“Your Highness?”

Without the usual priests or attendants accompanying him, it was just Gerard alone. He approached the two, casting a reflection as he neared.

“I had a moment to spare, and it’s fortunate to run into you like this.”

“Did Your Highness come to see both of us?”

“Yes. The late Duchess was an old friend of mine.”

“Thank you for your repeated concern. Mother will be pleased with Your Highness’s visit as well.”

Looking towards the mortuary with eyes full of longing, Gerard smiled and continued.

“The heavens must be at ease seeing Your Excellencies welcoming the companion.”

“I hope you both feel that way.”

Unable to mention the fact of a contractual marriage, Blair felt embarrassed, but Herdin nonchalantly offered a formal response.

“Then, we’ll be on our way.”

“Yes, please take your time.”

Herdin and Blair exchanged light courtesies and distanced themselves.

Watching the two disappear, Gerard turned towards the mortuary.

Quietly closing the door, he gazed at the portraits of Cashion and Eloise.

“It brings joy to my heart to see both of you grow up safely.”

“…….”

“Doesn’t he resemble the Duke quite a lot? When I saw him return from the war, I was momentarily shocked, thinking the Duke had come back to life.”

“…….”

“Of course, that couldn’t be true.”
The next words he whispered were not carried away by the wind.

Despite the affectionate words he exchanged with his friend, his gaze towards the couple in the portrait sank coldly.

Exiting the temple, the two boarded a carriage back to the mansion.

In the sluggish silence, Blair gazed out the window at the scenery, while Herdin quietly observed his wife’s demeanor.

Her eyes, fixed outside the window, sparkled as they caught the sunlight.

From the fixed gaze outside the window, faint music could be heard, accompanied by a sweet fragrance.

Unable to tear her eyes away from the window, Blair, whose attention was fixed outside, caught Herdin’s gaze following hers.

At the end of the cherry blossom-lined road on both sides, a clock tower in the square stood. In front of it, many stalls were set up, giving the appearance of a festival.

While absentmindedly gazing at the scenery, a sudden headache brought back memories.

In the memory, Blair, covered in a blanket, was looking at the scene of a mansion surrounded by cherry blossoms.

As she quietly observed the scenery, she turned to him and asked.

‘Herdin, if you have time, would you like to go see the clock tower in the square with me?’

She tried to hide her anticipation, but her face betrayed her true feelings.

As Herdin began to reply absentmindedly, the memory that surfaced dispersed like mist and disappeared.
In the place where the memory disappeared, there was Blair, silently gazing at the outside scenery.

Herdin frowned at the sudden presence of a memory that wasn’t in his mind.

‘It’s been quiet for a while.’

It was an unprecedented experience, and yet, this memory, as if it were his own, existed. What on earth could this memory be?

‘I investigated the phenomenon you mentioned, and there was no case similar to yours.’

‘Then were there any similar cases?’

‘Among dark magic, there was a spell that absorbs the opponent’s mana to read their memories.’

‘Absorbing mana to read memories?’

‘Yes. Well, mana is like our organs, holding a part of our memories. It’s a difficult subject, but… By the way, you haven’t used dark magic, have you?’

It was certainly different from the case Rus discovered.

In his case, even though it was an unfamiliar memory, it was undoubtedly his own memory, and he had never used dark magic, let alone know about it.

Dark magic had long been forbidden and vanished.

Then suddenly, he recalled the books in his private study.

‘…No, there is one thing I know.’

Although he knew it, he had never actually used it, so it was an unrelated story.

Herdin nervously closed his eyes and tried to erase the thoughts.

But when he looked at his wife in front of him, the image of her from the memory that had come up a while ago seemed to overlap.

Herdin opened his mouth as he continued to gaze at that image.
“Blair.”

Blair, who couldn’t take her eyes off the window, finally turned her gaze to him.

Herdin gestured outside with his eyes.

“Shall we take a moment to look around?”

It was a spontaneous suggestion that emerged from an unknown memory.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The area in front of the clock tower was bustling with a crowd.

Various stalls selling food and goods, people admiring flowers, others buying things, and some playing games.

For Blair, who had never ventured outside the palace except for official events, everything was unfamiliar.

Herdin couldn’t help but chuckle at Blair, who was looking around like a child fascinated by everything.

The doll-like woman, who usually maintained a calm and graceful expression, was nowhere to be seen.

‘I should have brought her out sooner.’

He leisurely walked in pace with Blair, holding her hand as she seemed to be getting lost in the crowd.