I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 28

A FEW DAYS LATER.

LINA, HOW ABOUT THIS STYLE?

OH, THAT LOOKS NICE.

OR MAYBE BRAIDING THIS SIDE...

I THINK I PREFER THIS ONE.

YOUR GRACE, WE'RE ALL FINISHED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

YES, I LIKE IT VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, BOTH OF YOU.

I'M SO GLAD!

TODAY IS HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPRESS DOWAGER'S BIRTHDAY BANQUET, AFTER ALL.

WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE CARELESS.

NO ACCESSORIES MISSING?

AND NO WRINKLES ON THE DRESS?

HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY, YOUR GRACES.

NOW, EVEN IF I LEAVE THIS PLACE, LINA WILL DO JUST FINE.

It's heavy—let's carry it together.

EVER SINCE THAT ENCOUNTER WITH MIELLA,

HERDIN HASN'T BROUGHT UP ANYTHING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

WELL, FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW, IT MUST BE UNBELIEVABLE.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

...I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING.

IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T SEEM LIKE NOTHING.

YOU MADE ME OUT TO BE A PERVERT BEFORE, TOO.

THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU SPOKE SO AMBIGUOUSLY...

AH, SO YOU WERE INDEED THINKING THAT?

EVER SINCE THE NIGHT WE SHARED A BED,

IT FEELS AS THOUGH OUR RELATIONSHIP HAS CHANGED.

UNLIKE BEFORE, WE EAT AT LEAST ONE MEAL A DAY TOGETHER,

AND WHENEVER I LET MY GUARD DOWN, HE WOULD TEASE ME LIKE THIS.

FRANKLY, I DON'T MIND THIS CHANGE.

BUT...

WHENEVER MEMORIES OF MY PAST LIFE SURFACE, I GROW TO RESENT HIM SO MUCH THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

IN THIS TIMELINE, HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG YET.

THE PAINFUL MEMORIES OF MY PAST LIFE BELONG SOLELY TO ME.

THUS, MY RESENTMENT AND HATRED TOWARD HERDIN CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED,

AND THAT ONLY LEAVES ME WITH A SENSE OF DISSONANCE.

THE DEEPER THAT DISSONANCE GROWS, THE MORE I RESENT HIM FOR REMEMBERING NOTHING—A VICIOUS CYCLE.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT HIM NOW?

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPEROR AND HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPRESS DOWAGER,

ARE ENTERING!

A BANQUET, BY ITS VERY NATURE, IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED.

AS WE CELEBRATE MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY, I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY YOURSELVES.

YOUR GRACES.

HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPRESS DOWAGER IS LOOKING FOR BOTH OF YOU.

MAID TO KATRINA, COUNTESS OF MAGRID

YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORCE YOURSELF TO COMPLY WITH MY MOTHER AND BROTHER'S UNREASONABLE DEMANDS.

YOU ONLY NEED TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO GROUNDS TO DISQUALIFY YOU AS A HUSBAND.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO SUFFER ANY LOSS FROM OUR MARRIAGE.

DO NOT WORRY.

I NEVER MAKE AN UNPROFITABLE DEAL.

YOU CALLED FOR US, MOTHER.

IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO SEE YOUR FACE, BLAIR.

YOU SHOULD HAVE COME TO SEE ME FIRST.

WE PARTED SO ABRUPTLY AT THE NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL, TOO,

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW DISAPPOINTED I WAS.

...THERE WERE SO MANY GUESTS AROUND, I WAS AFRAID I MIGHT DISTURB YOU.

NO MATTER HOW HECTIC IT IS, I MUST SEE YOU.

WE ARE FAMILY, AFTER ALL.

AND OF COURSE, THE DUKE IS PART OF MY FAMILY NOW AS WELL.

I DO NOT HAVE A DAUGHTER, SO I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN,

BUT I HEAR THAT NEWLYWEDS VISITING THEIR MAIDEN HOME LESS OFTEN IS ACTUALLY A GOOD SIGN.

INDEED,

IF THEY ARE GETTING ALONG WELL, THAT IS WHAT MATTERS MOST.

STILL, A MOTHER'S HEART CANNOT HELP BUT WORRY WHEN THE CHILD SHE HELD SO CLOSE LEAVES HER SIDE.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH I THINK ABOUT IT...

I DON'T THINK ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAPPENED ON THIS DAY IN MY PAST LIFE.

OR HAVE SO MANY VARIABLES ARISEN THAT IT'S NO LONGER THE SAME AS MY PREVIOUS LIFE?

GOODNESS, BLAIR.

IT SEEMS THERE ARE MANY YOUNG LADIES WISHING TO SEE YOU.

COME, YOU HAVE PAID YOUR RESPECTS, SO RUN ALONG.

DUKE.

NO MATTER HOW LOVELY YOUR WIFE MAY BE, STEPPING ASIDE DURING WOMEN'S TALK IS A HUSBAND'S VIRTUE.

ALLOW ME TO PROPERLY INTRODUCE MYSELF, YOUR GRACE.

EVER SINCE YOU BECAME TIED TO THE IMPERIAL FAMILY, I HAVE LONGED TO MEET YOU.

I AM MARQUESS VALTEN, SERVING AS AN AIDE TO HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPRESS DOWAGER.

IS IT NOT DEEPLY ADMIRABLE HOW THE TWO OF YOU RESOLVED TO BREAK FREE FROM THE SHACKLES OF THE PAST AND BECOME FAMILY?

QUITE SO.

FOR BOTH OF THEM-

NO, IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN EASY FOR ANYONE, INCLUDING HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY AND THE DUCHESS.

AH, I SEE.

THE REASON THEY HELD ME BACK.