Although she had accepted Blair's proposal and gotten married, he still couldn't trust her.
<…Well, it doesn't matter.>
Whatever his goal was, it was already in his hands, and as long as it was in his hands, he just had to use it to the fullest to extract the truth.
Ruth, who was watching Herdin deep in thought, asked carefully.
—But are you really not going to go to the bedroom?
Herdin suddenly remembered the face of the woman who had been at his side all day like an emotionless doll.
A cold aura settled in his blue eyes as he remembered that pale face.
Either way, she will be exhausted and fast asleep.
It must have been an exhausting day for that fragile woman.
And above all, in a contract marriage, isn't a ritual like the wedding night unnecessary?
Surely she would think the same.
Upon reaching that point, he suddenly changed his mind.
Herdin, who had been thoughtfully stroking the corner of his mouth, stood up.
—Are you leaving?
To Ruth's question, Herdin responded naturally.
—Suddenly I became curious.
What expression would that woman make like a doll when faced with her husband's unwanted visit.
⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅
Herdin knocked on the door and entered Blair's bedroom.
Contrary to what he expected, that she was surprised by his visit or that she was sleeping, Blair was sitting at the table absorbed in something.
Without even noticing your visit.
Observing her in passing, she seemed to be writing something.
<…It's small.>
As he always felt when he saw her, from a distance her figure seemed small again.
The sound of a dry cough that could be heard from time to time made her seem even smaller.
Despite it being a cold winter, the fire in the fireplace was almost out.
The white snow accumulated on the other side of the window, the cool room, and the snow-white woman in that landscape.
Herdin thought the nickname snow nymph suited her quite well as he approached Blair from behind.
Until that moment, Blair, absorbed in writing the document, had not noticed its presence.
Herdin leaned his torso on his small back, leaned on the desk and looked at what he was writing.
Only then, sensing the presence, did Blair startle and raise her head.
As a result, his head collided with Herdin's firm chest.
—Ah.
At the same time, his cold blue eyes looking at her from above and her violet eyes looking at him from below met.
—Why are you making that surprised face?
Today is the wedding night, it is natural that the couple spends the night together.
—…I didn't expect him to come.
"And yet you've been waiting up until now?"
At his words that hit home, Blair pursed her lips.
—I was just waiting just in case.
Duke… no, if you had come, it was not polite to be sleeping.
Herdin's gaze became more intense at the familiarity and the 'you' that escaped Blair's lips.
-What is this?
He asked as he discovered the paper Blair was writing.
Blair was quick to add an explanation.
—It's the contract.
Since it is a contract after all, I thought it would be good to put it in writing.
—"Clause 1.
The contracting party Blair Sonnet von Ardel will cooperate with the utmost diligence to clarify the truth of the fire at the Empress's Palace.
The duration of the contract is one year, but regardless of the term, this marriage contract will end at the moment when the truth of the case is clarified.
Responsibility for the truth will be governed by imperial law."
His deep, languid voice echoed in the silent room.
—"Clause 2.
During the term of this contract, both parties must respect each other as spouses.
The 'respect' mentioned here refers to fulfilling marital responsibilities taking into account the honor of the other.
Such as sharing a meal at least once a week or attending banquets and important events together."
While listening to the clauses of the contract, Blair felt like modifying the contract belatedly.
Although the current Herdin could not know with what feeling she had written that clause...
At this point, Blair smiled bitterly and opened her mouth.
—If you need to adjust something, tell me with confidence.
It is a contract that I have drafted myself arbitrarily, so I will modify it to reflect your opinion.
At this moment, Herdin, who was reading the contract, asked:
—What will happen if what is stipulated in the contract is not fulfilled?
At his question, Blair was left speechless.
I had thought about adjusting the content of the contract, but never in the event that it was breached.
Blair thought for a moment, then opened her mouth solemnly.
—If the content of the contract is not fulfilled…
—What?
—I will not divorce you.
Since it was a forced marriage by imperial order, for him the terrible thing would be if this marriage continued indefinitely.
Plus, he held a grudge against her.
—Uh-huh.
But even in the face of Blair's dire threat, he showed no signs of being intimidated.
Rather, was it his impression or did he seem to be teasing a little?
—”For the above reasons, if the other party desires cohabitation, they must comply with their marital duty by agreeing a maximum of twice a month…”
Herdin's gaze moved from the contract to Blair.
He put the contract on the table and opened his mouth.
—I assume that when His Highness says 'cohabitation' he does not mean that two adults only hold hands to sleep.
Blair seemed a little taken aback by his mocking words, but she didn't refute them.
So it meant that the meaning he imagined was correct.
—Does he offer to be the lover who warms the bed?
…Did it have to come to this point?
At this point, he became curious.
What was this woman's 'true' purpose for maintaining this contract marriage even at the cost of giving up her body.
So he provoked her on purpose.
And as was his intention, Blair fell for the provocation and became upset.
—Don't say it that way!
I just…!
-Only?
Blair, who was going to reply to his words, could not continue and hesitated.
This clause was the most important to Blair, created to be used when the time came to conceive Aziel.
But I couldn't tell him the truth.
He couldn't tell him a story as incredible as that he had gone back in time, and above all, he shouldn't know about Aziel's existence.
If he found out, would he leave Aziel alone?
To elevate the son he had with Miela as his successor, perhaps he would try to eliminate the existence of Aziel, who would be a hindrance.
That couldn't happen under any circumstances.
Blair's plan was to resolve all issues related to him before conceiving Aziel, divorce before he noticed the pregnancy, and leave the empire.
In the end, Blair improvised a plausible lie.
—It's just...
I want to get along with you, at least during this time...
Herdin mocked Blair, who hid her true intentions until the end.
—Get along, he says.
How could you and I get along?
Because of a word from your mother, because of a statement from you, my late aunt was buried dishonorably without being able to defend herself.
And I had to accept it without even knowing what the truth was.
He didn't know what her goal was, but seeing that she was willing to give up her body, she seemed quite desperate.
He found that attitude comical.
You ignored my desperation, and now you come with yours.
Let it only be me who receives from you, well...
I feel like I would lose out.
If the most valuable thing she possesses is her purity, she should take at least that.
To make it a fair deal.
Herdin stood up and approached Blair.
In an instant, the distance shortened drastically, and Blair held her breath.
He was right under their noses.
At a distance where his breath would brush against her if she exhaled.
—Then, according to this clause, we will have to fulfill the marital duty.
Blair shivered at his hand caressing her cheek and his low voice echoing in her ear.
But what surprised her most was what he said.
It hadn't occurred to him that he would use this clause first.
Although he had created the clause, he no longer needed to pretend that he loved her.
For Blair, who thought he wouldn't even come to the bedroom, it was a rather disconcerting situation.
—It is not necessary that we necessarily spend the wedding night…
—I want.
His softly whispering gaze was fixed on her red lips.
The hand holding her cheek caressed those lips with its thumb.
With the warmth he felt on his fingertips, his heart began to pound.
At that moment, Herdin, who was looking at Blair's lips, looked up and their eyes met.
-Right now.
Intense raw, unfiltered desire burned in his blue eyes.
Without giving Blair, surprised by pure desire, time to move away, his lips approached and devoured hers.
Blair suddenly remembered that he was a man too.
Yes, this is not love.
Nor is it pretending love for another purpose.
It's just a momentary wish.
Thinking like that made her feel calmer.
If by giving her body she could meet Aziel again, she was willing to give him everything.
Blair calmed her confused mind and closed her eyes in resignation.
Herdin, who had parted her lips and invaded her mouth, sought out her shrunken tongue and tangled with it.
—Mmm…
…To be continued