Chapter 3

Carlos probably doesn't remember Marilyn, but I wanted the child to be with his mother even for a short time. And Marilyn hoped to see the child she had in exchange for her life. The fireplace in Marilyn's bedroom was burning with wood and oil generously. The air was not stuffy even if the fireplace burned like that because the harness, which makes the air clean without opening the window, was working. Marilyn's bedroom was as hot as the summer, so I took off my thick outerwear, and I took off Carlos' too. Marilyn was pleased to see Carlos milking from her breast vigorously.

"Amanda, Mandy. I'm so glad to have you."

While choking, Marilyn said, calling my nickname from when I was younger. Her green eyes, like green shoots, were as cloudy as a forest in a rainstorm. Her voice was also hoarse.

"Car...Carl, I'm so worried about him."

Carl, who was breastfeeding, was chubby, unlike Marilyn, who was skinny. There were two milk nannies for the child, and Carlos was growing up as a healthy baby.

"I think Carl should worry about you."

A plump, healthy baby and a skinny sick woman. Marilyn was the one people would be worried about no matter who saw her. I replied by covering her shoulder again with a shawl that had fallen from her shoulder as she coughed. Marilyn giggled. The laugh shook her body like a dry branch.

"Mandy, I probably won't be able to even see spring. Then my child, Carl."

Cough, Marilyn's cough intensified. I patted her carefully on the back. Oh, what am I supposed to do? Carl was freed from the touch of his evil stepmother, Amanda, but perhaps another stepmother would come into his life to cause the same ordeal. I saw the child twisting and reaching out to me as if it were natural after drinking all the milk. Carl already recognized me from hugging and caring for him the past few days. This baby seemed to believe in his little heart that I would hug him.

"He's already getting heavy. Isn't that right, Carl?"

I held the child in my arms and patted him on the back, Carl burped and threw up his milk. The sour smell of vomiting mixed with the smell of milk was not as disgusting as one might think because it belonged to a baby. I wiped Carl's lips while the maid wiped the vomit off my clothes. The baby, who waited calmly while being cleaned with a handkerchief, smiled like an angel when I took it off. Marilyn's rosy lips stretched wide and her cheeks filled up.

"Oh, that's a pretty look. Look, Mom, don't think about anything depressing, and Carl's laughing."

So cheer up, Marilyn. Don't be weak because of this disease.

I smiled as I showed Carl to Marilyn. Just as I didn't become Amanda, maybe Marilyn wouldn't die.

"Mandy, if anything happens to me... I want you to protect him."

"As his godmother, I will always be there for him."

I know that's not what Marilyn wants, but I have no intention of taking her place, disappointment passed through Marilyn's face. As usual, she would have quickly erased the disappointment and smiled sweetly, but Marilyn couldn't erase her expression, maybe because the illness had worn her out.

"My father called Agatha."

I was surprised by Marilyn's words. Agatha was the second daughter of Belle, another household vessel of Count Betrika. I knew her personality well enough that I once fought with her. She's, really...bad.

Agatha's personality could not be simply expressed in words. In this feudal society, Marilyn, the Count's daughter, was much higher than Agatha and I, because the order of the family and father was the order between the daughters. It wasn't just the family order. Marilyn was the noblest lady from a fairly wealthy Count family, and she was the highest-ranking noble unless someone of higher rank visited. But Marilyn is such a sweet and gentle girl that she has been kind to the daughters of her father's vassals, like Agatha and me. But unlike Marilyn and I, who have become good friends, Agatha...seemed to forget who was the Count's daughter. Agatha would come out to tea time with us, acted recklessly toward Marilyn, and acted beyond her authority by punishing the maids of the Count's family or committing sadistic acts. Marilyn was at a loss, but I was so angry that I grabbed Agatha by the hair and fought. In this unprecedented incident, Agatha was half banished from the Count's residence when she stepped up to Marilyn's mother.

I can't believe you brought Agatha.

Unlike me, who has an excuse of 'Marilyn misses you', Agatha had nothing. Her call at this point meant that Count Betrika had her in mind as the next Duchess. No matter how hard it is, Agatha! The Count must have been crazy. His idea to find a mother that was similar to his daughter must have changed. [T/N: hard it is to find someone]

Agatha? Agatha? Even Marilyn, who always had a warm view of people, had a stiff and worried look.

Agatha would be the next Duchess and perhaps a more vicious stepmother than Amanda. Oh my God, without Amanda, is she creating a new evil stepmother? If this is the original law of preservation for the original storyline, it was scary.

"Mandy, Agatha... Haaa."

Marilyn sighed, stressing again. When Marilyn was weak Agatha would walk around as if she were her house and bully the servants. I was worried about Agatha becoming the new Duchess, but...

I was very worried that this beautiful Carlos would grow up under Agatha, but…

I closed my eyes tightly. There was Oscar with a hot body waiting for me. Oscar, the knight who protects the Count, is quite promising and has a good face. Oscar who was either too good or too ugly to be taken to the battlefield of the border and wouldn't neglect me!

Even Marilyn, who is pretty and kind-hearted, was not shown any affection for having given birth to his child, nor did she intend to marry a Duke who did not come to see her. What's more, a self-made child becomes a Duchess! It was obvious how hard life would be for a Duchess of the North, from a Viscount family, who raises the Duke's successor, even if she has the back of Count Vietrika.

I turned a blind eye to Marilyn's entreaties and Carlos' cuteness.

"No...Agatha,"

I couldn't say anything when I tried to lie without salivating my mouth. I quickly filled in the empty words with false hope.

"Agatha might change when she sees cute little Carlos."

Marilyn, who confirmed my firm commitment, looked gloomy, but quickly nodded with a passionate smile.

"Yes, I hope so."

Unfortunately, however, it couldn't have been.