“……”
The time for a proper interrogation had begun.
But Rachel had already prepared for this, so she answered without hesitation.
“I met your true biological child, Your Grace.”
“……!”
“While investigating my fiancé, I learned something interesting. I doubt they noticed me.”
Her sky-blue gaze slowly shifted toward the seat of honor. The duke’s eyes were wide with silent shock.
“My true… biological child?”
“Yes. Alisa Podier. Do you remember her?”
“……!”
Twenty years ago, the Valencia Duke’s fiancée had not been Caé Savanio.
However, when Caé Savanio claimed that she was pregnant with the duke’s child, the engagement was broken off.
Afterward, Alisa Podier disappeared, and it was later revealed by Aisha that she, too, had been pregnant.
But in her case, the child was truly the duke’s.
Caé Savanio, who broke off the engagement and married the duke, had committed fraud, so the duke’s shock must have been immense.
Perhaps he had even forgotten that he had intended to interrogate Rachel so relentlessly.
“……Alisa.”
The duke touched his forehead with a trembling hand before asking,
“……How is she living?”
Considering the duke’s actions at the time of his engagement to Alisa Podier twenty years ago, one could say that what happened was karma.
Rachel, however, showed no particular reaction and calmly answered.
“Lady Podier settled in Bernoulli Castle. She died six years ago after falling from a cliff, though.”
“……!”
“Her son is living as a mercenary.”
He was far too remarkable to be called an ordinary mercenary.
A man who had earned the title of Mercenary King for the first time in hundreds of years.
A man who had reached the realm knights dreamed of attaining, becoming someone even the emperor could not easily treat lightly.
“……What is her son’s name?”
“Nathan.”
Confusion appeared in the duke’s troubled eyes.
“Could it be…?”
“Yes. The Mercenary King, Nathan.”
“……”
The astonished duke’s lips naturally parted.
Silence fell for a while.
Rachel rose from her seat. She had told him everything she needed to convey and explain, so there was no reason for her to remain any longer.
“Then please contact me once you’ve confirmed everything, Your Grace.”
The next time they met, they would probably discuss the price of this information.
Rachel politely bowed and turned around. Even then, the duke remained speechless, still stunned.
Click—
She opened the door and left the study. In the hallway, Becky and the knights were still waiting, along with the steward and Paris, who had been sent out earlier.
The steward hurried into the open study, while Paris approached Rachel with a stiff expression.
“Let’s talk, Lady.”
“……”
If she avoided him even here, it would look suspicious.
Since they had already run into each other, Rachel nodded.
“I don’t think I can stay long because I have another appointment. Is that all right?”
“That’s fine. Let’s go to the garden.”
This time, Rachel accepted the hand Paris extended without hesitation.
They would be breaking off the engagement soon, after all.
She could ignore this slight feeling of nausea.
As they entered the garden, their respective personal attendants and escort knights, quick to read the situation, began following from a distance.
Rachel silently looked down at the flowers blooming in the garden. If she had to choose the only thing she liked about this estate, it would undoubtedly be the flowers.
Before her regression, for three months.
Trapped in the northern building, the only thing Rachel could see was flowers. Watching the flowers sway outside the small window no larger than her palm had been the only hobby she could have.
“Lady.”
Rachel slowly raised her gaze. Paris was looking down at her, his displeasure plainly visible.
Rachel simply blinked.
“What did you talk about with my father earlier?”
“It’s a secret. But I’ll tell you this—you’ll find out soon enough, too.”
“Soon?”
Once the evidence was confirmed and its authenticity established, the duke would undoubtedly have the duchess and Sir Wayne arrested immediately and conduct a bloodline test on Paris.
She had handed over both the contents and locations of the evidence, as well as the identity of the true son who could replace the false heir, so everything would proceed even more quickly.
It truly could be called soon.
Paris frowned and spoke irritably.
“It would be nice if you told me now instead.”
“I can’t. As I said, it’s confidential. But—”
“……?”
Looking at Paris as he stared at her in confusion, Rachel smiled sincerely.
“When all the facts are revealed, I promise I’ll come see you.”
This was deception.
But since he had deceived her first, it was only fair to call this revenge—or the price he had to pay.
“……”
Paris silently moved his lips. Turning his head away, he pressed the back of his hand against his reddened cheek.
“Lady. Somehow, you seem different today.”
“I’m the same as always.”
“But somehow, you feel more mature…”
He continued to mumble before clearing his throat and composing himself. Ah, perhaps he had just thought of something. With a low exclamation, he continued.
“Come to think of it, I never received a reply to the letter I sent you yesterday. Did something happen?”
“Ah.”
Rachel calmly blinked.
Her expression showed not the slightest surprise.
“Perhaps I’ve been exhausted from preparing for the wedding lately, because I’ve been forgetting things. I read your letter last night, but I meant to write a reply and ended up falling asleep. I’m sorry.”
“Not at all. These things happen.”
Paris awkwardly scratched the back of his neck before continuing in a serious voice.
“Anyway, I want you to understand that there have been many things lately that have made me feel neglected by you. The wedding isn’t far away, and even though this is a political marriage, wouldn’t it be better for both of us to get along?”
“……Yes.”
Then why did you do that?
Rachel merely agreed with his words aloud.
Despite what he said, Paris had been the first to break their trust.
He had known about his own birth and yet said nothing.
And in the end, he had left his completely unsuspecting wife behind and fled alone.
Her promise to come see him once everything was revealed was not an empty one.
When that time came.
She felt that she might finally be able to hear the answers to the questions she had been unable to ask before her regression.
“……”
Rachel lowered her gaze. She quietly signaled Becky, who immediately understood and approached.
“My lady……”
“Yes. Paris, I think I have to go now. I have another appointment.”
“Is that so? It’s unfortunate, but I suppose it can’t be helped.”
With a somewhat disappointed expression, Paris took one of Rachel’s hands.
Kiss—
The moment his lips touched the back of her hand, Rachel involuntarily flinched.
Paris smiled.
“We’re getting married soon. Are you nervous over this little bit of contact?”
“……It’s because it’s been a long time. Then, I’ll be going.”
“I’ll escort you to the entrance.”
Paris held onto the hand she had naturally tried to pull away and placed Rachel’s hand on top of his. His arrogant face, so reminiscent of the duchess, looked particularly pleased today.
After escorting her all the way to the carriage, Paris waved.
“See you next time, Rachel.”
“……”
Rachel merely blinked without saying anything.
Once Becky climbed in and the carriage door closed, the carriage soon began moving.
Rachel immediately pulled a handkerchief from her bosom.
She carefully wiped the back of her hand and muttered,
“When I get home, I want to take a bath first.”
“I’ll prepare it, my lady.”
Becky was no longer surprised by such remarks. Instead, she took out the handkerchief she had been carrying with her.
“Would you like to wrap your hand with this?”
“……”
Rachel did not refuse.
She put down the handkerchief she had been using and wrapped the back of her hand with the new one. Meanwhile, Becky carefully folded the used handkerchief and put it away.
She seemed intent on throwing it away once they arrived at the estate.
“Thank you, Becky.”
“You’re welcome, my lady.”
The carriage soon arrived at the Ingrave estate. The steward, having heard of her return, was waiting at the entrance.
“Welcome back, my lady.”
Rachel lightly nodded and stepped down with the escort of her knight.
She was about to head straight to her room when the steward spoke to her.
“Will you be having your meal in your room again today?”
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