They have an intimate meal at a restaurant overlooking the lakeside scenery. Then they move to the lake to enjoy a boat ride. Finally, they mingle affectionately at a social club before returning home.

The plan was perfect.

Every moment was in a place where they could show off to others, perfect for pretending to be a happily married couple.

Arasila braided her hair in a half-up style and wore a headband made of pearls and flowers. It looked like spring flowers were blooming abundantly in her light purple hair.

The chiffon dress with an angular neckline added a fresh and lovely feel.

Having finished dressing on time, she went downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs stood Demian, neatly dressed in his uniform.

He looked perfectly like a husband waiting for his wife who was preparing to go out.

“Demian.”

When she called his name, the sculpted face looked up.

His dark eyebrows twitched slightly. It was because the sunlight pouring in from the landing window was illuminating Arasila like a halo.

“You look beautiful today as well, my lady.”

Demian, who had been staring at her silently, complimented his wife with a picturesque smile. It was when Arasila arrived right in front of him.

“Of course. And the same goes for you, Demian.”

Standing face to face with her husband, Arasila gently creased her eyes. She swallowed her criticism of him, who lied so skillfully without even wetting his lips.

The new servants who had come over from Duke Hugo’s mansion looked at the two with sparkling eyes. It was as if the protagonists of a romance novel had appeared before them.

To them, Arasila had originally been a lovable, flighty young lady, so seeing her become such a beloved noblewoman was even somewhat moving.

Probably through their mouths, word would spread outside that the Vandermir couple got along very well. That’s why they left the onlookers who had quietly gathered alone.

After all, once they went outside, the gazes would double.

“Shall we go then, my lady? I can hardly wait to start our date.”

“…Me too. I’m really looking forward to today.”

For a moment, Arasila almost said “Please be more patient,” but she held it back and smiled brightly.

She left the mansion with Demian, holding a handbag in her right hand and a parasol in her left.

This was to create a situation where it wouldn’t be strange not to link arms while walking, for the sake of her husband who disliked skinship.

The same was true when they got out of the carriage that arrived in front of the restaurant.

“Welcome, we’re delighted to have you at Vesta Restaurant. Your reserved table is this way.”

The manager guided the couple to the table by the window with the best view. It was a position where the piano music from inside the restaurant could be heard just right.

Demian politely pulled out the chair. Arasila sat down, putting on a pleasant smile.

As soon as the two appeared, people who took interest evaluated their action as romantic.

But the conversation that passed between the two as soon as the manager left their table was different.

“So you do have some manners?”

“What do you take me for?”

“An annoying knight commander.”

“We’re even then. You’re not exactly a likeable magician either.”

Still, from the outside, it looked like a newlywed couple bursting into laughter and exchanging words of endearment.

Of course, the appearance of the two, like lovers in a beautiful painting, had a strong influence on such an impression.

“Demian, we need to look like a loving couple during the meal too, right?”

“Is that even a question? Whenever there’s even one outsider, we must.”

“Your way of speaking is really quite irritating. As soon as the food comes―”

I’ll shove it down your throat.

Arasila’s last words, which she was about to utter with a sweet smile, didn’t make it out of her mouth.

It was because an uninvited guest suddenly appeared at the couple’s table.

“Arasila, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Frederick approached with a friendly smile. It was the first time they had met since the wedding.

He naturally joined them, stopping Demian who was about to give a polite greeting. The flow was so smooth that even Arasila forgot to ask, “Why are you sitting down?”

“Lord Vandermir, I was too busy to attend the reception at the wedding, so we’re only now exchanging greetings. Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Really, to marry someone like Arasila. You are a lucky man.”

Frederick patted Demian’s shoulder with a strangely forceful hand. Demian silently nodded.

“I think so too, Your Highness.”

“That’s good to hear. I hope that luck lasts for a long time.”

The tone was quite subtle for a well-wish. The smile at the end of his words was also ambiguous. But Demian nodded this time as well.

It could be because the crown prince before him was his wife’s close friend.

“Ah, do you know how long we’ve been close friends?”

“I heard you were close since the academy days.”

“That’s right, a friendship that’s continued since we were freshmen. Do you remember our first meeting, Arasila?”

Frederick turned towards Arasila and rested his chin on his hand. This left only his back and the back of his head visible to Demian.

“Of course. You got lost on the day of the entrance ceremony and asked me for directions.”

“I thought you were an upperclassman because you looked so relaxed. I was so surprised and amused when I found out you were a freshman too.”

Frederick’s face, as he laughed with his palm covering his mouth, looked very happy. As if just recalling that memory made him happy.

The conversation that followed was mainly about reminiscing about the two’s memories. As Demian had no way of knowing, it was a topic he couldn’t dare to join.

Instead of trying pathetically not to be left out, he leaned back and quietly observed Frederick and Arasila.

When he had heard about it from his wife’s mouth, they seemed like simple friends, albeit close ones, but seeing them like this, their friendship seemed deeper than he had thought.

‘This isn’t exactly a good thing.’

The man who had wedged himself between the newlyweds happened to be the crown prince, so people’s curiosity was growing.

If the situation where the wife kept chatting with another man while ignoring her husband continued, it was certain that bad rumors would circulate.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Fortunately, Arasila wasn’t a person without tact. Realizing that Demian had been quiet for a while, she immediately changed the topic.

“Demian doesn’t know these stories, so it must be boring for him. We’ve been talking for too long.”

“It’s fine. I was deeply engrossed in the pleasure of watching my wife’s chattering lips.”

Arasila hesitated for a moment at the sudden interjection, and Frederick spoke with a laugh.

“That’s troublesome, my lord. If you weren’t focusing on your wife’s words, you should apologize, not try to gloss over it with such words.”

“I apologize, Your Highness. Perhaps because we’re newlyweds, I lose myself whenever I look at my wife.”

Demian spoke deliberately to overturn the situation that the crown prince had been leading.

What needed to be displayed here was the relationship between the couple, not the friendship between the crown prince and Arasila.

“I think this symptom will last a lifetime. Because my wife will always be beautiful no matter when I look at her.”

“You’re always so objective, dear.”

Arasila laughed genuinely, her eyes curving. Demian also let out a sincere smile, amused by her brazen response.

In an instant, the person being left out changed to Frederick.

The smile disappeared from his lips. At the same time, the food they had ordered started to arrive. It was perfect timing.

“By the way, Frederick. Are you planning to eat with us?”

Arasila asked, belatedly realizing that Frederick wasn’t leaving.

It was a meal meant to show off the couple’s relationship, and she wasn’t very pleased with a friend joining unexpectedly without being part of the plan.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you ate separately? It might be uncomfortable.”

“No, when else would we get to eat together like this? I’m glad to have accidentally met a friend couple. If it’s not rude, I’d like to eat together.”

Frederick, smiling gently, turned his head to look at Demian. Although he seemed to be smiling the same way, his eyes were quite different.

“Would that be alright, my lord?”

“Yes.”

Frederick’s eyebrows twitched at the brief answer, but his smile remained intact.

In the end, the food Frederick had ordered was also served at the couple’s table. Unlike the two who had ordered steak dishes, Frederick’s was mainly seafood.

“Arasila, you like shrimp, right? Try this.”

Frederick promptly placed a grilled shrimp with sauce on Arasila’s plate. Then he added, turning to Demian.

“Arasila’s favorite seafood is shrimp or lobster, something like that. My lord should remember and take good care of her next time.”

“…”

Demian deliberately didn’t answer as he wiped his lips with a napkin.

A male acquaintance pretending to know well about the wife in front of her husband?

It was clearly a provocation. Something that would never be done in a simple friendship.

‘Surely these two aren’t more than friends?’

He clenched and unclenched his fist under the table. The prenuptial agreement naturally included a no-cheating clause.

But if the other party was the crown prince, it would be difficult to easily raise an objection.

‘If they become that kind of relationship during the marriage…’

As Demian’s expression darkened at the worst assumption, Arasila quietly opened her mouth.

“Frederick.”

“…Huh?”

“Why are you suddenly doing such creepy things? Are you sick? Or do you have a favor to ask me?”

It was a statement that completely shattered the atmosphere that was about to become sharp.

Both Frederick and Demian were dumbfounded.

However, Arasila continued seriously, regardless.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept bribes. I’m an incorruptible magician who will become the next head of the Magic Tower.”

She moved the shrimp back to Frederick’s plate. It was a bit regrettable, but it couldn’t be helped. Instead, she tasted a bit of the sauce stuck to the tip of her fork.

Hmm… should I take it back?

“No, Arasila. I just gave it to you because you like shrimp.”

Frederick explained with a flustered face, waving his hands. Then Arasila put down her fork and hardened her expression.

“Frederick, I’m really disappointed in you.”

“…Huh?”

Frederick’s heart sank at the unexpected words. His scarlet eyes shook roughly.

“Why, why disappointed…”

“I prefer meat more. Did you forget?”

“…”

“Eating meat makes me feel full.”

That’s why Arasila always ate meat for dinner on days when she had to work overtime. After all, the driving force to stay up all night comes from feeling full.

Demian, looking back and forth between the speechless crown prince and his endlessly serious wife, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Demian, why are you laughing? This is a really important conversation.”

“I didn’t laugh… pfft.”

He ended up burying his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly.

He simply couldn’t hold back his laughter in the face of Arasila, who instantly made both men look like fools.

Really, what an exasperating woman.