The next morning, Blair opened her eyes in Herdin’s arms. It seemed he had returned while she was asleep.

In fact, she vaguely felt him embracing her in her sleep.

But her subconscious felt that his embrace was cozy and fell asleep. Despite having grown accustomed to sleeping alone for the past two months.

However, unlike what she felt in her sleep, as her consciousness cleared, her chest felt tight. His body holding her felt like a custom-made prison.

Blair pushed away his thick arm, trying to escape his embrace. Then Herdin’s arm held her even more tightly.

‘…Is he awake?’

She wondered if he might be awake, but judging by his regular breathing, he seemed to be asleep.

Confirming he was asleep, Blair then lifted and removed his arm as if lifting a heavy package. There was no trace of caution in her actions.

She no longer had the heart to be considerate of him, nor did she want to hold her breath to avoid upsetting him.

But contrary to her intentions, Herdin merely furrowed his brow slightly without waking up.

For someone usually a light sleeper to not wake up from this much movement, he must have been quite tired. It seemed that was why his expression appeared strangely sharper than before when she saw him yesterday.

Blair, having escaped his embrace, stared blankly at his face sleeping peacefully, unlike usual, then indifferently turned away and rose.

As much as she despised this man, she felt that if she kept looking at that handsome face sleeping peacefully, even those emotions might disappear.

Of course, as soon as he opened his eyes, her emotions would surge up again as if they had never left.

As she got up from the bed, the first thing she saw was the window directly in front. Through it, she could see the view of a garden that looked as if it had been well-trimmed by an expert.

After briefly surveying the room, Blair wrapped a thin shawl around herself and left.

She hadn’t been able to properly look around yesterday due to the circumstances, but now she felt she should figure out where exactly this place was. Before he woke up and started monitoring her.

As she left the room, Blair worried that another unfamiliar person might follow behind to monitor her, but fortunately, she encountered a familiar face.

“Oh, my lady. You’re up early.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Luth.”

Luth, who was about to greet her cheerfully out of habit, hesitated.

Whatever the reason, Blair had run away intending never to see Herdin again. Herdin had forcibly brought her back.

As his aide, it felt awkward for him to casually ask how she had been.

After a moment of awkward silence and a forced smile, Luth finally managed to speak.

“Is… His Grace still sleeping?”

“Yes.”

“He must have been tired. He hasn’t been sleeping well lately, it seems.”

“Is that so?”

“His Grace has been very worried about you, my lady. Truly.”

Luth subtly mentioned Herdin’s feelings, hoping for Blair’s heart to soften, for the sake of his lord and the peace of the family.

However, this fact didn’t stir much emotion in Blair. Herdin was searching for her with other motives, but to those unaware of the circumstances, it would have appeared as if he was desperately looking for her.

Brushing aside Luth’s words, Blair changed the subject.

“How are Mellie and Lina doing?”

“Ah, yes. They both miss you, my lady. We didn’t bring them since we didn’t know you’d be here, but you’ll be able to see them when we return to the duchy.”

“I’m glad they’re doing well.”

A faint smile spread across Blair’s face, which had been expressionless when talking about Herdin. Then, suddenly remembering her original purpose, she asked Luth:

“By the way, where is this? It seemed like quite a large mansion at a glance.”

“This is the mansion of the Earl of Nerha. We’re in the guest house.”

Blair’s expression hardened at the news that another person was involved in their problem.

Guessing Blair’s thoughts, Luth hastily added as if making an excuse:

“His Grace is promoting a project to build a port in Libren territory, and when the Earl of Nerha heard about it, he invited us first. We came here on business as well.”

“Ah, I see.”

“If you need anything, please feel free to let me know.”

“Well, I do have a request…”

Luth’s puzzled gaze turned to Blair.

Blair, who was about to ask him to bring Pipi, changed her mind and shook her head.

“…No, it’s nothing.”

She might be able to get a chance to leave this place under the pretext of going to get Pipi herself.

She decided to put off seeing Pipi for now, as Anna would be taking good care of him.

“Then I’ll have them prepare a meal. You’ll eat in the dining room, right?”

“Yes, please do that.”

After parting with Luth, Blair came to a living room with a large window that offered a clear view of Nerha.

Sitting on the sofa, she fell into thought.

‘What should I do now?’

Herdin doesn’t change.

The idea that he would change, that she could change him, was the arrogance of her youth from her past life when she didn’t know anything.

So it would be right to part ways with him at this point, but the problem was that he had no intention of letting her go.

Then the only option was to run away from him.

But could she run away again?

‘Somehow, if I could contact Mikhail…’

Blair, who naturally thought of Mikhail first, shook her head.

‘No, no. I shouldn’t involve him in our problem anymore.’

She had already endangered him by involving him in this matter.

She couldn’t use his feelings for her anymore. It was right to leave things as they were, grateful for his help so far, and end things with him here.

Just as Blair finished organizing her thoughts, suddenly the door of the guest house opened and an unfamiliar woman barged in.

* * *

Beatrice woke up in the morning, got dressed, and headed to the guest house.

First, to ask Herdin to enjoy the harvest festival together today, and second, to confirm with her own eyes what she had seen last night.

‘Just who is that wench?’

Last night, Beatrice had come to the guest house to propose to Herdin that they enjoy the harvest festival together tomorrow.

There was also an intention to try and sway his heart by visiting at that late hour. Sometimes people who are usually indifferent become more emotional at such times.

But as soon as she entered the path to the guest house, Beatrice stopped in her tracks at an unexpected sight.

‘…A woman?’

Herdin was carrying a woman in his arms into the guest house. Beatrice’s expression hardened as she witnessed this scene.

‘A one-night stand?’

Well, it would have been strange for someone with that face and body to endure his desires just because his wife had run away.

‘I can’t say I don’t understand, but… I still don’t like it.’

Beatrice had been raised learning that a virtuous lady should not be jealous or envious of her husband’s one-night stands.

But there was a clear difference between understanding with the head and accepting with the heart.

‘I should go quickly and chase her out.’

With that thought, Beatrice arrived at the guest house.

“I have something to discuss with His Grace, so I came.”

“His Grace has not yet risen.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll wait inside.”

The Delmark knights guarding the front of the guest house hesitated for a moment, but soon let her in.

After all, Beatrice was the owner of this mansion, so it was awkward to firmly turn her away when she said she would wait.

Entering the guest house, Beatrice naturally headed for the living room. It had been her favorite space in the guest house since childhood.

But someone else was already there.

Probably the woman who had come here in Herdin’s arms last night.

The woman looking at Beatrice with surprised eyes was the owner of a beauty that would naturally draw admiration, despite her plain face without a trace of makeup.

As Beatrice scanned the woman, who looked flawless even with a face just woken from sleep, she noticed her slightly protruding belly. Beatrice’s expression twisted at the sight.

‘I heard the duchess ran away while pregnant, does he have a thing for pregnant women? What a peculiar taste.’

Beatrice approached Blair.

“You. What are you dawdling around here for? If you’re awake, shouldn’t you be getting out?”

Blair looked at the woman before her with bewildered eyes. Barging in suddenly and immediately ordering her out.

Still dazed, Blair easily guessed the woman’s identity.

There was only one young woman who could freely enter and exit the guest house within the Earl of Nerha’s mansion.

“Are you perhaps the Earl of Nerha’s daughter?”

“That’s right. Now that you know, get out of my house immediately. I don’t want to be in the same space as a lowborn even for a moment.”

Blair frowned at Beatrice’s vulgar words.

It was clear that she had misunderstood something, but even so, her imperious attitude seemed to reveal her true nature, which was unpleasant.

“I think there’s been some misunderstanding. I am—”

Blair, who was about to explain her identity to Beatrice, hesitated.

She had left behind both her identity as an imperial princess and as a duchess when she left the empire. And she had no desire to reclaim those identities.

But was it alright to reveal that identity here and now?

However, without that identity, there was no way to explain why she was here.

After hesitating, Blair spoke as if resigned.

“I am… the Duchess of Delmark.”

“The Duchess?”

However, far from believing Blair’s explanation, Beatrice scoffed.

She didn’t like those eyes looking straight at her without bowing, standing firm trusting in that fair face, and impersonating the duchess—none of it.

“You insolent thing, telling such an unbelievable lie? Words won’t do, it seems?”

As Beatrice raised her hand to slap Blair’s cheek, a hand suddenly appeared and grabbed her wrist.

“What are you doing to my wife, young lady?”

Behind her stood Herdin with cold eyes.