Chapter 76
“…….”
Only then did Reina realize it was a lie, and her gaze turned icy cold.
“That’s not funny.”
“It’s fine. I find it amusing.”
“Kaiden!”
As Reina grumbled and raised her hand, he swiftly dodged and picked up the blanket that had fallen to the floor.
It had dropped during their earlier tussle.
“I went through the trouble of bringing it, and this is how you treat it.”
“Ah.”
“This won’t do. Special measures are required.”
Kaiden casually shook out the blanket and wrapped Reina up in it, rolling her tightly.
As if protecting her from himself, very firmly.
Reina gazed down at this quietly and murmured softly.
“What are you doing?”
When she then sent him a look pleading to be released, Kaiden declared firmly.
“No. This way, it absolutely won’t slip off. It’s cold out.”
“But like this, I can’t use my hands.”
“Why can’t you?”
Kaiden shrugged and burrowed into the gap in the blanket to grasp her hand. His large hand firmly clutched her small one.
“!”
Startled, she looked up at him, and Kaiden said nonchalantly.
“Isn’t it enough if we can just hold hands like this?”
Then, with a cheeky demeanor, he lightly kissed her hand.
“I’ll escort you safely home, madam.”
As if seeking her agreement that his words were correct.
“…….”
The spot where his lips had touched burned hot, as if scorched by fire.
Even though it was a simple, chaste kiss, Reina didn’t know how to react.
They had already been married for over a year, yet she still trembled just from holding hands.
Even knowing it was a contract marriage.
Perhaps it was inevitable that she kept leaning into his warmth.
Lately, Kaiden had seemed different. Even in the midst of serious conversations, he would say things like this—words with unclear meaning that stirred ripples in Reina’s heart.
No. Actually, Kaiden had always been that way.
What had changed was Reina herself.
She had begun to overthink his actions, even when they carried no particular intent.
Lately, she found herself confused about whether this was simply loyalty or friendship.
She was just letting things flow naturally, like water following its course, going along with whatever he did.
Reina fidgeted with the finger where his lips had touched, for no real reason.
Mistaking this for resistance, he pulled her body closer to his and said.
“Please follow along quietly. If you keep this up, you might end up being carried on my back.”
At his mock-threatening words, Reina burst into laughter and silently followed his warmth.
Though she didn’t know where this path might end, she thought that as long as she was with him, anywhere would be fine.
* * *
Dalia was deeply engrossed in something, her face serious.
At the tip of her tiny hand was a thread bracelet of some sort. It was something she had poured effort into making over the past few days.
“Hing. This isn’t right…….”
Failing the final knot every time, Dalia grew despondent.
Reina’s birthday was right around the corner.
At this rate, she might have to give an unfinished gift.
It was at that moment, as Dalia struggled alone, that Rose, happening to pass by nearby, casually took notice.
“That’s a thread bracelet.”
“Eek!”
Dalia let out a shriek and clutched the thread bracelet tightly.
Her appearance, like a deer chased by a lion, made even Rose flinch and take a step back in surprise.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to butt in.”
“N-no, no, it’s fine!”
Dalia hid the thread bracelet, her face turning bright red.
She hesitated for a moment, then continued in a voice trembling faintly.
“D-do you maybe know how to do this?”
“I did it a lot when I was little. The final knot is trickier than it seems.”
The instant Rose replied casually, Dalia’s eyes sparkled, and she grabbed the hem of Rose’s skirt.
“S-save me, please!”
“What?”
Rose’s expression hardened at the sudden plea for her life.
She immediately wrapped her arms around Dalia protectively and went into alert mode.
“Is someone chasing you, miss?”
Her demeanor was fierce, as if she’d cut down an assassin on the spot.
Dalia, frozen stiff, shook her head vigorously.
“N-no, that’s not it…….”
“What?”
With her head buried in Rose’s embrace, Dalia mumbled in a voice as tiny as an ant’s footsteps.
“H-help me with this…….”
Seeing the thread bracelet in the small palm, Rose’s face lit up with realization.
“Did you mean you wanted help with this?”
At the cautious question, the child nodded vigorously, her face on the verge of tears.
* * *
The day of the Crencia couple’s wedding anniversary, which doubled as Reina’s birthday banquet.
All the invited guests showered Reina with congratulations and a barrage of gifts.
When she had first come to the north, no one had approached her first.
Now, everyone was clamoring to speak with her.
This was all the result of witnessing Kaiden openly favoring Reina.
The duke, who wouldn’t even mix words with women unless they were comrades-in-arms, was friendly enough with Reina to exchange jokes.
Any noble worth their salt knew it. How much the duke cherished Reina.
Yet Reina herself, the recipient of that affection, remained oblivious, which frustrated Kaiden to no end.
At that moment, Aiden whispered to Kaiden.
“I heard you went to the tower again?”
Kaiden made a face as if to ask how he knew, and Aiden snorted.
“People saw you two holding hands and strolling around Lether city. What’s the point in denying it?”
Kaiden wore an awkward expression at the news that their date had become the talk of the town.
It wasn’t something he needed to hide, but he couldn’t help the heat rising to his face.
He muttered sheepishly.
“Ahem. Reina likes that place.”
“…….”
Aiden stared at Kaiden with a dumbfounded expression.
He was so pleased about a simple date—why on earth hadn’t he confessed yet?
It had already been a year since they became husband and wife, yet there seemed to be no progress between them.
“Are you planning to keep going like this?”
Finally, Aiden spat out the words he’d been holding back. Kaiden looked puzzled.
“What?”
“With your sister-in-law. Are you going to keep things like this?”
“That again?”
Kaiden sipped his wine with a nonchalant face.
Cornered as he was, his feigned composure was frustrating.
Aiden whispered rapidly, like a machine gun.
“Just confess already. It’s not like you to drag your feet like this.”
“Do I look like I’m scared of being rejected?”
At Kaiden’s question, Aiden frowned.
“If not that, then why haven’t you confessed? Honestly, I think she likes you too.”
From what he’d observed, Reina liked Kaiden. Otherwise, the subtle tension between them didn’t make sense.
Kaiden chuckled and set down his wine glass. Then, as if revealing a grave truth, he answered seriously.
“I know.”
“Huh?”
“That Reina’s feelings aren’t different from mine. I know all about it.”
“……You knew?”
Then why?
Aiden couldn’t understand Kaiden’s behavior even more.
It was obvious they liked each other—so why not confess and drag the relationship along so sluggishly?
At that moment, Kaiden said meaningfully.
“It’s not because I lack courage. Right now, I can’t ask Reina to worry about my feelings too.”
“What does that mean?”
Aiden still wore a confused expression.
Of course he did—he had no idea about the couple’s plans.
On that day a year ago, Reina had made a momentous decision.
“Jeffrey is in the capital. Will you come with me?”
Kaiden immediately understood that this meant she intended to fully join the battle for the imperial throne.
Because the one hiding her brother was none other than the emperor of this country.
Even as a princess with low succession rights, she had more than enough qualifications to become empress.
Of course, targeting the emperor as an enemy meant considering rebellion as well.
Even so, Kaiden had declared without hesitation that he would join her.
There was no reason not to, even if it meant jumping into a pit of fire.
