The next day, a little after the daybreak, the corridor was filled with the bustling sound of servants cleaning. Amidst the fuzz outside, Ivene's room stayed still, but it didn't last. The traces of muffled sounds from the outside—though mundane—was something new to the newborn, and was enough to wake him up. As he woke up, the room filled with his whining within minutes.

Ivene's eyes flickered open from the new sound that filled the room. A wide yawn left her mouth. Her head turned, searching for Greta on the couch, where she last saw her. But Greta was nowhere to be found. She pushed herself up with effort. Her steps faltered as she went to the cradle. Looking at her child, the dullness of her face after waking vanished. Her eyes crinkled, cheeks blushed, and a smile came across her face. She picked up the child and walked to her bed.

In the moments when Ivene coddled her child, a pair of women approached her room. One of them walked slowly with her body little bent forward, supported by the other walking beside her. Ivene—mesmerised by her child as though they weren't of this world—felt her breath hitch when she heard a knock on her door.

As she was about to put her child down to go open the door, it burst open. Behind the door were the two women standing. One of them Ivene recognised as Crof. With her mouth wide opened, she looked at the woman standing beside her—whom she was supporting.

Crof gasped in shock and said, "Lady," drawing out the word.

Looking at Ivene and her newborn, Lady's face brightened with a smile, and in a high-pitched voice, she exclaimed in excitement, "Ivene!"

Ivene also returned her smile, but with a pause, she asked, "Why are you here? You should be resting Ceres..."

"How can I rest? I couldn't wait to see the newborn..."

Ceres walked slowly towards Ivene, supporting her stomach with one hand. Looking at her mistress walking, Crof hastened and grabbed her from behind in support. As they entered the room, Crof looked around. Her expressions—though intrusive—looked like she was searching for something.

While supporting her Madam to sit on the Couch placed beside the bed, about five steps away from it, she asked, "Where's Greta, Lady Ivene?"

Ivene was replying, "...Oh, she wasn't-," when a clattering sound of metal at the doorstep halted her words. All three women looked at the door. There stood a girl, with height above average. She wore a dark grey dress, under a white apron with frilled edges. Her charcoal grey hairs, tucked behind a small frilled cap, were bound in a bun using a long, slender hairpin piercing through the coil. At the end of the hairpin, swung a chain with a small gem at its end. The gem glimmered from the sunlight coming through the window behind her, and cast a waving kaleidoscopic pattern on her neck.

Looking at her, Crof's fists clenched and a harsh voice escaped her mouth, "Gre-" But without completing her words, she halted her misconduct under the presence of Mistresses in the room.

Both Ladies' attention was grabbed by the abrupt voice that came from Crof's side. She took a deep breath to cool down, trying to regain composure after her slip-up.

Unbeknown of Crof's rage, Greta walked in the room with a smile—bringing a breakfast tray in her hands. On top of the tray was a bowl of porridge, topped with nuts and small diced fruits, accompanied with a tea kettle and an empty flipped cup.

As she entered the room and noticed Crof and Lady Ceres, she flustered and stammered, "L-lady Ceres...you're here too. S-sorry I didn't know."

"Let me go, get some more cups," she said while putting the tray on the table.

She was about to exit the room, when Crof exclaimed, "Stop!" Her voice was a bit louder than it should've been. The newborn, who was quiet and playing in his mother's arms even during all the commotion happening around, startled from Crof's loud voice and began crying.

Ivene dandled her baby to hush him.

Ceres looked at Crof in disbelief and asked, "What happened?"

Crof replied, "No...nothing." Then after taking a breath, with a forced smile she looked at Greta and said, "Ask a servant to get the cups."

Adjusting her panto-shaped glasses with index and middle finger, she added, "You shouldn't leave Lady Ivene and her child alone, Greta."

Crof's voice, though seemingly fine, held a hint of harshness, which mistresses in the room didn't pick. But Venet, who had halted her arrival to enter the room, picked. Before entering the room she put a firm smile on her face.

She put a hand on Greta's shoulder, who was bit uneasy by Crof's criticism. Venet said, "Mrs. Marthus is correct. Greta, you should not leave Lady Ivene and her child alone."

"But-," Greta was trying to explain herself, but stopped after looking at Venet. Following Venet's word, she went out and asked a servant to bring more cups.

Venet walked to Ivene, and asked, "How are you feeling, Lady Ivene?"

"I'm fine...I'm feeling some weakness."

Venet—even though being childless herself—with the understanding of someone who has seen many births in the mansion, said, "It's understandable. You'll feel better in a few days, Lady...And how is Young Master doing?"

"He's also good."

Hearing that Venet didn't use any name for the child, Ceres asked, "Ivene, haven't you named your baby yet?"

She looked at her newborn. Then, with a smile she said, "No. I'm thinking that after Anthor comes back...we'll name him together."

"But we don't know...how long it'll take," Ceres said. Ceres looked behind her, at Crof, she asked, "Is there any report from Antila?"

"No. We haven't heard anything from them."

Ceres sat silently for a few seconds before saying, "Why don't you give him...a nickname for now?"

Ivene's eyes flickered for a moment from Ceres' suggestion. With a moment of thought—and a slight tint of annoyance that slipped through everyone's attention, but made Venet snicker for a split second—in soft words, Ivene said, "Kei."

Ceres' face lighted up, and she exclaimed, "Kei! That's a good nickname."

After a short while, the servant came with more cups. Greta served both mistresses tea, and they chatted for a while. During that time, Ceres also took Kei into her hands and coddled him. Venet had some tasks, so she left after telling Greta not to leave Lady Ivene or Kei alone.

About an hour later, while talking, Ivene felt a sudden jolt and almost dropped Kei. Everyone in the room panicked for a moment. Greta, standing beside the bed, rushed to support Lady Ivene and Kei.

Ceres bent forward from her seat and her pupils widened. She asked frantically, "Ivene, are you okay?!"

"Ye-yes. I'm okay," Ivene said. She blinked and gasped rapidly for a few seconds.
"I-I just felt weak suddenly."

With a pause, after Lady Ivene sat back comfortably, Crof said, "Lady Ivene, you should rest."

She looked at Greta and said, "Greta, take the Young Master and put him in the cradle."

When Greta extended her hands to take Young Master, Ivene tried to confine him in her embrace and said, "No, I'm fine." But after looking at everyone's worried faces, reluctantly she gave Kei to Greta.

After putting Young Master into the cradle, she swung it until Young Master went to sleep. Then, she went back to help Lady Ivene to lay her on bed.

"Let Ivene rest," Ceres said with a worrisome face. "Crof, let's go."

On their way back, Ceres’ face was etched with concern, opposite to the enthusiasm with which she came to meet her friend.

"Crof, send a healer to check Ivene," she said.

"Okay, Mada-," Crof's words were interrupted by Ceres' abrupt movement.

As though mimicking Ivene, she felt a sudden jolt in her body. Her body took two-three faltering steps before she braced herself against the wall to prevent falling.

Two servants, coming towards Ceres, exclaimed, "Lady!" as they rushed to help.

Even with the wall's assist, Ceres was about to slip and slump to the floor. The servants grabbed her shoulders in support.

"Madam!" Crof exclaimed, rushing from behind.