t have to worry about me stiffing you.”

So please continue to help me from now on, she was saying, when Nora’s expression became a bit strange.

“Um… my lady.”

“Yeah. What?”

Evelyn, who had picked up the rough bread in the meantime, evenly cut it, dipped it in the soup, and sent it straight to her mouth, answered absentmindedly while chewing hard. 

She’d been dissatisfied with the rough bread, but as she kept chewing, it became fairly edible.

“Earlier this morning… the Duke came.”

The bread she was holding dropped with a plop onto the potato soup. The splashed soup created a long stain on Evelyn’s collar.

“My lady, are you okay? You’re not hurt anywhere?”

“I… I… I’m fine.”

Even while the startled maid hurriedly wiped her hands with a handkerchief, Evelyn answered with a dazed face.

“Where is he?”

“He already left. I don’t know if he just stopped by briefly, but he only saw the master for a moment and left.”

Did he tell Father?

Evelyn’s complexion turned pale as she flinched, but if so, it wouldn’t make sense that it had been quiet until now.

“When he came… did he say anything by chance?”

“He just went to the master’s study and only talked about business?”

The heart that had hoped just slightly deflated in an instant like a punctured balloon. Business talk while his wife had left home. Could there be any greater misery than this?

Evelyn, who moved her hands that had stopped briefly, crunched on the bread.

“My lady, you’ll get indigestion like that. Eat slowly.”

Despite Nora’s restraint, it was when she was bringing new bread soaked deep in hot soup to her mouth. 

A drop of hot soup soaking the bread fell with a plop on Popo’s nose, sleeping by her knee. 

As soon as the hot liquid touched it, Popo let out a fierce cry and jumped up, then before there was time to stop it, shot out through the open door like lightning.

“Uh… Popo!”

Evelyn, horrified at the unexpected situation, jumped up and chased after it, but in that time Popo had already run swiftly and leaped over the high wall.

“Ah… no!”

Evelyn, who had been floundering, belatedly stuck her hand into the apron pocket of Nora who had run up.

“Lend me the key to the west entrance. I’ll go find it.”

“My lady!”

The main building was one thing, but leaving the Count’s estate was dangerous. Despite Nora’s cry, Evelyn, who frantically ran outside, began searching for Popo while looking around. 

Since it had run out in surprise, it might be hiding somewhere after going a certain distance, so she had to check even narrow alleyways one by one.

After running around for a while, her breath rose to her chin, but she couldn’t stop. If her parents discovered her, it would just end with a scolding, but outside the walls, merciless people were scattered everywhere.

Though the security forces indiscriminately catching and killing them like when she was young had clearly decreased, Evelyn, who knew that some thoughtless people who still thought cats were the cause of epidemics would brutally sl*ughter them on sight, bit her lip in anxiety.

“Hah… what do I do?”

‘Why did I act so carelessly?’

Thinking she might never see Popo again, whom she’d been with for over ten years, tears welled up. Still, how much time had passed running without knowing it was hard?

After running for a long time, Evelyn realized she’d somehow reached the path leading to the downtown area. 

Spotting the carriage road right across from her, Evelyn stopped in place, breathing hard.

“Could it have come all the way here?”

There are many crowds across the road, so it doesn’t seem like it would have gone there.

Walking slowly like that, something white flashed in Evelyn’s eyes for a moment. Three men standing at the end of a narrow corner were gripping Popo by the scruff of its neck. 

At the sight of them giggling like it was laughable that Popo, with its fur standing on end at their vicious grip, kept swinging its raised claws, Evelyn glared.

Evelyn, who rushed out urgently, snatched Popo from the man’s hand and held it in her arms.

“What are you doing right now!”

Whether it had been hit, clumps of fur were missing from various places on Popo’s body, and blood beaded on thin lines. The men looked dumbfounded at Evelyn who had suddenly jumped in, then soon snickered.

“Well… what’s this?”

“Why are you tormenting an innocent animal?”

“Innocent? Don’t you know everyone starved to death because of that beggar-like epidemic?”

“That… don’t be unreasonable! Why is that the cat’s fault? This is… just a small cat.”