INDC 06

~Chapter 06~

I Only Need the Duke’s Child Episode 6. The Duty of Husband and Wife

Heredin knocked and entered Blair’s bedroom.

Contrary to his expectation that she would be startled by his visit or already asleep, Blair was sitting at the table, absorbed in something.

Without even noticing his arrival.
‘What is she doing?’
A quick glance showed that she seemed to be writing something.
‘…She’s small.’
He felt it every time he saw her, but looking from afar made her frame seem especially small.

The occasional dry cough made her appear even smaller.
‘But the room is chilly.’
Despite it being the middle of winter, the fire in the fireplace had nearly gone out.

The white snow piled outside the window, the cool room, and the pale woman within that scenery.

As Heredin approached behind Blair, he thought the nickname “snow fairy” suited her quite well.

Even then, Blair was still so absorbed in writing the document that she did not notice his presence.

Heredin leaned his upper body over her small back, bracing a hand on the desk as he looked at what she was writing.

Only then did Blair sense someone behind her and jerk her head up in surprise.

In the process, Blair’s head thumped straight into his firm chest.
“Ah.”
At the same time, his cool blue eyes looking down and her violet eyes looking up met.
“Why do you look so surprised?

It is the first night, so it is only natural for a married couple to spend the night together.”
“…I didn’t expect you to come.”
“Even though you stayed awake waiting until now?”
His words struck the mark, and Blair pressed her lips together.
“I only waited just in case.

Duke… no, you came, and it would be rude to be asleep.”
At the title “you” that slipped from Blair’s mouth, Heredin’s gaze deepened.
“What is this?”
He noticed the paper Blair had been writing and asked.

Blair quickly added an explanation.
“It’s a contract.

Since it’s a contract anyway, I thought it would be good to leave it in writing.”
Heredin picked up the contract and sat beside her, beginning to read it.
“Article 1.

The contractor Blair Sonnet von Ardel will cooperate to the best of her ability in uncovering the truth behind the Empress Palace fire incident.

The duration of the contract is one year, but regardless of the period, once the truth of the incident is revealed, this marriage contract shall immediately be terminated.

Responsibility regarding the truth shall follow imperial law.”
His languid, low voice echoed through the quiet room.
“Article 2.

During the duration of this contract, the two parties must respect each other as spouses.

‘Respect’ here refers to fulfilling the responsibilities of a spouse while considering the other’s reputation.

This includes sharing a meal once a week, or attending important banquets and events together.”
As Blair listened to the clauses of the contract, she suddenly wished she could revise it.

She realized she had unconsciously written her resentment into the clauses, born from how he had ignored and neglected her in her previous life.

Even so, the current him would not know the feelings with which she had written those clauses…

Thinking that far, Blair smiled bitterly and spoke.
“If you think anything needs adjusting, feel free to say so.

I wrote the contract on my own, so I’ll revise it to reflect your opinion.”
At that moment, Heredin asked as he read,
“What will you do if the contents of the contract are not fulfilled?”
Blair was momentarily speechless at the question.

She had thought about adjusting the contract’s terms, but never about the possibility of someone violating it.
‘As he said, there must be consequences for violating the contract for anyone to bother keeping it.’
After thinking for a moment, Blair spoke with a resolute expression.
“If the contract is not honored…”
“If not?”
“I won’t grant a divorce.”
Since the marriage had been forced upon him by imperial order, continuing it would surely be dreadful for him.

Especially since he resented her.
“Ah.”
But despite Blair’s attempt at a frightening threat, he showed no sign of being intimidated.

If anything, it almost felt as though he were slightly mocking her.

Just as Blair thought that, Heredin resumed reading the next clause of the contract.
“For the above reasons, if one party requests to share a bed, the other must comply up to twice a month and fulfill the duties of a married couple…”
Heredin’s gaze shifted from the contract to Blair.

He set the contract down and spoke.
“When my wife speaks of ‘sharing a bed,’ surely you don’t mean that two grown adults will simply hold hands and sleep.”
Blair looked slightly flustered at his mocking words, but she did not refute them.

Then the meaning he had assumed must be correct.
“Are you saying you’ll even play the role of a mistress warming my bed?”
…Does it really have to go this far?

At this point, he became curious.

What was the woman’s true purpose in maintaining this contract marriage—even offering her body?

So he deliberately provoked her.

And just as intended, Blair took the bait and snapped back.
“Don’t say it like that.

I only…!”
“Only?”
Blair hesitated, unable to continue.

This clause was the most important one for Blair, created for the time when she would conceive Asiel.

But she could not tell him the truth.

She could not say something absurd like that she had returned in time, and above all, he must never learn about Asiel.

If he discovered that fact, would he leave Asiel alone?

To raise the child he would have with Miela as his heir, he might even try to eliminate Asiel, who would become an obstacle.

That must never happen.

Blair’s plan was to settle everything related to him before conceiving Asiel, then divorce and leave the empire before he discovered the pregnancy.

In the end, Blair made up a plausible lie.
“I just wanted to maintain a good relationship with you, at least during this time…”
Heredin sneered as he watched Blair stubbornly hide her true thoughts.
“A good relationship.”
How could we possibly have a good relationship?

With a single word from your mother, with a single testimony from you, my aunt died and was buried underground in disgrace without even the chance to defend herself.

And I had no choice but to accept it without even knowing the truth.

He did not know her purpose, but if she was willing to offer even her body, she must be quite desperate.

The sight amused him.

You ignored my desperation then, and now—

Simply giving in easily from his side would feel like a loss.

If the most precious thing she possessed was her purity, then he would take at least that.

Only then would it be a fair exchange.

Heredin rose and approached Blair.

The distance closed in an instant, and Blair stopped breathing.

He was right in front of her.

Close enough that if either exhaled, their breaths would touch.
“Then according to this clause, we must fulfill the duties of husband and wife.”
Blair flinched at the touch of his hand caressing her cheek and the low voice echoing beside her ear.

But more than that, it was his words that shocked her.

She had not expected him to be the one to use that clause first.

She had created the clause, but he no longer needed to pretend to love her.
‘I thought it would only be used when conceiving Asiel.’
For Blair, who had believed he would not even come to her bedroom, this situation was rather bewildering.
“There’s no need to consummate the marriage tonight…”
“I want to.”
His whisper was low, and his gaze was fixed on her red lips.

The hand holding her cheek brushed over those lips with his thumb.

The heat she felt at his fingertips made her heart begin to pound rapidly.

At that moment, Heredin lifted his gaze from her lips, and their eyes met.
“Right now.”
Unrefined, intense desire flickered in his blue eyes.

Before Blair could retreat in shock at that raw hunger, his lips captured hers.

Blair suddenly remembered that he was also a man.
‘They say men can share bodies even with someone they don’t love.’
Yes, this was not love.

Nor was it pretending love for some other purpose.

It was merely momentary desire.

Thinking that way made her feel strangely relieved.

If giving him her body meant she could meet Asiel again, she would give it as many times as necessary.

Blair gathered her turbulent thoughts and closed her eyes in resignation.

Heredin parted her lips and invaded her mouth.

Then he found her shrinking tongue and tangled with it.
“Mmm…”
As the moist flesh rubbed against the tender flesh inside, a moan slipped out involuntarily.

Her breathing quickened, and heat spread through her body.

Her mind grew hazy.

His lips were still hot and sweet.

Cruelly so.

Heredin lightly lifted Blair and settled her directly onto his thigh, then began devouring her in earnest.

Her full lips, her soft tongue, her quickened breaths, even the faint whimpering moans slipping through her teeth—everything.

Heredin grabbed the prominent swell revealed beneath the slipped strap of Blair’s nightgown.
“Ah…!”
Startled, Blair jerked away and broke the kiss.

Heredin, who had been about to kiss her again, stopped.

Blair froze as their eyes met.

His gaze resembled that of a beast whose meal had been interrupted.

Even so, as if he had no intention of releasing the prey that had come into his arms, his arm around her held firm.

Because of that, beneath their tightly pressed legs, she felt something heavy.