# WebtoonLib — I Only Need the Duke's Child #10 ## Series - title: I Only Need the Duke's Child - slug: i-only-need-the-duke-s-child-t7h7gek5 ## Chapter - number: 10 - chapter_key: 10-x29utg - release_date: 2026-11-09 ### Summary Chapter 10 of I Only Need the Duke's Child opens with Blair realizing the assassin didn't look like one of the knights and doubting Herdin's role in her death. As she prepares for lunch, her approach to the sweaty Herdin is coldly rejected, then her showing affection to little Jeremy who fell surprises everyone. At lunch, the emperor's hints of war over the child and the eastern ports turn into tension with Blair's objection. - summary_language: en - summary_source: chapter_translation - summary_verification: verified ### Key events - Servants comment on how hard it is to watch Herdin treat Blair coldly as newlyweds. - Blair concludes the assassin did not look like a knight, lowering likelihood of Herdin's link to her death. - Emperor reveals intent for war to control direct route through Eastern lands and Eastern ports. - Blair kindly comforts fallen boy Jeremy in annex, praising his courage for not crying. - Herdin postpones emperor's war request, saying he will consider it after enjoying newlywed life. - Katrina Ardel scolds Blair for meddling; Herdin defends wife saying correction is only his duty. - Blair opposes war, saying wounds never heal and people should not be sacrificed for ambition. ## Spoiler - level: auto ### Safe teaser Chapter 10 of I Only Need the Duke's Child opens with Blair realizing the assassin didn't look like one of the knights and doubting Herdin's role in her death. ### Spoiler summary Chapter 10 of I Only Need the Duke's Child opens with Blair realizing the assassin didn't look like one of the knights and doubting Herdin's role in her death. As she prepares for lunch, her approach to the sweaty Herdin is coldly rejected, then her showing affection to little Jeremy who fell surprises everyone. At lunch, the emperor's hints of war over the child and the eastern ports turn into tension with Blair's objection. ## Status - data_status: complete - summary_status: editorial ## Transcript - transcript_source: community - transcript_language: en - transcript_bubbles: 86 ### Content HE ISN'T HERE... AT THE VERY LEAST, THE ASSASSIN DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ONE OF THE KNIGHTS. WHICH MAKES HERDIN'S INVOLVEMENT IN MY DEATH SEEM SLIGHTLY LESS LIKELY. YOUR GRACE, IT IS NEARLY TIME FOR THE LUNCHEON. WE SHOULD BEGIN PREPARING TO DEPART. YES, I SHOULD HEAD BACK INSIDE. YOU'RE DRENCHED IN SWEAT... YOU'LL CATCH A COLD IF YOU STAY LIKE THAT. I'LL BE FINE. ALL RIGHT... NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE THEY WERE NEWLY MARRIED, JUDGING BY THE WAY HIS GRACE TREATS HER. I NEVER WANTED HIS GRACE TO SHOWER HER WITH AFFECTION... BUT EVEN SO, WATCHING HIM REJECT HER KINDNESS SO COLDLY IS HARD TO WATCH. WAS THE MAIN BUILDING ALWAYS THIS FAR AWAY? SOMEONE PLEASE GET ME OUT OF THIS SITUATION...! HUH? THIS IS BAD. SHE MUST ALREADY BE IN A TERRIBLE MOOD AFTER WHAT JUST HAPPENED...! EVEN ORDINARY NOBLES ARE KNOWN TO LOSE THEIR TEMPERS OVER THE SLIGHTEST OFFENSE. MY APOLOGIES, YOUR GRACE. THIS BOY RESIDES IN THE ANNEX WITH HIS FAMILY AND MUST HAVE WANDERED OUT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS OCCUPIED WITH WORK. AND SHE ISN'T MERELY A NOBLE, BUT ROYALTY. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE HOW SHE MIGHT REACT... ...ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING SHE'S THE DAUGHTER OF THE NOTORIOUSLY CRUEL KATRINA ARDEL. I SHALL RETURN HIM IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE A WORD WITH HIS MOTHER-- IT'S ALL RIGHT. ARE YOU HURT, LITTLE ONE? NO... AND WHAT IS YOUR NAME? JEREMY. JEREMY... WHAT A LOVELY NAME. YOU TOOK QUITE A FALL, AND YET YOU DIDN'T CRY AT ALL. WHAT A BRAVE LITTLE BOY YOU ARE. SHE ALMOST NEVER LETS HER EMOTIONS SHOW... I NEVER REALIZED SHE WAS CAPABLE OF SUCH A SMILE. I MERELY NODDED ALONG WHENEVER OTHERS PRAISED THE TWO OF YOU AS A PERFECT MATCH... ...BUT NOW THAT I SEE YOU TOGETHER MYSELF, YOU TRULY ARE A BEAUTIFUL PAIR. WOULDN'T YOU AGREE, YOUR MAJESTY? QUITE SO. I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH THIS UNION. NOW ALL THAT'S LEFT IS FOR THE TWO OF YOU TO HAVE CHILDREN. THEN THIS FAMILY WILL TRULY BE COMPLETE. HOUSE DELMARQUE IS REGRETTABLY LACKING IN DESCENDANTS, SO IDEALLY, THE TWO OF YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST THREE CHILDREN. BLAIR, I TRUST YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU. NOW THAT YOU AND I ARE BOUND AS FAMILY, IT FEELS AS THOUGH I'VE GAINED THE STRENGTH OF AN ENTIRE ARMY. WE MUST MAKE A HABIT OF SHARING MEALS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE. AFTER ALL, I IMAGINE WE'LL HAVE MUCH TO DISCUSS. TO THE EVERLASTING GLORY AND PROSPERITY OF THE ARDEL EMPIRE. AH, THAT REMINDS ME! THERE IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WISHING TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON. TRADE BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORING NATIONS AND THE EASTERN CONTINENT HAS GROWN INCREASINGLY ACTIVE OF LATE, HAS IT NOT? INDEED. EVER SINCE THE NEW SEA ROUTE TO THE EAST WAS ESTABLISHED, COMMERCE HAS FLOURISHED CONSIDERABLY. NATURALLY, ANY NATION SEEKING TRADE WITH THE EAST MUST ALSO MAINTAIN FAVORABLE RELATIONS WITH THE EASTERN TERRITORIES. PRECISELY. I HAVE TAKEN SOME INTEREST IN THE MATTER MYSELF, AND MANY OF THE GOODS IMPORTED FROM THE EASTERN CONTINENT APPEAR BOTH HIGHLY INNOVATIVE AND EXCEPTIONALLY PRACTICAL. IT IS RATHER UNFORTUNATE. IF ONLY WE COULD GAIN CONTROL OF MARITIME TRADE ROUTES CLOSER TO THE EMPIRE, WE COULD EXPAND OUR EXPORTS FAR MORE AGGRESSIVELY. TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER? SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT. THE EMPEROR WANTS TO CARVE OUT A DIRECT PATH THROUGH THE EASTERN TERRITORIES... AND SEIZE CONTROL OF THE EASTERN PORTS CONNECTED TO THE EASTERN CONTINENT. AND NOW THAT THE EMPIRE'S GREATEST SPELLBLADE STANDS AT HIS SIDE LIKE A CHESS PIECE UNDER HIS COMMAND, HIS AMBITIONS COULD NOT BE MORE OBVIOUS. HE SEEKS WAR. THAT EXPLAINS... ...WHY HE WAS SO WILLING TO REINFORCE MY FORCES. IT SEEMS HE VIEWS WAR AS LITTLE MORE THAN A GAME OF CHESS... LIKELY BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED A REAL BATTLEFIELD HIMSELF. TO HIM, SOLDIERS ARE EXPENDABLE PIECES TO BE PUSHED ACROSS A CHESSBOARD WITH THE FLICK OF HIS FINGERS TO CRUSH THE ENEMY. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF HELPING HIM CHASE SUCH FOOLISH AMBITIONS... ...BUT PERHAPS, FOR NOW, I CAN HUMOR HIM. NOT FOR HIS SAKE, BUT FOR MY WIFE'S. EVEN IF OUR MARRIAGE WILL END A YEAR FROM NOW. NOT FOR HIS SAKE, BUT FOR MY WIFE'S. EVEN IF OUR MARRIAGE WILL END A YEAR FROM NOW. IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY... BROTHER, YOU CANNOT START A WAR. THE WOUNDS LEFT BEHIND BY WAR NEVER TRULY HEAL, REGARDLESS OF WHO EMERGES VICTORIOUS. MY HUSBAND, AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS EMPIRE, ARE NOT PAWNS TO BE SACRIFICED FOR YOUR AMBITIONS. PLEASE DO NOT SEND MY HUSBAND TO THE BATTLEFIELD MERELY TO FULFILL YOUR OWN DESIRES. BLAIR, YOU FORGET YOURSELF! HIS MAJESTY IS SPEAKING WITH THE DUKE! WHAT AN APPALLING DISPLAY IN FRONT OF A GUEST! AND WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW ABOUT MATTERS OF STATE TO SPEAK SO RECKLESSLY?! THAT'S ENOUGH, MOTHER. BLAIR COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THE BURDENS CARRIED BY A RULER FORCED TO MAKE SUCH DECISIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS PEOPLE. AFTER ALL, SHE IS A WOMAN WHO WAS NEVER EDUCATED IN THE DISCIPLINES REQUIRED OF A MONARCH. PERSONALLY, I DO NOT BELIEVE MY WIFE HAS SAID ANYTHING UNDESERVING OF CONSIDERATION. BEFORE SHE IS HIS MAJESTY'S SISTER, SHE IS STILL ONE OF HIS SUBJECTS. TO OFFER SINCERE ADVICE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EMPIRE CAN HARDLY BE CALLED AN ACT OF DISRESPECT. I AM SIMPLY DISCIPLINING MY DAUGHTER AS HER MOTHER. THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO DEFEND HER BEHAVIOR. THEY SAY THAT ONCE A WOMAN MARRIES, SHE NO LONGER BELONGS TO HER NATAL FAMILY. BLAIR IS NOW A MEMBER OF HOUSE DELMARQUE. IF ANYONE IS TO CORRECT MY WIFE'S SHORTCOMINGS, THAT RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS TO ME ALONE. AS FOR THE MATTER YOUR MAJESTY RAISED... ...PERHAPS I SHALL GIVE IT FURTHER THOUGHT AFTER PROPERLY ENJOYING MY TIME AS A NEWLYWED. AFTER ALL, AS YOUR MAJESTY YOURSELF POINTED OUT, HOUSE DELMARQUE IS REGRETTABLY LACKING IN HEIRS. ## See also - [WebtoonLib — I Only Need the Duke's Child #10](/series/i-only-need-the-duke-s-child-t7h7gek5/chapter-10-x29utg) - for_series_detail: /llms-series/i-only-need-the-duke-s-child-t7h7gek5 ## Usage AI grounding / search / summarization. Cite WebtoonLib for any included content.