I Will Become the Ex-Wife of the Beast - Chapter 44

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The chaos only grew, but unlike the twins, I didn’t dare question that stern expression of his.
Busy staring at Kiers’s broad chest in his black uniform, I didn’t notice until too late that Lord Jerome had hurried off.
“Ah, Lord Jerome!”
Why is he so quick? I haven’t even greeted him yet!
Blinking in disappointment, my view was blocked once again by his chest.
“My lady, I trust you.”
“…N-no, thank you.”
Wait, did I ask him anything?
Before I could tilt my head in confusion, Kiers had already extended one arm. When I looked up at him, he nodded as if to say, take it.
“We’re late for the meal. Shall we go?”
“…I can make it there on my own, you know.”
“I did say to take it…”
His voice from the bedchamber this morning, the one he’d murmured almost in passing, drifted back into my ear. It wasn’t a command, but his low, languid tone slipped right under my skin, and my hand moved on its own. The firm muscle of his arm twitched the moment my hand touched it.
“It isn’t as though I’m offering to show you the way, after all.”
“Then what is it?”
“The Grand Duke’s Castle is so vast that, now and then, some of the staff fail to understand an order at once, or fail to recognize their master’s belongings.”
Kiers’s gaze slid briefly toward the spot where Lord Jerome had been standing, then came back to me. Just how much am I supposed to accept here?
When I rubbed my cheek awkwardly, he led me on with a hastily arranged smile.
“So the conclusion is, I fully trust you, my lady.”

◇ ◆ ◇

What’s gotten into this man today?
Come to think of it, he’d been strange since yesterday. He’d gone and officiated the second half of our wedding by himself, and now he was rambling on about roots, as if I were a tree and not a person.
“….”
There was only one thing I wanted from this man now: to get through my time here as safely and peacefully as possible. We were married, and he had declared we would live as an ordinary couple, so I’d made up my mind to try as well. Still, I couldn’t forget that Kiers was a man destined for Cecil.
Knowing your place, that is the Extra’s best means of survival.
I could smile and enjoy myself in moderation, but I couldn’t get too deeply involved. There was no need to understand his intentions, nor to attach any meaning to his actions.
Still, no matter how I thought about it, the fact that only the two of us sat at this enormous table was not something I could easily let slide.
“…Your Highness, it’s mealtime, so why is everyone…?”
“Don’t concern yourself. During training season, it’s more convenient for them to eat at the Training Ground.”
“But there’s so much food…”
“Why, were you expecting someone else?”
“Hm?”
When I narrowed my eyes in a frown, Kiers abruptly slid a piece of meat he had cut into bite-sized pieces over to my plate.
Is he telling me to eat this? I couldn’t bring myself to hand it back and say I didn’t want it… and he’d cut it so neatly, too.
“Well, yes. Your Highness really seems to be skilled with a knife.”
“I do it every day.”
Chew, chew. Kiers caught every word I said, no matter what it was. Even as he cut the meat with an elegance that left me in awe, he occasionally lifted his eyes to listen to what I said, and it was rather striking. I kept wondering how much more convincing he’d be if he weren’t wearing that mask.
“…No.”
I’d just sworn not to attach any meaning to him, and yet, Bella, why do you keep doing this?
Maybe the one who’s truly strange isn’t him but me. Even when my twin sisters called him a beast, I felt something similar, and the longer time went on, the harder it became for me to understand my own heart.
Kiers’s expression, too, had been somewhat grim since a while ago.
“Your Highness, was I not supposed to speak to Lord Jerome?”
“….”
Instead of beating around the bush, I went straight to the point. It wasn’t as though I could go on living forever watching his every expression.
Kiers, still holding his knife, raised an eyebrow.
“…Of course you may. Is there anything the Grand Duchess Consort cannot do in the North?”
“I see.”
“However.”
Kiers set down his knife and exchanged his glass. Lifting his water glass as though proposing a toast, he made it plain exactly who the master of this table was.
“It should be a suitable question, asked of a suitable person.”
“I was only going to ask why the hall is so empty…”
“You’d have done better to ask me or the Count about that.”
“But neither of you was here.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“….”
Huh. Why do I feel like I’ve been roped into something?
He said he’d stay by my side as often as possible, and in such a solemn tone too. All I can do is thank him.
That’s not right. I gave a stiff, awkward smile and shook my head.
“Then what exactly am I supposed to ask someone like Sir Jerome?”
“Well, since he’s a senior officer of the Knights, questions about Knight Order business, the North’s border readiness and defenses, our troop strength, and future tactics should be suitable enough.”
“…Are you really going to tell me things like that so casually?”
“I already told you. I trust you.”
…No. This isn’t about trust or not trusting.
Please don’t trust me that much. Someone who’s supposed to live quietly and slip away… why would you do that?
Someone’s trust could actually be this burdensome. Above all, the weight of that “I trust you” had clearly shifted from a moment ago.
When he’d declared his trust in front of Sir Jerome, it had blazed hot enough to burn everything to ash. Now it was calm and steady. Seeing him so ready to answer whatever I asked made my chest prickle.
…What a naive man. What if I sold off military secrets? What’s he thinking?
Handing a man like that over to Cecil, who is only kind, didn’t seem right. Between a married couple, one of them has to be sharp and keep a tight grip on things, but he’s so muddled. Hah.
No. Who cares.
I forced myself to shake off the guilt. Is there any folly greater than worrying about Kiers? This isn’t even a mouse fretting over a cat. It’s far worse than that.
The embodiment of evil! The ruler of slaughter! The Grand Duke soaked in blood!
I solemnly recalled the reputation of Kiers that my sisters had wailed about. Yet no matter how I look at him, I can’t agree that he’s a “cursed beast.” Where else would you find a beast whose every sword stroke is so graceful and clean? On top of that, he ties his sash neatly, and at night he kisses… ahem…
“Eliya?”
“…Hm? Yes?”
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
At Kiers’s call, I put the rest of my meat into my mouth.
See, even with food he’s so generous about giving up his share. Chew, chew.
I’ve lived with so little for so long that I finished my reassessment of him on a positive note.
The starting point of this train of thought was that I was in no position to pity him, yet I had no idea why it always ended up like this. Maybe it’s because it’s just the two of us.
I stole a glance at the empty seat beside me.
“By the way, why is Rose taking so long? She went for a walk with the Count, so I wasn’t worried at all.”
“Ah, Rose.”
The moment he heard Rose’s name, Kiers grew lazy like a well-fed beast of prey. Seeing him look somehow pleased made me uneasy for no reason.
“…Did they go somewhere far?”
“No need to worry. Our Rose is a good lady, so she’ll have gone to bed early and will be up early.”
“What does going for a walk have to do with going to bed early?”
“You’ll find out tonight.”
He propped his chin on his hand, a lazy smile curling on his lips. It was hardly a gentle smile, so I didn’t dare press further and simply focused on the remaining food.
Meanwhile, footsteps finally echoed through the desolate hall.
“Your Highness, have you both finished your meal?”
“Where’s the Count? No, where’s Rose?”
Kiers rose from his seat as if he meant to greet Rose himself. But beside Sir Lear, who had just entered, there was no one.
“Ah, Lady Rose has fallen asleep.”
“…Why?”
Kiers’s voice turned puzzled. He wore a look of obvious dismay, as though something he never should have allowed had happened. I had never known that a man so confident could make such an expression.
“What on earth did you do to the child?”
“Pardon? Your Highness, you said it would be good for Lady Rose to get some moderate exercise…”
“Moderate, my foot! Until someone collapses and falls asleep! Hah.”
He muttered under his breath and pressed a hand to his forehead for a long moment. Setting aside how fierce his expression was, he looked so deflated that even I couldn’t bring myself to speak. In truth, it would be more accurate to say he was struggling to hold back a laugh that threatened to burst out.
…Was that his so-called method all along?
“Hff.”
Oh, what do I do. The beast has become so pitiful.
I pressed my lips shut by force, and my shoulders trembled faintly. Even as Sir Lear looked on wondering what was wrong, I couldn’t stop, so I lowered my head deeply.
“Ah…”
For all his looks, he’s sly, and on top of that, careless.
So it seems that brother of hers meant to work our Rose hard, get her to bed early, and then try something on me. But his idea of exercise was far too much like a knight’s training regimen. Dragging a child who has the stamina of a three- or four-year-old through two full hours of exertion, of course she’d skip breakfast and end up completely worn out.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just remembered something fun from before.”
“…I’ll pretend to believe you.”
Even knowing Kiers’s gaze was growing more menacing, I had no way to smooth things over. Still, I forced my throat clear and smiled at Sir Lear. I could sense Kiers’s eyes flash once more, but for now, avoiding that face is the wisest course.
“Sir Lear, so the Count took Rose away?”
“Yes. He said he would lay her down…”
“No, bring her here.”
At Kiers’s sharp voice cutting in, Sir Lear hesitated and tried to dissuade him, looking troubled.
“But she has only just fallen asleep, so wouldn’t it be better to let her sleep… If she wakes up, though…”
“And if she wakes up, are you going to leave her there alone?”
“Ah…”
It seemed he hadn’t considered that far, because Lear quickly bowed his head and vanished.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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