INDC 11

~Chapter 11~

I Only Need the Duke’s Child Episode 11. The Real Purpose of This Marriage

At noon, when the sun stood at the very center of the sky.

A gathering to welcome the new member of the imperial family was held in the greenhouse located in the rear garden of the Empress Dowager’s palace.

Katrina looked at Blair and Herdin sitting side by side across from her and smiled with satisfaction.

Ever since becoming the imperial consort, everything she desired had come true—this was her newest trophy.
“When people said you two were a perfect match, I merely thought, is that so.

But seeing it like this, you truly look like a painting together.

Don’t you think so, Your Majesty?”
“Indeed.

My heart feels proud as well.

Now if you just produce an heir, it will be perfect.”
“The Delmark ducal house is a family with few hands, so it would be best to have around three children.

Blair, you will have to work hard.”
Herdin listened indifferently to the cheerful conversation of the emperor and his mother and glanced at the woman seated beside him.

Blair’s face was as calm as usual.

It was far from the expression of someone pleased to see her family again.

While Katrina and Ivan were delivering their welcoming words to Herdin, the newest member of the family, the food was served.

Ivan raised his glass filled with an aperitif.
“To think the Duke and I have become family like this—it feels as though I have gained an army of a thousand.

With the imperial family and the Delmark ducal house joining forces, what could there be to fear under heaven?”
“……”
“Now that we are family, it would be good to meet often and talk together from now on.

After all, we have much to discuss, don’t we?”

For the endless glory and prosperity of this empire.

Ivan lightly clinked his glass against Herdin’s.

The clear sound of crystal striking crystal rang brightly.

The sound did not sit particularly well in Herdin’s ears, but he silently offered his glass anyway.

As the meal was nearing its end, Ivan suddenly turned to Herdin as if remembering something.
“Ah, that’s right.

There was something I wanted to ask your opinion on, Duke. This is perfect.”
After finishing a sip of wine, Ivan continued.
“These days, exchanges with the eastern continent seem to be increasing among the various nations.”
“Most likely because trade has become more active recently since a sea route to the eastern continent opened.

To make contact with the eastern continent, one inevitably has to maintain good relations with the eastern regions as well.”
“That’s right.

Looking into it, there are quite a number of fascinating and useful items coming from the eastern continent.

If only we could open a closer sea route ourselves and engage more actively in exchange…

What a pity.”
Ivan clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Then he asked for Herdin’s opinion.
“What do you think about it, Duke?”
At Ivan’s question, which seemed at first glance to be asking for an opinion, Herdin sneered inwardly.

The emperor wanted to open the gateway leading to the eastern regions of the continent and ultimately seize the eastern ports that led to the eastern continent.
‘Those old foxes in the nobles’ council must have stayed cautious about this matter.’
If war broke out, the first to be conscripted were the young sons of noble families.

No matter how loyal they were to the emperor, could anything be more precious than their own blood?

And now, the emperor had obtained a powerful piece—the empire’s greatest magic swordsman.

He had not said it directly, but what the emperor wanted was obvious.

War.

An emperor who had never properly fought even a single battle seemed to think of war as something like a game of chess.

A game where you casually move your fingers and capture your opponent’s pieces with ease.

No wonder he had so readily approved the reinforcement of Delmark’s forces.

Of course, Herdin had no intention of agreeing with such a foolish idea, but he decided to at least pretend to listen politely.

If only for the sake of the one-year wife sitting beside him.
“Well.”
Herdin lazily replied as he swirled the wine glass in his hand.

The clear wine gently rippled.

But unlike him, his wife seemed to have no intention of letting the matter pass quietly.
“War is unacceptable, Brother.”
Blair, who had spoken up, clenched the hem of her dress beneath the table.

It did not matter if Ivan tried to manipulate her as he pleased.

But she could not tolerate him trying to manipulate Herdin.

He had already entered an unwanted marriage—she did not want him to suffer more hardship than that.

In her previous life, she had simply remained silent even in this same situation.

Back then, the thought of opposing Ivan had been unimaginable.

And that had remained a debt in her heart toward Herdin.

She no longer wanted to carry such a debt.

She did not want to shrink before him like she had before her regression.

Not for his sake, but for her own.
“There may be differences in degree, but war leaves scars that are hard to recover from for both the defeated and the victorious.”
“……”
“Knights and citizens are not your chess pieces, Brother.

Do not push them toward war just to fulfill your will.”
Herdin silently watched Blair as she spoke.

Though her voice was soft, Blair delivered her opinion clearly and firmly.

Her small hand gripping her dress beneath the table trembled violently.

Ivan, who had seemed momentarily startled by the blunt words of his usually obedient sister, let out a disbelieving laugh.

Seeing Ivan’s expression, Katrina quickly scolded Blair.
“Blair!

His Majesty is speaking with the Duke.

What kind of uncivilized behavior is this in front of a guest?”
Blair, who had never once defied Ivan before, had openly opposed his words.

And in front of Herdin, no less.

For Katrina, it was unacceptable.
“And what do you know about matters of state to speak so boldly?”
“Leave it, Mother.

How could a woman who has never studied the art of kingship understand the heart of a ruler who cares for his people?”
Ivan smiled leisurely as he stopped Katrina, but his tone clearly carried contempt for Blair.

Herdin tilted his wine glass and observed Blair’s expression.

The light that had briefly burned fiercely in the woman’s eyes was fading.

Seeing that, Herdin’s gaze turned cold.

He lowered the wine glass from his lips.
“It doesn’t seem to me that my wife said anything particularly wrong.”
At Herdin’s languid voice breaking the silence, all three pairs of eyes turned toward him at once.
“Before being his sister, she is a subject serving her lord.

How could offering honest advice so that her ruler may govern well be considered rude?”
Katrina, momentarily startled by Herdin’s sudden intervention, snapped back.
“Duke, this is a mother reprimanding her child for her shortcomings.

Do not defend her.”
In other words, he should not interfere in matters between parent and child.

Herdin chuckled and set down his wine glass.
“They say that once a daughter marries, she becomes a member of another family.”
“What are you suddenly—”
“She is now Blair Delmark.”
The gaze Herdin directed at Katrina as he spoke Blair’s name was as sharp as that of a beast defending what belonged to it.
“If not I, then who would dare point out my wife’s shortcomings?”
Katrina flinched involuntarily at his chilling presence.

But Herdin continued calmly.
“As for the opinion Your Majesty asked of me…”
He added while taking Blair’s still trembling hand and helping her to her feet.
“I will reconsider it after enjoying our honeymoon a bit longer.

As you said, the Delmark house lacks hands.”

Well then.

He rose, wrapping a firm arm around Blair’s back.

Blinking in confusion, Blair remained in his arms with a dazed expression.

The warmth of the arms holding her protectively was comforting.

Just like the days before her regression, when he had once been gentle.
* * *
The two of them left the greenhouse behind, along with Ivan and Katrina’s stunned exclamations.
“We will depart.”
As the two boarded the carriage, it began to move.

Gazing out the window at the passing winter scenery with indifferent eyes, Herdin suddenly felt a gaze on him and turned his head.

Eyes resembling amethysts filled with the afternoon sunlight were quietly watching him.

As if they had been waiting a long time for him to turn around.
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do it to receive thanks.

As you know, my feelings toward the imperial family are not very good.”
“Even so, thank you.

And… I’m sorry.”
For making you a pawn in my mother’s and brother’s ambitions.

No matter how much resentment she had once felt toward him, that apology had always remained somewhere in her heart.

Instead of answering, Herdin simply stared at her for a moment before turning his gaze back outside the window.

How much time passed in silence?

Soon the soft, rhythmic sound of breathing filled the carriage.

Only then did Herdin look back at Blair.

At that moment, the carriage jolted, and Blair’s body swayed heavily.

Herdin instinctively reached out and caught her head before it could slam into the wall.

Silvery hair slipped through his fingers like threads of silk.

Because of that, the distance between them grew closer, but Blair remained deeply asleep, unaware of the situation.

Herdin let out a quiet sigh and gazed silently at the woman leaning against his hand.

The woman always wore a blank expression.

No matter how sharp his words were, she remained calm.

It irritated him.

She was beautiful, but like a doll without emotion.

So he had never hidden his hostility toward her.

He deliberately spoke harshly, drew boundaries, and treated her coldly.

He wanted to see that calm face distort.

As much as he resented her.

But when he saw the light fading from her eyes as she was crushed between Ivan and Katrina, irritation rose within him.

It felt like prey he had been chasing for a long time had been stolen from him.

The one who would make her cry, torment her, and break her should be none other than himself.
“……”
Looking at the sleeping Blair, Herdin laid her sideways on the carriage seat.

Blair stirred slightly, then soon fell back into a deep sleep.

Her face looked more peaceful than before.

Herdin quietly took in that sight before turning his gaze back to the window.

The sound of breathing echoing inside the quiet carriage completed the languid afternoon scene.
* * *
“Mm…”
Blair, who had briefly fallen asleep, felt her body lift into the air and opened her eyes.

Everything before her was dark.

Startled, she flailed about, and the thing covering her face slipped down.

It was Herdin’s coat.

Her eyes, still dazed from waking, saw the servants lined up neatly greeting them.

And…

a face so unrealistically handsome that she wondered if she was still dreaming.

“…Herdin?”
“You’re awake.”
The moment she met his eyes up close, Blair realized she had been sleeping in his arms and was startled.
“Put me down.”
Blair struggled to get away from him.

It was embarrassing that a grown adult had slept so deeply she hadn’t even noticed the carriage arriving and had to rely on her husband’s arms.

But instead of setting her down, Herdin held Blair even more firmly.

The woman who had been expressionless like a doll now had eyes wide like a startled rabbit, stirring an inexplicable sadistic urge in him.
“It’s troublesome, so let’s just go like this.”
“It must be heavy…”
Hearing Blair’s muttering, Herdin let out a laugh.

It seemed his wife did not understand what “heavy” truly meant.

Otherwise she was underestimating her husband’s strength.

Ignoring his wife’s rather unpleasant evaluation, he was about to climb the steps of the residence when—

“Your Grace.”
Ruth, who had remained at the mansion, approached and delivered a report.
“The hypnotist arrived a little while ago.”
At those words, a cold glint passed through Herdin’s eyes.

It was time to approach the “real” purpose of this contract marriage.