Chapter 65: Cherry Blossom Rain
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 65: Cherry Blossom Rain
Her initial enthusiasm, however, was short-lived.
By the time they were halfway up the stairs, Blair was already starting to flag. She had been out of breath for some time, and her feet throbbed inside her shoes.
Herdin, who had started out behind her, was now climbing ahead. He maintained the same leisurely pace as before, his breathing perfectly even.
Noticing that Blair was falling behind, Herdin glanced back at her.
"Now, who was it that so confidently declared they could make it?"
How irritating.
Blair glared at him for teasing her, then bit her lip and stubbornly forced her way up the steps. A competitive spark had been ignited.
Watching Blair push past him, Herdin offered casually, "If you ask, I'll carry you the rest of the way."
"...I can walk by myself."
Herdin let out a soft chuckle as he watched her march ahead. Her stubborn refusal to lose reminded him of when they had first met as children.
After what felt like an eternity, the two finally reached the summit.
A cool, high-altitude breeze swept over Blair's sweat-dampened forehead. She closed her eyes against the sudden gust, and when she opened them again, a panoramic view of the Imperial Capital unfolded before her.
Blair gasped.
"Wow..."
The late afternoon sky was bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun. Below, cherry blossoms in full bloom and colorful festival banners fluttered in the spring breeze, while a blue river wound its way through the heart of the capital.
Nestled within the landscape, she could see the Imperial Palace, where she had lived her whole life, and the Temple, where she had been just moments ago. Seeing it all from this height made her realize how small her world had been—and how vast the one she had yet to explore truly was.
Blair stared, drinking in the view. It was a sight she had always longed to see.
The wind ruffled the stray hairs at her temples, revealing the sheen of sweat on her pale neck.
Herdin watched her quietly before slipping off his coat and draping it over her shoulders.
Blair turned to look at him. Only then did he truly fill her violet gaze.
"Thank you, Herdin. I've always wanted to come here."
Blair smiled brightly. It had been a long time since she had directed such a genuine smile at him.
Herdin stood beside her as she gazed out at the vast world, quietly committing the image of her to memory. Framed by the blooming cherry blossoms and the golden afternoon light, she looked like a painting.
For the first time, he felt that this tedious season of blooming flowers might actually be bearable.
* * *
They only began their descent after the sun had fully set.
Herdin, who was leading the way, sensed something was wrong and looked back.
"Blair?"
She was clinging to the wall, her legs trembling as she took one step at a time. The strenuous climb up had completely drained her strength. She looked like a newborn fawn.
He knew she was delicate, but this was ridiculous.
Herdin stared at her in disbelief before bursting into laughter.
"...Don't laugh."
His handsome face, curved into a bright smile, was annoyingly attractive. That only made him more irritating.
Blair gritted her teeth and forced herself down another step. But the moment she tried to quicken her pace—
"Whoa!"
Her body pitched forward. Herdin lunged, catching her by the waist to steady her.
"Careful."
"Ah, thank—"
Before she could even straighten up, Herdin scooped her into his arms. Blair barely managed to swallow the shriek that rose in her throat.
"P-Put me down."
"I don't think that's a good idea. At this rate, we won't be down until morning."
"..."
The thought was plausible enough that she had no room to argue. Defeated, Blair wrapped her arms around his neck.
"...Am I heavy?"
"Well, I do feel like my arms might fall off."
"..."
At his teasing response, Blair pouted, pressing her lips into a thin line. He could have at least offered a polite lie.
Herdin chuckled at her reaction.
"For my services to my wife, you must grant me a wish."
"A wish?"
"Yes, a wish."
Seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Blair quickly tried to head him off.
"As long as it's nothing weird."
"I don't like my wishes having conditions."
"...You were going to ask for something weird, weren't you?"
"Why don't you define what 'weird' means first?"
"Something indecent—"
Blair stopped mid-sentence, realizing a beat too late that she had fallen right into his trap. She snapped her mouth shut.
Herdin looked down at her, thoroughly amused.
"Indecent... and?"
"...I'm not saying anything else."
"Then it's settled. You've agreed to grant me one unconditional wish."
Blair glared at him with deep suspicion but ultimately gave a reluctant nod. A satisfied smile spread across Herdin's lips, having finally gotten the answer he wanted.
* * *
Blair placed a small, palm-sized framed painting on the nightstand beside her bed. It was a picture of the Clock Tower framed by cherry blossoms—the very view she had seen with Herdin that day. She had bought it from a street painter on their way back to the carriage.
Every time I look at this, I'll remember today.
The clear spring sky, the cascading cherry blossoms, and Herdin, who had shared it all with her.
Just as his face crossed her mind, his voice reached her ears.
"Do you like that painting that much?"
Startled by the low voice murmuring near her ear, she spun around to find Herdin standing right behind her. She hadn't even heard him approach.
Leaning over her, he picked up the frame to examine the painting. His warmth surrounded her, his face dangerously close—so close that a deep breath might cause their skin to brush.
Fearing their eyes might meet, Blair quickly averted her gaze. In the heavy silence, she worried he might hear the frantic pounding of her heart. Desperate to break the tension, she nodded and answered quickly.
"Yes, I love it. I think I'll remember today every time I look at it. The cherry blossoms were so beautiful, and the little boy selling rings was so sweet..."
Herdin recalled her finger, adorned with that cheap, crude ring. His wife's fair, delicate hands had a way of making even the most trivial trinket look beautiful.
"And the cherry blossom cream puffs were delicious, too."
The memory of her nibbling on the pastry brought back the lingering sweetness of the custard on his tongue—and the look of wide-eyed surprise on her face when he had playfully nipped her finger.
"And even though climbing the Clock Tower was exhausting... the view was absolutely breathtaking."
Lost in her memories, Blair had completely forgotten how close they were standing. Herdin watched her quietly as she spoke with such animated excitement. Her soft, chattering voice was pleasant to his ears, and her violet eyes, sparkling as if she were lost in a dream, were strikingly beautiful.
"But on the way down, thanks to you—"
"Blair."
Unable to wait any longer, Herdin called her name.
Failing to notice the low, simmering heat in his voice, Blair instinctively turned her head to look at him.
Herdin didn't miss the opportunity. He captured her lips, pulling her slender waist flush against him. Blair flinched in surprise and tried to pull back but soon closed her eyes, yielding to his touch.
He gently guided her down onto the bed, never breaking the kiss. What began as a slow, tender exploration gradually grew fierce, as if he meant to devour her whole.
"Mmm..."
Breathless, Blair let out a soft whimper and tried to push him away. In response, Herdin trailed his lips down to her pale neck. Red blossoms bloomed wherever his lips brushed, reminiscent of the cherry blossoms they had seen earlier.
Only after scattering these crimson blooms across her skin did Herdin pull back, looking satisfied. He gathered her trembling frame into his arms and pressed his body against hers. A sensation as sweet as custard enveloped them both.
Licking his damp lips, he looked down at the woman cradled in his embrace.
"Herdin..."
Her petite body was covered in his marks, her lips were swollen and flushed from his kisses, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and… reflected in their brilliant violet depths was the spring landscape.
Blair would probably find it scandalous if she knew, but he was certain that every time he looked at that painting, he would think of her at this very moment.
Herdin gazed quietly at the spring captured in her eyes, then leaned down to press a tender kiss to her lips.
Behind their intertwined shadows, cherry blossoms fell like rain.
* * *
The blossoms had fallen during the spring rains that had persisted for several days.
Looking out at the morning garden, which had already turned a lush green, Herdin walked down the long corridor and stepped into the bedroom that had become more familiar to him than his own.
The room was quiet, its owner still fast asleep.
Herdin quieted his footsteps as he looked around. On the table before the fireplace, a scented candle sat in place of the usual bowl of marshmallows. For the past few days, she had been lighting candles to practice getting used to fire.
Passing the table, he approached the bed and found Blair sleeping soundly, just as he had expected.
Herdin raised his wrist to check his watch. He had about fifteen minutes before the carriage he'd ordered was due to arrive. He hoped she would wake on her own before then.
Of course, he could simply wake her, but refraining from doing so was the last shred of conscience he had—being the very culprit who had kept her up so late.