Chapter 104: Our Eyes Met
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: Our Eyes Met
After dinner, Blair returned to her room and opened the window, letting in the faint, crackling sound of fireworks.
The noise was coming from the Summer Night Festival, which was now in full swing in the plaza. Every year, the residents of the Imperial Capital held their own celebration to enjoy the cool of the evening rather than the sweltering heat of the day.
Blair was curious, but in her current situation—where she had to keep a low profile—going out to see it was out of the question. Instead, she had to satisfy her craving with festival snacks bought by the kind old woman, who had taken pity on her. "An expectant mother needs to eat well," she had insisted.
"At least it's cool now that night has fallen."
Blair sat by the window, enjoying the pleasant night breeze. It felt like a waste to go straight to sleep.
Then, suddenly remembering something, she pulled a map from her bundle. It was one of the few belongings she had managed to bring from the Ducal Mansion. Traveling across the entire continent had been a dream of hers since she was a child, back when she knew nothing of the world. As she grew older, she realized a noblewoman could never travel so freely and had resigned herself to reality. Still, a small part of her had never let go of that desire.
But now that she had cast aside her noble status, she was one step closer to making that dream come true.
'If I head to the eastern coast, maybe I can even visit other continents.'
She had read that the people of the Southern Continent had healthy, sun-kissed skin, while those on the Eastern Continent possessed mysterious black hair and eyes as dark as obsidian. The descriptions of their appearance, culture, and languages in her geography books had always sparked her curiosity.
Now, the thought of actually meeting them and traveling to the lands they inhabited was no longer a pipe dream. Her heart fluttered with anticipation.
Of course, it was a dream that would have to wait until after Asiel was born and had grown a bit.
"...I slept so much during the day, yet I'm sleepy again."
Blinking her heavy eyelids as she stared at the map, Blair finally succumbed to the mounting drowsiness and lay down on the bed.
How much time had passed?
"...ady."
A familiar voice cut through her deep sleep, and Blair struggled to open her eyes.
"My Lady!"
The world was still shrouded in pitch-black darkness. The first thing she saw through the gloom was Mikhail's face as he urgently shook her awake.
Blair rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked up at him, bewildered. "What is it at this hour?"
"We have to leave this place immediately."
"Leave? What do you mean so suddenly...?"
"The Duke's knights are searching every single private residence in the Imperial Capital."
"...What?"
Blair's eyes widened in shock. The citizens of the Imperial Capital were the Emperor's subjects, living under his direct protection. Searching a few select homes suspected of a crime was one thing, but conducting a sweeping search of random civilian households was unprecedented—unless they were hunting high-treason criminals.
Yet now, the Knights of Delmark were doing exactly that.
In other words, no matter how powerful Herdin was, this was a massive abuse of his authority.
As Blair stood frozen, dumbfounded by a level of relentless pursuit that defied all imagination, Mikhail brought over her robe.
"The Duke's knights will be here soon. We must slip away before they arrive."
Snapping out of her daze, Blair quickly dressed. Since she had few belongings and Mikhail had already packed them, they were ready in no time.
When they descended to the ground floor, the old woman, who had been keeping watch by the window, hurried over.
"Safe travels. Don't push yourself too hard, and don't skip meals just because you're in a hurry. Growing a baby in your belly is hard work; you need to keep your strength up."
"...Thank you."
"And you, young man, take good care of yourself too. The moment you have a wife and child, your body isn't just your own anymore. You understand?"
At the old woman's words, a brief, awkward silence fell between Mikhail and Blair. For the woman's own safety, they had agreed not to reveal the truth, so they couldn't correct her. But explaining that the baby belonged to another man would only make things incredibly awkward. There was simply no way to clear up the misunderstanding.
Mikhail glanced at Blair's expression before offering a gentle smile and nodding. "I will. Thank you for your hospitality, Madam."
After bidding the old woman farewell, the two slipped out through the back door.
The rhythmic clatter of hooves echoed through the dark, quiet streets. It was undoubtedly the Knights of Delmark. Hearing the noise in the distance, Blair pulled her hood down even lower, ensuring not a single strand of hair was visible.
"Pii?"
"Shh, Pippi. You have to be quiet now," Blair whispered, calming the creature squirming in her bag. Fortunately, the clever animal seemed to understand its owner's warning and quieted down, only shifting occasionally.
Blair kept close behind Mikhail. "Every route is blocked," she whispered. "Is there any way we can escape?"
"...There is one place they are likely to have overlooked."
"Where is that?"
"We're heading to the ferry dock on the Maha River."
Mikhail took the lead as he spoke. One of the customs of the Summer Night Festival was to release sky lanterns and make wishes along the banks of the Maha River, which bisected the capital. Tonight, the riverbank would be crowded with people releasing lanterns and boatmen offering rides for a fee.
While the Knights of Delmark were blocking every land route out of the Imperial Capital, they likely hadn't considered an escape by water. Especially on a festival night with such a massive crowd, tracking someone on the river would be nearly impossible.
It wasn't a guarantee, but for now, it was their only hope.
*
"Here is the coffee you ordered, sir."
The cafe server carefully set the cup down in front of the customer, who radiated a chilling aura of hostility. The server's hand trembled, causing coffee to slosh over the rim and wet the saucer. He hurriedly wiped it with a napkin, relieved that the man's gaze remained fixed on the plaza outside.
Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, the server practically fled the table.
As Herdin lifted his cup, his eyes still locked on the bustling plaza, Ruth entered the cafe. Spotting him instantly, Ruth made his way over.
Sliding into the opposite seat, Ruth anticipated his lord's question and immediately began his report. "Because of the festival, many houses are empty, which seems to be slowing down the search. However, we've locked down all exits and are tightening the perimeter. Finding the Madam is only a matter of time."
Ruth stole a glance at Herdin as he spoke. His lord was scanning the crowds so intently that Ruth wondered if he had even heard a single word. He looked like a predator stalking its prey.
Swallowing a sigh, Ruth asked cautiously, "My Lord, why don't you head back and get some rest?"
Herdin had barely slept for three days, surviving solely on coffee and cigars. He looked fine on the outside, but going without sleep for that long would take a toll on any human. No matter how robust his constitution, he was pushing his limits. At first, Ruth had grumbled to himself about how terrifyingly intense their marital dispute was, but now he was genuinely worried Herdin might collapse.
But Herdin simply drained his cup and stood, ignoring Ruth's concern. "You go back and rest."
As he threw his robe over his shoulders and stepped out of the cafe, his blue eyes gleamed with a sharp, intense light.
*
Despite the late hour, the festival plaza was packed with people. Blair hurried to keep pace, determined not to lose sight of Mikhail in the surging crowd.
'On a festival night when everyone is gathered in one place, traveling through secluded alleys would draw more suspicion. It's better to blend in.'
For that reason, Mikhail had chosen to cut through the heart of the festival. But while the crowd provided excellent cover, pushing through the dense throng was no easy feat, especially for someone of Blair's small and delicate frame.
Watching her get jostled by passersby, Mikhail finally stepped closer. "My Lady, forgive me."
He extended a firm arm to shield her shoulders from the crowd, careful not to touch her. Startled by the sudden proximity, which made it look as though she were nestled in his embrace, Blair flinched.
"Forgive my presumption," Mikhail whispered softly. "It will only be for a moment."
With that, he began to guide her through the crowd. Shielded by his broad frame, she was no longer bumped and shoved, and walking became much easier.
They had just managed to break through the densest part of the crowd and step into a slightly quieter area when it happened. From the adjacent plaza, a series of fireworks suddenly shot into the sky. It seemed to be the moment everyone was waiting for.
Blair instinctively looked up at the brilliant bursts of light. The colorful explosions reflected beautifully in her violet eyes.
'That, too, is a form of fire, yet it can be so beautiful…'
The moment the thought crossed her mind, a certain face flashed before her eyes. The man who had fed her roasted marshmallows, who had plunged into a raging inferno to rescue her, who had shown her that fire could be beautiful… her husband.
Trying to suppress the sudden rush of emotion, Blair tore her eyes from the fireworks and looked down.
At that exact moment, her eyes met—
With his, staring back at her from across the massive crowd with a gaze that was chillingly, terrifyingly cold.