~Chapter 137~
When Julie came again, the number of knights and soldiers had nearly doubled.
Their heavy, disciplined presence was so overwhelming that even Julie—who always thought of herself as brave—felt nervous.
She stopped in front of Ancia’s room. Even after the door opened, she didn’t dare lift her head and walked in quietly with her eyes down, afraid she might see something she shouldn’t.
“Julie, why are you bowing your head like that?”
Ancia’s voice sounded bright and cheerful, much different from what Julie expected.
Based on the mansion rumors, she thought Ancia would be lying weak in bed, refusing to eat.
But Ancia walked lightly toward her with a soft smile.
“It’s been a while, Julie.”
Julie hesitated to lift her head, but the familiar sweet scent of a baby made her look up in surprise.
In Ancia’s arms was a baby—white-skinned, black-haired, blue-eyed—just like the Duke of Gwinted himself.
“He looks exactly like the Duke… no one could deny this is the Gwinted family’s heir.”
Ancia looked down at her baby and smiled kindly.
“Look at him. They say the first child usually takes after the father, but he looks so much like him it’s almost unfair.”
Julie quickly disagreed without thinking.
“No, my lady. The baby’s big eyes and smiling face look just like you.”
“Really?”
At that, the baby laughed happily, as if responding to his mother’s smile.
Even Julie, who had come in trembling, couldn’t help but smile back.
“Yes, my lady. He smiles so brightly—what a beautiful baby.”
“I know, right? At first I thought he looked like a monkey, but every day he gets cuter. I can’t stop loving him.”
Ancia looked so joyful showing off her baby that Julie finally relaxed and smiled too. Then Ancia held out the baby toward her.
“Hold him for a bit. He’ll cry if I put him down, and I want to eat a snack.”
“M-me? Can I hold him?”
Before Julie could finish, Ancia had already placed the baby carefully in her arms.
Luckily, Julie had a much younger sibling, so she knew how to hold a baby.
Ancia patted Bianca, who was resting tiredly in the corner from helping with childcare, then smiled warmly at Julie.
“You see? If I can’t trust you, who else can I trust?”
Though she said it lightly, the words stabbed at Julie’s heart.
While Ancia picked up a dry tart from the table, Julie spoke softly, worried.
“My lady, I heard the chef is still staying in the tower. Wouldn’t it be better to have some fresh food prepared?”
“It’s fine. Even this snack was tested by several people before being brought here. I don’t want to ask for anything more.”
Watching Ancia crunch on the dry tart made Julie uneasy.
Sensing it, Ancia brushed the crumbs from her fingers and sighed.
“We still haven’t caught all the spies. I’m scared something might happen to the baby, like what happened to me before. I can’t leave the tower yet.”
Now Julie finally understood. That’s why Ancia had isolated herself with only a few trusted people nearby.
And one of those spies… was her.
Julie’s chest tightened painfully with guilt.
“How is your mother? Are your siblings well?”
“Yes, my lady. Thanks to you, they’re all doing fine. My mother recovered completely because of the healing stone you sent.”
Julie’s mother had written that she had only sprained her leg. But when Julie went home, the injury was far worse—her mother’s leg was swollen and darkened. Without the healing stone Ancia had sent through Ellie, her mother might have lost her foot or been bedridden for months.
Julie bowed her head deeply.
“I don’t know how I can ever repay your kindness.”
“Kindness? No. You’ve worked hard for the duke’s family and for me. I just returned what you deserve.”
Ancia’s pure, bright smile made Julie feel even worse.
She had received so much from her, yet had betrayed her trust.
Before joining the duke’s household, Julie had lived in deep poverty. Her parents were sick, and she worked to feed her siblings. The duke’s salary had changed their lives—her younger brother could even dream of attending the academy.
Then, a royal servant approached her. If she delivered the crown prince’s letters, they said, her brother could enter the academy.
When she refused, they laughed and asked if she knew how easy it was to erase “useless commoners.”
Julie didn’t know if they meant her or her brother. In the end, she became the prince’s spy.
At first, she convinced herself it wasn’t true betrayal—just delivering and hiding a few letters.
But when she saw the duke’s torment after Ancia’s letters disappeared, guilt began to consume her.
If not for her family, she would have confessed and run away long ago.
And yet Ancia still treated her with warmth and trust.
Holding the baby in her arms, Julie felt the weight of that trust pressing on her chest like a stone.
She couldn’t lie any longer.
“…My lady, I have something to confess.”
Julie knelt in front of Ancia, carefully holding the baby.
Bianca, who had been resting, came over to take the baby.
Ancia sat silently on the sofa, waiting.
Julie bowed her head and confessed everything with a trembling voice.
It didn’t take long—her actions had been simple, but her guilt was unbearable.
“Please, my lady… I don’t know how I can help you, but I’ll do anything. If I’m useless, then please punish me.”
Ancia didn’t shout or look surprised. She only asked quietly, confirming what she already suspected.
“So it was you who hid the letters.”
“I’m sorry, my lady.”
“Julie, this isn’t something I can hide on my own. The duke will be angry. And… I’m disappointed in you.”
Julie bowed even lower, shaking, waiting for punishment.
But then, Ancia gently took her hand.
“Julie, do you really want to help me?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Then… will you become a double agent for me?”
“D-double agent?”
Seeing her confusion, Ancia explained softly.
“When the crown prince asks you for information, I’ll tell you what to say. You’ll still be his spy—but you’ll really be helping me.”
Julie blinked in disbelief.
“Y-yes… my lady.”
Ancia smiled brightly.
“You’ll tell me the truth, but lie to him. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to tell risky lies. Can you do that?”
Julie nodded, dazed by Ancia’s kindness.
“The prince must be curious about the baby’s hair color. If he asks, just say you haven’t seen it.”
“What? But—”
“If you lie about the color, he might hurt you later. So just tell him I never showed the baby and kept him wrapped up.”
Even now, Ancia was protecting her. Julie’s voice trembled.
“But then you’ll be misunderstood, my lady…”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
Julie looked confused as Ancia handed her a basket of baby laundry.
Inside, Julie saw thin strands of light brown hair mixed among the baby clothes and looked up in shock.
Ancia smiled gently and nodded.
“Give this basket to the laundry maid. And… thank you, Julie.”
Leaving the tower under Ancia’s warm farewell, Julie felt dizzy.
She had confessed her crimes, yet Ancia gave her forgiveness and a simple mission instead of punishment.
It was dangerous—if the prince discovered her double role, she would be doomed—but Ancia’s plan clearly aimed to protect her.
Julie decided she would not fail.
Holding the laundry basket tightly, she walked carefully past the staring knights, knowing this small bundle might soon become the spark for something much larger.
Two weeks later,
an invitation sealed with the royal crest arrived at the Duke’s residence.
