Chapter 4
Did You Kill Me?
Through the shaking carriage window, the imperial princess’s palace came into view.
Herdin’s aide, Ruth Fenril, stared at it with displeasure and began muttering.
“The Emperor is truly shameless. How can he even speak of marriage now? Back when Delmark was weakening, he was celebrating.”
Ten years ago—
After losing his parents and even his aunt, the Empress, young Herdin had been left alone. The Delmark Duchy was like a candle in the wind.
But when Herdin rose as a war hero, Emperor Ivan proposed a marriage with his younger sister.
It was obvious: a move to absorb Delmark’s rising power.
“Thanks to this, the princess gets everything. She just sits there and ends up with the empire’s most sought-after man.”
Ruth had never even spoken properly to Blair, but he already disliked her.
With a mother and brother like that, how could she be different?
“I told you, Your Grace. You should have married a proper noble lady sooner.”
But unlike Ruth’s complaints, Herdin remained silent, unmoved.
That silence frustrated Ruth even more.
“Aren’t you angry at all, Your Grace?”
“Ruth.”
Herdin finally interrupted him, still looking out the window.
“The princess’s palace begins here.”
His voice carried no emotion, but Ruth understood the meaning and fell silent.
“…My apologies.”
The carriage stopped.
The head servant of the princess’s palace led them inside.
Herdin entered alone.
“She will arrive shortly,” the servant said.
Soon, he was left alone in the reception room.
He sipped tea when—
The door opened behind him.
Herdin stood up to greet the princess.
And then he saw her.
Blair Sonnet von Ardel.
The owner of this palace.
The woman he would likely marry.
She looked like a living porcelain doll.
Beautiful—worthy of being called the daughter of the former Empress—but to Herdin, it meant nothing.
Rather—
A face that reminds me of something I wish to forget.
Suppressing a twisted smile, he kissed the back of her hand.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, Blair’s violet eyes flickered strangely—almost sorrowful.
But when he looked again, the emotion was gone.
“Thank you for making time despite your schedule, Duke Delmark.”
She sat gracefully in the seat of honor.
Silence fell between them.
Neither spoke as they sipped tea.
Normally, the lower-ranking party would break the silence with small talk.
But Herdin did not.
So Blair spoke first, watching him carefully.
“I’ll be direct.”
She placed her cup down.
“I will not refuse the marriage proposal my brother made.”
Herdin expected that much.
But what followed was unexpected.
“One year.”
He looked at her, confused.
“Just maintain the marriage for one year.”
“…What do you mean?”
“After one year, I will be the one to request a divorce. I won’t cling to you. I won’t interfere with love or anything like that.”
Herdin frowned.
A one-year contract marriage? What is she planning?
As if reading his thoughts, Blair offered something unexpected.
“The imperial palace fire incident ten years ago.”
At those words, Herdin’s gaze turned cold.
“If you accept my proposal, I will cooperate fully in uncovering the truth of that day.”
A cold laugh escaped Herdin.
After ten years of silence, now she wanted to speak?
He still clearly remembered that day.
When the Empress was accused, he had written to Blair—the only witness.
But she never replied.
Until the trial.
Through the half-open courtroom door, he had heard her voice:
“I… don’t remember anything.”
Lies.
You remember everything. You just chose your mother.
That memory remained his deepest resentment.
Still… this isn’t a bad proposal.
He could not refuse the Emperor’s order.
In exchange for marriage, Delmark would receive military reinforcement.
The duchy’s forces had been reduced by half after accusations of treason against the Empress.
Even as a war hero, Herdin could not defend the north alone.
He needed troops.
So even knowing it was a trap—
He had no choice.
And now, with the truth of that day on the table as well…
He could use her.
Find the truth.
Then divorce her cleanly.
“Why do you want this marriage?” he asked.
“So I can legally leave the palace.”
“And why not choose someone who loves you?”
“There are many who would.”
But Blair didn’t hesitate.
“I don’t believe in love.”
Her voice was firm.
“I prefer relationships with clear beginnings and endings. Give and take. Nothing more.”
She looked directly at him.
“Because I think you can give me that.”
Herdin watched her carefully.
Her face overlapped with a younger version of her in his memory.
When I grow up, I want to leave the palace… and see the world.
At that moment, something twisted inside him—but he answered anyway.
“I accept.”
“Thank you.”
“If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave.”
He stood immediately after checking the time.
Blair watched his back as he left.
Her hidden resentment surfaced.
There was one question she could not ask.
One question she might never receive an answer to in this life.
Herdin…
Did you kill me?
Afterward
The wedding preparations moved quickly.
The day before the wedding, Blair visited the imperial cemetery.
[Esmeralda Delmark]
The name of the former Empress was engraved on the tombstone.
She had been stripped of her title and name, yet allowed burial here.
Blair placed a flower gently at the grave.
Katrina disliked her coming here.
After all, this was the grave of a rival.
But Blair could not believe the truth.
Blair.
That warm embrace she remembered as a child…
Could it all have been fake?
She had once tried hypnosis to recover her memories—but it only worsened her health.
After meeting Herdin again, she stopped searching.
Because she feared losing him.
But when she learned he had been deceiving her—
Acting love just to uncover the truth—
Blair had still wanted to give him everything.
Even if his love was false.
Even if she was only holding onto illusion.
But when she tried to recover her memories again—
He had said:
“After ten years of ignorance… now you feel guilty?”
“Stop. Just stay still. Like you always have.”
And she had broken completely.
If Esmeralda was innocent, Herdin would hate her even more.
If she was guilty, he would still never love her.
So Blair gave up the truth.
And now—
That will change.
This time, she would face everything.
No matter what the truth was.
At that moment—
Footsteps rushed behind her.
