Chapter 64. The Clock Tower on a Spring Day
2023.11.03.
"……Your Holiness?"
He was alone, without the priests and clerics he usually kept around him. Gerard approached the two with a brightened expression.
"I had some free time and stopped by, but I didn't expect to run into you like this. What good fortune."
"Did Your Holiness also come to see the two of them?"
"Yes. The late Duchess was a long-time friend of mine."
"Thank you for your continued concern. My mother would also be pleased by Your Holiness's visit."
Gerard looked toward the Spirit Chamber with eyes full of deep longing, then spoke with a smile.
"Seeing His Grace take a partner, the two in heaven must feel much more at ease now."
"I hope they indeed feel that way."
Blair felt a pang of guilt, unable to bring herself to mention it was a contract marriage, but Herdin calmly offered a formal response.
"Then I'll go ahead first."
"Yes, please take care."
Herdin and Blair exchanged a slight bow and moved away.
Gerard watched their retreating figures before stepping into the Spirit Chamber.
Closing the door quietly, he looked at the portraits of Kasion and Eloi and spoke.
"It brings me joy to see their son grow up safely and come into his own."
"……."
"He resembles the Duke greatly, doesn't he? When I saw him returning from the war, for a moment I thought the Duke had come back to life and was startled."
"……."
"Though that should be impossible."
The words he whispered next scattered in the wind, unheard.
Unlike the affectionate words he offered his old friend, his green eyes gazing at the two in the portraits sank with a chilling coldness.
* * *
After leaving the temple, the two boarded the carriage to return to the mansion.
In a languid silence, Blair gazed at the scenery outside the window, while Herdin quietly took in the sight of his wife.
Her eyes, fixed on the world beyond the window, sparkled in the sunlight.
Faint music drifted from beyond the window where her gaze was anchored. Along with it seeped a sweet fragrance.
Herdin, who had been watching Blair unable to tear her eyes away from the window, turned his head to follow her gaze.
At the end of a path lined with fully bloomed cherry trees on both sides stood the plaza's clock tower. Many stalls were set up in front of it, as if some festival was underway.
As he absentmindedly observed the scene, a memory suddenly surfaced alongside a faint headache.
In the memory, Blair was looking at the scenery of the mansion's fully bloomed cherry blossoms, her half-bared body covered by a blanket.
After quietly gazing at that scenery, she turned to look at him and asked.
'Herdin. If you have time, would you go see the clock tower in the plaza with me?'
She had tried to hide her anticipation, but it was written all over her face.
Just as Herdin was about to answer thoughtlessly, the surfaced memory scattered like mist.
In the place where that memory vanished was Blair, silently looking at the scenery outside.
Herdin furrowed his brows at the existence of this abruptly surfaced memory that wasn't in his head.
'I thought it had been quiet for a while.'
A memory of something he had never experienced, yet existing as if it were his own—what in the world was it?
'I looked into the phenomenon Your Grace mentioned, but there were no cases exactly like yours.'
'Then were there similar cases?'
'They say among black magic, there's a spell that absorbs the opponent's mana to read their memories.'
'Absorb mana to read memories?'
'Yes. Well, since mana is like an organ of our body, they say it holds parts of our memories? It was written with such difficult content……. But Your Grace hasn't used black magic, have you?'
It was certainly different from the cases Ruth had investigated.
In his case, even though it was a memory of something he hadn't experienced, it was clearly his own memory, and he hadn't used black magic—didn't even know any.
Black magic was now forbidden, a lost art.
Then suddenly, a book in his private study came to mind, and he paused.
'……No, I suppose I do know one.'
Of course, even if he knew of it, he had never actually used it, so it was irrelevant to him.
Herdin closed his eyes irritably and erased his wandering thoughts.
But upon seeing his wife before him, her figure overlapped with the one from the memory that had just surfaced.
Herdin, looking at that figure, opened his mouth.
"Blair."
Blair, who hadn't been able to tear her gaze from the window, finally turned to look at him.
Herdin motioned with his eyes toward the window.
"Shall we look around for a bit before going?"
It was a rather impulsive suggestion, stemming from a memory of unknown origin.
* * *
The area in front of the clock tower was bustling with crowds.
Stall vendors selling various foods and goods, people admiring flowers, people buying things, people playing games.
For Blair, who had never been outside the imperial palace except for official events, it was all unfamiliar scenery.
Herdin looked at Blair, whose eyes were sparkling with wonder like a child finding everything in the world new, and let out an involuntary laugh.
The doll-like woman who always wore a calm and detached expression was nowhere to be found.
'I should have brought her out sooner.'
He walked at a leisurely pace matching Blair's stride, then grabbed her hand as she began to wander away, distracted.
Feeling that warmth, Blair finally looked back at him with startled eyes.
"If you look away like that, you'll get lost. Hold my hand."
Blair quietly offered her hand to him. Herdin laced his fingers through hers so as not to let go.
Blair took in the festival scenery, while Herdin took in her observing it.
After walking for a while, Blair stopped in front of one stall.
This stall was selling what appeared to be handmade accessories, but unlike the other stalls, it was manned solely by a girl who looked to be about six or seven years old.
"Welcome, customer."
Blair smiled softly at the little stall owner who greeted her clearly and asked.
"Did you make these?"
"No. My mom made them."
"Where did your mom go?"
"She had something to do and went somewhere else. Until she comes back, I have to watch the store."
"Do you know how to do the calculations too?"
"Yes, my mom taught me."
"You're smart. And so responsible."
Herdin, who had been watching Blair converse warmly with a child she'd just met, gestured toward the stall and spoke.
"Is there anything you like? I'll buy it for you as a memento, so take your pick."
"Ah, no. I just talked to her because I was worried about the child being alone."
"I'm sure the little owner would be happier if you bought something."
Blair, realizing belatedly, looked at the child, but the girl, having understood their conversation, shook her head.
"It's okay. Just looking is fine too."
But seeing the precocious little girl, the urge to buy her something welled up.
Blair carefully surveyed the stall, then chose a cherry blossom-shaped ring made of woven thread. It was perfect to commemorate today.
"I'll take this one."
"5 silver."
Herdin handed the child a gold coin.
"Keep the change. And don't give it to your mom."
The child looked up at him with a bewildered expression.
Blair glanced at him as if to say he was saying strange things to the child, but Herdin pretended not to see that look and turned away first.
After bidding the child farewell, Blair trotted back to his side.
"Thank you for the ring, Herdin. I'll cherish it."
Herdin stared at the thread ring on Blair's hand.
The cherry blossom petal decoration of the ring wasn't to his liking, but it suited her pale, slender fingers well. That made it well worth the price.
The next place Blair's steps halted was a stall selling cherry blossom-shaped cream buns.
For Blair, who couldn't pass by the sweet scent, Herdin bought those as well.
After eating one small bun, Blair's eyes widened. It seemed to suit her taste.
"Would you like to try one too? It's quite sweet though……."
Blair took out a bun and offered it to Herdin.
Herdin grabbed her hand holding the bun and brought it to his mouth. Consequently, the tips of Blair's fingers slipped in and out of his mouth.
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation at her fingertips, Blair flinched. But Herdin merely chuckled.
"Not bad."
The moment it crossed her mind that his blue eyes, set against the backdrop of fully bloomed cherry blossoms, resembled a spring lake draped in petals—
The sound of a bell ringing from nearby reached them. It came from the top of the clock tower right before their eyes.
Before they knew it, the two had arrived in front of the clock tower.
Blair craned her neck to look up at the top of the clock tower. She had heard the view from up there was beautiful.
"Herdin, have you ever climbed up here?"
"Do you want to go up?"
Quick-witted as he was, he grasped the intent behind the question and asked in return. Blair nodded.
Herdin looked at Blair's eyes sparkling with anticipation, then lowered his gaze to her shoes.
"It seems difficult in those."
"I can do it. I won't be a burden to you."
Herdin looked at Blair speaking with full determination and readily nodded.
Blair took the lead and began climbing the clock tower's stairs. Herdin followed at a leisurely pace, a few steps behind her.