Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 98

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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 98

“I’m thinking of holding a banquet.”
I’d fallen asleep waiting for Kailas last night without meaning to.
Lately, I’d been sleeping far better than usual.
It’s a nicer place than I expected, but that’s not why my mind feels at ease.
On top of that, five Monsters have appeared in the vicinity over the past fortnight.
Even for the Northern Region, that was significant.
Every time I brought up the idea of joining the Inspection Patrols, we fought, so I’d given up—but if things got worse, I was resolved to go regardless of his objections.
Since I’ve already interfered with the original story, I don’t want to witness anyone’s sacrifice. I wanted to lend my strength, but Kailas kept stopping me.
Even though it’s obvious I could be of help to him!
So I was trying to persuade him by bringing up the banquet, but…
I couldn’t fathom why sleep came so easily these days.
Today, since Kailas had stayed quietly at home, I suggested we go out together so I could observe the surroundings.
I would’ve preferred to go alone, but he clung to me like a shadow whenever I tried to leave. Besides, I thought I might manage some persuasion I hadn’t gotten around to yet.
“Do it myself?”
“Yes. I spoke with Tene yesterday evening. I’d meant to tell you then, but didn’t get the chance.”
“It’ll require a lot of hands. Better to delegate. That’s how it’s always been.”
“That’s only because the position of Duchess had been vacant until now. Word about me seems to be spreading, and I can’t ignore that. I’d also like to try doing it myself.”
I almost said I’d fulfill my obligations properly during the contract, but stopped myself.
We’d only fight again if I did.
“If you want to do it, then do it. If it gets difficult, tell me. I’ll help with the preparations too.”
“You will?”
“Of course. I’m not about to let you exhaust yourself alone.”
At his absolute tone, I let out a quiet laugh.
“I appreciate it, but I’ll mostly be giving orders anyway. By the way, you’ve been heading out for Inspection Patrols quite far these days, haven’t you?”
“…It’s been fairly extensive.”
Kailas drew me closer to the inside of the path. A carriage passed by with the clop of hooves.
“Like I said before, what about going together?”
His brow furrowed noticeably in disapproval—a clear sign he wasn’t pleased.
“Hazel, we’ve already settled this.”
“The incidents are increasing. If I hadn’t married you, I’d have come to suppress them by now anyway.”
“That’s not negotiable. The Northern Region isn’t so unstable that I’d expose you to that kind of danger.”
Someone pulling a cart hurried past us again.
Kailas’ body pressed slightly closer against mine.
“The Crown Prince would probably laugh if he heard that. He knows my Ability.”
“Protecting my wife is my duty as a husband.”
“It’s overprotective.”
As I finished speaking, I turned my head and realized we’d already entered the Busy Commercial District.
The crowds seemed to be growing thicker.
“When you were in the Fiefdom, did you come out here often? I mean, before the marriage.”
“Not particularly.”
“You didn’t come out?”
“Almost never. I’d only venture out when necessary.”
“You’re not a very conscientious lord.”
“Don’t I seem like a conscientious husband?”
“Why does everything you say veer in that direction?”
“Because I want to look good in your eyes.”
Unable to muster a proper reply, I nudged him with my elbow instead.
I turned my gaze to the side as I heard him laugh softly.
We’d reached the heart of the Busy Commercial District.
Despite the crowds being quite dense, I realized I hadn’t felt the slightest discomfort in my body.
My eyes naturally drifted back to Kailas.
His gaze met mine immediately.
“What is it? Uncomfortable?”
“Not at all.”
There was a reason for my comfort.
Kailas’ attention was entirely fixed on me.
Moments like this never fail to confuse me a little.
“…!”
It happened in an instant.
I felt a gaze suddenly piercing toward me like a blade.
I turned my head quickly toward where the gaze had come from, but there were so many people around that it was impossible to locate.
Someone had definitely just looked at me.
It was a gaze uncomfortable enough, if not outright hostile.
Was it just my imagination?
I’d felt something similar earlier too, right when I’d stepped down from the carriage and begun walking.
At first I wondered if someone had recognized me as the duchess, but it didn’t seem to be that.
Brushing aside the uneasy feeling, I turned my attention toward a vendor’s stall, eager to end my first outing in the Northern Region on a pleasant note.
I hadn’t come all this way just to have my mood spoiled.
“These bring good fortune! Talismans you carry with you—they bring luck to those who wear them!”
Good fortune?
A man with tousled hair, half of it carelessly tied back, was selling all manner of trinkets.
I drifted toward him, if only for a change of scenery.
As I drew near, the man grinned cheerfully and told me to browse freely.
There were colorful bracelets that looked like woven raw gemstones, long tassel decorations that would suit a sword belt, and wooden carving ornaments stamped with indecipherable patterns.
Good fortune, indeed.
“Anything catching your eye?”
“Just looking around.”
Neither I nor Kailas cared much for dangling things, so I’d never wear a bracelet, and these seemed unnecessary.
The wooden carving was rather large to carry, and somewhat rough at that.
I glanced sidelong at Kailas, who stood guarding me, and let my gaze settle on the sword at his hip.
The sword belt decoration might actually look decent on him. Supposed to bring good fortune and all.
…….
I was about to give him a gift when I suddenly came to my senses. My hand, reaching for the tassel decoration, stopped.
I hastily abandoned the impulse, afraid that giving him a gift on a whim might make him harbor expectations.
I didn’t want to compound the confusion any further.
“…I’ll have to buy something next time.”
The vendor looked thoroughly disappointed, but I hurried away from the stall even more quickly than before.
That gaze I’d felt earlier clung to me persistently throughout my tour of the town.
I looked around several times but failed to locate its source.
On the way back, I thought I caught sight of someone suspicious, but they were so deeply hooded I couldn’t make out their face.
There were guards around, and besides, if there were real danger, Kailas would have sensed it with his usual keen awareness. Surely I was worrying over nothing.
I lingered for a moment at the spot where the suspicious figure had vanished, then headed home.

* * *

The banquet was held ten days later.
Once I’d set my mind to it, nothing seemed difficult.
Tene handled most of the preparations, while I sent invitations to the nobility of the Fiefdom. With only such simple tasks to manage, I didn’t need to rush about.
Strangely, I found myself with almost nothing to do. It seemed Kailas had arranged something, though I had no concrete evidence of it.
Still, I made the rounds checking on the food we’d be serving, staying diligent as always.
“Hisan, I’d like you to do my hair and dress today—something a bit more elaborate is fine.”
“What about something with a bit of fur trim? It’s not cold indoors, but it would be lovely as an ornament.”
“That would be fine.”
Winter was coming early to the Northern Region.
The seasons here were generally indistinct and the climate cold, so it felt almost strange to speak of winter’s arrival, yet as December approached, the air was unmistakably growing colder.
When I opened the windows in the morning, the scent of winter already drifted in. Snow wouldn’t have seemed out of place.
In the meantime, there had been two monster incursions and hunts.
Once, I heard, three Follower Beasts had appeared simultaneously.
Apparently out of concern for me going out, Kailas only informed me late in the evening after they’d been dealt with.
Usually a single Follower Beast leads several monsters, but three appearing at once was unusual.
According to reports, one of them even kept uttering strange words before it died.
It kept muttering things like “found it, must find it.”
Unlike last year, with the lord firmly holding his ground, the mood in the Fiefdom had remained stable so far, but if things continued this way, the people would soon fall into unease.
That was why I had to make this banquet as perfect as possible.
“Something still seems to be missing…….”
“I couldn’t have done it better than this.”
Tene said she’d bring tea to the Bedroom, but it was Kailas who stepped inside.
“Well, at least you managed to… hold on.”
The moment I turned my head, I found myself looking directly at him.
From his hair down to his feet, he was immaculately put together—for a second there, I nearly lost my mind.
Right, of course. He was exactly my type. Absolutely perfect…!
I thought I’d grown immune to his appearance by now, but I was wrong.
Those eyes. Those eyes of his.
I wish I could do something about the way my eyes react to his face.
He was dressed flawlessly, sure, but everything except those eyes was monochromatic—so how could it suit him so well…?
He wouldn’t have swept his bangs across just because I’d mentioned liking it once, would he?
A thousand thoughts crowded my mind at once.
“Hazel?”
“Mm, well, you’ve groomed yourself nicely.”
Kailas caught the opportunity to tease, his smile turning playful.
“Does my wife approve?”
“It’s… it’s passable, I suppose.”
The moment I looked away, I heard laughter from beside me.
“Passable enough to stand next to you?”
He was already leaning in, pressing his face closer.
He clearly knew I was weak to his looks and was deliberately pushing it. His face really is a poison—a literal poison.
“Of course it is… ugh, seriously. Get away from me.”
Irritated for no good reason, I clenched my fist and drove my knuckle hard into his ribs.
Kailas’s laughter only grew louder.
Ugh, really infuriating.

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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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