Chapter 65: Guest V

As he slowly read the letter, his eyes widened, he didn't understand how things had gone wrong so fast, so quickly. It didn't take long for him to send a servant to call for Ingrid.

When she entered his room, she could see the unpleasant look on his face. It was because of this that she knew that she shouldn't mess around because he was dead serious.

"You called for me?"

Herbert turned to her and merely nodded his head as if to acknowledge her existence. He then presented her with the letter that he had just read for her to see.

With an eyebrow raised, she took the letter from Herbert and scanned it before her eyes similarly widened before she gave the letter back to Herbert.

Although she had been surprised, she didn't pay much attention to it. After all, she knew that she would be protected as long as she stayed with Herbert.

"My uncle is coming?"

"Yes, yes he is."

"Why?"

"That's what I want to know too. You've known him for a very long time, right? Care to take a guess?"

After hearing Herbert's words, Ingrid suddenly turned pale as she seemed to have remembered something unpleasant. She had the face of someone who knew that they did something wrong.

"Don't tell me that they already know what we intend to do? Do you have traitors that leaked the information on your side?"

This snide remark didn't bother Herbert as he shook his head. He didn't have any idea why the Rozenblood duke had decided to personally set off either but he didn't think that it would be because of a traitor from the Ravenmoon family.

Likewise, Ingrid also didn't think that this would be the reason either. During the time that she had spent there, she didn't have the impression that the Ravenmoons could tolerate the presence of a spy or a traitor in their midst.

On the other hand, although she hated her adoptive family and had already been in cahoots with Herbert in making a plan to get rid of them, she knew that Herbert's plans did not involve immediately getting in a fight against the Rozenbloods.

Two ducal families getting involved in a confrontation would cause massive repercussions which she didn't want as this would significantly weaken the Rozenblood family once she takes over it. It wasn't worth it and has no merit to it so she couldn't help but feel slightly apologetic.

"I- So this may or may not have something to do with me…"

"You think?"

After sarcastically answering her, Herbert sighed before standing up.

"What? Why are you assuming that it's my fault?"

Herbert smirked as he approached Ingrid closer. He wasn't sure if the Western Duke was coming for Ingrid or if he was coming because of the Ravenmoon involvement with the Oxswords. Regardless of that, he has to make haste and prepare for whatever he throws at them.

Eventually, Herbert soon reached an extremely close distance to feel her warm breath.

"Aside from what I already know, you didn't do anything to aggravate him, did you?"

Seeing Herbert like this, Ingrid couldn't help but softly mutter under her breath.

"That old man, is he still mad about the note?"

"What's it about the note?"

"When I sneaked out to enter your carriage before we left the Rozenblood manor, I left a note behind."

Herbert continued to look at her with a displeased expression.

"And? What did you say?"

When Herbert met eyes with the woman in front of him, he knew that she must have written out something that would make his blood boil once again. Her guilty look only made it even more evident that she had indeed done something wrong.

"Maybe I might have just teased him a little too much."

"Ingrid! What did you say?"

"I don't know, maybe a couple of misleading words and a little euphemism here and there to let him know that I am going to be pregnant with a child who will replace him in his role?"

Hearing this, Herbert instantly felt his legs giving up on him. He had to once again find a chair to sit down on just to prevent himself from directly falling on the ground.

Herbert's expression darkened even more as he heard her words. He knew that the Western Duke was a proud man and would not take kindly to such a thing.

"You…you…you…"

He was so angry that he couldn't even find the words to express his feelings. He was so mad that he wanted to strangle her right there and then.

"What were you thinking?"

Herbert was about to scold her but before he could, Ingrid suddenly spoke out.

"I got so mad and was so into character that I didn't think much of what was going to happen after. I'm sorry."

Hearing her, Herbert immediately remembered how crazy she had been when they had just met. Thinking back, he had also helped cooperated in making the situation complicated so he didn't have the right to scold her.

"It's too late for that now."

"I didn't think he would take it seriously."

"That's not the point!"

"I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

Herbert sighed before shaking his head.

"I'm not mad at you. Don't worry about it anymore. What's done is already done."

Regaining his composure, he stood up and placed the letter away. As he placed it far away, he noticed Ingrid speaking in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry…"

Seeing that Ingrid was still apologizing, he couldn't help but feel that he may have overreacted a little. An Ingrid like this wasn't the same Ingrid that he knew so Herbert slowly patted her head as he spoke.

"It's alright, I understand. We'll just have to deal with this situation as it comes."

"I'm sorry."

He knew what she had experienced before she had regressed, so he had a little sympathy for her. Looking at her current state, even Herbert could see that she was also a human and had this kind of side to her. Even though he was given the role of the villain, that doesn't mean that he would always act like a villain. He was also a human who could experience a myriad of emotions and right now he was feeling a little bit sad for her.

Considering that she was currently on his side he at least knew how to comfort her since she looked like she needed it. Meeting her gaze, Herbert smiled before looking at her with a serious expression.

"Don't apologize too much. Have faith in me, I can't have you facing danger when you still haven't given up your side of the bargain. You should just keep in mind that I won't let anyone take you away from me so you better be prepared once you get what you wish for."

Ingrid was slightly taken aback by his words but she soon made a cheeky grin.

"Alright. Thank you, Bertie."

In that instant, after all his kind words, he instantly heard something that made him displeased. Herbert instantly felt all his compassion dissipating into thin air. He couldn't help but have the thought that perhaps it would have been better if he didn't show her any kindness.

"Now, go and prepare for our guest. I'll make sure to be ready for whatever he throws at us."

"Yes..."

With that, Ingrid smiled before leaving the room. Herbert then sighed before walking to the window. He noticed that she had once again played him.