IONDC 09

.Chapter 9

The Heat That Doesn’t Cool Down

Mason immediately agreed with Blair’s words.

“I will prepare the documents so you can review them tomorrow.”

“I’m sure there are many things I lack from your perspective. Please teach me a lot from now on.”

At Blair’s attitude, Mason was inwardly surprised.

He had assumed she would be a princess raised like a precious jewel, someone who never had to touch complicated or difficult matters. Moreover, unlike most nobles of her upbringing, she did not seem ashamed of her shortcomings and was willing to learn.

Some might think such behavior lowered her dignity, but to his eyes, it felt far more noble.

“Please take good care of me as well, my lady.”

The Mason Blair knew rarely revealed emotion, but for a brief moment, his expression seemed to soften.

After he left, Blair returned to her room after bathing. It was still too early to sleep.

She decided to organize her future plans.

Although she had proposed a one-year contract marriage to Herden, the time when she conceived Ashael had actually been around early summer.

Herden must not discover Ashael’s existence, so everything had to be completed before the pregnancy became noticeable.

“Half a year.”

Within that time, she had three goals.

First: recover the memory of the fire incident.

This would be led by Herden, so she didn’t need to plan anything.

Second: prepare for divorce.

In the empire, divorce required the Emperor’s approval. But would Ivan, who had orchestrated this marriage for his own purposes, ever agree to it?

He would never agree to a divorce based on Herden’s fault alone.

‘It has to be my fault. Something so undeniable that public opinion forces a divorce.’

The solution she came up with was a scandal.

An affair with another man.

However, such a scandal would punish the man involved. So Blair decided to escalate it further.

If it were one man, suspicion would fall on him. But if there were several men?

Then public opinion would shift—from blaming a man who slept with a married woman, to condemning a shameless princess who slept around while married.

That was the outcome she wanted.

If things went wrong and Ashael’s existence was exposed, she could even claim the child belonged to them.

‘Then I’ll need to buy several men.’

After a scandalous divorce, she would not be able to remain in the empire—at least not under the current system. If unlucky, she could even be imprisoned by Ivan or Katrina.

But as long as she remained the legally recognized Duchess of Delmark, even the imperial family could not touch her. Once the divorce was complete, she would have to leave the empire immediately.

So she needed a new identity and a new place to live—one no one could trace.

The only place that could provide all of this was the Guild.

‘I should visit the Guild soon.’

And third: find the mastermind behind her death in her previous life.

It was unlikely that the attacker had acted out of personal motive. Someone must have been behind it.

She needed to uncover who it was and why she had been killed.

Because in this life, she would not leave Ashael alone.

‘Start with what’s closest.’

Blair planned to visit the knight training grounds the next morning, then lay down in bed. At that moment, she suddenly remembered last night—and the contract.

She got up and took the contract from the drawer. The signature line was still empty.

Meanwhile, after his bath, Herden sat in his office with a cigar, reviewing documents.

Most urgent matters had already been handled before the wedding, so nothing required immediate attention. Still, he chose work over rest, trying to forget the thoughts that had been tormenting him since morning.

Only the sound of papers turning filled the dark, silent study.

Knock knock—

A sudden knock broke the silence.

‘Mason?’

Since his assistant Ruth had complained about being overworked and had been sent home early, it couldn’t be him.

“Come in.”

But the one who entered was neither Ruth nor Mason.

It was Blair.

Herden’s eyes paused for a moment.

In her hand was a rolled document.

She coughed lightly at the cigar smoke before approaching him after the coughing stopped.

“I remembered something from yesterday. We didn’t finish the contract.”

Herden looked at the paper in her hand with mild disbelief.

What did this piece of paper even matter?

Yet she treated it as if it guaranteed everything.

Naive and persistent.

He picked up a pen to quickly sign and send her away.

But then Blair grabbed his hand.

“Wait, Herden.”

Her hand was cold—uncomfortably so.

“Contracts need to be carefully reviewed.”

“We already did that yesterday.”

“I might have changed something in the meantime.”

Herden scoffed inwardly.

A mouse worrying about a cat.

He reviewed the document again.

“There’s an added clause.”

Blair pointed at it.

“After this contract ends, please provide a recommendation so that Lyna can find a good position.”

“The maid you brought from the palace?”

“Yes. She’s capable and sociable. She’ll do well anywhere.”

Herden’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Is she abandoning even her only ally?’

Planning to run away with a lover?

He recalled a story from twenty years ago—an overseas princess who ran away with a knight, resulting in tragedy.

Such scandals between nobles and commoners were not rare.

Blair might be the same type. Though last night being her first time complicated that assumption.

‘Either way, it has nothing to do with me.’

As long as the contract succeeded, it didn’t matter.

He signed both copies and handed one back.

“You should rest. It’s late.”

A polite dismissal.

But Blair wasn’t done.

“There’s an imperial luncheon tomorrow.”

He already knew.

“I remember.”

“You don’t need to attend every social event, but I’d like you to attend anything involving my brother or the imperial family.”

It was a request based on her previous life.

In that life, he had avoided all such gatherings.

“If you avoid showing any faults as my husband, my brother will have no choice but to agree to the divorce.”

A man like Herden Delmark, war hero though he was, was still a subject of the Emperor.

Without imperial approval, he could not divorce the Emperor’s only sister.

So this marriage had to end entirely due to Blair’s fault.

Herden added another impression of her:

Clever woman.

“That makes sense. I will keep it in mind.”

When she finished, Blair immediately turned to leave.

“Good night, Herden.”

After she left, Herden stared at the contract and let out a short laugh.

“Ha.”

The source of his disturbing thoughts had come to him on its own.

Blair.

All day, she had occupied his mind.

Her pale skin, trembling voice, delicate body, and the pleasure she had given him last night.

Unlike him, she seemed to have forgotten everything.

And yet she had the audacity to appear in front of him wearing thin nightwear.

A dirty desire rose again within him—to ruin that innocent face once more.

‘What am I, some lust-driven beast?’

He had thought taking her would ease the craving. But it hadn’t.

It was like drinking seawater—the more he drank, the thirstier he became.

Last night had been the same.

At first, it was curiosity.

But the moment he held her, curiosity disappeared—replaced only by desire.

He had lost himself in her until dawn, and only regained reason when he saw her unconscious beside him.

He had fled the room in disgust at himself.

She was the daughter of his enemy.

He must not forget that.

But even as he reminded himself, the heat in his body did not fade.

“…Am I insane?”

Herden exhaled sharply, stood up, and walked back toward the bathroom.