Ch#66
2023.11.05.
Herdin sat on the chair beside the bed, gazing intently at the sleeping Blair.
She slept comfortably, unaware of his persistent stare. Her small lips parted slightly as if dreaming, and she tossed and turned.
The blanket slipped down from her movements, revealing her pristine white shoulder and the slender nape connected to it.
There, the red marks he had left last night remained vivid. Seeing them darkened his gaze. Memories of the previous night resurfaced.
The scent of her skin that drove him mad, the soft touch of her delicate flesh, the voice calling his name, the eyes looking at him.
At the same time, heat gathered in his lower abdomen again, as if the night's indulgences had not been enough.
Feeling self-mocking for getting aroused just by looking at his sleeping wife, he averted his gaze. Then he noticed something on the nightstand.
It was the Geography Book.
The one recording information not only on countries near Ardel but also across the sea on the Eastern Continent and island nations.
Herdin's eyes turned cold upon seeing it.
Just as he reached to open the book, a soft voice called out.
"......Herdin?"
Blair had woken up at some point and was looking at him.
Blair rubbed her still sleep-filled eyes and asked,
"Didn't you say there's a meeting at the Imperial Palace today?"
"There's some time left."
Herdin set the book back down and climbed onto the bed. Naturally, he leaned in and claimed the lips of the defenseless Blair.
Her breathing quickened soon after, and a moan like a whimper escaped between her teeth.
At the same time, Herdin's hand slipped under the blanket, caressing her body.
This was a familiar morning scene that happened often.
But as he fully leaned over her, she—who had been hazily entrusting her body to him—subtly dodged his touch and hid under the blanket.
Herdin stared at her instead of asking.
Blair shrank away from his gaze and answered the silent question.
"Just... I feel a bit unwell."
Herdin touched Blair's forehead. Fortunately, there was no fever, but considering her inherently frail constitution, it made sense.
Herdin straightened up and pulled the blanket over her.
"I'll have the physician come."
"Ah, no. It's not that serious."
As Blair strongly refused, Herdin examined her complexion for a moment before relenting.
"Tell me right away if your condition worsens."
"......I will."
"I'll be back."
His figure vanished from her sight, followed soon by the sound of the door opening and closing. Silence settled over the room left alone.
Blair recalled Herdin's demeanor from moments ago, lost in thought.
'It should have been around this time.'
When he started distancing himself from her.
In her previous life, Herdin had begun avoiding her around this time when the cherry blossoms fell.
But in this life, there was no sign of it yet.
She didn't know the exact reason why he, who had been pretending to love her to uncover her secrets, had suddenly changed his mind.
'Did the future change when I agreed to cooperate in revealing the truth of the Empress Palace incident?'
It was good that he was favorable toward her now, but if the future had changed, that brought its own problems.
The time she conceived Asiel was a while after Herdin had distanced himself from her.
After avoiding her for some time, he came home one rainy night, reeking heavily of alcohol.
He, who could hold his liquor against anyone, in an uncharacteristic state.
Blair, who had happened to step out of her room to go to the library, ran into him, and Herdin took her straight to his room and held her.
The child born from that impulsive night.
That was why Blair remembered the exact day Asiel was conceived.
But if they continued spending every night together like now, it would be hard to gauge when to stop the contraceptive pills. The effects didn't wear off immediately upon stopping.
'Should I create a pretext to push him away for a while?'
After pondering briefly, Blair set the thought aside and rose, pulling the bell cord. She needed to start the day. She had an appointment today.
Blair got out of bed, slipped on her robe, and approached the drawer. Inside was a note from Mihail a few days ago.
[1 PM, Vermont Street]
Herdin seemed reluctant about causing a scandal as a means of divorce, but no other alternatives came to mind.
For now, this method would have to be the best option.
At that moment, a knock sounded. It must be Lina or Melli with wash water.
Blair put Mihail's note back in the drawer and turned to the door.
"Come in."
* * *
Two alleys into the Capital Isle Plaza leads to a street deserted even in broad daylight.
There, all sorts of illegal activities like gambling, drugs, and loan sharking thrived.
Just as the back side of light is darkest.
True to its illicit nature, it bustled far more at night than in the quiet daytime. Of course, shops opened formally during daylight hours, but actual customers were rare.
Today, as usual, a man dozing behind the guild counter with the door open jolted awake at the sound of the bell.
"Welcome—"
Upon seeing the customer who entered, boredom returned to his eyes.
The daytime visitor wore a robe hood obscuring her face, but her build and glimpsed features clearly indicated a woman.
The man, who had tensed for a customer, deflated.
Requests from young female clients were usually trivial and annoying.
Like tailing a cheating husband, gathering evidence, or identifying the other woman.
Moreover, with men usually controlling finances, women had limited funds, and commissions were correspondingly low.
Yet they had to risk entanglement in love triangles for that pittance.
Especially this woman didn't look expensively dressed.
Assuming the same for this one, the man scratched his ear with an overtly annoyed expression and asked,
"What job do you have for us?"
"I'd like you to surveil someone. I'll pay generously."
The woman immediately placed a heavy pouch on the counter. It was filled with gold coins.
The man, expecting pennies or cheap trinkets, widened his eyes.
"This covers surveillance costs and an advance. More will be added per report."
The man swallowed hard at the large sum relative to the request but couldn't hide his suspicion as he asked,
"You really have the means to pay more?"
The woman silently pulled something from her bosom.
"Would this serve as proof of trustworthiness?"
"This is......"
The man was startled by what she showed.
A badge symbolizing the gods.
A token granted only to priests chosen by the gods, possessing Divine Power.
A priest from the Temple had verified status and received substantial monthly pay, proving payment ability.
"Who is the surveillance target?"
The man's tone turned polite abruptly.
The red lips beneath the hood hesitated briefly before naming a familiar figure.
"Please surveil the current Duchess of Delmark, Blair Delmark. Who she meets, where she goes."
The man gulped. The name from her lips was a big shot too.
"I'll come weekly for reports."
Finishing the request, the woman left the guild. The waiting hired carriage departed as she boarded.
Only then did she remove her hood. Dazzling silver hair cascaded from under it.
Miela gazed at the plaza scenery from the moving carriage.
The sunlight was warm, the breeze cool. It felt as if the gods were watching over her. She had a good premonition that all would go well.
'No one is without dirt. With this, I can find a way to free the Duke from his unhappy marriage.'
As Miela harbored hopeful expectations, the carriage stopped. Another seemed to be passing ahead.
Gazing idly outside the halted carriage, Miela's eyes shifted carelessly to the adjacent one.
And there, she spotted an unexpected figure.
'......Duchess?'
Her face wasn't fully visible as she turned sideways talking to someone, but that profile was unmistakably Blair.
And beside her was not Herdin, but an unfamiliar man.
The exceptionally handsome man was smiling as he conversed with Blair.
Caught off guard, Miela couldn't look away when her eyes met those of the man watching Blair. Simultaneously, his green eyes chilled coldly.
Noticing the change in his gaze, Blair turned toward Miela just as the man pulled the carriage curtain shut.
Soon, the halted carriage moved away.
Watching it blankly, Miela realized then.
This was an opportunity.
* * *
The place they arrived at with Mihail was a small Forest Villa nestled in the woods on the outskirts of the Capital Isle.
"Some nobles rent these villas under the pretext of work to enjoy affairs here."
Mihail briefly explained to Blair, who eyed the villa curiously, then alighted first to escort her down.
