Chapter 89. Kiss Me
Though his voice was as casual as if he were merely asking in passing, Blair's startled heart began to race.
Nearly ten days had passed beyond the expected date, but she never imagined he would be paying attention to her menstrual cycle.
Briefly frozen in panic, Blair cleverly hid her face with the blanket and made up a plausible excuse.
"I did miss taking my medicine for a few days, but I think it's because I've had a lot on my mind lately. Sometimes it gets delayed like this."
The lie she had no confidence in surprisingly flowed smoothly once she started. So smoothly that even she couldn't tell she was lying.
Recalling the day he had swapped the medicine for fake ones, Herdin readily accepted her explanation.
He didn't know much about women's bodies, but since it hadn't been long since he switched to the fake medicine, its effects might still linger. It was a plausible enough story.
"Let's monitor it for a few more days, and if it's delayed for long, you should get examined. Your health might have deteriorated."
Though if that period extended too long, it would be worth suspecting.
"...I will. Thank you for worrying."
Blair curled up under the blanket, thinking she should tell him tomorrow that her period had started.
Since she had said she wanted to rest, she thought Herdin would leave soon. If he wasn't going to have relations with her, he would have no other purpose here.
But he didn't leave and stayed beside her, idly playing with her hair for no reason.
Thanks to that, her plan to sleep was ruined, but Blair didn't chase him away and quietly observed him. She didn't dislike his touch.
After playing with Blair's hair wrapped around his fingers for a while, Herdin felt the wind coming through the slightly opened balcony door and raised his head.
Through the panoramic window connected to the balcony, the lush scenery of the backyard was visible. Even the seeping wind carried the scent of grass.
Looking at that scenery, Herdin spoke.
"How about holding a picnic in the backyard soon?"
"A picnic?"
"Like we discussed in spring. Summer is coming soon, and you're not as afraid of fire as before, so I think it would be fine."
Only then did she recall the conversations they had while roasting marshmallows over candlelight to overcome her pyrophobia.
That sweet memory of spring.
She wondered if it was greedy to want this when she would soon be leaving, but on the contrary, the thought changed to—since she was leaving anyway, it wouldn't hurt to take one happy memory with her.
'Memories of happy moments sometimes become the strength to live a lifetime.'
The words Agnes had once said came to mind as well.
"Alright. But since it'll get hotter soon, as quickly as possible..."
Blair, who was about to say they should schedule it as early as possible out of concern that her morning sickness would worsen, hesitated.
She hadn't yet cleared Esmeralda's false accusation. It felt like the wrong time to hold a boisterous party.
Blair corrected her words.
"No, it would be better to do it after the trial."
"If you want to do it quickly, we can do it quickly."
"Is that okay?"
At the unexpected answer, Blair asked with wide eyes, and Herdin readily nodded.
"The trial will end well anyway."
For his wife who, not knowing his true intentions, innocently trusted and waited only for him, there was no reason he couldn't do at least that much.
* * *
The backyard picnic was scheduled for a few days before the Founding Day banquet.
After finishing lunch, Blair stood on the balcony watching the backyard scenery. From over there, busy preparing for the evening picnic, banging sounds could be heard without pause.
'It's a relief my morning sickness hasn't gotten worse yet.'
Just as Blair thought that and habitually tried to place her hand on her lower abdomen, Melly's voice came from behind.
"My lady, Baroness Sionel has arrived."
Today happened to be the day the finished dress was arriving.
And also the day the Baroness Sionel's assistant who would bring news from Mikhail was coming.
Once Blair gave permission, Baroness Sionel entered the reception room connected to the bedroom with her assistants.
"Hello, my lady."
"Welcome, Baroness."
"How are you feeling today? Perhaps you couldn't sleep from excitement at the thought of trying on the new dress?"
Blair burst into laughter at her characteristic cheekiness.
"That's right. Your clothes are always beyond expectations, so ever since I was young, I've been excited the day before a finished dress arrives. Of course, today too."
"I too have been excited every day I bring a dress for Her Highness the Princess... no, for you, my lady. Today will certainly meet those expectations as well."
As always, Baroness Sionel was brimming with confidence in her skills.
"I can't keep you waiting any longer, so shall we try it on right away?"
When the Baroness snapped her fan shut, her assistants took Blair to the dressing room. Among them was someone helping Mikhail.
Throughout putting on the dress, Blair focused entirely on that assistant.
The assistants who finished the dress fitting politely left the dressing room one by one. Then, Mikhail's helper who remained until the end handed Blair a note.
Last week, she had sent a reply to Mikhail through the assistant who brought the fitted dress. That the plan remained unchanged.
And what she received today was the answer to that.
Blair immediately unfolded the note.
[Then I'll see you at the Founding Day banquet.]
She wondered how he, neither a noble nor having an invitation, would enter the imperial palace, but she thought that as a guild master, he must have some other way.
Blair handed the note back to the assistant.
"Thank you. Please dispose of this on your way."
The assistant took the note back.
Blair came out of the dressing room with the assistant and received a final check in front of Baroness Sionel.
Just as the fitting was wrapping up, Melly, who had stepped away, returned with news.
"My lady, His Excellency has returned."
Herdin had left this morning to hunt deer for the evening picnic.
Since he had returned, it was about time to start preparing for the picnic.
"Then I'll see you at the Founding Day, Duchess."
"Have a safe trip back."
Blair sent Baroness Sionel off and began choosing clothes for the evening picnic with Melly and Lina.
"Still, it gets a bit chilly in the evenings, so it would be best to drape a shawl."
By the time she finished dressing, evening dusk had already settled outside the window.
"I'm done now. You two go get ready too."
"Yes, my lady."
Just as the excited Lina and Melly approached the door to leave, the door opened first with a knock and Herdin entered.
Lina and Melly bowed politely to him and quietly left the room.
Blair, who was giving her appearance a final check in front of the vanity, turned around and brightened at the sight of him approaching through the mirror.
"Did you have a good hunt?"
"Yes."
Herdin was dressed in a plain shirt and trousers, but the scent of soap growing stronger as he approached revealed he had just washed.
Approaching with long strides, he leaned against Blair's vanity and watched her rummage through her jewelry box.
Blair was choosing a necklace and earrings with a rather serious expression. Her slightly furrowed brow and tiny lips pressed tight in concentration were cute.
After rummaging through the jewelry box for a while, Blair took out two necklaces and showed them to Herdin.
"Which one is better?"
One was a necklace crafted with amethysts resembling her eye color, and the other with aquamarines.
It was a meaningless question. What mattered to him wasn't necklaces or earrings.
"Well, they both seem fine."
At his perfunctory answer, Blair's lips pouted slightly.
After pondering for a moment, Blair chose the aquamarine necklace with its refreshing color suited for summer.
Seeing that, Herdin's lips curved up in a satisfied smile. He quite liked seeing a gem similar to his eye color hanging around her neck.
Soon, Blair put on the matching earrings and stood up.
"I'm all done now. Let's go."
As Blair lightly pulled his hand and tried to head toward the door, Herdin caught that hand and turned her toward him.
To Blair, who looked back at him with puzzled eyes, an unexpected demand came.
"Kiss me."
Along with his playful gaze.
Blair's eyes widened at the sudden demand. That sight stimulated the sadism that had been dormant within him.
"I hunted and brought back the deer as you wished, isn't that too cheap a price?"
"...You were the one who suggested having a picnic first."
"Who was it that got all excited last night and said they'd prefer deer over boar meat."
At those words, Blair, who had been slowly backing away as if avoiding a beast, hesitated. However, his elegant wife didn't give in easily as expected.
"Everyone will be waiting."
Of course, he had no intention of backing down either.
"So hurry up."
Herdin's hand holding Blair's was firm.
Realizing he wouldn't move until he got what he wanted, Blair approached him as if giving in.
Even after stepping in front of him, she hesitated for a while, but fortunately, before Herdin could devour those lips at will, she carefully pressed her lips to his.
As if he had been waiting, Herdin pulled Blair by the waist. The corners of his mouth rose in satisfaction, having finally gotten what he wanted.
Such an expensive kiss was that sweet and soft. The moment their lips met and their breaths mingled, that faint irritation was completely forgotten.
He thought his current state was quite mad, but in this moment of holding her in his arms, he didn't care what he became.
Just like this, it was a perfect moment.