The Escape

Inside the west annex of the Seiyer mansion.

Margaret, standing by the window and silently listening to the maid's report, turned around in shock.

"Is that true?"

"Yes. The child said they heard it clearly."

Her maid, too, wore a grave expression as she added more details. This was news they had just received from someone planted within the mansion.

"The Duke ordered the butler to add a drug to the lady's dinner. We don't know what kind of drug it is."

"You're certain?"

"Yes, Grand Madam."

She double-checked to ensure she hadn't misheard, but the answer was the same. Margaret's face darkened further as she recalled the events from a few days ago.

"A drug... Didn't Clayton meet with Selman not long ago?"

"Yes. We suspect he received the drug from the physician at that time."

The Grand Madam, too weak to stand, sat in a chair, tapping her desk with a troubled expression. The sound of her slender fingers striking the desk echoed in the room.

Clayton had spent a long time consulting with Selman a few days ago. While they hadn't uncovered the details of the conversation, it was likely related to the drug he ordered to be added to the dinner.

'He wouldn't be feeding Dalia a tonic while keeping her confined in the tower.'

It must be an action intended to put an end to this situation.

And whatever it was, it would surely not bode well for Dalia.

'Is he planning to kill the child? Or perhaps…?'

Was he planning to kill Dalia?

As her thoughts reached that conclusion, Margaret's complexion turned pale, almost ghostly. After all, in the past, it wasn't uncommon for noblemen to force their wives to commit suicide to avoid public disgrace when they were caught in infidelity.

Recalling the sordid tales of the nobility she had heard in her youth; Margaret shook her head.

Nothing had been carried out yet. Dalia was safe, and dinner had not yet come. Margaret soon regained her composure.

How fortunate it was that she had secretly planted her own people while Clayton was discreetly reexamining his staff. Otherwise, Dalia could have been left defenseless in a dangerous situation.

Margaret exhaled deeply and gave her maid an order.

"Switch out the dinner discreetly. And…"

She was about to add instructions for what to do next when a knock came at the door, and another maid quietly entered the room.

"Grand Madam, you have a guest. But…"

Trailing off, the maid stepped aside as a figure in a black robe entered the room. When the person lowered their hood, Margaret's eyes widened in shock.

"You are…"

It was a face Margaret knew very well.

* * *

It was late at night, close to midnight.

Unable to sleep, Dalia sat on her bed, waiting for news that didn't come.

It had been four days since the messenger pigeon had come to her window, yet she hadn't been able to deliver her message to Clayton, nor had she seen a single trace of him.

'Did my letter even reach him?'

Perhaps the pigeon had gotten lost or something had happened to it on the way. That could be why her letter hadn't been delivered. Otherwise, she would have already received a response.

'Could the Duke have caught the pigeon…?'

Dalia shook her head, dispelling her brief anxiety. If Clayton had seen the letter, he would have come to see her. Ultimately unable to find a clear answer, Dalia let out a quiet sigh.

Footsteps began echoing beyond the thick door. Someone was approaching.

'Who could it be at this hour?'

It was already close to midnight. There was no reason for anyone to visit her at this hour. Dalia perked her ears and focused on the sound growing closer.

'Could it be the Duke?'

Perhaps he had heard something from Lloyd and was coming to speak with her. The thought made Dalia's heart begin to race.

She quickly Rose from the bed and tidied her appearance. She didn't want to show Clayton a disheveled look after such a long time. She smoothed her rumpled clothes and messy hair, waiting for the door to open. But.

Creak-.

With a chilling creak, the person who appeared was not the one she was waiting for.

When the dark robe was lowered, the face revealed was Lloyd's.

"Lloyd? Why are you…?"

For a moment, disappointment that it wasn't Clayton mixed with her confusion as to why Lloyd was here.

Ah.

It was then that Dalia realized today was the day mentioned in the letter and let out a low sigh.

'Did he not receive my letter? I clearly said I wouldn't run away.'

As she stood frozen in confusion, staring at Lloyd, he approached her and brought her back to the moment.

"Duchess, are you ready? There's no time. We need to leave here quickly."

"What are you talking about, Lloyd? Leave? Didn't you get my letter?"

Dalia took a step back from Lloyd, who was trying to take her away without any explanation, and responded.

However, Lloyd responded in a tone as if she were asking the obvious.

"I did get the letter. That's why I'm here."

He got the letter and still came here? What was he talking about?

Although she didn't understand why, Dalia realized there must have been a miscommunication during the exchange of the messenger pigeon. She added.

"What do you mean by that? I clearly said I wouldn't run away and that I wanted to speak with the Duke…"

As she began to repeat the contents of the letter that Lloyd might not know about...

A woman cautiously entered behind Lloyd, whom she thought had come alone, and whispered.

"The guards' shift change is coming soon. We need to leave during that time, so please hurry!"

The woman in a maid's uniform had a familiar face.

"You are…"

She was one of the maids who had been bringing food to her since she was confined to the tower. Dalia turned to Lloyd with a questioning look, demanding an explanation.

"She's one of the Grand Madam's people. The Grand Madam planted her here because she was worried about the Duchess being confined."

"Does that mean… Mother is aware of this plan?"

"Yes."

Even though they weren't related by blood, the Grand Madam was Clayton's mother. Yet she was helping her, the Duchess and daughter-in-law, escape. Unable to make sense of the situation, Dalia stammered.

At that moment, Lloyd grabbed her wrist as if there was no time to wait.

"We can talk calmly after we get out of here…"

As he urged her to leave quickly and tried to persuade her again…

She shook off Lloyd's hand.

"I'm not going."

"What?"

Dalia answered Lloyd, who dumbly repeated her words, with a clear voice.

"I don't know where the misunderstanding happened, but I never said I'd run away. I asked you to help me talk to the Duke."

"What are you…!"

As if hearing this for the first time, Lloyd furrowed his brows deeply. At that moment, the maid, who had been silently observing, stepped toward Dalia.

"The Duke has no intention of speaking with you, Madam."

At the maid's abrupt statement, Dalia's brow twitched. But undeterred, the maid continued speaking.

"If I hadn't swapped out your dinner today, the child in your womb would be dead by now."

"…What? What are you talking about?"

Dalia slowly asked again, as if hearing a foreign language.

"The Duke received a certain drug from the family physician, Selman, a few days ago. He then ordered it to be mixed into your dinner today."

"..."

"Thankfully, I overheard the conversation and swapped out your dinner."

Suddenly, it felt as if a thorn had lodged in her throat. Dalia stammered, her voice choked.

"…What kind of drug was it?"

"We're not exactly sure. It could have been a drug to induce a miscarriage, or perhaps…"

The maid trailed off momentarily before meeting Dalia's gaze.

"It might have been a drug meant to take your life."

Thud.

Before the maid's words could even sink in, it felt as if Dalia's heart plummeted to the ground. Lloyd, who had been listening, gestured for the maid to stop, but she continued speaking relentlessly.

"Staying here is nothing short of suicide. By tomorrow morning, someone will come to check on you. If you're perfectly fine without a scratch…"

"Stop!"

It was only when Lloyd intervened between the two that the maid finally fell silent.

"We can discuss this later. For now, just leave this place with me."

Lloyd, speaking in a soothing tone as if calming a child, extended his hand toward Dalia once more.

"Please, Dalia."

It was the first time Lloyd had called her by her name, but such a title didn't even register in Dalia's ears. Her mind was as blank as a sheet of white paper.

"I…"

Her violet eyes wavered uncontrollably. The maid's words swirled chaotically in her mind.

"Hurry."

As the desperate voice tugged at her heart.

Finally, Dalia's trembling fingertips touched Lloyd's hand.