"Happy Birthday!"

We threw a party in the Duchy for Calix's 8th birthday. Only close noble families were invited and also Calix's close friends that he made when he attended the Academy last year.

Calix was holding his brother's hand as he blew the candles out.

"Yay!"

"Congratulations!"

We were happy after what happened 3 years ago.

Although I was still unstable because of the news. Czarina escaped the prison...

She was nowhere to be found when the knight of the Imperial Palace roamed the whole prison, it was as if she vanished into thin air.

The Palace sent out Imperial Knights to search for her, but after 3 months, there was nothing. In the end they've given up on searching for her.

I can still remember Regan's anger that day. Who would have thought that he'll have the guts to shout at His Majesty the Emperor?

Fortunately, the Emperor didn't mind it. Or maybe the Empress coaxed him...

Regan's hatred for the Imperial family started to grow each time. It started when they decided to handle Czarina's attempted murder case. And then they acted on their own again when she already escaped the prison.

Although I was disappointed, I can't do anything about that. Justice has not been served...

"Mom!!"

I was driven out of my thoughts when I heard Derrick.

Geez, that temper should be fixed...

"Yes, hun?"

"C'mere!"

I did what he wanted. He was playing at the swing that Regan made. It was like a comfortable bird's nest and we can sleep here.

"Alright, what does my baby want?"

His golden eyes shined brightly before he grinned at me and then he hugged my neck.

"Kisses!"

I laughed and gave him what he wanted. Derrick is such a sweet child, although he have such a nasty temper like his father, but he's more sweet than grumpy most of the time.

"Mom! Want to play with brother, can I?"

Derrick was also very fond of his brother, Calix. If he's not with me, he's with his brother playing.

Calix's birthday party was just yesterday, and now he's probably with his friends at his room. His friends stayed over in the mansion for two days and tomorrow they'll go back to their homes. I wonder if Derrick could join.

"Hun, your brother might be with his friends, is it okay for you to play with them?" I just want him not to feel out of place. 

Derrick has always shown his true feelings because he's just a kid right now. But no matter how many times I see this side of him, I can't help it but want to punch Regan on the face.

"Those brats..." he muttered under his breath as he stared menacingly at nothing.

"Oh sweetheart don't say that, where did you even learn that?"

"Ah! Father used to say that whenever mom visited the orphanage on 8th of every month."

I rubbed my temples when I heard my son's explanation. 8th of every month is the day of our monthly consummation. We know that we can just disregard that because we already have an heir and a child. And we can absolutely just forget about it because we can do it anytime anyway, and 8th was reserved for me to visit the orphanage where I picked up Calix.

"Sweetheart, calling someone like that is bad, do you understand?"

"Really? but whenever dad says that, he looks so cool! That is the only time where I find his face bearable."

"Pfft, really? what kind of face does he make then?"

He gently lift the corners of his lips and then his eyes were staring at me coldly. My eyes widened when he completely copied Regan's cold look. Oh god, he really do looks like his father... When he was still a baby I was convinced that he looks like me since he got his facial features from me! But now that he could copy his father's facial expressions, I am more convinced that he looks like Regan now...

"Wow, that is how your father looked at me when we first met."

Well, it's entirely true when I told him that I want a divorce after our consummation night...

"Still, don't call anybody like that, alright?"

"Okay!"

Oh, what a good boy.

"Mom!"

A voice from behind called me, it's Calix with his friend and the twins behind him. Regan and I decided to let Asrid and Rielle to attend the Academy with Calix. That is because in the novel, Aristherielle attended the Academy and got noticed by the High Priest that happened to visit the Academy, in search for someone who can serve the temple.

And that is how Aristherielle got scouted and became a Saintess in the novel.

"Brother! I missed you!"

Unconsciously, I stared at Asrid who's staring right back at my son Derrick. Wherever she was, if Derrick is there with her, she would always look at him for some reason. Though Regan told me that the Goddess of the Temple chose Derrick personally to be the Temple's Paladin, and that was through possessing Asrid's body. I don't feel that good if she stares at him so openly like that.

I feel as if my son would dissappear.

"Mom, can we play with Derrick?"

I nodded "Yes, he's also excited to play with you."

The two of them smiled at each other and went away, I also saw that Asrid offered her hand for Derrick to hold, which my son accepted. On the otherhand, Aristherielle looks so carefree like her usual self. She's getting along really well with Calix's friends as well.

"Madam there are letters for you." It was Jennie. I sighed at followed her inside to go in my office. Yes, in the past I don't have my own office here in the mansion, but when I complained, Regan immediately cleared the room next to his office, so it could be designed as my new office.

I scan through the letters, almost all of them were just for tea parties, and others that I don't want to go to.

"Oh, it's Madam Antares, Quentin and Pavel's invitation letter." I told Jennie to help me sort out the letter, and the names that she said were my best friends.

Yes! I made friends! Who would even thought that I could made some friends right haha...

"And the last one."

The last one was a little bit unusual. The wax seal doesn't have an insignia from a noble house, it was extremely suspicious. "Oh, there's no address in the letter." She means that we won't know who sent this fishy letter.

Despite my nervousness, I opened the letter and read it.

It's been awhile, you were peaceful for nearly four years, I congratulate you for tasting happiness for awhile. But I will come back soon, and take everything from you. If I failed to kill you and your darn child, well I am sure you won't be alive this time...

Sincerely,

Mi Young Park

Unedited

August 13, 2022