Chapter 146

“Is there a place you’ve been wanting to go for our honeymoon, Minuelle?”

This was around the time Esadien was just beginning to prepare for our wedding.

During a short tea time just for the two of us, like any other day, he suddenly asked me that.

“Hmm? I don’t know.”

I put my teacup back down and crossed my arms.

“Hmmm!”

I furrowed my brows and thought hard, but nothing specific came to mind. Instead, there was a place I wished we wouldn’t go to.

“Anywhere but a place with sandstorms is fine.”

I was sick and tired of the desert because of Austin.

Esadien nodded in agreement.

“I’ll exclude the south. Is there anything else you wish for?”

“Hmm, the location doesn’t matter…”

I trailed off, needlessly drawing meaningless lines on the table with my fingertip.

I did have a wish. It just wasn’t a very aristocratic one. Could Esadien, who had spent most of his life in the Imperial Palace, accept it?

But as Esadien moved to sit next to me, my aimlessly moving finger stopped.

“Anything is fine. Please speak comfortably.”

Staring at me so intently with eyes like a warm ocean was a foul.

No, to be honest, Esadien’s eyes, nose, and mouth were all fouls.

He smiled gently and touched the hair behind my ear as if to tickle me.

“Is it a secret?”

That was the foul of all fouls.

I was so mesmerized by my beloved’s heavenly good looks that I mumbled blankly.

“You’re a million times more handsome when you smile.”

“…Minuelle.”

Esadien’s cheeks turned faintly pink.

‘Wow.’

A handsome man is always the best. But a shy handsome man is even better!

And this legendary handsome man, who was not just a legend but the legend, was my man. With that fact empowering me, I didn’t drag it out any longer and confessed honestly.

“Actually, the location doesn’t matter, but for our honeymoon, I’d like to stay in a small, cozy house. A place where we can see each other no matter what we’re doing.”

I wanted to stay in a small, one-story house in the forest… but to others, it would probably look like a hut a forest ranger or a hunter would live in. People might start a rumor that the Grand Duchess has weird tastes.

The reason I still wished for it, even knowing that, was because I desperately wanted days where I could stick close to Esadien all day.

‘It’s a rare… once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!’

Right now, my sisters are on high alert, and I’m busy with my own work, so I’ve been holding back. But even after we get married, we probably won’t have many chances to be together.

Why? When Esadien moves into my house, we’ll both be busy with our public activities.

That’s what being an adult was. Sigh.

“That’s a good idea.”

But what do you know, Esadien nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

“We’re on the same page. I had no intention of wasting time by inviting local nobles and holding banquets from the beginning.”

Esadien’s eyes were more resolute than ever. I could feel his determination to spend the time with just the two of us, no matter what.

How thoughtful of him. I tried to suppress the corners of my mouth that wanted to twitch upwards and asked,

“Um… are you sure? Won’t it be uncomfortable?”

“I’m used to camping out. I’m just worried about you.”

Ah, this person was a former knight. I had completely forgotten that he had also lived as a mercenary, hiding his identity.

I let out a full-blown laugh that I had been holding in and rested my cheek on Esadien’s palm.

“I’ll be fine too! It’s only for a few days, I can manage without servants.”

“I’ll make sure everything is well-prepared so you won’t be uncomfortable without servants.”

Esadien guaranteed it, but I had no intention of treating him like a servant. My mind was already spinning, thinking about what to prepare.

‘The fire in the fireplace… a fire is no problem. Drawing water… maybe I can apply some levitation magic? Laundry…’

My imagination soared.

I imagined us stomping and washing laundry together in a big tub.

He would probably take on such a task with a completely serious expression. And if some foam splattered on me, he’d get embarrassed and make an excuse like, ‘I’m not used to this.’

‘Cu-cute.’

It was just a fantasy, but he was so cute I couldn’t bear it. Just as I was about to reach out and hug his neck,

Knock, knock.

A servant’s voice was heard.

“Your Highness, the tailor is scheduled to see you.”

It meant it was time for Esadien to leave. My happy fantasy vanished like foam, and I became sullen, grabbing the hem of his clothes.

“Don’t go.”

Esadien’s next appointment? Of course, I knew it beforehand. And it was for our wedding preparations, of all things. I also had a mountain of tasks piled up on my desk that I needed to handle immediately.

My head knew all of this. I knew, but perhaps because I was fantasizing about the time after our wedding? I didn’t want to part with him today.

“I will come back this evening, Minuelle. Will you have dinner with me for a change?”

Even though I was whining for no reason, Esadien didn’t show a hint of annoyance. In fact, he seemed to be in a good mood.

This made it even harder to be stubborn. I let out a laugh mixed with a sigh and kissed his cheek.

“Okay. They say we’re having venison for dinner tonight. Sister Elga went hunting with Her Highness the Crown Princess yesterday.”

“Next time, I’ll let you eat something I’ve caught.”

Esadien promised confidently. He raised the corners of his lips and formally kissed my hand, then got up from his seat.

“Ah, Minuelle.”

But it was when Esadien reached the door. Instead of opening the door, he turned back as if he had forgotten something.

“What is it?”

To me, who was tilting my head, Esadien smiled with his eyes and left me with a puzzling statement.

“There will be no time for us to do different things during our honeymoon.”

“What?”

What did that mean? How could two people do the same thing all the time while they were together?

Like, I could prepare the dishes while Esadien cooks, or I could watch him while he works out.

‘Now it’s legal! I can watch him openly!’

Wait, that’s not what he meant.

I belatedly returned to reality, but Esadien had already left, leaving only his smile behind.

***

With both expectation and questions, time flowed by so well.

In the blink of an eye, I truly became Esadien’s wife, and Gabbie also returned to our side. It was a wedding so happy it felt like joy had been sculpted into a four-tiered cake.

I slept soundly, so I finished the next day’s luncheon and seeing off the guests without any problems.

Then came the day after that, greeting the elders in the imperial lineage, and the day after that, marching in a carriage in front of the people of the empire… and all the other things…

I somehow got through it all.

I patted my shoulders, which felt sore for no reason, and let out a big sigh.

‘Oh my. My bones would melt if I got married twice.’

Getting married to a member of the imperial family was different from getting married to a noble. There seemed to be a hundred times more things to do.

“Esadien seemed tired too.”

Gabbie was one thing, but we were both so exhausted that we couldn’t even properly kiss before falling asleep after the wedding. It was a series of days like that.

“But now it’s all over!”

All that was left was our long-awaited honeymoon!

I got into the carriage first, stretched, and closed my eyes, waiting for Esadien.

‘I hope we get there soon. Esadien needs to rest too. I’ll just chat with him to my heart’s content… and give him lots of kisses…’

How many seconds had passed since I had that thought?

A warm hand gently stroked my hair.

“Minuelle.”

“Ugh…”

“Minuelle. We’ve arrived.”

“…Huh?”

It was hard to believe, but I must have fallen asleep in that short time. I rubbed my eyes blankly and asked, “Did we get to the magic gate management office?”

I heard Esadien’s low chuckle.

“No. We’ve arrived at the villa where we’ll be staying.”

“What?!”

My eyes shot open. How deeply did I sleep?

“It seems you were very tired.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. Were you bored all by yourself?”

“Not at all. I was just watching you sleep, and before I knew it, we had arrived.”

“…Did I, by any chance, talk in my sleep?”

I didn’t drool, did I?

I quickly wiped the corners of my mouth and checked Esadien’s shoulder, on which I had been resting just moments before. Fortunately, both of them were dry, with no signs of being wet.

Esadien immediately realized what I was thinking and laughed softly.

“No, not at all. It’s just…”

“Just?”

“Hmm.”

Esadien playfully looked away. But my level of mischief was far above his.

“Oh, just tell me.”

I turned my head this way and that, stubbornly catching Esadien’s gaze that was trying to avoid me.

“Please? Please? Esadien.”

“You’re… you’re too close, Minuelle.”

Every time our eyes met, Esadien’s face got a little redder.

‘Cute.’

It was cute that he was acting this way even though we were married and had no need to be formal, and the fact that he only showed this side to me was so endearing.

I suppressed the urge to kiss him and said in a prim voice, “I’ll get away if you tell me quickly. You said we’ve arrived, didn’t you?”

“It’s nothing, really… It’s true. I’m just embarrassed to say it out loud.”

But there was something Esadien didn’t know. The moment he said “I’m just…”, it became something to me. Because it was a thought from the person I love.

But I purposely narrowed my eyes and glared at him. Then I huffed and turned away from him.

“I won’t get out unless you tell me.”

“Minuelle.”

“Is it okay for your wife to eat and sleep alone in the carriage, my husband?”

“My… my husband…”

Esadien’s voice trembled as he repeated my words.

‘Why is he like that?’

As soon as I turned to look at him, baffled, my eyes went wide.

Esadien’s face and neck were all a deep red, as if they were about to explode.

“Esadien? What’s wrong?”

“…Don’t look.”

Esadien belatedly covered his face, but even his hands were flushed.

I giggled and pulled his hands away. There was no way I could keep pretending to be mad after seeing this cuteness. No, not at all.

“Could it be that the word ‘husband’ makes you shy?”

“That…”

“It’s been days since we got married. Now the whole empire knows we’re a couple, you know?”

I drew a small heart on Esadien’s cheek with a smile and tilted my head.

“Right?”

“…But you saying it first… is the first time.”

Oh, my god.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I lunged and hugged Esadien.

“Mi, Minuelle?”

Esadien’s body stiffened, surprised by my fierce embrace, as if I had thrown myself at him.

“Heeheehee.”

I laughed mischievously at his cute reaction. There were only two of us in the carriage, Esadien and me. There was no one to disturb us.

Thump-thump, thump-thump.

The sound of a rapidly beating heart, I didn’t know whose, tore off the seal on my dark intentions.

‘Finally!’

Right in front of me was Esadien’s firm neck, which smelled so good. It was the moment I was about to kiss it, as if I had become a vampire.