Two weeks later, as planned, they returned to the Valdormer estate.
Once back, both Kallion and Yuliana became extremely busy.
Kallion had to deal with piles of work and mediate between the vassals, while Yuliana, as lady of the house, had to handle all the affairs that had piled up during their absence.
It was as if the two weeks in Dallot had never happened.
They returned to their usual distant relationship.
They slept in separate rooms and only met at scheduled mealtimes.
Yuliana felt relieved to be back to this cold, detached routine.
But Kallion's heart was much more complicated.
That last night in Dallot, after their argument about Layla, it was as if everything had reset, and they were strangers again.
It unsettled him.
And the fact that Yuliana seemed so calm and unaffected only irritated him more.
He forced himself to ignore the tension in his hands as he checked the letters on his desk.
Most of them were complaints from the vassal houses, all expressing concerns about broken trust.
Felix had been right to some degree—if things continued this way, he risked losing the vassals completely.
If he brought back Layla, he could at least quiet their protests.
Kallion sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.
And yet, even in this situation, he couldn't stop thinking about Yuliana.
Hadn't she herself told him to bring Layla back?
So why couldn't he forget the icy look in her eyes when she said it?
'What was she expecting from me?'
Out of the office window, he caught sight of Yuliana strolling in the garden.
His gaze was pulled to her as if by a magnet.
'Why does it feel like I'm the only one restless? To her, did those nights in Dallot mean nothing? Were they just meaningless lapses, things she could easily forget?'
It angered him to think he was the only one obsessing like a lust-driven fool.
Yet the memories of her boldness in Dallot haunted him—
'Don't beat around the bush. Just do what you want right now.'
He could still see her above him, whispering with arrogant confidence.
It was vivid, as if it had happened yesterday.
"Damn it…"
He cursed, trying to ignore the heaviness in his body.
But his eyes kept searching for her outside.
'Am I insane, waiting for the next night we'll sleep together again?'
***
Meanwhile, Yuliana anxiously checked her calendar.
Her hand went to her flat belly.
It had been a week since their return from Dallot.
It's still too early to tell anything by sight.
She had heard that some doctors could detect pregnancy as early as 2–3 weeks.
But she had no intention of asking Valdormer's court physician.
If he found out, Kallion would know immediately—and that could never be allowed.
'If I am pregnant, escaping Valdormer comes first. Investigating Denian's death can only come afterward. My child's safety matters more than anything.'
She straightened and quickly put on a coat.
Kate, who was sitting nearby knitting, looked up in surprise.
"Madam, are you going out?"
"I need to step out for a while."
"Please wait, I'll come with you."
Yuliana reluctantly nodded.
It would look too suspicious to sneak out alone without a maid.
Together they rode to the town.
Yuliana had the coachman stop some distance away and got out, blending into the busy crowd with her veil pulled low.
She remembered how Kallion had once assigned shadows to follow her, so she was extra cautious.
"Where are we going?" Kate asked.
"To a clinic."
"Clinic? If you're unwell, shouldn't we call the estate's doctor instead?"
Yuliana gave a small smile.
"I'm not sick. I just need to check something."
Kate looked puzzled but followed.
They soon arrived at a small clinic.
Yuliana had chosen this place on purpose— large hospitals risked exposing her identity, but she knew this particular doctor was competent, even if others dismissed him as eccentric for practicing Eastern medicine.
She had trusted him in her previous life.
Inside, the clinic looked shabby and empty.
A man lounging on a sofa jumped up in surprise when they entered.
"What brings you here?"
"I'd like a consultation."
Flustered, he hurried to put on his glasses.
"C-consultation? O-of course! Please, come inside."
Kate leaned toward Yuliana and whispered nervously,
"Is he really a proper doctor?"
Yuliana smiled faintly.
"He is. Wait here for me."
Kate hesitated, then agreed.
"If anything happens, scream, I'll rush in!"
Yuliana chuckled softly and followed the doctor inside.
The room was messy, hardly like a proper office.
She sat calmly as the doctor asked nervously,
"What seems to be the problem?"
Yuliana hesitated, then admitted with a shy smile:
"I want to know if I'm pregnant."
The man blinked in shock.
"…Excuse me?"
Adjusting his slipping glasses, he stammered:
"I'm not a gynecologist, but—"
"So you can't check?"
He waved his hands frantically.
"N-no! I can. Of course I can!"
He cautiously reached out.
"May I take your pulse?"
She offered her wrist without hesitation.
He pressed his fingers gently and concentrated.
Her mind spun with unease.
Two weeks of intimacy didn't guarantee a child.
After a while, he looked uncertain.
"Forgive me, but—when was your last time with your husband?"
"Tomorrow it will be about two weeks."
He withdrew his hand and sighed.
"Right now, there's no sign of a child's pulse."
Her heart dropped.
"So… I'm not pregnant?"
"N-no, not necessarily. Pregnancy can only be confirmed accurately after four weeks. At this stage, it's too early to tell."
"I see…"
In her past life, she remembered him saying it could sometimes be detected earlier.
But maybe that was only when the woman was pregnant.
"If you return after four weeks, I can check again properly."
She forced a smile.
"Yes, I'll do that."
When she stepped out, Kate was waiting anxiously by the door.
"Shall we go home now?"
Yuliana nodded tiredly.
"Yes. Let's go back."
***
Back at the estate, Yuliana stepped down from the carriage with Kate's help.
But inside, the atmosphere felt strange.
Servants were whispering, looking startled whenever she passed.
Perplexed, she walked the corridor until she reached the parlor— and froze.
Standing before Kallion was a familiar woman.
Layla.
Both she and Kallion turned as Yuliana approached.
Yuliana forced her face into calm composure.
Layla was the first to greet her, smiling brightly like sunshine.
"It's been a while, Madam. I hope you've been well."