Chapter 2

The doctor scratched his cheek with a troubled look on his face.

“Well… ordinary people do that too. Since my lady seems to be particularly delicate, you should pay extra attention to her.”

“…So, I’ve got a high-maintenance bride.”

Altear scowled and muttered, and the doctor, who had been pale, quickly stood up in fear.

“Oh, I’ll prescribe some tonics for her health.”

The doctor’s gaze was fixed on Blan, Altear’s adjutant standing behind him, rather than on Altear. Blan, who had stood beside Nadia at the wedding as Altear’s proxy, was a young man with a bright appearance, unlike the cold Altear, making him much easier to talk to.

“Good work.”

Blan handed the money he had prepared to the doctor, who had been pale but now looked relieved, and the doctor bowed and hurriedly left.

“My lord.”

Blan narrowed his eyes and nudged Altear’s side with his elbow.

“You need to change your tone.”

“What’s wrong with my tone?”

“You scared even the men with your fierce tone, and you showed up covered in blood. No wonder Lady Nadia was frightened.”

“That’s nonsense. I tried to be as kind as possible. I didn’t even swear.”

“No, if that’s your standard, we’re in trouble….”

Blan ran his hand through his hair in frustration. The people of Eilsford, due to the harsh conditions of the eastern region, had a rough side, and Altear, in particular, had a sharp tone. He had developed this habit at a young age, leading a much older group of subordinates, and it had become a deeply ingrained habit that was hard to change even after he became an adult. Blan, who had returned after a long period of knight training in the central region, had also found it difficult to adapt at first. If he, a man, had found it hard, it was natural that a lady from the capital, who was a noble, would be terrified.

“Anyway, you should treat her more affectionately. Do you think it’s easy for a lady to marry a poor baron in this rural area? You should be grateful that she came here. Threatening her with talk of corpses isn’t going to help her stay calm.”

“Affectionately? What more? I even caught the men who were trying to kill her.”

“Initially, they followed her because of our situation. They were clearly sent by Balheil.”

At the mention of “Balheil,” Altear’s already cold face became even colder. Balheil was Altear’s cousin and the closest heir to the barony of Eilsford, which had no successor. If Altear were to die without an heir, the title would pass to Balheil. Though the territory was poor, the title was valuable. Balheil had long coveted the barony of Eilsford. His patience had run out when he heard that Altear, who had been struggling to find a bride, was getting married.

“Don’t forget why you needed to get married. You need to have an heir as soon as possible. That way, Balheil will give up on his false hopes. Of course, it won’t be easy after what happened on the first night.”

Blan looked at Nadia, who was pale and unconscious, with a serious expression.

“Today, let her rest. Try to have a meal together tomorrow. Or you could prepare it yourself and bring it to her… People usually develop a liking for those who take care of their meals, right? Prepare a grand dinner in the evening to cheer her up.”

“…”

Altear remained silent, but Blan knew he would listen to his advice. Altear Eilsford was someone who would clearly say if he didn’t like something.

“You need to gain her affection as a person before you can gain her affection as a husband. That’s the order.”

“I know, I know. Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Starting off so badly, it was clear that it wouldn’t be easy.

“Anyway, try your best. We’ll all do our best to help you!”

Blan clenched his fist in encouragement and then, as if remembering something important, asked Altear.

“Oh, by the way, my lord.”

“…?”

“Do you know how to spend the night with your wife? Are you a novice?”

“Y-You, what kind of question is that…!”

“Shh! My lady might wake up! If she sees you shouting like that, she’ll be scared again.”

Altear, who was about to yell, quickly shut his mouth at Blan’s words. Blan’s lips curled into a smile.

“…Get lost.”

Altear gritted his teeth and roughly pushed Blan away, but his voice was much softer than before. Moreover, his ears were strangely red….

“Hmm. So, you’re a novice, my lord….”

“Shut up!”

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, it was morning. I carefully got out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess. I looked nothing like the bride who had just gotten married yesterday.

‘It’s as if my current state is showing me my future.’

I sighed and looked around the quiet room. Except for the corner of the bed where I had lain uncomfortably, everything was clean. It seemed no one had come in or out all night. I had unintentionally spent my first night alone, and I didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse. When I decided to get married, I had thought about the first night many times and had prepared numerous strategies, but none of them included this situation. Moreover, at the moment, I was more concerned about… growl. My stomach growled loudly.

‘I’m hungry…’

After a long journey in a carriage and a wedding, I was so nervous that I had barely eaten. My stomach felt like it was stuck to my back. Seeing that I was still hungry in this situation made me feel ridiculous.

‘No, what’s ridiculous about it?’

Being hungry means I’m still alive. Yesterday, I had collapsed as if the world had ended, but I was still alive, and nothing I had worried about had happened.

‘I just need to pull myself together from now on.’

I had decided to leave the capital, and I had chosen marriage as the method. I had accepted the husband my uncle had chosen.

‘It’s all my doing. How long do I plan to tremble? The world hasn’t collapsed, Nadia Vain.’

Thinking of Altear’s terrifying face still made me shiver, but I tried to steel myself. If I had planned to die trembling, I would have stayed in the capital and waited for my fate.

‘But I decided not to.’

I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

‘First, I need to eat. That will give me the strength to start anything.’

It was morning, so breakfast would be prepared soon. But even after a long wait, there was no sign of the door opening. In the Vain family, a maid would have already brought breakfast. But every household has its own situation, so I waited patiently. However, no maid came even after a long time.

‘Maybe it’s the food. But not even helping me wash and change clothes?’

Maidens were never ignored like this. Perhaps the rumor that Altear had threatened to cut my head off at the wedding had spread. With so many people present, the news would have spread quickly. Servants wouldn’t treat a wife who wasn’t welcomed by the master as a proper lady.

‘I’m not being welcomed here either.’

In the Vain family, I was also an unwanted duckling. Specifically, after my parents died in a carriage accident and the title passed to my uncle. If I had been a son, I would have inherited the title after my father’s death. Even if not, a son-in-law could have continued the title. But the accident was too sudden, and I was too young. My cunning uncle took the title while I was grieving, and I was pushed aside. From then on, I went from being the beloved only daughter of the Vain family to a parasitic niece. The servants, who had once treated me like a princess, quickly aligned themselves with the new power and ignored me.

‘My uncle didn’t even give me the dowry that was the right of the Vain family’s daughters.’

At least I had the trust fund my mother had left me, which I could use as a dowry. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Thinking about this, I could understand the attitude of the Eilsford servants. A bride who had been ignored by her husband from the wedding and brought a small dowry… There was nothing to like about her.

‘But at least give me some food…’

Is it so low to discriminate with food? Even prisoners are given food. I grumbled as I approached the window. Opening it, I saw the landscape of the Eilsford territory. It was clearly different from the capital.

‘It’s peaceful.’

But the owner of this peaceful territory is a mad villain. The reality hit me again, and my shoulders slumped. Then I heard the door open. Finally, a maid had brought breakfast. This was the first time I was happy to hear the door open. I turned with a wide smile, but my face turned pale when I realized it wasn’t a maid. Altear stood at the door, holding a tray of food.

“Eh, y-yes….”

Caught off guard by his unexpected appearance, I froze and clutched my skirt. Altear’s eyes were as cold as they were yesterday. We stood in a tense silence. Altear was the first to speak.

“…Eat.”

Altear placed the tray on the table and ordered me. I tried to calm my trembling body and looked at the tray. There was a warm soup and some hard bread, not a grand meal, but my hunger made my mouth water. After a fierce battle between hunger and fear, instinct won. I cautiously approached the table and reached for the bread, glancing at Altear. He frowned.

“Standing and eating?”

“Eh, no! Of course not! I’ll sit, yes….”

I quickly sat down at the chair at Altear’s reprimand.

“Eat. Before it gets cold.”

“Yes….”

I hesitantly tore a piece of bread and ate it.

‘Oh?’

Despite its hard and dry appearance, the bread tasted good. My cautious movements gradually sped up. The soup I hastily scooped up was also excellent. Though it didn’t have many ingredients, it was smooth and flavorful. I tore a large piece of bread and soaked it in the soup, then pushed the moist bread into my mouth.

‘It’s delicious…!’

I wasn’t sure if it was because I was hungry or if the food was truly excellent, but the taste was important. As I reached for the bread again, I felt a terrifying aura above me. I cautiously looked up to see Altear with his arms crossed, glaring at me.

“Cough, cough!”

His gaze was like he was monitoring to make sure I didn’t leave any food. His eyebrows twitched as I started to cough.

“I, I’m eating… I’m eating well….”

I quickly defended myself and tore another piece of bread, though I was secretly terrified.

‘I might choke.’

The meal that had felt like heaven a moment ago turned into a torture. Altear stayed until I finished the soup and bread. The discomfort of eating under his watch made my stomach feel heavy.

‘I might vomit.’

I patted my chest and glanced at Altear. Even after I finished the food, he stood with his arms crossed, his gaze as terrifying as ever. It felt like I would die of fear before the food could digest. I trembled, afraid of upsetting him.

‘I wish he would leave now.’

Altear showed no sign of moving. I felt like I would die of fear before the food could digest.

“E, excuse me, do you have something to say?”

I mustered the courage to ask.

“If not, I’m sorry, but your staring is….”

Altear’s shoulders twitched, and his cheeks trembled. I was sure it was a sign of anger. I leaped up, knelt on the chair, and bowed.

“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have asked such a useless question!”

Despite my sincere apology, Altear showed no reaction. The longer his silence, the more my shoulders trembled.

“…Dinner.”

After a long pause, Altear finally spoke.

“Come down to eat.”

“Huh?”

“They said everyone worked together to prepare a welcome dinner for you.”

A welcome dinner? Prepared? By whom? Questions swirled in my head.

“…I clearly told you.”

Altear, apparently displeased with my blank expression, frowned and picked up the tray, then left. His face was still cold as he opened the door, but it was a relief to see him go.

“He, he’s gone….”

I slid off the chair and sat on the floor, sighing in relief.

‘Thank goodness.’

Altear Eilsford was a terrifying person, but he had a bit of leniency, forgiving me when I knelt and apologized. Fortunately, I had a cheap self-respect that allowed me to kneel easily, so I didn’t think I would lose my head easily.

‘But if I keep kneeling every time, my knees won’t last.’

I massaged my already numb knees, lost in thought.

‘Maybe I should make knee pads?’

As I pondered, the door opened again. Was Altear back? I quickly knelt and looked up. I met the eyes of a woman who was staring at me in disbelief.

“….”

“….”

The unexpected encounter led to a brief silence. The woman, who had entered without warning, was the first to speak.

“Eh… my lady…? Why are you on the floor…?”