The Duchess’s Lover
He composed his coldly hardened expression and approached the two of them.
“I wondered where you were going when you said you had an appointment with a friend, yet to meet you like this.”
Looking at Mikhail, Herdin grabbed Blair’s hand.
In truth, she had never mentioned any appointment today, but when Blair spotted the gallery director she quietly allowed him to hold her hand.
After all, outwardly he was still her husband.
But in reality, to her he was nothing.
Just a fake husband bound by a contract, nothing more.
Whoever she met and whatever she did, she had no reason to tell him in advance, nor any need to explain.
As a party to that contract, he knew that fact better than anyone.
Yes, he knew it well…
“So, since we’ve met by chance, if you have time why not exchange a brief greeting?”
Then why was he so angry?
* * *
The three of them moved to a nearby café.
“Three coffees.”
Herdin ordered to the approaching server.
But Blair quickly corrected the order.
“Please change one to black tea.”
The server confirmed the revised order once more before leaving.
Blair added an explanation to Herdin.
“If I drink coffee, I can’t sleep.”
It was the first time he had learned that.
Herdin mocked himself at the realization.
Everything was a mess.
That he had only learned this after nearly three months of marriage, and even his own emotions.
Leaning back deeply in his chair, Herdin swallowed his feelings and looked at the man before him.
The fairly handsome face annoyed him.
Mikhail wore a friendly smile, but Herdin could tell that the smile was not sincere.
“First, shall we introduce ourselves?”
Since it was impossible that Mikhail wouldn’t know the name of the Duke of Delmark and a war hero, it meant Mikhail should state his name.
“My name is Mikhail Kynes.
It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”
At the sound of Mikhail’s name, Herdin’s gaze sank coldly.
‘So he’s not Asiel.’
When he had ordered Ruth to investigate men named Asiel, there had been none who seemed to have any connection with Blair.
To begin with, it wasn’t a common name, and among noble families it was rarely used since it was the name of Asiel Delmark, the founder of the Delmark house.
Among commoners there were occasionally people with that name, but none had any connection to Blair.
So he had considered the possibility that the man might be using an alias.
It was nothing more than speculation without any evidence.
For a moment he had wondered if this man might be “Asiel.”
But judging by Blair’s attitude, this man didn’t seem to be that beloved lover.
“Kynes…
I’ve never heard of such a family.”
“That’s probably true.
It’s not a noble family.”
It was the sort of remark that might wound one’s pride, but the man simply smiled without any sign of offense.
As if his status were not a flaw.
While the man himself remained calm, Blair interjected as if explaining.
“He’s someone who will help fulfill our contract later.”
Blair intended only to reveal that Mikhail would be involved in the scandal, but not the fact that he was the guild master.
First, because there seemed to be a reason Mikhail himself hadn’t revealed it.
Second, because she hoped Herdin would not know that fact.
After the divorce, she didn’t want anyone except Mikhail, who was handling the matter, to know her whereabouts.
Not Ivan, not Katrina, and not even Herdin.
When that tiresome word came out of Blair’s mouth again, Herdin’s lips twisted.
“…Contract?”
Just then the server brought the coffee and tea.
Blair, who had paused for a moment, continued speaking once the server left.
“…Divorce.
When the contract ends, we agreed that we’d divorce due to my fault.”
“Ah, divorce.”
Only then did Herdin realize why Blair had hesitated before speaking.
She remembered what he had said a few days ago.
“I don’t see what connection that contract has with this man.”
“This man agreed to be one of the partners in my scandal.”
“…Scandal?”
“The scandal that the Duchess has been romantically involved with several men.”
After hearing Blair’s explanation, Herdin let out a hollow laugh.
For something that came from the head of his innocent wife, it was quite bold.
In the first place, he had never thought about how this contract would end.
Because he had never been curious.
Why hadn’t he been curious sooner?
The method of undoing a marriage arranged by the Emperor himself could hardly be ordinary.
“So you intend to bear all the disgrace yourself and get divorced.”
Did she truly have no attachment to everything she would lose?
Such desperate love.
Whoever that man named Asiel was.
Herdin lifted his coffee cup and looked at Mikhail.
Just as Blair had said, she didn’t seem to have any particular feelings for Mikhail.
But the way Mikhail looked at Blair was not simply the gaze one had toward a client.
He seemed more skilled at hiding his emotions than the fools who circled around her trying to get a word in.
That made him even more dangerous.
Like an instinct recognizing another of the same nature, Herdin sensed it and his lips twisted.
“Ah, so you’re an expert in that line of work—skilled at entertaining noblewomen.”
He was clearly treating Mikhail like a host who entertained aristocratic women.
Despite the obvious mockery, Mikhail’s expression didn’t waver at all.
Having worked as a bartender for a long time, such words were hardly a blow to him.
But Blair seemed different, as her delicate brows furrowed.
“Herdin, don’t speak like that.”
“On the surface, he’s your lover, isn’t he?
I was simply praising how well he performs his role.”
Her face clearly showed displeasure, but Herdin ignored it and continued speaking.
“Anyway, that plan doesn’t seem like a very good idea.
Did you ignore what I told you a few days ago?”
At Herdin’s sharp words, Blair suddenly recalled what he had said then.
He did not want any third party to know about the contract marriage.
And his reasoning had merit.
The more scandal partners she had, the more people would inevitably know the secret.
As he had said, this was a scheme to deceive the Emperor.
A dangerous matter that required caution.
But she couldn’t think of any other way to successfully divorce him.
While Blair was lost in thought, Herdin spoke to Mikhail.
“You must have been promised quite a large sum.
Won’t you regret it?”
“….”
“You’ll be known as the lover of a princess.
When that scandal breaks, what do you think His Majesty the Emperor will do?”
“….”
“I don’t want to drag an innocent person into our affairs.”
At first glance it sounded like concern for Mikhail, but in truth it was a threat.
Yet the one who reacted to those words was not Mikhail, but Blair.
Her plan was only to use Mikhail and the guild members to damage her reputation, not to have him pretend to be her lover until the end.
That would be too dangerous.
But if they were revealed as her lovers, they would surely face public condemnation.
Just as Herdin had mocked him earlier.
‘Just because I paid them doesn’t mean they deserve that blame.’
Suddenly she felt guilty.
Perhaps she had dragged innocent people into this, just as Herdin said.
Seeing Blair’s agitation, Mikhail smiled casually and answered.
“Once this matter is finished, I plan to leave the Empire as well.
I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry.”
Well, well.
A sneer appeared on Herdin’s lips.
He could clearly see that Mikhail intended to ease the guilt he had just stirred in Blair.
And the implication that he was planning for a future with Blair after the divorce irritated Herdin sharply.
“Well, if you’re willing to risk your life to help, I should be grateful.”
Herdin deliberately mentioned “your life,” implying what might happen if things went wrong.
Even if the words didn’t affect Mikhail, they would be enough to shake Blair.
Just then the faint sound of a bell from the plaza announcing the hour reached them.
After checking his watch, Herdin set down his cup.
“I should be going.”
He stood and said to Blair,
“Madam, aren’t you busy preparing for the banquet?
I’ll escort you back to the mansion.”
Blair still looked displeased, but in the end she had no choice but to follow him.
At least outwardly, he was still her husband.
But that fact gave him not the slightest sense of superiority.
“Then take care, Your Grace.”
Mikhail stood and bowed his head.
It was a polite greeting, but not a servile one.
Herdin turned away, leaving Mikhail behind.
He could hear Blair saying something to Mikhail.
After paying the bill and stepping outside first, Herdin lit a cigar.
By the time it had burned halfway, Blair came out of the café.
Seeing her, Herdin said,
“Get in first.”
But Blair didn’t get into the carriage.
Instead, she walked closer to him.
On her pale face, her stubbornly pressed reddish lips stood out.
It was the expression she made when something displeased her.
“Herdin.”
She barely managed to call his name before she began coughing repeatedly from the smoke.
Even so, she showed no sign of retreating as she continued between coughs.
“That man isn’t the kind of person you think he is.”
Blair’s eyes, defending her fake lover again and again, were quite resolute.
Even as her cheeks turned red from coughing, she refused to back down.
Herdin disliked that stubbornness of his wife.
In the end, he dropped the half-burned cigar onto the ground and crushed it out.