Chapter 85: Stay by My Side, Quietly
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 85: Stay by My Side, Quietly
"Please make yourself comfortable while you wait, Your Grace."
After the Emperor's chief chamberlain guided her to the drawing room and stepped out, a maid entered with tea. Once the maid departed, Blair was left alone in the spacious room.
She sipped her tea as she waited for Ivan. Having arrived unannounced to see the busy Emperor, she had no choice but to wait.
Just as she, weary from the wait, began to nod off, the drawing room door opened. The sound snapped her awake.
Ivan strode inside and sat across from her, regarding his younger sister with a peculiar expression.
"What a surprise. To think you'd come looking for me first."
The two were hardly what one would call close siblings. Ivan had often resented Blair for outshining him, and Blair had always avoided her older brother out of fear. To be precise, she feared Katrina, who doted on Ivan while looking down on her.
Because of this, Blair had never fit in with them, spending her life on the fringes—a mere decoration to complete the illusion of a happy family.
"I apologize for arriving without notice."
"Well, I can always spare some time for my only sister. I am curious, though. What brings you here in such a hurry?"
Right on cue, a maid returned to place a cup of tea before Ivan, refill Blair's cup, and quietly slip out of the room.
Blair watched Ivan lift his teacup before carefully broaching the subject.
"Please stop mobilizing my husband for magical beast subjugations."
At her words, Ivan gave a crooked smirk, as if amused she had come all this way just for that. Yet, as always, he replied in the tone of a doting older brother lecturing his ignorant younger sister.
"Subjugating magical beasts is the specialty of the Duke who rules the North. I am merely borrowing his expertise."
"Defending the North is the North's duty. The Imperial Capital, however, is Your Majesty's jurisdiction, which makes it the duty of the Imperial Knights."
"I fail to see what is so wrong with family helping each other. It's not as if I'm doing this for my own selfish gain; it is for the weak and powerless citizens."
Family.
It was a sickening word they dragged out whenever they wanted to bind her or exploit Herdin. Every time Ivan and Katrina used the word 'family' to control him, she felt as if she were a leash fastened around his neck. The thought filled her with horror.
In her past life, she had been miserable about it but chose to turn a blind eye. She loved him and couldn't bear to let him go, even though she knew the leash called 'family' was strangling not only her neck, but his as well.
But she had no intention of doing so in this life.
"...Then, if we are no longer family, will you stop shifting your responsibilities onto him?"
Meeting Blair's defiant gaze, Ivan let out a dry laugh. The warm, brotherly look on his face instantly turned to ice.
Insolent girl.
Though Blair had seemed fragile since childhood, she would occasionally act with such defiance, grating on his and Katrina's nerves. And whenever she did, Ivan never let her off easy. He would crush her, suppress her, and ensure she wouldn't dare defy him again for a long time.
"Have you fallen so hard for that bastard that you'd not only frame your own mother but now plan to sever ties with us entirely?"
"It is not a frame-up. It is the truth."
"And how would you know that?"
"On that day, Her Majesty the Late Empress did not try to harm me; she protected me. She did not commit suicide—she was murdered."
At that, Ivan's eyes wavered for a split second. That meant Blair had recovered her memories of the fire.
I knew she was conspiring with that bastard Herdin Delmark, but to think she actually recovered her memories.
At the same time, it all made sense—Herdin's attitude during their last conversation, when he had so confidently asserted Esmeralda's innocence. This wasn't just his usual defense; he had a witness.
"Whether Mother was directly involved remains to be seen, but at least one thing is certain."
"..."
"She concealed the truth of the incident and falsely accused Her Majesty the Late Empress."
"...So, you are determined to make a criminal out of our mother?"
"I am not making Mother a criminal. The truth is simply coming to light."
"I suppose that will make you feel better. But you will regret this."
Ivan deliberately preyed on Blair's guilt. The younger sister he knew was a child who had always starved for a shred of their mother's affection. He didn't know what words Herdin had used to convince her to recover her memories and reveal the truth, but Blair would surely waver at the mention of Katrina.
However, Blair's reaction completely defied his expectations. She replied in a calm, even tone.
"...As for regret, I have been feeling that for a very long time."
Probably far longer than you could ever imagine.
"I regret that I couldn't reveal it sooner."
Throughout both of my lifetimes.
The condemnation of others would still hurt, but even if she faced the scorn of many more, she would not regret this. She was simply doing what had to be done.
Ivan was inwardly taken aback by her unexpected reaction, but he quickly shifted his strategy. Setting down his teacup, he spoke with the expression of a deeply concerned brother.
"Blair, I am saying this because I worry about you."
"..."
"Once you burn yourself to ashes to deliver justice, what then? Do you think the House of Delmark will simply let you be, knowing you are the daughter of their enemy?"
"...Since I cannot sever the ties of blood, I must sever the ties of marriage. It is the only way to atone for my mother's sins as her child."
"Has Duke Delmark agreed to this?"
Blair hesitated for a moment before replying. "He desires it more than anyone."
Ivan's brow furrowed slightly. During his previous conversation with Herdin, the Duke had seemed deeply shaken when Ivan suggested a divorce.
Either Blair is misunderstanding something, or...
Stroking his lips in thought, Ivan decided to test her. "Then, what about you?"
At his question, Blair's hand paused as she was about to lift her teacup.
"Are you truly fine with severing your marriage like this?"
"..."
"As your brother, I will do my utmost to find you a new husband, but it will be difficult to find a position better than Duchess of Delmark. As you know, many men are reluctant to take a woman who has already been touched by another."
That was a fact Blair was well aware of. If she were to remarry, it would be as the second wife of a high-ranking noble at best. But to Blair, who planned to vanish from the Imperial Capital immediately after the divorce rather than remarry, none of that mattered.
"I do not care."
At her answer, the corner of Ivan's mouth curled up. Blair was either oblivious to Herdin's feelings or had no intention of accepting them. Either way, things were getting interesting. The less affection she had for him, the more willingly Herdin would offer Ivan his own leash just to prevent the divorce.
"Then, Brother, you are the supreme ruler of this Empire before you are our mother's son. I trust you will deliver a fair and just judgment."
Blair set down her teacup, signaling the end of their conversation.
Ivan smiled faintly and replied in a leisurely tone, "Well, I don't think that will happen."
Blair felt a pang of unease at his cryptic smile, but she chose not to dwell on it. Herdin was searching for definitive evidence of the fire, and the truth would soon be revealed. Once that happened, even Ivan would have no choice.
"I apologize for taking up your time when you are so busy. If you have nothing more to say, I shall take my leave."
Blair waited a moment for a response, then quietly stood and curtsied.
Shall I tighten the leash a bit more?
Ivan watched her retreating figure with amused eyes, then called out just as she reached the door.
"Blair."
She paused, hand outstretched for the doorknob, and turned back to look at him.
"Allow me to give you a piece of advice as your brother." Ivan continued, wearing his usual warm, brotherly smile. "Watch out for that man."
"..."
"He is no ordinary madman."
Blair stared at him for a moment, then turned and left the drawing room without a word.
Ivan chuckled as he watched the door close. "This is going to be fun."
Tap, tap. The rhythmic sound of his long fingers tapping against the armrest echoed cheerfully through the room.
* * *
The warm afternoon sun streamed into the deserted hallway. The rhythmic click of Blair's heels was the only sound in the quiet corridor, until another set of footsteps joined hers from the far end.
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Blair looked up and saw a familiar face approaching.
"...Herdin?"
He strode up to her, grabbed her wrist, and began dragging her away. Bewildered by his sudden appearance, Blair was pulled along. Her wrist, gripped so roughly, throbbed with pain.
"Herdin, it hurts. Let go of my hand..."
At that, he stopped abruptly, his long strides having completely ignored her pace. Releasing her wrist, he pinned her against the wall, trapping her with his body.
Beneath the warm sunlight, his cold eyes felt chillingly sharp.
"Where do you think you are? How could you come here alone so recklessly?"
Blair looked up at him, confused. She couldn't understand why he had suddenly appeared or why he was so angry.
"This is the Emperor's palace, and His Majesty is my brother. There is no reason I cannot come here, and no one in this palace would dare harm me."
Brother.
Herdin sneered coldly at the title that slipped from her lips.
To think she calls that piece of trash her brother.
I wish you weren't that bastard's sister.
Her words forced him to acknowledge a reality he wished to deny, and a sharp wave of irritation washed over him.
"Have you forgotten what your mother tried to do to you?"
At his words, Blair's eyes contorted with pain. Though it was an undeniable reality, his blunt words gouged her wounds, just as they always did.
"It is dangerous out here. So..."
The hand cupping her cheek was as cold as his eyes. His gaze, warning her of danger, felt far more dangerous than anything else.
"Stay by my side, quietly."
His voice was tight, suppressed.
At the sight of him, why did Ivan's words from moments ago suddenly echo in her mind?