At the confirmation, the corner of Herdin's lips twitched.
—You can leave.
The sound of the office door closing was heard after Lina left.
Herdin, who was unconsciously going to put the cigarette in his mouth again, suddenly remembered Blair's cough.
And also the image of her looking at him a moment ago with vacant, tear-filled eyes.
He heaved a sigh of irritation and put the cigarette down again.
Then he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes in annoyance.
The sunlight that flickered beyond his eyelids bothered him, reminding him of that fine platinum blonde hair.
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—Sometimes, when someone suffers a great emotional shock, their defenses weaken as a consequence and they fall prostrate.
It appears to be the case with Your Honor.
The family doctor gave that diagnosis and left.
Herdin, who arrived upon hearing the news, looked at the sleeping Blair with an expression of disbelief.
How could such a weak person be?
By nature, a woman's body is weaker than a man's.
But even taking that into account, his wife seemed to have a constitution well below the average health of a normal person.
—Let me know if you need anything.
Lina, realizing that Herdin would not be leaving anytime soon, quietly left the room.
He took a long look at the sleeping Blair.
In the midst of that peaceful scene, the frail woman exhaled a feverish, panting breath through her slightly parted red lips, and seemed to suffer quite a bit.
After standing there for a while, Herdin approached the head of the bed.
And he placed the back of his hand on the fever-reddened cheek.
The breath that escaped from the small lips that brushed his hand was still warm, but it was clearly better than a moment ago.
It seemed that the antipyretic had taken effect.
It was then that Herdin withdrew his hand with a soft sigh.
-…He.
A faint voice filtered into the silence.
Herdin looked at the lips where the voice came from.
Then, Blair knitted her thin eyebrows in pain and moved her small lips with difficulty.
—Aziel…
A plaintive voice, accompanied by a sob, dispersed into the stillness of the room.
Herdin's retreating hand stopped short.
Hearing the unknown name escape his lips, he suddenly remembered the image of Blair always obsessed with the "contract."
Only then did he understand his actions until now.
Aziel.
It had to be the name of the lover he loved so much that he wanted to see him even in his dreams, that he wanted to fulfill the contract even if he had to relive those terrible memories.
So his claim of not believing in love was a lie to hide his true purpose?
To jealously hide the existence of her precious lover, lest I spread it to the four winds?
Herdin gave a dry laugh and stood up from his seat.
The hypothesis that he had lightly considered some time ago had taken shape, but whoever that idiot was who had recklessly fallen in love with a forbidden love with the Imperial Princess, it was a matter that did not concern him.
However, if the name that had escaped the woman's lips bothered him, it would be because the woman had deceived him by hiding her true intention and that was pathetic to him.
And the fact that, coincidentally, that name coincided with that of a Delmark ancestor would also play a role.
Herdin left the room immediately.
Ruth, who had just gone to look for him, was startled to find her master.
Although he always had a cold face, at this moment he was colder than ever.
Faced with that impetus, Ruth stopped for a moment, and Herdin asked first:
—What's happening?
—Baroness Sionel has sent the catalog.
Baroness Sionel was considered the best fashion designer in Ardel.
Although she was born a commoner, she was an exceptional talent recognized by the Dowager Empress Katrina, who even granted her a noble title.
They had planned to call her to the ducal residence today to make the gala dress for the upcoming New Year's Festival, but the appointment was canceled when Blair fell ill.
The servant who went to tell him the news returned with a catalog in its place.
Herdin took the catalog Ruth handed him.
—He said that we should please choose the fabrics first, so that we can order in advance the ones that are difficult to obtain.
When I opened the catalogue, there were small samples of fabric cut out and glued together.
Herdin leafed through the catalog disinterestedly and handed it back to Ruth saying:
—It doesn't matter what it is.
Tell him to order a cloth that is good for protection from the cold.
For the Duke of Delmark, whose fortune rivaled that of the Imperial House, the price of the cloth was not something to consider.
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A few days later, when Blair's condition improved, Herdin hired a new hypnotist.
She was a kind-faced woman who appeared to be in her thirties, and was said to belong to a vassal family of the Ducal House of Delmark.
The woman, who introduced herself as "Agnes Lorelaine," explained the plan to Blair.
—People who lose their memory due to a great shock, if they try to extract the memories by force, they may end up burying them even more as an opposite reaction.
Agnes continued her explanation with a soft smile directed at Blair.
—So, instead of trying to extract memories hastily, we will start by slowly familiarizing ourselves with the memories of that time.
-How?
"To start, would you mind having tea with me once a week and telling me stories about your childhood?" Any story is fine.
Blair kept a calm face in front of Agnes, but under the table, her fingers played with the hem of her dress.
With the method proposed by Agnes, he would not be able to quickly access the memories.
The reason for his obsession with recovering those memories was only one.
She had to find the truth at all costs, before conceiving Aziel.
If she couldn't end this contractual marriage even after becoming pregnant, Herdin would find out about the pregnancy.
Also, every time she tried to recover her memories, her body would get sick, so she couldn't try while pregnant.
She had barely half a year left until Aziel was conceived.
Too tight a time even to prepare for your departure after concluding all matters here.
Deep in thought, Blair couldn't react quickly to Agnes's words and, with her hands on the table, she simply caressed the rim of her teacup.
Agnes, as if she had read his thoughts, said:
—Don't be too impatient.
I assure you that I will recover your memories.
Just stay calm, trust me and follow me.
Her soft eyes had an irresistible force.
Could you talk about personal matters in front of a stranger?
He didn't feel like it, but strangely, he didn't feel like rejecting Agnes's proposal.
-OK.
Seeing Blair finally nod her head, Agnes smiled widely.
—I look forward to the stories you will tell me, Madam.
By listening to them, I will learn another life.
—Madam, Baroness Sionel has arrived.
She was one of the maids of the ducal residence.
Blair cocked her head.
The maids of the ducal residence, who both admired their lord Herdin and were suspicious of her, always let Lina convey messages to her.
After hastily finishing tea time with Agnes, Blair left the greenhouse and returned to the mansion.
Baroness Sionel, who was waiting in her bedroom, greeted her with her characteristic high-pitched voice.
—Oh, dear!
You are even more beautiful since you got married, Your Highness.
No, now I should call her Madam Duchess.
—I wanted to thank you for the wedding dress, but I haven't had the chance to contact you about the subsequent preparations.
—The most beautiful in the Empire wore it, so I am the one who should thank you.
And I also thank you for granting me the honor of making your first dress after the wedding.
Blair listened to Baroness Sionel's fawning words as she surveyed the room with her eyes.
Lina was not seen here either.
It seems like you were worried you might catch a cold, Ma'am.
Baroness Sionel's flattering words passed by without even touching Blair's mind.
The only important thing for her at that moment was Lina's absence in the room.
Lina did not appear while Blair was looking at the dresses that Baroness Sionel had brought, nor while she was deciding on the design of the new dress she would make.
After Baroness Sionel left, Blair asked a nearby maid about what had been troubling her all along.
—Where is Lina?
The maid stood for a moment and responded, slightly avoiding Blair's gaze.
—This…, I don't know.
Me neither...
Do you want me to go look for her?
-No.
Leave it.
Blair stood up and put back on the fur robe she had taken off.
—Are you going for a walk, Madam?
-Yeah.
The maid prepared to follow her.
Blair stopped her.
—I'll go alone.
—Oh, yes.
Blair left the maid and left the room.
The maids waiting outside the door bowed to her.
He walked past them, went down to the first floor, and then returned silently.
Through the half-open door of the room, he heard the voices of the maids whispering.
—Where has that Lina gone?
Don't tell me he's crying in some corner because they poured some dirty water on him.
—She's going to be crying!
I watched her go to wash without even blinking.
How boring.
—How hard it is anyway.
Just like his wife.
Even so, it will be difficult to get rid of the smell.
—Hey, but...
aren't you going to tell the Lady just like that?
—If he were going to do it, he would have armed himself already.
She knows it too.
That no matter how Imperial Highness your lady is, in this ducal residence she is a nuisance.
Blair, who was listening to the conversation, clenched the hem of her dress with her fist.
Her crimson lips trembled slightly.
His hunch was correct.
As much as they hated her, she was the Emperor's only sister.
The maids couldn't mess with her, so they took it out by harassing Lina.
But a doubt assailed him.
Knowing Lina's character, she would never have put up with it.
Why had he done it then?
Only then did Blair understand.
Lina was putting up with it so that her reputation, that of the ugly duckling of the ducal residence, would not get even worse.
It's just that I was so absorbed in my own situation that I didn't realize...>
Realizing this, Blair bit her lower lip hard.
-Lady?
Turning, startled by the voice behind her, she saw Lina.
She was wearing a new, clean maid's uniform, but her still damp hair showed that she had just washed.
Blair took the hand of Lina, who still didn't seem to have realized the situation, and entered the room.
The maids who were gathered murmuring were startled by the appearance of Blair, who was returning sooner than expected, and bowed their heads.
Blair approached them and said:
—Excuse yourselves.
Blair's violet eyes were tinged with an icy cold.
The maids who met her gaze trembled at her impetus.
To them, Blair was a lady to be treated with care, but not someone especially fearsome.
Always with an impassive face, never getting angry, she was a woman who existed silently like a doll, like a painting.
But when they met his eyes filled with cold anger, they were left bewildered and speechless.
Blair, with a slow voice, spoke again to the paralyzed maids.
—I said apologize to Lina.
—No, I don't know what you mean suddenly, Madam.
What mistake have we made...?
Phew!
Without giving anyone time to stop her, Blair slapped the maid.
Both the slapped one and the watching maids, and even Lina, were stunned.
Blair looked at the maid who had fallen to the ground from her slap.
The palm of his hand with which he had struck her throbbed as if it had received the blow itself.
She felt like she had become Katrina.
It was an unpleasant and horrible feeling.
His heart was pounding and he felt nauseous, as if he would vomit at any moment.
But in order to protect Lina, he couldn't back down like this.
Blair squeezed her trembling hand tightly.
—You know better than I what I mean.
—Al, Your Highness.
I'm really fine.
Oh really.
Lina, who reacted late, grabbed Blair.
In a situation where members of the ducal residence already viewed Blair with distaste, it was not good to make the problem bigger.
And besides, if Herdin were to see him...
—…Well, I'm not well.
Blair, her face contorted as if she were about to cry, but her eyes full of anger, added:
—That you have to go through this because of me is not right at all.
—What's going on here?
Herdin appeared in the open doorway.
Dressed for going out and with leather gloves in his hand, he seemed to have heard the commotion on his way out.
—Ex, Excellency.
At his sudden appearance, the maids and Lina turned pale and bowed their heads.
Herdin put on the gloves he was holding as he quickly assessed the situation in the room.
The maid with her red cheek covering it with her hand, and Blair with a slight tremor in hers.
It didn't take him long to understand what happened.
While everyone was silent, only the maid slapped by Blair stood up and addressed Herdin.
—I gave this girl a small punishment for not doing her job well and behaving insolently, but it seems that the Lady has misunderstood something...
—I haven't asked you.
It was a clear but dry reprimand.
The maid closed her mouth firmly and lowered her head.
…To be continued