When The Silent Peony Blooms - Chapter 45

Erdene was not looking at Arkan.

She seemed deeply lost in thought, gazing at something in a corner.

Perhaps because it was the first time seeing her so engrossed in something, Arkan hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do.

“What are you doing?”

When he heard Erdene’s voice, Arkan was momentarily flustered, thinking he had spoken without realizing it.

As he hesitated as if trying to make an excuse, a sudden surge of defiance welled up inside him.

It was because she hadn’t even looked at him when he entered, he thought.

“That’s what I should be asking. What are you doing over there?”

Whether she heard Arkan’s question or not—though she must have—Erdene remained silent and tilted her head.

Just as Arkan, who had been standing stiffly, finally couldn’t bear it and took a step forward, Erdene, who had been intently focused like a child observing an ant colony, suddenly stood up.

“Ah, you startled me.”

Arkan, who had flinched, complained in a small voice.

Then a wave of embarrassment rushed over him, as if he were slapping his forehead.

The fact that he had been startled by her merely standing up, the realization that he had been that tense, and the worry that Erdene might have noticed his nervousness—all these emotions flooded in at once, leaving no room for order.

“Why are you so surprised? Did you eat something delicious by yourself?”

The latter part was clearly meant to be heard as a sarcastic remark.

Just as the dumbfounded Arkan was about to say something, Erdene slowly approached him, running her fingertips along the edge of the table.

The sound of her thin clothes brushing against the floor could be heard.

The soft rustling might have been enough to make one’s heart flutter, but the sharp gaze, like an arrow shot fiercely, only confused Arkan.

“Stop right there for a moment.”

Once again, it was Arkan who spoke first.

Erdene first looked puzzled, then smirked.

But she did stop in place as he said.

In a lopsided posture with her weight on one leg.

“What’s the matter, Your Majesty? Do you dislike me coming closer?”

“Is it a habit to be sarcastic as soon as you see me? Or is it some kind of after-meal exercise?”

“Sarcastic? It was Your Majesty who first stopped the steps of a wife approaching her noble husband.”

“You never lose an argument, do you? It doesn’t suit you, so stop it.”

At that, the smile on Erdene’s lips deepened.

As if trying to hide her expression, she lowered her chin slightly, causing her silk-like soft hair to slide down smoothly.

Arkan unconsciously followed the movement… and suddenly turned his head away, rubbing his flushed neck.

‘Who dressed her in such clothes!’

He now understood how Erdene must have felt on their wedding night when she shouted, “What kind of clothes are you wearing?” as soon as she saw him.

The face of Sophia Fiddlers, who attended to her, suddenly came to mind.

He was dumbfounded at the thought that she had dressed the queen in such clothes with that impassive face.

“That outfit.”

As Arkan stammered, Erdene raised her head.

When her large eyes blinked slowly, Arkan unconsciously put strength into his heels, feeling as if he might be sucked into her pupils.

It was a completely different gaze from the fierce one earlier. A gaze that seemed to pull him in, a look that seemed to beckon him closer.

“The outfit?”

Erdene asked back. Arkan finally came to his senses and cleared his throat.

“Who chose such a thing for you?”

“This, you mean?”

Erdene, who had calmly asked back, looked down at her attire as if seeing it anew.

Arkan was at a loss, bewildered by her action that seemed almost innocent.

He suddenly felt as if he had been possessed by a ghost.

Erdene lightly lifted and waved the thin, light fabric of her clothes, which was so sheer that her skin was clearly visible underneath.

At that moment, a clean and fresh scent rushed to Arkan’s nostrils.

“I chose it myself, but why do you ask?”

“You chose it yourself?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Is there a problem?”

A problem, Arkan thought. There were many problems.

His earlier shock at thinking Sophia Fiddlers had chosen such clothes with an impassive face was now completely forgotten.

There were always more than ten sets of the queen’s ceremonial clothes prepared for each season.

Among all those options, why did Erdene personally choose this one? What could it mean? What was she trying to do?

While Arkan was lost in unnecessary suspicions, Erdene was completely absorbed in other thoughts.

She was biting her cheek so hard to suppress her laughter that it was about to become ragged.

‘Goodness, to think he’d fall for something like this so easily!’

The maids who had escorted Erdene to this bedroom were Sophia and her distant relative, Sabnak.

Due to Lady Weekes’ words emphasizing ‘marital affairs,’ Erdene had chosen to wear the most provocative nightgown available, but there was no trace of sensuality in her appearance as she sat casually on the chair.

If anything, there was only a murderous intent that seemed to threaten to snap one’s neck if touched.

Seeing this, Sophia and Sabnak had repeatedly whispered to each other with subtle expressions before speaking.

[When His Majesty enters, don’t turn your head right away. How about looking at him after counting to three in your mind?] [Why should I do that?] [So that he’ll be more eager.]

For Erdene, who was used to immediately rushing over to kick the heavy bottoms of her subordinates if they hesitated when she made her presence known, this was difficult to understand, but she nodded anyway.

No sooner had Sophia finished speaking than Sabnak chimed in.

[It, it might be better to be somewhere other than sitting in the chair. Um, like by the bed or…] [Why’s that?] [Because His Majesty will be curious!]

Even though it was also her habit to lightly kick the shins of those who left their posts without a word… Erdene nodded this time as well.

[And, and if you do this, it might help too.]

Sabnak clumsily waved the hem of her skirt.

Sophia looked at her relative as if to say there was no need to go that far, but she didn’t stop her, so Erdene nodded there as well, indicating she understood.

So she did all that—that’s why she had been crouching in the corner—and seeing Arkan clearly flustered and not knowing where to look, she was on the verge of bursting into laughter.

“Your Majesty.”

Arkan’s cheeks, who had been standing still lost in thought, instantly turned bright red.

Under the candlelight scattered around, his face looked even redder, and that flushed appearance slightly amused Erdene.

‘I’ll admit his face is handsome. At first, I thought, what’s with that pale complexion, but…’

Erdene, muttering inaudibly to herself, slightly extended her hand towards Arkan.

Just as the tip of her fingers was about to touch the long sleeve of his robe, Arkan flinched and pulled his shoulder back.

That alone would have been fine, but the embarrassed expression that appeared on his face the next moment immediately irritated Erdene.

As Erdene’s eyes sharpened again, wrinkling her nose bridge, Arkan hurriedly waved his hands.

“No, this is…”

“What, are you trying to get revenge?”

Arkan blinked with a bewildered expression.

“Revenge? What do you mean?”

“Are you doing this because I told you to sleep separately on our wedding night?”

“What are you talking about…! No, you were fine just a moment ago, why are you suddenly getting angry again?”

He had deliberately provoked her at times, but this time he felt truly wronged.

When Erdene reached out her hand, Arkan had unconsciously pulled his arm back without even realizing it.

Even before Erdene’s hand reached out, Arkan had already been unable to take his eyes off her.

He was in the midst of confusion, unable to name the boiling impulses one by one.

The more intense the fragrance became, the more the candlelight flickered and the occasional sound of the wick burning echoed quietly, the harder it became for Arkan to control himself.

Whether his eyes were open or closed, there was only one image in his vision.

He wanted to embrace Erdene tightly and drag her to the bed.

Pull down the curtains, extinguish all the lights, and then…

But the moment he saw Erdene’s hand about to touch him, Arkan startled at the sensation of his heart dropping.

He thought he might do something to her at this rate. He didn’t want that.

But when Erdene suddenly became angry, as if flipping her palm, Arkan, whose mind hadn’t fully returned, couldn’t understand what was happening.

Erdene said,

“I’ve heard so much about the generous king that my ears are calloused, but I wonder if those people know that Your Majesty is such a sulky man.”

Arkan, with a dumbfounded expression, opened his lips and spread his hands.

“Sulky? Who’s being sulky? I’m just flabbergasted right now! At your whims!”

“What whims are you talking about? Ask anyone passing by. If a wife shyly reaches out her hand and her husband avoids it, is that something to get angry about or not?”