Chapter 4
Did You Kill Me?
Through the swaying carriage window, the view of the princess’s palace came into sight.
Herdin’s aide, Russ Fenril, clicked his tongue as he looked at it with clear displeasure.
“His Majesty the Emperor is truly shameless. How can he even bring up marriage? Back when the Delmark family was falling apart, he was practically raising a toast to it.”
Ten years ago—
After losing his parents and then his aunt, the Empress, young Herdin was left alone, and the House of Delmark stood on the brink of collapse like a candle in the wind.
But when Herdin distinguished himself in war and rose as a celebrated hero, Emperor Ivan proposed a marriage between Herdin and his younger sister.
It was an obvious attempt to absorb Herdin’s growing influence.
“Thanks to that, the princess has hit the jackpot. Just sitting still and she gets the best groom in the empire.”
Russ had never properly spoken with Blair, but he already disliked her.
With a mother and brother like hers, what else could she be? Surely cut from the same cloth.
“Didn’t I tell you? You should’ve quickly found a suitable noble lady and married her earlier.”
Unlike Russ, who grumbled endlessly, Herdin remained silent, arms crossed, showing no reaction whatsoever.
That only made Russ more frustrated.
“Doesn’t this make you angry at all, my lord?”
“Russ.”
Herdin, who had been quietly listening, cut him off simply by calling his name.
His gaze remained fixed outside the window.
At the same time, the carriage passed through the gates of the princess’s palace.
“From here on, this is the princess’s domain.”
Though his voice carried no emotion, Russ understood the meaning behind it and immediately shut his mouth.
“…My apologies.”
Soon, the carriage came to a stop.
The palace steward, who had been waiting for them, led them to the reception room.
Leaving Russ behind, Herdin entered alone.
“Her Highness will arrive shortly.”
Once the steward left, Herdin was alone in the empty room.
He lifted the teacup brought by a maid and took a sip. At that moment, he heard the door open behind him. He stood up and turned around to greet the princess.
Through the open door entered a delicate, beautiful woman.
Blair Sonnet von Ardel.
The mistress of this palace—and, barring any unexpected turn of events, the woman he would marry.
She was so beautiful she looked like a doll brought to life.
As expected of the daughter of the Empress Dowager, famed for her beauty that could topple nations—but her appearance stirred no emotion in Herdin.
No… rather—
‘It would be more fitting to call it a face that brings back terrible memories.’
Suppressing a twisted smile, Herdin took her hand and kissed the back of it.
“I greet Your Highness.”
At that moment, Blair’s mysterious violet eyes briefly wavered.
For an instant, she looked almost sad.
But when Herdin lifted his head again, the emotion had vanished.
“Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule, Duke Delmark.”
Blair gracefully took her seat.
Her platinum hair and the lace of her dress fluttered softly with her elegant movement.
A silence settled between them.
Both simply lifted their teacups, neither speaking.
Normally, in such unfamiliar situations, the lower-ranking person would start small talk.
But Herdin showed no intention of doing so.
In the end, it was Blair—who had been staring intently at his face—that spoke first.
“I’ll be direct.”
She set her teacup down.
“I do not intend to refuse the marriage my brother proposed.”
That much, Herdin had expected.
No matter who she was, it would be difficult to refuse the Emperor’s command.
But what she said next was completely unexpected.
“One year.”
At the sudden word, Herdin looked at her with confusion.
“Maintain the marriage with me for exactly one year.”
“…What do you mean?”
“After one year, I’ll divorce you—on my fault. I won’t cling to you or bother you with talk of love.”
Herdin frowned slightly.
‘A one-year contract marriage? What is she planning?’
As if reading his thoughts, Blair presented something he couldn’t refuse.
“The Empress Palace fire incident, ten years ago.”
At those words, Herdin’s eyes turned cold.
“If you accept my proposal, I’ll fully cooperate in uncovering what really happened that day.”
A cold laugh escaped him.
She had kept silent for ten years—what right did she have to bring it up now?
He still remembered that day vividly.
When the Empress was accused as the culprit, Herdin sent Blair—who was the only witness—countless letters, begging her to clear his aunt’s name.
But she never replied.
The first time he heard her answer was at the trial.
Unable to enter due to his age, he overheard her voice through the slightly open courtroom door.
‘I… don’t remember anything.’
A lie.
You remember. You’re just choosing your mother’s side.
That memory still lingered as a deep sense of betrayal.
‘Still… it’s not a bad offer.’
He couldn’t refuse the Emperor anyway.
In exchange for joining the imperial family, the Emperor had agreed to reinforce the Delmark army.
Their forces had been halved since the previous generation, partly due to suspicion tied to the Empress’s alleged treason.
Even so, maintaining the northern borders and fighting monsters was difficult.
No matter how powerful Herdin was, he couldn’t do everything alone.
And now—he could uncover the truth of that day as well.
Whatever Blair’s intentions, if he could use her to uncover the truth and then divorce cleanly, it would be ideal.
After a moment, he asked:
“Why would you choose such a marriage?”
“The only way for a princess to legally leave the palace is through marriage.”
“Then shouldn’t you marry someone who will cherish and love you?”
Even for royalty, life as a divorced woman wouldn’t be easy.
She had countless options—she could even choose someone she truly wanted.
Yet she chose him.
Blair stared at him silently.
Her violet eyes flickered with strange emotions—sadness, perhaps even resentment.
“I don’t believe in that.”
“….”
“I prefer a relationship with a clear beginning and end, rather than one that talks about eternal love. A relationship where you get exactly what you give.”
She spoke firmly.
“…And I think you’re the kind of person who can do that.”
Herdin didn’t take his eyes off her.
For a moment, he saw her younger self overlapping her current face.
‘I want to leave the palace when I grow up. I want to travel the world!’
The memory twisted something inside him—but he answered anyway.
“I accept your proposal.”
“Thank you.”
“If that’s all, I’ll take my leave.”
After checking the time, he stood up as soon as she permitted it.
As she watched his departing back, the resentment she had hidden surfaced in her eyes.
There was a question she couldn’t ask.
A question he could never answer.
Herdin.
Did you kill me?
* * *
The wedding preparations proceeded quickly.
Before long, it was the day before the ceremony.
Blair visited the imperial cemetery.
[Esmeralda Delmark]
Her name was engraved on the gravestone.
Though stripped of her title and surname, she had been granted burial here as an act of “mercy.”
Whether that was truly mercy was another matter.
Blair placed a single flower beneath the gravestone.
Katrina had always disliked her coming here.
But Blair couldn’t believe it.
The woman who had once embraced her warmly—
Was that all a lie?
As a child, she avoided her memories.
She was afraid.
Afraid of losing one mother or the other.
But years later, after meeting Herdin again, she decided to face the truth.
She even tried hypnosis—but it only harmed her health.
Then she fell in love with him…
And chose to bury those memories again.
Until she learned the truth—
That he had only pretended to love her.
That he had hated her all along.
Even then, she wanted to give him everything.
But when she tried again to uncover the truth, all she received was—
“Do you feel guilty now, after ignoring it for ten years?”
“….”
“Don’t do anything. Just stay still. Like you always have.”
Those cold words shattered her.
So she gave up.
Just as he wanted.
But now—
‘Running away won’t change anything. This time, I’ll face the truth.’
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded behind her.