Chapter 198: The Hotel's New Owner
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: The Hotel's New Owner
"Well... Her Highness the Consort drank a bit of the liquor the villagers were handing out."
The aide moistened his dry lips and continued in a hushed, timid voice.
"She fell asleep because she was intoxicated, so it seems it will be difficult for her to board the carriage."
Loik, who had been waiting anxiously for his wife’s return, bolted upright from his seat.
She drank?
The moment he recalled how adorable Annette became whenever she was tipsy, a sense of urgency gripped him.
"Staying out overnight is absolutely out of the question."
"Ready the horses immediately. We’re going to Porcelain."
Loik stormed out of his office the moment the words left his lips.
*
Ugh, I’m thirsty.
I woke up from a parched throat and let out a low groan.
I felt a glass being pressed gently against my lips, and cool water flowed down my throat. Once my thirst was quenched, a calloused finger carefully wiped the corners of my mouth.
I blinked, and the scenery of the room slowly came into focus.
I saw simple wooden furniture bathed in the orange glow of the sunset and a well-worn table. The small bed I was lying on was filled with the cozy scent of dried sunlight.
Turning my head, I saw a handsome man lying on his side, looking down at me.
"Are you awake?"
His gaze seemed somewhat reproachful, making me feel guilty enough to mumble an excuse.
"I only meant to sleep for a little bit before leaving."
His sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
"I didn't say anything."
"You're scolding me with your eyes."
At that, Loik finally let out a soft chuckle.
"How could I ever dare to scold my wife?"
His gentle hand stroked my cheek.
"Did you come to get me?"
"I came to catch my drunken wife, fearing she might have forgotten the way back to the castle."
"I was planning to go back as soon as I sobered up..."
Now that I was fully awake, I realized I had been occupying someone else's bed for far too long. It was likely time for the family who had lent me their bedroom to have dinner.
"What time is it?"
"You can sleep more."
"Everyone must be killing time outside because of me."
Just as I tried to sit up, Loik patted me reassuringly.
"Don't worry. I rented this house for the day."
"Rented it? Then what about the family who lives here?"
"I had Perel secure a room for them at Marie's Inn."
Marie's Inn?
"That place is always fully booked. There shouldn't have been any rooms left."
"Isn't my backer none other than the Grand Duchess of Blenheim?"
Loik boasted quite proudly, saying that once he dropped my name, Lady Marie even set them up with the 'Couples' Night Package.'
Dropped my name, my foot.
If the Grand Duke of Blenheim made a request, they would have built a new room from scratch just to accommodate him. His playful banter was so cute it made me laugh.
"I paid a generous rental fee, so you can rest easy, Annette."
Reassured by his words, I buried myself deeper under the covers. Lying in this narrow, cozy bed with Loik made my heart flutter.
It feels like we’ve become an ordinary newlywed couple.
Feeling a sudden urge to act a bit spoiled, I grabbed Loik’s collar.
"I want to eat spicy tomato stew... Can't you make some for me?"
"You want to eat the stew I make?"
When I nodded, Loik couldn't hide the upward curve of his lips.
"Just wait a moment."
Pressing a brief kiss to my forehead, Loik left the room with a triumphant look on his face.
Before long, the rhythmic sound of ingredients being chopped drifted in from outside like a pleasant lullaby. Using the sunset glow as a blanket, I tried to catch a bit more sleep.
I’m not sure how much time had passed.
I woke up to a mouth-watering, spicy aroma. When I stepped out of the room, Loik was standing in the tiny kitchen.
Seeing him taste-testing the tomato stew, his broad back on full display, he looked surprisingly at home in this house.
A man who looks good in a kitchen.
Watching his tall figure from behind, I crept up and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"You could have slept more," Loik said, reaching a long arm back to stroke my back. "It still needs to simmer a bit longer."
"Keep doing what you were doing."
I tightened my grip around him.
"I want to stay like this."
Hugging my husband from behind while he cooked—I had always wanted to try something like this.
As I held him, my fingers brushed against the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles, and a silly giggle escaped me.
"Would you like a taste?"
"Wh-what?"
The abs?
"The stew, I mean."
At Loik's question, I poked my head between his firm arms to taste the spicy stew.
"...It's perfect."
"I think it's ready to eat now."
Even as Loik moved the pot of stew to the table, I remained clung to him. Since I wouldn't let go of his waist, Loik eventually turned red and pulled my hands away to guide me into a seat.
"You're still not sober, I see."
"I am! I'm just doing this because I like you, Loik."
"From now on, alcohol is strictly forbidden when I'm not around."
Though he was grumbling, Loik looked quite pleased. I admired my husband's face, which had turned as red as a tomato, as I took a spoonful of the stew.
Ahhh.
The spiciness immediately warmed my insides and cleared away the lingering intoxication. As I aggressively polished off the tomato stew, scraping the plate clean, I suddenly looked up at Loik.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"If we were an ordinary couple, we could live like this every day, couldn't we?"
Loik, who had been watching me eat with his chin resting on his hand, asked, "...Do you wish we were an ordinary couple?"
I gave a small shrug. Others might call it a luxury to even think such a thing, but...
"Sometimes?"
Living in the Grand Duke's Castle and being served by countless attendants is certainly comfortable and nice, but it’s also true that I occasionally want to spend quiet, intimate moments like this.
"If it's what Annette wants, I can throw it all away."
Loik spoke nonchalantly as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Throw it away?"
"I think it would be nice to build a small house in the mountains and live just the two of us."
I thought about it for a moment, then shook my head.
"The hotel opening is right around the corner. Everyone is working so hard to prepare for it."
The Grand Duke's Castle, Gold Lane, Valpid Lake, the Carmania Theater... I’ve put so much effort into all of them; how could I just throw it all away?
"Now that I think about it, it would be such a waste. I'll keep being the Grand Duchess. And Loik, you should keep working hard as the Grand Duke."
Loik let out a laugh at my extremely practical answer.
"That's a relief. I actually had something to give you..."
His obsidian-like eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"I was worried about what I’d do if Annette said she didn't need it anymore."
"What is it? A present?"
"Shall we go see it now?"
Curious about what Loik had prepared, I nodded quickly.
When we stepped outside, I saw Perel and the knights resting in a tent they had set up where the festivities had been earlier.
"Perel!"
When Loik called for his aide, Perel looked puzzled for a moment before realizing something and hurriedly calling over some workers.
"Come this way."
Taking my hand, Loik stopped after only a few steps. We were in front of the hotel gates. The space reserved for the hotel sign was currently covered by a large shroud.
Why did he bring me here? We haven't even made the sign yet.
When I looked back at Loik with a questioning face, he feigned innocence and looked away. Soon, several workers arrived and prepared to remove the shroud covering the sign.
"We will now uncover it."
One, two, three.
On signal, the workers pulled the cloth away from both sides. One of them held up a magic crystal lantern so the sign could be seen clearly.
Blois Hotel.
Beneath a beautifully painted, translucent blue Blois flower, the name 'Blois Hotel' was elegantly engraved.
I blinked in surprise.
— "Your Highness, what should we name the hotel?"
— "I'm not sure. Since it's in Porcelain Village, should we call it 'Porcelain Hotel'? I'll think about whether there's a better name."
It had been quite a while since I’d left the name undecided. Why had it become the Blois Hotel?
I had recently decided to name the merchant guild 'Blois.' It was a name taken from the Blois flowers planted in the garden. Ever since Loik told me the flower reminded him of me, I had developed a great deal of affection for it.
"I took the liberty of naming the hotel myself..."
Loik said, watching my reaction closely. I asked, feeling a bit dazed.
"I like it, but... why Blois?"
This village had nothing to do with Blois flowers.
Loik took my hand and slowly pressed a kiss to the back of it.
"Because the owner of the hotel is the head of the Blois Merchant Guild."
The owner is Evan?
Realizing what I was thinking, Loik let out a short, dry laugh.
"I mean the real owner of the Blois Merchant Guild."
If it's the real owner...
"Me?"
Loik’s eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"This hotel belongs to you now, Annette."