🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 13
“That mysterious drug seems to work quite well. I hope your uncle takes the same one.”
It was an unexpected remark. No one could understand why Tenus, who had previously overlooked the medicine Aldritch provided, had suddenly changed his stance.
Drip, drip—drops of black liquid fell from Aldritch’s pointed chin. His pale face looked even more bloodless in contrast to the dark liquid.
Without sparing Aldritch a glance, Tenus gripped Selachia’s shoulder. The force was too strong to resist.
“T-then, I’ll be going.”
Selachia left with hurried steps, leaving behind an awkward farewell over her shoulder.
* * *
As soon as they exited the gates, they boarded the carriage that had already been prepared. Or rather, it was more accurate to say Selachia was moved into the carriage. Tenus effortlessly picked her up and placed her inside.
Several knights and a young maid standing nearby turned their heads, pretending not to see anything.
The door shut, and the carriage began to move.
“Are you insane?”
Tenus, seated across from her, opened his mouth immediately.
Selachia blinked in confusion. Why was he saying what she wanted to say?
Tenus frowned sharply and pressed on.
“If your memory’s gotten so bad you forgot what I told you just a few days ago, say so. I’ll have Rupert prepare a new memory-enhancing potion for you.”
“Go ahead and tell him to. You seem to be the one who needs it more. I don’t understand why I’m the only one who remembers Rupert saying it’s fine to drink it a couple of times.”
Selachia snapped back without backing down and added with irritation,
“Now what if he stops giving me the medicine because of your nonsense? It’s hard enough to detect tampering in food.”
Tenus raised his brows in disbelief. Selachia glared.
“What’s with that look?”
“So you really were going to drink it? I admire your guts, but next time, maybe check your actual situation before acting tough.”
“My situation?”
“I control everything that goes into your mouth. There’s no need for your half-baked bravery.”
So it wasn’t that Aldritch chose not to poison the food—he couldn’t?
Selachia hadn’t known. She hadn’t imagined Tenus was quietly protecting her behind the scenes. For a brief moment, a small flicker of gratitude rose deep in her heart.
“….”
And the moment she realized it, Selachia scowled.
Grateful? If it weren’t for Tenus in the first place, she wouldn’t have to worry about being poisoned at all.
It was absurd to feel gratitude toward someone who pushed her into the middle of the ocean only to toss her a single straw to cling to.
Crushing any trace of appreciation, Selachia muttered sourly,
“Since you’re taking care of meals, you might as well take charge of my wardrobe, too.”
Today’s outing wasn’t for leisure. It was entirely forced by Tenus.
After days of watching her wear the same light dress without comment, he suddenly decided they’d go shopping.
“You could’ve just summoned a tailor to the duke’s estate. Do I really need to go to the boutique myself?”
“Do I drag you places you can’t go? Why the fuss?”
Tenus muttered as if he couldn’t understand.
“Most noble ladies enjoy dress shopping like it’s a hobby.”
“Who?”
Selachia asked reflexively, then nodded belatedly with a quiet, “Ahh.”
“You must’ve spent quite a bit of quality time with noble ladies, huh.”
Tenus Seydon was a man whose dazzling looks couldn’t be denied, even if you disapproved of him. It was obvious he’d met many women without needing to ask.
Given his past, going out with him now didn’t exactly feel pleasant.
“Not every noble lady enjoys visiting boutiques. Don’t generalize.”
She hadn’t intended to sound so sarcastic. Her tone was more curt than she meant it to be.
Still, this outing was to buy her things, not his. Acting spoiled like a child because her day was disrupted didn’t make sense.
After a moment’s hesitation, Selachia softened her sharp eyes slightly.
“I’m just saying… there might be other ladies like me. Keep that in mind for the future.”
“Keep it in mind?”
“Yeah. Think of it as advice.”
“That’s the kind of advice you give your husband?”
Tenus, resting his elbow on the carriage window and his chin in his hand, gave a soft snort of laughter.
“It’s not like you’re encouraging me to cheat.”
He leaned forward. Despite the narrow space, his handsome face drew closer. Selachia didn’t even blink.
There was no sneer, no mockery—just a genuine smile. His eyes curved gently, and the sharpness of his features softened. He almost looked like a mischievous boy.
“Why don’t you start realizing it? That you and I are married.”
A long finger with prominent joints gently tapped her forehead. Selachia, who had been dazed, frowned as if she’d been forced out of a dream.
“What are you talking about? I might not remember the wedding, but I haven’t forgotten for a moment since I returned. Look.”
She grabbed his wrist and raised it toward her face. The wrist felt unfamiliar—thicker, stronger, with raw muscle. But she didn’t let go. Instead, she adjusted the angle so he could see the ring clearly.
“I’ve never taken it off since you gave it to me. I’m always aware of it, like it’s part of my body.”
Of course, she could easily take it off if she wanted—but she wisely kept that thought to herself.
“….”
Tenus’s dark navy eyes fixed on the ring. It had belonged to his parents, yet he stared at it like it was a foreign object.
Then his gaze moved back to Selachia’s face. The faint smile that had lingered there vanished completely.
Startled by his sudden change in expression, Selachia flinched. It was as if Tenus had just realized she’d been holding his wrist—he shook her hand off.
“We’ll arrive at the shopping district soon.”
He awkwardly changed the subject, pointedly avoiding even her gaze.
He stared out the window for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes.
He was now gently holding the wrist that Selachia had touched with his other hand.
* * *
They arrived at the shopping district. Tenus helped Selachia down from the carriage. But the moment her feet touched the ground, he swiftly let go of her arm—so fast it felt insulting.
She felt like some filthy creature he couldn’t stand to touch.
When had he smiled like a young boy, stealing her attention so effortlessly? She had no idea why his attitude shifted so suddenly.
Did she say something wrong? Did he catch her in a lie? She replayed their conversation in her head, but nothing stood out.
Anyway, he was an incomprehensible man.
As if turning her back on an unsolvable problem, Selachia turned her head away from Tenus. And then, her expression changed.
“….”
The sight before her almost made her gasp in awe. She barely stopped her mouth from falling open, but she couldn’t hide the flush of surprise on her face.
The shopping district was overflowing with people. The energy in the air was so lively it nearly made her dizzy. But what caught Selachia’s eye most was the canal flowing right beside the carriage road.
Several boats drifted along the wide, deep canal. As she followed the long waterway with her eyes, she saw wooden drawbridges connecting different parts of the street at intervals.
It was a very different sight from the Lensche Viscounty.
“This is the famous Villem Canal?”
The Duchy of Seydon was famed not only for its ancient power and wealth amassed through trade, but also for its unique urban structure.
The Empire’s foremost canal city.
While other regions had few canals, this place had countless ones. Some rivers had been developed into canals, but most were planned and constructed by the first Duke of Seydon, who reclaimed the land.
There were seven large canals circling the duchy’s center, acting as arteries. And including the many small ones like capillaries, there were over 80. Books describing the Duchy claimed there were hundreds of bridges connecting them.
Among them, the Villem Canal was the central one.
The sheer scale far surpassed anything she’d imagined from reading books. Selachia couldn’t take her eyes off it.
“I didn’t expect it to be this big. It’s like a miniature sea.”
Small cargo boats, luxurious gondolas with nobles sipping champagne, two-person canoes for lovers—various boats drifted leisurely, creating a peaceful scene.
Just watching them filled her with calm.
Tenus, perhaps feeling the same, spoke with an oddly gentle tone, as if his earlier coldness had never existed.
“If you want to enjoy a boat ride, just say so. I’ll have a barge with an orchestra brought alongside.”
“Hm. Okay.”
Could she pretend to go boating and steal a boat to escape to the sea?
The absurd idea flashed through her mind, but it didn’t seem feasible. Selachia turned her eyes back to the street with lingering regret.
