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#3
Chapter 03.
Of course, I didn’t believe it.
Even though our marriage was a contract, a marriage was still a marriage.
For a rigid man like Gert to commit the faithless act of being involved with another woman while married…
If he really had a woman, openly revealing it would be more like Gert.
Despite my disbelief, Eurich was relaxed. Rather, he clicked his tongue as if pitying my ignorance.
“Still can’t believe it? Well, I found it hard to believe at first too. But I have proof.”
As he said that, Eurich handed over a small box.
Still suspicious, I opened the box.
“…A proposal ring?”
“I found out when the artisan came to collect payment. He said it was a ring Gert had ordered before he left. By all appearances, it seems Gert was planning to propose to another woman.”
Inside the box lay a ring adorned with a blue gemstone resembling the color of Gert’s eyes.
It was a very old custom to present a ring made of a gem or stone matching one’s own eye color when proposing, as a way of saying, ‘This is me.’
Because of that, using a gem matching one’s eye color was reserved solely for proposal rings, and giving such a gem as a gift at other times was avoided.
Whether the recipient was family, an acquaintance…
Even if they were a lover or spouse.
So Eurich’s speculation that this ring had another owner had some merit.
Did Gert really have a woman?
My heart denied it, but my mind acknowledged Eurich might be right.
Preparing such a ring in just a month was impossible.
The blue diamonds decorating the ring weren’t easy to obtain. Moreover, he had to select ones similar to his eye color, so even the great Gerhard Alcides Lubenherz must have gone to considerable trouble.
I could no longer deny it.
That Gert had a woman he loved and was planning to propose to.
Once my 25th birthday passed, the contract would end, and we could divorce. He must have prepared the ring in advance to propose to her immediately after divorcing me.
The moment I realized that, a corner of my heart stung as if carved out with a knife.
As if betrayed.
‘Betrayal? Me, by Gert?’
Gert and I were only married by contract.
So there was no reason for me to feel betrayed if he liked another woman.
Right. I would certainly have thought that if it were before that night.
“We will not share a bed. We will simply live as nominal husband and wife for these four years.”
That was what Gert told me on our wedding night, in the bridal chamber prepared for the consummation.
I also accepted his proposal. Since we were to divorce in four years, it would only be a loss for me if I slept with him and had a child, for the child would be a Rübenherz’s, not a Vogelweide’s.
Thus, three years passed.
He kept his word thoroughly.
Even without sharing a bed, we got along well enough. It was a relationship closer to comrades than spouses, not much different from our expedition days, but that was sufficient.
But several months after my 24th birthday, something happened.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a liquor brought as a gift by the envoy from Okrolandi this time. A treasure said to rival nectar.”
“Gasp, can I try just a taste?”
“Of course.”
The golden liquor flowing from the bottle into the glass shimmered subtly. A drink befitting the golden land, Okrolandi.
The first sip was sweet like honey, while the sensation sliding down the throat felt like clinging flames.
“It’s strong!”
“You should stop drinking.”
Gert chuckled, watching me. He sipped that strong liquor quite well. But Gert seemed fairly drunk too, his voice slightly more animated than usual.
Not wanting to lose by giving up, I pestered Gert for just a little more.
As I kept stealing sips—one glass, two glasses—while Gert drank, I started feeling somewhat hot. I stripped off my clothes. As my bare chest was exposed, the cool air chilled my skin, making me feel a bit better.
“This is madness. Put them back on!”
“But I’m hot….”
I muttered, rubbing my cheek against the cold table. I could feel Gert’s gaze on me, looking incredulous. Well, can’t a person feel hot…?
But then, staying like that, I suddenly felt a chill. As my body shivered, I felt something warm beside me. Without realizing, my body burrowed toward the warmth.
“Cold….”
But something was tightly wrapped around the warm thing. It seemed it would be warmer if I unwrapped it. Grunting, I tried to peel it off.
Then, suddenly, my body was lifted up. Soon after, something warm wrapped around and held me.
“Good….”
“Good?”
“Ugh….”
A low, laughing voice followed.
Ah, Gert is laughing. Unable to think of a reason for Gert to laugh, I desperately hugged the heater, fearing Gert might take it. After all the effort I put into unwrapping this….
I felt the heater here and there. It was a bit hard, but the sensation under my fingertips wasn’t bad. It felt like smooth, well-polished wood.
Especially hugging it like this, the warmth near the hips was very pleasant. I wriggled a few times. It was so stable, without any shaking.
It was clearly a very precious heater, though I didn’t know where it came from.
Good, I must tell Gert to give this heater to me. He always uses the good stuff himself….
“Ugh….”
Perhaps noticing my designs on his heater, a pained groan came from Gert.
Page, page.
Liking the heater, I planted several kisses on it. If I mark it with my saliva like this, Gert won’t be able to stand it and will give me the heater.
And then….
“ha….”
A daze like floating in warm water. I recalled lying on the deck of the Argo, watching the drifting clouds. Skin dampened by the sea breeze. Not wanting to lift a finger, I went completely limp.
‘Come to think of it, where’s my heater…?’
The heater was hanging over me. It seemed Gert was trying to take it. I hastily reached out and hugged my heater, and at that moment, my body rocked violently as if the Argo had run aground.
“evil!”
Then followed an excruciating pain as if my body were being split apart.
Forget the heater, snapping back to my senses, I opened my eyes wide with a scream.
What I faced upon opening my eyes was Gert, his eyes unfocused.
Through the parted collar of his shirt, his firm chest gleamed with sweat.
“My… heater?”
I realized what I was hugging was Gert’s neck.
In other words, the thing I had caused such a commotion over, thinking it was a heater, was Gert himself!
