Newlywed Life Begins with a Mistake - Chapter 7

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 7

“Your hands are soft.”

“Oh my, dear.”

Evelyn blushed at Casian’s sudden action.

Thanks to Evelyn staying still, Casian was able to closely observe her hands.

‘No calluses.’

A knight would naturally have calluses embedded in their palms or knuckles, but no such traces could be found on Evelyn’s hands.

No matter how well one takes care of themselves, there should be signs somewhere.

Unless she was an unparalleled genius who could display excellent skills without special effort or had a blessed body, there should be traces of training, whether blisters or calluses.

But Evelyn’s hands were soft and lustrous as if they had never experienced hardship.

Are a lady’s hands naturally this delicate?

They fit perfectly in one hand, so adorably small.

Not only do they smell nice, but every time he gently rubbed her knuckles with his fingers, he could feel a pleasant sensation…

“I’m going crazy.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Please join me for the meal, my lady.”

To chase away his wicked thoughts, Casian quickly stood up.

He pulled back the chair beside him and seated Evelyn.

‘She’s a married woman. Get a grip.’

He kept repeating the same words to calm his raging emotions, but couldn’t settle his irregularly beating heart.

Even when he tried not to look, his gaze kept wandering to her.

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“Nothing.”

It was a face he usually looked at without any problem, so why couldn’t he properly look at her face now?

Confusion filled Casian’s expression as he turned his head away.

‘What the hell is this?’

Impulsive longing.

An unfamiliar emotion.

The more he dwelled on it, the more he felt like he was falling into an unknown swamp.

Indescribable questions swirled through his mind, but one thing was certain.

He would keep his distance from the bait for a while.

It wasn’t running away.

He just felt the need to cool his head.

After escorting Evelyn to her room, Casian hastily summoned Hans and threw his robe at him with an order.

“Prepare for an inspection tour.”

* * *

“Hmm, something feels off.”

Casian has been strange these past few days.

Since we ate together in the dining room, I haven’t been able to see his face at all.

Was our last conversation uncomfortable for him?

There was a small argument when my request for the ledgers was immediately rejected, but our relationship wasn’t bad.

We even held hands in the dining room and confirmed each other’s feelings, so I thought we’d enter the room together.

[Please rest, my lady.]

With those words telling me to rest, he disappeared like the wind.

I was already feeling unsettled because we hadn’t reached a conclusion about the ledgers, and now I can’t even see his face.

I wanted to have tea time together and have a conversation, but I couldn’t even see his hair, let alone his shadow.

According to the head maid, Casian had left for an estate inspection.

He’s harder to see than the moon floating in the sky.

I let out a big sigh at the absurdity.

“The madam sitting on the sofa stopped drinking her tea and sighed.”

“And loudly too!”

Then the maids’ eyes sparkled as they began recording.

Do they think I can’t hear what they’re saying among themselves?

Anyone would be able to hear when they talk like that.

“I can hear everything.”

“Eek!”

Mary and Rose simultaneously covered their mouths with their hands and gave me looks that said, “How did she know?”

Their faces expected an answer, but I thought it would become troublesome if I explained in detail, so I replied halfheartedly.

“Actually, I can read people’s minds.”

“Oh my! No wonder!”

“Hmm~ So that’s why His Excellency avoided madam.”

These girls?

I was trying to forget, but they keep bringing up bad memories.

Should I take out a rod and give them some education?

‘Wait, that’s too villainess-like!’

I had a scary thought without realizing it.

Anyone watching would think I’m a villainess.

“Ahem. Mary, Rose. What does our dear like?”

“His Excellency? I don’t think there’s anything he particularly likes.”

“Hmm~ His Excellency was indifferent to whatever he ate.”

“What does he dislike?”

“Sweet fruits.”

“Among those, does he especially dislike orange fruits?”

“What? Orange fruit?”

I fed him plenty of that at the restaurant back then, didn’t I?

[Honey, hamon goes well with sweet fruits.]

Though hamon alone was good, I wanted to make it even more delicious for him, so I offered him a fruit that looked similar to melon.

[….]

Casian at that time showed no particular reaction.

There was neither acceptance nor refusal, and just as I was puzzled, he suddenly grabbed my hand.

And what happened then?

His grip tightened with strength.

I almost instinctively twisted his wrist, but when I confirmed it was Casian, I quietly blushed.

‘He wants me to feed him.’

He couldn’t even meet my eyes and kept his gaze fixed on my hand, so it must be right.

Since he initiated the physical contact first, I should play along, right?

To create that sweet newlywed couple feeling, I wrapped the red hamon around the crimson fruit on the plate and put it in his mouth.

Using only one hand was quite inconvenient, but Casian ate everything I gave him.

When about half the fruit on the plate was gone, he suddenly got up from his seat and suggested we eat.

[Please join me for the meal, my lady.]

Even when he pulled out my chair, I thought we had connected.

“No wonder he was so quiet.”

Even though he disliked the food, he endured it because he wanted to show a dignified appearance in front of his wife!

I thought his gentle stroking of my hand with his fingers was a signal for more… but it wasn’t.

“I was wrong.”

I thought he really liked it, but looking back now, I only did things he disliked, didn’t I?

Casian must have been uncomfortable because I was so oblivious.

Then I should apologize first.

The problem is I don’t know when Casian will return.

“What should I do?”

I was deep in thought alone when it happened.

“Excuse me, my lady.”

With a knock, the butler Sebastian appeared.

* * *

Sebastian, with his white hair neatly tied back showing the traces of time, bowed politely while observing Evelyn.

Though he looked puzzled, fortunately his face showed he hadn’t noticed anything.

Sebastian, who had been avoiding Evelyn as she constantly demanded the ledgers, finally appeared after the fake ledger was completed.

“I heard you wanted to see the ledger.”

“Yes. Is that the ledger you’re carrying under your arm?”

Indeed, she was sharp.

Even though he had deliberately rolled up the ledger, she saw through it immediately.

‘It’s been a while since I felt this kind of tension.’

Sebastian’s hands were sweating.

Though it didn’t show through his white gloves, he felt like a small creature facing a superior predator.

‘I don’t know how far I can deceive her, but I cannot hand over the real ledger.’

Though they were treating her as the duchess, Evelyn’s true identity was Princess Seldian and Count Heteus’s beloved lover.

While her current favorable gaze was fine, there was no telling how she might change if her memory returned.

Therefore, Sebastian placed a fake ledger similar to the real one on the table to prepare for all possibilities.

“This is the ledger.”

“You’re handing it over so obediently?”

“Yes. Though I’ve been stubbornly holding onto it, I now think it’s right to give it to you, my lady.”

Instead of answering, Evelyn picked up the ledger.

Her examining gaze was exactly like that of a predator sizing up its prey.

“For a ledger, it looks too clean. The ink marks don’t seem to be very old either.”

Oh no!

A sharp observation flew at him like an arrow.

To make such a mistake in his haste to create the ledger!

But Sebastian composed his expression and answered calmly.

He didn’t forget to signal the maids beside Evelyn to go along with it.

“It looks new because of the preservation magic cast on it, my lady.”

“That’s right! How excellent is the ducal house’s preservation magic!”

“The ducal house’s magic is comparable to the imperial court’s!”

“I see.”

Evelyn waved her hand with a look that said she was suspicious but would let it pass for now.

At the dismissal, Sebastian bowed politely and went out to the corridor.

“How did it go?”

Sophia, who had been pacing the corridor worried that the fake ledger might be discovered, immediately asked upon seeing Sebastian.

“It should be fine for now.”

At this, Sebastian sent a reassuring glance and confessed what had happened with Evelyn.

When the explanation ended, Sophia’s complexion returned to normal.

“We’ve managed to get through one crisis.”

“Yes. I don’t know when she’ll catch on, but when you think about it, it’s all true except for the important secrets.”

“That’s true, but isn’t there a problem?”

To cover up the maids’ slip of the tongue, they had written down a lot of deficits.

From costs to be procured later to taxes that delinquents hadn’t paid.

All sorts of outstanding debts were recorded.

A ledger with some gains but large losses.

If she sees all those minuses packed together, surely…

“Aaaahhh!”

She would scream like that.

Wait? That voice sounds familiar somehow?

The two people who had been tilting their heads with puzzled faces realized the source of the scream and rushed over in haste.

“My lady!”

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