I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 9

FORGIVE THE INTRUSION.

I REALIZED WE NEVER PROPERLY FINALIZED THE CONTRACT...

EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO QUICKLY YESTERDAY...

IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A WORTHLESS PIECE OF PAPER...

...AND YET SHE BEHAVES AS THOUGH THAT CONTRACT ALONE COULD GUARANTEE EVERYTHING WRITTEN WITHIN IT.

SHE'S NAIVE, BUT STUBBORN.

GIVE IT HERE.

I'LL SIGN IT NOW SO YOU MAY RETURN TO YOUR CHAMBERS--

JUST A MOMENT, HERDIN.

THIS IS A BINDING CONTRACT. YOU OUGHT TO READ IT CAREFULLY FIRST.

DIDN'T WE ALREADY GO OVER IT YESTERDAY?

HER HAND IS COLD.

FOR ALL YOU KNOW, I COULD HAVE ALTERED THE CONTENTS.

A MOUSE TRYING TO WARN A CAT ABOUT TRAPS...

ACTUALLY...

THERE IS ONE ADDITIONAL CLAUSE I'D LIKE TO ADD.

ONCE THIS CONTRACT COMES TO AN END, I'D LIKE YOU TO PROVIDE LINA WITH A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SO SHE MAY SECURE A RESPECTABLE POSITION ELSEWHERE.

YOU MEAN THE MAID YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU FROM THE PALACE?

YES. SHE IS DILIGENT, COMPETENT, AND WELL-LIKED BY THOSE AROUND HER. I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE WOULD THRIVE WHEREVER SHE IS EMPLOYED.

IS SHE PLANNING TO GO SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY... EVEN LEAVING BEHIND THE MAID SHE TRUSTS THE MOST?

IT ALMOST SEEMS AS THOUGH SHE IS PREPARING TO FLEE IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT WITH A SECRET LOVER.

THERE HAVE BEEN SCANDALS BEFORE INVOLVING NOBLES MARRYING BENEATH THEIR STATION...

STILL, WHATEVER THE TRUTH IS, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME...

IT’S QUITE LATE.

IF THAT WAS ALL YOU WISHED TO DISCUSS, YOU SHOULD RETURN TO YOUR CHAMBERS.

OH, AND ONE MORE THING...

I’M SURE YOU REMEMBER, BUT WE’RE EXPECTED TO ATTEND A LUNCHEON AT THE PALACE TOMORROW.

YES, I REMEMBER.

YOU NEEDN’T ACCOMPANY ME TO EVERY SOCIAL GATHERING OR FORMAL ENGAGEMENT.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO INVITATIONS INVOLVING MY BROTHER OR THE IMPERIAL FAMILY, I WOULD PREFER THAT WE APPEAR TOGETHER.

AS MY HUSBAND, YOU CANNOT AFFORD EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MISTAKE OR CAUSE FOR CRITICISM.

SHE TRULY IS STUBBORN AND NAIVE...

IT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ENSURE...

MY BROTHER WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO APPROVE THE DIVORCE ONCE THIS CONTRACT COMES TO AN END.

...AND FAR MORE METICULOUS THAN I EXPECTED.

A SENSIBLE POINT. I SHALL REMEMBER THAT.

WELL THEN...

...good night, herdin.

HAA...

I WAS TRYING TO PUSH THOSE THOUGHTS OUT OF MY MIND, AND THEN SHE COMES WALKING IN HERE HERSELF.

AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT KIND OF IMPROPER THOUGHTS SHE'S STIRRED IN ME ALL DAY...

THE IMAGES FROM LAST NIGHT REFUSE TO LEAVE MY MIND.

HER INTOXICATING BODY...

DRAGGING ME DEEPER INTO A HAZE OF ENDLESS, MIND-NUMBING PLEASURE.

THE WAY SHE CLUNG TO ME SO DESPERATELY, UNABLE TO STEADY EVEN HER BREATHING...

AND DESPITE ALL THAT, SHE ENTERED MY CHAMBERS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT WITHOUT A TRACE OF CAUTION...

...WEARING A NIGHTGOWN THAT LEAVES EVERY CURVE OF HER BODY EXPOSED.

WHAT I TOOK A TASTE OF OUT OF SIMPLE CURIOSITY WASN'T A MERE DROP OF WATER... BUT AN ENDLESS OCEAN.

SHE'S A WOMAN I HAVE EVERY REASON TO LOATHE.

THE DAUGHTER OF MY ENEMY.

I MUST NEVER ALLOW MYSELF TO FORGET THAT.

HAVE I TRULY LOST MY SENSES...?

I'M BEHAVING LIKE SOME ANIMAL IN HEAT.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

AHH!

NEXT.

ANY IDEA WHO IT WAS?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I MEAN...

...WHO THE HELL MANAGED TO PUT HIS GRACE IN SUCH A ROTTEN MOOD?!

NO ONE, YOU FOOL.

WE HARDLY EVEN CAUGHT SIGHT OF HIM WHILE THE WEDDING PREPARATIONS WERE UNDERWAY.

THEN WHY'S HE SPENDING HIS MORNING EXHAUSTING HIMSELF AT THE TRAINING GROUNDS INSTEAD OF BEING WITH HIS BRIDE?

HE WAS FORCED TO MARRY HIS ENEMY'S DAUGHTER. WOULD YOU BE IN THE MOOD FOR NEWLYWED BLISS IF YOU WERE HIM?

EVEN SO, WHY DO THE REST OF US HAVE TO SUFFER FOR IT?

DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT'S TROUBLING HIM, SIR?

HUH?

MASON, WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?

I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HOUSEHOLD STAFF YESTERDAY, BUT I HAVE YET TO PROPERLY MEET THE KNIGHTS SERVING THIS ESTATE.

I THOUGHT I SHOULD AT LEAST INTRODUCE MYSELF BEFORE WE DEPART FOR THE PALACE.

HAS SHE COME INTENDING TO ESTABLISH HER AUTHORITY OVER THE KNIGHTS AS WELL?

THE KNIGHTS OF HOUSE DELMARQUE ARE MEN WHO FOUGHT BESIDE HIS GRACE ON THE BATTLEFIELD AND SURVIVED COUNTLESS BATTLES AT HIS SIDE.

AND MEN SO LOYAL TO HIS GRACE ARE NATURALLY BOUND TO RESENT THE IMPERIAL FAMILY JUST AS DEEPLY.

THERE'S NO WAY SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT HERSELF.

HONESTLY... I CAN'T TELL WHETHER SHE'S NAIVE OR SIMPLY FOOLISH.

I TRUST ALL OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN HER AROUND THE ESTATE.

THIS IS THE DUCHESS OF HOUSE DELMARQUE, WHOM YOU SHALL SERVE FROM THIS DAY ONWARD.

THE LOYAL BLADES OF HOUSE DELMARQUE STAND IN SERVICE TO YOUR GRACE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME DESPITE MY SUDDEN VISIT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO EARNING YOUR TRUST IN TIME.

I ALREADY KNOW HOW THESE MEN REGARD ME.

THERE IS LITTLE POINT EXHAUSTING MYSELF...

...TRYING TO WIN THEIR APPROVAL.

THE TRUE REASON I CAME HERE...

...WAS TO SEE EACH OF THEIR FACES MYSELF. AFTER ALL, THE ONE WHO MURDERED ME MAY VERY WELL BE AMONG THEM.

HOUSE DELMARQUE STANDS AMONG THE EMPIRE'S THREE GREAT DUCAL HOUSES.

ITS KNIGHTS ARE SEASONED VETERANS WHO SURVIVED ACTUAL BATTLEFIELDS, WARRIORS SKILLED ENOUGH TO RIVAL EVEN THE IMPERIAL KNIGHTS.

AND YET, DESPITE SUCH RELENTLESS SECURITY, THE ASSASSIN WHO MURDERED ME STILL MANAGED TO INFILTRATE THE VILLA.

WHICH MEANS THEY WERE EITHER EXTRAORDINARILY SKILLED...

...OR SOMEONE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THE ESTATE WITHOUT INVITING SUSPICION.

IF THE LATTER IS TRUE, THEN THE ASSASSIN MAY VERY WELL HAVE BEEN ONE OF HOUSE DELMARQUE'S OWN KNIGHTS.

THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I SUSPECT HERDIN MAY HAVE BEEN BEHIND MY DEATH.

THE ASSASSIN BORE A GROTESQUE SCAR ACROSS THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE.