“I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”

With that brief farewell, Sieghart left his seat and went out to the shopping district.

It was supposed to be their wedding anniversary, but he couldn’t face his wife empty-handed. Yet giving an obviously prepared gift would make her uncomfortable.

So Sieghart planned to present flowers under the guise of spontaneity. Though he had already decided on every detail down to the specific flowers, making it rather contradictory to call it impulsive, the naive woman wouldn’t know any better.

The man visited a flower shop and requested a bouquet from the owner.

“Is it for your lover?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You seem a bit tense.”

At the shopkeeper’s words, Sieghart unconsciously rubbed his face. He could feel the stiffness in his facial muscles through his fingers.

Tension…

Of course he was tense around her. He had never failed to tremble in the presence of such a noble being.

“She’s not my lover.”

“…”

“Someone I want to confess to.”

The shopkeeper smiled brightly at his dazed murmur.

“You even remember her favorite flowers – you must really like her!”

I do love her. He kept this answer to himself.

Sieghart stood waiting for the bouquet to be finished, not even thinking of sitting down. Not that it would make the flowers ready any faster. The shopkeeper began bustling about unnecessarily.

“It’s done! I hope you get a good result!”

The owner handed over a large bouquet with a bright smile.

Sieghart took the flowers and returned to his original spot.

Countless people were milling about the fountain. Try as he might to understand her, it was hard to relate to a woman who found such a repulsive anthill fascinating.

In any case, only one person would be in his eyes; the rest were mere impurities.

He gazed intently at the woman who looked like a tiny dot from afar.

Her golden hair rippled softly in the breeze, dyed red by the setting sun. After looking around with a lonely expression, she finally settled her gaze in one direction. A faint smile graced her elegant face.

His view was blocked by the crowd. Given the distance, Natasha couldn’t have seen him.

Above all, there was no way she would smile at him. Even when she gave him a sneer, he would spend busy days misinterpreting that smile.

Knowing this, Sieghart still secretly wished the smile was meant for him. He desperately hoped and hoped.

Remembering Natasha’s pure smile, the man moved forward. The children swarming to see the flowers were bothersome, but he was satisfied to have momentarily gained the woman’s attention because of them.

‘A confession.’

Sieghart thought.

The moment I confess, that woman will run far away. Those red eyes might fill with disgust.

He decided to keep protecting the truth she pretended not to know for a little longer. What Sieghart Asthart needed was the art of waiting. Of suppressing his impulses until he could overcome his transgressions…

The man finally stopped in front of Natasha.

The woman’s relaxed posture stiffened. Veins stood out on the back of her hand resting demurely on her knee, and wrinkles formed on her smooth skirt.

“This may not be a joyous day for you, but I still wanted to congratulate you.”

“…”

“For enduring being with someone you don’t love, and putting up with deceptive affection.”

Sieghart forcibly pressed the bouquet into her hands as she struggled to accept it.

Realizing resistance was futile, she reluctantly cradled the gift. Though it was an unwanted present, Natasha stared blankly at the bouquet, apparently drawn to its beauty. She then murmured slowly.

“…Sieghart, you’re acting a bit strange.”

He raised an eyebrow slightly instead of replying.

“Doing this when you know everything. I’m telling you, I know all the secrets you’re hiding. So trying to placate me with these things won’t work. Absolutely not…”

“No, that can’t be.”

He strongly denied one part.

His objection was to the claim of “knowing the secrets,” but Natasha seemed to think his answer represented the latter.

Sieghart didn’t bother to refute further. After all, he was content just looking at her lovely face for now.

The sun was setting. As they had planned to spend their last evening in the duchy with the Marquis and Marchioness of Velliace, it was time to return to the mansion.

Right on cue, the coachman who had come to pick them up guided the two to the carriage.

With Sieghart’s help, Natasha boarded the carriage and took her designated seat.

Perhaps because her eye level was lower, the bouquet seemed even larger in her view. The fragrant scent of flowers was particularly strong in the enclosed space.

Flowers.

It was quite romantic for a gift from a man who resolved everything financially or physically.

Sieghart Asthart had certainly become more sentimental lately.

Even if his goal was to curry favor, choosing her hometown as their anniversary trip destination went against the man’s rational side. If it were the usual him, he would have chosen the most glamorous and grand location and taken Natasha there.

Natasha took a breath. The sweet floral scent pricked her nose. She glanced surreptitiously at the window, which now held a familiar view.

This was the only moment to speak.

“You know, Sieghart.”

Natasha unconsciously followed the other’s sentimental mood.

“I still have something important to confirm. It’s very crucial and serious… But I think by then, my resentment towards Your Excellency might subside a little.”

“…”

“…Really, just a little.”

Such a statement could only come from someone who firmly believed in Sieghart’s innocence in that incident. Natasha realized the subtle difference only after speaking and felt puzzled at herself.

Could she be unexpectedly anticipating the man’s innocence?

The perpetrator who tried to trap Natasha with various schemes should be no different from the Sieghart of her past life. Assuming the incident was someone else’s plot was beyond radical; it was a leap.

“I’ll wait.”

Her thoughts dissipated at the firm reply.

As if promising to wait even if it took years.

After enjoying a splendid dinner at the marquis’ mansion, the two returned to the duke’s residence in the carriage prepared by the Velliace couple. The journey from the duchy to Asthart’s domain was expected to take a day and a half at a leisurely pace.

As always, Sieghart sat across from her, killing time. He would rest his chin on his hand and gaze out the window, then quickly fix his eyes on her the moment Natasha looked away.

She frowned as if tired of his attention, but her expression softened when she inadvertently noticed an object. The sturdy vase and colorful flowers on the window sill were suitable for soothing her anger.

Her dignified posture gradually loosened as the carriage ride lengthened. Her indifference towards the man also changed with the passage of time. She would occasionally glance unconsciously at the opposite seat.

Then, as the long journey became tiring, she dozed off.

The carriage jolted now and then as it hit bumps in the road. No matter how comfortable and large the carriage was, it was impossible to pass over rough terrain smoothly.

Natasha’s eyes half-opened. Her blurry vision caught the empty space across from her.

At that moment, she felt a warm heat. The warmth decorating her side signaled both an absence and a presence.

Something persistent and hot was entwining her hand. It was enough to chase away the drowsiness weighing down her eyelids.

There was no need for this here. With no one watching, there was no reason to pretend to be an affectionate husband. Besides, as Sieghart said, she despised deceptive kindness…

Yet contrary to her thoughts, she couldn’t bring herself to speak up. Her head, lightly resting on the man’s shoulder, didn’t move either.

Natasha closed her eyes again. She was simply succumbing to the need for sleep that all humans have.

The not-so-short period of two weeks passed surprisingly quickly. It was no different from what Sieghart had said before starting the trip. The journey she thought would be endless left only regret in its wake.

The coachman’s call announcing their arrival came from outside. Soon the door opened, and Sieghart stepped out first.

Just before the man’s body completely left the carriage, Natasha grabbed his collar.

And before Sieghart could turn his head towards her, she spoke first.

“As you know, no matter how much effort you put in, I won’t open my heart to you.”

“…”

“But… thank you. For bringing me to the place I wanted to visit most. I lacked confidence and only wandered aimlessly, never actually coming to my hometown. Thanks to you, I now have the courage to return whenever I miss home or feel homesick.”

The world seemed to stop, and even the other’s body remained still. The large frame that had been motionless as if dead finally moved after a long while. He put his foot on the ground and then extended his hand to escort her.

“I’m glad to have contributed to your happiness.”

With a gentle smile that seemed out of place on the man,

“I’ll keep working hard here too. So that my wife can always smile brightly.”

But one all too familiar to this life’s Natasha.

By now, the voice that should have intruded remained silent. Was it keeping its promise from that day? Or was it unable to appear freely because she was holding onto Sieghart?

Or perhaps…