—Because you are the one who has kept that memory.
Being the New Year Festival, I'm sure you would have many other memories, but you mainly remember those related to the Lord Duke, don't you?
Blair's eyes blinked slowly, surprised by Agnes' words.
It was a perspective I had never considered.
Agnes smiled widely and said:
—It seems that the Lady loves the Duke very much.
Blair, who had been absentmindedly mulling over those words, smiled sadly.
Yes, I "had" loved him.
Perhaps, as Agnes said, she had been attracted to him since that New Year's Festival.
But not anymore.
However, as Lady Duchess, she could not tell a stranger that she did not love the Duke.
Still, one thing he could say with certainty…
—…I loved those times.
To me, who loved you with so much purity.
Those times when that feeling was not a sin.
Agnes nodded at Blair's words.
—The memory of a happy moment sometimes becomes a force that allows us to live a whole life.
I hope this New Year Festival also brings Lady memories that become that strength.
This year's New Year's Festival was something Blair had already experienced once.
Blair, who was trying to remember the events of the past, stopped short.
Then he remembered.
On the day of the New Year Festival of this same time, before his regression, an accident had occurred.
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That night, Blair paced around the room touching her lips with her fingertips.
It was because the memory of the New Year's Festival from before his regression had suddenly come to mind.
At the New Year Festival of this time, before his regression, there was an accident.
An accident in which a magical beast appeared in the imperial hunting ground, where the heads of families and their wives had gone to hunt offerings for the gods.
The reason Blair hadn't remembered the event immediately was that she couldn't attend the New Year's Festival that day because she had caught a cold.
They told him that Herdin, who was present, had eliminated the magical beast, and that thanks to that, although there were some injuries, there were no deaths.
And that Herdin had also returned covered in the beast's blood, but was not injured.
If everything followed the same course as in the past, the incident would pass without any major problems, but what if her intervention had already altered the course of events and things were happening differently?
On the other hand, what if I tried to avoid it and things got worse?
Endless possibilities assaulted Blair's mind.
I didn't know what the correct answer was.
But above all, what made her hesitant to reveal the future was that she had no way to explain how she knew it.
Unless he told the story of his regression.
Would Herdin believe such a wild story that he had returned from the past?
Without asking or questioning anything, he had protected her and punished the maids.
So maybe this time I could believe her too.
Although it was a much more unlikely story than Lina's.
But even if he didn't believe her, he had to tell her.
Because usually, knowing what is going to happen and taking preventive measures usually gives better results than ignoring it completely.
By that time, Herdin should have already returned to the residence.
After much hesitation, Blair went to Herdin's room.
But although he called several times, there was no answer.
He was wondering if he should go back to his room when…
—To what do I owe your visit at this hour?
Turning toward the direction of the voice, Blair met the gaze of Herdin, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching her.
He looked like he had just gotten out of the shower, dressed in a loose nightgown.
The moment he met her blue eyes immersed in the gloom, he felt as if he had locked eyes with a predator stalking its prey.
—…I have to tell you something important.
Blair's pale cheeks, who spoke with unusual solemnity, were reddened by the cold wind.
Herdin watched her in silence for a moment and then entered his room.
Blair followed him into the bedroom.
The warm air of the room warmed his chilled body.
Herdin, who had strode to the table, took a swig of whiskey and turned to Blair.
"Well, what do you have to tell me?"
—Tomorrow a magical beast will appear in the hunting ground.
I think it would be good to patrol the surroundings before the hunt starts to prevent this.
Herdin frowned at that unexpected statement.
—Where did you get that from?
It was the expected reaction.
Blair hesitated for a moment, then began cautiously.
—I… I can see the future.
Herdin, who watched Blair for a moment telling that implausible story, let out a dry laugh.
The words Ruth had said to him the night Blair visited the guild came to mind.
What was the reason for coming at this time of night to spout such a lie?
What could he be hiding behind that innocent face?
The crooked smile that had appeared on Herdin's lips disappeared, leaving only an icy look.
—Right now, you're asking me to believe that.
—I know it seems like an incredible and absurd story, but it doesn't hurt to be safe...
Blair, who was speaking, fell silent as he took large strides until he was standing in front of her.
Her instinct made her recoil from his icy momentum.
Herdin pulled her around the waist, blocking her retreat.
—Herd…
His lips hovered over her lips, which were trying to push him away in surprise.
So close that it was scary to move your lips for fear of touching them.
Herdin, who stopped his lips at that distance, whispered:
"So, guess what I'm going to do now?"
His ice blue eyes fixed on her like a dagger.
—Is it difficult?
This should be very simple.
His cold gaze and mocking voice scratched her as they passed.
Blair's eyes, which were looking at him, fluttered.
She felt his sincerity more clearly than ever.
He had been wrong.
Lina's taking his side had only been because she couldn't stand the insolence of the servants.
Because insulting his wife was practically insulting him.
His own image, which he had hoped for, seemed ridiculous to him.
Blair avoided his gaze and lowered her eyes.
His eyelashes trembled slightly as he slowly closed and opened them.
Blair pushed him by the chest and broke free of his embrace.
-…I'm sorry.
It was a dream I had.
His voice, which he barely managed to articulate, trembled unmistakably.
Blair turned and left the room.
Herdin, who was watching his back through the closing door, finished the remaining whiskey in his glass in one gulp.
The alcohol, poured into his empty stomach, burned him as if he had swallowed a fireball.
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The sound of horse hooves echoed in the quiet winter forest.
The mountain birds, frightened, took flight.
Just with that small impact, the white snow that had accumulated heavily on the trees fell in small piles.
This year too, the winter hunt was going smoothly.
The first event of the New Year Festival consisted of each noble house hunting live prey in the imperial preserve to offer it to the gods.
Unlike other hunting festivals, the winter hunt was not carried out by everyone joining forces together, but rather each family hunted separately.
The more valuable the offering was, the more pleased the god would be, so the nobles who participated in the hunt subtly competed to hunt the best game.
It was an event where family pride was at stake.
As it was a competition between houses, nobles and young women also, exceptionally, rode horses and accompanied their husbands and families.
Blair was one of them.
Herdin's gaze, searching for prey on the white blanket of snow, was directed towards Blair, who was following him behind.
Seeing his face reddened by the cold, he suddenly remembered what had happened the day before.
If that was true, it meant that a magical beast would appear in this place today.
It seemed strange to him that she, knowing it, had voluntarily appeared in this dangerous place.
Herdin heaved a light sigh and called to the captain of the Delmark Knight Order who followed him.
—Kyle.
The knight, hearing her call, drew his horse to his side.
—Ensure maximum protection for the Lady Duchess.
—I will carry out the order.
The captain of the knights, with a roll of his eyes, pointed at Blair and conveyed Herdin's order to his subordinates who were looking at him.
The knights, understanding his meaning, approached Blair.
Behind Herdin, a small cough was heard.
Herdin's brow furrowed when he heard her.
His gaze, which was searching for prey on the white snow, became more restless.
It was then that the screech of an animal was heard in the distance.
Cuiiik!
It sounded like the growl of a wild boar.
Along with the sound of birds taking flight agitatedly, Blair was heard holding her breath, startled.
But the boar's growl did not stop at once, but was heard repeatedly.
He was someone who could not bring down his prey with a single blow and continued shooting arrows.
That sound bothered him.
Damn idiot.
How many arrows he wastes because he can't hunt that.
Just as Herdin was mocking the lousy unknown archer, a knight shouted urgently:
—Your Excellency, there is a white marten!
In the direction that the knight was pointing, a marten could be seen wandering through the white blanket of snow.
Sable fur is expensive.
And among them, the white sable is the most valuable.
It would be a fitting offering to the gods.
Herdin immediately drew his bow and shot the marten.
The arrow pierced the marten cleanly, splashing its blood onto the white snow.
Herdin, after checking that the marten was no longer moving, turned his horse to return.
It was then that an old tree with a hole caught his attention.
As he dismounted and approached, he saw inside the hollow of the tree a baby marten that had not yet opened its eyes.
Herdin pulled a dagger from his chest.
At that moment, he heard Blair's voice behind him.
—Herdin.
What are you doing now?
—Without a mother to take care of her, in this situation, she will soon become prey to a predator.
If so, dying now with her mother will be better for her.
-No!
Blair hastily dismounted and grabbed Herdin's hand that was holding the dagger.
Herdin's brow furrowed.
—What are you doing?
—I could survive.
—A nursing calf that has not yet opened its eyes, in this winter where even finding food is difficult?
—Even if, as you say, she is destined to die soon, you can't call that mercy.
It is better to live even one more day.
Herdin gave a dry laugh.
Was it baseless optimism or hypocrisy?
Either way, it was the kind of thing he hated.
—Will she still think the same when a wolf is eating her alive?
Herdin deliberately chose crude words to provoke her.
To break their optimism or their hypocrisy.
But...
—I will raise her.
The woman who always gave in, pretending she couldn't help it, this time she didn't let herself be won and stood up to him.
With a look sharper than ever.
She was like a mother willing to protect her young.
He found this attitude irritating.
All for an insignificant creature.
—I don't know if she wants to be picked up by someone who allowed her mother's death.
Herdin replied sarcastically, reminding Blair of her own situation.
If a mere creature had thoughts and feelings, it would rather die than be picked up by its enemy.
Just as he detested the Imperial House and his false wife, who was part of it.
Blair, realizing what his words implied, grimaced slightly, but didn't back down.
Blair, looking at the corpse of the mother marten that the knights were collecting, said with gloomy eyes:
—…Even so, the mother of this creature will wish that at least her son survives.
At that moment, a gentleman who was watching with an uncomfortable expression the tense struggle between the man and his wife, timidly intruded.
—This… Excellency.
I think it wouldn't be bad to raise her as the Lady says.
Since it is a white marten, we could raise it and then skin it to use its skin...
The gentleman, who was trying to support Blair with good intentions, fell silent upon receiving her look of contempt, realizing that he had made a mistake.
Herdin, heaving a barely audible sigh, withdrew his hand from Blair's and turned away.
Understanding what that meant, Blair carefully removed the baby marten from the nest.
From that small creature, smaller than the palm of his hand, a clear vital warmth emanated.
The baby, which had not yet opened its eyes, chirped pitifully as if searching for its mother.
Seeing her, a lump formed in his throat.
Only then did he remember Ashiel, who would have been left alone after his death.
Maybe the assailant killed the child afterwards.
Or, if he was lucky enough to survive, to Herdin, who loved Miella, he would have been a nuisance, a nuisance.
In any case, it was evident that the end for the boy would not have been very happy.
How ironic.
I hated him.
Blair, who was watching Herdin's back walk away, suddenly came to her senses when she heard the marten's cry.
He took off his own gloves and put the baby inside.
The gentleman watching extended his hand.
…To be continued