Chapter 49: The Words I Wanted to Hear
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 49: The Words I Wanted to Hear
Rachel stared at Blair as if she were absurd. "Why should I listen to you? Everyone has the right to love freely. I don't need your permission."
Her tone was a stark contrast to the one she had used just moments ago while begging for that very permission.
Blair felt neither anger nor humiliation. She had experienced those emotions long ago and moved past them. Now, she simply found her cousin pathetic for spouting such nonsense with such confidence.
"I see you prioritize your rights over your morals."
"Stop acting so high and mighty. Who in this banquet hall would hold that against me? Everyone does it behind closed doors."
"Just because it's an open secret doesn't make it honorable. If you're so proud, why don't you declare it to everyone here? Tell them you want to become Duke Delmark's mistress."
Blair gestured toward the crowd with a tilt of her chin.
Rachel faltered, her eyes sweeping over the nobles. As Blair had said, even if it was common, being a mistress was hardly something to boast about.
Blair watched her, her voice flat and even. "How you live your life is your business, but you shouldn't cross the line of basic decency."
At the quiet rebuke, Rachel gasped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, but no rebuttal came.
Blair turned her back on her cousin and walked away. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but she suddenly felt an urge to laugh.
*
Herdin, who had been conversing with other nobles, turned his head, his eyes meeting those of a count who was about to discreetly leave the banquet hall. Beside the count stood his wife, her pregnancy obvious.
Meeting Herdin's gaze, the count explained sheepishly, "My wife is feeling tired. I thought it would be best to slip away quietly rather than dampen the mood, but…"
"I am so sorry we cannot stay to enjoy more of this wonderful banquet," the countess added.
"You must be uncomfortable. I'm grateful you came at all. I hope you will join us again after you give birth."
Herdin’s response was warm, a rare display of gentleness from a man who usually exuded a cold, overbearing presence.
At his words, the countess blushed and smiled shyly.
"Yes, we certainly will. I hope by then, Your Grace and the Duchess will have some good news of your own."
Good news.
The words made Herdin's gaze drift down to her swollen belly. A cold shadow flickered across his eyes, which had softened only a moment before, but it vanished in an instant.
Unaware of the shift, the couple paid their respects.
"Then we shall see you at the hunting competition, Your Grace."
With their goodbyes said, the couple walked past him.
Herdin quietly watched the count's retreating figure, his hand gently supporting his wife's waist as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. Then, he turned his gaze away.
Naturally, his eyes found Blair. Dressed in a dark blue gown that matched his own attire, she stood out no matter where she was. He was certain he wasn't the only one who thought so.
Mine. My wife.
But that was only true until their contract ended.
Good news, indeed.
Herdin sneered, his eyes fixed on Blair's slender waist. She took her contraceptive pills as if her life depended on them; her belly would never grow round.
At least, not with a child of his.
…Unless it was some other bastard’s.
The thought sent a chill through his veins. The mere imagination of it was infuriating.
Shaking off the unpleasant notion, he looked for Blair again, but in that brief moment, she had vanished. Instead, someone else caught his eye.
Wesley Baldwin.
The bastard who had made advances on Blair during Katrina's birthday banquet.
…Why is that bastard here?
Blair had personally selected and sent the invitations. She likely hadn't invited him because she wanted to; it must have been a mere formality. It would look odd to exclude only the House of Baldwin while inviting all the other high-ranking noble families, and Wesley wasn't the only member of his house.
Besides, the day after the scandalous rumor spread, his father, Marquis Baldwin, had personally come to apologize.
I thought he’d at least have the decency not to show his face.
It seemed the fool couldn't break his old habits and had shamelessly crawled his way in.
The sight of Wesley brought back uneasy memories of the last banquet. To make matters worse, Blair was nowhere to be seen. From his experience, his wife had a habit of slipping away from prying eyes when she got tipsy.
So perhaps today as well…
Would a drunken Blair be cornered by some bastard again? Would she be showing that cute, tipsy side of hers to someone else?
If so, he would kill him.
Before anything of the sort could happen, he had to find her. He wouldn't be at ease until she was right in front of him.
Herdin left the banquet hall, searching the balconies and empty rooms. The party wasn't over, so as the hostess, she wouldn't have retired to her bedroom yet.
After stumbling upon several couples in clandestine trysts, Herdin finally found Blair on a secluded balcony. Fortunately, she was alone.
Tap, tap.
He tapped on the glass door. Blair, who had been gazing out at the garden, turned at the sound. Herdin stepped onto the balcony.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Trying to sober up."
"Then what is that?" Herdin gestured with his chin toward the wine glass in her hand.
Blair finally realized the contradiction and quickly explained, "This is water."
Indeed, the liquid was too clear to be white wine.
"Wise of you. It wouldn't do to show that side of yourself in front of the guests, after all."
Herdin placed a deliberate emphasis on "that side." He casually took the glass from her hand and brought it to his lips. A faint scent of wine lingered where her lips had touched. The water tasted sweet.
Realizing he was teasing her about her embarrassing behavior at the last banquet, Blair pursed her lips. Lacking the shamelessness to discuss her own drunken antics, she changed the subject.
"Were you looking for me?"
"Yes."
"Did someone ask for me?"
She naturally assumed his reason for seeking her out had nothing to do with him personally. Herdin found that annoying, but since her assumption was reasonable under the circumstances, he let it slide.
"No. I had something to say to you."
Blair looked up at him, her eyes asking what it was. He felt a wave of satisfaction seeing his reflection fill her large, violet eyes.
Herdin stared into them for a moment before speaking.
"You did a wonderful job today."
Blair blinked at the unexpected praise.
She had thought she didn't need anyone's validation for this banquet. She hadn't paid much mind to the compliments from the noble ladies. As long as she was satisfied, that was enough—or so she had told herself.
Yet, the moment she heard those simple, sincere words from his lips, her heart fluttered. In that same instant, she realized something.
I wanted to hear these words from this man.
The sudden awareness left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was praise she had never received in her past life.
In her previous life, on this very balcony, she had been devastated after accidentally overhearing vassals badmouthing her. She had fled back to the banquet hall in a daze and couldn't even remember how she’d managed to conclude the evening. She had forced herself to act normal while seeing off the guests, then returned to her bedroom.
And Herdin had held her as he always did, without saying a single word.
It was only natural. She had simply done what was expected of her as the lady of the house, and he had no way of knowing what she had overheard.
Even so, if only… if only he had said those words to her back then.
…Then everything would have been fine.
The words he spoke now were the very ones the Blair of the past had so desperately yearned to hear. Hearing them so late brought more bitterness than joy.
"Thank you," Blair murmured, taking her glass back. As she did, their fingertips brushed.
"No hiccups today?"
"Well, I'm not drunk today."
Blair moistened her throat and pulled the now-empty glass away. Her small, rosy lips glistened under the moonlight.
Watching them, Herdin's gaze darkened. At that moment, their eyes met. A long-suppressed thirst flared within him like a wildfire.
He cupped her cheek and pressed his lips to hers. Startled, Blair gripped the glass tightly to keep from dropping it. Herdin took it from her hand as he pulled back just enough to breathe.
Blair stared at him, dazed. His eyes, only a breath away, burned with longing.
He wanted her.
She was afraid of his desire, which flickered as if it might consume her at any moment. But for some reason, she didn't want to push him away.
Is it because I don't want to fight with him anymore?
Or is it…
Unable to find an answer, Blair let go of the glass.
His hand closed around it as if he had been waiting, and their lips met again. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss as their hot breaths mingled.
Neither was aware of the shadow watching them from afar.