Since it had been a while since I last visited Grandmother, I was excited from early morning.

“Master Durion. How do I look? Do I appear neat?”

“Of course, you are beautiful, Madam.”

“Master Durion. I appreciate the compliment, but do I really look neat?”

Durion paused as if thinking, then smiled again and said,

“You are very, very beautiful, Madam.”

While I was puzzled by his robotic-like response, Sikar Blake walked out snorting disdainfully.

“You should ask someone who actually knows. Surely you don’t think Durion here understands what ‘neat’ even means?”

I had asked because I assumed Andrea or Mei Li would naturally know.

If it were Vika Lamberst, he would have calmly given me a proper answer.

Her absence felt suddenly immense, and I missed her abruptly.

“Is Master Vika Lamberst doing well?”

“Of course. They’re probably doing fine without even thinking of us.”

Naturally, they must be doing well. I felt I had asked something unnecessary again.

Though far from neat himself, Durion was quick-witted. He swiftly turned to me with a gentle smile.

“Madam, the carriage is ready. Please get in. I shall safely escort you to the Grand Temple.”

“Thank you, Master Durion.”

When we arrived at the Grand Temple, Kian Blake and Lucy were standing at the entrance waiting for us.

Kian Blake and Lucy smiled warmly upon seeing us.

“Welcome, Mother, Father.”

“You must have had a tiring journey.”

“Why aren’t you inside? Why are you waiting out here?”

“It’s only natural for children to greet their parents.”

I had asked out of paranoid concern that perhaps the Grand Prelate had forbidden their entry, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

Indeed, no matter how powerful the Grand Prelate was, he couldn’t possibly bar the King of Lecador.

“Please come in. The Grand Prelate is waiting for you.”

Sikar Blake frowned as if sensing something unpleasant.

“Doesn’t seem like he’s waiting for good news.”

True to Sikar Blake’s suspicion, the first thing the Grand Prelate said to us was:

“What have you come to steal this time?”

Since Kian Blake and Lucy had already paid their respects to the Grand Prelate, only Sikar Blake and I entered the audience chamber.

Perhaps for that reason, Sikar Blake didn’t bother with formalities.

Sikar Blake glared at the Grand Prelate, making his displeasure obvious, and challenged him.

“Mind your words in front of my wife.”

As I tried to wave it off as if it were fine, Sikar Blake grabbed my hand.

“My wife is innocent. She shouldn’t have to tiptoe around as if she’s guilty just because of me.”

I worried the Grand Prelate might throw us out, but fortunately, he was magnanimous.

“You’re not wrong, Duke. Your Duchess is indeed blameless. Forgive my rudeness, Duchess.”

“No, not at all. I owe you a great debt and am always grateful, Grand Prelate.”

The Grand Prelate smiled contentedly, apparently pleased with my response.

“I’ve heard the Duchess always carefully guards her words and actions to ensure His Majesty the King may govern justly—truly, wisdom worthy of the Duke.”

His generous praise only made me more nervous.

“That’s too kind of you.”

Sikar Blake, apparently unconcerned about the Grand Prelate’s slight against himself and somewhat mollified by the praise toward me, lowered his glare.

“I appreciate the compliment regarding my wife. And as she said, we are always grateful for your care of our grandmother.”

“We consider your grandmother’s matter entirely separate from the Duke’s past actions against the Grand Temple, so you need not worry on that account.”

I believed the Grand Prelate wouldn’t conflate Grandmother’s situation with Sikar Blake’s misdeeds.

Certainly, Sikar Blake believed that too.

“Grand Prelate, how is our grandmother doing? Has she improved much? Can she return to the ducal manor now?”

This was truly what we wanted to know. We couldn’t leave Grandmother here indefinitely.

But the Grand Prelate’s reply was entirely different from what we expected.

“Illness, especially age-related ailments, rarely improves significantly.”

“Of course, I understand. But why do you say that…?”

“Lately, even within the Grand Temple, the Duke’s grandmother’s memory is no longer intact.”

The Grand Prelate delivered this shocking news without any preamble, and my heart sank.

Sikar Blake must have felt the same. We stared at each other in shock before regaining composure.

“So… she’s getting worse?”

“You should prepare yourselves emotionally.”

“No… how could this happen so suddenly…?”

“It’s not sudden. She’s been gradually declining. That’s all I can say.”

Sikar Blake stood up, gripping my hand as if he couldn’t bear to hear more.

“So this is how you take revenge on me, Grand Prelate? Using my grandmother in such a despicable way!”

Sikar Blake rose abruptly, clearly unwilling to engage further.

“Stand up, Madam. I can’t sit here any longer—it’s too uncomfortable.”

Sikar Blake left the room, his expression showing he couldn’t remain a moment longer.

I understood his reaction. It must be hard to accept.

I stood to follow him but then felt I needed to hear more details about Grandmother’s condition.

“Grand Prelate, is Grandmother’s health very poor right now?”

The Grand Prelate answered as if he’d been waiting for and prepared for this question.

“Her lifespan has already ended. She’s merely been enduring here.”

The moment I heard those words, tears involuntarily spilled. As I stepped out of the room, I thought of Sikar Blake—who would soon learn this through my memories—and my heart ached terribly.

Grandmother was the only blood relative he had left.

“I trust you wouldn’t speak idly, Grand Prelate. It seems we truly must prepare ourselves. Thank you—for providing space for Grandmother all this time.”

“If you wish, we can arrange the funeral here. Please discuss it with the Duke.”

“Thank you for your consideration. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

I wiped away my tears and exited the audience chamber. Sikar Blake, standing outside with an oblivious expression, grabbed my hand before I could avoid him.

“You should’ve come out immediately…”

Sikar Blake fell silent for a moment. He’d seen the memory.

So I said nothing either. Soon, Sikar Blake looked at me with a bitter smile.

“Let’s go see Grandmother quickly. She’ll perk up the moment she sees us.”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Kian Blake and Lucy were already conversing in Grandmother’s room when we arrived.

Grandmother beamed with delight upon seeing us.

But as the Grand Prelate had said, her complexion didn’t look as healthy as before.

“How long has it been?”

“Have you been well, Grandmother?”

“Yes. So much has happened, hasn’t it? Even though I’m here in the temple, I’ve heard everything.”

“Really? I wanted to tell you everything myself, but since you already know, I have nothing left to share.”

Grandmother chuckled and said, “Is that so?” Then, as if remembering something, she clapped her hands.

“Oh, I should confess now—back when Sikar Blake pretended to die.”

Right. He had faked his death back then.

Sikar Blake gestured to Grandmother as if telling her not to mention it, but Grandmother ignored him lightly and turned to me.

“Actually, Sikar Blake came to visit me.”

“You mean when the Resurrection Tome disappeared from the Grand Temple?!”

“I heard it called the ‘Bo Seo,’ but I suppose that was the Resurrection Tome?”

I whispered softly into Grandmother’s ear.

“Yes. Actually, it wasn’t the ‘Bo Seo’—it was the Resurrection Tome.”

Grandmother laughed as if amused. But her laughter lacked vitality. Remembering the Grand Prelate’s words, tears welled again in my eyes.

“Back then, I truly believed the Duke had left this world.”

“Yes. Sikar Blake played a very naughty trick.”

Kian Blake and Lucy smiled faintly, clearly entertained. I nodded along with Grandmother and shot Sikar Blake a glare.

“Exactly, Grandmother.”

Sikar Blake glanced at us as if to say there were good reasons for everything.

“There’s a proverb: ‘The sparrow knows not the stork’s business.’”

We giggled again, and Sikar Blake pouted once more.

Suddenly, Grandmother, who had been laughing heartily, began coughing.

“Grandmother, are you alright?!”

Grandmother took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Then, she turned to Kian Blake and Lucy with a warm smile.

“Your Majesty, would you kindly step out for a moment? Lucy, you too, please leave briefly.”

Kian Blake and Lucy calmly acknowledged and left the room. As he exited, Kian Blake took my hand and told me to prepare myself.

Then I remembered—Kian Blake could perceive people’s vital energy. And he couldn’t see that of the deceased.

According to the Grand Prelate, Grandmother’s lifespan had already ended—so Kian Blake must have seen it.

Perhaps he even knew what Grandmother was about to say.

Thinking this, tears threatened again, but I forced them back.

Once Kian Blake and Lucy had left, Grandmother clasped my hand.

“Last night… I had a dream.”

“A dream?”

“But it was such a strange dream.”

“What kind of dream was it, Grandmother?”

“Well… I dreamed I fell into a dragon’s nest. But there was no fierce dragon—only a baby bird with red eyes. And it was very beautiful.”

“A baby bird?”

“Yes. A baby bird—in a dragon’s nest! Strange, isn’t it? I was watching it, so tiny and cute, when suddenly it transformed into a black phoenix and flew southward, toward where the Blakes are.”

“Is… is that so?”

“Yura. What do you think of this dream?”

Hearing “black bird,” I felt an ominous chill. Was this a dream foretelling Grandmother’s eternal departure?

Unlike me, Sikar Blake, who had listened quietly, snapped his fingers as if he understood.

“It’s a pregnancy dream.”

“Yes, exactly. Thinking back, it was a pregnancy dream. I believe that phoenix is a daughter.”

A daughter…

“Sikar, what do you think?”

“Since you said she’s pretty, I also think it’s a daughter, Grandmother.”

“Soon, Yura, you’ll receive good news.”

I blushed out of sheer embarrassment. Then, something occurred to me.

“Grandmother, I’ll make sure to give birth to a beautiful daughter who resembles the Duke. So please stay healthy for a long, long time.”

“Yes, yes. I must see our Sikar become a father. Now I feel truly at ease—our Sikar finally has a real family.”

Seeing Grandmother smile so brightly, I felt reassured—perhaps, as the Grand Prelate said, I needn’t worry too much.

But.

The next day, Grandmother passed away.