~Chapter 16~
I Only Need the Duke’s Child Episode 16. First Meeting
It was the first thing Rus said when he came to see Heredin late at night, while Heredin was reviewing documents in his office after returning home.
Heredin, who had been smoking a cigar and not taking his eyes off the documents regardless of who came in, looked up at Rus at the unexpected remark.
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“Sir Jerome, who was on patrol around the estate, said he saw the Duchess and her maid sneak out about an hour ago.
So he followed them, and they apparently went into Guild Street.”
Heredin set down the cigar he had been holding and asked,
“At this hour?”
“Yes.
They just returned to the estate.”
A chuckle slipped from Heredin’s mouth.
Who would have thought that his seemingly well-behaved wife had a taste for such a charming little act of rebellion?
The unexpected blow to the back of his head stung quite a bit.
“Shall we find out what kind of request she made?”
“Why would we do that?”
“Well, she might be plotting something with the imperial family.
They might be planning to absorb Delmark.”
“If that were the goal, they wouldn’t risk sending a princess to move personally.
The emperor has more than enough people he could use.”
“That’s true.”
“And even if they might be planning something like that in the distant future, it’s not now.
The emperor still needs my power.”
A powerful horse that would bring victory in a war of conquest.
The purpose behind Ivan pushing for this marriage could be vaguely guessed from the conversation they had at the luncheon held at the imperial palace last time.
“Then why did she go to the guild?”
At Rus’s question, Heredin irritably ran a hand through his still-damp black hair and pressed his throbbing temple.
That was exactly what he wanted to know.
What exactly was that little head thinking, and what was she plotting?
But the guild would never easily reveal the purpose of a client’s request, and forcing them to confess would only cause a bigger issue.
If Blair were to learn about it, she would simply hide her intentions altogether.
After smoking his cigar in silence for a while, lost in thought, Heredin finally gave a low command.
“Just guard her for now.
Without being noticed.”
* * *
Before long, the New Year Festival was only one day away.
It was also the last day of the year.
As usual, Blair came down to the dining room for breakfast.
Heredin’s seat was empty again today.
“His Grace had business and left the estate early this morning.”
Mason, who pulled out her chair, spoke as if offering an excuse.
It made sense, considering that since the incident with the maids, Blair had not once shared a meal with Heredin.
But Blair was already used to it.
‘Still, I wanted to thank him about Rina.’
She did not want to owe him emotionally anymore.
Blair finished her meal while thinking that if she happened to run into him, she should thank him before it became too late.
Afterward, she tried on the dress Baroness Sionel had made for the New Year Festival and then rested for a while.
“My lady, Lady Lorellein has arrived.”
Blair had dozed off and woke up to Rina’s voice.
It was the tea time she had promised with Agnes.
When she went to the greenhouse where Agnes was waiting, Agnes greeted her warmly.
“Good afternoon, Duchess.
It’s been very cold lately. Have you been well this past week?”
“Yes.
Lady Lorellein, you’ve been well too, I hope?”
“Of course, thanks to you.”
They had arranged the meeting at their first tea time last week, and since today was their second, this was effectively their first proper counseling session.
Blair nervously touched the rim of her teacup.
She was not someone who particularly liked meeting strangers, though she was not usually nervous either.
As a princess, she had often been forced to meet unfamiliar people whether she wanted to or not.
Exceptionally, before her return in time, she had felt tense and uneasy when dealing with the people of the House of Delmark.
Their gazes always seemed to judge whether she was worthy of being the Duchess, whether she suited Heredin.
After returning to the past, those gazes no longer frightened her, yet strangely she still felt nervous facing Agnes.
It felt as though Agnes could see through everything about her.
Speaking about herself to someone was unfamiliar.
Since Esmeralda’s death, she had never shared her story with anyone.
Agnes sipped the warm tea to warm her chilled body and began speaking.
“By the way, it feels like the new year just arrived yesterday, but in the blink of an eye it’s already the last day of the year.
Time really flies.”
“That’s true.”
Blair did not want to answer briefly, but she had nothing particular to add.
She had always lived a life where someone else would lead the conversation without her needing to think of things to say.
Fortunately, Agnes did not seem to mind.
“We decided that starting today, we would talk about the past, didn’t we?”
“Yes.
What story should we begin with?”
“Hmm, it might be difficult to think of something randomly… shall we talk about memories related to the New Year Festival?”
“The New Year Festival?”
“Yes, something that happened during the New Year Festival that year when the accident occurred.
Is there any episode you remember?
Even something very trivial.”
Blair easily recalled a memory from that day.
Because that had been the day she first met Heredin.
* * *
The day before Blair turned eleven.
Today, the last day of the year, was when relatives who did not meet often gathered to exchange New Year’s greetings in advance.
Blair dressed up more carefully than ever before and visited the Empress Palace.
She did not know why, but recently it had been difficult to meet Esmeralda because she had been so busy.
‘I should ask Her Majesty the Empress to play a card game.
Today I’ll definitely win.’
With excitement in her heart, she entered the Empress Palace.
But there was already a guest there.
“Oh my.
You came at just the right time, Blair.”
Beside Esmeralda, who welcomed her with the same gentle smile as always, sat an unfamiliar boy.
A neat and handsome boy with fine black hair like Esmeralda’s, a pale face, and piercingly blue eyes.
Blair recognized him at once.
He was Heredin Delmark, the young head of the current House of Delmark and Esmeralda’s only nephew.
Esmeralda had spoken of Heredin several times before.
‘He’s a very lonely child.
I wish he could find a good friend like our Blair.’
At Esmeralda’s worried words, Blair had promised that if she ever met him, she would become his friend to reassure her.
But when Blair actually faced Heredin, she looked at him with wary eyes.
She did not like the uninvited guest who had intruded on her peaceful time with Esmeralda.
“Greet her, Heredin.
This is Her Highness the Princess.”
Esmeralda gently wrapped an arm around Heredin’s shoulder as she introduced Blair.
The boy with the cold impression rose from his seat and greeted her formally.
“I, Heredin of Delmark, greet the shining star of the empire, Her Highness the Princess.”
The boy’s manners were flawless, but the boredom in his eyes could not be hidden.
Seeing that look made Blair flinch.
Having always been surrounded by people who treated her kindly, the indifference of a boy a few years older than her felt unfamiliar and frightening.
But she could not run away after receiving his greeting, nor could she disappoint Esmeralda’s expectations, so she awkwardly returned the greeting.
“N-nice to meet you, Duke of Delmark.”
“I’ve always thought it would be nice if the two of you met at least once. I’m glad it finally happened.”
Esmeralda was pleased with the meeting between the two children, but Blair only felt uncomfortable with Heredin’s presence.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the boy did not seem interested in Blair.
Watching the two children who did not even meet each other’s eyes, Esmeralda made a suggestion.
“Shall we play a card game today as well?”
“Yes, I’d love to!”
Blair was excited to play cards, and although Heredin maintained an indifferent expression, he joined the game.
But as the game continued, Blair’s expression gradually grew sullen.
It was already the fourth round, and Heredin kept winning.
Since he kept winning, even Heredin was growing bored from the lack of tension.
Blair wanted to win, and Heredin had no intention of letting her.
Yet neither of them said a word to each other, nor even made eye contact.
At this rate, no matter how many more rounds they played, the two children would not grow any closer.
Troubled, Esmeralda thought of another idea.
“Playing the same game over and over seems a bit boring.
How about we try Old Maid this time?”
Thus the game of Old Maid began.
At first, pairs of matching cards appeared one after another, and the game progressed quickly. Soon enough cards had been discarded, and it was time for the psychological battle to begin.
“Oh my.”
When Heredin drew a card from her hand, Esmeralda let out a small exclamation.
It meant Heredin had taken the Old Maid card.
Now it was Blair’s turn to draw a card from Heredin.
Heredin held out his cards to Blair with the same indifferent expression as before.
But Blair hesitated instead of immediately drawing one.
‘This person… is scary…’
To play the psychological game, she needed to look at the opponent’s face and read the cards, but it was frightening to look directly into Heredin’s eyes.
Partly because of his cold impression, but also because she remembered the rumors about the “power” passed down in the House of Delmark.
