Chapter 86

Tarkan felt as if that smile had pierced his heart.

"Even if it's a political marriage, we are still real spouses. But..."

Aristine's violet eyes met Tarkan's.

That awkward gaze felt like an arrow.

"You have a lover who can't live without you."

Tarkan opened his mouth.

But no words came out.

It felt as if the words he had spoken to her had turned into a very thin and strong thread, binding him.

Chapter 26. My Wife

Umiru's command that he must rest was strong.

Since even a slight movement made the palace attendants act as if something terrible would happen, Aristine had no choice but to sit almost lying on the sofa.

'Just until lunch, I'll keep them company.'

The palace attendants looked like they were about to cry, so Aristine decided to go to the forge in the afternoon.

'Before that, I need to clear my thoughts.'

The solution Aristine had seen and thought of in her previous life was a change in the refining method.

For that, a power source was needed.

'Prince Hamir is in charge of the newly discovered magic stone mine.'

Aristine's mind was working hard.

"...So, I need to be right by your side."

"Aren't you the one who said that a few days of rest would be fine? Why do you need to be by my side?"

"Meaning that it would be fine if you rest while I'm by your side."

"Don't you have other patients to take care of?"

"Those barbarians, no, warriors, recover so quickly."

Aristine was caught in a nerve-wracking battle between Tarkan and Umiru.

She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible.

"Hey, both of you, can you be quiet? You said I need to rest."

At that, Tarkan and Umiru quieted down.

"Your noise is disturbing V's rest, Umiru."

"If His Highness leaves, the patient and I, the doctor, can have the best rest time together."

It was only quiet for a second.

In the end, Aristine sighed deeply.

Just as she was about to dismiss them, a palace attendant approached.

"V, you have a visitor."

"Visitor?"

The response came from Tarkan, not Aristine.

He looked at the palace attendant with a displeased gaze.

"Yes, they came to visit you."

"Visit? Could it be Sir Mukali?"

Aristine asked, her face lighting up with hope.

"Yes, that's right. Other generals have also come."

Unlike Aristine, who brightened up, Tarkan and Umiru's expressions darkened.

"V needs to rest. Those big, clumsy guys will be a nuisance... No, anyway, receiving visitors could worsen the symptoms."

"It's best to listen to the doctor."

Aristine looked at Umiru and Tarkan with a bewildered face.

What symptoms are worsening when there are none?

"Let them in."

Aristine easily ignored their words and ordered the palace attendant.

The palace attendants, who should have given priority to Tarkan's words, bowed to Aristine and opened the door.

They had already realized that the highest authority in this palace was not Tarkan but Aristine.

As expected, Tarkan frowned but said nothing.

"V, my lord."

Mukali, Jackal, and Durante entered the room and greeted them.

Mukali held a small bouquet of flowers.

"Wow, General Mukali, you can actually hold a bouquet of flowers..."

Umiru muttered without realizing it.

Who was Mukali?

A person who detested anything cute and small.

Of course, there were rumors that he would squat in the garden and carefully tend to delicate flowers, but there were no witnesses, so it was just a rumor.

But now, he was holding a bouquet of flowers by his own will.

And it was incredibly well-chosen.

Pastel-colored hydrangeas and roses, star-shaped oxeye daisies, and gladiolus to add freshness.

For someone who detested flowers, his taste was surprisingly good.

Mukali, a bit embarrassed, extended the bouquet to Aristine.

"I couldn't come to visit without bringing something..."

The lush bouquet looked cute in Mukali's large, rough hands.

"Wow, it's so beautiful. Thank you."

Aristine smiled and took the bouquet.

The bouquet, which was a handful in Mukali's hands, filled Aristine's arms.

Aristine took a deep breath, savoring the sweet and fresh fragrance.

Everyone in the room, including Mukali, who had given the flowers, watched Aristine holding the bouquet in silence.

'Sure enough, our V is a fairy.'

'An angel.'

'Thumbelina!'

The palace attendants exchanged silent, moved glances.

"I've never received flowers from a man before."

Aristine's bright smile made everyone stiffen.

Tarkan's gaze turned to Mukali.

Mukali broke out in a cold sweat.

Honestly, he was pleased that he had given a gift that made Aristine happy.

And the fact that it was her first time receiving flowers made him even more proud.

But his life was precious.

Jackal's gaze darted between Tarkan and Mukali like a ship in a storm, and Durante's expression was even colder than usual.

The palace attendants were at a loss, and Umiru watched with great amusement.

In the midst of all this, Aristine, who had thrown the bomb, had no thoughts.

"Should I put them in a vase?"

At Aristine's words, the palace attendants took the bouquet as if to clear the space.

Even as they bustled about, Tarkan's gaze remained fixed on Mukali.

'He, he should have given the bouquet earlier!'

Mukali thought with a sense of injustice but realized that Tarkan would never give a bouquet to a woman.

Others thought the same.

Tarkan and a bouquet of flowers was an even less likely combination than Mukali and a bouquet.

Tarkan would only think about whether the flowers were poisonous or not.

"Thank you for coming, Sir Durante and Sir Jackal."

She had known Durante for a long time, and she had met Jackal when she went to the training ground last time.

"It's nothing. It's my first time visiting... I'm sorry for coming empty-handed."

Since visiting a sick colleague meant barging into their room, he hadn't thought to bring a gift.

"No, you didn't have to come at all. Please, sit down."

Tarkan's gaze, which seemed to say 'get out quickly,' was felt, but the three of them sat down as Aristine invited them.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine. I don't have any pain. After all, overwork gets better with a good rest."

"You shouldn't overwork yourself. You are already a delicate person."

"No, I'm not that delicate. At least in Sylvanus..."

They were exchanging news and chatting.

A palace attendant brought in a trolley.

"According to what Umiru said, I made some soup."

"Huh? Isn't it too early for lunch?"

"You need to keep eating to regain your strength. You skipped dinner last night and only ate a little this morning."

Umiru said, checking the soup.

The savory smell made Aristine's appetite return instantly.

Actually, she had wanted to eat more for breakfast, but she was limited because eating too much on an empty stomach would be a burden.

'But am I supposed to eat alone here?'

Even if it's not a meal, shouldn't everyone have some snacks together?

Umiru stirred the soup and blew on a spoonful.

'Is she testing it?'

As she thought this, Umiru extended the spoon to Aristine.

"V, say 'ah.'"

Aristine looked at the spoon, feeling awkward.

If it were Nefter, it would be different, but her hands were perfectly fine.

"...Umiru."

"No, you have to eat this. Come on, say 'ah.'"

Umiru said sternly and pushed the spoon forward again.

At that moment.

Thud, a strong force grabbed Umiru's wrist and pulled it back.

It was Tarkan.

Umiru looked at Tarkan with a very interested gaze.

"Will His Highness feed her?"

At that, Tarkan's eyes slightly narrowed.

"No, I..."

"Then let go."

Umiru giggled.

"...I'll feed her."

Tarkan said, grinding his words, and took the spoon from Umiru.

Umiru's amused face was annoying, but the admiring expressions of the warriors and the sparkling eyes of the palace attendants were even more burdensome.

But Tarkan firmly held the spoon and extended it to Aristine.

'What is he doing?'

Aristine looked at Tarkan with a bewildered face.

He frowned, as if he didn't like it, but his ears were bright red.

Aristine blinked and opened her mouth to take the spoon.

Thud, Aristine's lips touched the spoon, and Tarkan was shaken as if he had touched it himself.

At that moment.

"...His Highness Tarkan?"

A faint voice was heard.

It was Diona.

She stared at Tarkan and Aristine with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Right now..."

Diona's lips trembled. She couldn't continue.

While coming to the palace to see Tarkan, she saw the warriors rushing somewhere.

Was something happening? Was there a call to arms? She was worried, but then she saw Mukali holding flowers.

It was the first time she had seen such an unlikely combination.

When she asked the palace attendants what was happening, they said Aristine had collapsed yesterday.

It was a shock.

Diona suppressed her laughter and asked about Tarkan's whereabouts.

'Good. While the princess is in charge, I can have Tarkan all to myself.'

She suppressed her laughter and asked about Tarkan's whereabouts.

But it turned out that Tarkan was with Aristine.

'Ever since she collapsed yesterday, His Highness Tarkan has been personally nursing her.'

At that, a fire burned inside her. How dare they make Tarkan nurse her.

She couldn't just stand by.

That fox-like woman might stimulate his protective instincts by pretending to be weak and fragile, and completely take Tarkan away.

'I can't let that happen. It won't go as you wish.'

With that thought, she hurried to Aristine's room.

But.

The scene she saw as soon as she entered was Tarkan feeding Aristine soup.

Tarkan, feeding someone?

Was such a thing possible?

Diona turned pale and clenched her fists.

She had never even dreamed of such a thing while being by Tarkan's side.

Just being able to stay by his side without being driven away was all she wanted.

She couldn't ask for more.

It was already so difficult just to be by his side.

Not just for her, but for anyone.

But why.

'For that princess...!'

Diona's sea-blue eyes fiercely glared at Aristine.

'Hmm...'

Aristine felt a bit awkward and shifted her gaze.

'Is it a bit like that?'

She glanced at Diona, then at Tarkan.

Tarkan, who should have been the most flustered and should have immediately begged Diona for forgiveness, was indifferent.

'No, if your partner was caught feeding another woman soup, you should be shaken.'

Even if Tarkan was just feeding her out of pure nursing, from Diona's perspective, it was enough to cause misunderstanding.

Especially since Aristine was not just any woman but Tarkan's wife.

'Even if it's just in name.'

Aristine swallowed the soup and spoke.

"Come in, Diona."

Diona didn't respond.

She was still in shock.

It was rude to ignore a greeting from a prince's wife, but Aristine had no intention of scolding her.

'Could she have heard that Tarkan warmed me up in bed yesterday...?'

That thought crossed her mind.

Her partner warming another woman in bed, and that too, completely naked.

Who could keep their sanity?

'Ah, this is really awkward. It's a complete love triangle now.'

Not just a triangle, but a sticky one.

'I really don't like this. If there has to be a love triangle, I want them to fight it out without me.'

In the midst of this, Tarkan egged Diona on.

"Didn't you hear V's words?"

Diona, startled by the low, whip-like reprimand, finally came to her senses and looked around.

"Ah, I..."

Everyone in the room was looking at her with strange eyes.

Diona forced a smile on her stiff face.

"Please forgive my rudeness, V."

"It's fine, I don't mind."

Aristine said, glaring at Tarkan.

Why was he scolding her when he couldn't even comfort her?

'I need to clear this misunderstanding quickly.'

She wanted to get out