The Mistress of Delmark
When Blair asked while looking at the boy in the painting, Mason hesitated briefly before answering.
“He is the younger brother of the previous head of the house.”
That meant he was Casion’s younger brother.
But as far as Blair knew, Casion had only one sibling, Esmeralda.
“But I don’t think I saw him in the family portraits.
And I don’t recall seeing him in the family registry either….”
“Young Master Logan was the previous head’s half-brother.”
The Ardel Empire practiced monogamy.
If he was a half-brother to Casion, the legitimate child of the duchess, then that meant the boy in the portrait was an illegitimate child of the House of Delmark.
If he was illegitimate, it made sense that he had not even been recorded in the family registry.
“Sadly, he passed away early in an accident, so that portrait is the only one that remains.”
“Ah….
I see.”
“Pii!”
Even though it was hiding inside the cloth, Pippi grew sulky when Blair did not find it and crawled out on its own, lightly biting Blair’s hand.
Blair stroked Pippi’s head and asked Mason,
“But what brings you to see me?”
“In a week it will be the death anniversary of the previous duke and duchess. I came to ask how you would like to make the donation this year.”
Every year, the House of Delmark made a donation as a token of gratitude to Gerard, who had personally come to conduct the memorial service for the late duke and duchess.
Family ceremonies or special matters were usually the responsibility of the mistress of the house, but since there had been none until now, Herdin had handled them.
But this year it was Blair’s responsibility.
“This year….”
Just as Blair, who had been thinking for a moment, was about to speak, there was a knock and Lina’s voice came from outside.
“Madam, are you here?”
“What is it?”
Lina entered the room and delivered the news with a troubled expression.
“The Marquis of Seldon and his wife have come to see you.”
* * *
“It seems your work finished early.”
Mason said as he opened the carriage door.
Herdin gave a small nod and asked,
“Anything unusual?”
“The Marquis of Seldon and his wife have come to see Madam.”
At the news of those unwelcome visitors, Herdin’s brows knit together.
“When?”
“They are speaking with Madam in the drawing room right now.”
He did not even need to hear why they had come to see Blair.
Since speaking to him would likely be useless, they must have taken advantage of his absence to appeal to Blair for mercy regarding Rachel.
Certainly, if it were his soft-hearted wife, she might be swayed by the earnest pleas of parents begging for their child.
‘Should I have told her in advance yesterday?’
He had informed her that Wesley and Rachel were behind it, but he had not explained in detail what he had done to the two of them.
In any case, the news would eventually reach her through someone who carried stories around, but it would hardly be a pleasant thing for someone as soft-hearted as her.
He now slightly regretted not warning her beforehand.
“Did the marquis’s daughter come as well?”
“Only the marquis and his wife came.”
The corner of Herdin’s lips twisted.
“So even when she’s about to be thrown out, she still wants to keep her pride.”
She should have come herself, apologized, and begged sincerely.
Instead, she hid behind her parents.
Was it childish or cunning?
Well, if she had been smart in the first place, she would not have created such trouble.
Instead of returning straight to his office, Herdin headed toward the drawing room where Blair was meeting the Marquis of Seldon and his wife.
He had absolutely no intention of showing leniency in this matter.
Just as he arrived and turned the doorknob, Blair’s gentle voice drifted through the slightly open door.
“So what you’re saying is that my husband requested severe punishment for the two of them?”
“Yes.
It seems His Majesty intended to show mercy to Rachel and treat her leniently, but the duke opposed it.”
“…I see.”
“But if you, the person involved, ask for mercy, wouldn’t the duke change his mind?”
The expected line came from the Marquis of Seldon.
Herdin, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, was about to step in when Blair’s voice spoke first.
“If that is my husband’s will, then I don’t believe I have anything more to say to you.”
Her voice was calm, yet firm.
“W-what do you mean?
Are you saying you’ll just watch as Rachel is expelled from the empire like this?”
“Rachel is no longer a child, so she must take responsibility for what she has done.
I already warned her once at the banquet.”
“Blair, Rachel is your cousin.
Weren’t you two close?
I can’t understand why you’re being so cold.”
“Being relatives does not erase what she did wrong.”
At Blair’s resolute answer, the Marquis and his wife let out a sigh.
But Blair did not stop there.
Just like the way she had always been—once she believed something was right, she pushed forward without wavering.
“Also, as the Duchess of Delmark, this matter is not merely a personal one for me.”
“….”
“If my husband desired it, then it must be for the honor of the family. As his wife and the mistress of Delmark, I will respect and follow his will.”
His wife.
The mistress of Delmark.
There was nothing particularly new about those facts, yet hearing those words come from Blair’s lips pleased him greatly.
And the reason she was being so firm was because of him.
Herdin quietly closed the door he had opened.
Mason, who had been listening beside him to the situation inside the drawing room, spoke as if he had read his thoughts.
“It seems Madam has already made a wise decision.”
Herdin passed by the drawing room and headed toward his office.
A faint smile curved on his lips.
* * *
That night as well, Herdin came to Blair’s room carrying marshmallows.
After knocking and opening the door, he stopped at the unexpected sight before him.
“You’re here?”
For the first time, there was a trace of delight in Blair’s eyes, which had always looked at him calmly.
For some reason, she looked like a puppy waiting for a snack.
He knew that expression was directed not at him but at the marshmallows in his hand, yet even so, seeing that face alone did not feel bad.
Thinking that he might as well bring marshmallows every day from now on, he walked to the table and saw that a candle and a lighter had already been neatly prepared.
Seeing what she had prepared, Herdin chuckled.
“I feel like I should give a prize to such a model student who prepares her materials so thoroughly.”
Seeing that she had prepared everything like this also reassured him a little.
He had worried that she might stop after being frightened of the fire, but instead she seemed rather enthusiastic about it.
Herdin set down the bowl of marshmallows and sat down.
Blair sat beside him, then suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke.
“I’ve decided that this year’s donation will be done by visiting the orphanage within the temple and delivering supplies to the children.”
“You intend to visit the orphanage yourself?”
Herdin asked in surprise.
It wasn’t unheard of for noble ladies to visit orphanages as part of charitable activities, but most avoided it because it was troublesome and bothersome.
Especially since, by her own words, she was going to divorce him—he had not expected the duchess to show such enthusiasm for this matter.
“I heard that Mother did it that way every year.
Rather than a donation in name only, I think actually going in person better respects her wishes.”
Blair hid the real reason she had chosen the orphanage donation.
Of course, honoring Eloise was not entirely a lie, but there was another, more personal reason.
‘In my previous life, I visited the temple to pray and donate.’
At that time, instead of the orphanage inside the temple, she had met a priest in charge of donations.
‘And… that was where I first met Miela Elias.’
There was no reason to avoid her right away, but there was also no reason to deliberately meet someone uncomfortable.
“It sounds like a good idea.
Do as you wish, Duchess.”
From Herdin’s perspective, there was no reason to oppose it.
He readily agreed and picked up the lighter.
“Yesterday I helped you, but today you’ll do it on your own.
Even if the marshmallow catches fire, don’t panic. Just shake it calmly to put it out.”
Blair looked at the candle with a tense expression, then took a deep breath and picked up a marshmallow.
Her expression looked as solemn as a soldier about to enter battle.
Having gained her consent, Herdin immediately lit the candle.
Unlike the determined look she had shown at first, Blair now looked obviously frightened.
Resting his chin on his hand as he watched, Herdin waved his hand once between Blair and the candle to draw her attention.
Only then did Blair seem to remember his instructions. She blinked deliberately, slowly breathing to calm her tension.
The marshmallow, trembling in her hand, approached the candle.
Herdin watched with interest as the excellent student carefully reviewed what she had learned yesterday.
She herself looked so frightened and struggled with it so much, yet if he found it cute, would that make her a little annoyed?
Her first attempt ended in miserable failure when the marshmallow caught fire and frightened her.
Her second attempt, made after regaining her resolve, nearly burned at the end but was safely saved with Herdin’s help.
Herdin extinguished the candle and lightly patted Blair’s head.
“You did well, just as you learned.
At this rate, you’ll soon stop being afraid of the fireplace as well.”
Blair stared blankly at him as he offered that light but sincere praise.
For him, it was an extremely simple and easy task.
He could have easily become irritated and asked why she couldn’t do something so simple.
But seeing him patiently watch and teach her without even the slightest sign of annoyance made him seem like quite a good teacher.
“Before that, won’t it be hard to light the fireplace once the weather gets warm?”
“Then we’ll have a picnic in the backyard.
We could catch a wild boar and cook it.”
“A wild boar?”
“Or venison would be nice too.
Whatever you want.”
Blair paused at his words that he would do whatever she wanted