Chapter 58

Since it was an investment for the future, I didn't feel the slightest bit of regret even as money flowed out.

Treat the gold as if it were mine.

'But Ritren is my person.'

Gold given to my person ultimately belongs to me.

My person's gold.

In the end, the possessive form referred to Aristine.

'Then that's settled.'

Moreover, there weren't many places where money was needed yet, so I had a lot of money.

The refined iron used to make the scalpels was given to me as a gift by Bolat, who was grateful for Ritren's collection.

'And the forge will use the one in Tarqan's palace.'

The major equipment costs were completely solidified.

Actually, I had no intention of using someone else's facilities for free.

I was definitely planning to build a new forge for the business.

However, building a new forge would take quite a bit of time, so I intended to borrow the forge in the palace until the prototype was made.

Of course, I would pay for it.

So I was about to start discussing this matter with Tarqan.

"Which of the lands that the princess can use in the palace is the best?"

Aristine asked, spreading out the documents on the bed.

Tarqan came over, bent down, and looked at the documents.

His arm touched Aristine's shoulder.

"What for?"

"Ritren needs a forge, so I'm planning to build a new one."

Tarqan raised one eyebrow in dissatisfaction.

"Use the one in the palace."

"No, even if we use the one in the palace for now, we'll eventually have to build one."

"There's no need to build one. Just keep using the one in the palace."

"Huh? But..."

Aristine fell into thought.

Was it better to use the facilities and keep paying rent, or to spend a large sum of money at once to build a new forge?

"Why? Is there some difficult problem?"

Seeing Aristine's troubled expression, Tarqan asked.

His tone seemed sharp.

It seemed to be about money.

"Um, the rent..."

"Rent?"

Tarqan asked, sounding exasperated. He chuckled and said briefly.

"Just use it."

It was an unbelievable statement.

Aristine looked at him with trembling eyes.

"Really?"

Tarqan was taken aback by Aristine's questioning expression.

It was the most complicated expression he had ever seen on her face.

It was too good to be true, yet thrilling, and at the same time, she suspected it might be a lie...

If someone saw, they might think Tarqan was offering her his entire fortune, not just the forge.

"Sure."

"Really, really? You won't claim any rights to my products made in your forge later?"

Tarqan's brow furrowed.

"Just use it."

"You just said 'just.' Does that mean there are no conditions? Not even later—"

"You're my wife."

Tarqan cut off Aristine's words.

In the dimly lit bedroom, his golden eyes gazed at Aristine.

The crimson light flickered in his eyes.

Aristine pursed her lips for a moment, then closed them.

"Right."

She nodded slightly in agreement.

Feeling embarrassed to look at Tarqan, she lowered her gaze.

'Why do you still light candles every night?'

She grumbled to herself—

"It seems you don't understand the meaning."

Tarqan's hand gently lifted her chin.

"This is your home."

Their gazes met as he spoke in a low voice.

"Everything in this palace is yours."

The bed tilted silently as Tarqan placed his hand on it.

The distance between them grew even closer.

"So, use the forge as you please. Just... use it."

His low voice whispered in her ear, making Aristine want to pull away.

But strangely, she couldn't move.

Tarqan's golden eyes, filled with a certain emotion, seemed to hold her in place.

"Just, stay within my sight."

'...Are you worried the guards might move?'

Aristine thought, recalling the events of that day.

Perhaps because she had a confrontation with the queen before.

Regardless, it was good news for Aristine.

The equipment costs, which were the largest expense, were immediately resolved.

'Being a princess is a sweet deal, isn't it?'

Aristine looked at the various scalpels on the table with a happy heart.

'Good, I should show them to Mukali too.'

While the iron was hot, after Ritren left, Aristine asked the palace staff about Mukali.

"Should I send a message to the training ground since he's probably at work today?"

"Or, since it's almost lunchtime, it might be better to visit him directly."

"Oh, it's already that time?"

If I had known, I should have fed our staff and sent them back.

"Wouldn't it be better to go to the training ground? You can do it on your way—"

"He'll be very pleased."

"Hehe, he'll be surprised."

The palace staff laughed and gave her a strange look.

Aristine tilted her head.

'Does Sir Mukali have a special reason to be so surprised and happy?'

There didn't seem to be any, but the palace staff, who had seen him longer than she had, would know better.

"Good, then I'll eat first. After that, I'll prepare a dessert and go to Sir Mukali! He had scones last time, so I'll bring something else."

I need to promote our patissier!

Aristine's eyes were determined.

"Yes, I'll prepare it. Please have your meal and change your clothes."

"Of course, you're perfect as you are."

"But it's the first time the other warriors will meet you."

We need to promote our princess!

The palace staff's eyes were determined.

Of course, promotion was one thing, but the most important thing was something else.

"Your sudden visit will make his heart beat even faster if you look even more beautiful than usual."

"Ha, we can't let the bed break again."

"But we've already prepared to replace it, so don't worry!"

"Yes, preparing for emergencies is our skill!"

The palace staff boasted of their competence.

"Feel free to break it."

Aristine looked at them with a cold eye.

'Why is the bed suddenly a topic here?'

The competent maids seemed to have nothing but bed on their minds.

"Let's eat first."

* * *

"Huh? Isn't that the princess's carriage?"

The warriors murmured as a pristine white carriage entered the training ground.

The carriage, as white as snow, was impossible to miss.

And the overwhelming beauty of Arjenaqua.

The queen's carriage couldn't be more splendid than this.

Nefter had it made and gifted it to Aristine after hearing about the carriage accident during the wedding parade.

This incident caused another stir in the newspapers, and several teacups in the queen's palace shattered.

"The princess has come to see the lord."

"But the lord might not like it... He hates being interrupted, no matter what."

"He's strict with no exceptions."

"But the princess is different. She could be the one exception."

Princess Aristine was not human but a fairy.

Naturally, she could be an exception.

"Really, Lord Tarqan would make an exception? Even for the princess, that's..."

The warrior who was about to say more stopped.

The image of Tarqan cutting the carriage in half while holding Aristine in one hand.

Never letting her out of his arms, even when mounting a horse.

And the bed remnants in the newspaper.

"She's an exception."

"Totally an exception."

"She can't help but be an exception."

The warriors nodded in agreement.

"Let's inform the lord."

The large warriors smiled and ran to where Tarqan was.

In the process, the news that the princess had come to see Tarqan spread throughout the vast training ground.

From the generals to the squires, everyone's eyes sparkled as they focused on the carriage.

"To actually see it with our own eyes!"

"To witness the reunion of the century's couple..."

It would be more touching than any opera.

Though they were a couple who had slept together and woken up together that morning, no one contradicted this.

Instead, they nodded with eager faces.

The royal couple, who had not been seen in public since the wedding, made people's hearts anxious.

"Our lord, who has finished his love affair..."

"Who we thought would take care of women for the rest of his life..."

The warriors felt sentimental for no reason.

Meanwhile, the news of Aristine's arrival reached Tarqan.

"The princess?"

Zakalren, who was with Tarqan, repeated.

"Yes, that's right. She just passed through the gate and will arrive here soon."

The warriors in the room glanced at Tarqan.

They knew Tarqan had some affection for Aristine.

But would he like her visiting during work hours, mixing business with personal matters?

It was still lunch break, but...

'I wonder if this will make the couple drift apart.'

Unlike the general warriors, they were all Tarqan's closest aides.

They knew his character well.

If he ignored and cold-shouldered her, it would be out of disappointment, not welcoming.

"Khom, for the princess to come all the way here..."

Zakalren tried to dismiss the reporting warrior quickly.

No matter how rosy the relationship between Aristine and Tarqan seemed, Tarqan was still Tarqan.

He would never let this situation pass easily.

But the warrior, oblivious, beamed and chattered.

"That's exactly what I mean! How much must she have wanted to see the lord to come during lunchtime?"

Until then, Tarqan had remained silent, but his eyes now focused on the warrior.

The close aides tensed, but the warrior, oblivious, smiled brightly.

"It hasn't been long since they parted this morning... The princess must be thinking of the lord a lot."

Tarqan snorted.

"No way. She must have come for some other issue."

Like business or money. Or a political matter.

'Of course, it's obvious.'

Despite thinking this, Tarqan's lips curled up slightly.

His shoulders shrugged.

The close aides' eyes widened in shock.

'Huh?'

'Did the lord just... smile?'

It was hard to believe even though they saw it with their own eyes.

'No way! I thought he would ignore it completely.'

They thought the poor princess would be left waiting, with no response.

Durante, who had been silent, brought Tarqan's jacket.

He had just taken it off for training and lunch.

'Durante? What's he doing?'

The other warriors looked at Durante with puzzled eyes.

The puzzle was soon solved.

Tarqan naturally stood up, and Durante helped him put on his jacket.

'Hmm?'

'Could he be going to the princess?'

The puzzle was solved, but a bigger one took its place.

"Mukali."

"Yes, my lord."

"Have you seen Ritren?"

Mentioning Ritren's name made Mukali flinch.

Could the lord be misunderstanding, like Diona?

Hiding his thoughts, he bowed respectfully.

"Yes, I saw him when the princess and I went to Catalaman."

Mukali steeled himself.

'If the lord says anything, I'll tell him there was no problem, and the princess is innocent!'

I'll protect the princess's honor with my sword!

Tarqan was silent for a moment before speaking.

"In your opinion, how do I compare to..."

The question trailed off.

Tarqan turned his head.

"To the lord...?"

Mukali repeated.

"Never mind."

Tarqan frowned and strode away.

As he walked, he subtly undid another button on his chest.

'Forget it, I'll focus on making money.'