After kissing Sikar Blake as if entranced, I realized the carriage had already arrived at the Duke’s estate.

Upon arrival, I felt somewhat resentful about having kissed him as though bewitched.

“What did you just do to me?!”

“What do you mean? I was just greeting you for our reunion.”

“I’m speechless.”

“You greeted me first, so why can’t I greet you first too?”

“I came to welcome you; you’re acting like you’re sending me off already.”

Sikar Blake looked at me carefully, then asked with a puzzled expression.

“Could it be… you were worried I might not come back?”

“That’s unlikely, but if you don’t return, I’ll steal every last coin of your fortune. If you care about it, come back safely.”

“Since it sounds like a kind threat, I’ll accept it.”

It was a wicked threat. How could calling it “kind” possibly make sense when he threatened to take everything I owned?

At that moment, the carriage door burst open, and Vika Lamberst’s face came into view.

“I need to put the carriage in the stable, so please both go inside already. It’s becoming difficult to endure listening to your conversation any longer.”

Only then did I remember that Vika Lamberst had been the one driving the carriage today.

Feeling embarrassed to face Vika Lamberst, I quickly slipped into the mansion.

The next day, the Duke’s family visited the Marquis’s estate early in the morning.

While Yura Blake watched the children with Seo Yeon, Sikar Blake spoke with Reidox.

Sikar Blake told Reidox everything he had learned, including the fact that Seo Yeon had been exposed to the Queen.

Reidox’s reaction, which I expected to be shocked, was surprisingly calm.

“I see. It’s unfortunate news, but the King cannot harm me based on reason alone.”

“Han Seo Yeon might be in danger, yet you’re remarkably composed.”

“I will protect her well.”

“Can you truly guarantee you’ll guard her side twenty-four hours a day?”

“No one will be able to breach the Marquis’s estate and take Lady Seo Yeon away.”

“You can’t be so sure. The King has a mage named Pasium beside him. Without Jeremi Iker present, if they seriously intend to kidnap Seo Yeon, it won’t be easy to stop them.”

“I can’t imagine they’d go so far as to kidnap Lady Seo Yeon for such a reason.”

“Pasium is competing with Rafe. You never know—he might decide to kidnap Han Seo Yeon to gain Gillian’s favor, rather than let Rafe claim all the credit.”

Reidox, who had been silently listening to Sikar Blake, furrowed his brow.

“I don’t understand why you’re saying this. Is it out of concern? Or do you want something else from me?”

“To stop Pasium, summon Jeremi.”

“But Jeremi is still merely an intermediate-level mage, too inexperienced to face Pasium.”

“Whether novice or intermediate, detecting a mage requires another mage. Act swiftly. It’s the safest choice to protect your woman and your liege.”

Despite Sikar Blake’s warning, Reidox remained skeptical.

“It’s hard for me to accept that the situation is this serious.”

“I will soon depart for the North, leaving the Duke’s estate briefly to search for Princess Veronia.”

“Are you saying Princess Veronia is in the North? Where exactly in the North?”

“We’ll know once we find her. Until then, you must ensure not only your own safety but also the safety of my wife.”

“So that’s why you’re telling me to summon Jeremi….”

“Vika Lamberst will remain to guard the Duke’s estate, but relying solely on him doesn’t feel secure enough.”

Since the Duke himself spoke so gravely, Reidox had no choice but to take the matter seriously. He thought of Jeremi, who was in the North.

“I heard Jeremi is also in the North. If you’re going there, could you personally persuade him?”

“So he followed Roen all the way to the North.”

“He’s in Baron, so why not stop by Baron while you’re there?”

“Baron is on the outskirts, but I intended to visit anyway—I’ll start there.”

“When do you plan to depart?”

“Within this week.”

No further explanation was needed. Reidox replied,

“Understood.”

It meant he would prepare everything from now on.

After visiting the Duke’s estate, Seo Yeon reportedly felt she couldn’t stay indefinitely in the annex.

Yet she couldn’t bring herself to tell the children she was seeing Reidox, so she claimed she was currently working as a nanny.

Meanwhile, the twins, reunited after a long time, had become utterly absorbed in their sword-fighting matches.

But it seemed Lucy truly loved swordplay.

Luid kept charging at her recklessly, even as Lucy’s wooden sword repeatedly struck his head.

“Again! Again!”

Luid’s stubbornness was extraordinary.

The heroine Lucy was described as naturally gifted in swordsmanship, while Luid excelled in archery.

In other words, their innate physical abilities differed—no matter how stubbornly Luid insisted, he’d only end up with bumps on his head.

Of course, Seo Yeon knew this too.

“Shouldn’t we stop them?”

“I’d stop them if they listened, but they don’t—so I gave up. Besides, Kian Blake handles this better than I do.”

“Kian Blake?”

“Yes. Just wait and see—Kian Blake will resolve this entire situation.”

So I sat beside Seo Yeon, chin resting on my hand like an audience member, and said while watching,

“Lady Seo Yeon, I know it’s frustrating, but for now, it’s best not to leave the Marquis’s estate.”

“Has something else happened?”

So I told her everything that had occurred. Seo Yeon grabbed my arms, looking frightened.

I knew Queen Dianne was ruthless, but I didn’t expect her to go this far.

“Gillian has weathered countless battles even before becoming King—he’s no ordinary person.”

“Sigh… I’m really worried about how things will unfold from here.”

“Same here. Why did we end up in this place?”

“I’ve wondered that too. There must be a reason, but I haven’t found it. Aside from having read this book, we share absolutely no commonality.”

“Exactly. I’m also very curious—what could that reason be?”

“Meeting Lord Reidox here feels like divine fortune. He gives me strength—in fact, since I’ve relied on him so much here, I think I’ve even grown fond of him.”

I deeply agreed with her. I too, relying on Sikar Blake here, at some point… um…

“So I think it might be Stockholm Syndrome.”

Seo Yeon smiled brightly, clearly agreeing with me.

“That actually makes a weird kind of sense.”

“By the way, have the twins noticed anything? Their intuition isn’t ordinary.”

“I’m being careful. Knowing Lucy’s temperament, if she finds out I’m dating the Marquis, she’d kick me out of the house.”

“Good thinking. Lucy is still young and lacks maturity—wait until she’s older.”

Soon, Seo Yeon frowned with a worried expression.

“Most importantly, if we hold a wedding, the Queen or Gillian will find out, and my identity might become dangerous. So I plan to postpone marriage until things are safer.”

We shouldn’t provoke further suspicion from Gillian, who already harbors hostility toward Reidox.

“But have the children said anything else about your eye color?”

“Oh, they did ask, but I told them I was a childhood friend of the Duchess—they welcomed me warmly. The twins are all very fond of the Duchess.”

“You handled that very well. Excellent response.”

While we were talking, Luid was hopping around, grabbing my head.

“Yikes! My head! My head!”

He must have taken a direct hit. I worried whether leaving the children like this was truly okay, but Seo Yeon, seemingly very accustomed to the scene, said nonchalantly,

“Now that it’s come to this, Kian Blake will step in.”

Curious to see how Kian Blake would defuse the situation, I held my breath and watched the sword match between Lucy and Kian Blake.

Lucy swung her sword swiftly and nimbly, yet with precise, controlled movements. Watching her, I recalled Sikar Blake’s advice to me: “Think where to aim before you strike.”

Lucy knew exactly where she would attack and where she would use tricks.

Truly displaying the prowess of an exceptional heroine, Seo Yeon and I completely forgot our serious conversation moments ago and watched the children’s duel with hearts sparkling in our eyes.

But our amazing male lead—and my son—Kian Blake seemed utterly overwhelmed trying to block Lucy’s attacks.

“Kian Blake can’t even move!”

“Oh, no, not really.”

“What?”

“At first, I also thought Lucy was incredibly skilled and Kian Blake was frantically blocking, but Lord Marquis said Kian Blake is actually going easy on her.”

“Going easy?”

“Watch his dodging speed. He’s already predicted Lucy’s movements and is evading them in advance.”

Listening to Seo Yeon, I realized she was right. While I marveled at how much our Kian Blake had grown, Sikar Blake’s voice came from behind.

“Kian Blake is going easy on her.”

Sikar Blake walked over, apparently having already figured it out.

“But Lucy is no ordinary child either.”

Eventually, Kian Blake dropped his sword, ending the match. As Kian Blake panted and surrendered, Lucy marched toward Sikar Blake and declared,

“Teach me a move, Duke.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll regret it. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a child.”

“I won’t go easy on you just because you’re an old man.”

Suddenly turned into an “old man,” Sikar Blake gripped his wooden sword with a fierce expression.

“Fine. But I won’t move a single step from this spot—attack as you please.”

“You’ll regret it, Duke. You underestimated me.”

Sikar Blake smiled mockingly, as if ready to teach arrogance a sharp lesson.

Look at that expression. How is that the face of someone dealing gently with a child?

Sikar Blake’s expression toward Lucy was downright murderous.

Sikar Blake truly didn’t budge from his spot, blocking all of Lucy’s attacks with one hand behind his back and only one hand forward.

Frustrated at failing to land even a single hit, Lucy began attacking even more ferociously.

Then, as Lucy unleashed a full-force strike, Sikar Blake nearly fell backward—but regained his balance by pushing her forehead with his index finger.

Lucy stumbled backward and fell flat on her back.

“Match paused!”

Kian Blake, who had shouted to pause the match, approached Sikar Blake, bowed his head saying the shoelace was loose, and proceeded to untie and retie Sikar Blake’s perfectly intact shoelace.

“Please stop.”

“If it’s a deal, I’ll accept. If it’s a threat, it won’t work.”

“It’s a deal. If you lose, for one week you’ll do whatever I say. Lucy is still a child—show the virtue of yielding to a child.”

Thus, Sikar Blake once again unexpectedly entered a deal with Kian Blake.

“Fine. That deal doesn’t sound bad.”

“Tell me what you want.”

“What I want is for you to tell your mother, repeatedly until her ears ring, that I treat her so well she’s happy—while I’m away.”

Kian Blake, who had been quietly tying Sikar Blake’s shoelace, looked up.

“Are you going off to war again?”

“I’m heading North for business—I don’t know how long it’ll take. I might be very late returning.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Within this week.”

“Perhaps…?”

“Perhaps…?”

“Never mind. It’s fine.”

After finishing tying Sikar Blake’s shoes, Kian Blake stood up.

“Shoelaces are all tied.”

“Good work.”

As Kian Blake requested, Sikar Blake let Lucy strike his hand, then let out a thin, exaggerated cry as if in great pain.

“Ouch. That hurts a lot.”

Though the acting was awkward, Lucy cheered happily, jumping up and down on the spot.

“Yay! I defeated Satan!”