‘Did I sleep well?’

Behel recalled last night. It was a night that was just hard and painful. A night when he wouldn’t let her go for even a moment and she couldn’t get a good night’s sleep. The morning she had to stand up all by herself.

If it had been a normal first night, she might have felt more happiness than pain as she touched her gentle husband’s hand. Beher shuddered as she remembered that cold morning.

She felt like she wanted to tease this man. She wanted to see the look of bewilderment on this man’s face as he got drunk on the play.

Beher lifted his chin with her finger. The sharp chin lifted lightly.

“Was my beloved husband satisfied last night?”

He would be embarrassed if she approached him in such a stately manner. Beher thought so.

But Lucai’s face was tasteless. Just as she was about to get a little embarrassed, his red eyes lit up. He grabbed Beher’s hand.

“You are trying to provoke me. But it’s a mistake.”

“…….”

It hurt quite a bit because he squeezed her hand very tightly. Beher looked up at him, her brow wrinkling. It was impossible to avoid his eyes as they were soaked in elegant red eyes.

He tickled her ear and whispered.

“You have a knack for driving me crazy. If you want, I can show you that stimulation now.”

Lucai’s eyes became wet. Beher sensed the danger at the moment and quickly pulled out her captured hand. She backed away and her legs twisted. Her body leaned backward.

She thought she would fall on her buttocks, but the movements of Lucai were faster.

Her body was lying down, but was wrapped in Lucai’s arms. The hem of her dress spread out beneath her. Lucai’s breath came closer.

“…… please step aside.”

“You don’t like it?”

“I don’t know why you’re going to hug your wife who doesn’t like you.”

Beher blatantly expressed her dislike. She had been sitting in the carriage for so long that all she wanted to do was rest.

Her throat felt drive. The way Lucai was looking at her like he wanted to eat her, but she didn’t avoid his gaze.

“You don’t seem to understand the creature of a man yet, Madam.”

“Your Highness doesn’t seem to understand me either.”

A battle of nerves ensued between the two. Rustling sound was heard outside. Footsteps coming this way.

She didn’t mind what they were doing as a couple, but she was almost lying there, in his arms, and she didn’t want anyone to see them like that. Beher grabbed his uniform tightly.

There was no place to support herself, and she had to almost completely hug him.

“You won’t stand me up?”

She glared sharply at Lucai. At this rate, the embarrassment was going to be all hers.

“Your Highness.”

‘Please raise me up.’

Beher swallowed her last words. She put a strong pressure on him with her eyes. Being a rather witty man, Lucai naturally had to know the meaning of her eyes. If he pretended not to know, it was because he wanted to tease her.

“…You seem to think this is embarrassing.

Lucai brought Beher to her feet at once. Her red hair shook.

Beher’s breathing stopped at a breath that came suddenly.

His nose was too close. It was uncomfortable, but she couldn’t get away from him as if she was caught in a spell.

The tip of Beher’s nose tingled, even though their skin did not touch. Her fingertips were jumpy as if they had been touched by chloride.

“Then let’s go for a walk. Madam.”

Lucai gently took Beher’s hand and led the way. Was it her illusion that he was more brazen after marriage? His hair, dyed black, seemed to absorb the sun shining down from the window, making it even sleeker.

“Lady! Your Highness!”

Lucy, a late visitor to the Grand Duke and Duchess, welcomed them with a wave of her hand. Lucai stopped for a moment and looked at her face smiling like a sunflower.

“Lucy.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Lucai let go of Beher’s hand. Her hand, which had just been hot, felt a little empty. They stepped a little further away and talked. Beher watched them.

“He looks surprisingly kind.”

Grand Duke Lucai explained something to Lucy at length. Lucy’s face turned red when she heard the explanation. Beher did not know what was being discussed, but from Lucy’s expression, it did not seem bad.

After finishing the conversation, Lucai extended his hand to Beher again as if it was natural.

“Let’s go.”

“…….”

“Tsk. You don’t listen much, do you?”

Lucia furrowed his brow. He moved closer to Beher and snatched her hand gingerly.

Beher’s lonely hand was filled with his warmth. Somehow, Beher felt strangely relieved.

Hand in hand, she followed him out. He did not let go of her hand even though there was no one around. When she tried to remove it with a little force, Lucai applied more force and pressure.

“Don’t even think about pulling it out. If you pull it out, I will bite your hand right away.”

“Did Your Highness know that there is no one around right now?”

(*Beher meant there was no one around so they didn’t have to act like a loving couple)

“You say the obvious. I have excellent bestial senses and can tell at a glance what kind of things are around me.”

Beast. He seemed to know he was a beast.

Beher lightly relaxed her hand as if giving up. Her hands hurt from exerting too much force.

“There’s no problem with walking without holding hands, right?”

“…… No, there are plenty of problems.”

The path was surrounded by forest. The smell of wet soil, trees swaying in the wind, and the green scent wafted around the area.

“There is no one here. We don’t need to act.”

Beher strongly objected. No matter how much they had to act, there were moments needed for rest behind the stage.

It was hard for her to always love him. Moreover…she was tired from the aftermath of last night.

No, she was exhausted.

When she was wondering how to chase away the sleepiness that was coming, she found a white bench nearby. Green leaves falling from the trees occupied the spot.

“Let’s sit down.”

Lucai let go of Beher’s hand without saying a word at Beher’s suggestion. And Beher finally sat down beside him, massaging her hand.

It was quiet. The sound of leaves rolling in the wind was pleasant. She felt like she was in another world, as if this was what peace was all about.

The two were silent. As if they just wanted to enjoy this peace.

Beher looked at Lucai secretly. His eyes were softly closed.

Had he fallen asleep?

His eyelashes were long and shaded. She didn’t know his eyelashes were this long because he always had a cold impression.

She didn’t know in detail what he looked like even though she kissed him.

Before long Beher found herself reaching toward his face. She flinched.

“…….”

No, no!

This was not a stage now. It was time to get off the stage for a while.

Beher became afraid after almost reaching for him. She did not know why. It felt like crossing a river that should not be crossed. Beher stood up quickly from her seat.

Lucai seemed to be sleeping in the meantime, judging by his lack of reaction. Beher moved away from him and began to walk along the forest path.

Leaves of grass of unknown kinds were growing here and there.

As she stepped on the grass one by one, she noticed a tidy garden. The twigs were falling below. The flowers were smiling in between.

Beher approached the flowers that were around and knelt down. She tapped the shy red flowers with her fingertip.

The flowers looked so beautiful as they shook their heads gently. Beher smiled.

Crunch!

Someone was standing behind Beher. Startled, Beher turned around and took a defensive posture.

‘Who is it?’

She thought it was the enemy. As was her habit, she quickly got up to prepare for the attack. It was an animal-like gesture.

She always thought Lucai was a beast, but the real beast might be herself. It was frustrating, but it was an instinct she had developed over many wars.

Beher pulled out the dagger she had in her pocket. She did not see it in detail, but the person was tall and neatly dressed. Beher stopped her outstretched hand with the dagger because the person just stood there without movements.

“…….”

“…….”

She saw the boy with a panicked look on his face at a glance. The boy  gulped down a spit. Beher was puzzled as well.

She didn’t expect to find a boy with gardening scissors in the woods where it was so secluded.

Beher straightened her posture as she organized her dress. Then she looked up at the boy. He didn’t look like a knight giving his appearance. He also didn’t look like someone who would abduct and murder her.

One should never judge a person by his appearance, but from the pure eyes of the boy, Beher knew he meant her no harm.

“I am sorry, Ma’am. I have surprised you.”

The boy moved his lips apologetically. He clasped his hands together and wiggled them.

He looked like a child being scolded by his parents.

“It’s all right. But… you seem to know me well.”

The person she met for the first time today called her ‘ma’am’. It was only natural that the servants working here would notice her presence, but Beher could not let her guard down.

“Ah, I saw Madam from afar. Thanks to His Majesty’s having sent us the portrait in advance that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are coming.”

The boy took out a small painting from his pocket. It was a portrait drawn in advance to avoid making mistakes to high-ranking aristocrats.

Beher took the portrait in his hand. Inside the mansion, there was a woman in the painting who looked exactly like her.

The boy smiled at Beher amazingly as if he watched the painting coming to life.

Everyone saw the painting so his action was natural.

Beher decided not to broach that part of the story. She didn’t need to show everything about me to each and every passing edge. It can be a sentiment, but it can also be a weakness.

“Excuse me, ma’am.”

“……?”

“Flowers…do you like them?”

He said shyly as he finally opened his silent lips.

***

*We’ll see someone get terribly jealous of the boy soon.