The Contract Marriage for Attilenta's Revenge - Chapter 25

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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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Atilenta’s Contract Marriage for Revenge — Episode 25
Barsha stroked the cat Mari’s fur again, smoothing it gently, and tilted her head. Of course, her brother had never once indulged in talk of women or judged by appearance.
Yet even if her brother’s taste prioritized a woman’s character over her looks, any member of the royal household would be expected to take a spouse with no deficiency in any regard.
A composed and beautiful outward form, a gentle and tender disposition, and upright conduct—such qualities won the favor of both nobles and commoners alike.
“She resembles your cat.”
Henrik looked down at Mari with an unguarded, peculiar gaze. The cat purred contentedly in her master’s arms, kneading with affectionate movements.
“My goodness, brother.”
Barsha laughed with evident delight.
“I’d never heard you say such a thing before. If anything, the fact that the daughter of Biaubi is graceful and beautiful—well, everyone knows that, don’t they? There are plenty of people here desperate to catch your eye, and you’ve pretended not to notice every single one of them.”
Henrik shrugged like a languid gentleman.
“How would I know anything about women’s affairs, Barsha?”
“Really, brother, you are something.”
Even at the last reception, Henrik had pushed aside the daughter of Biaubi with apparent indifference while speaking similar words. Watching her brother, Barsha recalled the rumors she had heard from the battlefield about him.
Her brother was kind to his own people and always considered multiple angles in whatever he did—a wise man—yet why did those reports dominate the talk from that place, calling him inhuman?
Was it simply that he didn’t chase women as easily as others did? She knew he had danced with members of the opposite sex a few times at other receptions for political reasons, but it always felt like mere courtesy.
Come to think of it, that was exactly like Lescha too. Even if they had different mothers, they shared the same father—and his behavior seemed to prove it.
“Because someone might dare to take a place I haven’t granted.”
Henrik offered an answer to his sister, who seemed lost in thought.
Barsha gave her kind brother a faint smile. That was the sort of man he was. Whether it was his own place or someone else’s, he was always the one to decide.
“So your consort has already claimed that position?”
“Yes. And…….”
Henrik deliberately let his words trail off. There were more than one or two ways in which his consort differed from other women. The most striking of all was, indeed…….
Suddenly he found himself thinking of the wedding night—that intimately private moment he could not speak of to others, not even to his affectionate sister.
In that moment alone, she had not seemed like a woman who was simply endlessly bold.
“How unlike you, brother, to leave your words hanging like that.”
“Such things happen too, Barsha.”
“I understand. It’s a matter between husband and wife. Brother, I asked so many questions out of genuine curiosity. I’m grateful for even this much you’ve told me.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Barsha drank a little more wine in a leisurely, comfortable posture. A moment ago it had tasted bitter, but now it seemed sweet with a pleasant flavor. It was a good fragrance that seemed to wash away the sour mood from the earlier trouble. She made a pleased sound through her nose.
“The way His Majesty treated the daughter of Biaubi at the reception was quite amusing.”
Henrik nodded slightly in agreement.
At that time, his coldness toward Tatra had been purely the price of a transaction. Of course, his consort would know this fact as well.
“That was my impression too, but the daughter of that household likely saw things differently.”
Barsha’s eyes curved with playful mischief. Henrik affirmed her thought while keeping his own assessment of Atilenta to himself.
She had seemed emotional at the time. Though her expression was as cold as ice.
“In any case, what I wanted to tell you was…… that thanks to your consort, I’ve learned something too.”
“Good for you, Barsha.”
If his sister had rediscovered how to handle people, then throwing such a reception was nothing at all.
Henrik would have been content even if he caught only a glimpse of a tail from this. Cut the tail often enough, and eventually the body itself would be exposed.
Barsha chattered merrily and smiled brightly. To Henrik’s eyes, his sister still looked like a girl.
If he could, he would have let that child live as she wished. But that, too, was a difficult thing. Until his great ambition was realized, all he could do was endure and prepare.
“Next time, I plan to use that salt at a reception where I entertain foreign envoys as well. Jewels alone don’t hold such value—it’s quite interesting.”
“It was possible because of a foreigner’s perspective.”
“A diversity of viewpoints is always necessary. Though I’ll need to observe this person more to be sure. I wonder if Mari will warm to her. Hmm, the first greeting seemed fine, though…….”
Barsha tilted her head to one side, her eyes narrowing pleasantly.
“But your eye is never wrong, brother.”
“I’m glad you trust me so much, Barsha.”
When Henrik spoke with feigned innocence, Barsha laughed like an innocent girl.
“Ha ha, it’s always been that way.”

* * *
The reception held by Henrik and Princess Barsha ended in grand success. Various jewels and beautiful ornaments came up for auction, creating quite a spirited atmosphere.
Throughout the reception, Henrik seemed busy attending to one person after another, and I managed well enough on my own.
It was the night the reception ended. After washing with Poznan’s assistance and entering the bedchamber, I found Henrik sitting on the sofa as he always did.
“You’ve arrived. You must be tired from such a long reception. Did you manage to rest a bit?”
He was holding back a smile. A faint scent of cigar hung in the air—sharp and herbal rather than harsh.
I thought how well such a fresh smile suited him. It seemed the reception had gone quite well by his assessment.
“It’s thanks to Your Majesty’s consideration. I’m pleased that you seem satisfied with this reception.”
“It’s your doing.”
I accepted the praise without demurring. I had no wish to quibble with this man when he looked so well pleased.
Henrik had bathed as well, his hair still damp and clinging to his temples. He might have rested, but instead he was reading something with genuine attention.
Rather than risk repeating my earlier mistake of disturbing his reading, I settled myself across from him in composed silence.
“I find myself wanting to ask you many things. How did you devise such a strategy?”
The thought had occurred to me then: of course I could not know this kingdom’s condition as thoroughly as he did, but—
When the idea of wielding him as a weapon took shape, I had made every effort to learn as much as I could.
In truth, confined as I was, there was little else to do but study. Magic had been of considerable service to me, yet I had always reminded myself it was only one tool among many.
“I never imagined I would be grateful that my education proved adequate.”
Henrik had deliberately refrained from using my Magic in this affair. A man with so many weapons at his disposal could afford to be selective.
Besides, my Magic exacted too high a cost on my body to be deployed freely.
“That is admirable enough, and your reasoning is sound. But you come from abroad, do you not?”
“Fortune favored me, Your Highness. Poznan, whom you assigned to attend me, proved most generous in sharing her knowledge of this place.”
“It gladdens me that your attendant proved useful.”
Henrik still wore that subtle smile.
I could not claim to have laid my guard entirely aside, yet neither could I deny the relief that had begun to settle over me.
I returned his smile, meeting his gaze directly.
“While this matter was well within Your Highness’s capacity to handle alone, should you find need of my services again, I ask only that you employ them. Your burdens are many, and should I be able to lighten them even slightly, it would be a great honor to me.”
He did not look away from me.
“I see no reason to refuse.”

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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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