Special Story 3

I woke up, clutching my disheveled hair.

 

“Is it morning already…? Gasp…!”

 

I absentmindedly stretched, only to realize I was practically naked. I hurriedly pulled the bedsheets tight around me. Beside me, I saw Evan sleeping soundly. He looked as peaceful as a newborn baby; I watched him for a moment before gently stroking his silver hair.

 

“He’s so gentle like this…”

 

Unlike his current appearance, yesterday’s Evan had been like a wild beast. Usually, he was the type to always give in to me, but last night, he hadn’t held back for a single second.

 

‘Last night was truly… different.’

 

It was a side of him I wasn’t used to. Memories of the embarrassing situations from the previous night came flooding back, and a dry cough escaped my throat. I kept thinking about the moans I had let out. Ugh… my face felt like it was on fire. I fanned myself repeatedly with my hands.

 

Just then, a hand reached out stealthily and pulled me back toward the bed.

 

“Lep…? Sleep more…”

 

His drowsy voice tempted me back to sleep, but I pushed his arm away. Both of us were still naked. When I caught sight of the bite marks on his neck—marks I had left—my face burned even hotter.

 

‘And on that chest, I…’

 

I shook my head violently to stop the endless replay of last night’s events. I forced him to sit up.

 

“Get dressed first!”

 

Evan grumbled, burying his face in the pillow and acting spoiled as if he were offended.

 

“We can sleep a little longer… Aren’t you tired? You didn’t get much sleep last night.”

 

“Y-you’re the one to talk! You have to go to work. Aren’t you busy?”

 

As the Duke, he was bound to be busy. At my words, Evan made a tearful face.

 

“To think my wife is kicking her husband out to work… I want to stay with Lep a little longer.”

 

“It’s better to just get it over with. I’ll be here anyway.”

 

“…True. Because Lep will always be here.”

 

Evan leaned in and left a kiss on my forehead.

 

“They say a husband who listens to his wife is a loved husband. I’ll be back from work.”

 

Evan put on the clothes he had tossed aside yesterday and swung the door open. Liman was standing right outside.

 

“I didn’t expect you to come out so soon,” Liman said, bowing politely.

 

“I didn’t expect it either. Lep was just so embarrassed. Her back probably hurts, so make sure to prepare some medicinal tonic for her.”

 

“Yes, I understand.”

 

I was even more dazed by their conversation. Does that mean we’re going to be doing that every single night?

 

“Lep, let’s go eat.”

 

…I’m only putting up with this because of Evan’s face.

 

After finishing our meal, the physician, Elena, handed me a tonic, saying it was good for women.

 

“Please drink this, My Lady. It’s a tonic the Duke specifically requested.”

 

She mentioned the herbs used to brew it, and since I had majored in medicinal herbs, there was no way I didn’t know their effects. I cautiously asked Elena: “The rumors have spread… haven’t they?”

 

“You’ll get used to it.”

 

There was no doubt—everyone knew. Fine, it’s not like it’s going to happen only once or twice; I might as well get used to it.

 

I continued to stay in Evan’s room. Since my heart couldn’t take the constant excitement, I tried to escape to other rooms, but every time I opened my eyes, Evan was right there beside me. In the end, no matter which room I went to, it was as if I was sleeping with him anyway. Everyone in this place was on Evan’s side.

 

While Evan was away at work, I would walk through the gardens or look after the merchant guild’s affairs to calm my restless heart. I was enjoying a somewhat leisurely life when a letter arrived from my parents. My father wrote to ask if anything bad had happened to me, and my mother asked if I was doing well. They also mentioned my belongings.

 

“Evan, is the room remodeling almost finished?”

 

“Yes. You’ll be able to see it soon.”

 

I dropped hints about how curious I was to see just how extensive the remodeling was, but he absolutely refused to show me. I thought back to the room my mother-in-law had used. It had been a flashily glittering room, clearly expensive and time-consuming to create—not exactly my style.

 

“My parents told me to come pick up my things.”

 

Since I had ended up staying at the Duchy immediately after the wedding, I hadn’t been able to say a proper goodbye to the home I had lived in my entire life. I knew that one leaves their family after marriage, but facing it for real felt a bit bittersweet.

 

It’s not that married life with Evan was bad. They say you start seeing the bad side of people when you’re together all day after marriage, but we had always spent most of our time together anyway. Evan was kind and delighted in every moment he spent with me. That only made me think of my family more.

 

‘I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal…’

 

As if reading my mind, Evan spoke first.

 

“Would you like to stay at your parents’ house for a bit? Of course, I’ll go with you.”

 

“Huh? Aren’t you busy?”

 

Evan had a lot of work at the estate, but he also had to go to the Imperial Palace frequently. I had recently learned that upon officially becoming the Duke, he had also taken on the role of the Imperial Knight Commander. It made sense; it would be a waste of manpower to have a Sword Master only handling paperwork.

 

“I think I’ve only been thinking about myself. We should greet your parents. I also want to thank your father and mother once more.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For giving birth to and raising such a lovely wife.”

 

My cheeks flushed at his bright smile. I should have been used to it by now, but my heart raced helplessly at his increasingly beautiful smiles.

 

“You said that at the wedding too.”

 

“I could say it forever and it wouldn’t be enough. I feel like every moment is the happiest moment of my life.”

 

Evan rubbed his lips against the back of my hand. I felt guilty for feeling lonely when I had a person like this.

 

“I’m happy with you too, Evan. Let’s go tell my family. My father still seems anxious.”

 

I said, waving the letter I received from my father. Evan chuckled. We hurried our preparations to go out.

 

“Have a safe trip. I will have everything perfectly prepared by the time you return,” Liman said as he saw us off.

 

We headed toward my home. It had only been a few days, but it felt as though I had been away for at least a month.

 

“Lep, welcome home.”

 

“Yes! I’m back!”

 

My entire family had come out to greet me at the news of my arrival. I ran and threw myself into my mother’s arms.

 

Evan, on the other hand, was being interrogated by my father. My father gripped Evan’s shoulders, threatening him with, “You better not do anything to my precious daughter!” Evan just laughed it off with a good-natured face.

 

I enjoyed tea with my family and told them all about my married life.

 

“Is that really true?”

 

“Of course. You have no idea how spoiled Evan is. That’s all an act. He complains about not wanting to go to work all the time.”

 

I told them about everything that had happened. Piote watched Evan from the side as if he couldn’t even imagine it—actually, he looked a bit disgusted.

 

“Isn’t the role of the Mistress difficult?”

 

“It’s fine. Everyone is helping me. And you know who I am! I have experience managing a merchant guild.”

 

“It’s good to see you doing so well.”

 

I smiled proudly.

 

“Now, now, have a drink.”

 

My father kept offering Evan alcohol. They exchanged drinks and talked.

 

“Our Lep, you see… she was smart from a young age, so I knew she’d find her own way. And she did, brilliantly. She acts unpredictably sometimes, but she’s a great kid who always takes responsibility for the path she chooses.”

 

“Yes, I am well aware.”

 

Evan’s face didn’t change color at all, but my father’s face looked like he was about to collapse.

 

“Because she’s that kind of girl, I knew everyone would find her beautiful… but still… I wanted to keep her under my wing longer, but to get married as soon as she became an adult… Sob…”

 

My father’s tear ducts will probably never run dry. He wailed, not even hearing my mother’s scolding. Since he kept drinking through it all, Evan seemed to get worried and tried to stop him.

 

“Father-in-law, perhaps you should stop drinking?”

 

“No! I am perfectly fine! How can I not drink on a day like this!”

 

Eventually, my mother stepped in.

 

“Tsk. Piote, take your father away.”

 

“Me? I can’t handle him either!”

 

“Then would you rather ask your brother-in-law? Go put him to bed this instant!”

 

My mother’s royal decree fell, as she couldn’t bear to watch my father’s unsightly display any longer. Piote dragged my father away from the table.

 

Watching the two walk away, my mother told Evan to rest comfortably as if it were his own home. Left alone, we returned to our room.

 

When I opened the door to my room, it was exactly as it had been the day before the wedding. Even though I had been gone for a while, it was spotless, without a speck of dust. I could see my parents’ consideration—that I could come back whenever I wanted.

 

I dove straight onto the bed.

 

“It feels like it’s been forever…”

 

I rolled around on the bed. But at that moment, Evan appeared behind me.

 

“Lep.”

 

“Huh? Evan? The servants must have prepared a separate room for you, so why are you here?”

 

“There was a room prepared.”

 

“Then why…?”

 

“There’s no need for us to be apart. Come to think of it, Lep often slept in my room, but I don’t think I’ve ever slept in yours.”

 

Well… that’s because I was always the one going to find him.

 

“Let’s sleep together.”

 

To think he’d ask to sleep together even here… I became curious about how we would live once the remodeling was done and separate rooms were provided.

 

“If we sleep together here too, the family will…”

 

However, when I tried to refuse, I realized I would miss his presence since we had been sleeping together lately. Well, what does it matter? We’ll sleep separately once the construction is done, so it’s fine to sleep together until then.

 

I made a face that said “I have no choice” and patted the bed for him to come in. Evan didn’t hesitate and climbed into the bed.

 

“You went through a lot because of my father today.”

 

“I have to endure at least this much. I expected it, so it wasn’t hard.”

 

“M-my father can be a bit much…”

 

“I would be the same way.”

 

“About what?”

 

“If I had a daughter who looked like Lep, I think I’d be just like him.”

 

He looked very serious. More importantly, thinking about the future already…? I don’t even know if I’ll have a daughter or a son!

 

“What if she looks like Lep and is too pretty? I won’t stand for any bugs trying to poke around… Ah, a boy is fine too. It’s Lep’s and my child. The gender doesn’t matter.”

 

“It’s—it’s still a long way off!”

 

“Right? It would be best to enjoy our honeymoon for a bit longer, wouldn’t it?”

 

Evan didn’t let me win a single word and kept me speechless. As we bickered, sleepiness washed over me.

 

“Lep, are you tired?”

 

“Mmm… I should sleep. Goodnight…”

 

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

 

In my fading consciousness, I felt like I could hear Evan singing a lullaby in a tender voice.

 

Though my father and Piote caused a fuss in the morning after catching us sleeping close together, it was still a peaceful morning.

 

A few days later, following Liman, who brought news that the remodeling was finished, we left the Count Clies estate.