Luke’s eyebrows twitched at the contextless question. He looked at Aria with a cold face.
“What’s with the sudden talk?”
“I thought you were continuously glancing at Bonita’s hand. Perhaps you also want to hold hands and walk together, my lord.”
“…….”
Luke, feeling a prick, averted his gaze. Aria thought to herself,
‘He still can’t lie.’
Hidden behind a frightening appearance, Luke was a sensible and honest person. Titles like the ruler of the South or sorcerer were merely rumors.
…At least that’s what Aria, who was once Elodie, thought.
Aria tapped Luke’s waist, who was still looking at Bonita and Catherine’s hands, lightly.
“If you want to hold hands, go and ask Bonita directly.”
“Well….”
Luke’s gaze wandered into space. But the silence didn’t last long. He soon opened his mouth nonchalantly.
“The hand is already holding onto my mother’s, isn’t it?”
“Oh. Bonita has two hands, you know? The other side is empty.”
Aria’s words, as if saying, ‘Did you not know that?’ made him shut his mouth again.
‘Is he feeling embarrassed?’
Aria walked beside Luke, glancing at him with a teasing expression, and her lips at the corner of her mouth curled up slightly.
Well, Luke was like that even during their courtship. Although he stuck close, seeming eager to do everything he hadn’t done before after they spent a night together, he couldn’t bring himself to speak first.
How stubborn was he?
Thinking back to the youthful days, Aria chuckled. A mischievous smile, like that of a boy, appeared on her face.
“Or should I hold it for you? Instead of Bonita.”
“…That’s unnecessary talk.”
Luke, making an unpleasant expression, took a step back from her.
His expression was fierce.
But when they first reunited, he had already received death threats. At that time, he had no fear, and now there was no fear either.
‘But he does match his walking speed.’
Although Aria was considered tall for a woman, she was still much shorter than Luke, who was tall even among adult men.
Yet, Aria didn’t need to walk fast to keep up with him. He adjusted his stride from his side.
She noticed that his red eyes never looked at her directly, but Aria realized that he was subtly caring and considerate.
‘A bit… improved, I guess.’
Compared to the initially domineering attitude, it was much better.
Of course, it couldn’t be compared to the time with Elodie. At that time, Luke, nicknamed by the social circles as a marshmallow soaked in syrup, was as soft and mushy as a marshmallow.
“So.”
As they continued walking slowly behind Bonita and Catherine, Luke spoke up first from his side.
Still only looking forward, he asked, “What was the thing you wanted to say earlier?”
Aria sighed quietly.
“Well… It’s about Bonita’s talent.”
“Talent?”
This time, Luke turned his head. His red eyes, filled with curiosity, stared at Aria.
“Yes. It seems that Bonita has talent in drawing.”
“Talent in drawing.”
Parroting Aria’s words, he strangely formed a satisfying smile.
“Of course she does.”
“…Really? Does my lord also have talent in drawing?”
Aria, who had never seen Luke draw during their courtship or marriage, was surprised. However, his expression seemed to question what she was talking about.
“I’ve never tried drawing.”
“Then why do you say ‘of course’…?”
“Because it’s obvious.”
“…”
Aria was left speechless, finding the situation absurd. Various thoughts floated in her mind.
“Do you know? Most parents believe their children are geniuses.”
This was a joke that came up among the ladies yesterday.
‘Well, she is a genius.’
Aria wondered if she might be such a parent herself, but no matter how she thought about it, Bonita was indeed a genius.
Objectively, she was a genius.
Absolutely not just biased!
“But, well. If she likes drawing, it would be nice to hire an art teacher for her.”
Luke, who didn’t know the extent of Bonita’s drawing skills, spoke in a calm tone.
“In any case, at the age of seven, it’s time for nobles to start calling private tutors to teach etiquette and arithmetic.”
It was not a wrong statement.
Aria considered correcting Luke’s thoughts but decided to leave it for later, saving the surprise for another time.
Wasn’t it a good thing to be exceptionally good at drawing? Many nobles had hobbies like drawing or playing musical instruments, so Bonita’s talent would enrich her life even more.
Moreover, Bonita seemed to enjoy drawing.
That should be enough.
There was no need to force the development of her talent. There was no need at all.
When Luke mentioned getting an “art teacher,” it meant doing so when Bonita wanted it.
“How do you plan to find a teacher?”
“First, I need to get recommendations.”
“Do you have someone in mind?”
“I’ll contact the Imperial Academy…”
Luke, who was saying that, suddenly stopped.
Imperial Academy graduates.
It was a good idea, but they were not readily available. The annual capacity of the academy was only 330, including 200 in the Department of Swordsmanship, 100 in the Department of Magic, and 30 in the Department of Politics.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
