Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 20

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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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Chapter 20

The moment Kailrus noticed it, an inexplicable thirst seized him.
Why had she changed?
So he kissed her without preamble, testing.
It was an act of confirmation more than anything.
The moment their lips touched, he caught that familiar sweetness unique to Hazel.
At least that hadn’t changed.
He released her with a breath that came like a sigh of relief, and he noticed the corners of her eyes soften with shy delight.
His own gaze narrowed further.
No.
That wasn’t the expression he expected.
She should have been more flustered.
“Are you tired?”
He asked her.
“Yes, a little.”
He watched every flicker in her eyes, every movement of her body with relentless attention.
Why did it seem like relief when he asked if she was tired?
There was no reason for that.
Hazel always denied it with words, yet she enjoyed kissing him, enjoyed his touch—shy though she was about it.
Especially light kisses.
Whether this was because he’d been trapped in displeasure these past days, or whether Hazel had genuinely changed, he couldn’t reach a clear conclusion.
If she’d known of his existence, she would have been terrified—but it didn’t seem to be that severe.
“Shall we sleep then?”
He asked gently this time.
Hazel nodded as though she’d been waiting for the question, then rubbed her eyes as though sudden drowsiness had overtaken her.
“Yes, Noah. Let’s sleep soon. If we want to wake early in the morning.”
Without waiting for him to say anything more, she burrowed under the blankets and wrapped her arms around his waist, closing her eyes.
Kailrus lowered his head and pressed the tip of his nose gently against hers.
It was a gesture lighter than a butterfly kiss, cautious and deliberate.
She would understand it as a signal sent when he wished for her desire rather than when he moved with his usual boldness.
But Hazel kept her eyes closed, trembling faintly, resisting the invitation.
Kailrus, who had watched her with such meticulous attention that even a single hair on her skin didn’t escape his notice, saw her refusal and withdrew.
This had never happened before.
Was this displeasure rooted in exactly that?
But why was he so displeased by it?
Rationally, there was no reason to be.
There was no reason—yet his mood had turned foul.
Why would she attend a Guild Master meeting she’d never bothered with before?
Small, trivial details he’d overlooked began to catch on him like thorns.
Why?
Why indeed.
Until now, he’d moved according to her ideal type, and there had been no problems.
Had some other man who caught her fancy appeared?
Without that, he couldn’t understand why the light in her eyes when she looked at him had changed.
Where could there be a man capable of filling her heart better than he could?
Once suspicion took root, his mood plummeted further, and one thought begat another in an endless chain.
He’d have to look into it.
The reason for Hazel’s change.

* * *

Days later.
At last the day arrived to depart Ferrarium and journey to the Capital.
I had painted a total of ten portraits.
Becky was indeed a genius.
Her hands were swift, and with each sketch that left her brush, a painting far more lifelike than my own emerged effortlessly.
Kailrus seemed dissatisfied, saying something felt subtly off, but to my eyes, my portrait was far lovelier than his.
Even after I’d painted so many to satisfy him, he still appeared displeased with something.
Perhaps it was because I’d rejected him all night—him pleading not to be left behind, begging me to take him along, me offering excuse after excuse.
Somehow, the more time passed, the thicker the performance between us seemed to grow.
Still, I hoped he wouldn’t change his mind while I was away.
I wished he’d keep watching me with that same leisurely detachment.
At least until the moment I was fully gone from him.
Worried Ani’s presence might raise suspicion, I’d deliberately assigned Nizela urgent tasks and staggered her arrival by several hours.
“I’m going now, Kailrus.”
He kissed me methodically—as if casting Protection Magic—across my forehead, nose, both eyes, cheeks, and chin in turn.
“Be careful. If you need anything, contact me through the Communication Stone.”
He pressed a pebble-smooth Communication Stone into my palm.
Anyone watching would think I was embarking on some distant journey.
“Don’t worry. I’ve lived my entire life in the Capital.”
I felt embarrassed knowing his aide was present today.
I’d deliberately stopped at the Guild instead of heading straight to the Portal Point to keep Ani out of sight, but Kailrus had insisted on coming along anyway.
“Go on. Don’t let me keep you from your work. I’ll contact you the moment we arrive.”
“Understood. Be careful out there, Hazel.”
I practically shoved him out the door.
The instant his carriage pulled away, I slipped back inside the Guild to wait for Ani.
About ten minutes later, Ani appeared carrying a single light bag.
“All set? Shall we head out?”
Where on earth had she found those jet-black sunglasses? Anyone seeing her would think we were off on a leisurely trip to the Capital.
“Ready to go. Your fashion sense is impeccable today.”
“It’s all about the attitude, really. I’ll take care of the Guild Master. Everyone, thanks for your hard work!”
Ani flashed the staff a casual, confident smile and pulled me along.
We hurried out of the Guild, climbed into a carriage, and headed for the Portal Point.
“He doesn’t suspect anything, does he?”
Despite her words, Ani was biting her nails nervously, trembling slightly.
“He won’t be suspicious about this. Besides, he’s been exhausted watching me paint Portraits all week.”
“What portraits? Where did portraits suddenly come from?”
I felt my face flush mid-sentence.
It was embarrassing to say it aloud, really.
“He said since he wouldn’t see me for a week, I should paint him a portrait so……”
Ani’s expression shifted into something resembling shock.
“K-k-kailrus Hardid… said something like that?”
“…He did.”
You’re surprised too? So was I.
“That’s impossible. A man like him saying something like that? I doubt anyone who knows him would believe it.”
“There’s nothing surprising about it. It’s all just an act, after all.”
I murmured, gazing out the window.
“Are you really sure he doesn’t care about you at all? Actually, I’ve been thinking about it, and something feels off.”
“I have my doubts too, but no—he has no feelings for me whatsoever. If he did care, I would have deceived him by now, wouldn’t I?”
“Hmm… I suppose so. In any case. I’m hearing all sorts of nonsense. He won’t be following us or anything, will he?”
“Kailrus’s secretary will be the one trailing us, so he won’t assign anyone else. And even if he did, I’d notice—so don’t worry.”
When I didn’t know what to look for, I never bothered observing my surroundings, but now I checked everything carefully with each move.
After a long drive, the carriage finally arrived at the Portal Point.
Ani hated the distinctive nausea of portal travel and clamped both hands over her ears.
Warp—
For an instant, it felt as though I’d become a human convex lens.
Then, through the carriage window, a familiar vista rushed into view.
The landscape of the Capital—where I hadn’t set foot in a year.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Ugh, I hate that nauseous sensation.”
Ani touched her ears and made a show of every possible complaint.
The moment I spotted the Central Tower of the Capital, an urge to flee seized me.
If I just kept riding past the border without stopping, it might actually be possible.
Should I just… run right now?

* * *

My imagination remained nothing more than imagination.
Damn.
My rational mind, desperate not to stand out, crushed my impulses.
Ani made an evening appointment and left to handle some business, so I unpacked at the hotel.
For the first time in ages, I headed toward the Mercenary Guild Association.
Aside from when I first joined, I’d never been back—but since I was in the area, I figured I might as well take a look at recent industry trends.
“Welcome to the Mercenary Guild Association. How may I assist you?”
As soon as I stepped inside, a receptionist offered a light greeting, and I produced my membership registration certificate bearing the insignia of my guild.
“Ah! You’re the Guild Master of Hon Guild, aren’t you? Then you must be here for this month’s gathering?”
The staff member’s demeanor brightened considerably once they’d confirmed my identity.
Since I paid a monthly fee, they had every reason to be courteous.
“That’s right. But first—I heard Demon Beast sightings have been increasing so much lately. I’d like to see what kind of Demon Beast Subjugation requests have come in from other regions. Is it possible to access that information now? I’m thinking about the last three months or so.”
“Of course. It’ll take a little time to gather, but would you mind coming this way? Why don’t you wait in the lounge with some refreshments, and I’ll have it ready for you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
I followed the staff member to the lounge.
They prepared some light refreshments and tea, told me to wait about thirty minutes, and left.
On one wall of the lounge hung a quarterly ranking board reflecting the performance records of various mercenary guilds.
Hon Guild held first place in the Ferrarium region, but here, we’d only managed fifth.
Though we had climbed as high as third at our peak.
So I won’t be reaching first, damn it.
That was my goal!
I found myself stealing repeated glances at the rankings board, disappointed.
“So I’ll wait inside here for now. Ah, it’s fine, really! I can wait until tomorrow. Just give me some tea!”
At that moment, someone entered the lounge, joking casually with the staff member.

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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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