Herdin left Mason behind and headed to Blair's bedroom.
"She'll be very angry, I suppose."
Dealing with her when she was angry was emotionally draining.
Despite his fragile appearance, as if he would break with a tap, his stubbornness was not easily broken.
If only this time he would listen obediently.
A languid sigh escaped between his teeth as he took off his leather gloves and stuffed them into his pocket.
Arriving in front of the door of the room, Herdin knocked and entered directly.
He passed through the living room and entered the bedroom.
He saw Blair's back, who was looking at the landscape of the backyard from the balcony.
That image seemed to reflect his desire to go outside, turning out to be quite pitiful.
Herdin came up behind her and tapped lightly on the glass balcony door.
Then, Blair turned to him.
As expected, her beautiful eyes were filled with resentment.
It was no use pretending not to know.
Herdin spoke first.
—I heard you wanted to go out.
Where were you planning to go?
But instead of an answer, he received a reproachful question.
—…Why are you locking me up?
Confinement.
Although he disliked having that name given to what he did to protect her, he decided not to correct her.
From his point of view, it could well be interpreted that way.
Herdin responded in his usual tone.
—I have taken measures to protect her.
—There are many other ways to do it other than this.
Like assigning me knights, or prohibiting me from going to certain dangerous places.
—Because that's not enough.
If he could, he would like to have her all day where his gaze could reach her, in his arms.
But since that was impossible in practice, he had opted for the second best option.
Leave her in the place he considered safest.
But Blair didn't seem to see it that way.
—So, you want me to not go anywhere all day, to stay quietly locked in this bedroom waiting only for you?
—This is a measure to protect you, and you also like to do it with me.
Is it so unpleasant to you?
There wasn't even a hint of mockery in his tone as he said that, which infuriated Blair even more.
He really thought, truly, that there was no problem in locking her up under the pretext of protecting her.
His face, which I thought was already familiar, suddenly became strange.
The fact that her conviction that she knew him well after having lived as his wife for two lives was mere arrogance on her part hit her hard at that moment.
"I'm not your lover." Don't talk to me that way.
After a long while of moving her trembling lips, what Blair barely managed to say was that.
Herdin scoffed.
—From the beginning, you were the one who said you wanted that kind of relationship.
—…
—Give your body the way I want, regardless of your will.
She had also called him a lust-crazed guy with his innocent face, and had stabbed him.
He had only become that guy because she had wanted him that way, and all he got in return was a look of contempt?
Why were you the one who looked the most hurt?
—…There was no clause prohibiting departures.
Let me out.
—Go out to do what?
—…
—Do you want to be kidnapped again and thus give a new reason for the rumors?
At his sarcasm, Blair's eyes twisted painfully.
Herdin watched her, on the verge of crying, and rubbed his forehead as he let out a sigh.
It didn't do him any good to make Blair cry right there.
He didn't even have time to be with her, and he didn't want to continue arguing.
He also didn't want to forcibly hug her if she rejected him.
After a moment's thought, Herdin changed tactics.
He walked over to Blair, who was shaking pitifully, and hugged her.
-I don't want to.
Blair pushed him away from his embrace, but Herdin grabbed her hand and easily subdued her.
Blair then turned her head to avoid his approaching lips.
Herdin grabbed her chin to force her to look at him and whispered in a much softer voice.
—Half a month.
At that unexpected word that left her lips, Blair's eyes blinked with a strange gleam.
Herdin continued as if responding to that.
—If the Foundation Festival goes smoothly in half a month, I will allow you to leave.
If he calmed her down properly by mentioning a date that would soon become invalid, his innocent and good wife would wait, blindly believing his word.
This would make it easier for you to achieve your goal.
Herdin finally leaned toward Blair, who had stopped resisting, and attached his lips to hers.
Blair's eyes, which had blinked slowly for a moment, finally closed in resignation.
⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅
Herdin, who had not left his side for some time, had lately left the mansion every morning, perhaps because he could no longer postpone his affairs.
Even so, when he returned, he did not fail to hug her throughout the night.
He again vividly felt his superhuman stamina.
«Half a month…»
Blair, who had been left alone in the bathtub cuddling her exhausted body, ruminated on the deadline he had given her the day before.
Although she had pretended to accept the proposal because she couldn't defeat him with her own strength anyway, she was actually anxious.
Blair gently caressed her lower abdomen and fell into thought.
"What do I do if nausea starts in the meantime?"
It would be difficult to deceive not only Herdin, but also Lina and Melly, who were caring for her closely, for a long time.
After hesitating for a moment, Blair let out a sigh and stood up.
It was a problem without a solution no matter how much I thought about it.
When she got out of the bathtub, Melly, who was waiting outside, came in, dried her off, and put her robe on.
—The food is prepared in the room, as ordered.
-Thank you.
The two left the bathroom and went directly to the bedroom.
As they passed through the living room and entered the bedroom, Blair's eyes began to flutter violently as she smelled the soup and tasty bread.
"I'm nauseous..."
Although it could be considered a simple lack of appetite, Blair, who had already lived her past life, knew exactly what that symptom meant.
This was morning sickness.
…To be continued