Chapter 13

After divorcing the Duke of Heaven and returning to her homeland, Bleria’s biological mother had cut off all contact.

The Duke seemed melancholic, and mentioning her name made Bleria uncomfortable, so she changed the subject.

“What kind of prophecy did my brother receive?”

“Damian? Hmm, well… hmm, hm-hmm.”

The Duke’s lips twitched as though suppressing laughter, perhaps intending to tease Damian.

“They say he clung to Harriet and cried.“

“Cried?”

Not from sleepless red eyes, but actual tears?

“I can’t even remember the last time that boy cried. Makes you wonder what on earth happened. At one point, I thought it was a sign I’d die early, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.”

“Father…“

“Oh, don’t worry about me, Bleria. This old man’s in great health! I barely take any medicine now, you know that.”

Even though her expression likely didn’t betray much concern, the Duke seemed to pick up on it and grew flustered.

Suppressing the emotion inside her, Bleria stood and gently embraced him. Warm hands patted her back.

“You must stay healthy for a long, long time.“

“At this rate, I might live to see my great-great-grandchildren! Besides, don’t forget—I still have the sacred water bestowed upon our founder. It’s practically like having an extra life in reserve.“

“You’ve only got half a bottle left, and Kyle told me you refuse to use it because you’re saving it for future generations.“

“That busybody of a doctor, always running his mouth. That was a long time ago, though. These days, I’m clinging to life like never before. If the Grim Reaper comes knocking, I’ll kick him out the door, so don’t worry.”

Despite the Duke’s exaggerated tone, his words were oddly reassuring. Bleria blinked away the heat in her eyes and bit her lip to stay composed.

Then, a brisk knock broke the moment.

The Duke frowned but called for the visitor to enter. It was Damian.

“Documents.”

“…You insolent brat.”

Without so much as a blink, Damian handed the papers to the Duke. Watching this, Bleria released her embrace.

“Well, I’ll take my leave. I have to go out this afternoon.”

She kissed the Duke on the cheek, nodded briefly to Damian, and left the study. The tension eased as soon as Damian was out of sight.

But her relief was short-lived. The door opened again, and he followed her out.

“Stay healthy for a long time,“ he echoed.

His gaze was cold.

It was not surprising—his eyes constantly shifted between indifferent warmth and icy sharpness.

Bleria no longer avoided his gaze as she once had, but it had become more challenging lately, mainly since her marriage to Gopher had been discussed.

“Did I say something inappropriate?“

“No. It’s the kind of ordinary thing a child who loves their parent would say.“

“Then why bother coming after me just to…”

Swallowing the frustration rising in her voice, Bleria steadied her breath.

“You told me to stop, so I did. With my limited understanding, I can’t grasp your intentions. If you have something to say, please be direct.“

“Since you’ve laid the groundwork, I feel compelled to offer some grand advice.“

“...”

“Keep your heart in check.“

Bleria’s lips parted slightly.

“Don’t hold onto false hopes. Always have an escape route ready. When things fall apart, it’ll be clear who’ll be discarded first.”

If “things falling apart“ meant her secret being exposed, the advice was meaningless—Gopher had known the truth for years.

She wanted to smirk, but her stiffened lips wouldn’t move. In a composed voice, she replied:

“I’ll keep that in mind.“

“You’ve become quite… noble-like.”

Whether it was a compliment or an insult, Damian said nothing further and returned to the study.

Bleria stared at the door he disappeared through.

She had half-expected him to say, ” How dare you covet the real one’s place, or Don’t even think of marriage; it’s beyond you.

Surely, Damian had noticed her gradually changing desires.

Yet, all he’d offered was advice that, while cold, almost seemed genuine.

“I really don’t understand Damian,“ she thought.

She didn’t desire to understand him; getting to know someone better wasn’t always a pleasant experience.

Her restless heart settled bit by bit, returning to its usual rhythm.

Bleria closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. Her halted steps resumed.

***

The carriage came to a smooth stop with a faint whinny and the clatter of hooves. With the escort knight’s assistance, Bleria stepped onto the ground. The steward of the Allnight estate awaited her.

“Welcome, my lady.“

“Is Her Grace in?“

“The Duchess is expected back this evening. I’ll escort you to the young master’s quarters.”

He led her to a small library adjoining Gopher’s room—a highly private space seldom open to outsiders, with Bleria being one of the rare exceptions.

She declined the steward’s offer of tea and sent him away. With a light sigh, she knocked on the door.

There was no response to her knock, but Bleria stepped inside anyway. As expected, Gopher was asleep on the sofa.

Entering quietly, a sharp crackling sound caught her ear.

“Of all things…”

She hurried over to the fireplace and searched for the poker. Once she found it, she carefully spread the burning logs, reducing their intensity. As the bright red glow faded, so did the tension in her grip.

Bleria watched the flames die down, bringing her back four years ago. The first time she had entered this study, the fireplace had been ablaze that day, too.

It was the evening of a meeting with the Duchess of Allnight. Nervous about the encounter, Bleria had arrived three hours early.

Waiting idly in the drawing room would have been awkward, so Gopher had brought her to his study instead.

That day, he had seemed unusually irritable. He claimed it was due to lack of sleep, but Bleria suspected another reason.

It was the anniversary of the day Gopher had lost his entire family. Though he insisted he wasn’t troubled by it…

“If he says he’s fine, then he is,“ she thought, shaking her head to dismiss lingering doubts.

At that moment, Gopher entered the study, his face twisting in a scowl when he stepped inside. It was a look she had never seen before.

“Lord Gopher? Is something wrong?”

“Just a moment.”

He walked over to the table and pulled all the flowers out of the vase. Realizing his intention, Bleria quickly grabbed his arm.

“Lord Gopher!”

“If it’s cold, go wait in the drawing room. There’s no need for us to stay here together.”

“That’s not it, it’s the fireplace—!”

Before she could finish, he splashed the vase’s water into the fireplace. Bleria immediately pulled him back.

“Ugh!”

Though an exceptionally skilled knight, Gopher was sleep-deprived and fixated on the flames, leaving him unable to dodge Bleria’s tug. The two of them tumbled to the floor together. A loud hiss followed as steam erupted from the fireplace.

Startled by their close proximity, Gopher’s lashes quivered while Bleria let out a long sigh. Her tensed shoulders relaxed, and the firmness in her voice melted away.

“You shouldn’t pour water on a fire that intense. The steam could burn you.”

“Ah… I see.”

“What’s a little cold compared to this? I wouldn’t stop you over something so minor.”

Every winter of her life as Mel Slopey had been bitterly cold. She was still unaccustomed to the luxury of warmth, certainly not to the point of complaining about it.

“So… could you move?”

Bleria hesitated to push him off herself and instead wiggled her fingers slightly. He belatedly got to his feet, looking embarrassed as he lowered his head and rubbed his forehead.

He reached out a hand, only to retract it when Bleria rose on her own. By then, the tips of his ears had turned red.

“I made a fool of myself.”

“It happens. It’s not like you’ve had much reason to tend a fireplace yourself.”

“Being treated like a pampered flower… it’s been a while.”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant—!”

Her mouth opened reflexively, but she quickly snapped it shut. Bleria schooled her expression to reveal nothing, though Gopher seemed amused by her restraint. That amusement faded at her following words.

“You dislike fireplaces, don’t you?”

“…How did you know?”

“You mentioned it before. Sunlight, fireplaces, boiling water, water itself, smoke—things like that.”

“You have a good memory.”

He scratched the back of his neck.

“I don’t make a fuss about it every time. I just avoid using them in private spaces.”

“I know. You never let it show in Heaven.”

“I won’t be difficult about it in our bedroom after we’re married, either. You’re always cold, after all.”

“Oh! Ah, yes… Right. Can I sit down now?”

“Why pretend you didn’t hear me, Bleria? How many months has it been since our engagement? Even if you hide your reaction, your face always gives you away.”

“Lord Gopher!”

“But why is it still ‘Lord Gopher‘?“

Gopher stepped closer, tilting his head slightly.

“Is it that hard to drop a word? If you keep this up after we’re married, there’ll be rumors of discord.”

“I’m used to saying it. I’m working on it, so don’t rush me. If you keep nagging, I’ll stop being polite altogether.”

“Dropping the formalities works too.”

“That’s ridiculous. Obviously, I’m joking.”

“Why is it ridiculous, Bleria? You’ve done it just fine with Pearl.”

Bleria blinked, her mouth slightly open. Comparing Pearl, a servant, to Gopher, a high-ranking noble, was absurd. While she fumbled for words, he laughed slyly.

“Just think of me as a servant again. You’ll manage.”