Chapter 6

I was so shocked by the poverty that exceeded my imagination that my mouth dropped open without me even realizing it. Seeing this, Anna began to scrutinize my expression with a slightly worried look, as if she was concerned that she might have said something wrong.

"Should I call Pavel... now?"

Pavel was the butler whose name Anna had mentioned several times. The thought of meeting a new person made my timid heart thump, but there was no choice. Managing the household was the responsibility of the lady of the manor. I had to receive the ledgers and keys from the butler on the first day, but the handover was delayed because I had collapsed. If I delayed any further, I would be branded as a lazy lady who only liked to loaf around. To take root in any place, I needed to get close to the servants first. This was a lesson from my late mother.

"Yes. I should meet the butler... No, wait!"

I nodded resolutely, but then quickly shook my head as I remembered my appearance. I had passed out drunk last night, and my state was a mess. I couldn't meet the butler like this.

"I should take a bath first."

"Ah, right! That's what I should have thought of first. I'll prepare the bathwater right away!"

Anna, who seemed to have realized her oversight, jumped up and rushed into the bathroom connected to the room. Despite her lack of experience in serving, she moved quickly, and the warm bathwater was soon ready.

"Let me help you wash."

"I'm fine. I can do it myself. Could you prepare the meal while I bathe?"

"Yes, my lady."

After sending Anna away, I undressed and sank into the warm bathtub. It felt as if all the fatigue from the past days had vanished. I hadn't expected much from the clumsy Anna, but the water temperature was just right, and even though it was a low-quality product, there was also some fragrance. It was a surprisingly satisfying bath. However, just as I was about to get out of the bathtub, a problem arose. Anna, who had been so focused on preparing the bathwater, had forgotten to prepare a towel to dry my body. It was a simple matter to pull the bell cord to call a maid, but the problem was that the bell cord in this room was broken.

'What should I do?'

While my eyes darted around the bathtub, the water gradually cooled, making my body feel chilly. If I stayed like this, I might catch a cold. Determined to get out of the water, I stood up, and just then, I heard the door opening from the outside.

'Is Anna bringing the towel late?'

I shivered in the cold air and cautiously stepped out of the bathroom. Since the only people who could enter the countess's room were me and Anna, it seemed like a reasonable assumption. However, the person who entered was not Anna. Instead, a person who absolutely should not have been there stood there, staring at me with wide eyes.

'Ah, Altair...?'

Caught off guard by the unexpected appearance, I froze in the middle of stepping out of the bathroom. Altair, who had just entered, also remained motionless. It felt as if time had stopped.

"My lord, why are you standing there? Aren't you coming in?"

The awkward silence was broken by a familiar voice. It was Blan, the knight who had acted as the groom's representative at the wedding. As soon as I heard his voice, my mind, which had been frozen along with my body, snapped back to reality.

"Ah!"

I screamed and rushed back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. My heart was pounding so hard that I was worried it might burst.

'W, what should I do?'

To stand in front of Altair completely naked! I was so shocked and embarrassed that my eyes spun.

"Huh? Did my lady just scream? Is something wrong...!"

Blan's alarmed voice was cut off with a loud 'bang!'

"Ow, my lord! If you suddenly close the door like that, even I will get hit."

"It's just a door. Stop whining."

"It's not whining. Are knights made of steel? I think my nose is broken."

"So if your nose is flattened, it's a good thing. Stop complaining and get out."

"But I heard my lady's scream from inside..."

"I'll handle it, so get out!"

With Altair's loud command, the conversation ended. It seemed Blan had followed his orders, as the surroundings quickly became quiet. However, my mind was still in turmoil. What had just happened, and how should I deal with it? After a moment of confusion, my brain found an answer.

'U, first, I need to get dressed!'

Fortunately, the clothes I had taken off before getting into the bathtub were still inside. I quickly grabbed them and glanced at the firmly closed door. I was afraid Altair might burst in at any moment, making me feel anxious. However, my hands kept fumbling because my body was still wet, and I couldn't dress as quickly as I wanted. The laces on the back were also difficult to tie by myself. It was a dress that required assistance to put on. While I fumbled to put on the clothes, the outside became quiet again. Had Altair left? But I didn't hear the door opening. I tried to calm my still racing heart, took a deep breath, and cautiously opened the bathroom door. Using the door as a shield, I peeked out and saw that Altair was still standing at the entrance. The only difference from before I ran into the bathroom was that he was covering his face with his hand and had his head bowed deeply.

"What is this all about?"

Sensing my presence, Altair spoke without lifting his head.

"Why are you standing there... like that?"

His tone was accusatory, and I clenched my skirt with both hands, feeling indignant. I was the one who had been intruded upon, and I was the one who had been embarrassed! The person who should be scolding was not Altair but me! However, my protest, which was boiling inside, came out very timidly.

"This is my room, so I thought no one would come in... If you had given notice before visiting, this wouldn't have happened..."

"Hmph."

As I hesitantly expressed my opinion, Altair let out a hollow laugh and lifted his head. The moment our eyes met, I could clearly see his shoulders trembling. His face was flushed with anger.

"Do you always give notice when you go to your own room?"

"Um...?"

"Why should I have to give notice every time I go to my own room?"

"But... this is my room..."

The conversation was going in circles. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Altair roughly ran his hand through his hair and stepped closer to me.

"Listen. When did the marital bedroom become the wife's room only?"

"Marital bedroom?"

It was the first time I had heard such a term. Marital. Bedroom. Could these two words be used together? My mind went blank, unable to understand.

"Marital bedroom, I mean... that is..."

"This is your room, but it's also my room. It's natural for a married couple to share a bedroom and a bed."

"I've never heard of such a thing..."

In noble families, couples only shared a bed on designated nights. On other nights, they slept in separate bedrooms. If a couple shared a bedroom and a bed every night, they would be considered indecent and lacking in dignity. Sharing a bed every night without a specific reason was something that only happened with mistresses.

"My parents had separate bedrooms, and all the other nobles do the same..."

"Are you telling me that I, at my age, should have separate bedrooms with my wife?"

Seeing Altair pinch his forehead as if he had a headache, I instinctively shrank back.

'Do couples in the eastern region share bedrooms?'

I knew that cultural differences existed between regions, but I hadn't thought they would be so significant within the same country. I had not taken the move to a new place seriously. But sharing a bedroom with my husband? And that husband is the villain Altair? The combination of not being able to dry off properly and the shocking situation made my body start to tremble. Displeased with my appearance, Altair frowned.

"Hmph."

Altair's hollow laugh made my shoulders tremble. Not knowing what to say, I lowered my head and clenched my skirt tighter. Suddenly, something heavy landed on my shoulder. Surprised, I looked up to see a coat draped over my shoulder. It was the coat Altair had been wearing. And Altair... 'Bang!' The door slammed shut, and Altair was gone.

* * *

Altair roughly closed the door and fled outside as if something terrible would happen if he looked back. He walked down the corridor for a while, then suddenly stopped and washed his face with his hands.

"...I'm going to go crazy."

Altair's ears and neck were flushed red. No matter how hard he tried not to think about it, the scene he had seen when he opened the door kept flashing before his eyes. She was so white, soft, and even smelled good. How could he forget that? Thinking about Nadia's small shoulders trembling and her head bowed in front of him, the heat wouldn't subside. He had managed to show restraint and cover her with his coat, but he had almost touched her without thinking. Recalling that moment, Altair absentmindedly stroked his arm. But his arm, unlike Nadia's body, was full of muscles and as hard as a rock.

'Pull yourself together, Altair Eilsworth!'

Altair bit his lip and closed his eyes, starting to sing the imperial military song in his head. After singing it from beginning to end three times, he finally managed to calm down. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, only to meet Pavel's gaze, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"..."

"Am I seeing things, my lord?"

Pavel, who had seen the entire strange scene, scrutinized Altair from head to toe.

"Strange things have been happening today. Blan's nose is broken and bleeding, and my lord is standing in the corridor like a madman."

"I was just standing there."

Altair ignored Pavel's questioning gaze and cleared his throat a few times. Fortunately, Pavel was holding a stack of books, which gave him a chance to change the subject.

"What are those?"

"Three years' worth of ledgers. I'm going to give them to my lady. She will be managing the household now."

"Managing the household?"

It wasn't wrong. Managing the manor was the lady's responsibility. But Altair doubted that the small, frail woman, who had fainted from mere fatigue, could handle it.

"If she says she can't, don't push it, but if she says she will try, help her a bit."

"She's from the Vain family. One of the most prestigious families in the empire, so she's probably much better at calculations than I am."

"What? What do you mean by that?"

Altair frowned at Pavel's subtle class distinction and lightly tapped his shoulder. The butler, who managed the manor's internal affairs, was usually from a noble family, but Pavel was a commoner with no connections.

"Don't use your background as an excuse. Do you think I don't know you're just trying to avoid work?"

"Ah, caught me. What a shame."

Pavel sighed dramatically and shrugged.

"Then I'll go see my lady. As my lord said, I shouldn't use my background as an excuse. I also need to fix the bell cord."

"No, wait!"

Altair urgently stopped Pavel, who was about to leave.

"Not now."

"What? Why not?"

"Not now..."

As he tried to explain, Altair's face heated up again as he recalled Nadia's appearance. He clenched his fist to dispel the thoughts and gritted his teeth.

"Just not now. In an hour, no, two hours."

"My lord, you've been acting very suspiciously today."

"Shut up."

Pavel narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Altair. The lord was definitely different from his usual self today.

'Did something happen with my lady?'

As Pavel tried to deduce the reason, he heard Altair's sigh.

"Also, clean one room. Just enough for a good night's sleep."

"Why a room? Is someone visiting?"

Altair's social circle was very limited, so visitors were rare.

"Just clean it."

"What kind of nonsense...?"

"I don't have the energy to argue with you. Get out. Don't forget to come back in three hours."

"Three hours? You said two hours a moment ago."

Did I say that? Altair frowned in thought and then spoke again.

"Then, six hours."

"Six hours? Why is the time getting longer, my lord?"

"Two times three is six."

"That doesn't make any sense... My lord? My lord!"

Pavel called out to Altair, who was walking down the corridor without looking back.

"Wait, you said two hours a moment ago."

Did I say that? Altair frowned in thought and then spoke again.

"Then, six hours."

"Six hours? Why is the time getting longer, my lord?"

"Two times three is six."

"That doesn't make any sense... My lord? My lord!"

Pavel, unable to understand the order, called out to Altair, but he just kept walking down the corridor without looking back.