Herdin stared at that hand before swallowing a sigh and rising from his seat.
"...Rest."
Contract. Contract. Contract.
Seeing how she brought up the contract every time she opened her mouth, it seemed his fake wife had staked her life on that one-year contract.
He couldn't understand why that fact, already predetermined before marriage, suddenly felt so real and irritating now.
Herdin raked back his bangs somewhat irritably and left the room. Russ was waiting outside.
"Get rid of that hypnotist."
At the low command from his lord, Russ's eyes widened in surprise.
"Pardon? Didn't you say to keep him on?"
"Find a new one. He's a quack."
Passing by Russ, Herdin headed back to his office and added,
"And have that maid from the Imperial Palace come to my office."
Recalling the 'maid' Herdin mentioned, Russ's expression hardened unconsciously.
The woman who always glared at everyone in the duke's household with eyes full of hostility. He had never spoken a word to her, but that gaze alone made him not want to.
"W-Why her?"
At Russ's question, Herdin's cold gaze turned back to him.
A subordinate could not question his lord's orders.
"...Understood."
Russ bowed more politely than usual and walked away.
* * *
Suddenly summoned to Herdin's office, Rina fidgeted with her fingers, staring holes into his desk.
Even with that handsome face right in front of her, which made other maids gawk when passing by.
And understandably so, since she couldn't even guess why he had called her out of the blue.
The only thought that came to mind was the absurd speculation, 'Did he somehow hear me cursing him in my mind?!'
But there was no need to be scared.
The one at fault was the duke who had abandoned his bride after their first night, not her who served Blair devotedly.
As Rina straightened her cowering body with that resolve, Herdin removed the cigar from his mouth and spoke.
"I heard you've served my wife for quite a while."
Contrary to her resolve not to be scared, Rina jumped in surprise and answered.
"Y-Yes! That's right."
"Does she not light the fireplace in her room because she fears fire?"
On their first night, there had been no fire in Blair's room. Even on a cold night with snow falling. At the time, he had thought she simply disliked stuffy air.
But the moment he saw Blair tormented by the memory dragged out during hypnosis today, it suddenly dawned on him.
"Ah, yes. So we warm the room when she's out and turn it off when she's resting. It's okay as long as she doesn't get close, but she still seems uncomfortable."
"Because of that incident ten years ago?"
"Probably. She's never talked about it directly, but..."
"And the constant coughing?"
"Yes. I heard her respiratory system weakened due to aftereffects of the accident."
As expected, that was it.
Herdin twisted his lips upon hearing the confirmation.
"You may go."
As Rina left and the office door closed, the sound of Blair's cough suddenly echoed in Herdin's mind.
Along with her dazed, teary eyes looking at him moments ago.
Letting out an irritated sigh, he set the cigar back down. Then, leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes irritably.
The sunlight flickering behind his eyelids annoyingly evoked thoughts of her fine platinum hair.
* * *
The next day, Blair came down with a fever.
"Sometimes, when people receive a great shock, their immunity weakens as an aftereffect, leading to illness. It seems the Madam is such a case."
The attending physician diagnosed her thus and left.
Herdin, upon hearing the news, looked at the sleeping Blair with a somewhat incredulous expression.
How could a person be this fragile?
A woman's body was inherently weaker than a man's.
Even accounting for that, his wife seemed to have a constitution far below the average person's health.
"Call me if you need anything."
Noticing Herdin wouldn't leave immediately, Rina quietly exited the room.
He watched the sleeping Blair intently.
In the peaceful scene, the frail woman exhaling quick, ragged breaths through her slightly parted red lips looked quite tormented.
After keeping vigil for a while, Herdin approached the bedside. He placed the back of his hand against her flushed cheek from the fever.
The breath leaking between her small lips, barely touching his hand, still carried heat but had clearly improved from before.
The antipyretic seemed to be working.
It was then, as Herdin withdrew his hand with a soft sigh.
"...El."
A faint voice seeped into the silence.
Herdin looked at the lips from which it had escaped. Blair furrowed her delicate brows in pain, her small lips moving laboriously.
"Asiel..."
The pitiable voice, uttered with a sob, scattered into the quiet room. His withdrawing hand paused.
Hearing the unfamiliar name from her lips, he suddenly recalled Blair's constant obsession with the 'contract.'
Only then did her actions make sense.
Asiel.
Apparently the name of a lover she loved so much that she would relive that horrific memory, even in dreams, just to fulfill the contract.
So her claim of not believing in love had been a lie to hide her true purpose after all.
To keep that precious lover's existence hidden, fearing he might expose it to the world?
Herdin let out a scoff and rose from his seat.
The hypothesis he had lightly dismissed before had taken shape, but whoever that fool was who had fallen into forbidden love with the princess was none of his concern.
Still, the name from her lips irritated him because the deceitful woman hiding her intentions was ridiculous.
And it probably didn't help that the name happened to be that of a Delmark ancestor.
Herdin left the room immediately.
Russ, who had come looking for him, flinched upon seeing his lord. Though his face was always cold, now it was icier than ever.
As Russ hesitated at the aura, Herdin spoke first.
"What is it?"
"Sionele Baroness sent a catalog."
Sionele Baroness was the empire's top fashion designer in name and reality. Born a commoner, she had been granted a title after her skills were recognized by Empress Dowager Katrina.
She was scheduled to visit the duke's residence today to create outfits for the upcoming New Year's banquet, but the appointment was canceled due to Blair's illness.
The servant sent to inform her had returned with the catalog instead.
Herdin took the catalog from Russ.
"She asked to select fabrics first so she could procure rare ones in advance."
Opening the catalog revealed small swatches of fabric samples. Detailed notes beside them listed pros, cons, and prices in small print.
Herdin closed the catalog and handed it back to Russ.
"Doesn't matter what, just get ones good for keeping warm."
To the Duke of Delmark, whose wealth rivaled the imperial family's, fabric prices were no consideration.
* * *
A few days later, as Blair's condition improved, Herdin brought in a new hypnotist.
She was a soft-featured woman in her mid-thirties, from a vassal family of the Delmark Duke family.
The woman, introducing herself as Agnes Lorellaine, explained the plan to Blair.
"Those who lose memories from great shock can bury them even deeper if forced out, due to backlash."
Agnes continued her explanation to Blair with a gentle smile.
"So instead of rushing to retrieve the memories, we'll start by slowly familiarizing you with them from that time."
"How?"
"First, once a week, we'll have tea time together, and you'll share stories from your childhood. Any stories are fine."
Blair faced Agnes with her usual composed expression, but her fingers fidgeted with her dress hem under the table.
Agnes's method wouldn't access the memories quickly.
The reason she obsessed over recovering those memories from that time was singular. No matter what, she had to find them before conceiving Asiel.
If she couldn't end the contract marriage even after pregnancy, Herdin would discover it.
Moreover, since attempting to recover memories caused her pain, she couldn't try while pregnant.
There were just over six months left until Asiel was conceived.
It was tight even to wrap up everything here and prepare to leave.
Lost in thought, Blair placed her hand on the table but only toyed with the teacup rim, unable to respond promptly to Agnes.
As if reading her mind, Agnes said,
"Don't be too impatient. I'll definitely recover your memories. Just relax and trust me."
Her gentle gaze held an irresistible power.
Could she share personal stories with a stranger?
Though reluctant, she strangely didn't want to refuse Agnes's proposal.
"Alright."
Agnes smiled warmly as Blair finally nodded.
"I'm looking forward to what stories you'll share. Hearing them lets me learn another life."
As the two were setting the next tea time appointment, a presence stirred behind her.