Chapter 48. Lend Me Your Husband
2023.10.18.
Blair didn't miss that opening and slipped from his embrace, heading toward the conservatory. She didn't look back at him even once.
She had a premonition that if she looked back, if their eyes met, she would be devoured whole by him. Thump, thump—her startled heart raced.
Fortunately, he didn't follow. Once she noticed that, Blair's steps gradually slowed.
Left entirely alone, Blair touched the back of her neck where his lips had touched.
'……Hot.'
The skin where his lips had touched somehow burned.
Blair continued to fiddle with that spot with confused eyes. Until that sensation faded away.
* * *
Time passed quickly, and before long, it was the day of the banquet.
The maids went to make the final preparations for the banquet, and Blair, left alone in the bedroom, reflected the back of her neck in the mirror.
Fortunately, the mark Herdin had left had faded and was barely visible.
Blair had discovered this mark the morning after the painter visited, while doing her makeup.
'My lady, wouldn't it be better to wear your hair down today?'
Melly, who was combing Blair's hair, asked cautiously. When Blair, who hadn't noticed the mark on the back of her neck, asked the reason, Melly stumbled over her words as if embarrassed.
Only then did Blair realize that Herdin had left a mark on the back of her neck.
'Still, it's a relief it disappeared before the banquet.'
Relieved by that, she looked out the window. It was already growing dark, and the time for the banquet was approaching.
Just as Blair rose from the vanity to do a final check, Lina's voice came.
"My lady, the preparations are complete."
Blair immediately left the bedroom.
Standing on the stairs, she saw the servants gathered in the first-floor lobby. On their chests pinned silver brooches shaped after the wings of the divine beast, the symbol of Delmark.
They were custom-made items Blair had ordered for the banquet.
They were made to show everyone attending the banquet that we are Delmark, and to make them feel a strong sense of belonging to Delmark.
Blair looked down at the scene with satisfaction and asked herself.
Is it perfect?
A question she had asked herself countless times in her past life.
And the answer she had heard endlessly from someone else's mouth.
But now, she didn't need someone else's answer.
It was already perfect in her eyes. It was already satisfactory to her heart.
So that was enough.
Blair went down the stairs and stood before them.
"Everyone has worked hard preparing for this."
She looked at the servants lined up before her one by one. Among them, there would be those who found her disagreeable, or perhaps those who had been moved and harbored goodwill toward her.
And she too was a duchess with a set term.
But today, leaving all that behind, everyone in this place was Delmark.
Blair smiled gently at them.
"Then now, let us begin welcoming our guests."
* * *
The banquet was a success.
"I was secretly worried since it was a mansion that went without a mistress for a long time, but coming to see it in person, I don't get that feeling at all."
"I can tell how much care the madam put into this. I think I understand her efforts."
Every noble who conversed with Blair praised the banquet she had prepared and the ducal mansion.
Most of them belonged to the imperial faction, and the vassals of Delmark, just like in her past life, seemed to smile on the surface but be displeased with her behind her back, but that didn't matter anymore.
Because Blair herself was unashamed before herself.
"That's right, even from a single glass of wine, you can feel the madam's careful consideration. It really doesn't seem like a banquet you're hosting for the first time!"
Listening to the noblewoman who heaped praise with every sip of wine, Blair answered inwardly.
'Of course. Because it's not my first banquet.'
But keeping the secret she could tell no one buried, Blair simply smiled gently at them.
Like the life she had lived, always elegant and dignified, born as a princess.
After the noblewomen who had been conversing for a while returned, Blair's surroundings briefly quieted down.
She pretended to drink wine and slipped away to a corner of the banquet hall.
Having lived participating in all sorts of state events, she was accustomed to dealing with people, but regardless of being accustomed, it was tiring.
As Blair surveyed the banquet hall where the atmosphere was in full swing, her eyes caught sight of her husband.
He stood out even among the crowd. It wasn't just because of the matching couple's outfit they had coordinated.
His taller stature and the face befitting the title of the empire's most handsome man played a part, but more than that, his unique aura had a greater effect.
An atmosphere that naturally overwhelmed his surroundings without taking any special action.
It was the appearance of a mature man, completely different from his precarious look in childhood.
In the past, Blair had fallen in love at first sight when she saw him return as an adult at the victory celebration banquet. Though she had denied her feelings at the time due to guilt.
And even now, living her second life after returning to the past, her heart still raced when she saw him like that. Miserably.
Blair turned her gaze away from him as if to deny that fact. Before such Blair, a familiar face approached.
"Long time no see, Blair?"
Rachel Seldon.
The daughter of the marquis who was the brother of the former empress, and a woman who was Blair's cousin.
The moment she saw her face, she suddenly remembered.
What had happened at this banquet in her past life.
In front of Rachel, who confidently made an outrageous demand, the Blair of that time had been unable to say anything.
Because to Blair, Rachel was as absolute an existence as Katrina.
While Blair, whose body had weakened from the empress's palace fire incident, was recuperating, Rachel had seized influence among the noble children of her age.
After several years passed like that, when Blair recovered and returned to the children's social circle, she had almost no friends left.
As if doing charity, Rachel let Blair into her group and made her rely on her. Blair had no choice but to cling to Rachel. And that relationship solidified like a habit. Even after growing up and becoming adults.
Though she hadn't complied with Rachel's unreasonable demands, the fact that she couldn't say anything to her then remained as terrible shame for Blair.
Blair tightly gripped the wine glass in her hand and looked at Rachel. The look in Blair's eyes as she watched her gleamed coldly.
"Indeed. It really has been a long time. Why didn't you come to my wedding? I really wanted your congratulations."
At Blair's question, Rachel's expression distorted.
In truth, Blair knew why she hadn't come to her wedding.
There were many noble ladies who had admired Herdin since childhood. Even while shunning him because of the Delmark tragedy.
Then after Herdin returned as a war hero, everyone openly carried a torch for him. Rachel was one of them.
Perhaps Rachel was quite sick at heart that Blair, who had gotten the man she couldn't have, and Blair whom she had considered inferior to herself, had become his wife.
Rachel struggled to compose her expression and answered.
"I really wanted to go too, but I was too unwell. This cold was brutal. Better late than never—congratulations on your marriage."
"Thank you."
Rachel took a wine glass from the table and stood beside Blair. Sipping her wine and surveying the banquet hall, her gaze stopped at Herdin.
The man exuding his unique aura even among the crowd was still attractive even now that he was married.
No, rather…… now that he belonged to someone else, she coveted him even more.
Without taking her eyes off Herdin visible beyond her glass, Rachel asked Blair.
"Is the duke treating you well?"
"Yeah."
"That's a relief. Still, don't trust him too much. That man is the nephew of the woman who tried to kill you."
Rachel, pretending to worry about Blair, deliberately brought up her Achilles' heel. But unlike what she expected—a wounded expression—Blair was just calmly drinking wine.
Though she thought Blair's nonchalant reaction was unlike her usual self, Blair still wouldn't be able to defy her. That was why she had spent years playing the role of her friend and put in the effort.
"Well, still, with that face and that body, it must be worth seeing every day. In a world where becoming an old man's second wife is commonplace. Right? I wouldn't have any wishes left if I could just once have a romance with a man like that."
"……."
"So that's why, Blair."
Rachel, who had been observing her expression, began in a sly voice.
"Would it be too much to ask you to lend me your husband for just one night? I'll take care of the rest afterward."
Rachel made the request in a casual tone, as if asking to borrow a toy. Just like when she used to take away Blair's accessories in childhood.
It's not something I need your permission for, but I'm telling you in advance because it's you……
Whispering words that sounded affectionate at first glance.
Even before hearing Blair's answer, Rachel had already formulated the rest of her plan in her head.
Of course, Herdin hadn't given her the time of day no matter how much she tried to approach him before marriage, but now that he had taken Blair as his wife, it would be different.
He was someone who harbored resentment toward the Grand Empress's family, so he would choose a woman other than Blair, if only to defy them.
Blair set her empty wine glass down on the table and looked at Rachel with cold eyes.
"How vulgar, Rachel."
"……What?"
"You seem to have forgotten, so I'll remind you—that person is my husband. And he's not something to be lent out either."
Rachel's face hardened at Blair's unexpected reaction. Blair's refusal was a development that hadn't been in her plan from the start.
Because Blair Sonnet von Ardel had always been unable to defy her.
Because that had been taken for granted until now.
Rachel laughed in disbelief.
"So? You're saying don't touch him because he's your husband?"
"That's right. That's what I wanted to say."
From long ago, since a time you wouldn't remember.