Blair read the letter with her usual calm expression and, just like the previous letter, folded it back up and put it in the drawer.

Watching this, Herdin spoke up.

“If you’re turning away because of me, you don’t have to. Blood ties aren’t so easily severed.”

Even though Katrina hadn’t directly participated in Esmeralda’s death, he still hated her.

After all, she had only thought of using Blair’s life to clear her own name.

So he still hoped that she wouldn’t act like family to Blair.

However, separate from those feelings, he didn’t want Blair to resent and hate Katrina because of him.

That woman who wasn’t much of a mother shouldn’t remain in her daughter’s heart even as guilt.

But contrary to his worries, Blair was resolute.

“It’s not because of you, Herdin.”

She continued speaking as she took the child, who had just let out an adorable burp, from him.

“Mother is a coward. She didn’t apologize to me, nor did she ask for your forgiveness, trying to gloss over everything under the pretext of family.”

“…”

“Of course, if we were family, we might be able to reconcile over minor issues like that, but this isn’t something that can be easily overlooked.”

The lonely life she had to endure in her past life was fundamentally due to Gerard’s desire for revenge, but Katrina, who buried the truth for her own safety and greed, was also at fault.

Because of that, Esmeralda bore an unjust accusation even after death, and Delmark and Herdin had to bear all the consequences.

“Mother needs to formally apologize and ask for forgiveness from you and the late Empress.”

Now, Blair’s priorities were her husband and child.

If Katrina truly loved her daughter, she needed to respect her family. She needed to put aside her pride and sincerely apologize for the pain she had caused.

Just as he had once done for her.

Blair, who had spoken about her feelings towards Katrina with a rather stern face, suddenly seemed to remember something and asked him.

“Will this make your position uncomfortable?”

Herdin’s eyes widened slightly at her question, then he smiled.

Even in the situation that concerned her most, his wife considered his position. That was just like her, and it made him love her even more.

“Since when have I cared about such things?”

He added, looking at his wife and the child in her arms.

“Blair, what you want is what I want.”

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Blair smiled brightly. As long as she and the child were happy like this, nothing else mattered.

But soon after, he encountered an unexpected obstacle.

* * *

Time flew by quickly, and summer arrived.

Blair and Herdin returned to the townhouse on the island with Asiel.

Today, a reception was scheduled to announce their return and introduce Asiel to the nobles.

Lina, who had finished preparing for the reception all day, climbed the stairs. Despite the hard work, her steps were very light.

While it was certainly pleasing that her assigned tasks were finished, there was another reason for her excitement.

‘I wonder how much our young master has grown in the short time I was away?’

Asiel had become the joy of her life lately. To be precise, he had become the joy of most of the resident servants in the mansion.

Lina arrived at Asiel’s room, almost running. The door was slightly open, perhaps Melly had arrived first.

As she quietly entered through the open door, the sweet milk scent unique to babies wafted through. Just that smell made her feel good.

Unfortunately, there was an uninvited guest who had arrived first.

“How can he be so cute when he’s the spitting image of His Excellency?”

It was Luth’s voice.

Then Blair’s voice was heard answering him.

“He’s cute because he resembles him.”

“Um, well… I meant that while His Excellency is certainly handsome, he doesn’t look cute at all.”

“I understood your words correctly. He can be cute at times too.”

Where on earth is His Excellency…?

Lina’s expression twisted comically upon hearing Blair’s words. Luth seemed to share the same thought, as he quietly replied.

“…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to agree with that sentiment, My Lady.”

Blair laughed softly at Luth’s words.

Since Asiel’s birth, the two had grown noticeably closer.

Luth had always liked children, and Blair seemed to have developed a sense of closeness by often showing Asiel to him. Consequently, Asiel, caught in between, naturally became close to Luth as well.

And Lina was jealous of the relationship between the two.

While Herdin was the husband and Asiel was the child, she believed she should be Blair’s closest confidant.

“My Lady.”

“You’re here, Lina.”

Blair, who was holding Asiel, brightened upon seeing Lina enter the room.

“Ah-buh!”

Asiel, now able to distinguish faces to some extent, recognized Lina and flailed his limbs excitedly.

Lina, who had been sulking while conscious of Luth, instantly melted into a goofy smile at the sight of Asiel.

“Oh my, young master. Were you waiting for me?”

“Ah-buh.”

“I missed you so much that I couldn’t focus on my work.”

Asiel giggled as if he understood Lina’s words.

Naturally, a smile spread across not only Lina’s face as she looked at the child, but Luth’s as well.

“Then, My Lady, please leave the young master to us and go prepare yourself.”

Luth naturally grouped himself with Lina as “us” while reaching out towards Asiel.

Lina’s eyes narrowed at this. Her plan to monopolize Asiel was falling apart.

“Aren’t you busy preparing too, Assistant? Please leave the young master to me and attend to your work comfortably.”

“I have no more tasks to do during the reception.”

“Since you might drink too much, why don’t you take care of tomorrow’s work in advance?”

“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t drink to the point of ruining the next day’s schedule.”

Are you mocking me now for drinking too much at last summer’s picnic?

Thus began a fierce battle of nerves between Lina and Luth.

Blair burst into laughter watching them, and Asiel, who had been staring blankly at the two, followed suit with a giggle.

Just then, as they were still unable to decide who would play with Asiel.

“You’re still here.”

Herdin appeared, ending the fierce battle of nerves between the two.

Now dressed in a tailcoat, he skillfully took Asiel from Blair’s arms.

“I’ll take care of Asiel, so go and get ready.”

Luth and Lina, who had suddenly lost their reason to fight, stared blankly at Asiel in Herdin’s arms, like dogs who had lost sight of the chicken they were chasing.

Their battle of nerves seemed to come to an end like that.

At least until Asiel, who had been staring blankly at his father’s face, burst into tears.

“Waaah!”

The child’s cry startled all four adults.

Luth and Lina tried to soothe him with their usual skills, but to no avail.

The child flailed his arms and legs towards Blair, and eventually stretched out his whole body, crying hysterically.

As if trying to escape from his father’s arms.

Only when Blair took him back in her arms and soothed him did Asiel finally stop crying.

“Asiel, my baby. What’s wrong? Are you sad that mommy is leaving?”

Blair looked for a reason elsewhere, but Herdin felt that the reason for the child’s crying lay with him.

He had sensed this since Asiel began to recognize people.

The child had recently become able to distinguish between people. He cried when he saw unfamiliar faces and smiled brightly at familiar ones.

Of course to his mother Blair, and also to his wet nurse and the often-seen Lina and Melly, and to Luth and Mason.

However, even while playing happily and smiling at them, he would burst into sorrowful tears when his father held him.

Herdin was the only one among the close people Asiel smiled at who was excluded.

Blair had comforted him saying, “It’s just a coincidence in timing,” but after this coincidence repeated several times, Herdin had to admit it.

Asiel wanted to avoid him. He had no idea why.

He wanted to give Asiel the love he couldn’t give in his past life, but the child burst into tears at the mere sight of him, which was heartbreaking.

Why?

What on earth was the reason?

He couldn’t even communicate with the child, which was frustratingly maddening.

Moreover, Asiel’s tearful eyes were exactly like Blair’s, so every time he saw him crying while looking at him, he felt as if his wife was pushing him away.

“Herdin, I’ll take Asiel with me.”

Blair, seeming more apologetic about Asiel’s behavior, made eye contact with him briefly before leaving the room. Lina followed behind her.

Watching Asiel being carried away in Blair’s arms, Herdin swallowed a sigh and looked at his reflection in the window.

‘…Perhaps I have quite a scary face for children.’

Thanks to his young son, he found himself contemplating his appearance for the first time in his life.