Chapter 95: This Man Is Insane
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 95: This Man Is Insane
Will the Duchess be alright?
If she’d been planning a contract marriage, it meant she had no intention of staying. Would she even welcome this unexpected pregnancy?
...Well, maybe they grew fond of each other after living together.
Although they seemed to bicker occasionally, they appeared to get along quite well.
Besides, this incident would completely sever Blair’s ties with the Imperial Family, so perhaps it was for the best. She was unwelcome in both the Imperial Family and House Delmark, but if she had an heir, not even the most stubborn elders could demand her expulsion while she carried a Delmark child.
Having sorted through his thoughts, Ruth hesitated for a moment before carefully offering his congratulations.
"Congratulations on becoming a father, Your Grace."
A father.
He had only vaguely thought of it as an excuse to keep Blair by his side; he had never once considered the child itself.
The unfamiliar word stirred a strange sensation within him.
At the same time, the reality that Blair would be the mother of that child suddenly hit him.
Herdin, lost in thought, spotted something outside the window and ordered Ruth, "Stop the carriage."
* * *
Mason, who had come out to greet Herdin upon his return to the mansion, froze when he saw him step out of the carriage.
A bouquet of flowers was clutched in his hand.
It was an incredibly unfamiliar sight, but remembering the news of Blair's pregnancy, Mason understood why he had suddenly bought them.
As always, Herdin’s first question was about Blair’s day.
"Where is the Duchess?"
"I believe she is in her bedroom."
"Did anything else happen?"
"The maids have been offering their congratulations. Madam appeared to be pleased as well."
Following behind Herdin, Mason added as if he had just remembered something.
"Ah, and Madam asked to summon Baroness Sionel."
It seemed she intended to have new clothes made before her belly began to show and her current garments became too tight.
Herdin dismissed it without much thought and headed straight for Blair's room.
It was no wonder the room was so quiet; Blair was fast asleep. Herdin approached her sleeping form, set the bouquet on the nightstand, and sat beside her.
Come to think of it, he had often found her asleep when he returned home lately.
He had assumed it was simply because he had been exhausting her day and night, never imagining there was a child in her womb.
Herdin lay down beside the sleeping Blair and placed his hand on her stomach.
It was hard to believe that a life was growing inside this still-flat belly. He only believed it because of Blair’s symptoms and the physician’s diagnosis.
He found himself wishing for the child to grow quickly, for her belly to swell. Once her body became heavy, she wouldn't be able to think so easily of running away from him.
As he caressed Blair's stomach, lost in these thoughts, her closed eyes fluttered open.
In her half-asleep state, Blair stared blankly at Herdin. But as focus returned to her eyes, they filled with an intense hatred.
Yet, she did not look away. Instead, she simply pushed his hand off her stomach.
Am I a madman for getting aroused when you look at me like that?
He didn't overthink it. He simply followed his desire and devoured her lips. He had no reputation left to lose, so there was nothing to hold him back.
"Mmph..."
As Blair tried to pull away, Herdin wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, holding the back of her neck to keep her from escaping his kiss.
Even as she struggled, he did not budge. Instead, he pressed in more relentlessly, their breaths tangling.
When her resistance didn't cease, Herdin finally pulled his lips away. He caressed her stomach and asked, "The baby will feel it if you're distressed."
"..."
"Are you alright with that?"
Glaring at him, Blair stopped trying to push him away. His touch was warm, but it sent a chill through her.
This man was insane.
She knew that no words would get through to him right now.
She was exhausted from fighting him, from wasting her emotions on a man like this. For the baby's sake, she couldn't afford to overexert herself. Most of all, he was someone she would be leaving soon anyway.
Blair resigned herself. Looking down, she spoke quietly.
"...We can't have sex."
"I know."
The physician had warned them of this very thing when he diagnosed her pregnancy yesterday: they were to avoid marital relations during the early stages.
No matter how blinded by lust he was, he knew how precious the child in her womb was.
It was the shackle that would keep this lovely woman by his side, the link that would ultimately bind them together.
Their precious child.
No matter how angry she was now or how much she pushed him away, she would eventually resign herself, just as she was doing now. She would accept him as the child's father and her husband. Her love for the child in her womb would ensure it.
It was only a matter of time.
Until then, all he had to do was hold her and wait, letting her grow accustomed to his warmth.
"I won't go inside."
Whispering as if to soothe her, Herdin climbed completely over Blair, trapping her between his arms as he kissed her again.
Blair didn't respond to his kiss as she used to, but she didn't avoid it either. She simply lay still.
Her passivity only made Herdin more impatient, and he forced his tongue past her teeth. At the same time, the hand that had been caressing her stomach slid up under her chemise, touching the soft curves of her body.
Blair's body trembled at his touch, and a faint groan escaped her lips.
"Ah..."
Taking it as a signal, Herdin pressed his body flush against hers. Their heat mingled through the thin layer of fabric.
When Herdin began to move, Blair's body twitched in response.
Tormented by the agonizing tease of being so close without being able to go further, Herdin had to repeatedly suppress the urge to let his greed run wild.
Yet, his unfulfilled desire found satisfaction elsewhere. He felt a deep sense of fulfillment looking down at his wife, who stared up at him with tear-filled eyes. At the sight of her trembling, even as she tried to resist.
And at the simple fact that he possessed her completely.
"Haah, Blair," Herdin finally collapsed, whispering her name into her ear with a ragged breath.
A gentle kiss descended upon Blair's lips as she panted along with him. At the touch, she squeezed her eyes shut.
After wiping down Blair's exhausted body, Herdin got up from the bed. He was still in his outdoor clothes.
He stared quietly at Blair, who had curled up under the blanket to avoid his gaze, and spoke.
"I've requested a retrial for the incident from ten years ago."
Blair's body stiffened at the news.
"Of course, the trial will be scheduled for after your pregnancy has stabilized."
The moment she heard that, a thought flashed through Blair's mind.
At first, she thought she might have to run away before the trial, since she needed to divorce Herdin before he discovered her pregnancy. But now that things had turned out like this, she might be able to resolve everything before leaving.
If the truth is revealed through the trial, I can clear Her Majesty the Empress's name.
Contrary to her plan, Herdin had found out about the pregnancy. If she was going to run away from the Delmark Mansion anyway, it might be better to leave after the trial was over.
That way, my mind will be at ease.
When she left this place, no lingering regrets or guilt from the past would remain.
For that reason, Blair decided to set her departure for immediately after the trial and resolved to move the date forward.
"You can move the schedule forward. It's fine. I'll only have to be in the courtroom for a moment."
"..."
"And I want to clear Her Majesty the Empress's name as soon as possible."
"If that's what you wish, I will take it into consideration."
Having no way of knowing Blair's plan, Herdin readily agreed.
"Sleep a bit more. Let's have dinner together after I wash up."
It was a laughable thing to say, coming from the very person who had woken her.
Herdin adjusted his clothes and left the room. Now wide awake, Blair finally sat up.
She had smelled flowers near her head ever since she woke up and had wondered if she was imagining it, but there was indeed a beautifully wrapped bouquet on the nightstand. Herdin must have left it.
Blair stared blankly at the pure white bouquet, then walked to the trash can in the corner of the room and threw it away.
As she turned away, the scent of flowers still lingered at the tip of her nose.
* * *
A few days had passed since the Foundation Festival, and the festive atmosphere that had filled the Imperial Capital's plaza had faded. The inside of the tavern, however, was still bustling and noisy.
Mikhail skillfully mixed a cocktail, handed it to a customer, and moved on to the next.
Although the customer wore a robe with the hood pulled low, Mikhail recognized her instantly.
"The usual."
She was the assistant from Baroness Sionel's boutique, as well as his subordinate.
Recognizing her, Mikhail's eyes sharpened.
She usually avoided the tavern to minimize contact, so her visiting in person meant the client was looking for him.
"Here is your order."
Mikhail slid the mixed cocktail forward. As the assistant took the glass, she slipped a note into his hand.
Concealing it in his palm, Mikhail handed off his duties to someone else and went up to the second floor.
He unfolded the note, his eyes immediately falling on the familiar, neat handwriting.
[A trial regarding the Empress's Palace Fire Incident from ten years ago will be held soon. Please plan for us to leave the Delmark Mansion immediately after that.]
After confirming the contents, Mikhail burned the note in the fireplace with a lighter.
I wanted to stop his evil deeds with my own hands at the very end, but...
He didn't have much time left here, either. It was time to start preparing to leave.