Which from the beginning was a problem not worth considering.
—There's still dinner left, you can sleep a little more.
Herdin responded like this, kicking the fallen bottle at his feet under the bed, and reaching out to Blair's disheveled hair as he thought.
Rather than let you go, I'd rather become the biggest son of a bitch in the world.
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A day when, by chance, Herdin was absent.
After eating, Blair sat by the sunny window and opened a book, but she couldn't beat the sleepiness that was coming over her and she was nodding off.
—…nora.
He heard a confused voice while he was sleeping, but he couldn't wake up.
Then a careful hand touched his shoulder.
-Lady?
—…Ah.
Only then did Blair wake up with a start.
In front of her was Lina with worried eyes.
—Are you feeling bad?
She seems very tired lately...
—Oh, no.
Maybe I've become lazy from being at home all the time.
Plus, the weather is getting hotter.
Blair hurriedly stopped her, fearing that Lina would call the family doctor.
But his hand slipped stealthily towards her lower abdomen.
The reason for his increasing drowsiness was probably in his belly.
«It has already been more than half a month since the day I conceived Aziel…»
Weeks of pregnancy are counted from the first day of the last menstruation, so it was about time for symptoms to start appearing.
Of course, there was still not much difference from premenstrual symptoms, but Blair, who had the memories of her past life, was almost sure.
But the more certain she was about the pregnancy, the more relieved and, at the same time, the more anxious she felt.
«If I have really conceived Aziel, the nausea will soon begin…»
The deadline Herdin had promised was until the trial was over.
But while the symptoms of pregnancy were slowly beginning to appear, the trial didn't even show any signs of beginning.
Besides, he should have heard from Mijail by now, but he still hadn't heard from him.
She knew there was nothing she could do directly in this situation, but the fact that nothing was being resolved or moving forward was starting to make her nervous.
—Madam, would you like to go out after so long?
Blair, who was deep in thought, snapped out of her reverie upon hearing Lina's suggestion.
-Go out?
—The Foundation Festival will be coming soon, right?
Yesterday I passed by the square and the festival was in full swing.
They sell delicious things, there are performances...
Lina's eyes, as she described what she had seen the day before, shone with expectation.
—How about you put on some comfortable clothes and go out with the gentlemen for a while?
Staying alone in the mansion is too overwhelming.
Blair, who thought for a moment after hearing Lina, nodded willingly.
—Yes, let's do that.
It seems like a good idea to me.
He would take the opportunity to get some air and, along the way, through Lina, he could send a message to Mijail so that he would be ready to leave at any moment.
But the two's excited plan fell apart because of a few words from Mason.
—I'm sorry, but I have orders from Your Excellency to prohibit the Lady's outings.
Blair and Lina, who were very excited about the outing after so long, only blinked at the unexpected setback.
Lina, recovering a little later, asked in Blair's place.
—Forbidden to go out?
Because?
—It is a measure to protect the Lady, Lina.
—If that's why, the gentlemen can also go with her.
—Your Excellency has also denied that.
—I have not asked for this protection.
If the person involved does not want it, how is this different from a confinement?
The Lady is not a criminal.
Even in the face of Lina's somewhat insolent words, Mason did not get angry or reprimand her.
—The members of House Delmark simply obey when he orders.
He only replied with his usual monotone and cold tone of voice.
—And you are also now a member of House Delmark, Lina.
His face when he said that was that of the strict butler who perfectly controlled everything in that mansion.
Although it was not much different from his usual appearance, for some reason it seemed strange to him.
-I…!
Blair stopped Lina, who was trying to reply to Mason's words.
Blair silently shook her head as she looked at Lina, who was staring at her as if she were the most outraged one.
Then, he retreated obediently.
-I understand.
I will speak directly to him.
Blair's lips were firmly pressed together as she turned to go up to her room.
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As soon as he got into the carriage, Herdin abruptly loosened his bowtie.
Perhaps due to the increase in temperatures in recent days, the piece of cloth that pressed against his neck was suffocating.
After loosening his bowtie, his expression hardened when he discovered a letter that had been left on the seat in front of him.
It was the invitation to the Foundation Festival party that Ivan had personally delivered just now when calling him.
"You must definitely attend the Foundation Festival with Blair."
The request that followed was something he already expected.
"We cannot allow these unpleasant rumors to circulate on a day when the entire empire should be thanking the ancestors who defended this land and celebrating and enjoying themselves properly."
«…»
«As you know, the judge in that case was our late father.
"The more the rumors spread, the more I feel that the honor of whoever carried out the trial is being tarnished, and I don't like it."
«…»
«I think it would be good if we attended the Foundation Festival that day and put these false rumors about our relationship to rest once and for all.
What do you think?
»
In short, that was it.
A direct clarification of the rumors would raise more suspicions, so it was best to attend the Foundation Festival party and indirectly prove that the rumors of discord between the imperial family and House Delmark were not true.
Ivan was finally moving the strap he had managed to grab as he pleased.
Although it irritated him greatly, Herdin decided to play along for now.
Ivan wouldn't have that strap in his hands for long anyway.
As soon as he had an excuse to keep Blair at his side, he could get rid of that leash whenever he wanted.
Creating a pretext to retain Blair and clear Esmeralda's name would come later.
To buy that time, he could endure anything for a short period.
The carriage arrived at the ducal mansion almost without him noticing.
The one who greeted him when he got off the carriage was, as always, Mason.
—Welcome, Excellency.
—Has nothing out of the ordinary happened?
Mason, knowing that the "out of the ordinary" Herdin was referring to concerned Blair alone, could not respond immediately and hesitated for a moment.
Although he had prevented Blair's departure by order of his lord, he also thought that Herdin's measure was excessive.
—The Lady wanted to go out.
So I told him that it was not possible.
Herdin, who was entering the mansion, paused for a moment, but it was only a brief moment.
It was something he already expected to come across sooner or later.
"Is he in his room now?"
—Probably yes.
…To be continued