Chapter 113: I've Been Searching for You for a Long Time, My Lady
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: I've Been Searching for You for a Long Time, My Lady
The autumn glow of sunset seeped through the window.
Blair braided her hair into two long braids, listening to the faint murmur of the crowd drifting in from outside.
'Though it's only a wig...'
Once she was dressed, Blair stood before the mirror holding a straw hat. Putting it on as a final touch, she looked the very picture of autumn.
Now, she was fully prepared to enjoy the eve of the Harvest Festival.
When she went down to the first floor, Anna, who had been waiting, gasped in admiration.
"Oh my, if it weren't for the baby, I would have believed you were a young maiden."
"Hmm, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
"I am always sincere. Ask Lord Mikhail when you see him later. I'm sure he'll agree with me."
It was surely flattery, but it still made her smile.
Laughing off Anna's fuss, Blair headed to the town square with her. They were scheduled to meet Mikhail at the fountain to enjoy the festival together.
Yet, despite her excitement, a corner of her heart felt heavy.
The confession Mikhail had made a few days ago kept lingering in her mind.
'I don't expect you to accept my feelings right away. And of course, you can reject me whenever you feel it's not right.'
'...'
'Just... please give me a chance.'
'...'
'Not as a client and a guild master, but a chance to approach you as a man.'
Tonight, she would be attending the masquerade ball in the square with Mikhail.
And if he managed to find her, they would officially begin courting, just as he had asked.
'But...'
She had never imagined another love entering her life. If love was destined to be so painful and agonizing, she had resolved that Herdin would be her first and last.
For the rest of her life, she had planned to live only for Asiel.
'Can someone like me really love another person?'
Unable to find an answer, she arrived at the fountain in the square. She and Anna didn't even need to look around; they spotted Mikhail instantly.
Growing up around men like Ivan and Herdin, Blair hadn't really noticed, but Mikhail was also exceptionally tall.
Combined with his height, his gentle, handsome features made him stand out naturally, even in the dense crowd.
He was a far cry from the intimidating image typically associated with a guild master. To a stranger, he looked more like a gently bred young nobleman.
As Blair and Anna started toward him, Mikhail spotted them first and strode over.
"As expected, it's very crowded. It would be best to avoid the densest parts of the crowd and remain cautious."
Having arrived early to survey the area, Mikhail turned to Anna.
"Anna, could you stay by the Lady's side and keep her safe?"
"Of course. I was already planning to."
Flanked by two reliable companions, Blair set off to explore the festival.
Before long, the sun dipped below the horizon. As darkness fell, the shops began lighting their lamps one by one, and the soft, warm glow of the lanterns heightened the festive atmosphere.
Shops displayed a variety of goods, from masks for the masquerade ball to children's toys, while street vendors sold an abundance of food. It was a bountiful scene, fitting for an autumn harvest festival.
'The atmosphere is similar to the cherry blossom festival, yet strangely different.'
As she absentmindedly reminisced about the first festival she had ever attended half a year ago, a certain face naturally came to mind, making her pause. Along with it came the memory of the warmth of a large hand holding hers tightly so she wouldn't get lost.
Just as she was trying to shake off the unbidden memory, a familiar scent wafted past, tickling her nose.
'This scent...'
Following the aroma, she turned her head and spotted a stall selling cream puffs.
At that moment, the memory of the sweet cream puffs she had eaten under the cherry blossoms rushed back, causing her heart to skip a beat.
Memories are truly terrifying things.
Once engraved, they cannot be erased at will. The moment you let your guard down, they burst forth as if they had been waiting for that very opportunity.
As Blair wore a bittersweet smile at the sudden memory, Mikhail noticed where her gaze had landed and immediately stepped forward.
"I'll go buy some. Please wait here."
He seemed to have misunderstood, thinking she wanted to eat them.
"No, it's fine—"
Blair tried to stop him, but he had already headed for the stall. It was his way of being considerate, ensuring that a pregnant woman wouldn't get jostled by the crowd.
Watching him go, Anna whispered, "When he does things like this, he really seems like a sweet and attentive person."
"Is he not usually?"
"Of course he's a good person, but as for sweet and attentive... I'm not so sure."
While they were talking, Blair noticed the street vendor watching them.
Looking back and forth between Blair and Mikhail, the vendor slipped an extra cream puff into the paper bag and spoke cheerfully.
"Here, this one is for the baby in your belly. And this one is for the father, so he can eat well and take good care of the mother."
Unlike Blair, who was flustered by the misunderstanding, Mikhail simply smiled as if he were used to it and accepted the bag.
Striding back to them with the cream puffs, Mikhail offered one to Blair first.
"Here, have some."
"Thank you. It must have been a hassle."
"Not at all. I happen to have a sweet tooth as well."
As if to prove it, Mikhail quickly devoured one of the cream puffs.
After handing one to Anna, Blair took a large bite of her own. The rich sweetness brought a dimpled smile to her face.
Seeing this, Mikhail chuckled softly.
"It's good to see you enjoying it."
His fingertips lightly brushed away the crumbs on her cheek.
Flustered by his touch, Blair quickly held out the bag. Mikhail didn't refuse and took another cream puff.
Whether he truly liked them or not, she couldn't be sure. But one thing was certain: he was someone who could share and enjoy the things she liked with her.
Unlike Herdin, who had always just quietly watched her eat.
"Oh, look, they're putting on a play over there. Shall we go watch?" Anna suggested, looking around.
It was her first time watching a street performance rather than a play in a theater, and her curiosity was piqued.
But as Blair readily nodded in agreement, she noticed Mikhail's strange reaction.
"Mikhail?"
"...Ah."
Mikhail, who had been staring down the street with unusually cold eyes, finally looked back at her.
"My apologies. The crowd has me on edge."
With that, Mikhail led them toward the bustling street performance. Yet, his eyes remained sharp as he continued to scan their surroundings.
'Was the gaze I felt earlier... just my imagination?'
But given the previous kidnapping attempt, it was better to be safe than sorry.
The play was based on the legend of Nerha and Loen, the origin of tonight's masquerade ball.
Blair couldn't take her eyes off the performance. Whenever a funny scene played out, she would turn to Mikhail and Anna with a bright laugh.
Seeing her like that, Mikhail let down his guard and smiled along. She had seemed awkwardly cautious around him since his confession, so seeing her forget her worries and enjoy herself was incredibly endearing.
Before long, the play concluded to enthusiastic applause.
Just then, a bell tolled in the distance, signaling that the masquerade ball would begin in thirty minutes.
Hearing the bell, Anna looked at Blair and Mikhail and gasped dramatically.
"Oh my, I just remembered! I think they said it would rain tonight, and I left my laundry hanging on the line."
"Rain? But the sky looks perfectly clear..."
"I'll head back first. Take your time and enjoy the rest of the festival!"
By the time Blair realized Anna was trying to give her and Mikhail some privacy, she had already vanished into the crowd.
Realizing she was suddenly alone with Mikhail, Blair froze.
She had thought she came to the festival without an answer, but in truth, her answer had been decided long ago. She had only been putting it off because she felt guilty rejecting the feelings of someone who had been so kind to her.
The moment she bit into the cream puff that held the memories of spring, she was forced to face her true feelings.
She couldn't lead Mikhail on. To not reject him clearly would be nothing short of deception.
"Mikhail."
Having finally made up her mind, Blair looked up at him.
But his gaze was fixed not on her, but on the far side of the square, his eyes colder than she had ever seen them.
"...My Lady. I apologize, but something has come up that I must look into. I need to step away for a moment."
"Pardon?"
"I will return before the masquerade ball begins. Could you wait here for just a moment?"
His tone was so solemn that Blair nodded in spite of herself. With her consent, Mikhail vanished into the crowd across the square.
Left alone in front of the fountain, Blair sat on a nearby bench and waited quietly.
But ten minutes passed, then twenty...
Even when the bell finally tolled to announce the start of the masquerade ball, Mikhail did not return.
And so, the masquerade ball began without him.
Amidst the sea of masked people, Blair stood alone, her face bare.
'Should I put mine on too?'
As she hesitated under the curious stares of passersby, a group of children wearing masks scurried over to her.
"Miss, aren't you going to wear a mask?"
"You have to wear one! If you don't, the God of the Sea might find you and carry you away!"
"...Is that so? Thank you for telling me."
Yielding to the children's earnest warnings, Blair pulled out the mask she had bought earlier and put it on. She didn't want to ruin the festive spirit.
"Don't let the God of the Sea catch you!"
Their mission accomplished, the children waved and ran off with proud smiles.
Beyond the departing children, she saw couples finding one another and laughing joyfully. They embraced and shared sweet, uninhibited kisses.
The sight of lovers gazing at each other with eyes full of affection was so beautiful it made her feel a pang of envy.
As Blair watched them with a soft, unconscious smile, a shadow suddenly fell over her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I think you have the wrong person—"
Thinking someone had mistaken her for their partner, Blair began to lift her mask as she looked up.
At that moment, her breath caught as she met the blue eyes staring down at her from behind a mask.
"Ah..."
In a night where time seemed to stand still, the man, who had been quietly gazing at her with eyes as cold as a frozen lake, parted his lips.
"I believe I've found exactly who I was looking for."
His low, languid voice drifted over her as his hand cupped her cheek, tilting her face up to his.
"I've been searching for you for a long time, My Lady."
The familiar warmth of the fingertips brushing her cheek sent a shiver down her spine.