A breath carrying the scent of Kaian passed through the lips that met the sudden contact. My lips immediately became moist from the vivid scent I had missed.
“...”
I clung to him, crossing my arms behind Kaian's neck.
However, in the past, the man who would have hugged me while exhaling in excitement did not react at all today.
At that moment, Madame Marcel and the rumors about him came to mind, but I pretended not to notice. Now it was time just for him and me.
“Kaian.”
He was the man I loved and my husband. My voice calling out to him boiled up in the man's chest as I gently stroked the short hair that hung around the nape of his neck.
“...Claudel.”
I kissed the ear of the man who was like a stone.
I found it interesting that each time my lips touched and then parted, his earlobes became more and more red.
'Why does the doctor say that?'
The doctor who said he would listen to my request actually said something strange to Kaian.
'You should sleep while holding hands while treating the aftereffects.'
It is true that I need to be careful in many ways in the early stages of pregnancy.
I missed his embrace. At one point, I wondered if Kaian only liked my body?
I had thought about it.
At times like that, my pride was hurt, but now that I was far from the body temperature I was already used to, I also wanted to hug Kaian.
However, I was really upset as to why the man who had taken out and chopped up all of the chef's precious things could only listen to the doctor's words so carefully.
'Wouldn't it be okay now?'
Although I did not ask the doctor.
It was unclear when I had the baby in the first place.
'If you want to guess the time, please tell me when the bite occurred and we can estimate it.'
'...'
I couldn't bear to speak loudly at the doctor's words, so I muttered quietly.
'Yes? Please speak a little louder. I can't hear very well.'
'Everyday...'
At my answer, the doctor cleared his throat and turned away from me.
'Uh. Hmm. Then it is difficult to know the date. I decided to think of it as fall.'
I was embarrassed, but it was true.
Everyday.
I was crazy because my husband, who was with me almost every single day except when he was traveling to the capital, held my hand, comforted my shoulder, and even kissed me politely as if it were a courtesy.
“Kaian. Look at me.”
Meeting his eyes, I encouraged him.
I slid my hands inside his loose shirt, trying to undo the pajamas that separated them.
"For a moment."
Kaian lifted me with all his might and set me down next to the bed, causing me to jump up.
“...Kaian?”
I had escaped from the bed in despair and I looked up at him.
“I had to check something today. I forgot.”
Kaian's voice trembled awkwardly, giving the impression that this was clearly a lie.
“Sleep first.”
“Where does the injured person go?”
As I was about to get down on the bed, Kaian backed away towards the bedroom door.
“Well, it doesn’t hurt that much now. Anyway, that’s enough.”
In the bedroom that Kaian had escaped from, I looked at the door in bewilderment and then slumped my shoulders.
Rowen Castle was crowded with people as they celebrated the New Year.
This is because Lord Rowen, who held a simple wedding celebration because he was busy, opened a warehouse and showed generous hospitality to the people of the territory.
Packages that you might only see at a lord's wedding banquet are being given out again just because it's the new year that comes around every year!
“You just give me this much sugar?”
“They also give you a piece of oil each.”
“Shall we bake some cookies after a long time?”
“I’m going to make jam.”
Everyone looked happy as they entered the castle and got a fist-sized lump of sugar and white hardened lard wrapped in greaseproof paper.
Meanwhile, in front of the liquor store, there was a long line of drunkards holding empty bottles, gleefully waiting to get some ripe cider.
Meanwhile, unlike usual, crowds gathered around the drawbridge and moat, and the castle guards came forward, waving flags and shouting.
“Huh! Don’t stand in one place, walk!”
Everyone on the drawbridge was in an uproar, lifting their heads to look as if gold had fallen into the moat.
“Stop watching and step back!”
There was no chaos due to the crowds standing so tightly that it was difficult for carts to get in and out.
Beneath the moat, an unfamiliar figure was digging the ground with its hooves and breathing heavily.
Whoops. Whoosh.
Every time a black baby buffalo the size of a carriage moved around, people let out a gasp of admiration.
“Look at that huge guy.”
“That’s a buffalo? Mom, I'm scared!”
When the great undefeated warlord Kaian, the head of Temnes, locked the captured baby buffalo in a drained moat, the surrounding residents went crazy watching.
Two large, shiny black creatures were moving around the moat, and if they got angry and crashed into the high wall, they squealed happily.
Even in Rowen, where it was already warm, the year-end and New Year holidays were long, especially after the fall barley was planted and the fruits were harvested.
From the perspective of farmers who never leave their land, seeing buffalo in the distant plains, which they would never see in their entire lives, was a valuable attraction, so people flocked to Rowen Castle to see baby buffalo, even if it took half a day by horse-drawn cart.
Since he was doing it on a regular basis, it was a bonus to receive a tax reduction by offering his treasured treasures to the lord.
In Rowen, if you made dried bread, jam, dried fruit, etc. from the harvested grain or fruit, the tax was reduced depending on the amount. They used what they collected at the castle or sold it to merchants.
Since the territory is wide on both sides, most people would not dare to do so but wanted to drive a cart to the castle during the holidays.
But what a rare sight!
“If you get stepped on once, you die without even making a squeak. Oh my gosh, ignore it.”
“I can’t believe the Lord caught not one, but two of those things.”
“Our Lord is amazing. Truly!”
However, no one could have guessed that the baby buffalo's fate was reduced from medicinal use to ornamental use because the woman, who was sensitive due to pregnancy, said, 'I will not eat the baby.'
“Don’t feed it!”
The excited residents of the territory excitedly threw bread and fruit under the moat. Everyone was just excited as the baby buffalo, which had been eating thorny grass in the barren land, ate whatever was given to it without its mother to control it.
“I told you not to feed it!”
The guards who had to control the crowded crowd were the only ones having a hard time.
In my room, a confrontation was suddenly in full swing while lunch was being prepared.
"This. It looks strange.”
I looked at Kaian with suspicious eyes.
“What’s strange?”
“I don’t think it’s meat.”
“It’s beef.”
“It’s not beef, is it? Strange."
After crying that I would not eat the heart of the poor baby buffalo, I was suspicious of the lunch that Kaian was feeding me.
“What’s strange? I am indeed. Do you not trust me that much?”
"Yes."
When Claudel answered immediately, Kaian silenced him.
'Why can't she trust me?'
He doesn’t think there is anything in particular. Although he felt bad, he was always sincere about feeding Claudel, so he suppressed his unpleasant feelings for the sake of his goal.
"Ah. Try it. Even though you said you wouldn't eat what I caught. You need to eat well.”
“My cough has improved these days.”
Claudel's face stiffened as she answered.
“You couldn’t have secretly fed me...”
At times like that, my pride was hurt, but now that I was far from the body temperature I was already used to, I also wanted to hug Kaian.
However, I was really upset as to why the man who had taken out and chopped up all of the chef's precious things could only listen to the doctor's words so carefully.
'Wouldn't it be okay now?'
Although I did not ask the doctor.
It was unclear when I had the baby in the first place.
'If you want to guess the time, please tell me when the bite occurred and we can estimate it.'
'...'
I couldn't bear to speak loudly at the doctor's words, so I muttered quietly.
'Yes? Please speak a little louder. I can't hear very well.'
'Everyday...'
At my answer, the doctor cleared his throat and turned away from me.
'Uh. Hmm. Then it is difficult to know the date. I decided to think of it as fall.'
I was embarrassed, but it was true.
Everyday.
I was crazy because my husband, who was with me almost every single day except when he was traveling to the capital, held my hand, comforted my shoulder, and even kissed me politely as if it were a courtesy.
“Kaian. Look at me.”
Meeting his eyes, I encouraged him.
I slid my hands inside his loose shirt, trying to undo the pajamas that separated them.
"For a moment."
Kaian lifted me with all his might and set me down next to the bed, causing me to jump up.
“...Kaian?”
I had escaped from the bed in despair and I looked up at him.
“I had to check something today. I forgot.”
Kaian's voice trembled awkwardly, giving the impression that this was clearly a lie.
“Sleep first.”
“Where does the injured person go?”
As I was about to get down on the bed, Kaian backed away towards the bedroom door.
“Well, it doesn’t hurt that much now. Anyway, that’s enough.”
In the bedroom that Kaian had escaped from, I looked at the door in bewilderment and then slumped my shoulders.
***
Rowen Castle was crowded with people as they celebrated the New Year.
This is because Lord Rowen, who held a simple wedding celebration because he was busy, opened a warehouse and showed generous hospitality to the people of the territory.
Packages that you might only see at a lord's wedding banquet are being given out again just because it's the new year that comes around every year!
“You just give me this much sugar?”
“They also give you a piece of oil each.”
“Shall we bake some cookies after a long time?”
“I’m going to make jam.”
Everyone looked happy as they entered the castle and got a fist-sized lump of sugar and white hardened lard wrapped in greaseproof paper.
Meanwhile, in front of the liquor store, there was a long line of drunkards holding empty bottles, gleefully waiting to get some ripe cider.
Meanwhile, unlike usual, crowds gathered around the drawbridge and moat, and the castle guards came forward, waving flags and shouting.
“Huh! Don’t stand in one place, walk!”
Everyone on the drawbridge was in an uproar, lifting their heads to look as if gold had fallen into the moat.
“Stop watching and step back!”
There was no chaos due to the crowds standing so tightly that it was difficult for carts to get in and out.
Beneath the moat, an unfamiliar figure was digging the ground with its hooves and breathing heavily.
Whoops. Whoosh.
Every time a black baby buffalo the size of a carriage moved around, people let out a gasp of admiration.
“Look at that huge guy.”
“That’s a buffalo? Mom, I'm scared!”
When the great undefeated warlord Kaian, the head of Temnes, locked the captured baby buffalo in a drained moat, the surrounding residents went crazy watching.
Two large, shiny black creatures were moving around the moat, and if they got angry and crashed into the high wall, they squealed happily.
Even in Rowen, where it was already warm, the year-end and New Year holidays were long, especially after the fall barley was planted and the fruits were harvested.
From the perspective of farmers who never leave their land, seeing buffalo in the distant plains, which they would never see in their entire lives, was a valuable attraction, so people flocked to Rowen Castle to see baby buffalo, even if it took half a day by horse-drawn cart.
Since he was doing it on a regular basis, it was a bonus to receive a tax reduction by offering his treasured treasures to the lord.
In Rowen, if you made dried bread, jam, dried fruit, etc. from the harvested grain or fruit, the tax was reduced depending on the amount. They used what they collected at the castle or sold it to merchants.
Since the territory is wide on both sides, most people would not dare to do so but wanted to drive a cart to the castle during the holidays.
But what a rare sight!
“If you get stepped on once, you die without even making a squeak. Oh my gosh, ignore it.”
“I can’t believe the Lord caught not one, but two of those things.”
“Our Lord is amazing. Truly!”
However, no one could have guessed that the baby buffalo's fate was reduced from medicinal use to ornamental use because the woman, who was sensitive due to pregnancy, said, 'I will not eat the baby.'
“Don’t feed it!”
The excited residents of the territory excitedly threw bread and fruit under the moat. Everyone was just excited as the baby buffalo, which had been eating thorny grass in the barren land, ate whatever was given to it without its mother to control it.
“I told you not to feed it!”
The guards who had to control the crowded crowd were the only ones having a hard time.
***
In my room, a confrontation was suddenly in full swing while lunch was being prepared.
"This. It looks strange.”
I looked at Kaian with suspicious eyes.
“What’s strange?”
“I don’t think it’s meat.”
“It’s beef.”
“It’s not beef, is it? Strange."
After crying that I would not eat the heart of the poor baby buffalo, I was suspicious of the lunch that Kaian was feeding me.
“What’s strange? I am indeed. Do you not trust me that much?”
"Yes."
When Claudel answered immediately, Kaian silenced him.
'Why can't she trust me?'
He doesn’t think there is anything in particular. Although he felt bad, he was always sincere about feeding Claudel, so he suppressed his unpleasant feelings for the sake of his goal.
"Ah. Try it. Even though you said you wouldn't eat what I caught. You need to eat well.”
“My cough has improved these days.”
Claudel's face stiffened as she answered.
“You couldn’t have secretly fed me...”
"No way. If that were the case, there’s no way I could have walked around under that moat.”
Kaian took a picture of the sliced steak and offered it to Claudel.
“So, let’s eat quickly.”
Only then did Claudel reluctantly open her mouth and take the meat and eat it.
“That’s right. That way you will be healthier.”
“I’m still healthy now.”
“Don’t be foolish.”
As Claudel's eating speed gained momentum, Kaian let out a small sigh.
‘A baby buffalo. How many of them did you catch?'
'Yes... About two.'
'It's so cruel. How sad would the mother buffalo be? I don't want to eat it.'
He said that he had caught two of the baby buffalo to tremble.
It was a lie.
Even though he lied so calmly and casually, Kaian thought it was unfair for Claudel to say she ‘didn’t trust’ him.
Isn't everything he does for her?
He must have been the only man on the entire continent who twice charged into a herd of wild buffalo for his wife.
'And yet I hear people say they don't trust me.'
Kaian, who had caught as many as four baby wild buffalo, suddenly lied to Claudel that he had caught two. It was an instinctive answer.
Thanks to this, he released two animals under the moat as a show of pride and then caught the other two separately, gave them medicine, and fed them long ago.
When he gave Claudel the medicine that caused chills all over her body and cured the Herzol that was eating away at her lungs, Claudel felt a little hot, but her cough, which had been bothering her, definitely went away.
'Maybe the day will come when I go on a third hunt.'
Every time Claudel coughed and coughed, the image of her collapsing in the past, coughing up her own blood, came to mind and his heart pounded.
Every time he saw the woman's complexion becoming more flushed and breathing more easily, he felt happy as if he had been injured by a stone or something.
“You should rest.”
“Are you late today too?”
Claudel asked with a sad look on her face.
Although he felt sorry for her, Kaian had a hard time recalling the work piled up on his office desk.
'It's true that Claudel is cute, but I put off doing my work today.'
There was a rumor spread throughout the land of Rowen that if you went to the lord's castle, you could see a legendary monster, so this year a lot of real products came in, forcing the tax revenue to be recalculated.
The thought of looking at boring numbers calmed him down a little.
"Yes. Don’t wait, go to sleep first.”
At those words, Claudel blinked like a puppy getting caught in the rain.
“... Yes."
Kaian headed to his office, feeling his heartbreak. When he opened the door and entered, the doctor was sitting comfortably in a bad posture, but when he saw him, he stood up politely.
“Are you here?”
As soon as the greeting was out, Kaian grabbed the doctor by the collar.
“How long on earth do I have to endure it?”
"OMG. Well, my lord.”
“I’m asking when that guy stabilizes.”
Kaian's eyes were so sharp that they seemed abnormal.
"You. Aren’t you a quack?”
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