“M-my lady…? Oh my, what’s going on?!”

Belladonna slowly opened her eyes at Cindy’s loud voice.

Cindy, I just fell asleep not too long ago… Your voice is really loud this early in the morning…

As Belladonna narrowly opened her eyes, Cindy exclaimed even more excitedly.

“My lady! Could it be… Could it be that you two were finally able to exchange rings?”

“…”

“No wonder the lord left the bedroom later than usual today! Kyaaah! What should I do?!”

Frowning at Cindy’s loud voice, Belladonna looked down at her own body.

Not only was she completely naked, but her entire body was covered in red marks, making her look like someone who had spent a passionate and explicit night with her husband.

Belladonna nodded with an embarrassed expression.

“Kyah! Congratulations! Where are the prepared rings? Just a moment! I-I’ll go tell Mr. Wolf right away!”

Cindy, w-wait a moment…

Cindy, who had been jumping up and down in place, rushed out of the room before she could be stopped.

“…”

Oh well, never mind.

Left alone, Belladonna buried her face in the pillow again and fell back into her insufficient sleep.

It was 4 hours later when she opened her eyes again.

Belladonna was only able to get up, wash in the bathroom, and come downstairs for lunch well past noon.

“Did you sleep well, my lady?”

“My lady, have a wonderful day today!”

“…”

Today especially, the servants’ greetings seemed endlessly bright and cheerful.

Am I interpreting this strangely? Feeling somewhat embarrassed and awkward, Belladonna responded to them with an awkward smile as she entered the dining hall.

‘Ah, I’m hungry…’

Belladonna, who had entered the dining hall without thinking, stopped in her tracks, surprised by the very different appearance of the kitchen compared to usual.

The dining hall, which would normally be empty, was filled with unfamiliar knights.

And they were very fierce-looking, dark, and large knights at that.

What’s going on…? Belladonna took a step back, hesitating in great confusion at the bustling situation she encountered.

Some of the knights who noticed Belladonna slowly retreating called out to her.

“Ah, my lady?”

“Oh my, my lady! It’s your meal time! We’re sorry.”

There were some familiar faces and some she was seeing for the first time, but they all seemed to know Belladonna.

The knights greeted Belladonna, smiling or bowing their heads from where they stood.

Belladonna blinked her eyes, not knowing what to do.

If you’re all occupying the kitchen like this, what about my meal?

“My lady, I apologize. Were you surprised?”

At that moment, one of the knights hiding in the crowd came forward and approached her.

Seeing a face she had seen many times before, Belladonna looked at him, erasing her wariness.

‘Hazel…?’

Belladonna pointed at the dining hall with a face that said, “What’s all this about?”

Hazel, who understood her intention, quickly replied.

“Ah, it seems Mr. Wolf didn’t inform you in advance. Our knight order just arrived in Sirlenia today. Did you know we were coming?”

It was a fact that Belladonna had learned yesterday through Cindy that the Griblata knight order was coming.

Belladonna nodded towards Hazel.

“We haven’t been able to have a proper meal after riding horses for such a long time… For now, we were trying to have a meal here in the dining hall as a quick solution. But we didn’t know you hadn’t had your meal yet, my lady.”

Ah, I did come down too late…

Hazel said, taking a posture as if to lead the knights out.

“We’ll go out for now. After you finish your meal comfortably, my lady, we’ll come back again.”

N-no, it’s fine!

Belladonna hurriedly waved both hands.

She didn’t want all these knights to make a wasted trip because of her alone.

Belladonna raised both hands and slowly lowered them, indicating that they should eat comfortably.

“My lady!”

At that moment, the back door of the dining hall burst open and Wolf appeared, out of breath.

Looking as if he had run all the way to the dining hall, he discovered the knights already filling the room and sighed with a disappointed face.

“Ah, I was too late. I meant to tell you in advance, but I wasn’t able to check when you woke up…”

Belladonna smiled at Wolf, indicating that it was alright.

Wolf slightly bowed his head, grateful for her understanding, then blurted out as if remembering something.

“Ah, my lady! I heard from Miss Cindy. I’ll make sure to find the rings soon.”

“Rings?”

At the word “rings,” the knights in the back, including Hazel, could be felt perking up their ears.

Ah. No. Here?

Belladonna blinked her eyes rapidly, feeling her face rapidly heating up.

But Wolf, unaware of her feelings, nodded with a pleased smile.

“Yes, that’s right. Everyone! Our lord and lady have finally exchanged rings!”

“Oh, really?”

“Rings? Wow! Congratulations, my lady!”

“Finally!! You two have become true spouses! I’m so happy!”

At Wolf’s words, the knights clapped their hands or raised their voices to offer congratulations with bright smiles.

The dining hall was quickly filled with a celebratory atmosphere and excitement.

Haha… Belladonna fanned her heated face while smiling.

“I heard you’re exchanging rings.”

A large knight sat down heavily next to Escalion, who was perched on the stairs.

With gray hair and a beard of the same color, he looked like a seasoned veteran mercenary at first glance.

Escalion, who had glanced sideways to confirm the face of the man sitting next to him, nodded while drinking water from his canteen.

“Congratulations. When there was no news even after a few weeks of marriage, I thought you might not be living up to your manly duties, despite your looks.”

The man chuckled mischievously as he snatched Escalion’s canteen.

Escalion immediately frowned and grumbled as the man casually drank his water.

“Where did you sell your own canteen, Graham?”

“I already finished my water. It was such a long journey here, you know. Do you know how flustered I was when I went to Griblata to see you and made a wasted trip? Sirlenia all of a sudden. Fortunately, I was able to tag along with the knight order that was coming here.”

Escalion clicked his tongue and shook his head as he looked at Graham, who shrugged his shoulders.

Although his brow was deeply furrowed, his expression had softened as if he had met a comfortable companion after a long time.

Graham looked around and opened his mouth.

“By the way, where’s your wife? I’d like to meet the Saint of Astanya I’ve only heard rumors about. I couldn’t even attend the wedding because it was so far away.”

“She’s not someone you can just casually meet, my wife.”

Escalion cut him off.

“I heard she’s extremely beautiful.”

“The rumors are accurate, then.”

“Is it also true that she can’t speak? She really can’t say a word?”

Graham asked.

If someone were to hear this, they might faint at the rudeness of talking this way about someone’s wife right in front of her husband, but Escalion knew this uncouth and rough mercenary meant no harm, so he didn’t think too deeply about it.

He briefly recalled the previous night before speaking.

“She didn’t.”

“Wow… She must be like a doll if she just sits still. Isn’t it frustrating not being able to have a conversation?”

“It’s better than your marriage where you fight all the time even though you can communicate perfectly well.”

“Oh, I feel like I just got hit somewhere.”

Escalion got up first, leaving Graham blinking his large eyes stupidly, and stretched his stiff arms to loosen up his body.

Graham, who had been looking up at him, put down the canteen he was holding and opened his mouth.

“What about her holy power? Does she really have the ability to heal people? I think I need some of that healing too. I’m aching and stiff all over.”

At his question, Escalion turned his head.

“Why don’t you try utilizing your wife’s holy power at this point? Your territory’s people would be very pleased. With such abilities, she could help you govern your territory in many ways.”

Escalion frowned as he listened to Graham’s words.

“Are you telling me to act like the Pope now?”

“What? What’s wrong with the Pope?”

Escalion immediately shook his head and ran his hand through his hair as he recalled the sinister and inscrutable smile of Pope Pronus.

“My wife is no longer a saint. She won’t be using her holy power unless it’s for something special.”

“What? It seems like a waste to let such an ability go unused…”

“Stop worrying about someone else’s wife and take this.”

Escalion tossed the wooden sword he was holding to Graham. Graham, who caught the sword flying at him suddenly, awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Why this… Surely not… No way?”

“Come on. Let’s stretch our bodies after a long time.”

“Hey, give me a break! I’ve been riding for a long time from Griblata! And you didn’t even provide a portal on the way…”

Escalion lowered his stance, gripped the other wooden sword he was holding in one hand, and rushed at him.

Graham jumped up in surprise and exclaimed.

“Ah, not yet! I’m not ready!”

“Has the battlefield ever waited for you to finish your preparations?”

Escalion swung down the wooden sword he had raised high with a joyful smile.

“My lady! The Griblata knight order is training in the temporary training ground right now!”

Cindy, who was looking out the window, blurted out almost like a shout.

Belladonna, who was sitting in a chair reading a book, turned her head towards her.

Training? What does that have to do with me?

Cindy, who was looking at her puzzled expression, stamped her feet anxiously.

“Well… How about going to cheer them on? It’s their first training since coming here, so it would be meaningful if you were there to watch, my lady.”

Cheer…?

Belladonna rolled her blue eyes back and forth as if reluctant.

Do I really have to go? I feel somewhat embarrassed since Wolf mentioned the rings to the knights…

Cindy, noticing her expression, quickly opened her mouth.

“How happy would the lord be if you went to cheer them on, my lady?”

Escalion?

Belladonna, who had been quietly looking at Cindy, narrowed her eyes and looked her up and down with a suspicious gaze.

Isn’t it just that you want to see the knight order training, Cindy?

“I-it’s absolutely not to fulfill my own desires! It’s their first training in Sirlenia, so if we bring them some drinks and snacks, h-how happy would the knights be?”

But isn’t it Wolf or other servants who would prepare the drinks and snacks, not me?

“A-anyway, let’s go quickly! You’ll find it interesting to watch them train too, my lady.”

Cindy tugged on Belladonna’s hand.