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Chapter: 22
News that Kagen would be returning arrived twice—once ten days after he left, and again on the twelfth day.
The first came in a normal way, delivered by a servant. The second arrived through a piece of parchment tied to the ankle of a messenger bird, as if it were an urgent dispatch. It contained an apology for the return date being delayed by one day from the estimated time stated in the letter sent two days earlier, along with a revised arrival schedule.
The handwriting looked especially hurried, almost scrawled. And yet, the elegant characters hidden within it were oddly amusing.
“It looks like His Grace must have been very remorseful, Madam.”
Mila chuckled as she read the letter I showed her.
“But still, he didn’t have to rush this much.”
In the end, I smiled as I memorized the line saying he would arrive tomorrow.
What an earnest husband.
“Still, as soon as His Grace returns, he’ll be busy again.”
Mila’s playful tone faded as if a troubling thought had crossed her mind, and her eyes drooped.
“Prince Zeke is actually better. He just clings to our Duke like a puppy. But the Crown Prince has a very authoritative personality. He must have known the date of Delphonia’s charity event, and he surely knew our Duke would be there. And yet he still scheduled a rushed visit, immediately after the charity event, and notified us like that—just look at this.”
The level of royal disrespect was dangerously close to the line, but sharing such vivid impressions was one of our small private pleasures, so I leaned in closer to listen.
“That’s true. The Crown Prince’s visit was certainly announced unilaterally.”
What a troublesome Crown Prince who would tire out my husband.
“He’s known for being very self-willed. So Madam, you should try not to get on his bad side.”
“How am I supposed to avoid a guest when I’m the lady of the house?”
I laughed after agreeing with her concern.
In the first place, someone like the Crown Prince couldn’t be “easy” to anyone. It was only natural to be careful not to offend him. If anything, Prince Zeke was the unusual one—an imperial family member who ignored people regardless of whether they treated him well or poorly, and instead followed only the people he liked like a puppy.
“Anyway, I’ll try to be careful with my words so I don’t offend His Highness.”
“I just hope he goes back quickly.”
“Ahaha.”
The Crown Prince was scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow. Kagen, who would return tomorrow, would barely have time to rest before being pulled into serving him again.
I had been thinking we could dance a new waltz together once Kagen returned.
Still, I found myself hoping the Crown Prince would leave quickly as well.
The next morning, I went through the jewelry cabinet in the dressing room. Normally Mila would pick for me or I would request something, but today I wanted earrings that were difficult to choose by description alone.
That was because I had accumulated too many similar pieces. A few weeks earlier, Kagen had returned from Paion, a famous gemstone region, and brought back a large number of accessories.
The earrings I planned to wear today were among them. Their design was simple and traditional, yet their color was exceptionally beautiful, so I liked them.
“Let’s see… among the ones mixed with blue diamonds…”
There were five pairs of blue diamond earrings alone. Among what he had brought from Paion, that was just one category. There were twelve pairs of transparent ones, and several others in different colors.
I wondered if Kagen might secretly have a hobby of collecting jewelry under the guise of gifts, but he didn’t even seem particularly interested in the decorative buttons on his own clothes.
“I was told His Grace couldn’t decide what looked best, so he bought every design that looked even slightly similar,” Ben had once told me with a subtly deadpan expression that looked faintly exasperated.
“What am I supposed to do with him spending so much money on gifts? Can’t they be returned?”
“Please don’t worry, Duchess. His Grace has not been able to return to his homeland of Northka for a long time. If necessary, perhaps he could volunteer for monster hunting there and take up labor to earn money—it would be a good opportunity to soothe his homesickness.”
It was the first time I had ever seen Ben speak so mockingly, even using crude language like a monster hunter might. Though his tone had remained polite, I still wasn’t entirely sure I hadn’t misunderstood him.
“How is it? Does it match the dress?”
I held the earrings up to my ears and looked into the mirror, asking Mila who was watching behind me.
I felt a little embarrassed to admit there was another reason I had chosen these earrings beyond simply liking them.
“His Grace said they were pretty. He doesn’t often give compliments like that. I think he must have liked your taste for once, don’t you agree?”
“I don’t really have any particular taste in earrings.”
A deep voice suddenly came from behind me. It was not a woman’s voice at all.
I startled and turned around.
Kagen was standing right behind me. I had no idea when he had returned. He must have entered the dressing room without a sound and been watching me choose earrings.
Behind him, Mila was covering her mouth, shaking with suppressed laughter as she looked at me.
“W-when did you get back? And why is the person who was supposed to tell me you returned acting like that…”
I shot Mila a glare as she doubled over laughing, then set the earrings down and approached Kagen.
I hadn’t expected him to arrive until after lunchtime.
“Welcome back.”
A faint unfamiliar scent lingered on him.
The sunlight and wind of Delphonia must have been different from those of Weyriver. As well as the soap used in the White Castle.
For some reason, that made me feel a little regretful, and I briefly wondered if I should send him with our soap next time.
“I instructed them not to inform you. I also told the servants the same. You are busy, and it is troublesome for you to come all the way to the gate every time to greet me.”
“We’re not old enough a married couple for greeting my husband to feel like a burden, are we?”
At my teasing reply, Kagen’s expression stiffened slightly.
Ah—he must have been bothered by the word “not yet.” His calm water-colored eyes even seemed to waver like they were caught in the wind, so I gently took his hand.
He really takes everything so seriously.
“Maybe after about 150 years of living together, I’ll find it harder to come greet you. My joints might not hold up by then.”
At my mention of joints, his rigid expression softened.
He always seemed faintly amused whenever I complained about my body being stiff. It would be troublesome if he had developed some sadistic enjoyment from it.
“My feelings alone are enough, Ruwan. Just the thought that you want to come greet me is more than enough. I do not wish for my presence to interfere with your work.”
“But I still want to greet you as long as my joints allow it. I should be the first to see my husband’s face.”
I was able to say something so shameless only because Mila had already slipped away and left us alone.
He let go of my hand. The large hand that slipped away between mine instead moved to cup my cheek.
His kiss always carried the same scent.
A familiar, warm fragrance. A breath of overwhelming satisfaction and relief escaped me. His firm hands and seemingly cold lips stirred a soft, heavy sweetness I could never have associated with his appearance, scattering my senses like I was intoxicated.
My strength gave out, and I clung to his arm to avoid collapsing. Through my palms, the sensation of his solid body rekindled a fierce desire I had almost forgotten over the past two weeks. As if waiting for it, his strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer, his body openly revealing his own desire.
At some point, when moments like this came, he would no longer remain a restrained man.
It must have been after he realized that his passion would no longer hurt me, and that even my gasps or occasional cries were not from pain.
“Haa…”
When his lips finally left mine, lingering with reluctance, my chest rose and fell as if I had just finished intense exercise.
It felt like waking from a dream.
“I’m sorry. I lost control…”
Kagen apologized, brushing damp strands of hair stuck to my wet cheek aside.
“I kept you here too long. You must have had things to do, Madam.”
His lips said he did not want to disturb me, but his eyes—still heated—said otherwise.
Still not enough.
Or perhaps that was just my wishful thinking.
“It felt good to me.”
Suppressing my embarrassment, I spoke my true feelings clearly.
Immediately, he abandoned hesitation and came back to me. His kiss swallowed me whole, pushing deep as if trying to consume me entirely. The overwhelming sensation stole my breath. I clung blindly to his breath as it returned mine, as if trying to replace the breathing I had forgotten.
Too much pleasure truly resembled pain. All I could do was hold back from breaking into unrestrained sobs.
“The Crown Prince sent this. Just yesterday.”
When I showed Kagen the Crown Prince’s “visit notice,” he frowned openly.
“So His Highness will arrive in Weyriver tomorrow.”
He sighed and leaned back against the headboard of the bed.
His bathrobe parted slightly, revealing a firm, tense chest. For a moment, I imagined the stark contrast between him and the Crown Prince, rumored to have a delicate, almost frail appearance, and my lips loosened into a faint smile.
It didn’t seem like the Crown Prince would be intimidated by seeing the body of a fierce, beast-like subordinate, however.
“Tomorrow…”
Kagen muttered again, clearly displeased.
