“Why are you so surprised?”

Escalion asked with his golden eyes, which shone even brighter in the darkness, wide open.

T-that… Does that mean… you want to put on the r-ring as soon as possible…?

Escalion, looking down at her extremely flustered state, pulled up one corner of his mouth.

“Ah, if this room is more comfortable, I can come to this room.”

That’s not it!

Belladonna shook her head desperately.

She began to frantically contemplate how she could postpone consummating their marriage.

Escalion, who had been watching her with amusement, spoke in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Really… You’re a woman whose thoughts are easy to read.”

“…”

“With a face like that, how did you manage to keep all those imperial secrets?”

He asked with a chuckle. Then he stretched out his finger and poked her white cheek.

“Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

“…?”

“The doctor said so. That you’re inherently quite weak. If you overexert yourself even a little, you could fall ill again, so for now, focus only on recovering your health. And gain some weight too.”

Escalion stopped his poking and opened his mouth.

“I’m quite disappointed, but… Well, we have plenty of time ahead of us.”

“…”

“So don’t worry about unnecessary things, and just sleep comfortably. Isn’t that the shortcut to recovery?”

He grabbed her, who was sitting blankly, and laid her back down on the bed.

As she was forcibly laid down by his touch, Belladonna blinked with a troubled expression.

‘As expected, it’s too uncomfortable…’

She also felt somewhat sorry towards him, who didn’t seem to have any thoughts about annulling the marriage.

Belladonna shook her head and buried her face deep in the pillow.

I wish three months would pass quickly…

[This is the timeline separator]

Day by day, the north wind visiting Griblata grew a little stronger.

Griblata was now entering into full winter.

“My lady, are you not cold?”

Turning her head, she saw Wolf standing there holding a fluffy blanket.

When Belladonna shook her head and smiled, he, who had been standing a step behind, came closer and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

“The hallway is chillier than you might think. More importantly, there’s something I’d like to show you, if you have a moment?”

What could it be?

Belladonna nodded.

“Thank you for your time. Then, please come this way for a moment.”

Wolf, who had brought Belladonna to his office, picked up a thick ledger placed on the desk.

And as he handed it to her, he opened his mouth.

“This is the estimated amount of timber to be used this winter and its cost.”

Belladonna raised one hand to turn over the cover of the ledger.

“Originally, I had been handling this arbitrarily on my own, but now that you’re officially here, my lady. From this year on, I’d like to discuss and decide on the ducal household affairs with you.”

Household affairs…

Belladonna felt a slightly uncomfortable emotion as she examined the ledger.

Wolf is really meticulous…

Even the smallest piece of firewood, there was no trace of wasteful use.

“It will be difficult for you to understand everything right away. I think you can start gradually with me from today.”

Belladonna nodded and read through the ledger with her eyes.

Although she didn’t properly know about family management, she wasn’t completely clueless thanks to what she had learned at the Papal Office over the past half year.

‘So this is all the timber that will go to the kitchen, and this to the smithy… And this is for the servants’ quarters and this… our bedroom.’

Belladonna slowly read through the numbers in the ledger.

‘Comparing it to last year’s total usage… Hmm, then what are the differing parts?’

At that moment, her gaze stopped at one particular place.

A certain amount of timber bought with Griblata’s budget was being shipped to a place other than Griblata Castle.

‘The shipping address is…’

Next to the address where the timber was arriving, there was a name written in Wolf’s neat handwriting.

[Scarlet Leyton]

Confirming the name written in the ledger, Belladonna exhaled a trembling breath.

‘So it’s this woman.’

She could instinctively understand.

The woman at the address where high-quality timber purchased by the castle was being regularly shipped.

The woman who had been to Escalion’s castle before, and who was also the owner of the ruby necklace in the dressing table drawer.

Escalion’s mistress.

Scarlet Leyton.

As she defined it in her mind, the emotions that followed were emptiness and irritation.

Even though it shouldn’t matter about the mistress of a husband she would end the relationship with after three months anyway…

‘No, being irritated is being irritated!’

Belladonna put down the ledger irritably.

If it’s going to be like this, why did he even say he wanted to get married! He should just live with that woman he can’t live without!

“My lady…?”

Wolf’s puzzled voice was heard, but she still couldn’t concentrate.

And if it’s going to be like this…

‘…Then don’t treat me so well.’

Belladonna placed her hand gently on the ledger on Wolf’s desk and fell into thought.

As a husband, Escalion was neither greatly lacking nor demanding.

He wasn’t the type to pour passionate affection or interest on Belladonna, but in most cases, he tried to listen to her wishes and accommodate her as much as possible.

‘After I collapsed, he really didn’t touch even a finger.’

Escalion didn’t pressure her about the covenant ceremony, nor did he bring up the issue of succession separately.

He did faithfully sleep in the same bed every night, though.

‘Even though we’re not really a couple who care for each other…’

No matter what, finding out about her husband’s mistress in this way was definitely not a pleasant feeling.

“My lady…? Are you alright?”

Wolf asked again.

Finally breaking free from her thoughts, Belladonna raised her head and met his eyes.

“Is it too complicated for you? I tried to summarize it as simply as I could…”

Belladonna shook her head slightly and smiled.

She picked up the pen that was placed next to the ledger she had irritably thrown down earlier, and began to write on a piece of paper.

[It seemed fine from my brief look. I’m sure you, who have been in charge of the ducal household affairs all this time, have done well. Please proceed as is. I will continue to trust only you.]

Wolf’s eyes shone with relief as he confirmed Belladonna’s neat handwriting.

He couldn’t hide the corners of his mouth rising with satisfaction and joy.

“Understood, my lady…! I will continue to report regularly on matters related to the castle. If there are any parts that are difficult to understand, or anything you would like changed, please feel free to let me know anytime!”

Belladonna nodded with a smile.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ugh, it’s cold!”

Cindy entered the room, pulling her collar tight.

She threw dry firewood into the fireplace in Belladonna’s room, creating a larger flame.

“My lady, aren’t you too cold?”

As Cindy turned and asked, Belladonna shook her head.

Thanks to her maintaining the room temperature appropriately, Belladonna hadn’t been feeling much cold.

Sitting in the rocking chair by the large window, Belladonna slightly turned her gaze to look outside.

It was clearly felt that a desolate season was approaching, losing its green color.

“Ah, my lady! Have you heard by any chance?”

At that moment, Cindy approached with her eyes shining like a child’s.

She sat across from Belladonna, who was skimming through a few ledgers handed over by Wolf, and began to speak excitedly.

What story is she trying to tell?

“The biggest festival in Griblata is being held next week!”

Festival?

Belladonna tilted her head.

“Before the weather gets colder, the villagers gather to pray to Eliezia, the goddess of snow! They give thanks for safely concluding the year, and also pray for prosperity and peace in the next year, just like this year.”

Ah, so it’s a year-end festival?

Belladonna recalled the year-end festival in Astanya.

She had attended once as the Saint for the last time, but…

It was one of the few pleasant memories for her as well.

“Since it’s your first year in Griblata, why don’t you participate with the lord?”

Hmm… But would Escalion want to participate in something like a festival?

“The lord actually secretly likes things like festivals!”

As if reading her expression, Cindy added.

Really?

When Belladonna made a surprised expression, she continued her explanation.

“Last year, he went out in plain clothes and enjoyed himself thoroughly, I think? The lord doesn’t really like standing out and attracting attention.”

That’s really unexpected.

Belladonna thought.

I thought he liked being in front of others because of his glib and playful personality…

‘Maybe… As he often says, it’s more familiar to him because of his commoner background.’

“Anyway, why don’t you go out with the lord this time? It’ll be really fun!”

At Cindy’s strong suggestion as she leaned in, Belladonna nodded in a daze.

That evening, Belladonna glanced at Escalion as he entered her room.

As usual, he came in covered in cold wind, took a hot bath in the small bathroom attached to the room, and then approached her bed.

“Do you have something to say?”

The perceptive Escalion asked Belladonna, holding out his palm.

For the past few days, the couple had been having small conversations, him through voice and her through palm writing.

Belladonna eagerly brought his large palm to her knee and wrote letter by letter with her finger.

‘N. E. X. T. W. E. E. K. F. E. S. T. I. V. A. L.’

“Are you talking about the year-end festival next week?”

Escalion asked indifferently.

“It’ll be very different from what you enjoyed in Astanya, right? Having come down with high standards from there, there probably won’t be much to see.”

But… I want to go!

Belladonna looked at Escalion with expectant eyes, but he was resolute.

“Besides, your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. If you go out in the cold wind all day with that body, you’ll inevitably end up bedridden for a few days again. As a husband waiting for his wife to get healthy, that’s an extremely annoying thing, you know.”

Tch…

Belladonna had no choice but to nod.

Escalion, who had been watching her resign herself, opened his mouth again.

“Why do you give up so quickly?”

“…?”

What are you saying.

You told me not to go.

“My wife listens to her husband very well? You should be stubborn or whine sometimes.”

Belladonna blinked, not understanding what he meant.

Come to think of it…

Perhaps it was a habit left over from living as a saint, unable to budge at the Pope’s words, but she hadn’t even thought to plead with him one more time.

‘I’ve unconsciously become accustomed to acting like a puppet without even realizing it.’

Then listen to me, please!

“But I can’t just grant your request.”

Escalion pulled up the corners of his mouth, making that characteristic leisurely and glib smile of his.

There he goes again!

Then what am I supposed to do?

As Belladonna looked at him with an aggrieved face, he raised his finger and tapped his right cheek.

“You should at least give me a kiss of request.”