The Duke Only Needs My Child (New translation ver)

'But, it's not a bad proposal.'

He couldn't refuse the Emperor's command anyway. Or more precisely, he had no intention of refusing.

The Emperor had agreed to allow an increase in the duchy's military force on the condition that he become part of the imperial family.

Currently, the Delmark forces were reduced to half of what they were in the previous generation.

Public opinion that the duchy might revolt, using the Empress Esmeralda's treason as an excuse, played a large role in this process.

Even so, they still possessed an enormous force compared to other houses, but it was overwhelming to guard the northern border and suppress magical beasts.

Although Herdin was a great war hero and magic swordsman, he couldn't handle everything alone.

Even knowing it was the Emperor's trap, the military increase was an offer Herdin absolutely could not refuse.

And now, to be able to uncover the truth of 'that day' along with it.

He didn't know what the Princess's ulterior motive was in proposing this contract marriage, but if he could somehow use her to find out the truth and then divorce cleanly, there could be no better outcome.

He looked at Blair for a moment and asked.

"Why do you want such a marriage, Your Highness?"

"Because marriage is the only legal way for a princess to leave the imperial palace."

"If that's the reason, wouldn't it be better to marry someone who will cherish and love you?"

No matter how royal she might be, the life of a divorced woman wouldn't be smooth sailing.

There would be plenty of people willing to cherish and love her, the Emperor's sister and the daughter of the Empress Dowager. If she wasn't satisfied, she could even choose someone she wanted herself.

Herdin couldn't understand Blair's intentions in choosing him among the numerous options.

There would be far better choices than a predetermined end to a marriage with him, a political opponent.

Blair didn't answer promptly, staring fixedly at Herdin.

As her purple, luminous eyes that captured his image blinked slowly, strange emotions flitted across them.

They seemed momentarily sad, as if resenting him for asking such a question.

"I don't believe in such things."

"…"

"I prefer relationships with clear beginnings and ends, rather than those that speak of illusory eternities. Relationships where you can take as much as you give."

Blair spoke firmly while gazing at the man across from her.

Once, she too had been excited by the gaze of this accomplished man, just like other young ladies. There was a time when she believed in love and eternity.

But that's only in the past now.

"I think you would do that for me."

Herdin didn't take his eyes off Blair's face as she spoke. Over her pale face, the image of a young Blair from the past overlapped.

'When I grow up, I want to leave the imperial palace. I'll travel the wide world, beyond the system!'

The moment he recalled that face, his mood twisted, but Herdin readily answered.

"I accept that proposal."

"Thank you."

"If you have nothing more to say, I'll take my leave now."

Checking the clock, Herdin stood up as soon as Blair gave her permission.

As Blair watched his back disappear through the door, the resentment towards him that she had been hiding showed in her eyes.

There was a question she couldn't ask.

A question she couldn't get an answer to from him now.

Herdin.

Did you kill me?

* * *

The wedding preparations progressed quickly.

Time flew by, and soon it was the day before the wedding.

Blair visited the imperial mausoleum.

[Esmeralda Delmark]

The tombstone before her eyes bore the name of the former empress.

The Emperor had stripped her of her position as empress and the imperial family name, but in his mercy, he allowed her to be buried in the imperial mausoleum.

Whether it was truly merciful to have her honor buried in the ground and, not content with that, to be interred here unable to return to her homeland, is uncertain.

Blair placed a single flower, neatly wrapped in paper that she had plucked from the greenhouse, at the base of the tombstone.

Katrina didn't approve of Blair coming here.

From her perspective, it was bad enough that Blair was her political rival, but to visit the grave of a woman who had tried to kill her daughter was even worse.

But Blair found it hard to believe that fact.

'Blair.'

If the warm embrace that had always comforted her when she was pushed aside in favor of her brother Ivan was all a lie, it was terrifying to contemplate.

When she was young, she didn't try to recover her memories.

She was simply scared.

Whichever was the truth, she would lose one mother.

But years after that incident, when she encountered Herdin at a banquet.

Blair decided to face the truth she had been avoiding.

She brought a hypnotist to the Princess Palace to undergo hypnosis, but it only had adverse effects, damaging her health.

Then, after marrying Herdin and falling in love with him, she covered up those memories again.

She was afraid of losing him, no matter what the hidden truth might be.

However, when she learned that her beloved had actually been harboring hatred for her indifference for many years.

When she realized that he had pretended to love her in order to uncover the truth from her.

Blair wanted to give him everything he desired, even knowing his love was false. She wanted to cling to his love even in that way.

Belatedly, she tried to recover her memories again, but what she got in return was…

'Ha, after turning a blind eye for ten years, do you now feel guilty?'

'…'

'Don't do anything more. Just, stay still. Like you've done all this time.'

In front of his cold gaze, Blair completely crumbled.

If Esmeralda's crime was a false accusation, Herdin would despise her indifference even more, and even if it were true, he wouldn't love her.

So Blair let go of everything related to the memories of that day. As her beloved husband wished.

Thus, in her past life, she had given up on recovering those memories.

'But nothing will change if I just keep avoiding it. In this life, I'll face the truth and move forward.'

Whatever the truth hidden in the buried memories might be.

As Blair was organizing her future plans in her mind, she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

Search "child" at r e d c a t t y [.] c o m to read ahead up to chap 170.