Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 21

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Chapter 21
I cradled my head in both hands, struggling to piece together yesterday’s memories.
‘I remember most of it, but I can’t recall whether I climbed out of the carriage and walked in on my own feet!’
I absolutely cannot let my mother-in-law discover that I’m acquainted with Carsel.
If she caught wind of me meeting a man outside the family, she’d insist I move into his household at once, thinking it all worked out perfectly.
But nothing’s been decided yet, and if she throws me out of this house, what becomes of Linea?
I turned my head toward the nightstand and found a Rose Bouquet arranged there.
I reached for the card tucked among the stems and unfolded it.

Right. Yesterday Carsel had asked me to visit the Honeymoon House.
I wasn’t certain it would actually become a honeymoon house, but I needed to meet with him again anyway to revise the contract through the lawyer.
For some reason, I thought it was so like Carsel to keep creating reasons for us to see each other.
I pushed myself upright.
The old clock in the room showed it was already ten o’clock.
‘I’ve overslept!’
My heart lurched downward.
Had Linea at least eaten breakfast?
Seized with sudden worry, I slipped into the adjoining bathroom and rinsed quickly with cold water.
“Now that I think about it, if we’re dating, shouldn’t I buy a few more dresses?”
When I opened my wardrobe to change, it was nearly bare.
Before, there had been no reason to meet anyone, so I’d never needed much.
“Still, I’ll be taking Linea to social events and going on dates with Carsel. Should I just buy a couple more?”
I studied my reflection in the mirror, hesitating.
He was the discerning sort—he’d surely notice new clothes.
My old Dress was so worn that anyone with a keen eye couldn’t possibly miss it.
‘Does it seem like I’m trying too hard to impress him?’
Embarrassment suddenly flooded through me, and I hastily looked away.
‘Why does he like me?’
Asha was objectively not a remarkable beauty.
She had always appeared gentle and refined.
‘Perhaps I’m simply his type.’
But before I possessed this body, he didn’t like Asha at all, did he?
So after the possession, he fell for me at first sight…….
‘Ah.’
The moment that realization hit, my lips parted in surprise.
Suddenly Carsel’s image from last night flooded back into my mind.
His black hair flowing softly over his brow, his crimson eyes blazing like embers, and that imposing, elegant face atop his broad shoulders—a predator both threatening and graceful…….
‘He really was handsome.’
A man like that claiming he’d never been close to anyone else before meeting me.
My breath came short and rapid. My heart hammered so awkwardly that I felt mortified, and I shook my head back and forth to clear it.
After brushing away the lingering afterimage of him that hovered before my eyes, I drew in a steadying breath.
“Let’s get Linea fed first!”
I cautiously cracked the door open and peered down the hallway, but it was empty.
At least I really did walk in on my own feet last night.
If my mother-in-law had found any fault in me, the servants would have been hovering outside my door waiting to pounce.
I knocked gently on the adjacent door and called for Linea.
“Are you awake?”
Fortunately, Linea was in her room. I opened the door and immediately offered her an apology.
“I’m sorry. I was exhausted from that appointment yesterday and passed out. I only just woke up.”
“Are you feeling alright?”
Linea asked with concern written across her face.
Noticing my cheeks were flushed, she even rose up on tiptoes to press her small palm against my face!
Then, catching herself, she quickly pulled her hand back.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Why? Were you worried I might have a fever?”
Linea nodded eagerly.
I gently took her restless hand. Then I bent down and laid her palm softly against my cheek.
“Do I feel hot?”
“…Only a little.”
“I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t checked. I’ll be more careful with myself today.”
“Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Linea asked with serious concentration, her fingers gently taking my temperature against her cheek.
“No, I slept deeply and woke up fine—not a single ache. Anyway Linea, did you eat breakfast?”
“Yes, I had a simple sandwich.”
“That’s wonderful, just wonderful!”
I suppose I can’t escape being Korean, even here.
The mere fact that she’d eaten something proper filled me with such delight that I praised her lavishly.
“You’re at an age where you should be growing strong, so eat plenty.”
“Yes.”
Linea obediently nodded at my words.
I released her hand. Then the girl clasped her hands together neatly and looked up at me intently.
Her gentle eyes held something unspoken, so I asked first.
“What is it? Is there something you’d like to do?”
“I know it might be a bother, but would you be willing to go with me to Petia Square today?”
It was plain how much deliberation this single question had cost her.
“You were the one who wanted to go first, so it’s no bother at all. Do you want to visit the market being held there?”
“Yes.”
The Petia Square in the Lombardi District was currently hosting a grand market in the midst of blooming flowers.
It was a festival of such scale that it was worth seeing at least once.
“Then let’s get dressed and head out?”
“Yes!”
“Would you like to pick out which Dress you want to wear today?”
After gazing for a long moment into the wardrobe where over ten Dresses hung densely packed, Linea eventually chose a pale yellow one.
‘She looks like a chick.’
With her blonde hair, she looked even more like a chick now.
When I gathered her hair into buns and pinned them on both sides, her cuteness doubled.
“My goodness, how pretty! Now let’s go!”
Holding my hand, and growing ever more comfortable with outings, Linea and I made our way toward the Lombardi District.
‘I wonder why she wanted to come here today of all days?’
I chuckled silently to myself.
“Wow.”
As Linea looked around in wonder, a sight she’d never witnessed before unfolded in her eyes.
I hoped the new experiences she beheld would prove worth having.
“Shall we go over there? There are so many people, so be careful.”
“Yes!”
At her increasingly animated response, I gripped Linea’s hand more firmly.
Among the crowd, Linea was half-mesmerized as she gazed at the stalls beside us.
“Don’t let go of my hand.”
“Can I… just let go for a moment?”
Her eyes held a desperate pleading.
‘Is there something she wants to buy?’
I nodded readily.
Instead, I kept close behind her, taking care that no one jostled her in the throng.
Linea glanced back at me nervously, then made her way to a particular stall.
‘Hmm?’
It was something I hadn’t expected at all.
“Beads? You wanted to try making jewelry?”
“…Yes.”
Judging by the brief silence before her answer, it seemed she wasn’t planning to make the jewelry herself.
But certainly, looking at the lustrous Beads gleaming before her, any child would be tempted.
‘The original Linea never had a hobby like making jewelry.’
But perhaps not everything about the original Linea was mentioned, so this could be a new interest of hers.
It might be something her peers had shown her during our last tea party visit.
“I’ll take these, please.”
As I pondered this, Linea had already selected her Beads and held them out to the merchant.
“That’ll be three Bronze.”
“Here you are.”
Linea produced her Chick-shaped Coin Purse from somewhere and emptied out her entire fortune in crumpled notes to the merchant.
Wait, I had been planning to buy these for her!
I turned to Linea in surprise.
“I could have bought them for you. Why did you?”
“I wanted to buy them myself.”
Linea received the wrapped Beads and held them to her chest, watching for my reaction.
‘She emptied her entire fortune of three Bronze to buy these Beads.’
At ten years old, there’s so much a child wants, and learning that her entire fortune was three Bronze made my heart ache a little. I shook my head.
“No, buying them is fine. Linea, do you usually receive an allowance?”
“Sometimes my uncle gives me some.”
“Should I give you an allowance too? Now that I think about it, I’ve never given you one.”
“No!”
Linea’s voice suddenly rose.
“I have plenty of money!”
“Well… yes.”
I’d just watched her empty out every last coin from that Chick-shaped purse to get three Bronze…….
But faced with the child’s desperate insistence, I could only relent.
“It’ll be fun making pretty jewelry, won’t it?”
“I’m sorry for shouting.”
“No, you’re right. When you think about it, picking things out and paying for them yourself is an important experience to have.”
It’s something educational that every child should learn, and she’s already picking it up—that’s fortunate.
Thinking this way, Linea and I resumed walking when suddenly—
Thud!
A small figure in a cape appeared from nowhere and collided roughly with Linea.
“Are you alright?!”
I bent down and helped Linea up first.
She’d dropped her Beads and fallen hard on her bottom.
The child who’d crashed into her was also sprawled on the ground.