“But Your Highness didn’t seem to show any signs of that at all?”

“The 1st Princess is a very strict person when it comes to morality. There’s no way she would act like that.”

“But then why…?”

Even though he knew everything, why was he acting so sullen? Valentin wanted to grab Reynard by the neck and shake him.

“If her faction had as much power and influence as Empress Beatrice, it would have been pushed forward long ago. Just imagining you marrying the Princess makes me feel unpleasant.”

“So they were wary of the Empress…”

“That’s right. As you well know, the Empress and the Duke of Hedderfield have been strongly advocating for a long time.”

Since childhood, they had targeted Valentin and acted as if they had marked their territory, so who could have fought against them? 

“But you did it.”

The person who fought against them is right here. In front of me, it’s you!

“I’m different.”

Reynard’s face was filled with a confident smile.

He leaned back leisurely on the backrest and armrests of the chair, with the corners of his mouth raised high, and casually intertwined his fingertips. Those hands rested near his handsome chin.

“What they tried was a political marriage. But ours is a love marriage.”

His confident eyes turned to the pile of weekly magazines and newspapers stacked in the corner of the table. As if on cue, the title “Their Love Marriage, blah blah blah” according to his close aide was prominently displayed at the very top. The timing was quite…

“Was what you did with me romance?”

Valentin opened his mouth wide in disbelief. He felt the same way as the person who had pressured him, but it was actually different.  

Although it was annoying that he had subtly led the situation, by the time their marriage story came out, Valentin was already pregnant. The decision and conclusion would have been the same.

“Of course. It’s romance.”

That… that overflowing confidence. Valentin was tempted to hit Reynard’s forehead, which was now shining white as he laughed with a face like the world’s top handsome man, exposing even his teeth.

No wonder he took Valentin home from the second time they met… He was having a one-sided romance. Come to think of it, it was suspicious that he had prepared the proposal and wedding in advance. It must have come from that confidence and belief. 

“Just after meeting twice?”

“When our eyes first met in the Emerald Hall…”

Reynard brought up the story of when he first met Valentin at the ball. This was the first time they had a conversation about this moment.

“Do you remember how it felt then?”

At Reynard’s question, the feeling from that time came back vividly. That moment was like a lightning strike in a misty wilderness…

A confident smile that seemed to know what kind of feeling you tasted at that moment. And words seeking empathy and understanding that he felt the same way.

“Yes…”

“At that moment, our souls were already entwined, Valentin.”

Ugh. Valentin let out a groan. He really couldn’t refute those words.

Although he tried to think lightly in order to carry out his plan, he couldn’t deny that he had fallen in love at first sight.

Even after time passed and he thought about it again, it was the same. 

He had chosen him. He had prevented him from leaving and wanted him to spend the night together. Moreover, from the beginning, they were two people entangled solely by passion, not knowing each other’s sex, status, or anything.

Reynard got down from the chair. He knelt on the plush carpeted floor of the train and embraced Valentin’s waist. Then he carefully brought his face close to Valentin’s now slightly swollen belly.

“Valentin.”

“Yes…”

“If you enchanted someone, take responsibility.”

Reynard spoke while kissing Valentin’s clothed belly. Valentin gently ran his fingers through Reynard’s black hair.

He’s really unbelievably brazen.

“Hmph.”

Valentin pulled Reynard’s hair that he was holding, at his words about taking responsibility after arbitrarily falling in love. He thought he had pulled it a bit painfully, but did this person have a steel scalp too…? He didn’t even let out a playful moan.

Well… It was the same for Valentin’s side, who had also fallen in love arbitrarily. Valentin shook his head, and the alpha’s face rubbed against the soft linen shirt made for summer under him.

“You’re such a bad person…”

“I’ll always be a husband who yields to you.”

“As if you would.” 

Valentin snorted. That expression was so similar to Count Weiss, who would snort with an indifferent face, that Reynard momentarily flinched. The image of his father-in-law, who would break his mentality with his mouth, came to mind.

“I really will. I’ll repay you for the rest of my life for coming to me.”

The suddenly surfaced image of his father-in-law made the alpha more polite. Valentin lowered his right hand like a goddess of mercy on the bowed head.

“Oh my.”

The kneeling posture and clinging attitude were absurd yet welcome.  

The alpha professing love discarded his pride. His status, which always seemed lofty and complete, became wholly lowly before love. Only in front of Valentin.

Reynard’s usual self, and the Reynard who was a husband and lover in front of Valentin. Valentin, who knew that discrepancy all too well, could only nod. 

Valentin lifted the chin of the sinner begging for mercy. And just as Reynard always did to him, Valentin left a kiss on his forehead. With this, merciful affection and acceptance descended upon the one seeking love.

“I have no choice.”

Valentin replied with the heart to save the alpha only he knew. Reynard laughed loudly at Valentin’s words spoken with a smirk.

The couple’s laughter resounded greatly inside the first-class compartment of the diligently running train.

Before long, the train arrived near the Blanché border. 

They now had to change to a carriage and travel again. Thanks to Reynard preparing many things in advance, the entire process was smooth. It was because of the perfect preparations made beforehand that the journey with several servants, a lot of luggage, and even the grand ducal family’s physician was progressing quickly and easily.

So there was no reason to be tired. Ignoring his husband’s precarious gaze as if watching his every step, Valentin grabbed Reynard’s arm and got off the train.

“Because it’s the border, it really feels like I’ve come to a foreign country.”

Valentin inhaled pleasantly at the wind that somehow felt different even in the air.

Although the trip was a bit precarious from the start, it would be different from now on. The clear weather and air, and the husband acting so sweet it was deadly. Everything was signaling a good start. Valentin hummed a tune and took light steps to move to the prepared carriage.

*

“Right here!”

Valentin shouted as he looked at the path connecting the land and the island. They had finally reached their destination. The salty scent of the sea was carried in the blowing wind. Cawing seagulls, the sound of small waves. Everything made the heart race.

The path their carriage was running on was a place made to allow passage between land and island by shallowly building an embankment. It was a beautiful road, well-maintained unlike a country road.

“When I was in Sorencia, I read in a column that the granite used for the bottom of this embankment road has a unique and bright color, so when the tide comes in little by little, the color harmonized with the blue seawater is very beautiful. There was an article like that.”

“I see.”

It was a sparkling gaze rarely seen in recent times. Valentin had been showing such an excited look throughout the beginning of the trip. Seeing that, Reynard thought he should give Shane a bonus for suggesting this place as a honeymoon option. Fortunately, it worked out really well.

“I’ve wanted to come here so badly since then, you have no idea.”

“That’s a relief.”

The window of the luxurious and sturdy carriage was not so flimsy that a person’s body could fall out, but Reynard held Valentin’s waist as he replied. Seeing Valentin’s excited appearance as he fully opened the window, leaned his body out, and examined the road, it wouldn’t be strange if an accident occurred at any moment. Reynard sensed potential danger.

Clop clop.

Just then, the sound of horseshoes hitting the stone road and quickly approaching grew closer.

“Woah!”

Reynard swiftly pulled back Valentin’s body, which was distracted by looking at the ground and the sea. A horse running from the opposite direction narrowly brushed past their carriage. It was high tide, so everyone going to and from the island was using this embankment road. It was naturally crowded.

“Whew… That was close.”

“I already aged 10 years…”

Reynard muttered as he embraced Valentin’s body, which seemed like it would excitedly jump out at any moment.

The sun was setting.

The carriage passed the embankment road and entered the island, continuously climbing the low hill road. Listening to Valentin constantly chattering about how the island was bigger than he had imagined or seen from afar, the carriage suddenly stopped.

“We’ve arrived.”

The coachman hired locally spoke in Blanche. 

Reynard stepped on the ground first and helped Valentin get out of the carriage. The larger body safely landed the somewhat smaller body on the ground.

“Wow…”

The small mouth that had said he was really looking forward to the trip did not stop exclaiming in admiration all day today. It was the same now, looking at the small mansion they had arrived at.

The place, lovely like a doll’s house, was a small and quaint 3-story mansion with a pond.

The exterior made of light-colored stone, including columns like a temple, made the entire building smooth and shiny like a white marble sculpture. In fact, while passing through the outer gate to the building, they saw stone statues carved into shapes such as a beautiful woman holding a water jar, which may have contributed to that impression.

A roof made by weaving trees to block the scorching sun caught the eye. Is this the unique architectural style of this region…? Valentin exclaimed in admiration as he looked at the green ivy leaves enveloping the mansion. The red glow of the evening sunset seemed to caress the greenery. The things that received the love of the setting sun swayed lusciously.