I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 35

WHY WOULD THAT MAN WANT ME DEAD?

WAS IT REALLY HERDIN...?

NO, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

PERHAPS CALIGO ACTED ON HIS OWN.

MAYBE HE CONSIDERED ME A THREAT TO DELMARK.

BUT IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THERE WOULD BE ONE MAJOR PROBLEM.

EVEN BEFORE BECOMING THE DUCHESS, I AM AN IMPERIAL PRINCESS.

ANY HARM DONE TO ME WOULD INEVITABLY PROVOKE A CONFLICT WITH THE IMPERIAL FAMILY...

WOULD SOMEONE SO LOYAL TO THE DUCHY REALLY GO THAT FAR?

...THEN AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER POSSIBILITY.

HE MAY HAVE BEEN A SPY SECRETLY PLANTED BY A THIRD PARTY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THERE MUST BE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN THE IMPERIAL FAMILY AND DELMARK.

SO PERHAPS HERDIN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY DEATH. STILL...

I CAN'T DISMISS THE POSSIBILITY ENTIRELY.

FOR NOW, I CAN'T AFFORD TO TRUST ANYONE.

IF SOMEONE IS ORCHESTRATING MY DEATH FOR A SPECIFIC REASON,

THEY'LL UNDOUBTEDLY MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT ON MY LIFE.

I SHOULD START BY INVESTIGATING CALIGO.

AT LEAST I'VE ALREADY MANAGED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE GUILD.

YOU DIDN'T RESPOND WHEN I KNOCKED, SO I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

...I'M ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

TO BE HONEST, THE LAST THING I WANT RIGHT NOW IS TO BE IN HERDIN'S ARMS, BUT...

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

IT'S ABOUT SIR CALIGO.

IS HE SOMEONE YOU TRUST?

...YES. WE'VE FACED DEATH TOGETHER MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT.

JUST A MOMENT... I NEED TO TAKE MY MEDICINE.

YOUR MEDICINE?

IF I DON'T TAKE IT NOW, I'LL PROBABLY FORGET ABOUT IT LATER...

SO YOU CAN AFFORD TO LET YOUR MIND WANDER, AFTER ALL.

MISSING A DOSE FOR JUST ONE DAY WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

N-NO, I CAN'T SKIP IT.

ANY CHILD I CONCEIVE NOW WOULDN'T BE ASIEL!

ASIEL...

IF I CAN'T SEE THAT PRECIOUS CHILD AGAIN, THEN THERE'S NO POINT IN THIS SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET PREGNANT, I'LL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, SO-

NO. THAT WON'T HAPPEN.

WE'RE GETTING DIVORCED, EXACTLY AS OUR CONTRACT STIPULATES.

HUFF... PUFF...

I CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP...

PLEASE... GIVE US A BREAK...

THAT KIND OF STAMINA CAN'T BE HUMAN...

ENOUGH COMPLAINING!

HOW CAN YOU LET YOURSELVES BE OUTDONE BY SOMEONE WHO ONLY ARRIVED AT T THE MANSION YESTERDAY?

GET YOUR SWORDS BACK UP.

WHOEVER GIVES IN FIRST WON'T BE ABLE TO SHOW HIS FACE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.

SOMEBODY, PLEASE PUT AN AN END TO THIS TRAINING...

EXCUSE ME...

I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOUR TRAINING.

YOU ALL SEEM TO BE PUTTING IN SO MUCH EFFORT, SO I BROUGHT YOU SOMETHING TO EAT.

IF I'M DISTURBING YOU, I CAN LEAVE IT HERE FOR YOU TO ENJOY LATER.

T-THE GODS T-THE GODS HAVE FINALLY HEARD OUR PRAYERS!

NOT AT ALL! WE'D BE DELIGHTED TO HAVE A BITE RIGHT NOW!

YOU WENT OUT OF YOUR WAY TO BRING THESE HERE. THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS ENJOY THEM WHILE THEY'RE STILL WARM, DON'T YOU THINK?

...QUITE RIGHT. IT WOULD BE RUDE TO LET MADAM LEAVE WITHOUT EVEN GREETING HER AFTER SHE CAME ALL THIS WAY.

EVERYONE GETS A THIRTY-MINUTE BREAK!

GOODNESS, YOU REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING THESE ALL THE WAY HERE...

WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL, MADAM.

I WAS AFRAID I'D INTERRUPT YOUR TRAINING, SO I HAVEN'T STOPPED BY VERY OFTEN...

IF I'D KNOWN YOU'D ALL BE THIS HAPPY TO SEE ME, BROUGHT SOMETHING SOONER.

THOSE FOOLS ARE JUST THRILLED TO HAVE AN EXCUSE TO TAKE A BREAK FROM TRAINING. THANKS FOR THE FOOD!

OH, THIS TASTES WONDERFUL!

I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN CRAVING FRESHLY BAKED BREAD EVER SINCE WE LEFT THE ESTATE...

THANKS FOR THE FOOD!

THE BREAD THEY SERVE AT INNS IS SO HARD IT'S PRACTICALLY INEDIBLE.

YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HAD TO PUT WITH THAT, MADAM, HAVE YOU?

GOODNESS! IS IT REALLY THAT HARD?

I'M TELLING YOU, IT IS! IF YOU EVER VISIT OUR TERRITORY, YOU SHOULD TRY IT FOR YOURSELF.

ONE BITE AND YOU'D THINK IT'D KNOCK YOUR TEETH—

...TEETH?

I SHOULDN'T BE SPEAKING SO CRUDELY IN FRONT OF A NOBLE LADY...

FORGIVE ME. I WAS RAISED IN POVERTY AND NEVER LEARNED MUCH ABOUT PROPER MANNERS.

HEY, YOU! BRING ME ANOTHER PIECE OF BREAD.

ME?

CAN'T YOU SEE I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF TALKING WITH MADAM?

I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED THE PIECE I HAVE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE...

HEY, I CAN HEAR YOU.

HE DOESN'T SEEM LKE SOMEONE CAPABLE OF MURDER.

HE'S GENUINELY HAPPY WHEN OTHERS SHOW HIM KINDNESS,

GETS ALONG WITH PRACTICALLY EVERYONE,

AND HAS NEVER SHOWN ME ANY HOSTILITY OR PREJUDICE.

IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE THAT THIS MAN...?

YOU'VE BEEN SERVING DELMARK FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, HAVEN'T YOU, SIR CALIGO?

EVERYONE HERE SEEMS TO LOOK UP TO YOU.

I'VE DEFINITELY BEEN HERE LONGER THAN THOSE GUYS.

I JOINED DELMARK WHEN I WAS AROUND THIRTEEN.

WHERE DID YOU LIVE BEFORE YOU CAME HERE?

BEFORE BEFORE I JOINED DELMARK...

OH, YOUR GRACE?

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE AT THIS HOUR?

ISN'T THIS NORMALLY THE THE BUSIEST TIME OF YOUR DAY?