“Can’t sleep?”

Escalion asked in a low voice.

The way his voice touched her ear like a breeze felt newly ticklish.

When Belladonna didn’t answer, he brought his lips to her exposed neckline and gently kissed it.

‘I see.’

Feeling Escalion’s hot lips on her neck, Belladonna realized.

Between a man and woman in close proximity, especially a newly married couple, kisses couldn’t be freely forbidden.

And thus, their relationship could only grow closer, never further apart.

‘First, I need to reduce the time we spend this close together…’

Belladonna thought as she hunched her shoulders.

But Escalion came to her room every night to sleep together, so there was no way to refuse him without reason.

What should I do then…

As she pondered, the arm wrapped around her waist grew heavy, and rhythmic breathing could be heard from behind.

After dining together in the evening, he had immediately gone to the training grounds, saying he needed to train the young squires, and seemed exhausted from the intense training.

And listening to his breathing…

“…”

Ah, I’m getting sleepy too.

Belladonna slowly blinked her eyes, and soon drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Cindy came early in the morning to help with Belladonna’s grooming.

She grabbed Belladonna’s long silver hair with one hand and slowly began to brush it.

“My lady, your hair is truly beautiful no matter when I see it. It’s like touching expensive fabric rather than hair, isn’t it?”

“…”

“And it’s so soft, so soft that it shines without even applying any special oils!”

Cindy, chattering to herself as usual while brushing the hair, slightly tilted her head to start choosing the hair ornament for today.

“Hmm… Is there any particular ornament you’d like to wear today, my lady?”

Belladonna shook her head.

As she waited for Cindy to choose an ornament, Belladonna unconsciously huddled up, bringing her hands to wrap around her shoulders.

It’s chilly, probably because it’s morning…

“Oh, are you cold? Should I bring you a blanket?”

Startled by her gesture, Cindy quickly ran to the back and returned with a thick blanket.

Draping it over Belladonna’s shoulders, she spoke with a worried expression.

“It’s really different from Astanya where you used to live, isn’t it? Even with the heating on full, it’s still this cold…”

“…”

“From tomorrow, I’ll change your nightclothes to much thicker ones! I’m sorry for not thinking of it sooner.”

Belladonna gave Cindy a bright smile in gratitude.

Cindy, who had been staring at her face as if entranced for a moment, suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed.

“Ah! Instead of that, how about asking the lord to go to the southern townhouse?”

The southern townhouse?

If it’s that place, it was the location Cindy had mentioned in passing last time.

“For the next two months, we’ll have even colder weather than this, which would be too harsh a season for you, my lady, who has a weaker constitution than others.”

Even colder than this?

Belladonna turned her eyes slightly to look at the large window.

Frost had formed on the glass, making it difficult to see outside. It was due to the cold blizzard that had been raging for the past few days.

It’s already this cold, can it get even colder?

Cindy began to brush her hair down again.

“The lord will probably be very busy, so he might not be able to leave Griblata… But I wish at least you, my lady, could go to the south and stay warm!”

Hm? So Escalion might not be able to go together…?

Belladonna’s blue eyes sparkled as she pondered something deeply.

This is it!

“What brings my wife all the way here?”

Escalion, who had opened the office door and revealed himself, raised the corners of his mouth upon seeing Belladonna standing in the corridor.

He brought her inside and offered her a comfortable chair as he spoke.

“It’s not bad seeing you in my space during the day, rather than at night in the bedroom.”

Instead of answering, Belladonna began to look around his personal office, turning her head this way and that.

‘It’s certainly larger and more lavish than Wolf’s office.’

She looked at the tall bookcase that filled the right wall, then naturally turned her gaze to the portrait hanging on the opposite side.

‘Oh…’

Belladonna’s mouth opened slightly as she looked on without thinking.

That is…

“Does it suit the place?”

Escalion asked in a pleased voice, following her gaze.

The portrait hanging in the center of his office wall was the very one that had been painted with her sitting on his lap during the year-end festival.

“I was thinking of hanging it in the lobby or reception room for anyone visiting my castle to see, but I changed my mind. It’s a particularly favorite painting of mine, so I want to see it every day.”

Belladonna quietly examined Escalion in the portrait.

His black hair, naturally expressing the warm winter sunlight shining on it, and his charming golden eyes.

His appearance, with his signature confident smile at the corners of his mouth, was well depicted by the painter’s delicate brush strokes.

‘It’s well painted, but is it that pleasing?’

Belladonna looked back and forth between the real Escalion and him in the painting.

No matter how she looked at it, the real person was much more handsome and attractive…

“But what brings you to my office at this hour? Seeing you come so suddenly, it seems like you have quite an impromptu request or suggestion.”

Wow, he’s like a mind reader.

Hit right on the mark, Belladonna fiddled with her hair that had fallen in front of her chest to hide her embarrassment.

“I’ve never met someone as easy to read as you.”

“…”

“What is it? Tell me, you can write it down if you prefer.”

Escalion asked, leaning back in his chair.

After a moment’s hesitation, Belladonna got up and moved to his side.

She picked up his hand resting on his thigh and brought it in front of her, then wrote as large and clearly as possible.

‘C. O. L. D.’

She should have continued to write that the cold made her think of the warm south, but she couldn’t finish.

Because Escalion, who had been furrowing his brow and concentrating on his palm, suddenly raised his arms and wrapped them tightly around her waist.

What, what’s this!

Belladonna, who had been pulled onto Escalion’s firm thighs in an instant, blinked her eyes to assess the situation.

He was holding her tightly with his thick arms.

“Were you very cold? You should have said something.”

Escalion, who had already buried his face in the crook of her neck, spoke in a playful tone.

A low chuckling sound could be heard right below her ear.

Ugh, he’s teasing me, isn’t he?

Belladonna raised one arm and pushed firmly against his shoulder.

But his shoulder, like a solid rock, didn’t budge an inch.

“You must have missed the warmth of your husband’s embrace?”

Escalion murmured.

Belladonna opened her mouth slightly in disbelief and let out a hollow laugh. That’s not it!

She pushed against Escalion’s shoulder again with more force, then brought the hand wrapped around her waist to her eyes.

Although he had resisted and not budged earlier, now he seemed to have relaxed his strength as he moved easily.

‘W. A. N. T. T. O. G. O. T. O. W. A. R. M. S. O. U. T. H.’

“The south?”

Escalion asked, raising one eyebrow.

He asked again to Belladonna, who was nodding her head.

“Where in the south? Do you want to return to Astanya?”

No, no! Astanya is out of the question!

“Then where… Ah, that, what was it. I think we received a mansion as a gift from the Emperor along with Griblata. Was that in the south?”

Escalion muttered, scratching his raised eyebrow.

Yes, that’s right! That’s exactly it!

Belladonna looked at him with sparkling eyes.

Receiving her expectant gaze, Escalion’s face quickly became troubled.

“The townhouse in the south… With the onset of winter, there’s so much to handle that I can’t easily leave Griblata.”

Right? You’re busy, aren’t you?

He was a lord with more sense of responsibility than expected.

“…But I can’t let my wife, who’s just starting to adapt to Griblata, endure such a harsh winter from the beginning.”

Right? You should send at least me to the south, shouldn’t you?

It seemed to be flowing more and more in the direction she had thought.

Her new goal was to spend time alone in the south for the remaining two months of their marriage, then get divorced.

If that happened, there would be no more awkward and strange atmospheres, let alone the wedding night.

Then she could divorce him as the Pope would handle it after two months and return to Astanya.

‘Although I don’t want to return to Astanya…’

If she had to divorce anyway, it seemed better than staying here with him and getting caught up in unfamiliar emotions she kept experiencing for the first time.

“Can you stay there alone?”

Escalion turned his head and asked.

Belladonna was about to nod immediately, but changed her mind and quickly put on a regretful expression.

Should I pretend to be a little reluctant at least?

She looked at him, blinking her eyes with the most innocent face she could muster.

Escalion, who had been staring at Belladonna intently, lifted his head and let out a deep sigh.

“I’ll look into it for now. Since we haven’t really managed the mansion after receiving it, I’m not sure if it’s in a condition for someone to live there. I don’t know if there are any suitable butlers or maids either.”

Yes, do that!

Belladonna nodded her head.

To drive the final nail, she subtly pressed her body against Escalion’s broad chest.

It was a gesture full of meaning: I’m so cold… You understand, right? I really want to go to the south!

“Ah.”

Whatever he made of it, his body immediately stiffened.

What’s this, earlier you were playfully hugging me first, but now you’re like this?

It was puzzling, but it wasn’t her concern.

“My lady! Do you have a moment now?”

It was a few days later when Wolf stopped Belladonna as she was passing by.

Belladonna, who was leaving the dining room after finishing a somewhat late breakfast, nodded and followed him.

Entering the office, he handed her a paper filled with dense writing.

What is this now…

With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, she took the paper he offered and slowly read the words.

“Have you heard of Sirenia?”

Sirenia? It sounds familiar somehow…

Seeing Belladonna’s puzzled expression, Wolf continued his explanation.

“It’s a small city in the south where the lord’s townhouse is located. The lord has expressed his wish to have you stay there for a while, as Griblata’s season is too harsh.”