“Father doesn’t know. I told you, our father is very busy. He rarely stays at the mansion, so if I properly silence the servants and knights, he won’t know that I’m learning swordsmanship.”

I laughed mischievously at his bewildered expression.

“Was the conversation too heavy? To put it simply, I kept it a secret because I knew he obviously wouldn’t allow it. He really loves me, you see.”

He loves Julieta so much, yet he was a father who didn’t even know what she liked, let alone the fact that the child had died…

A bitter smile formed on my lips. Julieta just wanted to be loved. It seemed that no one could truly be a pillar of support for that child.

“I apologize if this is rude, but I’m not sure if your father’s way of loving is truly for your sake. You speak so sorrowfully about your father’s love for you. Does your father even know what you like?”

Right now, if there had been someone who paid attention to her like this, wouldn’t Julieta have been happy?

“…You’re right. He says he loves me, but Yezar, whom I’ve only known for a short while, knows me better.”

It was fine since the original owner of this body, Julieta, was the object of her family’s love anyway. I thought I shouldn’t be greedy.

His blue eyes rippled. He approached me closely and whispered.

“I want you to tell me anything. Even if you act spoiled or sulky, I will try to learn more about you. I will always be by your side.”

But maybe it’s okay for me to be a little greedy for the attention directed at me now, not the original Julieta?

“As a friend and husband?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Then I’ll make a promise too. As long as I am your wife, you will never have to gaze endlessly at my back.”

I stretched out my pinky finger in front of Yezar. He stared blankly at my finger. So I took his hand, unfolded his pinky, and linked it with mine.

“There! This means I’m making a promise. Linking pinkies means you promise to keep your word.”

“I see, my lady.”

He looked at my hand as if he found it fascinating to learn something new. He was such a cute man.

“Well, now that we’ve made a promise, let me tell you about something I’ve been worrying about lately.”

“What is it?”

I could see him pricking up his ears and focusing on my words. Recalling the letters that had come to me along with the butler the other day, I replied.

“I need to start replying to the tea time invitations from the noble ladies. Is it alright for me to attend?”

Since it was an unexpected marriage, the noble ladies must be dying to meet me and hear my story.

They would ask about where and how Yezar and I met, what we did, and why we hid it until now, as well as inquire about the current life in the ducal household.

As for rumors about me, they would probably only know me as the eccentric daughter of the Count’s family who was living in seclusion. But among the noble ladies, those well-versed in rumors would know that Yezar had someone he truly loved. So they would dig into the dubious parts of our marriage.

If possible, I wanted to avoid it, but as the Duchess, I had to engage in external activities. Even if I could somehow postpone it initially under the pretext of adapting, there would be occasions where I’d have to attend official events.

At that time, we would have to naturally act as a loving couple without fail.

“Are you alright with that, my lady? Didn’t you say you disliked such social gatherings and banquets?”

However, seeing how he always prioritized my concerns, there seemed to be no reason for suspicion.

“I am the Duchess of Perhaem. If I avoid such gatherings for no reason, it will only lead to gossip. Besides, I intended to engage in external activities as well.”

He seemed to be lost in thought again. It would be fine to just let me go. Still, I didn’t dislike the fact that he considered me carefully. As if he had finished pondering, he opened his mouth.

“Then, how about I accompany you at that time?”

“Accompany me? I appreciate the thought, but if other ladies see that, they’ll think you’re too clingy. It’s just a simple social gathering where ladies get together and chat.”

“But…”

“It’s alright. I’ll make sure to show off how close and loving we are as a couple without any mishaps!”

When I said I would do my best with determination, he murmured softly.

“A loving couple…”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Please, go to sleep now. It’s late at night.”

It didn’t seem like the middle of the night yet. But not wanting to tire him out further, I lay down on the bed.

“Yezar, good night.”

When I replied, he nodded. It was another peaceful night.

When he heard the sound of her steady breathing, Yezar carefully got up from the bed. Now that they had been sleeping together in the same bed for a while, Yezar had discovered one thing about Julieta.

His wife would smile brightly when she fell into a deep sleep, which was an adorable fact. Sometimes, when he woke up first and saw her sleeping face, oblivious to the world, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Perhaps it was because the atmosphere was completely different from when she was awake. He wondered where the overflowing energy in that small and delicate face came from.

As he gazed at her quietly, her soft and beautifully curled rose-colored hair shimmered, bathed in moonlight.

Yezar naturally stroked Julieta’s hair. It was a secret unknown to Julieta, but since the first time he had stroked her hair, he often found himself touching and running his fingers through her locks.

Perhaps it was because he couldn’t dare to touch any other part of her. After gently stroking her hair, he carefully caressed her head.

At that, a smile spread across her lips. Yezar’s lips also curved into a smile. When he was with her, Yezar found himself smiling more often.

“…My lady, I also have a concern.”

He was softly confessing a worry that he couldn’t bring himself to share with anyone to his sleeping wife.

“Actually, since our marriage, I’ve been receiving letters from Bertisha. I didn’t want to face her because it was painful. She writes that she couldn’t attend the royal wedding due to circumstances and wants to meet you, asking to see each other after a long time.”

Yezar’s eyes twisted in agony.

Bertisha was a painful love for Yezar. From the moment he first saw her, he fell for her helplessly, as if it were a predetermined fate, seeing nothing else but only her.

‘Yezar, look at this. Isn’t it beautiful?’

When Bertisha smiled while holding a bouquet of flowers in full bloom, Yezar would smile along with her. But at some point, all Yezar could see was Bertisha’s back. The more he suffered, the happier she became, and in the end, Bertisha fell deeply in love with Camileo, who was the crown prince.

Perhaps that was why. Despite not being good at drinking, he had sought out a tavern.

Worried about drawing attention, he pulled a robe tightly over his head and even changed his eye color to a common brown, just in case.

After downing a couple of drinks, he felt pathetic and was about to get up when a woman grabbed him.

‘Hey, Sir Knight! Why are you taking someone else’s drink?’

Her eyes, looking at him with pursed lips, were raised. Her cheeks were flushed red, probably from having a few drinks, and although her attire was plain, judging by her well-maintained hair and skin, she seemed to be the daughter of a noble family.

‘I apologize. I was not in the right state of mind. I will pay for the drink.’

Then, as if something displeased her, the woman pouted her lips and pulled him down to sit on a chair.

‘…I have plenty of money too! So I don’t need money, just have a drink with me!’

‘Pardon?’

‘Oh, you said “yes.” You’ve given permission!’

Even recalling it now, it was a startling first encounter. In a way, it was also quite forceful.

“Seriously, you might want to cut back on drinking a little.”

As he said that, Yezar realized that he had been murmuring his troubling thoughts to the sleeping Julieta just a moment ago.

But why his thoughts always led back to Julieta, Yezar couldn’t understand. However, the painfully contorted eyes softened, and a smile lingered on his lips.

When he was by Julieta’s side, all his painful emotions became a passing wind and scattered away. When he was with Julieta, instead of swallowing his pain alone in a room, he found himself smiling.

“Such letters become insignificant, as if forgotten. Although you may not remember, my lady… Our first kiss was not by some quiet lake but in this bedroom. On a beautiful night when the moonlight gently colored the bed, not a gentle breeze, it was you who approached me, not I.”

On their first night as a married couple, Julieta was heavily intoxicated and utterly relaxed. Yes, just like when they first met at that tavern. So he had asked Julieta a question.

‘My lady, we have met before. Do you happen to remember?’

‘Huh? You, Yezar? Me?’

‘Yes, you, my lady. Didn’t you grab me at some noisy tavern?’

‘Hmm, I don’t recall seeing eyes as pretty as the sparkling sea. But I do remember grabbing some foolish knight and talking to him!’

A foolish knight… Suddenly hearing an honest account of how their first meeting went, his mind went blank.

‘Ah, that person did resemble Yezar. I had someone I loved for a very long time. And he says he’s giving up! Seriously, I thought my insides would burst from listening to that!’

Julieta clenched her fists and hit the table as if she found it truly frustrating. At that, Yezar couldn’t help but laugh. It was similar to her reaction when she listened to his story at the noisy tavern.

As he listened quietly, Julieta told various stories.

‘You know what? I was tempted to just grab that knight and marry him on the spot!’

‘Is that so? But your husband now is me, isn’t it?’

‘I’m just saying. Just saying!’

When she tried to reach for the wine again, he stopped her. Julieta looked at him as if demanding him to hand it over.

‘I’m not drunk.’

‘Your tongue is all twisted.’

‘Mmm, no, it’s not…’