Chapter 105: Not Alone
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 105: Not Alone
The moment their gazes met, Herdin saw Blair’s eyes tremble. He saw the fear that filled them.
"……Blair."
The clamor of the crowd faded away. In that instant, Herdin saw only her, as if they were the only two people left in the world.
Their private world was shattered by the arm of a man in a hooded robe.
The man, his face hidden, wrapped an arm around Blair’s shoulders. She stood frozen for a moment, staring blankly at Herdin, before turning her gaze toward her rescuer.
She was running from him again.
Realizing this, Herdin gritted his teeth and lunged forward.
At that moment—
"Whoa, watch out!"
A carriage suddenly cut him off. Through the gap, he saw Blair’s retreating figure growing smaller, more distant.
Without hesitation, Herdin conjured a magical foothold in mid-air and vaulted lightly over the carriage.
"D-did you see that?"
"What is he? A mage?"
Gasps and murmurs rose from the crowd, but the sounds didn't reach him.
He continued to conjure footholds, striding through the air above the onlookers' heads as he chased the spot where Blair had vanished.
But by the time he landed, she was already gone. Herdin's lips curled into a snarl as he scanned the area.
Their eyes had definitely met.
Yet she had turned away. She had turned away, practically cradled in the arms of another man, right before his eyes.
Herdin gritted his teeth, the image of her vanishing seared into his mind. His fists clenched so tightly the veins bulged on the back of his hands.
He knew exactly what her turning away meant, but he shoved the truth aside and gave chase anyway.
Her feelings hadn't mattered since the moment he’d swapped out her contraceptive pills.
It doesn't matter why. It doesn't matter how you feel. You will be by my side.
To him, that was all that mattered.
"Your Grace!"
Ruth, who had followed him from the cafe, finally caught up, breathless from the chase.
Herdin barked an order.
"She's nearby. Find her."
* * *
Just as Mikhail predicted, the banks of the Maha River were teeming with people enjoying a summer night of boating.
Countless sky lanterns floated up on the cool river breeze, illuminating the night in a beautiful display, but Blair was in no state to appreciate the scenery.
Mikhail helped Blair lie down in the narrow space beneath the floorboards of a rowboat.
"It will be uncomfortable, but please bear with it for a little while."
With that, he draped a black cloth over Blair and her bag, which held Pippi. Then, an assistant from Baroness Sionel's boutique, who was part of the plan, sat on the floorboards above her.
The assistant had been waiting for them by the riverbank with the rowboat, just as Mikhail had arranged.
Mikhail disguised himself as the boatman, while the assistant posed as a customer enjoying a summer night's excursion.
Mikhail hated making Blair lie on the hard bottom of the boat, but her face was too well-known. Exposing her was a risk they couldn't afford. Fortunately, the night air kept it from being too hot.
Soon, the rowboat glided smoothly onto the river.
"Pee? Pee-ee!"
"I'm sorry, Pippi. For making you go through this."
Sensing Pippi squirming inside the bag, Blair whispered an apology, gently coaxing the creature to be still. After twitching its nose and sniffing the air for a moment, the little creature quieted down.
Blair looked up at the sky through the gaps in the black cloth. The sight of countless sky lanterns embroidering the darkness was beautiful.
Now that the immediate danger had passed, the image of Herdin's face flooded her mind.
Amidst the chaos, her eyes had found him first. It was instinct.
Her heart had plummeted at the realization, and in that same instant, Mikhail had wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her away.
That was how she had barely managed to escape.
Please, she prayed, let me never cross paths with him again.
Just as she was making her wish, watching the lanterns decorate the night, a commotion erupted along the riverbank.
It was the Delmark Knights.
They began searching the people gathered by the river, one by one.
At their center stood Herdin, radiating a chilling aura of bloodlust that cut through the darkness.
At the sight of him, Blair quickly pulled the cloth over her face and held her breath, even though she knew he couldn't possibly hear her from so far away.
Thump, thump. Anxiety flooded her, and her heart began to race. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Mikhail's rowing seemed to slow.
Meanwhile, Herdin stepped onto the nearest bridge that crossed the river, the knights following close behind him.
Just as he reached the center, Mikhail's rowboat approached from underneath. Turning back now would only arouse suspicion.
As the rowboat passed leisurely under the bridge, Herdin's gaze fell upon it.
Mikhail turned his head as if scanning the riverbank, subtly avoiding the Duke's stare.
A moment that felt agonizingly long stretched between them.
Herdin stared blankly at the boat as it drifted over the dark water. Then, he swept his bangs back with a rough motion and turned to the Knight Commander beside him.
"Search everywhere. Check everyone getting off the boats as well."
His low, deep voice, laced with weary frustration, pierced the night and reached Blair's ears.
Soon, his footsteps began to fade.
Blair remained motionless beneath the black cloth, listening to the sound recede until not a single trace of him remained.
* * *
Mikhail's boat came to a stop in the forest on the opposite bank of the Maha River.
Once they crossed the forest, they would be outside the Imperial Capital. Beyond that, a carriage Mikhail had prepared was waiting.
"Be careful."
Blair stepped off the rowboat with Mikhail's assistance.
The assistant from Baroness Sionel's boutique—one of Mikhail's subordinates—bid them farewell.
"I wish you both a safe journey."
"Thank you for everything."
As the woman boarded the rowboat to return, Blair followed Mikhail into the forest.
Although the moon was bright, the unpaved forest path was difficult to navigate, especially for a pregnant woman.
Noticing her struggle, Mikhail offered his hand.
"I apologize for leading you down such a rough path. If you don't mind, please take my hand."
Blair instinctively reached out, then paused.
Once she left the Imperial Capital, she would truly be on her own. She could no longer take anyone's help for granted. From now on, she would have to overcome every obstacle with her own strength.
Blair shook her head.
"Thank you for the offer, but I can manage. Please don't worry about me. Just lead the way."
True to her word, Blair accepted no help from Mikhail until they had cleared the forest.
After a long walk, the two finally reached the other side. A carriage Mikhail had arranged was waiting for them there.
After loading Blair's luggage, Mikhail closed the carriage door.
"I have some things to discuss with the driver, so I'll ride up front," he said. "Please make yourself comfortable inside. Let me know if you need anything."
Blair smiled, realizing he was giving her some space to rest.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Mikhail climbed onto the driver's seat, and the carriage soon set off.
Blair leaned her weary body against the cushions and looked out the window.
Before she knew it, the first light of dawn was breaking over the distant mountain ridges.
She had finally left the Imperial Capital.
She was excited at the thought of a new world, but also afraid. And beneath it all, a trace of bitterness lingered.
I once dreamed of traveling the world with Herdin.
It had been a sweet, youthful fantasy. She had imagined that someone as strong as him could protect her from any terror they might encounter in the unknown.
But he was the one who had crushed that dream and locked her away. Now, she was stepping into that world all alone.
"All alone..."
Blair murmured the word, a pang of loneliness striking her. Then she paused, remembering something she'd forgotten.
No, I'm not alone.
Habitually, she caressed her still-flat stomach. A gentle smile touched Blair's lips.
Asiel was with her now.
And Pippi, who was sleeping peacefully inside her bag.
She was responsible for two other lives. The weight of that small but profound responsibility steeled her heart.
I can do this, she thought. No... we could do this. We would live well.
The morning sunlight began to seep through the window, bathing her in its warm glow.
* * *
"Haaah."
Lina breathed onto the windowpane, wiping the condensation away with a squeak of her cloth.
Through the clean glass, she could see the grounds of the Delmark Ducal Mansion. Beneath a clear sky, the trees were ablaze in vibrant shades of red and gold.
Autumn was in full swing.
The sight made Lina's expression turn melancholy.
This time last year, we were preparing for the Madam's wedding...
Two months had passed since Blair disappeared.
She had hoped that once Blair settled somewhere safe, she might send a secret letter, but two months had passed without a word.
The weather is getting colder, she thought with a sigh. I hope she's somewhere warm and safe.
As Lina was lost in her melancholy thoughts, a small, clear bell began to toll from the mansion's main entrance.
It was the bell announcing Herdin's return.