Rumors quickly spread in the mansion that the baby brought by the master’s fiancée was nameless.

The Hermias mansion was like a small community. It had a kitchen, stable, north and south wings, plus knights residing outside. Although it was divided like a village, interesting stories used to spread easily as they all lived together in the large mansion.

And so rumors quickly spread.

Veloce Artemio, the Duke’s fiancee, was not as scary or as evil as rumors say. Rather, her smiling face quickly gained the credit of the mansion workers.

In fact, seeing it in real life was more effective than hearing about it from rumors.

Veloce, who was worried about wanting to give the child a good name, was actually good natured.

Last week, while Veloce and the baby recovered their health and rested, the mansion was infested with their stories.

“People say that the baby is Your Grace’s child. Have you ever met Lady Veloce without me knowing?” Eden Downies said, firing a suspicious look at Maynus Hermias.

Maynus couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the question.

Obviously, Eden knew that he had never glanced at Veloce in the past decade. Why would he say something as ridiculous as that?

Besides, Veloce had never spared Maynus a glance either because she had been chasing Alexander.

Maynus sighed a heavy sigh.

“Who spread such a silly rumor? Also, you said Count Artemio is not interested in the whereabouts of Lady Veloce at all, right?”

Maynus did not just take in Veloce and then abandon her. He continually asked about the Count’s status on the matter during the week.

“Yes. He seems to be mourning the death of Lady Elice. The rumor that Artemio mistreated Lady Veloce might be true.”

Maynus scratched his temple as the rims of his eyes wrinkled. He chewed and swallowed the headache medicine on his desk. The bitter taste filled his mouth but at least the headache seemed to subside a little.

He thought he would just let her stay for a while, but it felt like his fiancée’s stay would be longer.

Maynus couldn’t kick out a child and a vulnerable woman in this cold weather. Suddenly, his concerns were doubled.

Eden, who still had doubts, asked once more, “So the child is…?”

“It’s not my child.”

However, the suspicion did not subside at once. Maynus gritted his teeth at Eden’s eyes.

This is not why not just anyone could enter his mansion.

It was a mistake to let Veloce’s frozen fingers soften his heart.

“It’s really not. Have you ever seen me lie? It’s not my child, Eden,” Maynus tried to persuade once more.

Maynus grit his teeth. He needed to make sure Veloce told the workers about who the child’s real father was.

“Your Grace!”

It was Kahir Rotrick, his secretary who had been on a business trip around the territory for the past two weeks. Perhaps because he was a former driver and had good arm strength, the door he opened wide hit the wall with a bang.

“I’m back from my trip. I heard you got married while I was away. But it was supposedly a shotgun wedding? I heard that you have both a wife and a baby now!”

Where in the world did this new rumor come from?

Maynus facepalmed, hand covering his eyes.

There were already a lot of things to do, but the guest staying in Maynus’ mansion was causing chaos in his daily life in just a week.

Maynus tried to contain his irritation.

Then he took a deep breath and murmured a chant.

Of course, he could never pull himself together.

“Get out.”

“What?”

“Both of you, get out!”

Eden Downis and Kahir Rotrick quickly ran away as he flung the files in his hands with annoyance.

‘When would that girl finally leave? When would Count Artemio take her and the baby away? Were they out of their minds to kick out their daughter and grandchild?’

Maynus stood up and started walking around the office to relieve his frustration.

They had to finish the maintenance work before it started snowing heavily, so he spent a busy week travelling back and forth between the land.

He expected she would’ve gone back to the Artemios before he came back…

Maynus clenched his teeth.

Instead, she was an uninvited guest spreading strange rumors in the mansion.

‘Was it on purpose?’

It was not strange to have such doubts.

He had no clue about the baby’s identity, but rumors did say Veloche was a very promiscuous woman.

If it was really not her child, as Veloche claims, what was the point of going around with it like that?

It would be a label on her for the rest of her life.

His anger at the father of the child also soared.

How irresponsible of the father of the child to make his woman get kicked out without being properly responsible.

He felt pity for Veloce.

Maynus’ life was not smooth, but he realised now that Veloce Artemio didn’t seem to live a comfortable life either.

Even so.

He didn’t want her to be his responsibility. All the more so since Count Artemio was closely related to the imperial family!

There would be a suitable place for her, too.

He was sure.

It was 10 minutes later that Maynus cleared his thoughts up and opened the door.

In the short time that he could not even have a cup of tea, he stopped his agonizing and headed towards the room Veloce stayed.

To see his fiancée whom he had not seen in a week.

* * *

‘What should I name her?’

The doctor of the mansion who Eden had called, ordered me to take a good rest for a week. I didn’t want to be too much of a bother, but I agreed with Jewel that it would be better than to collapse due to lack of physical strength.

However, even though I had thought about what to name the baby for a week now, I couldn’t decide on a single one so far.

I wanted to give her a really special name, but nothing came to mind.

I was sorry for the laughing child who I simply just called ‘baby’.

“Baby, what would be a good name for you? What should I name you to make your mom happy?” I asked her over again, but the baby simply looked at me with clear eyes and just tapped my cheek with her cotton candy-like palm.

I sighed and straightened my back near the cradle where the baby was laid down.

‘Loen? Entak?’ I continued my worries slowly rocking the cradle gently.

“My lady, um, I… the duke, is here. What should I do?”

He should come in, of course. It is his home. What was the point of asking me?

“Let him in.”

The door opened at my words. Maynus walked in with dampened spirits and said, “… It’s been a while, Miss Veloce. Do I have to ask your permission to sit here in my residence too?”

He was already annoyed.

Did something happen?

“No. Please sit.”

Maynus slammed the door on his own and sat on a chair.

His eyes turned to the baby in the cradle over my shoulder. He stared at the baby for a long time and asked me.

“What about the baby’s father?”

Why was he asking that out of nowhere?

Is it your child?”

Maynus looked me up and down.

“No!”

Maynus didn’t seem to believe me despite my denial.

Seriously?

“No, it’s not. The child’s father is Alexand. You know the war hero, right?”

“Do you mean your younger sister’s husband?”

“Yes! That’s right.”

“Then who is the baby from?”

Why was he asking something that was so obvious?

Elice’s appearance must’ve been famous in the empire. The baby had Elice’s golden hair.

I tilted my head and replied, “She’s Elice’s child, of course.”

“…Ha,” Maynus feigned a laugh, covering his eyes with his palm. It sounded like one filled with frustration and discontent.

What happened?

“But why do the workers think the baby was born between you and me?”

“Goodness! Really?”

I burst into laughter.

No wonder people were being careful about the way they treated me lately.

It was fun to find answers for things I didn’t understand here. Maynus did not return my smile, gaze serious.

He let out a deep sigh while alternating glances between me and the child.

“Lady Veloce. I don’t think you should continue to stay here.”

“… You’re right,” I said while looking at Maynus’ face. He wasn’t going to kick me out, was he?

“I don’t think it’s rude to ask when you wish to leave. I don’t want to be embroiled in any more scandals.”

Swallowing, I realized it was finally time.