Chapter 154. Labor Pains
2024.02.01.
After spending an additional fortnight alone together in Ikar, the two arrived in Libren. Blair's expected delivery date was less than a month away.
As the carriage passed through the main gate and entered the estate, the servants could be seen lined up in a row, awaiting the return of the master and his lady.
Seeing this, Blair's expression darkened. Noticing her change in mood, Herdin asked with questioning eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Just, a bit embarrassed. It was only two months ago that I bid everyone farewell, saying we were divorcing......"
Ah. Realizing that Blair was feeling ashamed, Herdin let out a soft chuckle.
His wife, who appeared to be a noble and elegant princess on the outside, actually had such an adorable side to her. He felt a strange sense of elation at the fact that only he knew of this side of her.
"Then shall I turn the carriage around and head back to Ikar? I'm all for it."
"Let's not do that."
Blair hastily stopped him, afraid that Herdin might actually turn the carriage around. Meanwhile, the carriage arrived in front of the mansion's entrance.
"Welcome back, you two."
The head butler of the Libren estate opened the carriage door and greeted the couple.
Herdin stepped out of the carriage first, then helped Blair disembark.
As the two headed toward the mansion entrance, the lined-up servants bowed their heads in unison.
Herdin matched his steps to Blair's stride, unable to take his eyes off her. Due to her swollen belly, Blair walked with slow, mincing steps.
The sight was endearing, but the fact that even that looked cute to him meant he must be considerably besotted with her.
Watching Blair carefully take each step, Herdin suddenly felt mischievous and scooped her up into his arms. Startled, Blair clung to his neck.
"Herdin?"
Herdin kissed the lips of the woman staring at him with wide, surprised eyes and answered.
"Because you're cute."
At his bold kiss, Blair's face flushed like a ripe apple. Finding that adorable as well, Herdin tried to kiss her again but was stopped by Blair's hand.
Looking around with a considerably flustered expression, Blair furrowed her brow slightly and whispered.
"The servants are watching."
"Let them watch."
"It's beneath your dignity."
"Is a husband loving his wife beneath his dignity?"
Looking at him with a deliberately stern expression, Blair eventually burst into laughter as if conceding defeat. Herdin carried her and strode into the mansion.
The servants who watched the couple with beaming smiles all shared the same thought.
That the Duke was thoroughly smitten with his Duchess.
* * *
Standing before the mirror, Herdin was fastening his last cufflink when he happened to glance out the window.
He could see servants clearing snow piled up throughout the estate's garden and a coachman preparing a carriage.
Driven by guilt from his past life for not being by her side, Herdin had tried to stay close to her as much as possible, but as expected, the time they spent together had decreased compared to when they were in Ikar.
Moreover, today he had to personally inspect the port, and he felt anxious about leaving the mansion for long with Blair behind, something he hadn't done in a while.
Even though there were no longer any forces targeting him and Blair, and he knew the baby wouldn't be born in the meantime since the due date was still about a month away.
The guilt from his past life was like a stone buried in ice, remaining unmelted in a corner of his heart no matter how much time passed.
Repeatedly fastening and unfastening his cufflink for no reason, Herdin eventually gave up and stepped out of the dressing room.
He had hoped his wife, who had become even more of a sleepyhead since becoming pregnant, would be awake by now, but unfortunately, Blair was still fast asleep.
Sitting quietly by the bedside, Herdin remembered why she still hadn't gotten up.
'True. She went to sleep late last night too.'
Last night as well, just as it had been since their time in Ikar, Herdin had tormented Blair, nibbling and sucking at her.
Of course, since she was in her final month of pregnancy, he avoided directly joining their bodies, but even without that, there were many ways to fulfill each other's desires. If anything, not being direct made it all the more stimulating.
And perhaps due to pregnancy hormones, Blair's attitude, while still shy, had become a bit more candid, which only fueled his desire.
After indulging in her for a long time like that, Herdin had finally let her go late into the night.
The bewitching figure that had goaded him on last night was nowhere to be found; gazing at his wife sleeping with a completely defenseless face, Herdin quietly rose from his seat.
Since it seemed greedy even to himself for the man who had tormented her all night to expect her to see him off.
But the moment Herdin rose from the bed.
"......Herdin?"
As if sensing his wish, Blair opened her eyes.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to inspect the port. I'll be back shortly."
Only then did Blair recall that last night, Herdin had mentioned he was going to inspect the port today.
Meanwhile, Herdin climbed back onto the bed. Blair looked at him with questioning eyes as he casually lay down beside her, despite saying he had to leave.
"You said you have to go?"
Herdin leaned in close, as if to kiss her, and whispered.
"Tell me not to go."
As his lips moved, barely brushing against hers, warm breath touched her mouth. Yet they didn't press together. As if demanding the answer he desired from her.
At the same time, his hand slipped under the covers and caressed Blair's round belly. The heated touch crept up secretly yet boldly, wrapping around and stimulating her swollen breasts. It was a blatant seduction.
The moment she felt dizzy from his touch, the memory of last night flashed through Blair's mind. She had a premonition that if she gave in to his seduction now, she would end up rolling around in bed with him in broad daylight.
Blair overlapped her hands over his, stopping him.
"You need to be a daddy who sets a good example for the baby."
"I could set an example as a husband too."
"Neglecting your work isn't exemplary as a husband either."
At Blair's firm words, Herdin let out a dissatisfied sigh. Yet he didn't budge, only idly playing with her hair. He still seemed reluctant to leave.
Eventually, Blair played her trump card.
"I'll reward you when you come back."
A reward.
Herdin's eyes narrowed, knowing exactly what that meant. Over the past fortnight, his clever wife seemed to have figured out how to tame him.
Of course, it was a very accurate method.
"Twice."
Herdin proposed a negotiation and abruptly kissed her. After a brief hesitation, Blair accepted her unreasonable husband's victory.
As her closed lips parted, Herdin seized the opening without missing a beat, ensnaring her. And he caressed the soft feminine body hidden beneath the covers.
"Mmh......"
Their lips overlapped, warm breath and saliva intertwining, producing a moist, obscene sound.
The two, as if exploring each other all night wasn't enough, delved even deeper. As the contact grew more lingering, the heat between them quickly flared up.
In a world that seemed to have left only the two of them, someone suddenly intruded.
"Your Excellency, the preparations are complete."
It was Ruth's voice.
Herdin, already heated with desire, tried to ignore it and continue the kiss, but Blair pushed him away.
"Herdin."
Only then did Herdin sigh and pull back. Then, wiping away the saliva—whose it was, unknown—from Blair's lips with his thumb, he whispered low.
"I'll receive the remaining reward when I return, my lady."
Then, as he rose from the bed and straightened his clothes, Herdin noticed that Blair's expression wasn't good.
"Blair?"
"......Ah."
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
At his worried question, Blair hastily shook her head.
"I must not have fully woken up yet. Have a safe trip."
Herdin studied the complexion of his wife, who was smiling brightly at him, then kissed her rounded forehead and stood up.
"I'll be back."
He left the bedroom, and shortly after, the sound of the door closing was heard. At the same time, the smile vanished from Blair's face, contorting in pain.
"Ah......"
Blair wrapped her arms around her stomach where she felt the contractions.
In truth, she had felt a faint labor pain right after their kiss ended. But she deliberately didn't show it, worried that Herdin, who needed to go out, would be concerned.
Blair cradled her stomach, which was unusually hard and bunched up, and sat up.
Having false labor pains as the delivery date approaches is a common symptom, but it was difficult to precisely distinguish it from real labor.
'There's still more than a fortnight until the due date......'
In her past life, Asiel was born more than a fortnight from now, but there was no guarantee that in this life, the child would be born on the same day as then.
In fact, Asiel had been born about a fortnight early from the original due date, and with a little over a month left until delivery, it wouldn't be strange for the baby to be born at any time.
Feeling anxious, Blair pulled the bell rope. And while lying in bed waiting for the pain to subside, Melly entered the room.
"My lady, did you sleep well...... Are you unwell?"
Blair asked Melly, who was urgently approaching her.
"Melly, could you call the attending physician?"