Don't Get Caught By Your Husband! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15

“What are you so surprised about?”

Escalion asked, his golden eyes sparkling even brighter in the darkness as he widened them roundly.

Th-that means…… he wants to put the ring on as soon as possible……?

Escalion, looking down at her in great embarrassment, lifted 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 think intensely about how to delay sharing a room with him.

Escalion, looking at her as if she were amusing, spoke in a voice mixed with laughter.

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

“…….”

“How did you manage to keep the secrets of so many imperial citizens with that face?”

He chuckled and asked. Then he reached out his finger and poked her white cheek.

“I won’t eat you, so don’t worry.”

“……?”

“The doctor said so. You’re naturally quite frail. If you overexert yourself even a little, you might get sick again, so for the time being, focus only on recovering your health. And gain some weight.”

Escalion stopped poking and opened his mouth.

“I’m disappointed, but……. well, there’s plenty of time ahead.”

“…….”

“So don’t worry needlessly, just sleep comfortably. Isn’t that the shortcut to recovering your health?”

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

Forced to lie down by his touch, Belladonna blinked with a troubled face.

‘As expected, it makes me too uncomfortable…….’

She also felt sorry for him, who couldn’t think at all about annulling the marriage.

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

I hope three months pass quickly…….

[This is the timeline separator]

As each day passed, the north wind visiting Grivlata grew a little stronger.

Grivlata was now heading into full winter.

“Madam, aren’t you cold?”

When she turned 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, approached and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

“The corridor is chillier than expected. By the way, there’s something I’d like to show you, madam. Do you have a moment?”

What is it?

Belladonna nodded.

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

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

And handing it to her, he opened his mouth.

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

Belladonna flipped the cover of the ledger with one hand.

“Originally, I was handling it arbitrarily on my own, but now that madam is officially here. From this year, I want to decide the ducal castle’s household matters in consultation with you.”

Household…….

Belladonna felt a slight discomfort as she looked at the ledger.

Wolf is really meticulous…….

There was no trace of waste, even for the smallest piece of firewood.

“You won’t be able to know everything right away. It seems best to go step by step with me starting today.”

Belladonna nodded and read the ledger with her eyes.

She didn’t know much about family management, but thanks to what she learned at the papacy over the past six months, she wasn’t completely ignorant.

‘So these are the timbers going to the kitchen, these to the forge……. And the servants’ quarters and this…… our bedroom.’

Belladonna slowly read the numbers in the ledger.

‘Compared to last year’s total usage……. Hm, then what’s the difference?’

At that moment, her gaze stopped at one place.

A certain amount of the timber purchased with Grivlata’s budget was being shipped to a place other than Grivlata Castle.

‘The delivery address…….’

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

[Scarlet Layton]

Confirming the name in the ledger, Belladonna let out a trembling breath.

‘It’s this woman.’

She knew instinctively.

The woman to whose address high-quality timber purchased by the castle was periodically shipped.

The woman who had visited Escalion Castle and was the owner of the ruby necklace in the vanity.

Escalion’s mistress.

Scarlet Layton.

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

Anyway, after three months, she would end the relationship with her husband, so what did his mistress matter…….

‘No, being irritated is being irritated!’

Belladonna nervously put down the ledger.

If that’s the case, why did he marry at all! He should just live with the woman he can’t live without!

“Madam……?”

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

And if that’s the case…….

‘……Don’t be so nice to me.’

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

Escalion as a husband was neither greatly lacking nor demanding.

He wasn’t the type to pour passionate affection or interest on Belladonna, but if she wanted something, he tried to grant it in most cases and provided as much convenience as possible.

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

Escalion didn’t pressure her regarding the covenant ceremony, nor did he separately mention the heir issue.

Though he did sleep in the same bed every night.

‘We’re not really a couple who cherish each other…….’

No matter what, discovering her husband’s mistress in this way was absolutely not a pleasant feeling.

“Madam……? Are you alright?”

Wolf asked again.

Only then did Belladonna, barely escaping her thoughts, lift her head and meet his eyes.

“Perhaps it’s too complicated? I tried to simplify it as much as possible…….”

Belladonna shook her head slightly and smiled.

She picked up the pen next to the ledger she had nervously thrown aside earlier, took a piece of paper, and began writing.

[There’s nothing lacking in scanning it. Since you, who have been solely managing the ducal castle’s household, must have done well, proceed as is. I’ll trust only you from now on.]

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

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

“Understood, madam……! From now on, I will report regularly on matters related to the castle. If there’s any part that’s hard to understand or anything you’d like changed, please feel free to tell me anytime!”

Belladonna smiled and nodded.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ugh, it’s cold!”

Cindy entered the room, clutching her collar.

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

“Madam, isn’t it too cold?”

When Cindy turned and asked, Belladonna shook her head.

Thanks to her maintaining the room temperature appropriately, Belladonna was living without feeling much cold.

Sitting in the rocking chair by the large window, Belladonna glanced outside.

It was clearly felt that the barren season losing its green was approaching.

“Ah, madam! Have you heard the story?”

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

She sat across from Belladonna, who was scanning a few ledgers Wolf had given her, and began speaking excitedly.

What story is she going to tell?

“The biggest festival in Grivlata is happening next week!”

Festival?

Belladonna tilted her head.

“Before the weather gets colder, the villagers gather to pray to Elieja, the goddess of snow! They give thanks for safely finishing the year and pray for abundance and peace next year like this year.”

Ah, so it’s the year-end festival?

Belladonna recalled Astanya’s year-end festival.

The last time she attended as the saintess…….

It was one of the few pleasant memories for her.

“Since it’s your first year in Grivlata, how about participating with the lord, madam?”

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

“The lord secretly likes festivals!”

As if reading her expression, Cindy added.

Really?

When Belladonna made a surprised face, she continued explaining.

“Last year, he went out in plain clothes and enjoyed it to the fullest, I think? The lord secretly doesn’t like standing out or being noticed by others.”

That’s really unexpected.

Belladonna thought.

With his sly and playful personality, I thought he liked standing in front of people…….

‘Perhaps……. as he often says, being of commoner origin, that might be more familiar to him.’

“Anyway, go out with the lord this time! It’ll be really fun!”

At Cindy’s proposal, strongly uttered as she leaned in, Belladonna nodded dazedly.

That evening, Belladonna glanced at Escalion entering her room.

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

“Do you have something to say?”

Quick-witted Escalion asked Belladonna and held out his palm.

These past few days, the couple had been having small conversations through voices and palm writing.

Belladonna, as if waiting, brought his large palm to her lap 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 languidly.

“It’ll be very different from what you enjoyed in Astanya? Since you came 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 firm.

“Besides, your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. With that body, if you spend the whole day in the cold wind walking around, you’ll end up bedridden for days again. For someone waiting only for his wife to get healthy, that’s incredibly irritating.”

Tch…….

Belladonna had no choice but to nod.

Escalion, watching her resign, opened his mouth again.

“Why do you give up so quickly?”

“……?”

What is he saying.

You told me not to go.

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

Belladonna blinked her eyes without knowing why.

Come to think of it…….

Perhaps because living as a saintess and not budging at the Pope’s words became a habit, she couldn’t even think of begging him once more.

‘I’ve unknowingly become accustomed to acting like a puppet.’

Then grant it, come on!

“But I can’t just grant a request.”

Escalion pulled up the corner of his mouth, showing his characteristic relaxed and sly smile.

Again, again with that!

Then what should I do?

When Belladonna looked at him with a wronged face, he tapped his right cheek with his finger.

“You should at least give a request kiss.”