Volume 4 Chapter 3
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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko Editor: Queenie
After that we were taken to the guest room which was located on the mansion’s top floor. Surprisingly, it was way fancier than I initially expected, with lots of expensive furniture that made it similar to a suite in an expensive hotel.
“Should there be anything that you need, please use the bell right next to the door.” The servant had said that before heading out and leaving us alone. When he left, I fell right on top of the bed, feeling completely exhausted. But thinking it may be unbecoming of a wife of the Hero who saved the world, I corrected my posture and sat on the bed instead, lightly stretching my arms. That man stood there for a moment, apparently thinking about something, before eventually sitting on the bed himself.
「Edi?」
「What is it?」
He answered me in an expressionless tone of voice, to which I smiled gently at him and looked him in the eye.
「You’re making that scary face again.」
I guess some things will never change, huh?
「Hmm? You don’t look all that concerned about it though.」
The man’s expression stays the same stone-cold as always, as he reaches his hand towards his hair and brushes through it. I envied his hair. Mine was so long and plain that it would always get tangled up easily if I neglected it for even a moment. I tried to imitate his gesture, and while I was brushing my hand through my hair, some long threads of it spilled through my fingers.
Seeing me like that the man lets out a short sight, and then lowered his head towards me, letting me stroke his glossy black hair. I gladly accepted his offer and began to stroke his hair as if he was just a small child. It was such a cute gesture on his end that I just couldn’t help but to smile brightly.
While I silently kept on combing his hair with my hand, the man’s arm suddenly wraps itself around my waist. The man buries his face in my chest, and it was so sudden of him that I stare at him and blink a few times. Such a thing was completely unlike him.
「……Edi?」
「It’s nothing.」
We stayed like that for a moment, and when that man finally pulled back from me he looked to be somehow relaxed. He then stood up from the bed and walked towards the balcony, opening the window. The smell of a salty breeze enters the room, and for some reason it fills me with so much nostalgia. I decided to speak up:
「Oh my…」
I go to the balcony myself and I can’t contain my wonder in that moment. In front of my eyes there was a panorama of the Isle basked in the orangey glow of the setting sun. Everything here looks like it was taken straight out of a painting: the sea, the white buildings, the wilderness… It was simply magical.
「Why is it that everything here is so beautiful? Say, Edi, don’t you think so as well…」
I tried to turn towards that man, but before I could do that, he hugged me from behind. I then felt that he gently kissed the back of my head, and my cheeks turned red instantly from that. In a sense I was thankful for the sunset right now, I could look at it without having to worry about anyone noticing just how strongly I was blushing.
Even though he was my husband, it would still be embarrassing for me to be seen like that by him. We continue to look at the sunset while he hugged me closely.
「You can really be sweet and kind, Edi. You know?」
「Are you really satisfied with someone like me?」
I put my hands on the man’s hands and with all of my might I smile brightly, forgetting about my embarrassment.
「And why do you always have to doubt that?」
「… What did you say?」
「After you kept on spoiling me so much, do you really think I could come to accept someone else other than you?」
Even without looking at his face I knew it that the man was blinking in surprise. When it comes to certain things he could really be just like a small child.
From an early age, his twisted way of looking at certain things keep surprising me. There were so many of these things that I had already stopped counting them. And even though I could understand where was it all coming from, it was still depressing and irritating at the same time, having to deal with them. Even as his wife, there was very little I could do to change him, so for now I was pretty much stuck with it.
「Umm, Edi?」
The sun was slowly sinking behind the horizon. When I spoke up he glared at me, but I realized it was a prompt for me to continue. I squeezed his hands and spoke again.
「Is there anything I could do to help you here?」
「Why would you want to do that?」
「The Princess told me to treat this trip as a honeymoon of sorts, but I know that reality isn’t as forgiving as that. Besides, I’m as curious as you are to see what those ruins are. We don’t even know if they are dangerous, or what kind of dangers may lurk inside of them. And I know that I have to keep my own status in mind, but I think that I am of more use to you here than I would be back at the capital……」
I wanted to be of some use to him. I wanted to look him in the eyes, but he put his hand on my head and prevented me from looking up. If I were to look him in the eyes right now, I know I would probably see my angry expression reflected in them. An unsightly expression ridden with jealousy and anxiety.
It would be nice if I didn’t feel that way, but for some strange reason I found myself unable to calm down and relax. For all I know, that man could even die during the exploration of the ruins. And then I remembered the fact that I actually hurt him with my own hands during the festival, and it was enough to make my heart fill with dread. I know it may be arrogant of me to think that I could be of actual help to him, especially since this exploration might turn out to be dangerous, but I wanted to act on this selfishness of mine a little bit longer.
However, even though I wanted him to accept those feelings of mine, I knew that he wasn’t going to do that.
「You don’t have to worry about anything.」
The man whispers while holding me in his arms. He truly was terrible. Even if I tell him that I want to go as well, he just wouldn’t listen to me. Looking into his eyes, I’m sure I would see an adamant conviction that would cut any further conversation on this topic short.
「I’m actually glad that we could come here. Up until the Festival we’ve been cramped in the capital, and now we can finally stretch our wings for a bit. I know it’s just two weeks, but try to enjoy yourself as much as possible during that time.」
While I was happy that he wanted me to enjoy myself, it also pained me that he didn’t want to involve me in his matters. I was his wife, but aside from that I was but an ordinary person, not to be involved in the matters of the Court Wizard.
「… Then at least please tell me the full story.」
If I wasn’t going to help him with his work, I at least wanted to know what we were up against here.
The orange hue of twilight was slowly turning into a deep purple, reflecting on my cheeks.
「The night’s breeze is starting to pick up. We should get ready for the dinner party.」
The man said while gently stroking my head with his hand. He then returned to the room and we started to get ourselves ready, even though I wasn’t all that hyped up about going to the party in the slightest.
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