The corridor where her bedroom was located was quiet. The servants were nowhere to be seen.

She clenched her fist, consumed by an eerie sense of unease.

Since Habart was absent from his usual spot in the bedroom, Thearis cautiously took a step forward, swallowing her dry saliva.

“Where are we going?”

She asked the butler who was following behind her. The servant didn’t answer and continued rushing ahead.

He politely bowed his waist as he opened the door at the end of the corridor. Thearis turned her gaze towards the room from which the light was seeping out.

‘Not the reception room?’

She wondered. She tried to ask the butler, but he didn’t raise his head.

As a noble, Thearis couldn’t afford to show hesitation and uncertainty to her subordinates, so she proceeded into the room.

With a ‘thud,’ the door closed, and then she heard a ‘clink’ sound. Startled, she turned around.

“It’s locked?”

“I am honored to be summoned, Your Grace.”

Thearis stiffened at the voice of a man she had never heard before.

“And who are you?”

“You’re saying strange things. Didn’t you know who I am?”

Thearis’s spine chilled at the man’s nonsensical words. She placed her hand on the dagger hidden within her robe.

“You said you needed someone noble since you couldn’t see a child from a lowly commander with tainted blood.”

“Me?”

“It would be a problem if the person who sent a letter to my house remains ignorant.”

Thearis had never said such words or written a letter.

She extended her hand towards the approaching man.

“Speak from there.”

“That’s not possible. The night is short.”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“You said that the Duke of Navarant needs an heir.”

“I have never sent such a letter!”

“I received a letter with the Duke’s seal. It’s troublesome if you keep denying it.”

The man changed his taste and walked towards Thearis. Finally, she could recognize who he was, as she never took her eyes off the approaching man.

“Lord Svena…”

“You remember. I am Dafen, from the Marquisate of Svena.”

She was surprised and remained speechless.

Before the decree to marry Isdante came down, he was the person with whom she had been discussing marriage. The eldest son of Marquis Svena, famous for his magic.

He was the one who had expressed his desire to give up his position as Marquis Svena’s successor and become the Duke of Navarant’s consort.

“I know that you had no choice but to make a marriage vow under His Majesty’s orders.”

“If that’s the case, you should know that I am already married. Why are you doing this?”

“What does that matter? If you bear my child, that child will become the successor of the Duchy of Navarant.”

His oddly shining eyes were fixed on her. Those eyes scanned Thearis up and down, as if appraising an object.

“I don’t know where you heard what you heard, but things won’t go your way.”

Thearis grasped her gown with one hand and held a cold dagger in the other.

“I don’t particularly regret it, Your Grace. It’s just that if I retreat now, I would become a laughingstock.”

“What do you mean…”

As Dafen approached her with his hand outstretched, Thearis swung her dagger.

“Aah!”

Blood flowed from the hand that, as a magician, should have formed a contract with the spirit. The fingers and palms were cut, and blood dripped from the blade of the dagger.

“I tried to treat you like a gentleman!”

Thearis moved her body to avoid Dafen, who was running fiercely towards her. His slashed right hand couldn’t make contact with the spirit because of the dagger, but his left hand was different.

As the white light rose in his left hand, Thearis threw the dagger.

“Aah!”

Dafen trembled as the dagger pierced his left hand. He couldn’t move his hand with the handle of the dagger stuck in it.

If he moved, he could end up in a situation where he could never form a delicate contract with the spirit again.

Thearis watched as blood flowed from Dafen’s hand, gasping for breath.

“Haa!”

She couldn’t breathe properly. She grabbed her chest at the sudden shortness of breath.

Dafen, who had been glaring at Thearis with a grim expression, slowly approached her. Blood no longer flowed from his lightly cut right hand.

Thearis, who was swaying back and forth, stepped on something with her leg and fell backward. It was a bed.

Her pupils shook as she watched Dafen approach while forming a contract with her right hand. The dagger stuck in his left hand slipped out with a swish, and his hand was recovered.

“What a nuisance.”

Thearis’s shoulder trembled at his annoyed remark.

“It’s a different experience. This is the first time I’ve been in so much pain since becoming a magician.”

The white light that flowed from his hand enveloped her. Thearis couldn’t move and just blinked.

Dafen, who had used magic to prevent her from moving, climbed on top of her. Her robe was spread out in his hands, and only her thin nightgown was exposed.

“What are you saying when you came out dressed like this?”

“If you stop now, I won’t hold the Marquis accountable.”

She tried to speak as calmly as possible, but she couldn’t help her trembling voice. Despite Thearis’s warning, Dafen didn’t back down. His hand caressed her exposed white and round shoulder and his face came down straight away.

Thearis exerted all her strength to move her hand. With a desperate heart, she turned her head, but it didn’t move. When she bit her lip and blood started to flow, one arm moved a little.

Someone once said that if you want something badly enough, it will come true. Her hand touched the dagger that was placed next to her and she grabbed it.

When Dafen’s lips touched her neck, Thearis didn’t hesitate to hit his head with the dagger in her hand.

* * *

“She entered Lord Svena’s guest room.”

“Will there be anyone to disturb?”

“We’ve cleared that floor, so no one should be able to disturb them.”

“We should keep an eye on Isdante’s people.”

“Understood.”

The butler who finished reporting to Jeremian went out immediately. He moved to confirm the location of Isdante’s knights, especially Halbart.

“…I wonder if the Duke accepted.”

Carlos, who was hiding nearby, opened his mouth. Jeremian sensed the worry and concern behind his words and chuckled.

“Why? Are you worried about that child now?”

“Didn’t you raise her as your daughter? No father should do such a thing…”

“I couldn’t watch my son grow up because of that child and I couldn’t tell my dying wife the truth!”

“Your Excellency.”

Carlos called Jeremian carefully. His voice gradually decreased because he realized that continuing the conversation would provoke Jeremian’s temper.

“That kid having children with my child is unacceptable.”

“……”

He couldn’t bring himself to ask about Isdante’s intentions. He knew Jeremian’s intense emotions too well.

Whenever his feeling of hatred towards Thearis arose, it always led to unfavorable results. It was the same now.

“Since she has the Tarmenon marquisate’s blood, if she has a child, the child could neutralize the divine power. Then you can hand over the child to the imperial family.”

Carlos closed his eyes tightly at the gloomy words.

* * *