Chapter 23
Secret Meeting
“Madam, may I come in?”
It was Mason’s voice.
“Come in.”
Blair handed Melly the bottle of milk for Pippi and walked over to the table. On it were documents she had prepared in advance.
She handed them to Mason.
“This is a budget plan I drafted based on the past five years’ financial reports. Take a look.”
Mason was inwardly surprised. Blair had asked for past budget records before, but he hadn’t expected her to actually draft a budget herself.
He had assumed she would skim through the numbers—dizzying figures on paper—and quickly give up.
But seeing her persistence, he thought it was commendable.
Mason began reviewing the budget carefully.
Blair fidgeted nervously with her fingers as she waited for his evaluation, unable to hide her tension.
It felt like being graded by a teacher again, like in childhood.
Mason’s usual composed expression gradually deepened into seriousness as he examined the document.
As the silence stretched on, Blair finally spoke first.
“It’s just something I drafted for practice. If there’s anything I missed, please feel free to tell me.”
“No,” Mason said. “It’s excellent. It’s hard to believe this is your first time drafting something like this alone.”
At his unexpected response, Blair’s eyes widened.
There was genuine admiration in his voice.
Mason wasn’t the type to flatter his master without reason. He was also not someone who would lie.
So this praise was sincere.
“We can proceed with this budget as the basis for this year’s financial plan.”
Blair’s heart pounded at the praise.
It was the first time she had been praised since Esmeralda’s death. In her life, praise had always belonged to her brother Ivan.
Katrina had never wanted Blair to surpass Ivan. Whenever Blair received something better from the imperial family, she would resent her as if Ivan’s share had been stolen.
The best things, the most precious things, were always meant for Ivan. If Blair had something Ivan didn’t, Katrina would take it away and give it to her son.
Blair, starving for even a shred of maternal affection, hid her abilities—always making sure she was just slightly inferior to Ivan. She could not outshine him, nor become a burden.
She lived like that for twenty years.
At some point, even she began to believe she had no worth of her own.
So hearing praise now made her throat ache with emotion.
Ah… I can do something too. I can be recognized too.
It felt like a forgotten truth returning to her.
“There are a few areas that could be improved,” Mason added carefully, pointing out specific corrections.
Blair listened attentively like a diligent student.
Their discussion ended just as a knock sounded and Lina entered.
“Madam, just now—”
Lina stopped mid-sentence upon noticing Mason and fell silent. Mason quickly excused himself.
Once he left, only Blair, Lina, and Melly—still caring for Pippi—remained.
Lina glanced at Melly, then leaned in and whispered to Blair.
“A message came from the guild, Madam.”
“Recent reports indicate that the mana stone mine in the northwest is operating smoothly. Estimated reserves are…”
Hedrin stared out the carriage window with unreadable eyes as Ruth’s report flowed past his ears like passing scenery.
Everything was proceeding smoothly—business, and even Blair’s memory recovery.
A few days ago, Agnes had reported her monthly progress.
She said she was starting by revisiting happy memories rather than forcing painful ones.
“She trusts you quickly, which makes things easier,” Agnes had said. “Many patients struggle with distrust, but she opens up easily.”
Then she added:
“In her happiest memories, Your Grace appears frequently. That’s probably why she hasn’t forced herself to recall everything. She may be afraid that someone she trusted deeply once tried to kill her.”
“And even if that person might have been wrongly accused?”
Agnes had continued calmly:
“She suffered a severe accident. She wakes up with missing memories while everyone around her insists that person tried to kill her… Naturally, she would suspect memory loss caused by trauma.”
“….”
“Especially since the Queen Mother agrees with that narrative. She wouldn’t want to accuse her own mother of lying, nor face the possibility that the late Empress truly tried to kill her.”
“That’s a selfish thought.”
“Your Grace, she was only eleven.”
At eleven, there was no room to think beyond oneself, Agnes had said.
“And you appear often in her happy memories too.”
“…Me?”
“She trusts you. Relies on you. Loves you.”
Hedrin had scoffed at the word love.
Absurd.
He was simply present often because he was Esmeralda’s nephew.
Whatever Blair felt toward him, it was not that kind of affection.
At least, not based on her recent behavior.
Since her visit to the guild, she had not gone out for personal reasons again.
“She’s probably waiting for guild contact,” he thought.
She met the guild secretly, spoke nonsense about seeing the future…
And yet sometimes, when he saw her clear expression, he wondered if he was simply misunderstanding her.
Or perhaps he wanted to believe that.
That must be why he was in such a foul mood.
A foolish, naive thought.
Since the New Year’s Festival incident, he had deliberately avoided seeing her.
He wouldn’t be deceived by that innocent face again.
The carriage had already left the central district and was passing behind a theater.
Hedrin’s gaze drifted outside—
And stopped.
A woman had just stepped out of a carriage.
Small frame. Pale blond hair slipping from a dark green cloak. Familiar pale hands.
Blair.
His gaze sharpened instantly.
There were no visible escorts beside her, though he knew they would be watching from a distance.
She entered the theater through the back entrance with her maid.
“…Your Grace. You’re not listening to me, are you?”
Ruth sighed.
Hedrin ignored him and instead pointed toward the theater.
“Do you know what’s playing there?”
Ruth answered dutifully.
“A heroic tale set in ancient times with divine beasts. But… it’s basically a cover. It’s a theater, but also a well-known place for noble affairs.”
“Affairs?”
“Yes. Didn’t you know?”
Affairs.
Hedrin’s eyes turned cold.
For a moment, a name surfaced in his mind.
Asiel.
He looked at the theater’s back entrance where Blair had disappeared.
The theater manager had clearly been expecting her.
He greeted Blair at the back entrance and handed Lina a ticket.
“Young lady, please follow that guide.”
“Me?” Lina blinked in surprise.
Blair smiled gently.
“Go ahead and enjoy it, Lina. I have someone to meet.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. It’s better this way.”
Lina left, excited, following the guide.
The manager then escorted Blair to the top-floor lounge—VIP only.
Inside, before a wide glass window overlooking the stage, a man drinking wine turned toward her.
Mikhail.
