The first time Simon had doubts about Helena was shortly after the funeral of his father, Duke Terroan.

It was on the day when he, who had entered the master’s program, bypassing all the usual courses at the academy, stepped into a magical barrier.

At that time, Jacob, who had been the butler of the Duchy of Terroan, came to the academy.

“Jacob, what’s happening all of a sudden?”

“Young master, how have you been? I brought some snacks that you used to like. I brought plenty for you to enjoy with your friends.”

“This is walnut pie, right? Well, Jacob, Kalia likes it more than me.”

“If you bring it, won’t Kalia also enjoy it? She has a great appetite, so she’ll finish two pies in no time.”

In truth, Simon had little appetite for food. He enjoyed watching Kalia eat more than eating himself.

In that sense, Jacob’s gift was a perfect choice, considering his preferences.

“That gluttonous one will love this. Well, I’ll share it generously.”

He said it as if there was no other choice, but the boy, who had just begun to realize his feelings for Kalia, couldn’t suppress his excitement.

Dealing with Jacob, who always came without any apparent reason, and relentlessly asked for reasons every time, was also a hassle.

After accepting the pie from Jacob, Simon noticed that the butler’s attire was different from usual.

It was awkward to see him wearing regular formal clothing instead of the usual butler uniform.

“Why are you dressed like that, Jacob? It’s a different look…”

“Young master.”

“Yeah?”

“Suddenly, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can continue to serve at Terroan House.”

“What do you mean…”

Jacob’s brow twitched subtly as he awkwardly smiled.

Seeing his strained expression, Simon finally noticed his crooked posture and unusually pale complexion.

As he silently watched, blood seeped from one side of Jacob’s chest.

“…Are you hurt?”

Simon stared at Jacob with a pale face.

“Just a little. I’m fine.”

A chilling breeze crept into the depths of Simon’s heart.

Everything he cherished was slipping away.

As he looked at Jacob’s blood, a sinister thought came to mind — now it was Jacob’s turn.

With a pale face and seemingly forgetting to breathe, Jacob clutched Simon’s shoulders.

“Young master, no, Simon. I apologize for not being able to stay with you until the end. I wanted to bid my final farewell.”

“What, what are you saying? Who, who did this? Who dared to harm the butler of Terroan House?”

Jacob, who was silently watching the enraged Simon, pulled him into a hug and spoke.

“I always wanted to hug you… It takes courage for me to leave before I can do it.”

“What is this…”

“Always stay close to Miss Kalia and… keep a distance from the house, Simon. It seems like luck is with Miss Kalia.”

Muttering incomprehensible words, he let out a faint sigh.

From Jacob’s embrace, Simon could sense the scent of his father’s cigarette, which he had smelled once before.

Did Jacob burn a cigar?

Even amidst the chaos, such a thought crossed his mind.

“I promise. I won’t die. Jacob will definitely come back alive, so don’t worry. But there is one thing… I dare to say to you, Simon.”

“Enough. Stay still. What are you saying in this state? I’ll protect you, just stay for a moment, Jacob.”

“No.”

Jacob shook his head and delivered a shocking statement.

“The former Duke was murdered. I’m not entirely sure, but… the culprit is within the Duke’s estate. Don’t forget that fact.”

Releasing Simon’s shoulders, wide-eyed, Jacob checked the time.

“What did you say? Wait… Wait, Jacob!”

“I have to go. If I delay any longer, I’ll be caught. I’m sorry. I will return.”

And so, Jacob left abruptly, keeping his promise.

Three years passed from that day.

One day, after three years.

“Hello. I am Jacob, who will be guarding Miss Kalia’s mansion from today.”

He had returned as promised.

As the butler of the Kalia mansion.And Simon had already discovered the identity of the culprit within the Duke’s estate before Jacob’s departure.

* * *

“Oh my! D-Did you just see that?”

Hailey, the most obsequious member of the prestigious Hailey family, widened her eyes and turned to Helena.

With her vibrant blonde hair and lovely pink eyes, Hailey was the most talked-about young madam in society these days.

Always sticking close to Helena’s side, she would share various rumors from the social circle, which Helena found quite adorable.

“Wings, Madam Helena!”

“…Yes, I saw. It seems that the rumors were true about that child.”

“The baby dragon! That’s the one! The rumor was that Miss Kalia found a dragon egg, and now seeing this, both of them seem like Miss Kalia’s children. My goodness, having a dragon child, how fascinating!”

Her talkativeness, which now annoyed her, was quite irritating.

About 10 meters away?

Although he was within shouting distance, closer than anyone else, her son now felt like a stranger.

Were those eyes, staring at her with brilliant golden irises, really the eyes of a son looking at his mother?

When did it start?

Helena couldn’t remember exactly, but as soon as Simon reached the master’s level and could take his place in the Mage Tower, he left home.

It was common for a son to grow up and distance himself from his mother, but the coldness in his son’s eyes was different from that.

Doubt, anger, scorn, disgust.

All those negative emotions…

To think she would see them in her own child, born from her own belly.

Well, it didn’t matter.

She didn’t expect anything from her family.

Simon was just a means for her own benefit.

He should just walk the path of a splendid ‘magician’ as she intended.

Build up his reputation, become a magician who could rewrite history.

‘But that foolish creature keeps pushing everything onto Kalia…’

Helena gazed at Simon with slightly chilly eyes.

Then, Simon raised his arms as if protecting Kalia and the baby, just like that.

Helena raised the corner of her mouth, smiling.

Kalia, who appeared in her gloomy dream a few days ago.

The precious person whom Simon couldn’t kill.

Helena, who had experienced firsthand how profound deprivation, emptiness, and futility could make a person strong, knew it well.

She had made him that way, she had tried so hard, and yet that woman ruined everything.

And now she even went and had a child, without even letting her know, and brought that Hatchling along.

“…I should have killed her when I first saw her.”

“Yes, madam? What did you just say…”

“I’m sorry, but may I briefly greet my son and daughter-in-law and come back? It seems they’ve been wandering around without knowing I’m here. Even though they’re exceptional, they still have such vulnerabilities. This mother is always worried.”

Helena smiled awkwardly and gestured for the crowd to follow as she slowly walked towards the terrace where Simon and Kalia were.

Kalia, sensing her presence, turned around and looked at Helena.

Meeting the sharp gaze of Simon and Kalia, Helena elegantly walked and stood before them, as always.

“Long time no see. How can you be so absent-minded and not even greet your mother, you rascals.”

Ignoring their gaze, which scrutinized her with guarded eyes, Helena looked at Sasha, whom Kalia was holding.

Oddly enough, Sasha’s fine, curly black hair resembled Simon, just like him.

Those olive-colored irises must belong to Kalia.

Helena, showing a faint smile, opened her arms towards the baby.

“I became a grandmother, but I haven’t even hugged our grandchild once. Come here.”

There were many eyes watching.

Even though it was a terrace where people were scarce, being such prominent figures, it was not uncommon for glances to wander and scrutinize.

So Helena thought they wouldn’t push her away as she approached like this.

“Our Sasha can be a bit feisty.”

But that expectation was shattered as Kalia, still holding Sasha, took a step back.

Just a little while ago, Sasha used to happily play, going back and forth between Brik, Allen, and Louismond’s arms. But now, he became unfamiliar.

Helena chuckled at that adorable excuse.

“Oh… I see. It must feel strange because you haven’t been in grandma’s arms yet. Cute baby, come to grandma’s embrace.”Even with Simon glaring at her with narrowed eyes, Helena boldly took another step closer.

In the moment when her hand was about to hold the baby’s hand.

“Wahh! Wahh! Wahh!”

Sasha, who had been a gentle baby all along, burst into loud crying.

It was a roaring cry that even startled Helena, who wasn’t easily surprised.

It was loud enough to make those who were far away turn their heads, and Helena withdrew her hand in response to the crying baby, shaking its head.

Kalia smiled and said.

“Did you see? He hides like this.”

“…I see.”

“Sometimes babies have better instincts than adults. They can distinguish between those who harm them and those who don’t.”

The face of Helena, who had been smiling brightly just a while ago, turned expressionless.

Kalia asked Hemmie to take care of Sasha for a moment.

Then, as if it were a lie, the crying sound abruptly stopped.

Helena stared at Sasha with an even colder expression.

Simon blocked her gaze, which gazed at the child coldly.

“I will visit separately later, so let’s end it here for today.”

Helena raised the corners of her mouth again, as if she was smiling, but her gaze remained cold.

“And yet you continue to cause trouble? When will you open your heart to your mother…? Since Felix left, this mother’s heart has been so desolate.”

Simon’s eyebrows twitched and moved at Helena’s words, mentioning the former Duke.

How dare she affectionately call the name of her husband, whom she had killed with her own hands?

Power surged into Simon’s clenched jaw.

It was simply because she gave birth to him and did nothing else.

But if she were to lay a hand on his precious ones again…

‘No matter who you are, I won’t stay still.’

As if reading Simon’s thoughts, Helena reached out her hand to his wrinkled brow with a worried expression on her face.

“The wrinkles on your brow aren’t good, Simon…”

“Madam Helena.”

Tak.

Kalia grabbed Helena’s delicate wrist as she reached out to Simon.

“Kalia.”

“Just a moment, Simon. Just a moment.”

Setting Simon aside, Kalia stood in front of Helena.

The voices of the two were so low that they couldn’t be heard elsewhere.

Kalia pulled Helena’s wrist that she was holding.

From a distance, it would appear as if the two were embracing closely. When they came close, Kalia whispered into Helena’s ear.

“I will tell you out of gratitude for the past favor.”

“…”

“Don’t touch Simon. Helena.”

“You…”

“You saw it in the dream, didn’t you? Now it’s not your Simon anymore, but ‘my Simon’.”

At the mention of the dream, Helena’s shoulders trembled.

Wasn’t that ominous dream just a dream after all?

“Simon, no, don’t come near my family. Isn’t that… the bare minimum as the mother who gave birth to Simon?”

…Of course, I’m not sure if you know the bare minimum.

Kalia’s icy voice, which both Simon and Helena heard for the first time, quietly echoed as if she was talking to herself.

It was calm, eerie, and carried a warning in its firm tone.

“Please keep your morals, Helena.”

…I should harm you if I go crazy.

Kalia’s hand, which was tightly holding Helena’s wrist, moved away.

At the same time, Kalia’s body distanced itself from her.

“Then, our family will take our leave.”

Kalia turned away without a hint of laughter on her cold face and left with Simon and Hemmie.

She didn’t want to see anything resembling the portrait of a wretched mother any longer.