Chapter 95. This Man Is Crazy
'Is the madam alright?'
If she had thought of a contract marriage, it meant she too had no intention of continuing this marriage. Would this unexpected pregnancy be welcome to her either?
'……Well, they might have grown fond of each other living together.'
Even though the two seemed to bicker occasionally, they appeared to get along quite well.
And with this incident, Blair's relationship with the imperial family would be completely ruined, so for her sake, it might actually be a good thing.
In a position unwelcome by both the imperial family and Delmarc, if an heir were to be conceived, even the most stubborn elders couldn't demand they expel her carrying Delmarc's child.
Having finished his thoughts, Rus hesitated briefly before carefully offering his congratulations.
"Congratulations on becoming a father, Your Excellency."
A father.
He had only vaguely thought of making an excuse to keep Blair, never once considering the child itself.
That unfamiliar word made him feel peculiar.
At the same time, the fact that Blair would also become that child's mother sank in anew.
Herthin, who had been lost in thought for a moment, discovered something in the scenery outside the window and ordered Rus.
"Stop the carriage."
* * *
Mason, who had come out to greet Herthin upon his return to the mansion, hesitated when he saw him step down from the carriage.
A bouquet of flowers was in his hand.
The sight was extremely unfamiliar, but recalling the news of Blair's pregnancy, Mason understood the reason for his sudden purchase of flowers.
As always, Herthin first asked about Blair's routine.
"The madam?"
"She seems to be in the bedroom."
"Nothing else happened?"
"The maids seemed to have offered their congratulations in their own way. The madam appeared to appreciate it as well."
Mason, following behind Herthin, belatedly added as if remembering something.
"Ah, and the madam requested that Baroness Sionell be sent for."
Once her belly starts showing, tight-fitting clothes would be uncomfortable, so she seemed intent on having clothes made in advance.
Herthin brushed it off as unimportant and went straight to Blair's room.
The room was quiet because Blair had fallen asleep. Herthin approached the sleeping Blair, set the bouquet down on the side table, and sat down.
Come to think of it, lately he'd often found her asleep whenever he returned home.
He had thought the reason was simply that he'd tormented her day and night, never suspecting there was something in her womb.
Herthin lay down beside the sleeping Blair and placed his hand on her belly.
He couldn't believe that a life was growing inside this still-flat stomach. He only believed in the pregnancy through the symptoms Blair displayed and the attending physician's diagnosis.
So he wanted the child in her womb to grow quickly and her belly to swell. Once her body grew heavy, she wouldn't easily think of running away from him as she did now.
As he was stroking Blair's belly with such thoughts, her closed eyes opened.
Blair, who had been staring blankly at Herthin in her drowsiness, regained focus, and hatred toward him filled her eyes.
But she didn't avoid his gaze. She only pushed away the hand placed on her belly.
If my body responds to you making that face in this situation, would I seem like a madman?
Without thinking deeply, Herthin swallowed her lips as desire led him. With no further reputation to ruin, there was nothing to hold him back.
"Mmph……"
Herthin firmly embraced Blair's waist as she tried to pull back, and held the back of her neck so she couldn't avoid his lips.
Even as Blair struggled, he didn't budge. Instead, he pressed in even more persistently and entangled her breath.
When Blair's resistance still didn't stop, Herthin finally pulled his lips away and stroked her belly as he asked.
"If the mother suffers, the baby will feel it too."
"……"
"Is that still alright with you?"
Blair, who had been glaring at him, stopped pushing him away. Though that hand clearly radiated warmth, for some reason it felt chilling.
This man is crazy.
She knew that no words would get through to him now.
She was tired of fighting and wasting emotions on such an opponent. She didn't want to overexert herself, if only for the child's sake.
Above all, because they would be parting soon anyway.
Blair resigned herself, lowered her eyes, and spoke.
"……We can't have relations."
"I know."
Those were words the attending physician who diagnosed her pregnancy yesterday had also advised. That intercourse should be avoided during early pregnancy.
No matter how consumed by lust he was, he was at least aware of how precious the child in her womb was in this situation.
Shackles to keep this beloved woman by his side, and the link that would ultimately connect them.
Our precious child.
No matter how much she rages and pushes him away now, she would eventually resign herself as she just did and accept him as the child's father and her husband.
As much as she loves the child in her womb.
She just needed time.
Until then, he could hold her and wait for her to grow accustomed to his warmth.
"I won't put it in."
Herthin whispered as if soothing Blair, then climbed over her entirely and trapped her between his arms as he pressed his lips to hers.
Blair didn't respond to his kiss like before, but she didn't avoid it either. She merely stayed still.
The more she did, the more anxious Herthin became, delving between her lips. At the same time, his hand that had been stroking her belly pushed up her chemise. And touched the rounded curves of her body.
Following that touch, Blair's body trembled and let out a faint moan.
"Heok……"
Taking that as a signal, Herthin pressed his body flush against hers. Their heated body temperatures met through a single layer of thin fabric.
When Herthin finally began to move, Blair's body flinched and reacted.
The precariousness of almost yet not quite touching drove him frantic, and Herthin had to repeatedly suppress the urge to run wild as he desired.
However, his not fully satisfied desire was filled from another direction. Looking down at his wife gazing up at him with an expression on the verge of tears, he felt a sense of fullness.
At how she couldn't help but be stirred no matter how much she pushed him away.
And at the fact that he possessed her completely.
"Haa, Blair."
Herthin finally collapsed, letting her name slip by her ear with ragged breaths.
A soft kiss descended on Blair's lips as she breathed heavily. Blair squeezed her eyes shut at that kiss.
Herthin, who had wiped down Blair's exhausted body as she lay there, rose from the bed. He was still dressed in his outing clothes.
Herthin gazed at Blair, who curled up under the covers avoiding his gaze, before speaking.
"I've requested a retrial regarding the incident from ten years ago."
At that news, Blair's body stiffened.
"Of course, the trial will be scheduled after you've entered a stable period."
The moment she heard that, a thought crossed Blair's mind.
At first, she thought she would have to divorce before Herthin learned of the pregnancy, and might have to run away without being able to attend the trial, but…… with things turning out this way, it seemed she could resolve everything and then leave.
'If the truth is revealed through the trial, I can clear Her Majesty the Empress of the false charges.'
Contrary to the original plan, Herthin had learned of the pregnancy.
If she was going to escape the ducal mansion anyway, it might be better to leave after finishing the trial.
'That way my conscience would feel lighter too.'
When leaving this place, with no lingering attachments or guilt from the past remaining.
For that reason, Blair set the day she would leave the ducal mansion for right after the trial and decided to advance the trial schedule.
"You can advance the schedule. I'll only be standing in court briefly anyway."
"……"
"I also want to clear Her Majesty the Empress's false charges as soon as possible."
"If that's what you want, I'll take that into consideration."
Unaware of Blair's plans, Herthin readily agreed with her opinion.
"Sleep a bit more. Let's have dinner together after I wash up."
It was an amusing thing to say from the person who had woken her up.
Having straightened his clothes, Herthin left the room immediately. Unlike his words, Blair, now wide awake, finally sat up.
Floral scent had been wafting from her bedside since she woke, making her wonder if it was an illusion, but a beautifully packaged bouquet was placed on the side table. It seemed Herthin had left it behind.
Blair stared blankly at the pure white bouquet before taking it to the trash bin in the corner of the room and throwing it away.
As she turned away, the scent of flowers lingered at the tip of her nose.
* * *
Several days passed since the Founding Festival, and the festive atmosphere that had permeated the capital's square had faded. However, the inside of the bar was still rowdy.
Mikhail skillfully prepared cocktails and delivered them to customers before heading to the next one.
The customer had her robe hood pulled up, but Mikhail recognized her immediately.
"The usual."
She was an assistant working at Baroness Sionell's boutique, and his subordinate.
Mikhail's eyes sharpened upon recognizing her.
The fact that she, who normally never visited the bar to minimize contact, had come personally meant the client was looking for him.
"Your order is ready."
Mikhail handed over the prepared cocktail. The assistant took the glass from him while slipping a note into his hand.
Hiding the note in his palm, Mikhail handed off customer service to someone else and came up to the second floor.
When he unfolded the note, neat handwriting caught his eye just as he had expected.
[A trial regarding the empress palace fire incident from ten years ago will be held soon. Plan to leave the ducal mansion right after that.]
After confirming the contents, Mikhail burned the note with a lighter from the nearby fireplace.
'I wanted to stop that man's atrocities with my own hands one last time, but……'
For that, he also didn't have much time left to stay here. He needed to slowly start preparing to leave this place.