Whether due to the prohibition or not, Peon’s life had been extremely monotonous.

Survival, his mother, and Beatrice due to the prohibition were all there was. Anger, resentment, misery, and desperate survival that couldn’t even be contemplated were the primary emotions. He had to endure.

Amidst all this, Beatrice’s presence, forcibly inserted by the prohibition, was an extremely ridiculous foreign element. He was brainwashed with a kind of ‘love’. The main content of the brainwashing was that she was an important figure to Peon for a long time, based on trust and friendship.

Therefore, Peon felt no joy or delight in that relationship. He just barely maintained it, feeling only relief at completing a mission by acknowledging, “So that’s how it is.”

Naturally, there was no jealousy either.

“Even having a lover makes the Austain princess fortunate.”

“Who could that lucky bastard be?”

The surrounding whispers still haven’t ceased. Lover, lover, they say. What if Kaella really gets a lover she likes?

What then? The answer was already decided. Just as Kaella couldn’t say anything, he couldn’t say anything either. He should be grateful if they even treated him like a person.

When he came to his senses, he realized there were too many reasons for Kaella not to choose him, the deeds done couldn’t be undone, and he was in a position where he could only cling to Kaella’s skirt hem and beg for sympathy.

So this was an anxiety he had never felt towards Beatrice, who had so many followers. Furthermore, the impulse to throw his left glove at the faces of those guys looking at Kaella now was a jealousy he had never experienced before.

He thought death was his only rival, but there were other guys, with visible forms, who were trying to get close to Kaella.

“It’s quiet now.”

After spending some time by the river, enjoying the breeze and delicious desserts, no more men approached Kaella. It was quiet around Kaella. But true silence hadn’t really arrived.

“Because I’m here. If I weren’t, it would be overflowing with guys trying to talk to you again.”

“What? No, I meant it’s quieter because it’s afternoon…”

“Ah.”

Was that it? Peon nodded, agreeing that was also true.

“It’s really not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal.”

“I’m telling you, it won’t last long. Trust me.”

Peon muttered as he watched Kaella speaking stubbornly.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“You, why are you speaking with such certainty?”

It was also strange that she firmly said ‘it’s just a phase’ when four men had just passed by in a line. Peon didn’t know much about high society, but Kaella seemed rather displeased about having this many men following her.

“You know.”

Know what?

“Before I got married, there weren’t many men who came to talk to me. They said I was stiff and ugly. They even gossiped behind my back that I rode horses alone instead of having men escort me. But now that I’m a married wealthy heiress, these guys who are after money…”

Kaella muttered cynically, dropping her shoulders.

“How long will it last?”

“Seems I’m the only one who took note of what Marquis Hyhard said.”

Peon raised his body that had been lying sideways to look at Kaella’s face.

“He said it was difficult to even speak a word to you.”

“You believe that? That was just mocking me.”

She put down her sherbet with a thud, making Peon flinch.

“I have an easy-going and approachable personality, not someone difficult to talk to. Rather than making such excuses, they should just say outright that I’m ugly…”

“You are difficult to talk to.”

The man who had been listening intently to the flood of words said firmly.

“I know you’ll respond to greetings because you’re kind and polite. If lucky, you might even greet first and ask how they’re doing.”

It was something Kaella had never expected or could have known. It wasn’t something that just came out suddenly, but a heartfelt feeling he had experienced directly for a very long time.

“But that’s it. After greetings and asking how they’re doing, it ends there. I want to continue the conversation, but you’re busy receiving greetings from others. I seem to make you uncomfortable. You’re surrounded by women, especially scary old ladies. I understand. The precious princess can’t meet just any guy.”

He spoke as if he had seen Kaella that way on some ordinary day before their marriage, when they were just normal brother and sister.

“I at least had the privilege of hearing you call me ‘elder brother’ since we were young.”

Back then, she liked him. Whether it was affection or puppy love that Beatrice sneered at, it was a privilege that the current Peon could never obtain no matter what he did, even if he offered his soul and life.

“For other guys who weren’t me, it must have been difficult to break through the wall of noble ladies densely surrounding you and come up with conversation topics you’d find interesting. Even I struggled to figure out what to say when trying to talk to you again after regaining my senses post-regression.”

It was surprising that he struggled, but even more surprising that it was because of her. After regression, Peon boasted skillful speech and excellent eloquence, enough to handle even the emperor known for being sensitive and moody.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t that he couldn’t do it before regression, but rather that he didn’t do it despite knowing how, due to his upright personality. For someone like him to find it difficult to converse with Kaella was something not easily understandable.

“When we met again after I regressed, didn’t you know I was watching your reactions?”

Kaella, with wide eyes, reflexively shook her head. Peon smiled bitterly as if he had expected that. To Kaella, such a thing would be unimaginable. He knows well that he is such an existence to her.

“At that time, when I was a bit less conscious, I just wanted to end things nicely with you, as former acquaintances. But even then, not knowing what to say, I was just watching your mood. Imagine how it would be for guys desperate to catch your eye.”

Peon, who had been muttering, suddenly frowned.

“I don’t want to speak for those guys, but that’s how it turned out.”

After all, he’s in the same position as those suitors. As always, he looked at Kaella nervously. Would she be displeased by such words? What is she thinking? He kept watching her expression. Then he laughed helplessly.

“I have no idea what you’re thinking.”

It was exactly the same thought Kaella had every time she looked at Peon. I don’t know what he’s thinking. That’s why it was frightening.

“You’re very well-educated and smart. Most guys are probably afraid their lack of knowledge will be exposed while conversing with you.”

As the heir to the Austain ducal family, born and raised in the famous Lanpallar Palace, Kaella, who had received all the education in managing the family’s territory and assets, was a difficult person to approach.

As soon as she came to Lucenford, she worked flawlessly as the Grand Duchess, lacking nothing in scholarship, education, or refinement.

She wasn’t someone who could be approached with a comfortable and light-hearted attitude. Gentlemen couldn’t help but be on edge in front of her.

“Some people started spouting nonsense like calling you ugly and whatnot, using that to their advantage.”

The good and kind princess would have been hurt by that.

“It must have been done by Beatrice’s followers or the Duchess of Monde. Don’t mind it. Most of what comes from that side is lies.”

Just like the words Beatrice had whispered before Kaella’s death.

“How can you be so sure?”

“I have four years of memories too. Though my experience in high society is limited, I have enough basis for judgment. Usually, the people who criticize others’ appearances out of jealousy are fixed, and so are the gossipmongers.”

The person who came to Peon and used the complaint that Kaella was ugly but arrogant as a spell to impose the prohibition was Beatrice, and the talkative one was the Duchess of Monde.

“It’s obvious.”

It was obvious without needing to think hard, and because it was so obvious, it wouldn’t change in the future. He had nothing to say, having not known this obvious fact before. So his voice eventually became bitter.

It was also frustrating that the precious princess had married a man beneath her station, and now every Tom, Dick, and Harry was looking down on her. Wherever he looked, it was all his fault.

“Still… still, it’s not something to worry about. Once they see that I have no intention of making a lover and throwing money around, they’ll soon…”

Kaella wanted to wrap up this topic neatly. This unfamiliar situation was very uncomfortable. She tried to somehow conclude her words while shaking her head, but Peon cut her off sharply.

“Those guys aren’t coming to you for money. Rather, they’ll prepare special and expensive gifts to catch your eye. Even if they bring flowers, they’ll have to be very special ones. You don’t seem like someone who would be pleased with just flowers.”

Saying that, Peon held out his hand. Suddenly, several exotic colored roses that only bloom on the southern coast were tied with a white satin ribbon. Kaella’s eyes widened at the fresh, moisture-filled bouquet.

“I… I like it… I like just flowers too?”

Kaella put down her parasol and hugged the large bouquet to her chest. These were flowers she often saw in Austain. She smiled brightly without realizing it.

Peon knew well that Kaella wouldn’t smile like that for just any flowers.

She would just give a thank you with a slight smile and smell the flower scent a few times. To smile so brightly, it would take at least dozens of the most luscious and large roses freshly cut from Austain.

And they had to be cream-colored with just the tips of the petals tinged red.

“It’s troublesome if you’re pleased with just flowers. All sorts of gifts will come your way, and if you say you like them all, how many lovers will you end up with?”

Peon’s fingertips continued to create amazing magic. Kaella forgot even to rebut and stared with wide eyes at the box he pulled out of thin air and held out. What’s that now?

“I’ll have to try harder desperately.”

Click, as soon as the box opened, Kaella’s face was brilliantly reflected with diamond light.

“Oh my!”

Even the surroundings, belatedly noticing, gasped in surprise at the reflected light. It was all diamonds, nothing but diamonds.

“The pearls are taking a bit longer as the divers are slow in retrieving them, so my father-in-law sent these first. I’ll give you sapphires separately. I think they’ll match your eye color well.”

After saying such nonsense so nonchalantly, he kissed Kaella’s cheek as if to show off, leaving her at a loss for words.

“This, this…”

“Don’t you like it? Should I change it? It can be separated and used as necklaces or earrings. I heard that’s useful.”

“This, these diamonds…”

“Ah, what am I saying. Yes. The Kerban series. A bit larger than your ring.”

The Kerban diamonds, now brazenly set in rings, necklaces, and even tiaras, faced her as shamelessly as Peon.

“Wear this to the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony.”

“No, no, I can’t wear something this big then.”

“It’s okay to wear it.”

While others might wear tiaras on their heads for engagement and wedding ceremonies, the tiara Peon had custom-made was to be worn like a headband. And how high it was, with diamonds forming a fan-like halo from the ears to the crown, and a huge Kerban diamond sparkling in the center.

The diamonds that had gone to Beatrice had all fallen into Kaella’s hands.

“Are you determined to bankrupt the castle?”

Peon raised one eyebrow and then smiled.

“You’re laughing? How can you laugh?”

Kaella scolded him, almost sobbing. The Lucenford Castle ledger and the unnecessary spirit of frugality that had been saved and saved flashed before her eyes. Oh, she really felt like crying. Weren’t the Kerban diamonds Lucenford’s precious war funds!

“No, I’m sorry. I’m a bit hurt, but I’m happy because it’s a conversation only married couples can have. We share our assets, right?”

“That’s not it, if you give this to me…”

“As your husband, I should offer something better than other guys. Otherwise, how will you occasionally remember that you’re married?”

He had been preparing this gift for a long time. It was perfect for clearly drawing the line that ‘this much is necessary for the Austain princess and Lucenford Grand Duchess’ in front of many people. This way, he could neatly sort out any riffraff trying to approach clumsily.

“And these diamonds can be replaced with other jewels. I’ll give you different ones each year.”

Even with promises of large red spinels, green emeralds, blue sapphires, sky-blue aquamarines, one of each type, Kaella couldn’t smile.

“Don’t you like jewels? What should I do, as a dragon I’ll pile up mountains of jewels.”

“It’s, it’s not that I don’t like them, but if I wear such things, His Majesty the Emperor will notice…”

“Why do you think I presented that senile old man with gold boxes and flowers made of jewels? Don’t worry about that old fool, I’ve already taken preventive measures so you can wear big ones.”

Only Peon would call delicately crafted flower decorations made of precious jewels selected by color ‘preventive measures casually stuck in’.

“So, don’t hesitate and accept it as if it’s natural. No, it would be right to throw it back and demand something better.”

The memories known only to the two of them flashed by amidst the strong scent of roses, the river breeze, and the sparkling light.

“You can get angry now if you don’t like me giving this to you. I can try until it pleases you.”

“Why, why go this far?”

The man who had held his head high even before the Emperor was completely submissive to Kaella.

“There’s no need to go this far.”

“There is. Do you think I’m doing this just to make up for what I’ve done?”

Words he never expected kept pouring out.

“Don’t you think there’s some self-interest mixed in?”

There was no answer in return. He, who hadn’t expected one anyway, let out a low sigh. Kaella always remains silent. She seems to know well that her silence makes him anxious, dries up his blood, and melts his heart.

“Fine, then let’s say it’s because you’re pretty.”

He was grateful that she at least widened her eyes.

“It’s the truth.”

Just smile once, no, even just look at me.