Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Tea Party (1)
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"I thought the dress fitting was done, but we have to do it again?!"
Lucesi grabbed his head and completely messed up his hair. It was as if he'd reached the end of his patience.
"Please step back now, Your Excellency. Thanks to you, we have to start the fitting all over."
He growled as he shoved his hand into the pocket of his apron.
"……."
Rose and I just stared at each other, standing there dumbfounded.
"Your Excellency, come on!"
Lucesi wedged himself right between Rose and me. Then he dragged her back in front of the mirror.
"And why is Madam's hair all tangled up like this... Did Your Excellency do this?"
"No. My wife tripped on her own—"
"You're impossible!"
Lucesi clutched his forehead as if he didn't even want to hear it.
At his gesture, the staff hurried over and stuck to Rose's back. The hair that hadn't come loose no matter how Rose and I tugged at it unraveled like magic.
He's making me out to be the bad guy.
It was absurd, but I quietly watched the situation unfold.
It was true that Rose had tripped on her own and hugged me first, but I'd contributed to the mess in part.
"Please sit on the sofa, Your Excellency."
Lucesi, finally regaining his composure, fixed me with a stern glare.
"Now you need to help pick out the matching accessories. Absolutely do not touch anything—just look with your eyes."
"To repeat, I didn't do anyth—"
"Now!"
His bulging eyes made it clear any further excuses were pointless.
I might disregard other things, but not when it came to his creations—his clothes. That was a creator's pride, their final line in the sand.
Thud.
With no choice, I sank onto the sofa. Hiding my sullen expression, I looked ahead and—
"Eek."
saw Rose stifling a laugh. When our eyes met, she quickly hid her smile.
"Ha."
I ended up laughing too.
As much as you want, I said.
I'd boldly declared I'd show her, so all I had to do was follow through.
Seeing her declare it so confidently made me sure she'd keep her end of the contract. That must be why I felt so satisfied right now.
Completely unaware of the massive misunderstanding I was under.
"How about this one?"
I began scrutinizing the accessories being placed around Rose's neck.
**
"...Mm."
It was still dark. A low, gentle voice nudged the sleeping Rose.
"Madam."
Then a suddenly clear voice pierced her mind,
"...Ah."
and Rose startled awake. She realized she couldn't move, as if bound tight with rope.
"Awake?"
A low, husky voice came from right behind her.
"...Yes, Your Excellency."
Rose cleared her throat with a cough and replied. Then she glanced at the thick forearm that had her bound tight instead of rope.
"Your Excellency, this is a bit......"
"Mm."
Dane loosened his arm slightly, and breathing became much easier.
"Hoo......"
Rose let out a long breath and blinked repeatedly. Her hazy vision gradually cleared.
As the sleep faded, she felt the hot body heat pressed completely against her back.
I still can't get used to this...
Days had passed since she'd fallen asleep cradled in Dane's arms.
The trigger had been ridiculously simple. The moment they'd lain in bed together staring at the ceiling,
This isn't how a married couple sleeps.
it had started with Dane's single remark.
Pardon? What do you mean?
Shouldn't a husband and wife sleep together?
We are sleeping together?
No.
Dane had yanked the puzzled Rose to him and hugged her from behind.
This is sleeping together.
I, um......
Go to sleep like this. It's to prepare for any possible attacks.
She hadn't even had a chance to protest. With Dane mentioning attacks, refusing was hard.
O-Okay. We're married, after all...
Rose mumbled that to herself, calming her pounding heart.
She'd barely slept for days, and yesterday exhaustion had finally knocked her out.
"...Your Excellency."
Thus pressed against him, Rose realized one fact.
"That thing at my lower back... It's a weapon, right?"
Even when Dane wore just a robe in the bedroom, he carried a weapon.
The large, hard presence at her waist was unmistakable. He'd probably draw and swing it if attacked.
"...Yes."
"As expected. Always prepared."
Dane's reply seemed a beat late, but she chalked it up to imagination.
"But it feels too big. Isn't it uncomfortable? Maybe use something smaller..."
"I don't choose it."
"...?"
Dane's warm breath tickled her ear. She couldn't understand why her whole body heated up instead of just her ear.
She wanted to stay like this forever, yet not stay like this—a conflicting mix of feelings.
"Time to get up."
Swish.
Dane pulled her tighter from behind, artfully avoiding sensitive spots.
Rose couldn't help squirming.
"The maids will be here soon..."
"That's why I'm doing this."
"But—"
Facing the servants in such a disheveled state on the bed.
She had waited for the maids with Dane before. But never this intimately pressed together.
Her heart pounded wildly, her whole body flushed hot and red.
Her skirt had ridden up precariously while sleeping. Any more movement risked exposure, so she froze.
What do I do...
Even sleeping pressed so close, Rose had never turned to face him.
If she met Dane's face from this distance, she might not hold back.
Instead, I... Your Excellency...
She wanted to say she liked him—that she didn't hate him, she liked him.
It was the feeling she'd barely kept hidden.
She'd built a dam high against a flood of emotions. It wasn't time to shove her long-cherished affection at him.
And she recalled the contract terms.
Faithfully perform the wife's role. Do not cross the line. Help him.
Remember, even if the wife hates it, she has to do it. That's the contract.
His frozen face, as if ready to cast her out. A voice colder than midwinter air.
Her meager affection would only anger him more.
What he wanted was a perfect couple in others' eyes, and an obedient wife who didn't invade or bother him.
She had to remember that.
"Get used to it."
Dane's languid voice poured like morning sunlight waking the day.
"You haven't forgotten the 'contract,' have you?"
"...Of course not."
She shelved any convenient fantasies that he might like her.
When you like someone, you interpret all their actions favorably, twisting them to suit yourself.
There's no way Your Excellency likes me.
Absurd. Only possible in her imagination.
Even his current kindness was just because she was his contract partner. If she slipped even a little, he'd snap in anger.
Yes, this is just the contract.
Rose swallowed a heartbreaking laugh threatening to burst out. She etched only her resolve to uphold the contract faithfully into her heart.
"……."
Unaware of Dane's thoughts as he buried his face in her shoulder, or that he'd subtly shifted his "weapon" back.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"I'll draw the curtains."
"Madam, time to rise."
Soon the maids bustled into the room.
They took the sight of the two clinging tight on the bed in stride. Their eyes said they'd grown used to it.
But Sonya's gaze lingered on Rose longer than usual. Especially on Dane's arm wrapped tenderly around her.
I wonder how much she's reporting.
Not exactly sure, but Sonya relayed everything she saw and heard to the Vicander family.
Even Dane's behavior around Rose like this.
She'll surely report this too.
Typical noblewomen shared everything with their close maids, even their innermost thoughts.
Madam, how have things been? His Excellency treats you well, right?
That's why Sonya fawned over her, acting concerned.
The old Rose would have been touched and spilled everything. But not now.
Of course. I'm so happy.
She hid her true feelings behind fabricated words, never revealing her heart.
It felt a little lonely. No one around to confide in.
Clink.
After finishing breakfast together, they went their separate ways. Lately, Rose spent most of her time in the lab.
After focusing intently for a while,
Knock knock.
Dane arrived at the usual time. It repeated daily like clockwork.
"Your Excellency, this way."
She guided him to the chair as always.
"Doing it again today?"
"Sorry, yes."
"Alright."
Dane sat obediently without complaint, his face still expressionless.
But Rose secretly hid a smile, catching a glimpse of a child reluctantly doing hated homework.
Whirr—
She activated the magic tool, which sucked in the mana stone's mana like a vice grip.
"Hmm......"
Rose focused on the graph appearing on the gauge.
From the first day she'd tested Dane, this waveform had bothered her. It was starkly different from her own test.
It suddenly drops sharply here.
Normally, when mana from a stone flows into a human body, some absorbs and some flows out.
But Dane's was odd. In one section, mana dropped abnormally steep.
As if sucked into somewhere.
And... negative?
The decline was so steep it even dipped into negative territory briefly.
He wasn't low on mana—quite the opposite, excessively high compared to others.
Why does this happen?
Suddenly, Andersen's words from their meeting flashed through her mind.
As you said, mana flows in one direction—that's the first principle. But what if we reverse that direction?