The count, meeting Herdin's gaze, apologized and explained:
—My wife is tired, and I thought it was polite to leave quietly before spoiling the atmosphere...
—I'm sorry I can't continue enjoying this pleasant dance.
—As uncomfortable as you must be, we appreciate it.
—I hope you can also attend after giving birth.
Herdin reciprocated the guest who had made the effort to come.
It was an unusual kind attitude for him, always exuding a cold presence.
The wife blushed and smiled shyly.
—Yes, I will do it that way.
I hope that by then you and the lady will also have good news.
Good news.
Hearing those words, Herdin's gaze lowered and landed on her bulging belly.
His eyes, which had softened for a moment, were tinged with coldness again.
But it was only a moment.
Without realizing it, the two bowed to Herdin.
—Then, see you at the hunting competition, Your Excellency.
After saying goodbye, the couple passed by him.
Herdin looked at the count's back, who was protecting his wife's waist with the same care as if she were the most valuable person in the world, and then he looked away.
At the end of his gaze, as if following a natural order, the image of Blair appeared.
Wearing the navy blue dress that matched hers, Blair stood out anywhere in the ballroom.
Not only in his eyes, but surely in the eyes of others as well.
Mine.
My wife.
But that's only until this contract ends.
Herdin, looking at Blair's slender waist, smiled wryly.
As if it were her salvation, she faithfully took the birth control pill, so there would be no danger of her belly becoming swollen.
At least, it wouldn't be his.
…Unless it was from someone else.
When his thoughts inadvertently reached there, he felt his blood run cold.
Just imagining it.
Erasing that unpleasant image, he looked for Blair again, but in that brief moment she had disappeared, and another person attracted his attention.
Wesley Baldwin.
The same one who had been bothering Blair at Katrina's birthday banquet.
<…What is that guy doing here?>
The invitations had been selected and sent by Blair.
Surely she wouldn't have invited him just for fun, it would be a formal invitation.
Because if he invited all the other high-ranking noble families, it would look bad not to invite the Marquis of Baldwin's family, and besides, the Baldwin family was not the only one with Wesley.
The day after the unpleasant rumor spread, his father, the Marquess of Baldwin, had come to see him in person to apologize.
But the idiot who couldn't correct his ways had sneaked in shamelessly.
Besides, Blair wasn't in the ballroom now.
Maybe Blair, drunk, was in the arms of some idiot again.
Maybe he was giving that idiot his adorable drunken behavior.
Then I would want to kill him.
Before that happened, he needed to find her and have her in front of him to calm himself.
Herdin left the ballroom and began searching the balconies and empty rooms.
As the ball had not yet ended, he did not believe that she, as hostess, had returned to her bedroom.
After finding several pairs of lovers in full romance, Herdin finally found Blair on a secluded balcony.
Luckily, I was alone.
Knock, knock.
Herdin knocked on the glass that overlooked the balcony.
Blair, who was looking at the garden, heard the noise and turned around.
Herdin entered the balcony.
—What are you doing here?
—I was getting rid of my drunkenness.
—And that then?
Herdin glanced at the wine glass Blair was holding.
Blair, only then aware that his response might seem contradictory, justified himself:
—This is water.
It was true, it was almost colorless for a white wine.
—How prudent of you.
It wouldn't be good to give that image in front of the guests.
Herdin emphasized “that image” on purpose.
Then, matter-of-factly, he took the glass from Blair and brought it to his lips.
Where her lips had been, there was a faint aroma of wine.
It tasted like sugar water.
Since Blair didn't have the composure to talk brazenly about her own shame, she changed the subject.
—Were you looking for me?
-Yeah.
—Who was looking for me?
She naturally excluded him from the reason he was looking for her.
It bothered Herdin, but since it was the day of the dance and it was understandable, he decided to excuse it.
-No.
It's just that I wanted to tell you something.
Blair's gaze, looking up at him, asked him what it was.
He liked seeing himself reflected in her big violet eyes.
Herdin stared at her and opened his mouth.
—You have worked hard today.
At the unexpected compliment, Blair's eyes blinked.
I had thought that I didn't need anyone's recognition for this dance.
He had not given much importance to the compliments of the ladies and young ladies.
Because she was satisfied, that was enough.
But the moment he heard that sincere, yet simple, compliment coming from her lips, his heart skipped a beat.
And at the same time, he realized.
Suddenly, she felt bitter.
It was his praise, which I had not heard in the past.
The Blair of the past life, on this same balcony, had overheard the vassals criticizing her and had collapsed.
Afterwards, he had returned to the ballroom as if fleeing, and he did not remember how the night had ended.
She had dismissed the guests pretending that nothing was happening, she had gone up to her bedroom, and Herdin, without saying anything, had hugged her as always.
It was normal.
She had only done what she had to do as a lady, and he didn't know what she had heard.
But if that day, at that moment, I had heard these words from you...
<…everything would have been fine.>
His words now were the ones the Blair of the past had wanted so badly to hear.
The compliment, received late, was more bitter than sweet.
-Thank you.
Blair responded softly and took her glass from his hands again.
As he did so, the tips of his fingers touched.
—No hiccups today.
—Of course, because I'm not drunk today.
The cup Blair moved away from her lips after moistening them was empty.
Her bright red, moist little lips shone in the moonlight.
Seeing them, Herdin's gaze darkened.
At that moment, their eyes met.
A burning thirst burned through him like a flame.
Herdin took her face in his hands and pressed their lips together.
Blair, startled, clutched the glass to keep from dropping it.
Herdin snatched it away and parted his lips.
Blair stared at him dumbfounded.
His gaze, stopped a hand's breadth from hers, longed for her.
He wanted her.
Although she feared his desire, which stirred as if it would devour her at any moment, for some reason she did not want to push it away.
Or maybe...
Finding no answer to her feelings, Blair dropped the glass she was holding.
His hand, as if he had been waiting for her, took it, and shortly afterward their lips met again.
Their hot breath intermingled deeply, changing the angle.
Not knowing that there was a shadow watching them.
…To be continued