Suddenly, words she had once said in childhood came to mind.
‘When I grow up, I want to leave the imperial palace.
I’ll leave the capital and travel the wide world!
I’ll cross the sea and go to that distant continent too…….’
As he mulled over those words, Heredin looked at Ruth, who was sitting across from him checking schedules and documents.
“Ruth.”
“Yes.”
“What do you think would happen if Ardel had a port connected to the Eastern Continent?”
The Ardel Empire was located in the western part of the continent, and there were no ports on the eastern side of the continent.
Because of that, to trade with the Eastern Continent they had to sail all the way around the vast Western Continent.
Some territories, including the Duchy of Delmark that encompassed the empire’s northeastern region, did have seas connected to the eastern coast, but they were all mudflats, making it impossible for large ships to dock.
The trade with the Eastern Continent that Ivan coveted enough to consider war had long been something Heredin had also been watching closely.
The problem was that there was no way to make it happen.
Ruth wondered why he was suddenly asking that, but he answered his lord sincerely.
“It would be amazing, wouldn’t it?
Right now goods from the Eastern Continent have to be imported through other countries, but we could obtain them much cheaper. And exports would bring in much more profit without middleman fees.”
“That’s true.”
“It would literally open an age of gold.
That’s why His Majesty keeps trying to find an excuse to start a war with Clania whenever he gets the chance.
Of course, I personally think that’s insane…….
But why are you asking all of a sudden?”
“I’m thinking of building a port in Livren connected to the Eastern Continent.”
Livren was a territory within the Duchy of Delmark that bordered the eastern coast.
“How?
The sea in Livren is all mudflat.”
“What if we filled in the mudflat all the way out to the deep sea where large ships could enter?”
“With what method?”
What Ivan was willing to start a war over, Heredin proposed solving in a completely different way.
“With a lot of soil and a lot of money.”
An even more insane method.
A reckless investment that only Delmark could attempt.
“…Are you serious?”
Seeing the sincerity in Heredin’s eyes, Ruth jumped so high it almost seemed like he might hit the carriage ceiling.
“You’ve got so much money rotting away that you’re planning to dump it into the sea now?
If that’s the case, why not dump it on me instead?”
But Heredin was confident.
“As you said, a port in Livren would bring enormous profits to Delmark—and even to Ardel.
Not only material profit, but also civilization and knowledge of greater value.”
Indeed, if a port were created, an entirely different era would unfold.
‘Still… even so.’
Filling the mudflats of Livren to build a port would require an astronomical investment.
‘To think of filling the sea to make a port.
It’s either amazing or reckless…….’
No matter how many times he thought about it, it was an astonishing idea.
But Heredin seemed fully serious about considering the plan.
“Draft a budget first and bring it to me.”
If Heredin spoke like that, Ruth had no right to refuse.
“Yes, sir…….”
Just as their conversation ended, the carriage arrived at the ducal residence.
As always, Mason greeted them.
“Welcome back, Your Grace.”
“The Duchess?”
“She went out, saying she had a luncheon appointment.”
Just as he was about to ask what kind of appointment it was, Mason spoke first.
“And there is a guest waiting.”
“A guest?”
As far as he knew, there were no scheduled visitors today.
“Who?”
“A priest from the temple.
He said he has something urgent to discuss with Your Grace.
Since his identity is certain, I escorted him to the reception room.”
“A priest……”
Did he have any priests he was close enough to meet privately?
“Miela Elias, he said.”
It was an unfamiliar name, but hearing that it was a woman gave him an idea of who it might be.
“Bring tea.”
Removing his leather gloves, Heredin headed to the reception room.
The person he had expected was indeed waiting there.
“Ah—hello, Your Grace.”
Miela, who had been looking around the reception room, was startled and greeted him.
A blush spread across her face when she saw him, but Heredin’s gaze turned cold.
“We meet again, Priestess.
Though I didn’t expect it to be at my house.
I don’t recall us being close enough to meet privately.”
“I know it’s rude to visit without notice, but it’s such an important matter that I had to come despite the discourtesy.”
“What matter?”
At that moment, a maid entered with a knock and placed his tea before him.
Only after the maid left did Miela begin speaking.
“The Duchess……”
At that instant, a sharp headache pierced Heredin’s head.
At the same time, an unfamiliar memory surfaced.
‘You must distance yourself from the Duchess.
If you remain by her side, you might lose control as well.
Just like the former Duke…….’
The place in the memory looked exactly like the scene before him now.
But what Miela was saying in reality was completely different from the words in the memory.
“Did you know that the Duchess has been secretly meeting another man?”
Only then did the boundary between reality and memory collapse, leaving reality behind as the memory faded.
Still frowning from the lingering sensation of the memory, Heredin processed what Miela had said a moment later.
Thinking he was showing interest in her story, Miela continued.
“I saw the Duchess riding in the same carriage with another man earlier.
If you follow them—”
“I didn’t realize you had such a hobby of meddling in other people’s affairs, Priestess.”
Before she could finish, Heredin cut her off coldly and lifted his teacup.
His eyes watching Miela over the rim of the cup were utterly icy.
Startled, Miela hurriedly tried to explain.
“I—I was only worried about Your Grace……!”
“I know the man.
I also know about today’s appointment.”
He said so, but Miela couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.
Just earlier, Blair had been riding in a hired carriage.
Usually noblewomen traveled in their family’s carriage accompanied by knights as escorts.
Unless there was something suspicious, there was no reason for her to ride in a hired carriage with a strange man.
Yet there was not a trace on Heredin’s face of the emotions one might expect from a man who had just learned of his wife’s affair.
“I think our conversation can end here.”
His expression was as cold, indifferent, and dry as ever.
Now it even carried a hint of boredom.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t come here again over matters like this.”
Heredin stood up.
“Ah.
Take your time finishing the tea before you go.”
Leaving Miela behind, he walked out of the reception room first.
The moment the door closed behind him, a chilling smile escaped from between his teeth.
“…So she really did go to meet that bastard.”
He had vaguely expected it.
If she wanted a divorce—and wanted it in a way that wouldn’t damage him as she had promised—the simplest method would be a scandal.
But seeing how she had been acting recently, he had briefly thought she might have abandoned that plan.
In the end, that had only been his own imagination.
So you can smile at me like that and cling to me in my arms, while your little head is filled with nothing but thoughts of escape.
The moment he realized that once again—
The anxiety that had always lurked beneath his feet turned into anger and completely consumed him.
To the point that he no longer even remembered the plan he had just been thinking about—filling the sea to build a port.
* * *
“Welcome back, Madam.”
As always, Mason greeted Blair as she stepped down from the carriage.
Out of habit, Blair asked,
“Where is the Duke?”
“His afternoon schedule changed suddenly, so he returned earlier than expected.”
Blair’s steps faltered for a moment as she entered the mansion.
According to the original plan, Heredin was supposed to return late tonight because of an evening appointment.
If he had returned early, that meant he knew she had been out.
Knowing how much he disliked her meetings with Mikhail, the thought of facing him at dinner made her uneasy.
But she had never intended to deceive him in the first place.
It was something that would have to be addressed eventually anyway.
As Blair steadied her mind and went upstairs to her room, Meli—who had been waiting outside the door—approached her.
“You’re back, Madam.”
“Yes.
Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”
She asked casually as she reached for the door handle, but Meli, who had been watching her from behind, spoke carefully.
“His Grace is waiting inside.”
Blair’s hand froze on the door handle.
It was the situation she had expected.
Though it had arrived sooner than she had anticipated.
“…I’ll change my clothes myself, so you can go.”
Meli bowed and walked away.
After taking a deep breath, Blair opened the door.
The moment she entered the room, her eyes met Heredin’s.
He was sitting on the sofa directly ahead, smoking a cigar.
With the evening twilight behind him, his blue eyes glinted ominously.
The moment their eyes met, her heart sank instinctively.
Avoiding his gaze, Blair headed toward the dressing room.
“I’ll change first.
Please wait a moment.”
Just as she entered the dressing room and reached for the wardrobe—
A man’s hand suddenly appeared behind her and closed the wardrobe door again.
The sound echoed unusually loudly in the quiet room.
Blair stared at the closed wardrobe for a moment, then turned her head.
At the same time, Heredin pressed his lips against hers.
“Mmph…….”
A bitter scent of cigar smoke rushed through her parted lips