The Duke Only Needs My Child - Chapter 166

A few days later, Asiel announced surprising news to the two of them.

“You’re staying at the Arbon Count’s estate for a few days?”

Blair asked with wide eyes in surprise, and Herdin paused with his wine glass.

It’s no wonder, as Asiel had never left his parents’ care before.

“Yes. We’re going to play at a villa in the suburbs.”

“Did your parents allow it?”

“Of course!”

Asiel handed his father a brief letter from Count Arbon, as if he had been waiting for it. It was a formal invitation that Jamie and Senika had wheedled out of their father.

Alternating his gaze between the invitation from Count Arbon and his son’s expectant eyes, Herdin agreed to his son’s first overnight stay away from home.

“At that age, it’s more fun to play with friends after all.”

But Blair still seemed reluctant even after reading the count’s invitation.

“Hmm, I’m a bit worried about imposing on them. And I’m concerned about sending Asiel alone…”

“If you’re that worried, we can invite those children to our home next time, can’t we?”

Asiel quickly agreed with Herdin’s words, lest his grand plan be thwarted.

“That’s right. Next time, I’ll bring them to our house. And I promise to behave well and play nicely.”

“Hmm…”

“Yes, Mother?”

The child looked at his mother with desperate eyes.

Since his father was a man who would do anything his mother said, the real decision-making power lay with her.

After considering for a moment, Blair had no choice but to give in to the child’s persistence.

“Alright. But you must promise not to engage in any dangerous activities. Understood?”

“Yay! Yes!”

Having finally obtained both parents’ consent, a smile of triumph appeared on Asiel’s face.

* * *

So, the next morning, Asiel stood in front of the carriage heading to Count Arbon’s estate, having completed all preparations.

“Then, I’ll be going now. Mother, Father.”

Unlike the excited Asiel, Blair’s eyes were filled with undisguisable worry as she looked at the child. It felt like literally letting her child out into the world.

Herdin was the first to speak.

“Asiel.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Senika is a girl, so you mustn’t treat her carelessly. She’s different from Jamie.”

Asiel tilted his head at Herdin’s rather stern words. He was puzzled why his father suddenly brought up Senika, but he nodded anyway.

Then Blair, who had been listening, chimed in.

“That’s right, Senika is a lady, so treat her carefully. Even when holding hands, you must always ask for permission. That’s a gentleman’s etiquette, you know.”

Although sometimes she seems even stronger than Jamie…

Still, Asiel nodded at Blair’s words. After all, Senika is a girl, and it’s right to treat her cautiously.

‘If I make a mistake and kiss her, a baby might be born.’

He’d heard that a baby shouldn’t be born between unmarried couples.

“Asiel.”

Blair sat down, meeting the child’s eyes, and kept reminding him.

Don’t play in the water as it’s still cold, dress warmly at night as it gets chilly, go to bed early even if playing with friends is fun because staying up late chatting is inconsiderate… and so on.

Even though these were reminders he always heard, Asiel listened attentively to his mother’s words filled with affection.

“Don’t worry, Mother.”

Blair smiled bitterly as she watched her son answer bravely. Her feelings were complex as she saw the child who had grown up so quickly and was now leaving home—even if just for ten days.

But now it was really time to let the child go.

She embraced Asiel in her arms.

“What will I do in the meantime? I’ll miss my baby so much.”

Asiel, who had been simply excited about playing with friends and the possibility of having a sibling when he returned, felt his heart soften when his mother showed such an affectionate demeanor.

“Mother…”

“Young master, the preparations are now complete.”

Just then, the nanny who had finished loading all the luggage onto the carriage came to report. Gathering his resolve, Asiel hugged Blair and whispered.

“I’ll miss you a lot too, Mother.”

Then, seeing his father standing beside them, he belatedly added.

“Of course, you too, Father.”

“I almost felt left out there.”

Herdin smiled and gently patted the child’s head, while Blair kissed the child’s cheek. Asiel returned the kiss to his mother twice before getting into the carriage.

Sitting by the window, Asiel waved to his parents. The two waved back at the child. Blair’s eyes had already reddened as she watched the child.

Soon, the carriage departed.

When his parents were no longer visible through the window, Asiel’s expression quickly turned glum.

Noticing this, the nanny pretended not to notice his emotions and asked.

“What’s wrong, young master?”

“…I already miss Mother.”

“Shall we turn the carriage around then?”

Asiel’s resolve wavered for a moment, but then he remembered the purpose of leaving home and shook his head.

“No. I’m eight years old now, so I can endure it.”

As long as I get a sibling!

* * *

That morning, after seeing Asiel off and returning to her room, Blair finally shed tears.

‘It feels like our baby has grown up too fast…’

The strange emotion of feeling both proud and sad about the child who had grown up so quickly overwhelmed her.

Herdin, who found his wife’s particularly vulnerable side regarding child-related matters adorable, smiled at first, but then hugged her, feeling sorry for her tearful appearance.

‘He’s grown up well. Thanks to you.’

Although he managed to comfort Blair, her tears were just the beginning. The child would grow even faster from now on.

Every time that happened, she would feel the same emotions as today, and he would always be there by her side.

Forever.

After sobbing for a while, Blair felt embarrassed for crying over something that wasn’t really worth crying about once she finally stopped.

Blair shooed away her husband, who said he would “cancel this afternoon’s schedule and stay by your side,” and came to Asiel’s room alone.

The room where the child had stayed until this morning was still messy, as the maids hadn’t cleaned it yet. Usually, Asiel was quite tidy, but it seemed due to packing until the morning.

Blair smiled, imagining what the child had been doing until leaving the room, seeing traces of hastily packed toys.

As she approached the bed while looking around the room, Blair sat on the bedside. It was the same spot where she always sat when putting the child to sleep.

‘I wonder if he’s arrived at the villa by now.’

As she stroked the pillow that held the child’s scent with a faint smile, she felt something hard underneath the pillow.

“Huh?”

Blair pulled it out. From under the pillow emerged a children’s book titled “How Are Babies Made?”

‘This is…’

Blair’s eyes trembled slightly upon discovering it.

* * *

It seems that his son had gone to conduct a love business.

That was the conclusion Herdin had reached.

So he helped Asiel go play at Count Arbon’s estate. The rest was up to Asiel.

And thanks to Asiel vacating the house, he too had time to have Blair all to himself for once in a while.

Although he couldn’t clear his work schedule in advance since Asiel’s overnight stay was decided suddenly, he had no intention of wasting the precious time his son had created.

So, after quickly wrapping up the appointment scheduled with dinner and returning home, what greeted him was…

“…Blair?”

His wife, asleep earlier than usual. And wearing a slip that subtly revealed her body’s curves.

Herdin let out a chuckle at the sight.

This was torture, not fair play.

Dressed up as if to be devoured, yet sleeping with the most innocent face in the world.

“Should I wake the sleeping princess with a kiss after all…”

Sitting at the bedside, Herdin muttered thus and pressed his lips against his defenseless wife’s. And the moment he invaded between her teeth.

“Mmm…”

Along with a faint moan, the bitter scent of wine wafted over. Only then did he notice the wine bottle placed on the table.

On a day when they finally had time alone, falling asleep in sexy nightwear after drinking. She must have been determined to drive him crazy.

He woke her up with light kisses on her lips.

“Wake up, my drunken princess.”

As his lips, whispering softly, traveled down her cheek and jaw to reach her snow-white nape.

Finally, the sleeping princess opened her eyes.

“Ah…”

Blair opened her eyes wide in surprise at the situation before her. Her husband, who had returned home without her noticing, was imprisoning her with his large body.

Only then did she realize. That she had fallen asleep unintentionally. Her plan had gone completely awry.

So, at first, she had no intention of falling asleep at all.

Upon learning that Asiel’s real purpose for suddenly going to Count Arbon’s estate was because of a sibling, Blair had made a plan.

‘Today, let’s try to seduce Herdin.’

Since she had failed to persuade him through conversation so far, she thought to try a different approach this time.

So she wore a slip she doesn’t usually wear, prepared wine, and even skipped the contraceptive pill she habitually took. Thinking it might be difficult to seduce him sober, she had a glass of wine first.

But after downing the wine, belated regret washed over her.

At first, she had planned to blackmail him with her body. But the more she mulled it over while waiting for him, the more her thoughts changed.

‘It’s our child, his and mine.’

She shouldn’t blackmail him unilaterally. That wasn’t the right way for a married couple.

‘Let’s try to persuade Herdin sincerely one more time.’

By the time she reached that conclusion, the effects of alcohol were already at their peak.

In the end, Blair, who had overlooked the fact that her drinking habit was to fall asleep, fell asleep just like that.

As a result…

“If you’ve driven me crazy, you need to take responsibility.”

Contrary to her resolve before falling asleep, she now faced a situation where she was about to be devoured by him.