Ch#77
2023.11.16.
The Delmark Ducal Family carriage arrived at the Essel Viscountcy residence, where today's banquet was being held.
Herdin, who had been watching Blair gaze at the carriages entering one by one ahead, called out to her.
"Blair."
"Yes."
"If you feel unwell, tell me right away. Don't hold back."
"Yes."
"To repeat, the purpose of today's banquet is to show that you're perfectly fine. As if you were never kidnapped. So holding out until you collapse won't help."
Herdin urged her.
His wife had a foolish side, and he knew she would stubbornly endure even if her condition worsened.
"I understand."
Blair nodded with a small response, as if comprehending his words.
She always gave good answers, at least.
Herdin gazed at her and ended up chuckling softly.
He didn't know her physical state, but perhaps because it had been a while since she went out, her mood seemed uplifted. Judging by those sparkling eyes.
Just that made him think his decision to attend today's banquet had been right.
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the viscount's residence.
Upon alighting and entering the mansion, Viscount Essel and his wife, who were greeting guests, spotted the two and approached briskly.
"You've come, both of you!"
"Thank you for your precious visit."
As one of Delmark's vassal families, they welcomed the pair more warmly than other guests.
After exchanging greetings with the viscount and his wife, the two naturally mingled into the banquet amid greetings from gathering nobles.
Blair among the noble ladies and young misses, Herdin among the noblemen.
As Herdin moved away from Blair's side, one of the noble ladies joined the group.
Blair recognized her face immediately.
Lady Pert.
One of the nobles eager to curry favor with Katrina.
She glanced at Blair cautiously before broaching the subject indirectly.
"By the way, Duchess, you look a bit thinner since last time. Has something happened?"
It was a question feigning concern but subtly probing her.
Blair smiled at her.
"I've been under the weather. Thanks to your concern, I'm much better now."
"Ah, I see. The Duke should take good care of you. Perhaps brew some nourishing medicine."
"Indeed. A new bride falling ill won't do."
Several noble ladies joined Lady Pert's conversation, and the first probe passed naturally.
She didn't stop there and tossed out a second topic.
"Oh, right. Have you heard? One of the Forest Villas on the outskirts of the Capital Isle burned down badly recently."
"A few days ago, I wondered where that smoke was coming from, and it was there?"
As some noble ladies showed interest, Lady Pert directed the question to Blair, who hadn't reacted.
"The forest view there was lovely. Such a shame. Have you heard about it, Duchess?"
"Probably more people haven't heard than have. Those Forest Villas are on the outskirts of the Capital Isle, so unless you go there on purpose, you wouldn't know. How did you know, Lady Pert?"
Blair deftly evaded while striking at a weak point, distorting Lady Pert's flustered expression.
The villas there were mostly for nobles' secret trysts. Knowing about them was tantamount to admitting one indulged in such.
Of course, those uninterested in trysts might not grasp the implication, but it was like the thief's foot burning.
Lady Pert hid her stiff expression behind a fan and forced a smile.
"I-I happened to pass by there that day and saw it by chance."
The area with the villas was forests and open fields, in the opposite direction from Viscount Pert's territory.
Meaning Lady Pert had no reason to pass by coincidentally.
But Blair decided not to point that out.
Having probed twice and been struck once at her flaw, she wouldn't try a third time. Besides, pressing further might just build resentment.
'No need to make enemies unnecessarily.'
The noble ladies, unaware of the subtle exchange between Blair and Lady Pert, soon moved to another topic.
The atmosphere of ordinary social conversation exchanging recent news and well-wishes shifted when Lady Pert's maid approached.
"Looks like something important came up. Excuse me."
Lady Pert stepped back from the conversation to listen to her maid's whisper. Her gaze turned toward Blair.
As Blair sensed an ominous feeling from that peculiar stare, Russ approached Herdin, who was conversing with nobles.
"Your Grace. I have urgent news."
Russ interrupting mid-banquet meant it was truly pressing.
Herdin promptly excused himself from the conversation.
"What is it."
"A bad rumor is circulating right now."
"What rumor?"
"It's......"
Russ covered his mouth with his hand and spoke softly enough for only Herdin to hear. Herdin's expression gradually hardened as he listened.
His eyes, now chillingly cold, searched the banquet hall for Blair. His wife was chatting with noble ladies at one side.
To fulfill her responsibility.
Forcing smiles amid unwelcome company in an unwanted place.
Her figure overlapped with his past self.
The time he had to endure nobles' whispers for the family's prestige, for Esmeralda, pretending not to hear.
Herdin hurried to Blair. At that moment, Lady Pert's voice rang out.
"Duchess, this question is quite delicate, but...... what are your thoughts on the Empress Palace fire ten years ago? You're the sole survivor of that incident."
Blair's eyes wavered at the unexpected question. Lady Pert pressed on without missing the opening, smiling.
"No, well. There's this strange rumor going around. That you and the Duke suspect none other than Her Imperial Majesty the Retired Empress as the mastermind behind the incident ten years ago."
The smiles faded from the faces of the noble ladies and young misses watching the two in bewilderment.
For the topic Lady Pert raised had long been tacitly taboo in society.
"And that they can't reveal the Imperial family as the culprit behind this kidnapping either—isn't that true?"
One of the Emperor's faction noble ladies, gauging their reactions, interjected to mediate.
"N-No way. How beloved you were by Her Imperial Majesty the Retired Empress. Surely you wouldn't suspect your own mother."
But not only the Emperor's faction ladies, but even Delmark's vassal house wives awaited Blair's response.
As Blair's lips moved soundlessly amid countless gazes fixed on her alone, a large hand wrapped around her shoulder.
Soon, a familiar voice settled by her ear.
"Sorry to interrupt, but the Duchess hasn't fully recovered yet, so we must head back."
His words sought permission, but his gaze sweeping the room was murderous enough to kill anyone.
Herdin led Blair out of the banquet hall right away. Blair, who had been limply dragged along, came to her senses belatedly and called him.
"Herdin."
But he didn't stop walking. Blair grabbed his hand, panting.
"Herdin, let's...... talk for a moment."
Only then did Herdin halt. But he still didn't release her hand.
Blair, catching her breath, said,
"If we leave like this, everyone will think it's suspicious. We should go back and—"
"Go back and what? What will you say."
His turning expression was so chilling that Blair faltered momentarily.
Herdin sneered at Blair looking up at him with startled eyes.
"Admit the rumors are all true? Or deny it's all lies?"
"......"
"Do they want the truth?"
"......"
"No. Whatever you say, they'll be busy tearing into you. Or seeing where to attach themselves."
"But...... running away like this is suspicious."
After fumbling with her lips for a while, that was all Blair could say. She didn't want to run.
Herdin scoffed at that.
"So, you'll go back on your own two feet, endure all the speculation and insults."
And have me watch over such a you.
It was a memory that couldn't even scar him now, but this fragile woman wouldn't endure it. He had no intention of throwing her to those wolves as prey.
"Don't be so stubbornly foolish, Blair."
"......"
"That's not responsibility—it's stupidity."
His words stabbed like a dagger, twisting Blair's expression as if about to cry. Her bitten lip trembled pitifully.
He knew his words hurt her. But rather than watch her crumble from others' wounds, better he bring her down himself.
One person to hurt her was enough.
Herdin, gazing at such a Blair, let out a low sigh and scooped her up. Her small frame lifted limply, as if resigned.
