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Chapter 31
“This is the bedroom, huh?”
“Don’t like it? Then shall we go to the master’s bedroom? I’d prefer that.”
“No, I love it too much!”
Though he’d called it the bedroom, in the end the place Blake brought me to was the drawing room.
Blake sat down comfortably, arms folded, and closed his eyes.
I wondered if he had something to say, but it didn’t seem like that was the case…
Hesitating, I ended up speaking first.
“I saw Prince Alec furious.”
“Where?”
“On the way back to the palace.”
“Was he raging at you by any chance?”
“No, not at all… I saw him inside the carriage. Right in front of the imperial palace, he was snapping at the nobles.”
At that, Blake gave a faint laugh.
It was as if he knew exactly what I was referring to—probably because he had seen it himself.
“Your Highness fought back, didn’t you?”
Blake only shrugged his shoulders.
He didn’t deny it.
“Amusing, isn’t it? He wasn’t even the one who set me up, but he tried to seize the moment.”
Well, it was a struggle over the throne after all.
“One of Alec’s nobles made a slip of the tongue. I merely made use of it.”
“How?”
“Didn’t expect you to be curious about that. Guess you don’t like Alec very much.”
Of course I didn’t like Alec.
But that was all because of my husband, the actual protagonist here—Blake.
Alec always belittled Blake, treated him carelessly.
Blake, seemingly lost in thought, eventually recounted what had happened.
“He piled up lengthy so-called ‘evidence’ against me. Most of it was fake.”
From Alec’s perspective, Blake’s confinement must have looked like the perfect opportunity.
So he even fabricated evidence to press him further.
“But as soon as that was exposed, public opinion turned—asking if Alec hadn’t been the one to falsify everything from the start, even framing me for Ian Harmel’s murder and other cases.”
“They must’ve really been ridiculous claims.”
“Well, there’s one more thing. Alec had a mage under him who could alter appearances temporarily.”
If so, then even that man who looked exactly like Blake…
In many ways, it had all backfired onto Alec.
And since Alec was a prince, he could easily tamper with Blake’s sword as well.
No wonder Alec had thrown such a tantrum. I slowly nodded in understanding.
“Now, let’s hear about you.”
“About me? There’s nothing much…”
“Where did you go?”
Feigning his usual indifference, Blake’s blue eyes flicked instead toward the small box I was holding.
This time, I knew exactly what he was thinking.
Smiling slightly, I carefully opened the box—just a crack so it couldn’t escape.
“This is…”
“A blue-spotted butterfly.”
At my words, Blake glanced between the butterfly and me with a strange expression.
Was he wondering how he could make use of it?
Feeling flustered, I hurried to explain.
“This can help you, truly! Especially with the Orion territory division…”
Blake, deep in thought, finally replied belatedly.
“Ah, that’s not it.”
He didn’t continue for a long moment.
His face grew serious, as if he was struggling with something.
It wasn’t a dangerous creature… so what was wrong?
“Could it be…”
“Yes?”
“Could it be that you also… defy…”
“Defy? What?”
His voice trailed off uncertainly, words vague. When I pressed, Blake shook his head.
“No. If that were true, you wouldn’t have saved me.”
“Huh? I don’t understand. Could you please explain it properly?”
Defy him?
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out. It was frustrating.
But Blake quickly changed the subject.
“So, what’s that?”
“Why won’t you finish what you were saying… oh, this?”
He was referring to the letter tucked in beside the box.
Honestly, the quickest way to drive someone crazy is to stop talking halfway through…
Ugh, forget it.
I gave up prying—he wouldn’t tell me anyway.
“I haven’t read it, but… I think it’s a letter from Empress Temia.”
“Empress Temia? Where did you… ah, that rare butterfly.”
Blake quickly pieced together the situation with the butterfly.
“You went to Count Espero’s secret salon?”
“Yes.”
I answered honestly, handing him the letter.
After all, Empress Temia’s interest wasn’t really in me, but in Blake.
If she wanted to ally with the crown prince to regain her power…
Then the letter was ultimately meant for Blake.
He tore the envelope open and read it right there.
His blue eyes moved steadily along the lines, revealing no particular emotion.
After a while, he folded the letter again and spoke.
“Have you ever met Empress Temia?”
“No. Never seen her face.”
She had been in confinement for a long time, after all.
“And yet you still gave me this letter—you knew what it contained, didn’t you?”
“Well, I thought it was a letter that should go to you anyway.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. Just…”
Blake faltered briefly.
For some reason, he looked oddly uplifted.
Trying his best to sound calm, he went on:
“Moments like this really make us seem like husband and wife.”
“…We are husband and wife, aren’t we?”
What, were we not?
I couldn’t help blurting it out, but Blake only chuckled.
“So the letter said what I thought, right?”
“Yes. Basically, she wants to join forces.”
Blake summed it up in one line.
That was one thing I liked about him—he never sugarcoated things for me.
“Hmm… So, what do you plan to do?”
“Why?”
“Because I’ll stand by your decision.”
Blake blinked silently, so I cautiously raised a finger, pointing from him to me.
“Because we’re married.”
“…Ah, that’s true.”
Blake broke into a broad smile.
What was so funny?
Without answering me, he quietly slipped the letter into his pocket.
His expression, still lit with laughter, looked strangely wicked.
His sharp features made him intimidating enough already.
“…Your Highness, you look like a villain.”
“That’s not bad. Then you’re the villain’s wife.”
Ignoring my words, Blake rose to his feet and extended his hand toward me.
“Your hand—why?”
“Time to get up.”
Oh, he must be ready to leave.
When I placed my hand in his cold one, he lowered his head slightly to glance at our joined hands.
Somehow, it looked like I was escorting him.
“Do you know where we’re going?”
“What? Aren’t we going back?”
“Then would you be escorting me home like a gentleman?”
Smirking, Blake gently tugged me in another direction.
If not back, then where?
“Dinner time.”
He was right—the sun was setting beautifully.
Still, it was strange.
Hadn’t he insisted before that he didn’t care about eating together?
“You said you’re fine eating alone…”
I muttered under my breath but let him lead me toward the dining room.
“The medicine you gave me has worn off.”
“The medicine I gave you?”
Expressionless, Blake tapped his lips with his finger.
Yes, apparently the ‘ordinary human-use pass’ I bought with a kiss only lasted a day. Seriously.
“Hey, Your Highness.”
When I called him, his gaze dropped onto me. That look was… strange.
“Did something change your mind?”
“What do you mean?”
“You used to avoid me—like you couldn’t even stand to look at me.”
“…Mm.”
He seemed honestly surprised I had pointed that out.
Hah, did he think avoiding me would go unnoticed?
Did he realize how much it bothered me, being avoided by my own husband?
I even matched my dress to the color of his eyes for the Golden Festival…
But the event was canceled, so he’d never know.
In the end, Blake sighed lightly and apologized.
“Sorry.”
“….”
Well, I hadn’t said it to make him apologize.
Instead, I held out my pinky finger.
“What’s this?”
“Promise me.”
“Promise what?”
“Not to avoid me anymore.”
Blake looked at the finger for a long moment, then replied softly.
“You too. Don’t abandon me.”
He even added that odd condition.
