Chapter 16

"I pray that Lady Lillith's future will be a better one. That's why... please..."

"I'm fine. Thank you, Tena, Rese."

"Then, Lady Lillith, we will take our leave now."

"Yes. You must be tired today too. Rest well."

"Thank you. Good night, then."

The wedding ceremony and the reception that followed had ended successfully, and now that Tena and the others had left, Lillith was alone in her bedroom.

This was her new room as the Crown Princess, which she had just moved into from the guest room this morning.

She wanted to explore it, but that could wait until tomorrow.

Right now, the duties of a bride awaited her.

She had smiled and said she was fine to Tena and Rese, but in truth, her heart was pounding with nervousness.

Yesterday, after their stroll, a woman who had been a maid to the late Empress told her what she needed to know as the Crown Princess.

It included things that her mother had only vaguely hinted at.

Lillith couldn't help but mutter, "You must be joking," but the woman raised an eyebrow and continued without responding, calmly and matter-of-factly.

When she heard that it was necessary to have children, she had no choice but to accept it.

However, she was unsure if she could actually do it.

She had also realized that married couples sleep in the same bed, but for Lillith, sleeping together was not an option.

She would have to ask him to leave the bed after they were done.

(I wonder if I can do this...)

She didn't always have nightmares, but she never knew when they might come. Sleeping together would be a gamble.

She didn't want to be woken up forcefully and unable to fall back asleep, and there was a risk that Gesualdo might be blamed for causing her nightmares if he was there.

(What a dilemma. Should I tell him? No, I can't do that yet...)

Thinking about this, she had an idea.

Since Lillith was frail and needed to sleep well, she could say she preferred to sleep alone.

She considered saying she was a restless sleeper, but if he said it was fine, that would be a problem, so she decided to stick with the frailty excuse.

"Yes, I'm a genius."

Muttering to herself, Lillith glanced at the clock and frowned.

It was late.

When she left the reception, Gesualdo was still there, but while she was preparing, it had become quite late.

She didn't know when the groom should leave, but it was already past the time when he should be in the bedroom.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lillith yawned and lay down, telling herself it was just for a moment.

She closed her eyes and, when she opened them again, the morning sun was shining through the curtains.

"Oh no..."

Lillith hurriedly looked around the room.

There was no indentation on the pillow next to hers, and she was still lying on top of the covers. There was no sign that anyone had kindly covered her.

In other words, no one had come to the room since then.

"What's going on..."

Perhaps Gesualdo had peeked in from the next room, seen that she was asleep, and returned to his own room, but that didn't seem likely.

There was only one way to find out.

She needed to ask him directly.

She had been told many things about being a bride, but they hadn't said she couldn't visit her husband's room.

Lillith marched to the next room, which connected to Gesualdo's, and opened the door forcefully, walked through the narrow corridor, and opened the door again.

She met the surprised gaze of a servant.

(Darn! I didn't wash my face...)

Regretting it as soon as she saw the servant with a basin and towel, but it was too late.

Lillith ignored it and moved her gaze to Gesualdo, who was leaning against a pillow and reading something. She glared at him.

"Your Highness! Why didn't you come last night—"

Before she could finish, Gesualdo raised a hand to stop her, and she fell silent.

Feeling frustrated, she glared at him again as he dismissed the servant.

Once the servant left, Gesualdo spoke.

"I don't want my personal matters known, even to those I trust."

"Oh, that's a shame. I'm sure I'll tell the maids about what happened yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"That you didn't come to the room last night!"

"…Do you not think that would embarrass you? Or are you trying to elicit sympathy?"

"Embarrassment? Sympathy? I don't care about that. I just don't want you to be seen as neglecting your duties."

"I see. Duties, huh…"

Lillith had only told Tena and Rese about last night.

They were surely worried, and she wanted to tell them what had happened, or rather, what hadn't happened.

They would never tell anyone else.

However, Lillith, still angry, didn't mention this and glared at Gesualdo again.

"If you don't come tonight, I'll shout from the top of the tower, calling you heartless!"

Feeling a bit better after saying her piece, Lillith slammed the door and returned to her room.

Gesualdo, unsure whether to be angry or amused by her eccentric behavior, ultimately decided to let it go.