To comfort…

You always comfort me, are you going to do more?

As Belladonna slowly blinked and nodded, Escalion’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down greatly.

Finally, taking a deep breath, he quickly lowered his head towards her neck.

He pressed his hot lips heavily against her neck.

“…!”

Belladonna felt a dizzying sensation and embraced the back of his head.

“Haa…”

“…”

It felt like her mind was turning blank.

Escalion exhaled excited breaths as he showered her with kisses.

From her lovely neck, to her collarbone, round breasts, down to her flat lower abdomen…

He wanted to leave his mark on every part of her he could reach.

“…”

Barely holding onto the edge of his reason as he continued kissing, he suddenly stopped his actions.

The intermittent groaning sounds from above had completely ceased.

“Bella.”

He detached his lips and raised his head.

Belladonna was looking down at him with her face flushed red, covering her mouth with both hands.

Her wavering eyes kept stimulating his dangerous instincts.

Damn it…

Escalion raised his trembling arm and gently bit Belladonna’s hand that was barely covering her mouth.

“Don’t hold your breath, and don’t close your eyes.”

At the ticklish sensation, Belladonna’s eyelashes fluttered visibly.

Staring up at her blankly, Escalion furrowed his brow.

He was barely holding himself back, but the desire to completely strip off her nightgown and forcefully push into her as he pleased was overtaking him.

“Ha, Bella…”

Feeling it was dangerous to continue like this, he forcibly tore his gaze away from her.

He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to think of the most static thoughts possible while regulating his breathing.

He couldn’t hurt his wife on a day like today when they weren’t prepared.

“…”

Feeling his emotions had subsided a little, he opened his eyes again and slipped his hand under her nightgown that had somehow rolled up to her thighs.

Leaving his handprints on her snow-white thighs as he pressed down firmly, he raised his head.

As he was about to lift her skirt further, he discovered something and stopped his actions.

“Snore…”

No way. It can’t be.

“Bella…?”

Escalion blinked in bewilderment and asked in an unbelieving voice.

His voice came out cracked at the end without him realizing.

He cleared his throat for a moment and moved his upper body to get closer to Belladonna.

“Bella, are you sleeping? You’re not, right? Bella?”

“Snooore…”

Belladonna had somehow fallen asleep with her eyes closed and mouth slightly open.

The smell of alcohol wafted strongly from between her lips with each breath.

“Bella…? Open your eyes for a moment. Did I take too long in the middle? Just a moment… Ha, damn it.”

Escalion cursed as he buried his head over her.

He was desperate right now, but he couldn’t do anything to someone who was asleep.

He raised one hand and roughly ruffled his hair. Damn it, why did he stop in the middle…

“Haah…”

Escalion let out an irritated sigh as he lifted his upper body.

He felt resentful towards his wife who had carelessly fallen asleep with her white thighs still exposed.

Nevertheless, her peacefully sleeping face was cute and pretty.

As he silently gazed down at her, he let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, if you were comforted, that’s enough.”

Continuing to stare at Belladonna, he rolled over and collapsed next to her.

Lying facing Belladonna as she breathed rhythmically, he muttered softly.

“…I’ll never let my wife drink again.”

He felt like he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.

Ugh, my head hurts… It feels like my skull is going to split…

The next morning, Belladonna woke up clutching her throbbing head.

Is this what a hangover is? It’s too painful…!

She frowned as she slowly raised her body. Her stomach felt nauseous and unwell.

“Drink this.”

Just as she could barely open her eyes, a steaming hot cup of tea suddenly entered her field of vision.

Slowly lifting her head, she saw Escalion standing askew holding the teacup, looking somewhat disgruntled.

Ah, thank you…

Belladonna weakly took the teacup and brought it to her lips.

“It’s very hot, so don’t gulp it down like you did last night.”

“…Keck.”

At his words clearly laden with intent, Belladonna choked on the tea and coughed lightly.

Escalion turned and pulled out a few tissues to hand to her.

Ah, thank you for this too…

Belladonna wiped her mouth and looked up at him.

“You’re like this from just two glasses of wine? Someone would think you drank two bottles alone.”

“…”

“Know that from now on, my wife won’t be able to drink even a single glass in front of me.”

“…”

Belladonna rolled her eyes as she lifted the teacup to slowly swallow the hot tea.

And here I thought I was good at drinking…

If the hangover is this bad, I won’t drink first next time!

“Still, I’m glad you seem to have slept well. It means my comfort worked.”

Escalion said as he sat on the edge of the bed and brushed Belladonna’s hair back.

Belladonna silently pondered the word he had uttered.

Comfort…

Hmm…? Wait, comfort…?

Belladonna’s mind filled with the sensual scenes from last night.

Escalion showering her with kisses while breathing heavily.

The image of him with reddened eyes, letting out groans that scratched his throat, kept flooding into her mind.

Wait. What are these memories…!

“Ah, looks like you’re finally remembering? Seeing how your face is turning red belatedly.”

Escalion asked as he raised the corners of his mouth.

Belladonna quietly put down the teacup and lifted the blanket to cover her face.

She couldn’t bear to look him straight in the face.

“Why so shy now? I saw your face turn this red many times last night.”

Escalion said playfully as he pulled down the blanket.

Stop it! Belladonna shook her head and burrowed deeper under the blanket.

“There are many ways to torment your husband, Bella. Hmm?”

“…”

“Thanks to you, I couldn’t sleep a wink.”

Escalion finally pulled down the blanket and met Belladonna’s eyes.

She kept averting her gaze, trying to avoid his eyes.

Looking down at Belladonna like that, Escalion soon chuckled and flicked her cheek with his finger.

“I’m joking. I’m glad you slept well. If you want to drink again next time, just ask.”

“…”

“But know that there won’t be any comfort if you drink.”

As Belladonna nodded her head, Escalion stood up from his seat.

“I was just going to check if you were awake. Wolf has been looking for me for a while now.”

Ah…

Feeling inexplicably disappointed, Belladonna raised just her eyes to look up at him.

So he’s leaving now…?

Looking down at her like that, Escalion frowned and said.

“Don’t look at me with those baby kitten eyes. When you do that, I can’t bring myself to leave. Take a walk around the area today. It’s similar to Astagna so it should be nice to look around.”

Nod nod.

As Belladonna weakly nodded her head, Escalion bent down to give her a light kiss on the forehead before quickly turning around.

“…”

Belladonna watched the door where he had disappeared with an inexplicably dejected expression.

“Isn’t the weather lovely?”

Cindy asked as she crouched by the flower bed and tucked a white flower into Belladonna’s hair.

Belladonna, sitting on the bench behind, smiled as she looked down at the flower bed.

The white wildflowers commonly seen in Astagna filled one side of the garden at the Silenia townhouse.

‘How pretty!’

These were flowers she hadn’t actually seen at the papal palace, which was filled only with expensive cultivated varieties.

Belladonna leaned down to gently stroke the delicate petals.

“My lady! Is Astagna really this warm all year round?”

Cindy asked as she fiddled with a white flower, turning her head.

Hmm, compared to Astagna, it seems a bit warmer here since it’s further south, but it’s fairly similar?

Belladonna slowly nodded her head.

“Wow, really? It would be so nice to live in a place like this…!”

Cindy replied, her eyes shining.

It seemed she thought this place, warm all four seasons, was better for living than Gribblata where one had to endure harsh cold.

“How about you, my lady? Don’t you also find this place much better than the terribly cold Gribblata?”

Me? I…

Lost in thought, Belladonna shrugged her shoulders.

While it was certainly colder than Astagna, Gribblata had its own charms.

Unlike the cold weather, the people of Gribblata were all warm…

She found herself smiling as she thought of Escalion, who always radiated heat from his whole body.

There are even some who are warm to the point of being hot.

“Actually, if it weren’t for the northern lands he was forcibly granted, the lord would have wanted to live in a place like this too…”

Cindy murmured softly as she fiddled with a white flower.

Is that so? Escalion seemed to dislike this place, saying it was too hot…

As Belladonna tilted her head, Cindy spoke again.

“I once overheard Lord Wolf and the lord talking, and he said Astagna was the most memorable of all the places he had lived. So I’m sure the lord also prefers places with mild climates.”

Astagna?

At the unexpected words, Belladonna’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Cindy.

Escalion… lived in Astagna?

“…”

Come to think of it, Belladonna knew nothing about Escalion.

Just that he was a knight of common birth and that he had received his title and land a few years ago for his achievements in war…

Seeing Belladonna’s reaction of hearing this for the first time, Cindy got up from her seat and sat down next to her, saying:

“Why, you know our lord lost his parents at a young age and joined a mercenary group early on, right? He wandered here and there following the mercenary group, and stayed in Astagna for a few years at one point. He said that was the most comfortable and pleasant time.”

Lost his parents? Mercenary group…?

These were all stories she didn’t know.

She had never heard Escalion talk about his past separately.

Feeling awkward, Belladonna silently fiddled with the ends of her sleeves.

Even for an arranged marriage, was it okay to know so little about him?