# Chapter 29
Ayud smiled bitterly as he stepped back.
The Duke and Duchess were nobles, after all. They pitied the idea of Judith marrying a commoner.
Although this will be her second marriage, with the support of the Duke and Duchess, Judith will have no problem finding a gentleman to marry.
With her beauty alone, many noble sons would pay attention to her.
In fact, there were likely many vassal families wishing to ingratiate themves with the Duke by proposing their sons to Judith.
'Master was right.'
He felt like he had been rejected, even though he never had the chance to admit his feelings.
Their conversation the night before had been going very well… Maybe that was why he had briefly forgotten where he was.
Judith was only kind to him because she was considerate of others. She was polite to an ordinary person like him. Perhaps Ayoade was the only one who felt they had much in common.
'Master knows everything. And he was right about that too.'
With heavy steps, Ayoade headed towards Judith's room. Regardless of his personal feelings, he had to deliver the master's message to her.
'If I were a gentleman.'
Ayoade laughed to himf as he thought of thoughts that he had never had before. He shook his head to dismiss the unhelpful thoughts, deciding to remain a good friend to Judith.
Ayoade decided to also bring her some medicine to help with her hangover, because he knew it would be good for her.
When he entered the room, Judith was reading a book with Karl.
“Ayud?” Karl waved his hand excitedly when he saw Ayud. "What is this?"
“Oh…”
Karl didn't know the truth yet, he really thought that Judith was pregnant with Eqian's child.
Ayoade nodded to Judith and said, "This is a medicine that helps treat nausea. It is usually given to pregnant women or those recovering from a hangover."
“Oh, that's exactly what I needed. Thank you.”
Judith gratefully accepted the medicine, and Ayoade handed her the letter from the master.
“This is in response to the letter you asked me to deliver while I was in town.”
“Oh my God, thank you so much for that too.”
Judith smiled warmly as she took the letter, not knowing at all that Eud's heart was sinking because of her beauty.
That evening, when Judith was alone in her room, she quickly opened the letter that the master had sent her.
[Marquis Sodin and his wife are currently residing at their home in the capital with their children. They will attend the imperial banquet this month.]
After reading the short message, Judith murmured in amazement: “Capital? How appropriate!”
Marquis Soden and his wife, Ayaud's biological parents, were still desperately searching for the eldest son they had lost as a child.
‘Just like the Duke and Duchess of Maius, who keep waiting for Ekian…’.
Judith smiled bitterly.
I long ago realized the depth of a parent's love for their child.
During her work as a teacher, she witnessed many parents who were overly protective and obsessed with their children.
Although Judith's parents were not like this, she learned to accept this fact and move on with her life. She came to terms with this reality when she was very young.
However, sometimes she felt a little lonely when she saw such parents.
Judith has learned to remain calm in the face of these feelings. She realized that it was best for her safety to remain isolated and quiet.
So, I quickly moved on to practical matters.
‘First, I want to meet the Marquis and Marchioness Soden.’
But she had never met them before. She was unable to approach them and say to them: “Your eldest son whom you are looking for actually works as a doctor for the Maios family.”
Even if she said that, how could she explain how she knew? Now, Judith also holds the position of “wife of the young Duke Maius.”
Acting rashly might cause problems for the Maius family as well.
‘I need to handle this matter as naturally as possible, without arousing suspicion from the Duke or Duchess… How can I do that?’
Judith thought of the letter the Master had sent, and looked at it as if the answer would magically appear.
The capital... They are in the capital now...
'Wait a minute.'
Judith's eyes lit up when she realized something.
“Marquis Soden and his wife should visit this place again.”
In the original story, when the Marquis and his wife visited the capital to search for their missing son, they always made a secret trip to a special place.
This was the shrine of the last priestess.
This small shrine, on the outskirts of the capital, was once home to Chaska, the last descendant of the Auelti tribe, who were believed to have the ability to see the future.
Her tribe known for intermarriage had collapsed, and Chaska sought refuge in the empire, asking only for a plot of land where she could build a small shrine.
She disappeared only a few years later, but rumors spread that she was pregnant at the time.
Despite her disappearance, the incense in her shrine never went out.
Although no one maintained the shrine, it remained clean and flawless, and her large picture still hangs on the wall.
‘People say that even the candles and flowers near the shrine remain unaffected by time, as if frozen in place… It is a mysterious and magical place.’
Many imperial knights tried to blow out the candles and trample the shrine, but they went crazy soon after. Since then, the citizens of the empire have left the shrine alone.
In fact, many people came to the shrine to pray, hoping that their wishes would come true.
‘The Marquis and his wife visit the shrine every time they come to the capital to pray for their son’s safety.’
Judith crossed her arms in thought.
‘This is where I will meet them. And then… I'll act as if I heard something there. No one knows the true extent of the priestess's power, so it shouldn't be suspicious.'
Since she remembered her past life and began recalling events in this world as if she were reading a book, Judith found it easier to deal with life's challenges.
But she still doesn't understand why these strange things happen to her.
All she told the Duchess of Maius was that she was having “strange dreams about the future.”
If you use this explanation, maybe you will be able to avoid suspicion while helping Ayoade find his birth parents.
I will go there tomorrow.
But first, she needed permission from the Duchess. She would tell her that she had a dream about the shrine and wanted to pray for the child's safety.
'I need to get permission before it gets too late.'
As Judith stood to prepare her words, she heard a knock on the door.
'Master?'
The knock did not come from the door, but from the hidden passage, indicating that the master had arrived.
Judith remained standing, calling: “Come in.”
As she spoke, she wondered why the Master was visiting again. If he had something to say, he could have simply sent another message with Ayoade.
Ever since Judith had moved into Maius' house, the master had been sneaking in through the secret passage almost daily. If the Duke and Duchess find out, serious problems will occur.
Judith was thinking that she should say something to him when the master entered the room through the hidden passage.
As always, he was wearing his mask, his expression unreadable, and dressed in all black.
As soon as she saw him, Judith asked him: “What brings you here?”
“You ask me about my goal the moment we meet? Should we only meet when there is a goal?”
"Yes."