The Clock Tower on a Spring Day
There were no attendants, priests, or clergy accompanying him as usual—Gerard was alone.
He approached the two of them with a bright expression.
“I had a little time to spare and stopped by, but running into you like this is fortunate.”
“Did Your Holiness also come to see them?”
“Yes.
The late Duchess was an old friend of mine.”
“Thank you for always taking such care.
My mother would also be pleased by Your Holiness’s visit.”
Gerard gazed toward the memorial chamber with eyes full of deep longing, then spoke with a smile.
“Seeing that Your Grace has taken a partner, the two of them in heaven must feel much more at ease.”
“I hope they feel that way.”
Unable to mention that it was a contract marriage, Blair felt a little guilty, but Heredin answered calmly in a formal tone.
“Then we’ll be on our way.”
“Yes, please take care.”
Heredin and Blair gave a light bow and walked away.
Gerard watched their retreating figures before entering the memorial chamber.
After quietly closing the door, he looked at the portraits of Casion and Eloise and spoke.
“I’m glad to see that your son has grown up safely and become a fine man.”
“….”
“Doesn’t he resemble the Duke very much?
When I saw him return from the war, for a moment I was so surprised I thought the Duke himself had come back alive.”
“….”
“But that could never be the case.”
The words he whispered afterward were scattered by the wind and could not be heard.
Unlike the warm words he had spoken to old friends, the green eyes with which he looked at the portraits were cold and desolate.
* * *
After leaving the temple, the two boarded the carriage returning to the estate.
In the drowsy silence, Blair watched the scenery outside the window, while Heredin quietly took in the sight of his wife.
Her gaze fixed outside the window sparkled in the sunlight.
From outside, where her eyes were fixed, faint music could be heard.
Along with it drifted a sweet fragrance.
Watching Blair, who could not seem to tear her eyes away from the outside view, Heredin followed her gaze and turned his head.
At the end of a road lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom stood the clock tower in the square.
Many street vendors were set up in front of it, as if a festival were being held.
While he was absentmindedly looking at that scene, a faint headache came with a sudden memory.
In that memory, Blair was covering her half-naked body with a blanket while gazing at the scenery of the estate filled with blooming cherry blossoms.
After quietly watching that scenery, she turned to him and asked,
‘Heredin.
If you have time, would you go see the clock tower in the square with me?’
She tried to hide her anticipation, but it was written plainly on her face.
As Heredin was about to answer without thinking, the memory that had surfaced scattered like mist and disappeared.
In its place remained Blair, silently looking out at the scenery.
Heredin frowned at the existence of that memory that had suddenly appeared in his mind.
‘It had been quiet for a while.’
What exactly was this memory that existed as if it were his own, even though it was something he had never experienced?
‘I looked into the phenomenon Your Grace mentioned, but there were no cases exactly like yours.’
‘Then were there any similar cases?’
‘Among black magic, there was a spell that absorbed the other person’s mana to read their memories.’
‘Absorb mana to read memories?’
‘Yes.
Something about mana being like the organs in our body and containing parts of memory.
There was something written like that, though it was rather complicated….
But Your Grace hasn’t used black magic, have you?’
Indeed, it was different from the case Ruth had discovered.
In his case, even though the memories were things he had never experienced, they were clearly his memories, and not only had he never used black magic, he didn’t even know any.
Black magic was a forbidden art that had disappeared.
Then suddenly he remembered a book in his private study and paused.
‘…No, there is one thing I do know.’
Of course, even if he knew about it, he had never actually used it, so it had nothing to do with him.
Heredin closed his eyes irritably and brushed the thought away.
But when he looked at the wife before him, the image of her from the memory that had just appeared overlapped with her.
Looking at her like that, Heredin spoke.
“Blair.”
Blair, who had been unable to take her eyes off the view outside, finally turned her gaze toward him.
Heredin gestured toward the window.
“Shall we stop and take a look for a moment?”
It was a proposal that came almost impulsively, drawn from a memory whose origin he did not know.
* * *
The area in front of the clock tower was crowded with people.
Street vendors selling all kinds of food and goods, people admiring the flowers, people buying things, people playing games.
For Blair, who had never stepped outside the imperial palace except for official events, it was all unfamiliar scenery.
Heredin looked at Blair, who was looking around with shining eyes like a child fascinated by everything, and let out a small laugh in disbelief.
The doll-like woman who had always worn a calm and detached expression was nowhere to be seen.
‘I should have brought her out sooner.’
He walked leisurely, matching Blair’s pace, then grabbed her hand when she drifted away distractedly.
Feeling the warmth, Blair turned toward him in surprise.
“If you keep getting distracted like that, you’ll get lost.
Hold my hand.”
Blair obediently offered him her hand.
Heredin interlaced their fingers so he wouldn’t lose hold of it.
Blair took in the sights of the festival, while Heredin watched her enjoying it.
After walking for quite some time, Blair stopped in front of a stall.
The stall sold accessories that looked handmade, but unlike the other vendors, it was being watched over by a little girl who looked about six or seven years old.
“Welcome, customers.”
Blair smiled gently at the young stall owner greeting them clearly and asked,
“Did you make these?”
“No.
My mom made them.”
“Where is your mother?”
“She went somewhere else for a moment because of work.
I have to watch the shop until she comes back.”
“Can you even handle the payments?”
“Yes, my mom taught me.”
“How smart.
And very admirable.”
Heredin, who had been watching Blair chat warmly with a child she had just met, pointed at the stall and spoke.
“Do you see anything you like?
Choose one. I’ll buy it for you as a souvenir.”
“Oh, no.
I just spoke to her because I was worried about a child being here alone.”
“I think the little owner would be happier if you bought something.”
Only then realizing that, Blair looked at the girl, but the child, who had understood their conversation, shook her head.
“It’s okay.
You can just look.”
But seeing the admirable little girl made Blair want to buy something for her.
After carefully examining the stall, Blair chose a cherry-blossom-shaped ring made from woven thread.
It was perfect as a memento of today.
“I’ll take this one.”
“It’s five silver.”
Heredin handed the girl a gold coin.
“Keep the change.
Don’t give it to your mother.”
The girl looked up at him with a bewildered expression.
Blair shot him a glance for saying something strange to the child, but Heredin pretended not to notice and walked away first.
After saying goodbye to the girl, Blair hurried after him.
“Thank you for the ring, Heredin.
I’ll treasure it.”
Heredin looked quietly at the thread ring on Blair’s hand.
He didn’t particularly like the cherry-blossom decoration, but it suited her pale, slender fingers well.
That alone made it worth the price.
The next place where Blair stopped was a stall selling cream puffs shaped like cherry blossoms.
Heredin bought those as well for Blair, who couldn’t pass by the sweet smell.
After eating a small piece of the bread, Blair opened her eyes wide.
It seemed to suit her taste.
“Would you like to try one too?
It’s quite sweet, though….”
Blair took out a piece of bread and held it out to Heredin.
Heredin grabbed the hand holding the bread and pulled it toward his mouth.
Because of that, Blair’s fingertips went into his mouth before coming out again.
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation touching her fingertips, Blair flinched.
But Heredin only chuckled.
“Not bad.”
For a moment, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom behind him, Blair thought his blue eyes looked like a spring lake shaded by petals.
Then the sound of a bell rang nearby.
It was coming from the top of the clock tower in front of them.
Before they realized it, the two had arrived right in front of the tower.
Blair tilted her head all the way back to look up at the top of the clock tower.
She had once heard that the view from up there was beautiful.
“Heredin, have you ever gone up there?”
“Do you want to?”
Quick-witted, he immediately grasped the intention behind her question and asked back.
Blair nodded.
Heredin looked at Blair’s eyes sparkling with anticipation, then lowered his gaze to her shoes.
“It might be difficult wearing those.”
“I can do it.
I won’t be a burden to you.”
Seeing Blair speak with such enthusiasm, Heredin nodded easily.
Blair took the lead and began climbing the stairs of the clock tower.
Heredin followed a few steps behind at a leisurely pace