“I’m home.”
"Did you want to go out ?”
Since she had been riding outside in a carriage the whole time, he thought she would enjoy staying at the mansion leisurely and resting.
Kaian asked her.
“Where do you want to go?”
“There’s something fun about seeing the night streets of the capital. Even just for a little while. Are you tired?”
“If you want, Madam. Let’s get it ready right away.”
Kaian called the butler and told him to prepare another horse besides the one he had sent to the stable a little while ago.
In the meantime, Claudel quickly brought her hat.
Since she had to hold Julien and ride in the carriage for a long time, Claudel usually wore a simple dress with not much decoration these days.
However, when she put the silk ribbon of her hat made of the same fabric under her chin, she looked quite like she was wearing an outing dress.
Kaian held Claudel and sat her down on the saddle.
Then he quickly climbed on behind her and pulled the reins.
Claudel, who had climbed on beside him with her legs together, looked surprised as if the horse might slip and fall when she got on.
Kaian laughed because he found that cute.
“Hold on to me.”
“Oh, where?”
Kaian made her wrap her left arm around his waist and held the protruding spot in front of the saddle with her right hand.
“I’ll go slow.”
“Yes.”
The horse raised in the mansion was rarely visited by its owner, so it was just walking around the stables and the backyard. The sound of the hooves of an unknown horse could be heard cheerfully as if the animal was excited to go out late at night.
The sound of cheerful singing could be heard here and there, riding the early spring night breeze.
Perhaps because the Civil War was fought in the Rowen territory, the capital was completely free of the aftereffects of the war.
“It’s strangely peaceful.”
Answered Kaien, who understood what Claudel was saying.
“The capital was hardly affected by the war. The change of King went smoothly.”
When a King changes, the problem is that the noble faction that has political dominance splits or the policies change.
Bianque avoided such chaos because she followed in the footsteps of Valquiterre.
They went to the downtown area, left the horse, and walked arm in arm.
“My sister said she bought Julien’s present here.”
When Claudel returned to Rowen Castle, she found an excessive amount of gift boxes piled up in the corner of her bedroom. When she opened them, she found that they were congratulatory gifts from Irena regarding the news of her pregnancy.
Since she had not told her husband, she had only received congratulations from the resident doctor and Hannah.
Although it was finally delivered after many twists and turns, the fact that Irena had blessed her with a baby made Claudel happy.
“Look around and choose anything you like.”
Claudel thought she had to pull herself together at Kaian's words.
'If I just sit there blankly and he buys everything like he did at Rowen Estate, it will be a problem.'
In Rowen, it would help to boost the local economy, and Rowen Castle was nearby anyway, so it would make sense. But she couldn’t just carry the items that Kaian had hastily purchased from the capital to Rowen.
Claudel carefully selected the items.
“I’ll buy this.”
She pointed to a piano-shaped music box with elaborate craftsmanship.
“It plays a lullaby that I sing to Julien.”
Kaian called the shop owner.
“Give me this.”
However, the shop owner covered his mouth with his hand and just looked at them with shaking eyes.
When Claudel looked at him in wonder and blinked.
“Te, Temnes and Vermont...”
His fingers, ignoring etiquette, wavered and pointed to the red hair and the black hair alternately. Kaian raised his eyebrows and said,
“I can’t afford to lose time, so hurry up and give it to me.”
“Yes. Yes. That’s why.”
Only then did the shop owner finally come to his senses and hurriedly begin to pack up the items that Claudel wanted.
This continued in every store they visited.
“Heh. Heh heh.”
When Kaian laughed softly, Claudel puffed out her cheeks.
“Don’t laugh.”
When she had thought of looking around the shopping district, she had never thought she would experience something like this. Since this never happened in the marketplace of the Rowen estate, Claudel was taken aback by the reactions of the shop owners and customers.
“Isn’t it fun?”
“What’s fun? Everyone is surprised to see us.”
The handsome man who seemed to be enchanting smiled with his eyes narrowed as if he was sincere.
“We are the ones who put an end to the blood feud between long-standing enemies.”
However, as soon as Kaian called them “we,” their embarrassment disappeared and their spirits lifted.
After walking around the shopping district, they headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
When she had come with Kaian before, she had made a reservation on the upper floor, which had a good night view and was open, but it was quite noisy because it was open.
This time, since she didn’t make a reservation, she was guided to the first floor, but the small room by the window was divided into two, so it was nice to have a quiet and cozy conversation while eating.
After ordering and waiting for a while, she decided to ask Kaian something she had been curious about.
“Madame Marcel visited the mansion today.”
“Madame Marcel?”
“She said she wanted to continue working as a seamstress at Rowen Castle.”
“I see. Do whatever you want.”
Kaian’s expression remained unmoving. Although she had learned that there had been no incident with Madame Marcel, Claudel wanted to be more certain about the matter.
“What happened to Madame Marcel? I heard she wasn’t fired.”
“She works as a seamstress at Rowen Castle, but isn’t she actually the one who makes your clothes?”
Kaian’s emotions seemed to subside as he recalled that time.
“Everyone said I was wrong, but I couldn’t accept it.”
“Ah...”
“I told them to find you if you were dead and bring her to me. If not, I wouldn’t admit it.”
Claudel kept her mouth shut.
Whenever this story came up, she was just someone who felt sorry for Kaian. They had scratched, stabbed, and hurt each other as if they were giving each other back and forth.
Even though she was so heartbroken, when she thought back on what she had experienced during that time, it was so hard that she felt she had no choice but to leave him.
“The atmosphere at the castle was not good. Madame Marcel said she wanted to quit.”
“But didn’t you fire her?”
“I didn’t accept it. Because you’re not dead. She can leave the castle, but when you come back, I told Madame Marcel to come back to Rowen Castle.”
Claudel’s eyes widened.
“That’s what it was.”
She sighed briefly.
“Actually, I apologized to Madame Marcel.”
“What do you have to apologize for?”
“I misunderstood.”
Claudel was still hesitating about whether it was right to tell Kaian this directly.
Unless a noble couple was openly having an extramarital affair, it was considered speculation for a wife to question her husband’s private life.
Since the relationship between husband and wife is not equal, and the wife and her children are treated as the property of the husband, the woman cannot be forced to keep her integrity.
The idea that a couple should be faithful to each other was something that existed only in the readings on the wedding vows.
“I thought you and Madame Marcel were having an inappropriate relationship.”
“What?”
Kaian’s brow furrowed at once.
“I heard rumors about the castle. I heard that she spent time in your office late at night, so I went there myself and it was just as the rumors said.”
“Did you believe such ridiculous rumors?”
Sadly, she did.
“I had Julien in my stomach at the time. I hadn’t even told you that I was pregnant yet, so I was afraid that you might lose your favor, so I couldn’t ask you.”
Kaian seemed to be angry and emotional, but he listened to Claudel.
“I heard a lot of rumors about you at Valmonde. I prepared myself to understand that you might meet another woman someday.”
However, he couldn’t bear what he had just heard, so he asked back with a subtle expression.
“Rumors about me?”
“T-that...”
Claudel blinked.
‘It’s embarrassing, but you’re asking me that out loud.’
A brief thought flashed through her mind, wondering if she should tell him exactly what she had heard.
“The woman who comes into your bedroom changes every day.”
“What?”
Claudel shut her mouth as Kaian's eyebrows rose in discontent.
"What else?"
He pressed her as if he would not end the conversation unless she spoke properly.
"And you can hold several at once."
"That I would do something so trashy?"
Kaian said, half shouting as if his anger was rising.
"You believed those rumors?"
He lowered his head and rubbed his chin against her red hair that sparkled in the bright light, and he could sense her unique scent on his nose.
When Claudel pressed her chest with his palm as if she was frustrated, Kaian relaxed his arms that were holding her.
She looked up at him while still in Kaian’s arms.
“Why are you so late?”
“Isn’t it before dinner? It doesn’t seem that late.”
“...I was worried.”
Claudel spoke softly, perhaps concerned about the servants busily moving around the entrance and hallway.
Kaian sighed softly when he saw the complex emotions in her golden eyes. He couldn’t help but know why she was so anxious.
Kaian naturally placed Claudel’s hand on his arm and went up to the second floor together.
“What about Julien?”
“He’s awake. Should I bring him?”
Julien, who had already passed ten months since he was born, had a big belly.
She ate baby food well and also ate the fruit that was boiled and mashed.
When he drank enough of his nanny’s milk to the point that his upper belly was round and plump when Claudel stroked it, he fell asleep around evening and slept soundly until early morning.
When he woke up each day like that, she felt like he had grown taller and his legs had gotten longer.
“No. We have to leave early tomorrow. I want to spend some time together.”
Claudel’s eyes sparkled at Kaian’s words.
“Right now? Just the two of us?”
He had said that it would be nice to have a meal together at the mansion and go to bed early. However, Claudel blushed as if she had been asked out on a date, and seemed to be expecting something.
When Claudel pressed her chest with his palm as if she was frustrated, Kaian relaxed his arms that were holding her.
She looked up at him while still in Kaian’s arms.
“Why are you so late?”
“Isn’t it before dinner? It doesn’t seem that late.”
“...I was worried.”
Claudel spoke softly, perhaps concerned about the servants busily moving around the entrance and hallway.
Kaian sighed softly when he saw the complex emotions in her golden eyes. He couldn’t help but know why she was so anxious.
Kaian naturally placed Claudel’s hand on his arm and went up to the second floor together.
“What about Julien?”
“He’s awake. Should I bring him?”
Julien, who had already passed ten months since he was born, had a big belly.
She ate baby food well and also ate the fruit that was boiled and mashed.
When he drank enough of his nanny’s milk to the point that his upper belly was round and plump when Claudel stroked it, he fell asleep around evening and slept soundly until early morning.
When he woke up each day like that, she felt like he had grown taller and his legs had gotten longer.
“No. We have to leave early tomorrow. I want to spend some time together.”
Claudel’s eyes sparkled at Kaian’s words.
“Right now? Just the two of us?”
He had said that it would be nice to have a meal together at the mansion and go to bed early. However, Claudel blushed as if she had been asked out on a date, and seemed to be expecting something.
"Did you want to go out ?”
Since she had been riding outside in a carriage the whole time, he thought she would enjoy staying at the mansion leisurely and resting.
Kaian asked her.
“Where do you want to go?”
“There’s something fun about seeing the night streets of the capital. Even just for a little while. Are you tired?”
“If you want, Madam. Let’s get it ready right away.”
Kaian called the butler and told him to prepare another horse besides the one he had sent to the stable a little while ago.
In the meantime, Claudel quickly brought her hat.
Since she had to hold Julien and ride in the carriage for a long time, Claudel usually wore a simple dress with not much decoration these days.
However, when she put the silk ribbon of her hat made of the same fabric under her chin, she looked quite like she was wearing an outing dress.
Kaian held Claudel and sat her down on the saddle.
Then he quickly climbed on behind her and pulled the reins.
Claudel, who had climbed on beside him with her legs together, looked surprised as if the horse might slip and fall when she got on.
Kaian laughed because he found that cute.
“Hold on to me.”
“Oh, where?”
Kaian made her wrap her left arm around his waist and held the protruding spot in front of the saddle with her right hand.
“I’ll go slow.”
“Yes.”
The horse raised in the mansion was rarely visited by its owner, so it was just walking around the stables and the backyard. The sound of the hooves of an unknown horse could be heard cheerfully as if the animal was excited to go out late at night.
The sound of cheerful singing could be heard here and there, riding the early spring night breeze.
Perhaps because the Civil War was fought in the Rowen territory, the capital was completely free of the aftereffects of the war.
“It’s strangely peaceful.”
Answered Kaien, who understood what Claudel was saying.
“The capital was hardly affected by the war. The change of King went smoothly.”
When a King changes, the problem is that the noble faction that has political dominance splits or the policies change.
Bianque avoided such chaos because she followed in the footsteps of Valquiterre.
They went to the downtown area, left the horse, and walked arm in arm.
“My sister said she bought Julien’s present here.”
When Claudel returned to Rowen Castle, she found an excessive amount of gift boxes piled up in the corner of her bedroom. When she opened them, she found that they were congratulatory gifts from Irena regarding the news of her pregnancy.
Since she had not told her husband, she had only received congratulations from the resident doctor and Hannah.
Although it was finally delivered after many twists and turns, the fact that Irena had blessed her with a baby made Claudel happy.
“Look around and choose anything you like.”
Claudel thought she had to pull herself together at Kaian's words.
'If I just sit there blankly and he buys everything like he did at Rowen Estate, it will be a problem.'
In Rowen, it would help to boost the local economy, and Rowen Castle was nearby anyway, so it would make sense. But she couldn’t just carry the items that Kaian had hastily purchased from the capital to Rowen.
Claudel carefully selected the items.
“I’ll buy this.”
She pointed to a piano-shaped music box with elaborate craftsmanship.
“It plays a lullaby that I sing to Julien.”
Kaian called the shop owner.
“Give me this.”
However, the shop owner covered his mouth with his hand and just looked at them with shaking eyes.
When Claudel looked at him in wonder and blinked.
“Te, Temnes and Vermont...”
His fingers, ignoring etiquette, wavered and pointed to the red hair and the black hair alternately. Kaian raised his eyebrows and said,
“I can’t afford to lose time, so hurry up and give it to me.”
“Yes. Yes. That’s why.”
Only then did the shop owner finally come to his senses and hurriedly begin to pack up the items that Claudel wanted.
This continued in every store they visited.
“Heh. Heh heh.”
When Kaian laughed softly, Claudel puffed out her cheeks.
“Don’t laugh.”
When she had thought of looking around the shopping district, she had never thought she would experience something like this. Since this never happened in the marketplace of the Rowen estate, Claudel was taken aback by the reactions of the shop owners and customers.
“Isn’t it fun?”
“What’s fun? Everyone is surprised to see us.”
The handsome man who seemed to be enchanting smiled with his eyes narrowed as if he was sincere.
“We are the ones who put an end to the blood feud between long-standing enemies.”
However, as soon as Kaian called them “we,” their embarrassment disappeared and their spirits lifted.
After walking around the shopping district, they headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
When she had come with Kaian before, she had made a reservation on the upper floor, which had a good night view and was open, but it was quite noisy because it was open.
This time, since she didn’t make a reservation, she was guided to the first floor, but the small room by the window was divided into two, so it was nice to have a quiet and cozy conversation while eating.
After ordering and waiting for a while, she decided to ask Kaian something she had been curious about.
“Madame Marcel visited the mansion today.”
“Madame Marcel?”
“She said she wanted to continue working as a seamstress at Rowen Castle.”
“I see. Do whatever you want.”
Kaian’s expression remained unmoving. Although she had learned that there had been no incident with Madame Marcel, Claudel wanted to be more certain about the matter.
“What happened to Madame Marcel? I heard she wasn’t fired.”
“She works as a seamstress at Rowen Castle, but isn’t she actually the one who makes your clothes?”
Kaian’s emotions seemed to subside as he recalled that time.
“Everyone said I was wrong, but I couldn’t accept it.”
“Ah...”
“I told them to find you if you were dead and bring her to me. If not, I wouldn’t admit it.”
Claudel kept her mouth shut.
Whenever this story came up, she was just someone who felt sorry for Kaian. They had scratched, stabbed, and hurt each other as if they were giving each other back and forth.
Even though she was so heartbroken, when she thought back on what she had experienced during that time, it was so hard that she felt she had no choice but to leave him.
“The atmosphere at the castle was not good. Madame Marcel said she wanted to quit.”
“But didn’t you fire her?”
“I didn’t accept it. Because you’re not dead. She can leave the castle, but when you come back, I told Madame Marcel to come back to Rowen Castle.”
Claudel’s eyes widened.
“That’s what it was.”
She sighed briefly.
“Actually, I apologized to Madame Marcel.”
“What do you have to apologize for?”
“I misunderstood.”
Claudel was still hesitating about whether it was right to tell Kaian this directly.
Unless a noble couple was openly having an extramarital affair, it was considered speculation for a wife to question her husband’s private life.
Since the relationship between husband and wife is not equal, and the wife and her children are treated as the property of the husband, the woman cannot be forced to keep her integrity.
The idea that a couple should be faithful to each other was something that existed only in the readings on the wedding vows.
“I thought you and Madame Marcel were having an inappropriate relationship.”
“What?”
Kaian’s brow furrowed at once.
“I heard rumors about the castle. I heard that she spent time in your office late at night, so I went there myself and it was just as the rumors said.”
“Did you believe such ridiculous rumors?”
Sadly, she did.
“I had Julien in my stomach at the time. I hadn’t even told you that I was pregnant yet, so I was afraid that you might lose your favor, so I couldn’t ask you.”
Kaian seemed to be angry and emotional, but he listened to Claudel.
“I heard a lot of rumors about you at Valmonde. I prepared myself to understand that you might meet another woman someday.”
However, he couldn’t bear what he had just heard, so he asked back with a subtle expression.
“Rumors about me?”
“T-that...”
Claudel blinked.
‘It’s embarrassing, but you’re asking me that out loud.’
A brief thought flashed through her mind, wondering if she should tell him exactly what she had heard.
“The woman who comes into your bedroom changes every day.”
“What?”
Claudel shut her mouth as Kaian's eyebrows rose in discontent.
"What else?"
He pressed her as if he would not end the conversation unless she spoke properly.
"And you can hold several at once."
"That I would do something so trashy?"
Kaian said, half shouting as if his anger was rising.
"You believed those rumors?"
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment