Chapter 34

I sat in another empty chair, forcing Regen to sit next to Aedis.

The butler gave Regen custard pudding, strawberry-flavored jelly, white bread with the crust removed, various kinds of jam, and warm milk.

Overall, it was mainly sweet, and coffee was placed in front of me.

Regen exclaimed, “It’s jam, Father!” every time the butler set up the table.

“….”

“This is jelly!”

It was just an eight-year-old kid who was excited.

Not bad.

I felt good because the plan to prevent the male lead from running away seemed to work well.

As an adoptive mother, I will make him happy, cut off Gilbert’s violent acts, and make him see Aedis a lot.

The excited eight-year-old boy constantly poured out what he wanted to say to Aedis. The most trivial stories were dominating.

He talked about how hard he was studying, how far his class had progressed, how much he worried that it would snow all night, and such.

He said that Maximus was good at catching mice and was cherished by the maid.

Regardless of whether Aedis answered or not, Regen seemed to be the happiest boy in the world just by looking at him.

But after 30 minutes, the butler carefully called Regen. “My Lord, now you have to prepare for the next class.”

Regen nodded and got up. Surprisingly, Regen greeted me first.

“Your Highness, thank you so much for calling me like this today.”

“Thank you for hanging out with me.”

Regen, who looked up at me with deep eyes, soon bowed to Aedis and went out. The butler followed.

Now it was just me and Aedis in the room.

I said to Aedis, who didn’t even touch the food, “I think the Lord has come to like me.”

Suddenly Aedis coughed.

“What did you say now?”

“Why do you look like you’ve heard nonsense? Didn’t you see that the Lord opened up to me?”

In the end, he stared at me with gleaming eyes—me, not Aedis.

“It’s because I have bad eyesight.”

But Aedis denied reality and turned the tables.

“Did you hear the explanation from Regen?”

After Regen went out, I poured a lot of milk into the fragrant coffee.

“I heard that the spirit sealed by the first Grand Duke unintentionally devoted itself to the Kallakis family. It should have been a moonlit night, so I’m going to see it tonight. Will you come with me?”

The next one was chocolate chips. Aedis watched me eagerly add toppings to my coffee.

Both of my eyes, overflowing with blue light, were relaxed and loose.

“I’m devastated that you never forget to take care of me every time you go out.”

The positive answer made me feel strange.

“Aedis.”

“Yes, Eve.”

“If I tell you that I want to visit the land, would you be willing to accompany me?”

At any time, it was my duty to inspect the land. It would be my new hometown, but it was difficult if I didn’t keep a close watch on it when I could.

The Esmeralda estate was quite expansive, so even if you only visit major cities, it would take two weeks.

In addition, climate change should be kept in mind, and measures should be taken to prevent Gilbert from rushing while I am not present.

“The accompanying itself is not difficult. I’m wondering what kind of role my wife wants me to do.”

“Escort.”

“….”

“Backup.”

“In charge of getting your hair done?”

I joined my hands together and placed my chin on my hands while Aedis looked angry.

“My wife should go back to her room too. I have work to do.”

Instead of getting up, I made a pathetic expression.

“Is my presence disturbing?”

“….”

There was no immediate answer.

It was proof that he didn’t really chase me out because he had work, but it was proof that he was purely grumpy.

“Aedis, you’re the only one I can play with in this strange land.”

“Wife, are you bored?”

Yeah.

I nodded my head enthusiastically.

There was no need to forcefully overdo it without knowing what was going on right now.

There was still some fatigue from traveling too.

But when I took a walk, snow was pouring out.

Going to the bell tower in the evening was a life-and-death step, but the walk was a real luxury.

He frowned at the sound of burning firewood.

“I’m bored. Please play with me.”

Now that I raised the favorability with my step-children, it was my husband’s turn.

***

Aedis watched the Grand Duchess quietly.

The Grand Duchess, who had hair that looked like flowers and moonlight, was stretching without a sense of tension.

Her gaze stayed in a vase filled with flowers that only bloomed in the north.

He heard a regular heartbeat and even breathing. He was casually thinking about being in an enclosed space with himself.

Maybe it was because of the blood of the beast.

Was she sure he wouldn’t hurt her?

Long ago, the beast was called the devil. The blood that they gave themselves with a will was special. Because the sages were well aware of that fact, there were no cases where the blood contract ended smoothly.

However, the beast, who had signed with Maevia, offered her an absolute advantage.

The price she would pay for breaking the terms of the contract was temporary pain, not death.

Of course, even it must be terrible, but it was comparable to where the body was shattered, and the soul is taken away.

She could maintain reason even while drawing blood, and she had compassion for humans. How many of such evils will there be in the world?

“Aedis, what’s the name of this flower?”

She called his name so friendly.

Maybe she would find out. Even if he confessed, she wouldn’t show any special reaction.

Maevia would be more shocked by the fact that the chef was best at cooking onions.

“The blue and white look just like you.”

Now, she was comparing him to the flower.

“…I don’t know. The name.”

“Really?”

Maevia smelled the flower with a face that was neither expected nor disappointed.

Somehow, feeling weird, Aedis looked away from her.

He was curious about what kind of thoughts she might have had in her mind, but he felt repulsed that he didn’t want to invade unless he decided to go deep.

Marrying Grand Duke Kallakis would not have been the best option she could make.

Maevia received numerous courtships in the capital. The documents delivered to him also had a full list of suitors.

The prince, who was curious about rumors that she was a fiercely beautiful woman, was overwhelmed. The prince assured that he would get rid of the marriage contract made by her predecessors, by even hiring a sage of the tower.

That method would have worked, although it took a considerable amount of money and time.

But she had to point at him.

“I understand.”

Aedis replied that she would know the answer to the question if she had just asked the maid waiting outside the door.

Maevia smiled lightly and lively like the spring sunshine.

“Don’t overdo it.”

He intended to continue to overdo it for the time being.

Just to make sure she was really the one he had been waiting for.

***

The sky was black, and the ground was pure white. The world stained with achromatic color was strange.

If I had arrived in the north one day late, I would have died from this snow.

‘I’m 100 percent sure.’

‘Whoa, can I come back alive?’

Putting on my coat and boots, I turned to Aedis. Even at the moment, there was no sign of an end to the heavy snowfall.

“Let’s get it over with.”

As he spoke curiously, he lifted his head, and the door opened.

Before the gap was clearly opened, a gust of wind and snow struck.

Co-cold!

In an instant, the temperature went down. I said with my mouth convulsing in a sudden cold, “I set the wrong date. When the weather gets warmer, I’ll go. In roughly 100 years later.”

I realized the greatness of magic again. The magic that maintains the temperature over the entire castle made me contemplate the scenery outside the window.

Aedis said, “From here to the bell tower is only 5 minutes away. Isn’t it too early for my wife to give up the tour of the estate?” calmly as if he knew it would be like this because I didn’t put my knee blanket off even in a heavenly castle compared to the outside.

Hell was spreading through the door that was opened.

Now my whole body trembled.

“Give me a horse, a carriage, a fire. Uh, oh, everything. You can use movement magic, right?”

“Then I’ll go first, ma’am.”

Aedis really disappeared right in front of me in an instant, along with his mean words.

Traitor!