Chapter 166.
2024.02.13.
A few days later, Asiel announced news that would surprise the two of them.
"You decided to stay at the Arvon Count's estate for a few days?"
Blair asked back with wide eyes in surprise, and Herdin paused the wine glass he was drinking from.
This was understandable, since Asiel had never left his parents' embrace until now.
"Yes. We decided to play at the villa in the suburbs."
"And your parents permitted this?"
"Of course!"
Asiel held out a brief letter from Count Arvon to his dad as if he had been waiting for it. It was a formal invitation that Jamie and Senika had obtained by pestering their father.
Looking back and forth between the invitation from Count Arvon and his son's expectant eyes, Herdin agreed to his son's first overnight stay.
"At that age, it's definitely more fun to play with friends."
However, even after reading the Count's invitation, Blair still seemed reluctant.
"Hmm, but I'm a bit worried about whether we'd be causing them trouble. I'm also a bit concerned about sending Asiel alone..."
"If you're really that concerned, we can invite those children to our house next time, can't we?"
Asiel, fearing his grand plan might fall through, quickly agreed with Herdin's words.
"That's right. Next time I'll bring them to our house. And I won't cause any trouble and will play quietly before coming back."
"Hmm..."
"Yes, Mom?"
The child looked at his mother with earnest eyes.
Since Dad was someone who would cave at Mom's word, the real decision-making power lay with her.
Blair, who had been pondering for a moment, eventually had no choice but to yield to the child's persistent pleas.
"Alright. But you must promise never to play dangerous games. Understood?"
"Yay! Yes!"
A smile of satisfaction appeared on Asiel's lips as he finally obtained consent from both Mom and Dad.
* * *
Thus, the next morning, Asiel finished all his preparations and stood before the carriage heading to the Arvon Count's estate.
"Then I'll be going. Mom, Dad."
Unlike the excited Asiel, Blair's eyes as she looked at the child held unmistakable worry. It felt literally like leaving a child by the water's edge.
The first to speak was Herdin.
"Asiel."
"Yes, Dad."
"Senika is a girl, so you mustn't treat her carelessly. She's different from Jamie."
At Herdin's surprisingly stern words, Asiel tilted his head. He was puzzled as to why Dad was suddenly talking about Senika, but nodded anyway.
Then Blair, who had been listening beside them, chimed in.
"That's right, Senika is a lady, so treat her carefully. Even when holding hands, you must get permission. That's a gentleman's etiquette, you know."
Though sometimes she seems stronger than Jamie...
Still, Asiel nodded at Blair's words as well. Senika was a girl after all, and it was right to treat her carefully.
'If you kiss by mistake, a baby might be born.'
Because he heard that having a baby before getting married was wrong.
"Asiel."
Blair sat down, making eye contact with the child, and repeatedly gave instructions.
Don't play in the water because it's still chilly, likewise dress warmly because it gets cold at night, even if playing with friends is fun, chatting late into the night is a nuisance so go to bed early... and so on.
Even though these were instructions he always heard, Asiel listened carefully to his mother's affectionate words.
"Don't worry, Mom."
Blair smiled bitterly as she looked at her son answering bravely. Seeing the child who had already grown up so much and was leaving home alone—albeit only for ten days—gave her a complicated feeling.
But now it was truly time to send the child off.
She embraced Asiel in her arms.
"What will I do during that time. I'll miss our baby."
Asiel, who had been purely excited at the thought of playing with friends and the possibility of having a younger sibling when he returned, felt his heart soften when his mother showed her tender side.
"Mom..."
"Young master, the preparations are now complete."
Finally, the nanny who had loaded all the luggage onto the carriage brought the news. Asiel, gathering his resolve, hugged Blair and whispered.
"I'll miss you a lot too, Mom."
Then, seeing his dad standing beside him, he belatedly added.
"Dad too, of course."
"It would have been disappointing if you left me out."
Herdin laughed and gently stroked the child's head, and Blair kissed the child's cheek. Asiel gave his mom twice as many kisses in return before finally boarding the carriage.
Sitting by the window, Asiel waved his hands toward Mom and Dad. The two also waved back at the child. Blair's eyes had already grown red from watching the child.
Soon, the carriage departed.
When Mom and Dad were no longer visible outside the window, Asiel's expression quickly turned gloomy.
Noticing this, the nanny asked, pretending not to notice his feelings.
"What's wrong, young master?"
"...I already miss Mom."
"Shall we turn the carriage around then?"
Asiel's heart wavered for a moment, but then he remembered the purpose of leaving home and shook his head.
"No. I'm eight years old now, so I can endure it."
If only a younger sibling is born!
* * *
That morning, after seeing Asiel off and returning to her room, Blair finally shed tears.
'Our baby seems to have grown up too fast...'
The peculiar feeling of being both proud and sad at the sight of her grown child overwhelmed her.
Herdin smiled finding his wife cute for showing weakness particularly in matters concerning the child, but then felt sorry for her tearful appearance and embraced her.
'He grew up well. Thanks to you.'
Though he barely managed to comfort Blair, her tears were only the beginning. The child would grow even faster from now on.
Each time that happened, she would feel emotions like today's, and he would always be by her side to protect her.
Forever.
After sniffling for quite a while, once Blair actually stopped crying, she felt embarrassed for having shed tears over something not worth crying about.
Blair pushed her husband away who said "I'll cancel my afternoon schedule and stay by your side," and came alone to Asiel's room.
The room where the child had stayed until morning was still messy, perhaps because the maids hadn't cleaned it yet. Asiel was usually neat, but it seemed because he was packing his luggage until morning.
Seeing the traces of hastily packed toys, she could guess what the child had been doing before leaving the room, and it made her laugh.
Looking around the room, Blair approached the bed and sat down on the edge. It was the spot she always sat in when putting the child to sleep.
'I wonder if he's arrived at the villa by now.'
With a faint smile, as she was stroking the pillow that held the child's scent instead, she felt something hard beneath the pillow.
"Hmm?"
Blair pulled it out. Then, a children's book titled
'This is...'
Blair's eyes shook slightly upon discovering it.
* * *
It seemed his son had gone to do romance business.
That was the conclusion Herdin had reached.
That was why he helped Asiel go to the Arvon Count's estate to play. The rest was Asiel's part.
And thanks to Asiel emptying the house, he also gained time to have Blair all to himself for the first time in a while.
Since Asiel's overnight stay was decided suddenly, he couldn't remove his work schedule in advance, but he had no intention of wasting the precious time his son had created for him.
After quickly finishing the dinner appointment and returning home, what greeted him was...
"...Blair?"
His wife was asleep at an earlier time than usual. And wearing a slip that subtly revealed the curves of her body.
Herdin let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
This was, well, not even torture.
Dressed as if offering herself to be eaten, sleeping with the most innocent face in the world.
"I suppose a sleeping princess must be awakened with a kiss..."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Herdin muttered thus and pressed his lips against his defenseless wife's lips. And the moment he slipped between her lips.
"Mmm..."
Along with a faint moan, the bittersweet scent of wine rushed in. Only then did the wine bottle on the table catch his eye.
On a day when they finally had time alone together, she was asleep wearing revealing sleepwear after drinking. She was definitely determined to drive him crazy.
He kissed Blair's lips softly, waking her up.
"Wake up, drunken princess."
His whispering lips trailed down her cheek and jaw, and by the time they reached her pale neck.
The sleeping princess finally opened her eyes.
"Ah..."
Blair opened her eyes wide in surprise at the situation before her. Her husband, who had returned home at some point, was using his large body as a prison to trap her.
Only then did she realize. That she had accidentally fallen asleep. Her plan had completely gone awry.
That is, at first she had no intention of falling asleep at all.
Having learned that the real reason Asiel suddenly wanted to go to the Arvon Count's estate was because of a younger sibling, Blair made a plan.
'Let me try to seduce Herdin today.'
Since she had tried to persuade him through conversation until now and failed, she thought of using a different method this time.
So she wore a slip she usually didn't wear, prepared wine, and also held back the contraceptives she habitually took. Thinking it would be difficult to seduce him with a clear mind, she drank a glass of wine first.
But after downing the wine, belated regret washed over her.
At first, she had planned to threaten him with her body. But as she waited for him and mulled it over, her thoughts changed.
'It's mine and his, our child.'
She shouldn't unilaterally threaten him. That wasn't the right way between a married couple.
'Let me try to seriously persuade Herdin once more.'
By the time she reached that conclusion, the intoxication had already reached its peak.
In the end, Blair, who had overlooked the fact that her drinking habit was falling asleep, fell right asleep.
As a result...
"If you drove me crazy, you need to take responsibility."
Contrary to her determination before falling asleep, she was now facing a situation where she was about to be devoured by him.