EIITAB - Chapter 83 < The Reason I Married You >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
A pointless argument without any nutritional value was prolonged. Aslan paused at Hestia's words.
"Ah, really. What am I doing now?"
He ran his hand through his hair as if he was annoyed.
"Damn it. I didn't come here for this."
The tone of his speech was quite harsh, but his tone had calmed down considerably, so Hestia did not have to worry about whether Aslan was in a bad mood or not.
"Do you have any other business besides firewood? What is it?"
He took a moment to catch his breath and then opened his mouth again.
"Hmm, It's nothing else. I was thinking of assigning you an escort."
Hestia's surprised eyes turned to him.
"... Suddenly?"
"Not suddenly."
It wasn't an impulsive decision. Aslan had thought about it that way ever since he brought Hestia from the capital. However, it took some time because he could not find the right person.
Hestia spoke with a very surprised expression.
"But do I really need an escort knight?"
"Why do you think it's not necessary?"
Hestia looked up at him with a face that asked why he was asking such an obvious question and answered calmly.
"Of course, I'm the only one in this room."
And none of Aslan's knights would want to be her bodyguard. Hestia hoped that Aslan would reconsider, as it was clear that it would be uncomfortable for her to be around someone who made her uncomfortable.
And she's sorry! She was intimidated by the thought that guarding her might be a blemish rather than an honor for the knight of Kalathi.
As Hestia was thinking about such things, Aslan continued.
"Anyway, you'll need it when you go out. So, it's better to nominate just one person at this time."
Hestia's eyes widened.
"I... Can I go outside?"
"Yes. Not right away, but soon. When you're ready."
Hestia's heart began to beat loudly. She thought she'd be locked up for the rest of her life, but she thought tonight's walk would be her last time out. Hestia was very happy to hear such unexpected words.
'But what preparations are needed?'
She tilted her head slightly. However, the moment she wanted to ask what it was, she couldn't ask because she was afraid that Aslan would get annoyed and take back what he had just said.
While Hestia was quietly excited, Aslan stroked his chin and let out a short exclamation-like sound.
"Ah."
Hestia, realizing that his business was not yet finished, looked at him.
"What else is there?"
"Hmm."
He made a short swallowing sound and nodded his head.
"Now that I think about it, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
Hestia felt quite surprised because he seemed to be talking a lot today. He was like that in the capital, but except when fighting with her, Aslan was a man who didn't talk much.
'Actually, it's a bit difficult to see it as a conversation...!'
Looking at it objectively, most of Aslan's words took the form of notifications. However, Hestia, who had been short of people to talk to all day, willingly opened her ears.
Aslan, who was choosing his words for a moment with a look of contemplation on how to convey his message, walked to Hestia's bed.
He kept getting worried about Hestia. To properly organize his thoughts, he first needed to increase his distance from her. He sat on the edge of the bed, familiar and natural, as if it were his own bed. Aslan was finally able to take a breath and continued speaking in a low voice.
"Soon, people carrying grain from the Southern Plains will arrive."
Hestia's eyes widened. Her slightly parted lips, and the hand she raises to cover them. Every movement was jerky as if something was broken.
"Is there.....any contact?"
Her voice was almost hoarse, so he couldn't even hear her say,
"How?"
Hestia slowly walked her steps.
She followed Aslan towards the bed like a duckling chasing its mother. Although she wanted to hear more details about the arrival of grain from the South, there was a bigger, more instinctive reason.
Hestia was hungry for people. Every day he meets only the bare minimum of people. Angela, Madame Philippa, and Dulcinea. However, not all of them were people Hestia could rely on. Angela was someone Hestia had to take responsibility for, and she must not lose her dignity when she stood before Lady Philippa.
'Dulcinea....'
Hestia swallowed her sigh.
'My mind is complicated.'
The more she faced Dulcinea, the more deceived she became. A girl of the same age as her was the one whom Hestia had to wear the most thoroughly masked, making her headache.
She missed Aslan. Because here in Kalathi, he was the only person she could treat as an equal, with whom she could be honest, and whom she could rely on.
She sat down next to Aslan without feeling any resistance or psychological difficulties.
Aslan, who had inadvertently taken a deep breath, stopped breathing. It was because a good scent permeated the tip of his nose. It was a sweet and cozy scent, unique to Hestia. And it mixed with the cold wind and the smell of snow. The smell of snow was something he had been sick of smelling since he was very young, and in some ways, it was no different from him anymore.
He can't believe Hestia took care of something like that. Some indescribable feeling made his stomach ache.
'I guess it's because she spent a while watching the aurora in the garden earlier.'
When he thought that the smell that Hestia was wearing, the ferocious desire that had barely been silenced within him seemed to rise up in his head again.
'I'm crazy. I didn't do this even when I was in puberty.'
Aslan became nervous for a moment. Clearly, Hestia is not doing anything. She just came next to him and sat down. But even that feels quite tempting.
'Is it because I'm trash? Or a beast in heat?'
He felt ashamed. But the body.... It was so honest.
Because of that, Aslan's sense of self-destruction deepened. He tried to ignore the discomfort in his lower abdomen. He crossed his long legs as if straddling the other side of Hestia's body and cleared his throat briefly.
Hestia, unable to guess his condition, asked urgently.
"Yes? Aslan. Please answer me. Have you been contacted?"
".... No. It's not like that."
His throat is sore. He tried to clear his voice by clearing his throat, but the sound of boiling phlegm did not go away.
"In terms of timing, I think it will arrive within three or four days."
It is difficult to exchange news in person. Aslan continued his insufficient explanation.
"They started work in the south at the same time we left the capital. It probably passed through the capital gate a few days ago, so it will arrive at Kalathi Castle soon."
At Aslan's words, Hestia tilted her head as if it were strange and asked a question.
"But didn't it take us longer to get to Kalathi Castle?"
"That's because you and your maid aren't used to being here, so we moved slowly on purpose."
"I didn't know.... Yeah. You were considerate."
Hestia lowered her gaze and intertwined her fingers.
"Thank you."
It was clear that the cold was almost gone, but for some reason, her body still tingled. To be exact, the inside rather than the skin.
Then Aslan spoke again.
"There are no bandits in the North."
No peddlers were coming and going regularly, so it was an impossible place to loot. Because the land was so barren, there was no need to worry about grain being plundered en route from the southern plains.
"Besides, the weather is strangely nice, so it will probably be easy to speed up."
Hestia, who had been listening intently to his story while barely holding on to the strings of reason, asked the question again.
"But even so, it is quite fast."
These words pointed out that it is not easy to pass through an insurmountable wall. She thought there was a high probability that Yorgos or the temple would use some excuse to steal the grain or tie up the party.
However, Aslan responded as if it was no big deal.
"I should have gained a lot from marrying you."
One of them was that it was possible to pass through the gate of an impassable wall without inspection.
While Hestia was lying down after the wedding ceremony, he personally negotiated with Yorgos.
After hearing that story, Hestia regained her senses and answered in a bitter yet calm voice.
"I'm glad I can be of use to you."
At that moment, Aslan stopped. He looked back at Hestia with a stiff face.
"You... Can't you just say something like that?"
It was like a glaring expression.
Hestia looked at Aslan as if asking why he would say what he said. She had such a gentle face that Aslan became enraged without even realizing it.
'Who do you see as a businessman?'
He clenched and unclenched his teeth and raised his voice.
"I married you...!"
Then he closed his mouth again. He opened his mouth impulsively but had no idea what to say.
Yes, of course, he decided to accept grain from the Southern Plains. That's true.
'There is no need to refuse what is offered.'
But there was something else that moved Aslan's heart more than that.
"You told me to run away to you whenever I couldn't bear it."
He didn't want to admit it, but Hestia's words, which seemed like she was about to scatter at any moment, were decisive. But Aslan didn't want to explain that to Hestia. This is because he did not want to give the appearance of admitting out loud that he had something other than revenge and resentment left in his heart.
He pursed his lips. Today, he wasn't in a bad mood. So he didn't want to fight any more pointlessly with Hestia.
Aslan stood up with a grumpy expression.
"Shit. I have to go and sleep."
Hestia's gaze followed him up.
"In your room?"
"Then? Sleep in this room?"
Hestia paused, then nodded with a solemn expression.
"Sleep here."
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