~Chapter 23~
I Only Need the Duke’s Child Episode 23. A Secret Meeting
It was Mason’s voice.
“Come in.”
Blair handed Pippi’s milk bottle to Melly and went to the table.
On the table were documents she had already organized.
Blair handed the papers to Mason as he approached.
“I drafted a budget plan based on the budgets from the past five years. Please take a look.”
Mason was inwardly surprised.
Blair had asked him to bring the past budget materials, but he had not expected her to draft a budget herself.
Budget documents full of dancing numbers usually gave people headaches, and he had thought she would skim them a few times and quickly give up.
Thinking that her persistence alone was worthy of praise, Mason began examining the budget Blair had prepared.
Blair fiddled with her fingers, unable to hide her nervousness as she waited for Mason’s evaluation.
It felt just like when she was a child, having her homework checked by her teacher.
Mason’s brow furrowed quite seriously as he examined the budget with his usual composed expression.
When his review took longer than expected, Blair, growing anxious, spoke first.
“It was only a practice draft, so if there is anything I missed, please feel free to tell me.”
“No, it is very impressive.
It’s hard to believe you drafted this alone for the first time.”
At the unexpected response, Blair stared at him with wide eyes.
Mason’s voice carried unmistakable admiration.
Although Mason was not someone who crossed the line with his masters as a servant, neither was he someone who fabricated compliments that did not exist.
So this praise came from genuine sincerity.
“I think this year’s budget can be implemented based on this proposal.”
Blair’s heart pounded at the praise.
It was the first time she had received praise from someone since Esmeralda died.
Throughout her life, all praise had belonged to her older brother Ivan.
Katrina had never wanted Blair to be better than Ivan.
If Blair ever received something better from the emperor, Katrina would envy and resent her as if Ivan’s share had been stolen.
The most delicious things, the most precious things, had always been Ivan’s.
If Blair possessed something Ivan did not, Katrina would take it away and give it to her son.
Blair had hidden her talents out of thirst for even a fragment of that maternal affection.
Always just one step inferior to Ivan.
She could neither outshine her brother nor become a burden to him.
She lived like that for twenty years.
At some point, even she herself stopped believing in her own worth.
It felt natural that she was inferior to Ivan.
And the praise she heard now…
It made her throat tighten with emotion for a moment.
Ah, I too.
I can do something well.
I can be recognized.
Only now did she truly realize that forgotten truth.
“Of course, there are still a few areas that could be improved…”
Mason pointed out the parts that needed correction with precise yet respectful remarks.
Blair listened like a model student receiving a lesson, carefully reflecting on what he told her.
Just as the feedback on the budget finished, Lina entered with a knock.
“Madam, just now—”
Lina had begun speaking straight to the point, but noticing Mason belatedly, she closed her mouth.
Mason took the hint and excused himself.
After Mason left, only Lina, Blair, and Melly caring for Pippi remained in the room.
Lina glanced at Melly, who was distracted with Pippi, and whispered so only Blair could hear.
“Madam, the guild has sent word.”
* * *
“The magic crystal mine recently discovered in the northwest is being mined smoothly.
The estimated reserves are…”
Herdin gazed indifferently at the scenery passing outside the carriage window.
Ruth’s voice reporting on the state of the business passed by his ears just like that scenery.
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
The business, and the search for Blair’s memories.
A few days ago, Agnes had come to give an interim report.
It was exactly one month since the counseling began.
Agnes said that rather than trying to pull out painful memories from the start, she was retracing Blair’s happy memories first.
She added that many clients distrust their counselor at first, but Blair had opened her heart quickly, so things were progressing well.
‘In Madam’s happy memories, the late Empress appears very often.
Perhaps that is why she has avoided searching for the memories.
Because she is afraid of the possibility that the person she trusted and relied on so much might actually have tried to kill her.’
‘Even though that precious person might have been falsely accused?’
‘She was badly injured in the accident, and when she regained consciousness she could not remember what had happened. Meanwhile the people around her kept saying that person tried to kill her…’
‘…’
‘Naturally, she would come to that conclusion.
That the person tried to kill her, and the shock made her lose her memories.’
‘…’
‘And since even her mother said the same thing, she would have believed it even more.
She would not want to make her living mother a liar, nor dig into the possibility that the late Empress truly tried to kill her.’
‘That’s a selfish thought.’
‘Your Grace.
Madam was only eleven years old at the time.’
Agnes defended Blair, saying an eleven-year-old child would not have had the room to think of anything beyond herself.
‘And in those happy memories, Your Grace appears quite often as well.’
‘…Me?’
‘That must mean she trusts you, relies on you, and loves you that much.
So perhaps sometimes it would be good if Your Grace personally spoke with her about that time.’
Herdin dismissed Agnes’s words with a scoff.
Love…
It was a ridiculous notion.
He probably appeared often simply because he was Esmeralda’s nephew and thus frequently met Blair with her.
He did not know what feelings the current Blair held for him, but at the very least it would not be the kind Agnes spoke of.
Considering Blair’s recent behavior.
Since the day she was seen going to the guild for the first time, Blair had not gone out for personal reasons again.
‘She is probably waiting for the guild’s message.’
She contacted the guild behind his back, talked nonsense about seeing the future…
Yet whenever he saw her clear face, he wondered if her suspicious behavior might actually be his own misunderstanding.
Hadn’t the magical beast really appeared just as she said?
Or perhaps he simply wanted to believe it.
That must be why.
Why he felt so unpleasant.
‘What an absurdly naive thought.’
Herdin mocked himself.
That was also why he had been busy since the New Year Festival, deliberately reducing the chances of meeting Blair.
He had no intention of being deceived again by that innocent face.
One experience was enough.
By now the carriage had left the center of the capital and was passing behind a theater.
Herdin’s gaze, absentmindedly looking out the window, landed on something in that scenery.
Just then, someone stepped down from a carriage.
The figure looked familiar.
A small frame, platinum-blonde hair peeking slightly out from a dark green robe, and small pale hands glimpsed briefly.
Herdin’s brow narrowed the moment he recognized that the woman getting out of the hired carriage was Blair.
No escort knights were visible around her.
Of course, since Herdin had ordered it, they were probably secretly guarding her from nearby.
Blair entered the theater’s back entrance together with the maid who always accompanied her.
“…Your Grace.
You’re not listening to a single word I’m saying right now, are you?”
Ruth, who had been reporting on the business status, noticed and looked at Herdin.
Herdin did not even deny it; instead he gestured toward the theater.
“Do you know what play is being performed there these days?”
Ruth swallowed a sigh at Herdin’s attitude of not listening at all, but knowing how sensitive he had been lately, he answered obediently.
“As far as I know, it is a heroic tale set in ancient times when divine beasts existed.”
“….”
“But well, the play is just a cover.
On the surface it’s a theater, but in reality it’s a common place for nobles to hold secret meetings.”
In noble society, loveless political marriages were common, and both men and women often kept lovers.
But just because it was common did not mean it was something they could show openly.
Even if everyone knew nobles had lovers, they did not display it outright.
“…A secret meeting?”
“Yes.
You didn’t know?”
A secret meeting.
A secret meeting…
Suddenly a name that had once slipped from his wife’s lips came to Herdin’s mind.
‘Asiel…’
Herdin’s gaze toward the theater’s back entrance where Blair had gone turned cold.
* * *
The theater manager seemed to have known Blair would come and was waiting at the back entrance to receive her.
After entering the theater, he handed a ticket to Lina.
“The young lady can follow that attendant over there.”
“M-me?”
Lina’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected suggestion.
Blair noticed the intention of separating Lina and smiled.
“Yes, go enjoy it comfortably, Lina.
I have someone to meet.”
“I-is that really alright?”
“Yes.
It’s more convenient for me that way.”
Receiving the ticket, Lina disappeared following the attendant with an excited face.
The theater manager guided Blair to the top-floor lounge of the theater.
It was a private room used only by VIPs.
When she entered the room he indicated, Mikhail, who had been drinking wine in front of the large window overlooking the stage, turned around.
