Chapter 123: Things That Resemble You
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: Things That Resemble You
Herdin didn't return to the bedroom until late that night.
He had been keeping his distance from Blair during the day, but he always returned to their room to sleep. After all, his wife had been sleeping more and more since her pregnancy, and she was usually fast asleep by the time he got back.
Tonight, he entered the bedroom expecting to find her asleep as usual, but he stopped short when he met her violet eyes.
Blair was still awake, and from the look on her face, she had been waiting for him.
Herdin walked over and sat on the bed beside her, where she was leaning against the headboard. As if on cue, Blair held out a letter stamped with the crest of Nerha.
"An invitation to a banquet arrived from the Lord of Nerha."
Seeing it, Herdin let out a dry laugh. It was ridiculous, he thought, that he had briefly hoped she'd been waiting for him for some other reason.
Herdin took the invitation from her hand.
It was filled with formal pleasantries, requesting their presence to grace a banquet at the mansion in three days.
Raymond's intentions were obvious.
While he couldn't very well ignore the guests staying in his own home, Raymond's main motive was clearly to establish a connection. On a small scale, Delmark was a rival in the harbor business. On a larger scale, however, they were a major client who managed a vast imperial territory.
He wanted to decline, but it would be awkward to refuse an invitation from their host while staying in his annex.
Checking the date, Herdin set the invitation down on the nightstand.
"I'll inform them that I will be attending alone. You should rest."
Blair gave him a puzzled look, a silent question in her eyes.
"Given what happened recently, I think it's best not to overexert yourself. The Lord of Nerha will understand."
That was his excuse, but the truth was, he was more concerned about the rumors surrounding her. His finding her and bringing her to the annex had put a stop to the rumor that the Duchess had run away with another man's child. Still, he knew many would whisper behind her back, twisting the story to their liking. That certainly wouldn't help Blair's peace of mind.
To his relief, Blair nodded obediently.
"That sounds for the best. I'll do as you say."
The conversation about the banquet ended there.
It was well past her usual bedtime, and since the invitation seemed to be the only reason she'd stayed awake, Herdin assumed she would go to sleep.
But Blair simply stared at him, hesitating for a moment. She looked as if she still had something to say.
When Herdin met her gaze with a questioning look, Blair finally spoke.
"...Thank you for the gift. I'll enjoy it."
So that was it. He had been wondering why she, who was usually so guarded or resigned around him, was acting so gentle tonight. To think it was all because of a few desserts.
A chuckle escaped him. He felt a bit foolish for all the money he'd spent and the arguments they'd had when a few simple sweets were all it took to please her.
He couldn't understand her standards, but as long as she liked it, that was all that mattered.
Herdin gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and changed the subject.
"You don't seem tired."
"I took a long nap this afternoon, so I feel fine."
Hearing that she had no intention of sleeping just yet, Herdin's gaze drifted to her stomach.
"And is this little one fine as well?" he asked.
When Blair blinked in confusion, not catching his meaning, Herdin added, "You said they seemed unfamiliar with their father. It's time they got used to me."
Blair finally understood. He wanted to feel the baby move.
A flicker of resentment passed through her as she remembered how indifferent he had been to their child in her past life. But that was her burden to bear. It was undoubtedly better for the child to have its father's interest, even if it was this late in coming.
And since I received a gift today... maybe I'll help him out a bit.
As if on cue, she felt the baby squirm in her womb. The movement wasn't strong enough to be seen, so Blair gently took his hand and placed it on the spot where she felt the flutter.
But the moment his hand touched her, the baby fell still. It remained quiet even when Blair gently prodded her stomach.
Blair kept her hand over his, guiding it across her belly a few more times before speaking. "Hmm... I suppose they're still not used to you. Why don't you try saying hello?"
Herdin, who had been more focused on the warmth of her hand over his than on the baby, answered a beat late.
"...A greeting?"
"To the baby. Their ears are developed enough to hear their mother and father's voices now."
Herdin hesitated for a moment, then leaned in and greeted the baby.
"Hello, baby."
She had expected him to be awkward, but his greeting was surprisingly natural.
Blair stared at him, momentarily stunned. This was a scene she had desperately longed for in her past life, and the sight made her heart swell.
But the baby still didn't react.
After waiting a moment longer for a response that never came, Herdin began to pull his hand away. Blair quickly caught it and placed it back on her stomach.
She spoke to the baby in a soft whisper.
"Baby, Daddy wants to say hello. He seems disappointed that you're hiding."
Her tone was incredibly natural as she spoke to the child in her womb.
Herdin watched her quietly.
Her soft voice, filled with deep affection, echoed gently in the quiet room. It was pleasant to listen to; anyone could tell how much she already loved their child.
Talking to the baby, she looked happier than he had ever seen her.
It was then that he felt he was beginning to understand her.
Candy, cream puffs, marshmallows… and talking to their baby.
She loved things that resembled her: sweet, soft, and warm.
Herdin quietly took in the sight of her smile, the warmth of her hand holding his, and the sound of her gentle whisper.
The baby never did respond, but for Herdin, just having her here like this made it a perfect night.
*
On the day of the banquet, the Lord of Nerha's mansion was bustling with preparations.
And the busiest person of all was Beatrice.
Acting on behalf of her mother, who had passed away the previous year, she had to inspect the final preparations and then get ready to be the star of the evening.
Miella was by her side as the maids fussed over her.
"Um, my lady. Is it really alright for me to attend the banquet too?"
"Of course. You're my savior, after all."
A few days earlier, Beatrice had been caught in a sudden downpour and Miella had offered her a ride back in her carriage. Grateful, Beatrice had insisted that Miella stay at the mansion for the duration of her visit to Nerha.
'You said you were here on vacation, right? You can't spend the whole time just praying at the temple, can you?'
Beatrice had been wishing for a close friend her own age. And although Miella was a commoner, she was also a cleric, which could be useful.
'If she's a cleric, Father will gladly let her stay at the mansion.'
Miella had pretended to deliberate before accepting Beatrice's enthusiastic proposal. Since then, Beatrice had quickly warmed to Miella, who patiently tolerated her personality, and had begun to treat her like a true friend.
Now, they were attending the banquet together—an extraordinary experience for Miella, who had lived her entire life as a commoner.
"Miella, your skin is so fair, I think a dress of this color would suit you well."
"But that dress is so luxurious. It would look much better on you, my lady."
"Really?"
Watching Beatrice smile coyly at the compliment, Miella slyly changed the subject.
"Oh, by the way, my lady. Is Duke Delmark coming to the banquet today?"
The day she arrived, Miella had already confirmed that Herdin was staying in the annex—and that he had found Blair. She had overheard that Blair might be in Nerha back at the Delmark mansion, when she was treating Herdin's wound, but she hadn't expected it to be true. She had used the pretense of a vacation to come to Nerha just in case, and her ominous premonition had proven correct.
Her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing him, but it ached to know he had come all this way just to find Blair.
What could he possibly see in a woman like that?
Plenty of women loved him, including beautiful young ladies from prestigious families who were at least Blair's equal.
Even someone of a slightly lower station would be better than the daughter of an enemy.
Beatrice, for example.
Beatrice's face lit up at the mention of Herdin's name.
"Yes. I heard the Duchess won't be coming, so only the Duke will be in attendance."
But her expression quickly darkened again.
"But what's the point? He's already married. If only I had met him just a year earlier."
"I agree. It's not my place to say, but honestly, I think you would be a much better match for the Duke than a Duchess with so many scandals."
"Right? You think so too!"
Seeing Beatrice's regret, Miella smiled triumphantly and whispered, "Then why don't you be the Duke's partner at the banquet tonight?"
She knew Beatrice's feelings for Herdin would soon curdle into jealousy and hatred for Blair.
Miella smiled broadly, fanning the flames.