# 30
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Emily clenched her fists tightly.
Even though she was just a maid from the countryside, she knew that she didn't have the nerve to say that she would help someone of such a high status!
'Oh, if only everyone would stop this!'
As she watched anxiously from the side, she felt extremely sad that powerful people were eager to tear apart her lady.
The followers were like them.
Of course, she moved faster than them when the stone was thrown, but when it was said that the lady fell into the water, no one was honestly worried.
Because she is an Aberdeen woman.
Whether that's fair or not is another matter.
But if she herf had known nothing, she would have been swept up in this atmosphere, mocking someone who looked at the palace like a lost child...
“I'll be watching here until dinner to make sure no one bothers you!”
“…Thanks, Emily.”
Ariana laughed weakly as she sat on the swing of the chair.
How miserable was her expression that even the maid noticed?
Emily stood outside the bush with determination burning in her eyes to stand guard. This picture calmed Ariana's heart, which was almost drowning in depression.
'Okay, I'll rest for a bit and then go.'
It's not good in the long run to feel this suffocating pain right now.
Ariana rested her head on the chains of the chair swing. Then I tried to remember the things I had done well so far.
'I thought about where I would go, and how I would take care of Baby and raise her there.'
It was a very simple plan, but compared to her previous life where she was completely deprived of information and died helpless, she wanted to give herf some praise for this remarkable achievement.
The next remaining problem is:
'Way to leave.'
As she saw at the launching ceremony, there was a port in Lintia, but Ariana was very well known here. She had been stoned in the street, so even if she disguised herf, it would be dangerous.
‘…But if you start from somewhere else, there might be a chance.’
People generally know it from black and white photos.
In Lintia, she often appeared at public events due to the Imperial Palace's schedule.
The more you go to local towns where newspapers are slowly circulating, the fewer people will recognize them.
Ariana stabilized her heart with positive thoughts.
'I'm going to dye my hair. And I cut it short. I will dress as simply as possible and ride in third class.'
And so you go away.
Forever away from this stifling place. With baby.
'Anyway, if you do as you did on the cruise ship, it's only a matter of time before pregnancy occurs.'
But in her previous life, despite several times of relationship, it took a long time for Baby to be born.
Ariana looked at her body for a moment.
'Is there something wrong with me?'
But the doctors I met before coming to the Ducal Palace mentioned nothing of the sort. If there was a problem, she would not have been a candidate to be the Imperial Prince's wife.
Since Baby was born, there is no problem with her or Kenneth. However, it took a long time, so...
'Did Kenneth do something?'
He kept calling our child “wrong.” But was that just hate speech?
What if this is not the case?
“Ha.”
She sighed sharply from the feeling of betrayal. She was isolated in this lonely palace, and on the days he visited her, she secretly hoped.
But if he really did it...
'I have to make sure.'
Her eyes sparkled coldly as she bit her lips.
Since the upcoming relationship, you will be carefully monitored.
I felt more relieved after making a constructive decision rather than wallowing in sadness.
“Emily, shall we go back now?”
“Yes, ma'am!”
Perhaps because her voice sounded brighter, Emily followed suit enthusiastically.
Her body still ached and felt heavy. But because she couldn't show it to anyone, she felt like she was being eroded from the inside.
* * *
Even after returning to the palace, her physical condition did not improve quickly.
Meanwhile, a few days after the cruise ship party, an unwanted gift arrived for Ariana.
Her delivery was accompanied by a flashy appearance from the Imperial Palace messenger.
Since Kenneth wasn't there, Ariana had to face them alone.
“Since the Duke is absent, please excuse me for receiving the blessings of the Imperial Palace alone.”
She had hoped it would be given to Kenneth, but how had they come to the palace without notice? But the messenger with stiff shoulders did not care.
“This is a gift from Her Majesty the Empress to the lady. Please accept it politely.”
“…It is not my birthday, so what is the occasion for this precious gift?”
“She said it was compensation for the unfortunate incident at the last party. She hoped you would check it out here.”
Compensation for throwing her in the pool so vilely?
It was funny, and the cylindrical gift box, similar to what is used in shoe stores, looked disgusting like a huge insect.
'Surely they didn't wear poisoned shoes, right?'
Even in her days as the Imperial Prince's fiancée, the Empress had never sent a gift before, so how could she know?
But when Ariana opened the lid of the luxury box, she wished there was a scorpion with a poisonous stinger instead.
"…Yes."
The items inside were intended for a newborn baby.
A small hat decorated with white ruffles, and a long christening gown decorated with pleats and white embroidery, all luxurious.
But the upper class knew that the Duke, if he were sensible, would never want an heir from Ariana.