13 – Honeymoon and Villainess
I had a vivid dream.
Under a starry sky, orange lights softly stretched out. If you looked up diagonally, you could see a majestic palace. And on the terrace leading to the palace’s banquet hall, a woman leaned wearily, exuding the power of the world.
She glanced at me as she wandered by. I also glanced at her, but quickly averted my gaze. I didn’t know why, but I was convinced that I knew her well.
Yet, with her face covered in layers of makeup, it was impossible to discern anything.
Just as I was about to leave my spot,
A man walked onto the terrace where the woman was staying.
When a man and a woman use the terrace together, it usually means a secret meeting. It felt like I was about to witness a secret affair for no reason. So, I quickened my pace before I could feel any more embarrassed.
It was a wrong judgment, as I soon realized.
Loud screams one after another.
And a violently trembling body.
Followed by a dimly lit silhouette falling.
Only then did I grasp the situation and rush in with all my might. If I hesitated, the woman’s gathering would be stained with blood.
Feeling the rushing wind against my skin, I successfully caught her and brought her to safety.
The only thing that shone in her blurry face was her ruby-like eyes and gaze that collided head-on.
Indeed, her eyes were so numb, devoid of any human emotions. It was hard to believe that we had just narrowly escaped death…
Next, as her lips moved,
The world twisted and my vision blurred.
The dream world crumbled.
The guest who greeted me as I opened my eyes in reality was the dazzling morning sunlight. Truly, it was a light so strong that it could blur one’s vision as if the dream had vanished.
I let out a big yawn and left my thoughts about last night.
“What a strange dream.”
Even looking back, I felt like a fool.
◇
Seven in the morning.
It’s a little early for the children to wake up.
Among them, Yurian is the earliest riser, but even so, it was still 30 minutes away. On the other hand, Tina and Glen usually wake up at eight.
Therefore, it was appropriate to wake up at this time to prepare breakfast.
Shall I feed them to their heart’s content again today? With that thought in mind, I opened the kitchen door and was startled.
“Ugh…!”
There was someone. And a very unfamiliar-looking person…
I cautiously called out their identity.
“Luminel Lady…?”
“Elphesia.”
“Yes?”
To my dumbfounded question, she corrected me directly.
“Call me Elphesia. Have you forgotten what our relationship is now?”
“No, of course not… Elphesia, Miss.”
“Again.”
“…Elphesia.”
“That’s right, Harte.”
Elphesia turned her head discreetly and began to focus on her usual tasks. Despite not wanting to disturb her concentration, I was so perplexed that I couldn’t help but speak.
“Elphesia. What are you doing?”
“Your formality is excessive. Rather than awkwardly elevating your speech, just speak plainly.”
“Well, that’s…”
“First, fulfill your duties as a couple.”
Feeling burdened and hesitant, Elphesia reminded me of our promise.
“Which couple monitors each other unilaterally?”
“Really… Are you okay with this?”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s all because of the contract. There’s no reason to feel burdened.”
“Alright then… I understand.”
She’s a thorough person. That was the impression I had of Elphesia at this moment.
Because of that, I wanted to ask even more.
Why are you here?
“Elphesia. I’m curious about what you’re doing more than anything else.”
“Did you not get enough sleep? As you can see, I’m in the middle of cooking.”
“… At this hour?”
I come to the kitchen at this time to prepare meals for the children. But Elphesia was cooking much earlier than me.
It was excessively early, even considering the time.
At that moment, Elphesia sighed lightly.
“Well, because you woke up at this time.”
“Why…?”
“Why? What’s so strange about a wife preparing a meal for her husband?”
“Nothing.”
“Go wash your hands and sit down. It’s almost done.”
As if possessed by Elphesia’s command, I took my seat at the dining table. Then, with a blank expression, I stared intently at her as she finished cooking.
“Um, do noblewomen usually cook… I mean, do they?”
“… I didn’t.”
Past tense response.
Was there some kind of story behind it? I couldn’t bring myself to pry any further, afraid of getting involved in personal matters.
During the awkward silence, Elphesia brought the dish to the table.
Grilled steak.
She had skillfully cooked thickly sliced meat, using both high and low heat to achieve a perfect balance. She added lemon juice and herbs to enhance the aroma and texture. It was a simple dish, but it showed a considerable amount of skill.
“It’s exactly to my taste.”
It was a coincidence, but it felt like our hearts were in sync, which was quite fascinating.
As I proceeded to cut the meat and put it in my mouth, I couldn’t help but let out a soundless exclamation.
“Ohh…!”
I had to suppress my admiration for the delicious taste. Every time the flavor of the grilled meat and lemon settled in my mouth, my appetite soared endlessly.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Does it taste good?”
“Mmm!”
Elphesia asked nonchalantly. Her expression was like that of a statue, as if she didn’t care about others’ opinions.
I was startled by the abrupt mid-term check, and Saré’s voice rang out in confusion.
“Phew, excuse me.”
Thunk.
Elphicia quickly placed a water cup right in front of me. Despite the furrowed brow, her actions were kind. Facing such a strange contradiction, I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.
“T-Thank you, Elphicia.”
“You’re welcome. Just doing my duty.”
In the end, she added without fail.
“It’s part of the contract.”
“Ah…”
Honestly, I had no intention of holding anyone accountable even if the contract were violated. I judged that as long as harm wasn’t done to the kids, it was enough.
However, Elphicia was more faithful to married life than expected.
Surprisingly, Elphicia was a person with a strong sense of responsibility.
“But maybe it’s because you’re treating me so well. The memory of grabbing my hair and resorting to violence feels like a complete lie.”
“Eek…!?”
It was when I threw a frivolous joke.
It was just an intention to melt the frozen atmosphere, but Elphicia’s face was tinged with a blush. Moreover, her eyes shook as if seismic waves were occurring.
Even the sensation of her legs trembling was transmitted to this extent.
“You…!”
She raises her voice.
“Forget about it right now! I was just scared that my proposal would be rejected!”
“No, no, it’s too harsh to tell the victim to forget.”
“Ugh… that’s not my true nature. At least remember that. No, keep it in mind.”
“Well… okay.”
To think that the ruthless and cold-hearted Elysia would grab her by the hair on their very first meeting.
It couldn’t be explained unless it was an accidental act of violence due to shock.
“Well, it did hurt quite a bit back then… thank you, Elysia.”
“What’s with the sudden change?”
“I never really cared about contracts and such. That’s the truth, right? You’re a noble lady and I’m just a commoner. I thought that even if you changed your mind after signing the marriage contract, there would be nothing I could do.”
“I heard you say something that turns a person into a dishonorable and godless outcast.”
“I’m sorry for that. I just… now I’m finally sure.”
“Sure about what?”
I smiled comfortably at the puzzled Elysia.
“I think we can become a good couple in our own way. Even if there is no love, we can at least respect each other… like we did this morning.”
We fulfill our duties as a couple.
With this one promise, we can solve quite a few problems.
If there are difficulties, we’ll help each other and show kindness, becoming an ordinary family.
Upon hearing my thoughts, Elysia suddenly stood up.
“…Ha.”
“Elphesia?”
“I’ll go up first.”
“… Did I rush too far ahead? Is that why you’re upset?”
“Not really.”
She hung one foot outside the kitchen and left her final words.
“When you do the dishes, fill the bowl with water comfortably. I’ll finish before lunch.”
“Wait, Elphesia!”
Click!
Elphesia hurriedly closed the kitchen door. The sound of footsteps crossing the corridor quickly echoed.
Alone, I muttered the unfinished words.
“Dishwashing… I was going to say that I’ll do it…”
What bothered her so much that her attitude changed all of a sudden?
It hasn’t been long since we met, but she’s a difficult person.
I wanted to understand Elphesia quickly because even if it started with a contract, we were already like a family.
“… It’s delicious, as expected.”
Elphesia’s cooking was undoubtedly the best among the meats I’ve had so far.
As if she had observed my taste for a long time…
◇
Elphesia returned to the room with quick steps and threw herself onto the bed. Then, she flipped the blanket over her head, crouching like a shrimp.
It was hot. Too hot. But she didn’t want to expose her face outside. What if someone opened the door as a prank? What would she do then?
As if sprinkling pomegranate juice, it’s impossible for others to see a bright red face like that.
“Hmm…”
Harte is someone who is as straight as a fool. Whether it’s the past, present, or future, he simply doesn’t change.
Even though I’ve lived like this, I’ve had my fair share of losing control…
“He liked it… Still does.”
Beef Sote. It’s the dish that Harte personally taught me to like.
I heard him sincerely say it tasted good, despite his indiscriminate and voracious appetite. I don’t know how much time it took to reach this result.
Elphesia absentmindedly touched her own fingers.
“They’re clean…”
In the past, her fingers wouldn’t stay intact.
She had heard a lot of complaints about stopping because she had to apply ointment and wear gloves every day. Since she started late, she was clumsy and had difficulty producing results.
It’s not surprising that her skills were lacking, considering that cooking was not a noble’s refined skill.
After all, nobles were beings who hired chefs.
So she worked hard. Very hard. She never got tired and even risked injury for you.
You were someone who appreciated rough effort more than dazzling material.
That’s why she wanted to give you the fruit of her own labor.
“I’m still… so inexperienced.”
I should push you away a little. I should maintain a business-like attitude as a perfect stranger…
Whenever I look at Harte’s face, I find myself feeling the tension in my facial muscles loosening.
Even a few kind words felt perilous to the cheeks, as if pierced by the tenderness.
Moreover…
[We could be a good couple in our own way.]
The lines he spoke kept echoing in the ears, and she left the kitchen.
‘A couple… he said.’
It was difficult to endure hearing those words directly.
Amidst this, shamelessly clinging to that expression, remnants of attachment lingered. She reluctantly whispered the hope that had been silently harbored outside her lips.
“…Dear.”
Flutter!
The unexpected footstep made the blanket ripple.
Elphesia, lying backwards, buried her face in the pillow and sobbed until she was sick of it.
The broken heart showed no sign of being healed.
For a very long time.
Hmmm… what’s the broken heart about?