Chapter 116: That Man's Taste
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: That Man's Taste
The next morning, Blair woke up in Herdin's arms. He must have returned while she was asleep.
She vaguely recalled him holding her at some point during the night. In her slumber, she had found his embrace cozy and simply drifted back to sleep, as if the past two months she’d spent getting used to sleeping alone had been for nothing.
But unlike her half-asleep state, once her mind cleared, a suffocating weight pressed down on her chest. His body, wrapped tightly around her, felt like a prison tailored just for her.
Blair tried to push his thick arm away, but Herdin only pulled her closer, his grip tightening.
‘Is he awake?’
She wondered if she had woken him, but his steady, rhythmic breathing suggested he was still sound asleep.
Certain he was unconscious, Blair shoved his arm off her as if it were a heavy piece of luggage. There was not a shred of gentleness in her movements. She no longer cared to be considerate of him, nor did she want to walk on eggshells to avoid his displeasure.
Yet, despite her rough handling, Herdin merely knit his brows slightly and did not wake. For a man who was normally such a light sleeper to remain undisturbed, he must have been utterly exhausted. That was likely why he had looked so gaunt and worn the day before.
Slipping out of his arms, Blair stared down at his face—uncharacteristically peaceful in sleep—before turning away indifferently and getting out of bed.
She detested this man with every fiber of her being, yet she feared that if she kept staring at his handsome, sleeping face, even that resentment might begin to fade. Of course, the moment he opened his eyes, her anger would surge right back as if it had never wavered.
Standing up, the first thing she noticed was the window. Outside, a meticulously manicured garden stretched out, clearly tended by an expert hand. After a brief survey of the room, Blair draped a thin shawl over her shoulders and stepped outside. She had been too disoriented to look around yesterday, but she needed to find out where she was before he woke up and placed her under surveillance again.
Blair stepped out, bracing herself to be tailed by another stranger, and was relieved to find a familiar face instead.
"Ah, Madam. You're up early."
"It's been a while, Sir Ruth."
Ruth, who had instinctively started to greet her with a bright smile, suddenly froze. Though he didn't know the full story, the fact remained that Blair had run away from Herdin, and Herdin had dragged her back by force. As the Duke's aide, it felt entirely inappropriate to casually ask how she’d been.
Offering an awkward smile in the tense silence, Ruth scrambled for something to say. "Um... is His Grace still asleep?"
"Yes."
"He must have been exhausted. He hasn't been sleeping well at all lately."
"Is that so?"
"His Grace was terribly worried about you, Madam. Truly."
For the sake of his master and the peace of the household, Ruth subtly brought up Herdin's feelings, hoping to soften her heart.
But the words didn't move Blair in the slightest. Herdin was hunting her for an entirely different reason. To outsiders who knew nothing of the truth, it must have looked like a desperate search born of love.
Letting his words slide past her, Blair changed the subject. "Are Meli and Lina doing well?"
"Ah, yes. They both miss you terribly. I didn't bring them, as I had no idea you would be here, but you'll be able to see them once we return to the Delmark Ducal Mansion."
"I'm glad to hear they're well."
A faint smile graced Blair's face, which had remained completely blank while discussing Herdin. Then, remembering her original goal, she asked, "By the way, where are we? From what I can see, it looks like a rather large estate."
"This is the mansion of the Lord of Nerha. We are in the annex."
Blair's expression stiffened at the realization that an outsider was now entangled in their affairs.
Sensing her discomfort, Ruth quickly explained, "His Grace is currently spearheading a harbor construction project in the Libren Territory. When the Lord of Nerha heard of this, he extended an invitation. His Grace came here to handle both matters at once."
"Ah, I see."
"If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to let me know."
"Actually, there is one thing..." Ruth looked at her, curious.
Blair had been about to ask him to bring Pippi to her, but she quickly changed her mind and shook her head. "...No, it's nothing."
She could use the excuse of picking Pippi up herself to create an opportunity to escape. Anna would take good care of the dog, so she decided to leave things as they were for now.
"Then I shall have breakfast prepared. Will you be dining in the dining room?"
"Yes, please."
After parting ways with Ruth, Blair walked into the living room, which featured a large window offering a panoramic view of Nerha. Sinking into a sofa, she fell deep into thought.
‘What should I do now?’
Herdin would never change.
Believing he could change—or that she could be the one to change him—was the childish arrogance of a past life, one where she had been utterly blind. Parting ways with him was the only logical choice, but he had absolutely no intention of letting her go.
In that case, her only option was to run away again. But could she escape his grasp a second time?
‘If I can somehow contact Mikhail...’
Blair instinctively thought of Mikhail, only to quickly shake her head.
‘No. I can't drag him into our mess any longer.’
She had already put him in grave danger by involving him in her escape. She couldn't take advantage of his affection for her anymore. It was best to let her gratitude remain just that and sever ties with him here.
Just as Blair finished sorting through her thoughts, the door to the annex burst open, and an unfamiliar woman barged in.
*
Waking up that morning, Beatrice had dressed herself meticulously before heading toward the annex. Her first goal was to invite Herdin to the Harvest Festival, and her second was to confirm what she had witnessed the previous night.
‘Who on earth is that wench?’
The night before, Beatrice had visited the annex to invite Herdin to the festival. Her decision to visit at such a late hour was not without ulterior motives; she hoped to sway his heart. Even the most indifferent men tended to grow sentimental in the quiet hours of the night.
However, the moment she stepped onto the path leading to the annex, an unexpected sight had brought her to a sudden halt.
‘...A woman?’
Herdin was carrying a woman in his arms as he walked into the annex. Beatrice's face had hardened at the sight.
‘Is she just a plaything for the night?’
Then again, with a face and body like his, it would be stranger if he remained celibate just because his wife had run away.
‘I can understand it, but... I still don't like it.’
Beatrice had been raised to believe that a proper noblewoman should never show jealousy over her husband's fleeting flings. Yet, understanding a concept in theory was vastly different from accepting it in practice.
‘I need to go and kick her out immediately.’
With that thought, Beatrice arrived at the annex.
"I am here to speak with His Grace."
"His Grace has not yet awakened."
"It doesn't matter. I shall wait inside."
The Delmark knights guarding the entrance hesitated for a moment, but they ultimately stepped aside. After all, Beatrice was the daughter of the estate's lord, and it was difficult to refuse her entry when she insisted on waiting.
Once inside, Beatrice made her way to the living room. It had been her favorite spot in the annex since she was a child.
But someone else was already occupying the space.
It was the woman from last night, the one Herdin had carried in his arms. The woman stared back at Beatrice with wide, startled eyes, possessing a breathtaking beauty that commanded admiration despite her bare, makeup-free face.
As Beatrice swept her gaze over the woman—who looked flawless despite clearly having just rolled out of bed—her eyes snagged on a round, swollen belly. Beatrice's face contorted in disgust.
‘I heard the Duchess ran away while pregnant... Does he have a thing for pregnant women? What a bizarre preference.’
Beatrice marched up to Blair.
"You. What are you still doing here? Now that you're awake, get the hell out."
Blair stared at the woman in bewilderment. Barging in out of nowhere only to immediately demand she leave was absurd. Shaking off her initial shock, Blair easily deduced the woman's identity. There was only one young woman who would be permitted to come and go so freely from an annex deep within the Lord of Nerha's estate.
"Are you perhaps Lady Nerha?"
"Indeed I am. Now that you know, get out of my house this instant. I refuse to be in the same room as a commoner for even a second."
Blair's brow furrowed at Beatrice's insolence. While the woman had clearly misunderstood the situation, her sheer arrogance spoke volumes about her character, and it was deeply unpleasant.
"I believe there has been a misunderstanding. I am—"
Blair started to reveal her identity but suddenly hesitated. She had cast aside her titles as both Imperial Princess and Duchess when she fled. She had no desire to reclaim them now. Was it wise to reveal herself here? Yet, without those titles, she had no way to explain her presence.
Swallowing her hesitation, Blair spoke with a note of resignation. "I am... the Duchess of Delmark."
"The Duchess?" Far from believing her, Beatrice let out a mocking snort. She despised everything about this woman: the way she stared back without bowing her head, the way she stood her ground relying on that pretty face, and now, this audacious attempt to impersonate the Duchess.
"You insolent wench! How dare you spin such a pathetic lie? I see you need to be taught a lesson."
The moment Beatrice raised her hand to slap Blair, another hand shot out and caught her wrist in a vice grip.
"What do you think you are doing to my wife, Lady Nerha?"
Standing right behind her was Herdin, his eyes as cold as ice.