The Fake Madam Disappeared-Chapter 60Vol. 1 -

Chapter 60

Daphne opened her eyes as she usually did. She flinched briefly at the unfamiliar ceiling, but after realizing where she was, she let out a shallow sigh.

As she sat up, the old bed let out a creaking noise. Daphne instinctively glanced around. Not that there was much to look at. The space was narrow and unremarkable. She leaned her back against the wall. She wasn’t supposed to be here.

Even as a high-ranking noble, she had been accused of attempting to poison the imperial princess and should have been locked away in the underground prison. However, there was one reason she wasn’t. Because she carried the seed of the Winter family.

That alone had placed her in a detention room meant for high-ranking nobles guilty of minor offenses, rather than a regular prison cell. Thanks to that, though the room was worn down, it had a bed. The meals were meager but provided three times a day. Daphne turned and opened the window. Although barred, it let in the cool breeze without issue.

“Haa.”

Strangely, she felt more at ease here.

Daphne closed her eyes, then slowly reopened them. It felt strange that it had already been two days since that moment when a sword fight had seemed imminent. Time here felt as though it flowed both too quickly and too slowly.

She blinked absentmindedly against the cool air.

‘Is Anna all right?’

She desperately hoped nothing had happened to her.

Until just yesterday, Daphne had paced around the room in anxious worry. But then, Damian’s words resurfaced in her mind.

["There is nothing you can do, Mother."]

That was true. Just as when she had been left behind in the Black Forest, there was nothing she could do now. All she could do was pace the room, fretting.

“…Yeah. There’s nothing I can do.”

Muttering to herself, Daphne let herself drop onto the bed. After that, she tried her best to think of nothing and simply waited. The only thing within her power was to avoid thinking.

As she sat idly, she suddenly heard faint movement outside, causing her to whip her head around. It wasn’t mealtime, and the corridor was always silent at other times, making her body instinctively tense.

The door burst open. As expected, it wasn’t the maid bringing her meal.

“Well, doesn’t this suit you?”

“… Imperial Princess.”

Elizabeth entered the room with only Grace and a single guard accompanying her.

“This shabby room really does complement you well.”

Smiling, Elizabeth gestured to Grace.

Grace swiftly approached, grabbed Daphne, who had been hesitantly standing, and forced her to kneel on the cold floor. Elizabeth sat down on the bed, twirling a strand of her lush, wavy hair around her fingers.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Divorce the Duke.”

“That’s…”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re going to give me the same answer as last time? The situation is completely different now.”

Last time. Daphne recalled that moment.

Not long after the final day of the hunting tournament had begun, Elizabeth and Grace had entered her tent. Back then, Elizabeth had said the same thing.

["I’ll be blunt. Divorce the Duke."]

Daphne parted her lips. But Elizabeth was quicker.

“I’d advise you to think carefully before you speak. You’re the person who attempted to poison an imperial princess. You’re not in a position to refuse, are you?”

Letting out a deep sigh, Elizabeth gave a slight nod, and Grace placed two documents before Daphne.

“I came across these while looking for your divorce papers. Care to take a look?”

Daphne’s eyes widened upon recognizing one of them. It was a copy of the divorce petition she had secretly submitted during Damian’s coming-of-age banquet in the capital. The other document was already fully processed, with only Daphne’s and Edmund’s signatures left blank.

“I happened to find the divorce petition you personally filed a few months ago.”

Elizabeth noticed Daphne’s hand trembling slightly despite her otherwise impassive expression. That was all the confirmation she needed. Their marriage wasn’t as the world believed. No, it wasn’t good at all.

‘Then why? Just because of the child?’

“I’ll take care of the baby when it’s born. Or if you want, you can raise it yourself.”

Regardless of Daphne’s choice, Elizabeth had no intention of letting her live once the divorce was finalized. She spoke indifferently.

“…Even if I sign, Edmund’s consent will still be required.”

“I’ll take care of that.”

Elizabeth’s perfectly powdered face twisted slightly. She disliked hearing Edmund’s name so naturally come from Daphne’s lips.

“There’s no need to worry about whether the Duke will refuse.”

Daphne silently stared at the document before picking up a pen and signing her name in the blank space.

“Is this enough?”

“…Give it to me.”

Elizabeth masked her surprise at Daphne’s unexpected compliance and gave the order. Grace retrieved the document and handed it to Elizabeth, who carefully examined it. There were no strange markings or hidden messages – just Daphne’s neatly written signature.

‘Is this real? Did she really…?’

Elizabeth hadn’t expected such easy submission. Though momentarily taken aback, she quickly composed herself and cleared her throat.

“Ahem. And the child?”

“The child…”

Daphne gently placed a hand over her still-flat stomach.

“I’ll give you time to decide until my next visit.”

Speaking as if she were being generous, Elizabeth rose from her seat.

“You made the right choice, Madam.”

Before leaving, she patted Daphne on the shoulder.

“I’m not fond of forcing things, you see. It’s nice to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Flashing a smile, Elizabeth walked past Daphne.

“Oh, is there a meeting today? Check if the Duke will be attending.”

As the door shut behind her, Elizabeth’s voice faded into the distance.

Daphne remained kneeling, her fists clenched tightly. A divorce was what she had wanted. She had started this, so she would end it. From the beginning, Edmund had only refused because of the child. Now that the matter was resolved, as Elizabeth said, there was no reason for him to reject the divorce.

He would probably be relieved.

["There’s no need to worry about whether the Duke will refuse."]

“I’m not worried.”

Daphne muttered absently.

“It just…”

Stings a little.

But she didn’t say those words out loud. Because saying them wouldn’t change anything.

* * *

The council chamber, filled with high-ranking nobles, buzzed with heated debate.

“This is absurd!”

Someone shouted.

“It has been a century since the Winter family produced a second heir. No matter how ideal the conditions, pregnancy requires utmost care in its early stages!”

“But we can’t simply ignore an attempted assassination of the imperial princess.”

“This can wait until after the child is born.”

“Are you suggesting we disgrace the imperial family?”

“It’s about maintaining dignity. Surely you’re aware of the rumors spreading among the citizens?”

Despite an hour passing, the discussion showed no sign of moving to the next agenda. Then, the door opened, and Edmund entered.

“D-Duke Winter! What brings you here…?”

“I was unable to attend previous meetings due to my absence from the capital. Now that I am here, I see no reason not to participate.”

“Ah, y-yes. Of course… ha-ha.”

The Emperor’s faction broke into a cold sweat at Edmund’s sudden appearance. It was one thing for him to be absent due to his relocation to the North after marriage, but even before that, his attendance in the capital had been infrequent. They had never anticipated a situation like this. In a hurry, they sent word to Duke Bevelock.

“Continue.”

At Edmund’s command as he took his seat, the noble faction grew bolder, seizing the opportunity to speak up.

“Ahem! What we are saying is that such measures are excessively severe!”

“Count, calling them excessive is too harsh. We merely took appropriate action….”

“I hate to even voice such concerns, but what if the Duchess suffers extreme stress and loses the child? Who will take responsibility? Will it be you, Marquis?”

“How dare you speak in such a manner?”

The Emperor’s faction, visibly intimidated, nervously glanced at Edmund, hesitant to argue further. The more the noble faction spoke, the more the Emperor’s faction fell into silence. Though they had already sent a message to Duke Bevelock, there was still no response, making them increasingly anxious.

At that moment, a voice interrupted.

“I seem to be late.”

“Your Highness!”

The Crown Prince’s arrival brought relief to the Imperial faction. Though not the Emperor himself, his presence signaled that their counterattack was about to begin.

“My father is unwell, so I am here in his stead. Please, be seated.”

With that, Carlito took his seat at the head of the table. Straightening their backs with newfound confidence, the Emperor’s faction eagerly resumed their argument.

“As we were saying, our response has been entirely appropriate, and there is no reason for dispute….”

“Ah, but I heard that traces of the alchemist who created the magic stone responsible for the seizures have been discovered.”

“…Pardon? Ah, yes. That is correct.”

A noble of the Emperor’s faction, who had been gearing up to press their argument, hesitated with a sour expression before giving their report. Whether by coincidence or design, every time one of them tried to bring up the matter of Duchess Winter, Carlito swiftly changed the subject.

T/N: Carlito and Elizabeth are really brothers and sisters – really like married people, hmph!