Rachel showed a stronger hand.
Talking about administering medicine and hypnotizing patients was not something that the ladies of ordinary noble families could reasonably utter.
Giving a man a drug that makes him sleep... would be a shameful story for anyone, not just nobles or women.
And based on the fact that she went so far as to talk about it, either Rachel's words were actually true...
Or she hated Saeki that much. Psyche thought she was one of the two.
“…”
Before Rachel could comprehend the meaning of the words “give medicine and sleep,” she lowered her eyes and spoke.
“He is sensitive about his successor.”
“…”
This is a valid point.
Psyche fell into a strange thought for a moment.
Why is he obsessed with his successor?
But Rachel kept talking.
“While I did a terrible thing to him, if he knew I had his child, would he abandon me?”
Hearing these words, Saiki's hand trembled.
“So, I hope the lady will leave this place now.”
It was a bold, or perhaps crazy, statement that could not be compared.
“Crazy woman.”
Would you ask the Duchess to leave her ducal residence?
Saiki found Rachel's behavior so ridiculous that she couldn't help but laugh. She was about to speak but instead stood still.
Suddenly, memories of a night ago resurfaced. The Duke had once said something similar when he shared his bed with her in his quest to have a child.
"I cannot touch other women. But you, ma'am, are exempt from that. Doesn't it seem like fate?"
What a romantic idea, I thought at the time. To be the only man anyone can touch. It felt like a special connection.
However, the Duke added sheepishly that his obsession was beyond the realm of logic. His interest in this matter was a carefully kept secret known only to Psyche and Alexandros.
At first, Saiki thought this was unreasonable. But as time passed, she realized that this was a reality, and she felt relieved that she did not have to worry about the issue of other women.
But she never realized how deeply Rachel was involved in this matter, and it was very disturbing to her.
Psyche pressed her fingers to her forehead, feeling extremely upset. She didn't want to spend another second with Rachel.
When Rachel started talking to her with a stern face, Saiki found her attitude very confusing.
You no longer felt the need to talk to her.
“Leave”
Psyche issued a decisive order.
She touched her forehead nervously and clapped her hands together.
“I said leave”
She repeated her words as if to emphasize that she no longer wanted to deal with her.
But Rachel, as if deliberately ignoring her, stayed put, as if making a statement.
“I told you to leave.”
Saeki asserted herself, in a tone that left no room for politeness.
However, Rachel remained unfazed.
“You will regret this.”
“Regret is your problem.”
As if she could take it no longer, Saiki got out of bed and firmly escorted Rachel out of the room.
But her anger did not subside.
“That crazy woman.”
Psyche sat silently, looking towards the door.
“I don't understand what you're thinking.”
If Rachel's words were all true, then the Duke, who created such a situation, was even more wrong. She couldn't let it continue like this.
She hesitated at the door for a moment, then quickly turned the doorknob again.
Rachel, who hadn't left yet, stood there looking surprised.
“An entertaining woman.”
Psyche picked Rachel up and looked around quickly, giving instructions to the servants present.
“Since Mr. Hailstone is not feeling well, please accompany him so he can rest. Or better yet, take him home.”
The soul was steady.
“Oh!”
As Rachel tried to follow Psyche's words, the servants stopped her. Psyche lifted the hem of her dress and ran to where the Duke might be.
Since it was now evening, he wouldn't be in his office.
She redirected her steps from the study towards his bedroom.
As she walked around in her bright clothes, carrying a lamp and not wearing her shawl, the servants were surprised and asked her what she was looking for.
But Psyche ignored their questions, and went straight to the Duke's bedroom.
This was unusual for her, and she usually maintained a polite and courteous image, so it was natural for everyone to find her behavior confusing.
You have just arrived at the Duke's bedroom.
When the Duke was about to enter, he turned around with a surprised expression on his face when he saw Saiki.
"my lady!"
His eyes widened, and he approached Saiki, who was now dressed in her shiny clothes, with a surprised look.
“Ma’am, it’s cold outside at night.”
“Yes, that wouldn't be good for the baby.”
Clint, who knew that her voice was unusual, asked her softly: “Go ahead and talk first.”
“Why is Hailstone still here and not leaving?”
When she suddenly asked, the Duke looked a little confused and showed signs of embarrassment.
“I thought...”
"Send her away now. If you don't, I'm leaving."
"my lady."
sigh.
"Lately, the Duchess has seemed very sensitive, so I didn't care much. I apologize. But Rachel… she has her reasons."
“Reasons?”
Saiki asked irritably.
“Do you know what she told me?”
His face became more distorted.
“Well, that woman mentioned something about… her connection to you.”
"my lady."
He had never interrupted her in the middle of her speech before.
Psyche's eyes widened in surprise at the Duke's attitude, which was completely different from before.
“Whatever I hear, I'll deal with it.”
Unlike before, the Duke, who had lost the previous signs of confusion, now seemed like a different person.
“Since it's cold outside, please come back. I'll take care of Rachel.”
Psyche, who had been quietly listening to him, looked up silently.
Their feelings that were there before were gone, so she had no trouble maintaining her composure.
When their eyes met, the Duke fell silent.
“I won't say it again, Your Highness.”
Psyche looked directly at him and spoke.
"If that woman doesn't leave, I'll leave too. I've made it very clear. I'll leave."
“But didn’t you leave this morning? Please don’t use such threats.”
As she spoke, Saiki cringed in pain for a moment.
But the Duke seemed oblivious to such subtle changes in her expression.
“It's not a threat.”
“It's late at night.”
The Duke seemed completely unwilling to listen to Psyche's words.
I also found his changing behavior very confusing.
While she didn't completely believe all of Rachel's words, her words would naturally carry weight if Clint reacted this way.
Saiki decided to remain cooler in response.
“Your Highness.”
She suppressed her emotions and looked at him calmly.
“Clint!”
Then, a sharp voice broke the silence between them.
The Duke's face, which had been focused on Saiki, turned towards the source of the sound.
His expression changed in a strange way.
It was the first time Saiki had seen him so shaken.
He was not the cold person he usually was.
I was a little surprised how he could show such a strange change in front of Rachel.
“Rachel.”
But in contrast to his appearance, his voice was very low and composed, as if he was deliberately hiding his emotions.
Only then did Psyche realize that he was hiding something from her.
Everything that had seemed strange so far fell into place like pieces of a puzzle, sending shivers down her spine.
Rachel walked towards them with unsteady steps and leaned on the Duke's arms as if she was about to collapse.
“….”
I looked at Saiki from his embrace, and it was clear.
Completely clear. She was smiling.
It was an incredible sight.
Finally, Clint, who had an angry look, forcefully pushed Rachel away.
Saiki didn't want to stay there any longer.
She turned around without saying a word.
Her senses were constantly screaming to escape.
"my lady!"
The Duke quickly turned to pick up Psyche.
She shook his hand off of her and continued walking without looking back. It is strange that the Duke did not follow her after that.
Maybe it was for the best.
She seemed surprisingly unaffected.
Maybe it was because she wanted to leave the Duke at first, she was calmer than she expected.
She returned to her bedroom without any signs of distress.
Saiki changed her dirty Shumizu dress into clean clothes and got into bed.
A well-trained mare placed a warm water bottle inside the bed, and her body quickly relaxed into a sleepy state, even though she thought she would not be able to sleep.
When she woke up in the morning, even stranger events awaited her.
“…?”
Psyche stared expressionlessly at Mary, who had brought her the Duke's message that he and Rachel had left on a business trip together and would be back in about three days.
“Interesting.”
After all the drama that happened yesterday, they went alone.
It was something she couldn't rationally understand