Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 36

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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 36

Seed spent the next day with Popo, the puppy, at his side.
Only when his master returned home late that night did he finally manage to leave work.
But Popo whimpered all through the night, and Seed lay awake with open eyes until dawn.
Had Popo not been so impossibly cute, he would have snapped at the creature long ago.
Why had Elrod brought the puppy to the office?
When he first adopted the thing, he’d boasted about how the puppy couldn’t survive without him, how it had Separation Anxiety, and eventually brought it along to show off to his colleagues.
But he’d gone out on fieldwork and still hadn’t returned, leaving Seed alone to deal with the whimpering pup.
“Whine…….”
“Your master’s coming soon, buddy. Just hold on a bit longer.”
Popo was a young puppy, not even a year old yet.
Its entire body was covered in fluffy, tightly curled fur, and its face was almost comically endearing—three dark spots like black beans and a snout that jutted out just so.
The pup followed its master so devotedly that it would whine and bark endlessly whenever left behind, its voice growing hoarse from the effort.
Even when coaxed and comforted, the relief was only temporary.
The only quiet moments came during feeding time and sleep.
Still, today had been relatively smooth from the morning onward.
There had been no early-morning summons, and from reports by other staff members, Seed could tell his master was in a decent mood.
He’d started his work at a more leisurely pace than usual.
He made his rounds overseeing the Information Guild, which operated under the Hadid Family’s front company, and checked the sales figures at the gladiatorial arena and auction house in Elcard, as well as the shops running in the Mayfield Commercial District.
Watching the revenue pile higher and higher each day, accumulated like debris raked together, Seed smiled with satisfaction.
After receiving reports from the Hadid Family’s estate and Baron Edith’s Territory, along with those from the other fiefs, he compiled them into a first draft before writing up the full report.
“Whine, whimper!”
“Tch. Wait just a moment more.”
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Moreover, while Heizel was away in the Capital, there was no pressing reason to make trips back and forth to the Baron’s estate, so he had considerably more time on his hands.
He’d already grown tired of using the underground Portal Magic Circle to shuttle between the Capital, the Baron’s estate, and the various fiefs.
The Circle had cost a small fortune to construct, but frequent use left his body drained—exhausted as though from Overtime Work.
Not that Heizel had any idea this was happening.
Well, aside from his master, who seemed to have the physical constitution of a monster and would likely remain unaffected even after teleporting a million times.
“If only things would stay this way, I couldn’t ask for more.”
With one hand he petted Popo and with the other he continued scribbling out reports, humming softly as he worked.
That is, until he glanced away and noticed Popo had wandered into Kairous’s office.

It was enough to make the dead weep.
The master’s office was on the third floor—how that stubby-legged puppy had managed to climb all the way up was a mystery.
Staring into those beady little eyes before him, Seed felt his head spinning.
“M-Master.”
“Yap! Yap!”
Popo stood on all four legs, head held stiffly high, tail pointing straight up, barking ferociously at Kairous.
Most people—or even fierce beasts—would instinctively shrink back in the presence of their master.
But this tiny puppy, no bigger than a pair of fists pressed together, was showing audacious spirit.
For some reason, Kairous seemed entirely uninterested and didn’t even look down at the creature. Popo, undeterred, latched onto the hem of Kairous’s trousers and began pulling at it.
“Grr…….”
With its teeth clamped down and legs braced, the pup pulled rhythmically, gripping with all its might.
Terror nearly kept Seed from moving closer—he stood rooted in place, face pale as ash.
Despite the persistent nuisance, Kairous showed barely any disturbance.
‘Why isn’t he reacting? Why is he just… sitting there?’
‘He should have sent it away by now.’
Unaware that Seed was recalling Heizel upon seeing the rippling reddish-brown fur, Seed merely perspired heavily.
“Tell me what you came for.”
At that, Seed’s head snapped up sharply.
“Ah, Master. The matter is that we’ve successfully completed the purchase of the Mayfield Commercial District, Block 1, Section 5 in Elcard. Given how difficult Capital real estate acquisitions have become lately, I’d braced myself for complications, but fortunately we managed it without incident, wouldn’t you say?”
“I see.”
“Yap, yap, growl…….”
Popo now turned toward the door and began scratching at it insistently.
Since Seed had shut the door behind him when he entered, the puppy was now trapped inside.
Seed belatedly thought he should have apologized, but turning around mid-report to open the door seemed even more awkward.
Seed had no choice but to leave Popo scratching and whimpering behind as he resumed his report.
“The Hon Guild’s new expansion project is also proceeding without incident, and the dispatched staff are working diligently, so I believe you need not worry. That concludes my report.”
“Very well. You may go.”
“Whine, whine! Whine!”
Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch!
“Yes, then.”
Seed bowed deeply and turned to leave with Popo, when Kairous’s voice called from behind.
“Seed.”
“Yes? My lord.”
Seed, who had been in a half-bent posture, straightened himself again.
“Why is that dog whimpering like that?”
Kairous’s brow furrowed with displeasure.
In Heizel’s absence, he had kept a small ball of fur at his side.
Though they were entirely different species and differed in appearance, it was simply placing one cute thing beside him in lieu of another.
Yet why did it whimper so ceaselessly?
It seemed to be searching for something, but unable to speak, it merely looked like a dog desperate for relief.
Seed felt a fresh wave of shock internally.
It was already remarkable that he kept an animal nearby—but now he was actually curious about it.
Though he couldn’t fathom what psychological shift had prompted this, the change was far too dramatic to understand all at once; he resolved to observe carefully over time.
“Ah, that would be—it’s a puppy that Elrod keeps, and whenever Elrod leaves, it becomes like that. The creature follows only its master and seems to experience anxiety when separated. I’m sorry for the noise. I assure you, this won’t happen again.”
“It acts that way only when separated from its master?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. The moment its master appears, it calms down. It licks him, wags its tail enthusiastically. But the instant its master is out of sight, it throws a fit like that. Most dogs are devoted to their masters, aren’t they? It seems to miss him so desperately its voice grows hoarse.”
……
“It barely sleeps and growls constantly, unable to sit still.”
Kairous’s eyes fixed on Popo.
In those quiet crimson eyes, a faint ripple seemed to stir.
“Its master.”
What was this—this sense of déjà vu?
Why am I acting like that wretched dog?
Kairous thought suddenly.
Wasn’t it exactly the same as waiting desperately for Heizel’s contact, every waking moment?
As that thought struck him, a bitter laugh escaped.
Seed, witnessing that laughter, felt a chill of dread, but Kairous simply shook his head to himself.
It was not a pleasant mood. Why am I like this?
This question had haunted him since Heizel’s behavior began to change.
Since her gaze shifted to something indefinable.
‘Yes, that’s right.’
Why should that displease him, nag at him, leave him so unsettled?
As if something had snagged and caught, it kept tormenting him—yet he couldn’t simply bring her here to verify it.
Kairous clicked his tongue. Then he waved his hand dismissively at Seed, telling him to take the dog and leave.

* * *

Today too, Heizel had postponed other appointments, gone to the Imperial Palace to teach Fae Martin, and only in late afternoon stepped into the Hotel Lobby.
Yesterday she had been so exhausted that upon returning to the hotel and bathing, she hadn’t even thought to contact Noah before collapsing into bed.
Breakfast had been the same.
The first day had been fine, buoyed by excitement, but her palate—now accustomed to Noah’s cooking—was beginning to reject other food with growing dissatisfaction.
It was delicious. Delicious, yet somehow it stirred nothing within her.
She longed for the food that once made her senses tingle with each bite, that filled her with abundance and played a brilliant orchestra across her tongue.
The hotel breakfast prepared by a chef formerly of the Imperial Palace kitchens simply didn’t appeal, and it was too bothersome to venture out for something else in the morning.
So when she said she wouldn’t eat, Nizela was immediately horrified.

‘You didn’t eat dinner yesterday evening, and now breakfast too? Please, Director, could you at least have something? If there’s anything you’d like, I’ll fetch it immediately.’
‘No, a glass of water will be enough today.’
‘That won’t do, Director!’
‘Hmm?’
‘I… I’m truly heartbroken, Director. Please, please, even just three bites—or one bite, anything. Please, Director.’
‘No, come on… it’s just one meal. Why would Nizela’s heart break over that…….’
‘I’m your secretary, sir. If I can’t serve you properly, then I…….’
‘You what?’
‘…Nothing, sir. Managing your health is part of my duties, so please, let me do my job.’
‘Ah… well, if that’s how it is, fine. We’ll just grab a simple breakfast at the hotel, then.’
‘Thank you, sir!’

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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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