That afternoon, after taking sufficient rest and while walking in the villa garden for a stroll, she heard someone running towards her.

In an instant, a man who had rushed up to her bowed deeply and shouted.

“My lady, I have committed a discourtesy!”

Who is it?

As she looked carefully, Graham raised his head, breathing heavily.

He looked out of breath, as if he had spotted her while training at the temporary training grounds and rushed out.

‘It’s Graham.’

Belladonna shook her head with a gentle smile.

Graham, who examined her face, spoke once again with a worried look.

“It seems you drank quite a bit last night while entertaining me…. Seeing you come down only now, I’m worried you might have had a terrible hangover all night.”

Ah, that’s not why I came down late…..

Belladonna sheepishly pulled at the corners of her mouth and shook her head once more.

“What? You gave the madam alcohol?”

At that moment, Hazel, who had followed Graham, asked in surprise.

“Be quiet, youngster. Why did you follow me when you should be training?”

“I also came to greet the madam. Did you sleep well, madam?”

Belladonna nodded and gave Hazel a perfect smile.

Hazel bowed to her, feeling as if he was receiving a blessing from the papal office.

A moment later, he raised his head again and said.

“By the way, the commander is full of energy today. Even though he only briefly oversaw the morning training and went right back in, the entire knighthood is exhausted.”

“That guy is always full of energy.”

“No! Today was even worse. With so much work to do, and still overseeing the training….”

He was full of energy today too…? Isn’t he someone who didn’t sleep well because he stayed up almost all night with me?

Although not for the first time, she thought that his stamina was really impressive.

“That guy, he seems busy as if he has two bodies. Well, I understand him pushing himself since he said he has to return to Griblata soon.”

Belladonna, who had been secretly recalling the previous night, lifted her head abruptly upon hearing Graham’s words.

Escalion has to return to Griblata…?

Hazel, who noticed Belladonna’s eyes widening in shock, looked around cautiously before speaking.

“Ah…. Nothing is certain yet. He might go for a very short, very quick visit. After all, the lord can’t leave his domain empty for too long.”

“No! He said when he goes this time, he won’t come back again. That’s why he called the Griblata knighthood all the way here. If he was staying, would he have called the knighthood? To this safe Sirulenia villa?”

“Oh, come on!”

Hazel elbowed Graham hard in the solar plexus as he blurted out tactlessly.

Surely, it would be better to hear such things directly from one’s husband rather than from others.

“Ow!”

“This is why you always get scolded by your wife, being so tactless!”

“What? Why did the conversation suddenly jump like that? Did I say something wrong?”

Belladonna, who had been staring blankly at the two, quickly changed her expression back to her usual comfortable and benevolent face.

She smiled as if nothing was wrong and pointed slightly behind her.

Can I go now…?

Hazel, who noticed her intention, quickly nodded and opened his mouth.

“Ah, yes! Please continue on your way, madam. We’ll also return to the training grounds now.”

“I’m not done talking yet! My lady, about what I said last evening….”

“Oh, come on! Let’s go, go! Can’t you see the madam is busy?”

“She doesn’t look very busy….”

“Please, stop it!”

Hazel firmly covered Graham’s mouth and began to drag him away.

Belladonna turned her back on them and returned towards the villa building.

He has to return to Griblata, what does that mean? She wanted to hear it directly from him.

“Oh? Madam? You’re back already? The sunlight seemed a bit strong, so I was just about to bring out a hat.”

Cindy, who was crossing the lobby, asked with a puzzled face.

Belladonna just nodded to her roughly and climbed the stairs with long strides.

‘…It’s always like this.’

Belladonna thought.

Escalion rarely told her anything about himself.

The story of coming together to this Sirulenia, the story of the knighthood visiting Sirulenia, stories from the past, even the story of Scarlet and the fact that he would soon return to Griblata…!

He was a man who had never voluntarily brought up any of these topics.

‘Will I always have to hear his stories through the mouths of others from now on?’

Belladonna, climbing the stairs, briefly lowered her gaze to look at her hand gripping the railing.

The diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger suddenly felt empty.

Sometimes she felt her heart was full, thinking she had become infinitely closer to him, but at other moments, the distant feeling between them was shown without disguise, making everything feel like her own delusion.

“Haah…..”

Belladonna, who had climbed to the third floor in one breath, turned her body without hesitation and walked towards his office.

Knock knock!

“Come in.”

As a low voice was heard from inside, she pushed the door open roughly.

She felt Escalion, who was sitting at his desk reading documents, raise his head towards her.

His golden eyes quickly filled with puzzlement and joy.

“Bella? Is something wrong?”

Belladonna, who had taken a deep breath, slowly approached Escalion.

She could see his head gradually rising as she came closer.

Finally, Belladonna, standing close in front of him, scanned the desk looking for paper and a pen.

“There’s no one else here, so you can speak.”

As Escalion noticed that she was about to start writing, Belladonna finally let out a very small voice.

“Don’t you have anything to tell me…?”

At Belladonna’s cold words, Escalion, sitting in the office chair, felt a chill run down his spine in an instant.

It was unfamiliar and frightening to have his infinitely small and gentle wife suddenly appear before him with such a cold gaze.

Escalion quickly racked his brains and spoke.

“…Something to say?”

“Yes.”

What do I have to say?

It definitely wasn’t to hear trivial compliments like cute or beautiful as usual.

If it were, her expression wouldn’t be like this.

Escalion swallowed hard and forcibly pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“It’s not yet mealtime, so it’s not about eating together. I’ve already said I’m busy with work, so there’s no separate appointment with my wife. What do I have to say?”

“……”

Belladonna tilted her head slightly and stared down at him instead of answering.

Damn, there is something. I don’t know what, but I have something to say.

Escalion pressed his lips tightly and fell into thought. Belladonna, who had been staring down at him continuously, spoke first.

“When are you going back?”

“Where?”

“You’re going back to Griblata, aren’t you?”

“Ah.”

Escalion let out a short sigh. He furrowed his brow briefly as if recalling his schedule, then immediately said.

“As early as this week? Didn’t I mention it?”

“You didn’t. Then… when will you return?”

“I probably won’t be able to return. Even coming here this time was quite a stretch.”

Belladonna, having confirmed his answer, let out a small sigh and stared at Escalion.

Escalion approached her, circling around the desk with a puzzled look on his face.

He opened his mouth while gently stroking her arms to soothe her mood.

“Bella, are you worried I might take you back with me?”

“……”

“Absolutely not. You stay here as long as you want to. And while you’re staying, feel free to renovate this villa to your liking as much as you want. So don’t worry and….”

“I didn’t want to hear those words from someone else.”

Belladonna cut off Escalion’s words midway.

“What?”

“I didn’t want to hear from someone other than my husband that my husband would soon have to return to Griblata.”

At Belladonna’s small but firm words, Escalion stopped his gently moving hands.

“You might have thought of me as just a doll or decoration because I always sat quietly without saying anything.”

“Bella, it’s not like that.”

“But I am your wife, and things like my husband’s schedule… I want to hear them directly from the person involved, at least.”

At her voice, which seemed tinged with sadness, Escalion let out a sigh.

He brushed back his disheveled hair and organized his thoughts.

“I didn’t know you cared so much about this. I thought it wasn’t an important issue since you wouldn’t be moving to Griblata.”

“How… How could I not care?”

“This kind of thing isn’t fun. It’s not even an important story for you.”

Belladonna closed her mouth, at a loss for words.

Fun? Important…? She felt that they weren’t having a proper conversation.

Aren’t we husband and wife now? How can one measure fun and importance in conversations between family members? After taking a moment to catch her breath, she slowly spoke.

“…I decide what’s important to me or not.”

“Alright. I get it, so don’t be angry. You being like this, I really don’t know how to adapt or what to do.”

“……”

“So I… I’m not used to sharing a day with someone and talking about trivial things. I thought I just needed to inform my aides or the knights of the knighthood about my schedule.”

Escalion continued speaking with a troubled expression while scratching the back of his head.

“But now that I have a wife, I understand that this isn’t right. I’ve realized my mistake, so could you please soften that scary face? I never dreamed the gentle saint would have such a terrifying side.”

“…I’m not angry.”

“If this isn’t being angry, I’m already afraid of how scary it would be if you were really angry.”

Belladonna couldn’t help but soften her expression towards him as he exaggerated a fearful look.

Escalion pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you in advance to avoid making you worry…. I had just realized this yesterday while discussing Scarlet, but I forgot again so soon.”

“……”

Belladonna raised her arms and hugged Escalion’s large back as he sincerely apologized to her.

By now, much of the resentment she had felt until coming here had disappeared.

Through their closely pressed bodies, his low voice resonated.

“As an apology, why don’t you tell me what you want? I’ll grant anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yes, jewels or accessories…. You said you don’t like those much, but anyway, tell me what you want.”

Escalion said while continuously stroking Belladonna’s back.

He was willing to do anything if it could appease his wife’s anger.

Belladonna answered without any hesitation.

“Then let me return with you. I don’t want to stay here alone, separated from you.”