Chapter 113

Even with an embarrassed expression, Blair didn’t hesitate. Edmund’s softly smiling face stiffened slightly. His eyes clearly asked what kind of nonsense that was.

“…Shooting.”

A pregnant woman? He even raised his brows, as if asking whether she was serious. Blair nodded firmly in response.

“Blair.”

Edmund rubbed his temple with a slightly troubled expression, choosing his words carefully. Since he’d told her to tell him anything she wanted to try, it seemed difficult for him to refuse immediately.

“You’re not alone in your body anymore, and shooting isn’t a light activity at all.”

“…Mm.”

“There’s recoil, and there’s noise… all of that puts strain on your body. I can’t allow any risk right now.”

“What if I wear earplugs?”

“It’s possible, but is it worth going that far just to fire a gun? And what about the recoil? Are you planning to pull the trigger while held in my arms?”

“…I understand. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Blair immediately backed down and resumed eating. Edmund, who had expected a tense argument, paused and studied her expression. She didn’t look crushed, but the way she silently bit into her bread seemed pitiful. Edmund’s iron-like resolve, which rarely wavered, shook mercilessly.

“It’s not that there’s no way at all.”

When he let out a reluctant sigh, Blair glanced up at him.

“Why shooting, of all things?”

“…Just because.”

Blair’s hazel eyes briefly held a reflective light.

“I wanted to learn it at least once.”

“Since when?”

“Since I attended the Marquis of Lancaster’s hunting gathering. It was uncomfortable just standing there smiling among noblewomen I didn’t know. I wanted to follow you and hold a gun instead. That was the first time, and then….”

Blair trailed off, her lips parting slightly before she lowered her eyes. At her silence, Edmund quietly suppressed the emotions rising inside him and reached out. Then he slowly enclosed the small hand resting on the table.

There was no need to ask where her memories had stopped. He already knew who had been there, and what that man had forced upon her when she was helpless.

And he also knew that instead of turning away from the fear of that day, Blair had chosen to overcome it with her own strength.

“All right, then.”

When Edmund, having changed his mind, agreed readily, Blair lifted her eyes.

“There happens to be a villa near Borsa with a shooting range. You can practice there with full precautions.”

Rufus’s funeral had been postponed, and there was no reason to return to Eldenvale urgently for the time being. For now, staying by Blair’s side so she could feel at ease was the priority.

“Really?”

Her eyes sparkled as she asked again. Her once shadowed face brightened, and her smile looked far better.

“Of course. Just promise you won’t overdo it.”

“I promise. Thank you so much, Edmund.”

Blair’s face, blooming into a radiant smile like a flower bud opening, was beautiful. Edmund looked at her with smiling eyes and gently stroked the hand he still held. It seemed best to take leave and spend time with his wife for once.

***

After spending the night in Chails, the two of them left the townhouse leisurely the next day.

Several escort cars followed behind the vehicle they were in, but Edmund said there was no need to worry since it would be just the two of them when she practiced shooting. Blair tilted her head, wondering if her skills were really that terrible.

His villa, located in the opposite direction from Eldenvale, stood in an area where grasslands stretched gently along the river. The three-story villa, complete with a fenced riding field and stables on the green plains, was immense in scale. Behind it was a dense oak forest, and the shooting range was located there.

“For reference, my villa is at least twice the size of Alexander’s.”

Edmund said this after briefly showing her around the villa and heading straight to the shooting range. Blair, who had been looking around in distraction, asked without thinking.

“…Yes. But who was Alexander again?”

“The Marquis of Lancaster.”

“Ah.”

Blair let out a small sigh, realizing she hadn’t even remembered his name. His appearance had been quite impressive, but strangely, it remained only vague in her memory. It was because her entire attention had been fixed on Edmund the whole time she met the marquess.

“What do you think?”

“…About what?”

“Your husband owns a villa this large.”

“I see. …So?”

“It means I’m one of the wealthiest men in Genoa. And not just that. The hotels and townhouses in my name are practically yours as well.”

…What is this? Is he courting her all over again?

Perhaps he knew Blair had been uneasy since becoming pregnant and was trying to calm her fears. The method was a little strange, though….

Blair bit her lip awkwardly like a girl being confessed to for the first time and avoided his gaze. Her cheeks burned so much it was hard to believe she was carrying his child.

When they reached the entrance of the oak forest, the shooting range came into view, built like a terrace with thick wooden flooring and two simple partition walls. There was also a small storage shed for equipment, and three targets stood at regular intervals against the forest backdrop.

While Blair gauged the distance to the targets, Edmund took a firearm from the display cabinet and gathered the necessary items from the shed. Then he returned to her and fitted wool earplugs over her ears, saying they were safety equipment to block noise.

“Can you hear me well?”

“It’s not bad.”

“Then I’ll speak closer. Watch carefully now.”

Edmund held out the gun in one hand. Its entire body was made of mahogany, giving it an exceptionally luxurious appearance.

“Firearms are not toys. You must handle them carefully.”

“I understand.”

“Remember that you can get hurt if you’re careless.”

“I’ll remember.”

Only after receiving her firm answer several times did Edmund begin demonstrating.

“First, learn how to hold it properly.”

He placed his finger along the metal-finished trigger and lightly set the stock against his shoulder. He also told her to relax, since the safety was still on.

“This is the basic stance.”

Blair’s heart began to pound harder and harder. She didn’t know whether it was because she wanted to hold the rifle and take the stance herself, or because of the sight of the man calmly demonstrating.

“You don’t need to press the stock too tightly against your shoulder. But if you let it hang loose, the recoil will scatter, so support it like this.”

Edmund repeated the motion once more and glanced back at Blair.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes!”

Though his eyes still held slight doubt, he carefully placed the rifle into her hands. Blair swallowed dryly and reached out with both hands to receive it. When she actually held it, it was surprisingly light, unlike what she had expected.

“It’s much lighter than it looks.”

“It’s a training rifle that uses rubber bullets.”

“A training rifle?”

“There’s almost no recoil, and it’s safe enough that even ten-year-old children use it.”

Blair, who had been looking down at the firearm with fascination, flinched suddenly.

“Ten-year-old children…. I feel a little foolish for being so nervous.”

“That’s not true. You went through something that would make anyone afraid.”

Edmund began adjusting her stance, gently touching the fingers holding the rifle.

“Actually, the rubber bullets and training rifle were prepared by the noble who sold me this villa.”

“Did he have a pregnant wife too?”

“I don’t think there are many pregnant women who want to shoot.”

Edmund let out a small laugh and continued, “It was for his young daughter.”

“For his daughter?”

“She apparently begged to touch a gun. Since he couldn’t give her a real firearm, he wanted her to experience it safely using rubber bullets.”

“…He must have cared for his daughter very much.”

Instead of answering, a brief silence passed. Since they were facing the same direction, she couldn’t see Edmund’s expression. But through their touching shoulders, Blair could feel him stiffen slightly.

Come to think of it, Edmund was showing her the same kind of care. The instinct to protect her from danger and ease her anxiety, to attend even to the smallest things, wasn’t something that came naturally to just anyone.

“You too.”

Blair spoke carefully.

“You’ll become a father who cherishes his child.”

“….”

“You’re already protecting me like this.”