Moving away from Ivan, Herdin quickly scanned the banquet hall. Blair’s figure was nowhere to be seen inside.

‘She said she was going to get some air, did she go to the garden?’

Just as Herdin was about to exit into the hallway, Luth approached him with a rather serious expression.

“Your Excellency. Pardon my impertinence, but there’s something I’d like to inquire about your intentions.”

“What is it?”

“The incident from ten years ago, why do you still not mention it publicly?”

Herdin hesitated at Luth’s question.

“You’ve already secured all the evidence and testimonies, haven’t you?”

“…”

“Of course, I understand it’s a difficult reality for the lady. But even if you deny and ignore it, it’s something you’ll eventually have to accept.”

“…”

“Given how things have turned out, it would be better in the long run to quickly wrap this up and separate the lady from the imperial family.”

Luth, who had been waiting on one side of the banquet hall, had been observing Blair’s complexion throughout the evening. Even from a distance, her expression when dealing with Katrina and Ivan didn’t look good.

Although not close enough to Blair to know her inner thoughts, he could imagine how she must feel about a mother who had tried to use her life and kidnap her.

That’s why he couldn’t understand why Herdin was delaying resolving this situation.

“And although the elders may not think favorably of the lady, once the truth is revealed, there will be quite a few vassals who will take her side. The public criticism of her will also subside.”

“…I suppose so.”

“If you know all this, is there another reason you’re postponing it?”

“I made a deal with the Emperor.”

Luth’s eyes wavered at Herdin’s answer. A deal, when they should be at odds with Ivan.

“A deal… you say?”

Of course, he didn’t think Herdin would give up on the truth he had pursued for ten years.

But he couldn’t fathom what kind of negotiation could be had over an issue where not even an inch of compromise should be possible.

“It’s a deal to gain a greater benefit. So, for now, keep quiet about this in front of Blair.”

Is the benefit he speaks of really worth enduring Blair’s mental anguish?

Such a question flashed through Luth’s mind momentarily, but he decided not to ask further.

No matter how pitiful Blair’s situation was, in the end, Herdin was his lord.

“Once I find Blair, we’ll return to the mansion, so have the carriage prepared.”

After finishing his conversation with Luth, Herdin went out to the garden. Perhaps because it was a cool early summer night, there were many couples or married pairs who had come outside.

‘She didn’t look well earlier.’

Recalling Blair’s appearance as she left the banquet hall, Herdin’s steps quickened.

Not long after entering the garden, Herdin found Blair in a place not as far as he had expected.

Blair was sitting alone near the fountain in the center of the garden, watching the streams of water. Herdin strode over to her side.

“Are you feeling very unwell?”

There was no immediate response as there would have been normally.

She just silently stared at the fountain with eyes that, as always, were unreadable.

“Blair?”

As Herdin, finding this strange, took another step closer to her, Blair stood up.

“Let’s go home.”

Herdin furrowed his brow as he watched Blair’s back as she brushed past him.

A cool night breeze swept between the two of them.

* * *

Blair didn’t say a word throughout the entire carriage ride back to the mansion. She kept her gaze fixed out the window, not looking at him even once.

She wasn’t normally a talkative person, but even taking that into account, she was different from her usual self that Herdin knew.

Something had gone seriously awry without his knowledge.

Noticing this, the lingering uneasiness at Herdin’s feet began to creep up.

Like that time when he watched her, feeling as if she might disappear into the light at any moment.

Herdin watched Blair’s back as she didn’t turn to look at him once from getting out of the carriage until reaching the room. As soon as they entered the room, he grabbed her hand.

“Blair.”

Only then could he finally face her. Her eyes, which had been hidden by the darkness of night, clearly showed resentment.

Blair tried to pull her hand away from his grasp, but Herdin held on even more tightly.

He spoke, suppressing his emotions with a sigh.

“If you have something to say, say it. Don’t act like a child.”

After staring at him with resentful eyes for a long while, Blair finally spoke.

“Why did you lie to me?”

“…”

“You said you had found all the evidence.”

Herdin’s eyes wavered upon hearing Blair’s words.

In the end, she had found out. Did she hear it at the banquet earlier? Is that why she’s so angry now?

“You promised me that we would divorce once you revealed the truth about the incident from ten years ago.”

If she hadn’t known until the end, that resentment might have been lessened somewhat, but now that she knew, there was no helping it.

“Ah, that’s right.”

“Then fulfill that contract now. According to the contract, our agreement is over. You’re just postponing it.”

He had no choice but to carry out his plan.

“Well, that might be a bit difficult.”

“Why?”

“As you’ve already overheard, I made a deal with your brother.”

“…”

“And that deal requires you.”

I can’t tell you that the reason I’m holding onto you is you.

To you, who has another man in your heart, my feelings would be worthless.

Offering a negotiation proposal that’s bound to be rejected would be meaningless.

“…So, you’re going to use me in that deal? Breaking your promise with me?”

“If we’re being precise, regrettably, that’s how it would be.”

He answered so brazenly that he would break the contract. With a face that didn’t look regretful at all.

Facing that expression, a bitter laugh escaped from between Blair’s teeth.

She had tried to keep her contract with him. She had worked to overcome her phobia, and faced the truth she had wanted to avoid.

She didn’t regret that.

Not just for his sake, but also for Esmeralda’s. Because it was also a debt of her heart wanting to honor her.

But separate from that, the betrayed trust hurt.

She felt like she might vomit, just as she had when facing Katrina and Ivan at the imperial palace earlier. The fact that he was no different from them made it hard to breathe.

This man, too, only thinks of using her.

She hates him for that.

And what’s more terrible than him…

Is me, who believed in him, who foolishly hesitated at Mikhail’s proposal, saying I would keep my promise with you.

Is myself, who came to love you again even after being so hurt by you in my past life.

“I think this marriage won’t be such a bad choice for you either.”

“…”

“We matched quite well, after all.”

“…Do you really, truly think that? That we match well?”

His distorted eyes held a hint of puzzlement. He seemed to have sincerely thought there was no problem with this relationship.

That fact made her laugh.

“No. We’ve been off from the beginning, and it wasn’t us who fixed it, it was me.”

Because I loved you in my past life.

To meet Asiel in this life.

Your greed always came first. It was always me who struggled to mend the relationship that kept cracking.

Do you know the feeling of piecing together countless shattered glass fragments alone, the lonely feeling of not being able to give up even while getting hurt?

“I was the one holding our relationship together on my own. To maintain a good relationship with you. You probably didn’t realize it because it seemed so natural to you.”

“…”

“Now I know for certain. We can never be together.”

“Then we can adjust from now on.”

Once, I believed that too.

That because I loved you, someday you would recognize my sincerity. That we could adjust to each other.

But now I know that was my arrogance.

“No, I won’t do that anymore. There’s no reason to either. You’re no longer my collaborator.”

“Blair.”

“Let me go.”

Words bordering on a desperate plea. But to Herdin, they were words that stabbed like a dagger.

His lips twisted as he looked at her. Rising anger flowed out in a cold tone.

“Everyone lives like that. They marry without wanting to, looking only at each other’s benefits while excluding emotions.”

“…”

“Your plan was absurd from the start. A princess of a country causing a scandal and eloping… It’s preposterous.”

“…”

“At best, you’d be caught and brought back to be confined in the palace, or if you’re lucky, you might end up as some old man’s second wife.”

“…”

“How long are you going to cling to your solitary ideals and force things?”

Blair’s eyes twisted at his scathing words.

Her fragile body trembled uncontrollably with emotion, looking extremely precarious. As if she might collapse at any moment.

The feeling of watching her like this was disgusting. There was no sense of achievement or composure that usually comes with winning an argument.

Herdin roughly loosened his cravat, speaking as if sighing.

“…That’s enough. You don’t look well right now.”

He approached Blair, who looked like she might collapse at any moment, and embraced her.

“Let go of me!”

But Blair pushed him away. With hands that had no strength, but desperately.

Herdin finally let go of Blair he was holding. Blair, having just escaped from his arms, looked at him with eyes full of hatred as tears fell.

“I regret it terribly. Trusting you again.”

Having uttered those words as if they were the final blow, Blair turned and left the bedroom.

Herdin swallowed a sigh and ran his hand through his bangs carelessly.

He knew that even if she left, she couldn’t leave this mansion. When she gets tired and curls up somewhere, he can bring her back then.

But the moment Herdin raised his head again, he saw Blair collapse as she was leaving the bedroom.

At the same time, his heart sank.

“Blair!”