Chapter 73

The feeling of shock was only temporary. It was hard to imagine Altair dancing enthusiastically to such music.

‘Of course he won’t dance!’

I looked at Altair with the sense of having gained a reliable ally, but I quickly gasped in astonishment. Altair was standing among the people dancing naturally, despite his sullen expression. The unexpected turn of events made me open my eyes wide and rush to his side.

“Are you going to dance?”

“These guys won’t let me go until they see what they want.”

Altair shrugged and glanced around. When I turned my head to follow his gaze, everyone was looking at us with a smile, as if expecting something.

“You can get out of this faster if you give in and play along.”

It was a quick judgment, as if based on years of experience. If Altair said so, there would be no way out of this situation for me.

‘T, That’s right! Let’s get it over with quickly!’

But dancing in front of so many people was a first for me. To be more precise, it was the first time I had ever danced in front of others. I usually avoided parties, and when I had to attend, I would hide in a corner to avoid people’s gazes. I had learned to dance as part of a lady’s basic education, but such dancing didn’t seem to fit the occasion. So, my only hope was Altair!

‘From what I’ve heard, Altair used to dance in front of people every year…’

We could get through this by dancing in a way that fit the atmosphere. The thought that I had someone to rely on, and that I didn’t have to handle it alone, made me feel a bit more at ease. Just as Altair extended his hand, I willingly took it. The area was already filled with people dancing freely to the lively music. Altair began to move his body skillfully to the music. Perhaps because he could perform complex sword techniques with ease, his dancing was not awkward at all. I could barely keep up with his movements, but I was doing my best.

‘Still, something…’

It was fun! Was it because of the lively music? Or the cheerful atmosphere of the festival? Whatever the reason, it was good. I was so focused on moving my body that all the worries that usually filled my mind were far away. I smiled excitedly and tried my best to follow Altair’s steps. Although I was clumsy, I wasn’t completely out of sync. The thought that I was managing to do it made me feel proud, and I lifted my head to look at Altair. A rare smile was on his face, a smile that seemed to say, ‘Look at you.’

“Working hard, and you’re mocking me… That’s too much.”

When I pouted in protest, Altair nodded slightly.

“My wife always works hard. I know that.”

“But why are you mocking me?”

“I’ve never mocked someone who works hard. Not even once.”

I looked into Altair’s eyes, suspecting he was lying to get out of the situation. But his eyes were full of seriousness, and I couldn’t call him a liar. Moreover, the strange heat I felt from his gaze was both familiar and unfamiliar, making me stiffen for a moment. Losing focus even for a moment while moving to the unfamiliar fast rhythm was fatal.

“Ah!”

My feet tangled, and before I could react, my body tilted to the side. But I didn’t hit the ground. Altair had firmly caught me. Led by his hand, I ended up in his embrace. The onlookers let out ‘Oh!’ in amazement and whistled.

‘E, Embarrassing!’

I felt my face flush with embarrassment at making a mistake in front of everyone. At the same time, my body felt as if it was floating. Altair had lifted me up, in a classic ‘princess carry’ position, which made the onlookers even more amazed. I was even more embarrassed. Only Altair remained calm.

“Now that I’ve given you this much, it’s enough, right?”

Altair started walking with me in his arms.

“But we just started. Where are you going?”

Despite the protests from behind, Altair paid no attention. He walked steadily, as if such protests were routine. He stopped in a quiet, dark grove away from the center of the festival by the lake. When I stepped out of his embrace and looked at the bright festival scene in the distance, it felt almost unreal that I had been there just a moment ago. The music and the voices of people were far away. Seeing everyone so happy made my heart warm. What started as a simple idea to make the fief prosperous and not turn Altair into a villain involved so many people. Thinking about it, a sense of responsibility and pride washed over me. A smile naturally formed on my face.

“Everyone seems to be having fun.”

As I turned to Altair for agreement, my lips met something warm. He had kissed me. Surprised, I opened my eyes wide, and the kiss deepened. As I staggered under the weight of the large Altair, he firmly supported my waist and the back of my head. I was completely in his embrace, unable to escape. The relentless momentum of Altair’s kiss made my breath catch in my throat.

“H….”

The moan that escaped made Altair finally let me go. I panted, my face flushed, and Altair bent down to meet my eye level. The aftereffects of the kiss, where we had felt each other so intimately, made it hard to look directly into Altair’s eyes, so I bowed my head, and he hugged me tightly. Altair’s embrace was always warm and comforting. But I could never relax in his arms because of the subtle tension between us.

“Do you want to enjoy the festival more?”

Altair slowly caressed my back and whispered. It sounded like he was asking for my opinion, but to me, it felt like he was whining.

“The festival has just started. Is it okay for the lord to leave his seat?”

“Everyone is so engrossed in the drinks and dances that they won’t even notice.”

“And I haven’t even launched the paper boats yet.”

“You can do that later.”

Altair calmly answered and naturally untied the laces at the back of my dress. I was startled by the sensation of my top loosening and hit his chest.

“What are you doing!”

“Can’t I?”

Altair looked at me calmly, as if nothing was wrong. His face was so peaceful that I almost thought I was making a fuss over nothing. But the faint sounds from the distance brought me back to my senses.

“Of course not! There are so many people there!”

“But… no one is paying attention to us, right?”

Altair kissed my collarbone, which was exposed due to the loosened top. I slapped his back in surprise, determined to stop him, though I didn’t know where I got the courage.

“N, No way! Not here!”

“So, ‘here’ is not okay.”

Altair picked me up as if it was no problem.

“Then where would be okay?”

“W, Well, our bedroom… or somewhere private…”

As I answered, I wondered if I was being drawn into Altair’s momentum, but it was too late to turn back. Altair kissed me lightly and smiled.

“Right. That would be okay.”

***

“Sir Cain overturned a barrel full of beer, causing quite a commotion.”

“But the paper boats set on fire filled the lake, which was a spectacular sight.”

I sat in front of the vanity, listening to Anna and Marie’s stories with an awkward smile. Marie was brushing my hair, and Anna was tidying up the messy room, excitedly recounting the events of last night’s festival, but I couldn’t relate to any of it.

‘Because I only enjoyed the very beginning of the festival before leaving with Altair to… do that…’

Thinking about the long night, my face naturally flushed. I was disappointed that we didn’t launch the paper boats, but I could do it next year, so it was fine. It was strange to think about.

‘Next year…’

I was naturally looking forward to next year. When I first came to Eilsford and realized my husband was the villain Altair, I couldn’t easily envision the future. I was trembling, only worrying about how to get through today and tomorrow. Now, I was naturally thinking about next year. Captivated by the strange feeling, I looked at the mirror, and Anna’s voice came from behind.

“Eh? What’s this doing here?”

Confused, I turned my head to see Anna standing by the window, holding my bra. It was the one I wore yesterday.

‘A, Ah!’

Because we hadn’t spent the night quietly in bed, my undergarments were scattered everywhere. Seeing my rapidly reddening face, Anna finally realized the situation, and her face also turned red.

“W, Well… it could be here… right…?”

Unlike the flustered Anna, Marie was calm.

“We have visitors this afternoon, so we need to check every corner. We don’t know where else these might pop up.”

Indeed, a professional maid’s response. Thanks to Marie’s calm handling, we managed to find and collect a few more undergarments from unexpected places before the visitors arrived. Each time an undergarment appeared, I felt my face would burst from embarrassment… but let’s forget about that. The afternoon visitor was Pavel, who came to discuss the upcoming schedule.

“Now that the festival is over, we need to head to the capital.”

The main purpose is to attend the emperor’s silver jubilee, but there are many other things to do in the capital.

‘The gift for the emperor is already made, and the masonry for publicity is also prepared.’

The schedule was tight because we had to leave after wrapping up the festival, so we kept the number of people to a minimum. The more people, the slower the journey. And the most important accommodation is…

“Lord Vain has also sent a letter, saying he is ready to receive us and inviting us to visit comfortably.”

Lord Vain. The familiar name made my hands sweat. Pavel was indifferent, Marie looked worried, and only Anna, who didn’t know the situation, was excited.

“It’s been a while since you’ve visited your family! I’ve heard that the Vain family is incredibly wealthy and prestigious, so their mansion must be magnificent!”

“Y-Yes… it’s a magnificent mansion.”

It certainly is.

‘But the owner of that magnificent mansion…’

I tried to straighten my shoulders, which were about to droop. I am Nadia ‘Eilsford’ now, not the weak me from before.

‘If I look weak, Altair and Eilsford will look weak too.’

I recalled the Eilsford people who welcomed me warmly at the festival, the ever-supportive Marie and Anna, and the steadfast Pavel. I am not alone anymore, so I need to be stronger.

‘I won’t be intimidated. I won’t bow easily. I won’t submit weakly.’

I clenched the hem of my dress, making a firm resolve.