Love Me Just Once - Chapter 47

And the woman lowered her eyes. Idren couldn’t tell if she was feeling depressed. The Ophelia he knew wasn’t one to be upset over such things, but the shadow on her face looked just like gloom.

He asked the person looking down at the fireplace.

“Was that why you were upset?”

“No.”

She hadn’t been upset. She had just thought it wasn’t something she needed to worry about and let it go.

It was sincere without a lie, but the man seemed to be watching her. He added words that sounded like an excuse.

“I thought telling you such things wouldn’t change anything. I would be the one solving the problem anyway… Ah, that sounds a bit strange too.”

And Idren closed his mouth. Ophelia glanced at the man who was feeling awkward for no reason.

“But you wanted me to take care of the castle while you were away on the expedition, didn’t you?”

“…Did you know?”

“I didn’t know then, but I found out after the war was over.”

To be precise, the man who called himself his financial advisor had come and told her.

Ophelia still remembered what the man who said he was cousins with Hazel – she had now perfectly memorized the knight’s name – had said.

“Just because the lord handles everything alone in peacetime doesn’t mean you should remain idle during wartime.”

Ophelia remembered the brown eyes of the man that were full of hostility towards her. He was polite but showed with his whole body that he did not respect her.

Since she had never wanted anyone’s respect, Ophelia had only asked the man one thing.

“Then what should I do?”

And Ophelia had inwardly hoped that her husband’s financial advisor would answer about that, but the man said nothing.

Only later did Ophelia realize that she should have naturally taken care of the castle when her husband was away. Even if his assistant who was always by his side at other times did it, she should have done it in a wartime situation.

But by then it was already too late, and after that day Idren never left the castle again.

Thinking about it carefully, there was a bit of a feeling of unfairness. Ophelia said to the man sitting in the chair next to her, watching her.

“Why don’t you just say it directly when you want something, instead of confusing people?”

Idren seemed flustered by her sudden outburst, but he apologized readily.

“I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t something he needed to apologize for, so it was rather an uncomfortable apology. Ophelia turned away from the man who usually insisted so well but now apologized when she didn’t even want it.

“It’s fine. If we’re going to argue, it’s my fault.”

Back then, she didn’t know much about politics or about Idren, so she just let it go as if it were someone else’s business, but now she realized that she shouldn’t have.

If the ruler was away, it was right for the spouse to take responsibility for what happened in the meantime.

Idren must have thought she would know that much and didn’t bother to bring it up.

So if blame were to be assigned, it was indeed her fault for not thinking deeply and only accepting things as they appeared.

Ophelia felt that her way of thinking about the situation had clearly changed.

Before, she didn’t care what happened to a husband who couldn’t speak properly, but now she had come to his room to match what Idren had said.

Maybe it was because she had been living healthily lately. Somehow, her daily routine in this life was being shaped by Idren’s hand, and he turned out to be more meticulous in managing people than expected.

As she ate meals and slept on time to match him, it seemed she had gained the energy to show such enthusiasm.

There was also the fact that she had become more accommodating, thinking it was a relationship that would end within three years anyway.

Before her thoughts could deepen further, Ophelia picked up the poker she had put down. She stirred the well-burning fireplace again.

“From now on, if you want something from me, say it outright. Understand?”

“I understand.”

And Idren wrapped his hand around hers holding the poker. Sparks might fly and hurt you. Whispering softly, he gently took the poker from her hand.

Ophelia watched as he skillfully arranged the firewood in the fireplace and set the poker on his side. He seemed concerned that she might pick it up again and do something dangerous.

The back of her hand that had been held tingled for no reason. Ophelia pulled her hand inward.

“So why did you bring up Brinwell?”

“Actually, I knew that Brinwell would send an envoy to the wedding. It would be troublesome if we allowed that, so I discussed it with Salode.”

And Idren explained the situation to her in a way she could easily understand. Ophelia listened as he compared the previous life and the present in a soft voice.

At the end of his concise explanation, Idren added as if concluding.

“Since it’s a situation we’ve experienced once before, I plan to act after considering which option is less disadvantageous.”

Ophelia, who had been quietly listening to his words, asked.

“So we just need to prevent the ship from entering the port somehow, right?”

“Well, yes… Do you have any good ideas?”

She did have an idea. Only, she doubted whether this man would agree that it was good.

But in any case, wasn’t it enough to achieve the goal? Only the conclusion remained in the world.

Ophelia said to the man who might finally recognize her competence this time.

“Lend me some money.”

“…Are you really not going to tell me who you’re meeting?”

Late at night in the carriage, Idren asked the woman sitting across from him. Ophelia nodded with an exasperated expression.

“I told you to just trust me for once, didn’t I?”

And she added.

“If you’re that worried, you can go back.”

That’s nonsense. Idren immediately rebutted.

“How can I send you alone when I don’t know what might happen where?”

“What do you mean alone when you’ve assigned all these knights?”

Realizing her tone had sharpened a bit, Idren closed his mouth. In any case, he didn’t want to anger Ophelia. Even though she was making him anxious.

The night before, Ophelia had suddenly asked for money. It was the first time she had said such a thing, but Idren gave her the jewels she asked for.

“I’ll pay you back later.”

To the woman who said she would do something unexpected, Idren said there was no need. It was his duty to do whatever Ophelia wanted since he had brought her to Aglante.

As he was very busy as soon as the day broke the next day, Idren had forgotten about it. There were many things to take care of as he had been away from the castle for quite some time.

If Ophelia hadn’t suddenly said she was going to the 7th district of Galisa that night, he probably would have forgotten for a long time.

Having barely finished his daily tasks and entered the dining room, Ophelia said as soon as she saw him.

“I’m going out for a bit.”

Since it was impossible for her to have anyone to meet at this point before marriage, Idren naturally asked her where she was going. Then Ophelia said she would tell him when they were alone.

After dinner, in the room where they were left alone, after hearing her destination, Idren could understand why Ophelia had said so.

“I’m going to the 7th district of Galisa.”

Hearing those words, Idren unconsciously asked what that meant.

No matter how much the public order had been sorted out, as a large port city, Galisa had several areas where all kinds of people mixed. The 7th district was one of them, with a vastly different atmosphere between day and night, so ordinary people rarely went there at night.

Especially for those of high status and unfamiliar with the harshness of the world like Ophelia, it was an uneasy place to go even in broad daylight with knights in tow.

To go to such a place now when the sun was setting, in an ordinary carriage rather than a royal one. Any sane person would have stopped her unconditionally.

Idren did so as well.

But the result he got was the realization that there was no way to stop Ophelia from doing what she said she would do.

In any case, he couldn’t send Ophelia alone to such a place, so Idren said he would go with her.

Ophelia thought he was being excessive – Do you think I never went to the 7th district while living as the governor of Galisa? – but she didn’t refuse his company.

However, as they entered deeper into the 7th district, the thought that he shouldn’t leave Ophelia here grew stronger. Idren suggested to the woman looking calmly out the window.

“I don’t know what your business is, but I’ll go instead. You stay in the carriage…”

“We’re almost there.”

And Ophelia knocked on the carriage wall, then pulled her robe down. Idren, also pulling his robe down following her, got out of the carriage.

As he reached out his hand to help Ophelia get out, Idren gestured to the knights following behind the carriage. It was a hand signal to lie in ambush around the area.

The place they stopped was in front of a noisy tavern. In front of the tavern where yellowish light and boisterous noise leaked out, Idren thought. Am I dreaming right now.

It wasn’t his first time coming to such a place, but he had never once imagined coming here with Ophelia.

To him, still trying to reconcile his brain rejecting the situation with reality, Ophelia said.

“My memory may not be that reliable, but… this should be the right place.”

And before he could make any reply, she opened the door of the tavern.