Ch#82
2023.11.21.
"Sir Russ, we've arrived."
Russ, who had been dozing off, snapped his eyes open at the coachman's voice.
He gathered the documents placed beside him and stepped out of the carriage, his face clearly etched with fatigue.
As always, Mason was there to greet him.
About to offer his usual greeting, Mason noted the dark circles under Russ's eyes that had formed over the past few days and gave a wry smile.
"Are you alright?"
"...I couldn't say I'm fine even as an empty word, but fortunately, I'm still alive. And His Grace?"
"He's in his bedroom."
It was the expected answer he'd been hearing for days.
Mason guided Russ to the drawing room as he asked,
"Your usual tea?"
"Ah, coffee today, please. Strong. And cube sugar as well."
After specifying his order, Russ entered the drawing room and leaned back on the sofa.
He organized the prepared documents and set them down just as Mason brought the coffee.
Sipping the coffee with cube sugar, Russ finally looked somewhat alive as he turned to Mason.
"By the way, how's the Duchess?"
After the rumors related to the incident ten years ago spread, public opinion both inside and outside harshly criticized Blair.
She had been avoiding outings since the kidnapping, but not long ago, Delmark's vassals had visited the residence and caused a stir, so Blair must be aware of the current atmosphere.
That had been weighing on his mind.
"Well, I haven't seen the Duchess's face for several days now."
Mason replied with a troubled expression.
In other words, Blair hadn't left the bedroom for days, confined by Herdin.
Upon hearing that, Russ's eyes narrowed.
'They said it was a contractual relationship, but it's quite heated... Well, in this situation, it's probably for the best.'
Even if Blair knew about the atmosphere, it would only boil her blood.
He, who knew the outside situation better than anyone, had been inwardly worried about Blair, who couldn't hear good news anywhere.
That was why he had been handling all of Herdin's work without complaint, even though Herdin had dumped it on him for days.
'Once we catch the mastermind behind the kidnapping and secure solid evidence for the incident ten years ago to reveal the truth, public opinion on one side will quiet down.'
So he wanted to wrap this up as quickly as possible.
For Esmeralda, who had been buried underground under false accusations for nearly ten years, and for Blair, who was now facing the brunt of public backlash.
It was a bit amusing to himself that he, who had once viewed Blair unfavorably, was now worried about her.
As Russ mocked his own guilt, Herdin, who had entered the drawing room unnoticed, sat across from him.
"Ah, you're here."
He barely acknowledged Russ's greeting as he swept back his slightly disheveled forehair. He took a puff of his cigar, then immediately picked up the documents in front.
A subtle irritation emanated from his languid, disheveled appearance.
"These are all the urgent documents?"
"Yes."
Herdin skimmed through them roughly, took the fountain pen Russ offered, and signed promptly.
Russ gathered the returned pen and documents, then broached the subject in a casual tone.
"I heard you caught the Black Magician who was in contact with the kidnappers last night?"
"Yes. They said it was too dangerous to keep in the residence, so he's confined in an outlying villa."
"Then we can uncover the mastermind soon."
He already suspected the Retired Empress as the culprit behind the kidnapping, but without evidence, he couldn't state it clearly.
Revealing the kidnapping's mastermind could serve as circumstantial evidence linking to the incident ten years ago, just like the pervasive rumors now.
He had brought it up expecting Herdin to show enthusiasm, but for some reason, Herdin didn't seem pleased.
Puzzled, Russ assumed it was just his low mood and moved on to the next topic.
"And as Your Grace likely knows, public opinion toward the Duchess is unfavorable. Once we have a lead, it would be best to confront the Imperial family as soon as possible."
Herdin's cool eyes sank quietly at the news.
"...I know."
Now, time was truly running out.
* * *
Blair vaguely sensed the emptiness beside her in her sleep and opened her eyes.
Herdin was gone.
Wondering if he had gone to smoke on the balcony, she turned, but he wasn't there. The drawing room was quiet too, so he must have left the room entirely.
Realizing she had grown accustomed to his warmth, Blair mocked herself as she unconsciously sought him.
Over the past few days, Herdin hadn't left her side even for a moment. He had long abandoned work, joining her even for meals and baths.
He would overlap their bodies mid-meal or mid-bath. Even when she awoke from passing out in exhaustion, he was still inside her.
He was like a starving beast, mercilessly pushing her relentlessly. At times, he even seemed desperate.
As if he would die if he parted from her even briefly.
But feeling his absence as emptiness meant she was the one tamed by him after all.
However, this was now coming to an end.
Blair cautiously stroked her flat lower abdomen.
'Is Asiel conceived?'
Asiel had been conceived on that exact rainy night, and from then on, they had overlapped bodies for days in a way that couldn't be more thorough.
She didn't know what had spurred his desire, but for Blair, who was determined to meet Asiel, it had been fortuitous.
That was why she hadn't pushed him away, even when tears welled up from exhaustion.
'I should start preparing for divorce now.'
If she had conceived Asiel in the past few days, morning sickness would begin around the first month.
Recalling her previous life, the nausea had been severe when she carried Asiel. She could barely eat, vomiting even at water.
At first, she could pass it off as indigestion, but fooling the perceptive Herdin beyond that would be difficult.
So she needed to wrap everything up before then.
Divorce required procedures and took more time than expected.
Half a year earlier than the original contract end date meant Herdin needed preparation time too.
As Blair organized her thoughts, the bedroom door opened.
Herdin, entering with his usual cool expression, met eyes with Blair lying in bed watching him and paused briefly.
"You're up early."
He approached the bedside and pulled the bell cord.
Having summoned maids only at mealtimes for days, they would bring breakfast promptly.
Sitting on the bed's edge, Herdin fiddled with Blair's fine hair scattered over the sheets, slowly trailing up to brush her cheek with his index finger.
Blair stared at him intently until his finger nearly touched her lips, then spoke.
"Don't you have urgent business?"
Only then did Herdin's playful touch stop, a chill flickering in his eyes.
Her words sounded like she was trying to chase him away.
"Perhaps."
Responding curtly, Herdin moved his long finger again to caress her flushed lips.
Blair pursed her lips, evading his touch. Watching her briefly, Herdin soon leaned in to claim those tempting lips.
As their lightly touching lips parted and he pulled her slender waist into an embrace to kiss again,
Blair stopped him.
"Herdin."
Instead of replying, he lifted his gaze from her lips to meet her eyes.
Blair voiced what she had thought before he arrived.
"Let's end our contract here."
Herdin's eyes on her paused.
"I've recovered my memories and done everything I could to uncover the truth of that incident."
"......"
"So we should both start preparing now."
Herdin's lips twisted at Blair speaking of ending the contract in her usual calm tone.
The moment he realized the root of the emotions churning beneath him, her eagerly awaited conclusion spilling from her lips amused him.
I'm at this point unable to let you go, yet you say you'll leave so easily.
As planned, just as desired all along. As if leaving now that the deal was done.
He chuckled incredulously at his wife's naive eyes, firmly believing he would naturally keep the promise.
Herdin looked down at Blair with cold eyes and spoke.
"The contract term still has quite a bit left, so I don't understand why you're in such a hurry."
"......"
"Is there a reason you need to flee quickly after the divorce?"
A subtle ripple stirred in Blair's violet eyes, built on trust in him.
Eyes betrayed and struck at a vulnerability.
That sight twisted his mood further.
How could he keep you—the one waiting only to leave with another man, the one thinking only of departing my side?
His coldly cooled mind was filled solely with that thought.
