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Chapter 8
He keeps talking about singing… Did he really hear me sing before?
Belladonna swallowed nervously.
She took his big hand, which was on her waist, and brought it in front of her.
She lifted her right finger, using it like a pencil, and wrote on his palm:
‘W-h-a-t s-o-n-g?’
Escallion frowned and looked down at what she was doing, then asked,
“What song do you mean?”
She nodded.
“If I say it, will you really sing?”
He smirked.
She didn’t really mean to sing, but she wanted to know if he remembered her singing.
Belladonna stared at him without a word.
“What song should I ask for…”
Escallion looked up, thinking out loud.
If he said words like ‘work song’, ‘sky’, ‘good harvest’, or ‘little bird’, Belladonna would leave right away.
If he knew she could speak, she would have to run back to the Vatican and hide.
Belladonna held her breath, staring at his lips.
Then, his lips curled up.
“The song was just an excuse. I was just teasing a wife who can’t speak. I didn’t think you’d actually ask what song.”
Ugh… He tricked me.
Belladonna frowned without realizing it.
Escallion gently touched her forehead with his thick finger.
“I’ll let you go tonight, so stop frowning. I’m not scary at all.”
Let me go?
Belladonna looked confused. Escallion poked her cheek and said playfully,
“I mean, I’m tired too, so I won’t bother you tonight.”
“….”
“I can’t hurt my wife on the first night, right?”
Belladonna didn’t understand everything, but it didn’t sound like anything bad.
She carefully tried to slip away from him.
“But you…”
She failed. Escallion caught her and pulled her back.
He grabbed her thin wrist, turning it in his big hand.
Her slim wrist was tiny compared to his hand.
“How do you survive with wrists this thin?”
That’s because you’re abnormally huge!
Belladonna thought so, but only smiled sweetly.
Heh heh…
“What am I supposed to do if you just keep smiling?”
Oh, that didn’t work?
Usually, if she just smiled, people let things go. But Escallion wasn’t so easy.
He tilted his head and played with her wrist.
“When you wrote on my palm earlier, it felt more like a feather than a finger.”
Again, it’s because your hand is so big!
Belladonna kept smiling.
Escallion looked straight at her with his golden eyes.
Why… What…
“Are all women like you?”
Women?
Her smile faded.
She thought about the fancy necklace she found in her room.
‘Is he acting innocent in front of his wife after bringing another woman here?’
“I don’t even know how hard I should hold. Your hands are so small.”
He looked at her hand, then lost interest and let it go.
Belladonna looked at her free wrist.
Is this how he flirts with women?
“Rejected on my wedding night… I feel sad.”
He turned and lay down, looking at the ceiling with his arm under his head.
Belladonna looked at him and snorted quietly, then lay down beside him the same way.
He can share his sadness with his other women!
She was actually glad she found out he had other women early on.
Otherwise…
‘It would have felt too guilty to keep refusing him.’
Belladonna turned and tried to get comfortable.
From now on, she would keep pretending to be sick, or say it was her special week, or say she had to stay pure for prayers—anything to avoid him.
Besides, Escallion was the lord of Griblata, so he’d be busy.
‘He probably won’t come every night anyway!’
Three months.
Just three months, and she could go back to the Vatican.
“….”
As Belladonna kept thinking, she slowly blinked.
…Go back? To the Vatican?
‘Is that really what I want?’
She bit her lip.
What was waiting for her at the Vatican?
Only more days locked away, listening to confessions, pleasing the greedy Pope, and emotional labor.
If the Vatican ran out of money again… she might be forced to do this kind of marriage two or three more times.
Belladonna looked sadly at the man beside her.
He was asleep now, his chest rising and falling.
‘But I can’t stay married to him either.’
The Pope would reveal Escallion’s secrets and end the marriage in three months, no matter what Belladonna wanted.
She closed her eyes, feeling heavy.
‘Compared to my past life, this one is peaceful.’
At least she wouldn’t starve or get sick.
Yeah, this is enough. I shouldn’t be greedy.
If she could just live quietly like this, it would be fine…
She kept telling herself this, and slowly fell into an uncomfortable sleep.
The next morning
So heavy.
It’s heavy… and stuffy…
Belladonna woke up frowning.
Something big and heavy was wrapped around her.
‘What is this…’
She forced her eyes open. She saw an unfamiliar ceiling and room in the bright morning light.
Oh… Right. This is the bridal chamber.
She looked down and saw Escallion’s thick, scarred arm holding her tight.
‘No wonder I couldn’t sleep well…’
Belladonna tried to wiggle free.
Why is he holding me so close?!
She struggled, but his arm didn’t move at all.
He must sleep really deeply.
Should I hit him?
‘But my arm won’t move.’
Maybe I should bite him?
She seriously thought about it and moved her mouth close to his arm.
Would he feel it if I bit him?
Wouldn’t I break my own teeth…? Should I bite hard…?
Just then, she heard a low, half-asleep laugh.
“Heh heh…”
She felt his body shake as he laughed.
Was he awake all along?!
“What are you doing, so early in the morning?”
Escallion asked in a low voice.
Belladonna, embarrassed, stayed still and just blinked.
“If you’re hungry, you should say so. Don’t try to eat your husband’s arm.”
“….”
How embarrassing.
She bowed her head in shame.
He tightened his arms around her.
“You’re a strange woman, you know.”
Escallion rubbed his nose into her messy hair.
“You’re soft and nice to hold.”
Am I his pillow?!
He hugged her tighter and made a satisfied sound, then finally let go.
“But since you’re hungry, I’ll stop here.”
Good, thank you.
Belladonna sat up, finally free.
Escallion turned away and got ready to get out of bed.
She watched him, then quickly looked away in shock.
When did he take off his clothes?!
His naked, muscular back shone in the morning sun.
He stood up, stretched, and rolled his shoulders.
‘Please, at least wear something!’
Belladonna turned red and stared at the window.
“You’re eating breakfast, right?”
Of course I’ll…
Wait, why isn’t he wearing anything?!
She turned to answer, but he was still naked. She quickly looked away.
She grabbed his robe from the bed and handed it to him.
“So picky.”
Escallion grumbled, but started to put it on.
People are supposed to wear clothes, you know!
Belladonna finally lifted her head and got up.
“Stay in bed. I’ll have your breakfast brought here.”
Escallion glanced at her.
Here? In bed?
Belladonna had never eaten in bed before.
She never had a bed in her past life, and as a Saint she was never allowed to eat that way.
“You couldn’t sleep well with me hugging you all night. At least eat comfortably.”
Escallion gently touched her cheek.
He looked at Belladonna, still sleepy, then turned away.
“I’ll eat separately. Just rest and eat here alone.”
Not together?
He walked out and shut the door.
Belladonna leaned back against the bed’s headboard with relief.
