Florian watched her eyes carefully.

Not her smile.

Her eyes.

"They told me she might still be working here," Florian added gently, as if the question meant nothing.

"Oh no," Elianna replied, shaking her head slightly. "I sent her a letter some time ago. I wanted her to return to me permanently as my personal maid."

She gave a small, almost amused breath.

"I was under the impression she left for the Diamond Palace. I assumed she accepted a position there."

Silence stretched between them.

’Diamond Palace?’ Florian repeated inwardly. ’But she never arrived.’

And from everything he had been told, Farah had made it here.

At least, she was supposed to have.

"So you haven’t seen her recently?" he asked carefully, keeping his tone light.

"I have not," Elianna answered without hesitation.

It came too easily.

Too smoothly.

Or maybe he was just imagining it.

’Is she lying?’ Florian wondered. ’Or does she genuinely not know?’

If Elianna was telling the truth, then Farah hadn’t stayed here.

And she hadn’t reached the palace either.

Which meant only one thing.

She disappeared somewhere in between.

Florian forced a polite smile, though it felt tight on his face.

"Thank you," he said. "I will let my maids know."

Elianna inclined her head. "Please do."

Her gaze lingered on him for a second longer than necessary.

"Rest well, Prince Florian."

Then she turned and left.

The two maids followed immediately.

The door shut with a soft click.

The room felt quieter after that.

Heavier.

Florian stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door.

But he didn’t have the luxury of standing still.

"Cindy..."

"Yes, Your Highness?" Cindy replied brightly, as if her face hadn’t tightened just moments ago at the mention of Farah.

Florian resisted the urge to narrow his eyes.

He debated asking her directly.

Right now.

’If I ask her now, there’s a small chance she’ll tell me something,’ he thought.

Cindy stood there smiling, head tilted slightly, waiting.

"Your Highness?"

’But there’s a bigger chance she’ll dodge the question,’ Florian continued inwardly. ’And if she tells Juno I’ve been asking about Farrah...’

That would shut every door in this manor.

He still didn’t even know why Elara had sent him here.

He needed freedom. Space. The ability to move without being watched too closely.

Pushing too hard, too early would ruin that.

So he let it go.

For now.

"Nothing," Florian said lightly, offering a small smile. "You mentioned you had something to ask me earlier?"

Cindy blinked.

"Oh... oh."

The first ’oh’ came out cheerful, almost relieved.

The second was quieter.

Her expression shifted again, the brightness dimming as seriousness crept back in.

"Uh, hmm. Well..."

Cindy suddenly looked like she’d forgotten how to speak.

Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her apron. She glanced at the door, then at the window, then back at Florian. For once, she wasn’t bouncing or smiling.

She just looked... nervous.

"Okay," she said quickly, then stopped. "I hope you don’t mind me asking. It’s just... very personal."

Florian straightened slightly.

’I’m not going to like this,’ he thought.

"I’ve seen people with similar symptoms as yours," Cindy continued, words tumbling over each other. "And I’m not sure if I mentioned this before, but I’ve heard about your... unique biology."

Florian’s eyes widened.

His biology.

That wasn’t something most people dared to mention out loud.

Cindy took a deep breath. Then another. She shook her hands as if trying to gather courage.

"Okay. I’ll just say it," she muttered to herself. "I’ll rip the bandage off."

She looked him straight in the eyes.

Florian felt his stomach drop.

’Wait... is she asking if—?’

"Prince Florian," Cindy blurted out, "are you perhaps... pregnant?"

And then she let out a tiny squeak, like she couldn’t believe she’d actually said it.

Florian froze.

The word hung in the air.

Pregnant.

’Pregnant?’

That was not a word he ever imagined being directed at him.

His throat went dry.

"W-Why would you ask that?" he forced out, letting out a weak, defensive laugh. "Do I look pregnant?"

Cindy shook her head quickly. "No! Not like that. It’s just... this manor has a lot of pregnant women. I’ve met maids in their first trimester. And their symptoms..."

She started counting on her fingers.

"Constant exhaustion. Mood swings. Sudden food aversions. Not being able to stomach things they usually love." She looked up at him carefully. "And earlier, you mentioned you’ve been binge eating lately."

Florian swallowed.

"Yes, but there has to be another reason—"

"And you dreamt of bunnies."

His head snapped up. "What does that have to do with pregnancy?"

His voice came out sharper than he intended. Almost angry.

Cindy flinched, but she didn’t back down.

"In Concordia," she said more carefully, "there’s an old belief. Women who are newly pregnant often dream of certain animals. Especially rabbits. Bunnies are a symbol of fertility and birth."

Florian stared at her.

"That’s just superstition," he said quickly.

"There’s a theory," Cindy continued, almost whispering now, "that fetuses with latent magic send signs through dreams. Since most of us are born with magic inside us, the body reacts. The dreams are supposed to be the first sign."

Silence filled the room.

’That’s ridiculous,’ Florian told himself.

It had to be.

He couldn’t be—

And then the memories hit him.

Nights with Heinz.

Too many to count.

Passionate.

Unrestrained.

Careless.

No protection.

Not once.

His face drained of color.

’No.’

His heart started pounding.

"No," he muttered under his breath. "No, no, no..."

His thoughts spiraled.

"I can’t be..." he whispered. "That’s not... that’s not possible."

But it was possible.

Very possible.

"Oh God," he breathed. "Fuck... fuck, no. No."

The room tilted.

His vision blurred at the edges.

Cindy moved quickly. "Your Highness, please calm down. Please."

She dragged a chair behind him just in time as his knees weakened.

He collapsed into it.

His hands trembled as they gripped the fabric of his clothes.

"This can’t be happening," he said, shaking his head. "This can’t happen."

’Not now,’ he thought wildly. ’Not here. Not like this.’

Not again.

His breathing grew uneven.

Cindy knelt in front of him, her voice low and steady despite the panic in her eyes.

"We don’t know for sure yet," she said softly. "It’s just a possibility."

But the word possibility was enough.

Florian pressed a hand against his stomach.

"There... there is a way to find out," Cindy said carefully, watching him like he might shatter. "Since pregnancy is quite common here, we have an easy way to check. A small... tool. It can tell us if you’re—"

Florian’s head snapped up so fast it made her flinch.

He grabbed her by the shoulders before he even realized he was moving.

His fingers tightened.

Too tight.

"Get it," he said, his voice rough and unsteady. "Please. Just... get it. But don’t tell ANYONE it’s for me."