ONDC 16

Chapter 16

First Meeting

“Madam has gone to the guild.”

It was late at night. Rous spoke the first words to Herdin, who had returned home and was reviewing documents in his study.

Herdin, who usually smoked his cigar without looking up regardless of who entered, looked at Rous with surprise at the unexpected news.

“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”

“Sir Jerome, who was patrolling the mansion, saw Madam and her maid sneaking out about an hour ago. So he followed them, and apparently they went into the guild district.”

Herdin set down the cigar he had been holding and asked,

“Now… at this hour?”

“Yes. They’ve just returned to the mansion.”

A small laugh escaped Herdin’s lips.

Who would have thought that such a seemingly proper lady had a taste for these little escapades? The surprise hit him in the back of the head like a sudden sting.

“Shall we see what kind of request it was?”

“Why?”

“We don’t know what schemes she might be plotting with the royal family. Maybe she’s planning something to absorb Delmark.”

“If that were the case, she wouldn’t risk moving the princess herself. There are plenty of people the emperor could send instead.”

“True, that makes sense.”

“And even if she has such plans for the distant future, it’s not now. The emperor will need my strength.”

A powerful word that could bring victory in a conquest war.

Herdin had already vaguely guessed the purpose of this marriage from the conversation at the last royal luncheon.

“Then why would she go to the guild?”

Rous’s question caused Herdin to irritably sweep up his still-damp black hair and press his throbbing temples.

That was exactly what he wanted to ask.

What could be going through that small head of hers, and what was she scheming?

But the guild wouldn’t reveal the client’s purpose so easily, and forcing it would escalate things. If Blair found out, she’d simply hide her objective entirely.

Herdin, lost in thought while silently smoking, finally spoke in a low voice.

“For now, just escort her. Make sure no one notices.”

Before they knew it, the New Year festival was only a day away.

It was also the last day of the year.

Blair went down to the dining hall for breakfast as usual. Herdin’s seat was empty once again.

“Your Highness left the mansion early due to work.”

Mason said this almost apologetically as he pulled out her chair.

It made sense, as since the incident with the maids, Blair had never had breakfast with Herdin.

But Blair was already accustomed to this.

‘I still wanted to thank him for what Rina did.’

She no longer wanted to feel indebted to him.

Blair resolved to thank him when she had the chance, finishing her meal.

Afterward, she tried on the New Year dress made by Baroness Sionel and took a short rest.

“Madam, Lady Laureline has arrived.”

Blair had dozed off briefly, and Rina’s voice woke her. It was time for the tea appointment she had with Agnes.

Heading to the greenhouse where Agnes waited, Blair was greeted warmly.

“Hello, Madam. It’s been quite cold; have you had a good week?”

“Yes. Lady Laureline, you’ve been well too?”

“Of course, thanks to you.”

They had set the first tea appointment last week, and this second one was essentially their first proper consultation.

Blair fiddled with the rim of her teacup, feeling somewhat nervous.

She generally didn’t mind meeting strangers, but she rarely felt nervous. Being born a princess meant she had to meet unfamiliar people out of duty.

However, before her time reversal, dealing with the Delmark household was stressful and tense.

Their constant scrutiny seemed to judge whether she was fit to be a duchess and a match for Herdin.

After returning to the past, she no longer feared their gaze, but oddly, facing Agnes still made her nervous.

Agnes seemed as if she could see right through everything.

It had been a long time since Blair had shared her own story; not since Esmeralda had died.

Agnes handed her a warm cup of tea, breaking the ice.

“Isn’t it strange how the New Year feels like it was just yesterday, and now it’s the last day of the year already? Time really flies.”

“Yes…”

Blair didn’t want to answer curtly, but she had nothing more to say.

She had always lived a life where someone else led the conversation, so she wasn’t used to thinking of topics herself.

Fortunately, Agnes didn’t seem bothered.

“Today we said we’d talk about the past, right?”

“Yes. Where shall we start?”

“Hm, it’s hard to just pick something randomly… How about we talk about memories of the New Year festival?”

“The New Year festival?”

“Yes, the one during the year the accident happened. Do you remember anything about it, even something small?”

Blair easily recalled that day.

It was the day she first met Herdin.

The day before Blair’s eleventh birthday.

On the last day of the year, she usually visited relatives she rarely saw to exchange New Year greetings.

Blair paid extra attention to her attire as she visited the Empress’ palace. She wasn’t sure why, but recently it had been difficult to see Esmeralda due to her busyness.

‘I’ll challenge the Empress to a card game. Today, I’ll win for sure.’

Filled with excitement, Blair entered the palace.

But someone had arrived earlier.

“Oh my, you came at just the right time, Blair.”

Sitting beside Esmeralda, who greeted her with her usual kind smile, was a strange boy.

A neat young boy with the same black hair and fair complexion as Esmeralda, and piercingly blue eyes.

Blair recognized him at once.

He was Herdin Delmark, the current young head of the Delmark household and Esmeralda’s only nephew.

Esmeralda had often spoken of Herdin.

‘Such a lonely child… I hope someone like Blair could be a good friend to him.’

Blair had promised to befriend him to ease Esmeralda’s worry.

But now, facing Herdin, Blair looked at him with wary eyes. She didn’t like this unexpected guest intruding on her peaceful time with Esmeralda.

“Say hello, Herdin. This is Princess Blair.”

Esmeralda gently guided Herdin’s shoulder and introduced Blair.

The cold-looking boy stood up and bowed formally.

“Herdin of Delmark greets the shining star of the Empire, Princess Blair.”

Though his manners were flawless, his eyes betrayed a subtle boredom.

Blair flinched at the gaze.

Used to people showing her only kindness, the indifference of a boy a few years older than her was foreign and intimidating.

Still, she couldn’t refuse the greeting or disappoint Esmeralda, so she awkwardly responded.

“P-pleased to meet you, Lord Delmark.”

“I thought it would be nice for us to meet, and I’m glad we have,” Esmeralda said, pleased by the encounter.

But Blair only felt uncomfortable around Herdin. Luckily or unluckily, the boy didn’t seem interested in her either.

Observing the two children not making eye contact, Esmeralda suggested,

“Shall we play cards today too?”

“Yes, that sounds good!”

Blair was excited, and though Herdin remained expressionless, he played along.

However, after a few rounds, Blair’s enthusiasm began to fade. Herdin had won four consecutive games.

Herdin, winning without tension, grew indifferent as well.

Blair desperately wanted to win, and Herdin had no intention of letting her.

They didn’t speak, not even meeting eyes. It seemed that no matter how many games they played, they wouldn’t grow closer.

Seeing this, Esmeralda thought of another approach.

“Playing the same game over and over seems boring. How about we try ‘Catch the Thief’ this time?”

And so the new game began.

At first, matching cards came quickly, and once many were gone, the psychological game began.

“Oh my.”

Esmeralda gasped slightly as Herdin drew a thief card.

Now it was Blair’s turn to pick a card from Herdin. Herdin, with his usual indifferent expression, extended the card to her.

But Blair hesitated.

‘This person… is scary.’

To play the psychological game, she needed to look at his face and assess the cards, but she was afraid to meet Herdin’s eyes.

It wasn’t just his cold demeanor; she also recalled rumors about the Delmark family’s ‘power.’