Chapter 34
Episode 34. Time Magic
2023.10.04.
Blair, who had barely pulled the bell cord, curled up in bed again and waited for Rina. The room was still warm from the fireplace. It must have been lit by Herdin in the morning and extinguished before he left.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
‘The mastermind behind the assailant probably isn’t Herdin.’
A man who readily admitted his faults and apologized, who stayed by her side despite her fear of fire—he didn’t seem like someone who would kill her no matter how much he hated her.
As she thought that and was about to drift off to sleep, a knock sounded along with Rina’s voice.
“Madam, I’m coming in!”
Rina entered with the wash water.
As Blair sat up, she glanced down at her body. Red marks bloomed across her skin like flowers. Traces of their nights that had embarrassed her in her past life were now familiar.
“Rina, could you hand me some clothes?”
“Ah, yes!”
Rina set down the wash water and quickly fetched fresh clothes.
“Thank you.”
Blair took the clothes from Rina and dressed. But Rina, who usually chattered away, was unusually quiet today.
Wondering why, Blair looked at her and noticed Rina deliberately avoiding her gaze.
Only then did Blair realize Rina was embarrassed by the marks on her body.
‘In my past life too, Rina became abruptly quiet in the mornings shortly after I married, while attending me.’
Suppressing a laugh, Blair asked Rina,
“And His Excellency?”
“Ah. He left about an hour ago. An imperial knight came saying demonic beasts had appeared in the outskirts.”
Blair’s expression hardened upon hearing that.
Guarding the capital’s security was strictly the Imperial Knight Order’s duty.
But Ivan had treated Herdin like his own knight in her past life too. The northern knights, where demonic beasts frequently appeared, were far more skilled in combat against them, he claimed, whenever he needed assistance.
Herdin knew that if he didn’t step up, innocent people would suffer, so he often went without complaint.
Blair hated that.
She hated the people getting hurt, the imperial knights getting hurt, and most of all, Herdin enduring unfair demands.
‘Once we divorce, Brother will lose any pretext to ask him.’
That thought made it impossible for her to stay still.
Blair dressed haphazardly and got out of bed. At that moment, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor.
The startled Rina rushed to support her.
“Madam! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Why don’t you rest today? There’s no busy schedule anyway……. And…… lately, you’ve been overexerting yourself……”
“No. I’ll be fine soon.”
Ignoring Rina’s worried gaze, Blair stood up. She could feel Rina resenting Herdin, the culprit of this situation, and it made her smile.
Rina, worried about Blair overexerting herself, brought the wash water right to the bedside. She dissuaded Blair from going to the dining room and even brought breakfast to the bed.
After eating under Rina’s overprotection, Blair felt her strength somewhat restored.
Only then did Blair begin her day.
She stopped by Ppippi’s room to check how much it had grown and played with it briefly before heading to the mansion’s library to study about neighboring countries.
‘I plan to stay in the Kingdom of Clania until Asiel is born, but afterward, I don’t know where I’ll settle, so it’s good to study the empire’s surroundings.’
But the book Blair sought wasn’t in the mansion’s library.
The librarian looked troubled.
“It seems one of the servants borrowed it. It’s on the borrowing list, so I’ll retrieve it right away.”
Books had become somewhat common now, but they were still expensive. Thus, nobles didn’t allow servants into libraries.
But Herdin had opened the library freely. So everyone in the Delmark household could read comfortably anytime.
Blair didn’t want to undermine his intentions.
“No, that’s fine. It’s not urgent, and the one who borrowed it first should read it.”
Then Mason, who had been watching beside her, suggested,
“Madam, how about checking His Excellency’s private study?”
Herdin’s private study connected to his office. It was designed for easy access whenever he needed materials while working.
It felt like intruding into his personal space, so in her past life, she had never gone there.
“Is it alright for me to enter?”
Mason gazed at Blair, who asked cautiously.
Most of the duke’s household avoided her.
They couldn’t openly harm the emperor’s sister, but they weren’t friendly enough for personal interactions.
Blair didn’t try to win their favor or act cautiously because of it, but her awareness showed in her careful demeanor.
As if she were a guest in someone else’s home.
Mason had initially felt some reluctance when he first had to serve her as the lady of the house, but after watching her closely these past few months, he could understand.
Why Esmeralda had cherished the enemy’s daughter.
How could one not adore a child who tried so hard at everything, learning diligently and rejoicing purely at a single praise?
Blair resembled Esmeralda, who had raised her with heartfelt love, more than her own mother.
Others might scoff, but to Mason, past his forties and no longer swayed by worldly prejudices, Blair appeared that way.
Since their marriage was before the gods, he hoped such a woman would adapt well to the duke’s household and to his master.
“Madam, you are the lady of this Delmark household. There is no place in this mansion you cannot enter, no item you cannot use.”
As if to reassure her, he added, ‘His Excellency said nothing particular about the study.’
Hearing that, Blair headed straight to Herdin’s office with Mason. But the moment she entered, she regretted it.
The office, which they had left in disarray ten days ago, was now impeccably tidy, as if nothing had happened. Her face flushed hot.
Embarrassed, Blair averted her gaze.
Mason asked curiously,
“Madam? What’s wrong?”
“……No, it’s nothing.”
I shouldn’t come near the office for a while…….
Thinking that, Blair followed Mason. The passage to the private study was on the right side of the office.
“Then please call if you need anything.”
Mason escorted her there and withdrew.
Opening the door, a large room with bookshelves lining the walls unfolded before her.
The study was spacious and serene, appearing clean at a glance, but upon closer look, unsorted books lay here and there. Since only Herdin used this study, they must be the ones he was reading.
‘I thought he liked everything neatly organized.’
Surprised by the unexpected side, Blair looked around and found the shelf with histories of various countries. The books she sought were there.
After pulling out a few and glancing around for more to read, an adjacent shelf caught her eye.
‘What books are on this shelf?’
Usually, shelves had category labels in the center, but this one had none. That piqued her curiosity even more.
Blair moved to that shelf. It was filled with books written in an unfamiliar language.
Blair recognized it at once.
“Ancient language?”
Books in ancient language were usually grimoires. Meaning all the books on this shelf were grimoires.
‘Come to think of it…….’
Suddenly, she recalled his appearance at New Year’s Festival. The sight of him wielding both sword and magic.
Those chosen by mana from birth learned magic from grimoires to become true mages. Herdin was both a knight and a mage, so he must have studied grimoires like any other mage.
It newly dawned on her that he was the empire’s sole magic swordsman, possessing overwhelming power. At the same time, interest sparked in the grimoires before her. Because a childhood dream resurfaced.
In her ignorant youth, unaware that not just anyone could become a mage, Blair had wanted to be one.
She thought a mage could grant any physically impossible wish.
Thus, she had once pored over grimoires in the imperial palace library. Believing studying them would make her a mage, deciphering incomprehensible ancient language with a dictionary.
She never became a mage, but thanks to that, she could somewhat interpret the difficult ancient language.
Examining the shelf full of grimoires, Blair spotted one placed atop the others.
Blair pulled it out. Having been there for quite some time, dust coated it white, making her cough.
Coughing, Blair dusted it off and examined the cover.
<∞>
Unlike ordinary books with titles, the black cover bore only a single small symbol. The mark of infinity.
‘Infinity? What kind of magic would use such a cover?’
Out of curiosity, she turned the cover. The first page appeared. On the faded paper proving its great age, ancient language was written.
Blair recalled her childhood memories and deciphered it.
“The…… magic of time.”
What on earth was time magic?
She had barely read the grimoire’s title, but it only left her more puzzled.
It was then, as Blair tried to turn to the next page.
