Episode 30: A Man’s Jealousy(3)
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While the strange silence hung in the air, Aristine poked her head out of Tarkan’s arms and said, “Oh, let me introduce you. This is Lu. Lu, as you already know, this is my husband.”
At that simple introduction, Tarkan’s eyes twitched.
“Lu…you say.”
“Yes.”
Aristine nodded very naturally.
Tarkan’s twitching brows twitched internally this time.
‘Why is she calling him by his pet name?’
And it wasn’t even just a pet name. No one called Hamill ‘Lu’ anymore. Because Hamill did not allow it.
But why was Aristine allowed?
Despite thinking that, Tarkan couldn’t bring himself to ask. Because he was afraid, he would get answers like, ‘because we’re close’ or ‘because I like him’.
“It has been a while,” Hamill said, bowing his head slightly towards Tarkan.
Tarkan’s face distorted, “What bullshit is this?”
His tone was sharp and laced with warning.
Hamill blinked in surprise, “What? I am just offering my greeting.”
Tarkan couldn’t understand why this fox was acting like this.
But he quickly found out why. Because Aristine tugged on his collar.
“Tarkan, what’s wrong? This is my friend,” Aristine said to Tarkan.
Aristine realized the air flowing between the two was strange and the moment she thought that, she remembered what Hamill told her some time ago.
《My family forbids getting close to you, Princess Consort.》
It was his response when she asked him which family he was from.
In other words, he was a member of a family in the Queen’s faction which was hostile to Tarkan.
‘That might be true politically, but privately, he’s just my friend.’
Of course, she knew not to mix official and private matters.
‘But I don’t see any political benefit in speaking so sharply right now.’
Aristine coaxed the growling Tarkan, feeling like a beast trainer.
“Your friend?” Tarkan asked.
“Mn, my friend.”
“What kind of friend is…!” Tarkan, who had been talking harshly, suddenly shut his mouth.
He seemed to ponder over something for a moment, then he asked Aristine in a quiet voice, “What about me?”
“You’re my husband, no?” Aristine retorted, as if asking why he was asking something obvious.
“Right, I am your husband. Your one and only husband,” Tarkan grinned like a satisfied beast.
Aristine gave Tarkan a baffled look.
‘Did he eat something wrong? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?’
However, Tarkan wasn’t looking at Aristine. He grinned at Hamill and added, “And there are many friends.”
“Yes, among them, I am a ‘dear friend’,” Hamil smiled softly. His tone seemed to focus on the word ‘dear’. [1]
Crackle.
Sparks of lightning immediately flashed between the two men.
Aristine went ‘hmm’ and thought to herself, ‘Is this what happens when you meet a political opponent?’
There was a saying in Silvanus that goes ‘the Imperial faction and Aristocrat faction are friends by day, enemies by night.’
So she didn’t expect the atmosphere here to be so sharp.
‘Then again, even the Queen’s behavior is very sharp.’
Either way, since the mood was like this, there was no need to interact with them any longer.
“It’s time for me to get back,” Aristine said and slipped out of Tarkan’s arms.
Tarkan immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulder, “Yes, let’s go back.”
As Tarkan spoke, Hamill politely took Aristine’s hand and lifted it.
“If you’re going to the smithy, let me escort you,” His elegant eyes fluttered softly.
With her shoulders held by Tarkan and her hand held by Hamill, Aristine couldn’t move.
‘Wow, what is wrong with these two?’
Since they were already fighting over political interests, it seemed they’d decided to fight over everything in front of them.
‘This is annoying.’
She didn’t care what the two of them were arguing about, but she didn’t want to be a part of it.
Using her free hand, Aristine grabbed Tarkan’s hand which was hanging over her shoulder.
Tarkan’s face brightened and Hamill’s face darkened.
In that brief moment, there was an exchange of joy and disappointment.
However.
Aristine placed Tarkan’s hand in Hamill’s. She didn’t just put them together; she even wove their fingers together so that their fingers were interlocked.
“You two can have fun by yourselves.”
Aristine strode off into the forest alone.
The two men were left behind, holding each other’s hand tightly.
* * *
Tarkan and Hamill were so taken aback that they forgot to react. They watched Aristine vacantly until she disappeared into the forest trail, and when her figure vanished, they finally came back to their senses.
They immediately let go of each other’s hands.
“Seriously…”
Tarkan grumbled under his breath. He knew his wife was an unusual woman but he could never predict her sometimes.
Meanwhile, Hamill wiped his mouth while looking in the direction that Aristine had disappeared.
A deep smile hung over his lips.
This was the first time Hamill had ever shown so much interest in a person. Tarkan’s mood fell and he felt even more anxious.
“What game are you playing?”
At those words, Hamill’s blue eyes turned to Tarkan.
“We just met coincidentally and became friends.”
“Coincidentally?”
Say something that makes sense; the royal palace was so vast that a coincidental meeting was next to impossible.
Sensing Tarkan’s disbelief, Hamiil laughed.
“It will sound like you have delusional jealousy if you keep acting like that.”
“That’s nonsense,” Tarkan brushed off Hamill’s words, “What was with that weird formal speech earlier? It looks like you’re hiding your true nature and pretending to be gentle in front of Aristine but just so you know, that won’t work on her.”
Tarkan said in a warning tone.
Hamill was like a fox. Countless people have instantly given their hearts to him. Not just women but men as well. They became followers of Hamill and added to the powers supporting him.
“Tarkan,” Hamill’s eyes curved in an arc as he looked at his half-brother, “Wives don’t like delusional jealousy.”
Tarkan couldn’t help but freeze for a moment. It was almost reflexive.
Hamill looked amused when he saw that and smiled, “See you around then.”
Hamill turned around while waving back.
Tarkan frowned and glared at the platinum-blonde hair swaying softly in the wind.
* * *
Bang!
The door roughly flew open.
Aristine looked up from water basin. She knew who it was the moment she heard that rough sound.
“Aristine.”
As expected, Tarkan walked in and called her.
“Mn.”
When she responded quietly, his momentum seemed to disappear overnight, and he hesitantly drew closer.
“Aristine.”
“What?”
Aristine asked, even though she could somewhat predict what Tarkan wanted.
‘He’s obviously going to ask about Lu.’
Since she was playing nice with one of Tarkan’s political opponents, he was bound to have questions.
Aristine planned on explaining everything as honestly as possible. That was a courtesy owed to her business partner.
‘Is he angry with me?’
She sneakily glanced at Tarkan but there was no sign of anger on his face. No, rather than angry, he looked anxious and nervous.
Seeing that, Aristine felt bad and decided that to listen to whatever Tarkan had to say.
Tarkan swallowed the words he wanted to say several times.
What are you doing with Hamill? Do you really like him? Why are you calling him so affectionately by his pet name?
The words he wanted to say felt like they were pouring out his heart. But right now, more than anything else—.
“Call me.”
Aristine was puzzled by those words, but she obliged, “Tarkan?”
She called him like he asked but for some reason, Tarkan’s expression turned fiercer.
Tarkan ground his teeth.
‘Why is that fox bastard ‘Lu’ while I am just Tarkan?’
But he didn’t want to force it.
Rather than Aristine calling him with pet name because he asked her to, he wanted her to call him a pet name of her own volition.
‘And me too, I want to—.’
Tarkan looked straight at Aristine trying to calm his burning face.
And he carefully began to say Aristine’s nickname, as if he was handling glass that would break with the slightest nudge.
“Ri…”
“Ri?”
Aristine tilted her head when he didn’t continue speaking.
Tarkan clenched his stomach and opened his mouth courageously. A courage that had never appeared before, even in life-threatening battles.
“Ri…bbon.”
Translator’s Corner:
[1] This is slightly lost in translation, but Hamill says, ‘Among them, I am a ‘friend she likes’. Which usually translates to ‘close friend’ or even ‘favorite friend’ but he’s using it ambiguously so I used a term which can have that connotation.
Get more chapters on Patreon~
- Notice – 12/24/2024 - December 24, 2024
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 67 - December 21, 2024
- Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 21 - December 14, 2024
THANK YOU for the chapter Miss Ruby ❤️✨. Hopefully you’re better now. 💕
Thanks, Miss Ruby!
That was so pathetic, Tarkan! Haha! And I love how Aristine didn’t even entertain Tarkan and Hamill’s fight, and left straight away.
I love Rineh sm. She just clasped their hands together! 🤣 She is just hilarious!
WHEEEEEEZZEEEEE
HAHAHAHAHA OMFG RINEH, PLS-
And srsly Tarkan, straighten up and just say her nickname 😮💨
So his pet name is Ribbon🤣
That’s why he felt ok with Pink nyang-nyang
Naurrr this chicken-like husband😂😂
Thank uuu for this chapter Miss Ruby!!
Let’s give Tarkan a pet name! ♥️♥️♥️♥️ He is such a cute puppy husband.
Well he is her rabbit
Cute!
Merhabalar, öncelikle paylaşım ve çeviri için teşekkür ederim 🌼 gerçekten çok aradığım bir noveldi. Her okuduğumda mutlu oluyorum.
Ayrıca Hamil kendini ateşe atıyorsun az kaldı Aristine ye çok vurulacaksın ama umarım bu kralın ölmesi durumunda işe yararsın.
dude just tell her “that was my brother hamill, not sure if you are aware?”
Thanks for the translatation Ruby Nim…
Hope you always keep your health…
Nice move Rine…..
Your wife is unpredictable as always Tarkan nim, be prepared ahaha
Honestly, that’s what I wish every FL would do when stuck in ridiculous tug-of-wars between two men…just stick them together and tell them to go have fun on their own…it would’ve been a little more satisfying if Aristine knew it was Hamill though…
so much courage but he still ended up calling her ribbon lmaoooooo😭😭😭 he says aristine is unique and no one can tell what’s going on inside her head but he doesn’t realize he’s the same😭
thank you for the update miss ruby❤
Even when this is very frustrating for me, because they never said everything until the very least. This still way too funny *wheeze* 😂😂😂
wow the day has come that I’m actually disappointed in Rinne 😭 she should have been the one to speak up first, knowing, at the very least, that ‘Lu’ is from the opposing faction. hang in there, Tarkan
Oh wow! I-I catched up to the translation!
Ahhhh on the one hand, the rush of a fresh update, on the other nooo binging is oveeer
(Nevermind that!)
This has been a riot in the best of ways, ahhh
Miss Ruby, my endless thanks for letting us enjoy such stories – Lucia, YGTWHV, this, just… win after win after win
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It feels like once we moved on from the low tier villains (the knights and the ladies in waiting, Dionna), we’re seeing more developed and insiduous ones.
Personally I think the Emperor could have sent an assassin to murder the king of Irugo and frame Aristine for it, or… hear me out… Hamell is a devious one.
We keep seeing further into how his charismatic nice persona hides quite the beast beneath, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he snapped and murdered his father in a vain attempt to try and “have her” (if he becomes king and is planning on killing all of Tarkan’s people, but keeping her as his first concubine, the like), but his mother or another of his dumbass siblings went overboard and got her in a pickle…
Either way it feels like we are going heavier on the scheming and the plans within plans within plans, while ALSO getting some smexy development between our main couple so it is all so very thrilling, ahhh
I hate the stupid miscommunication between rineh and tarkan. One is so freaking indirect and shy and the other is freaking direct and outspoken!!! And it is soooo dragggyy like whyyyyy damnit?!!!! Getting tired of it. And Rineh is so clever in her stupidity aarrggghh..
how tf does hamill have the gall to ask to escort her w his whole chest in front of her LITERAL HUSBAND??????????? why are you picking a silly fight w her HUSBAND????? even if u were her actual friend ur literally irrelevant to such a situation… i don’t rlly blame tarkan for feeling unsettled by this encounter but then be straight up w it bro, stop drowning yourself in your thoughts. i do think she could’ve thought a little more about why tarkan was so hostile to a mere member of an opposing faction but tarkan’s such a sulky puppy who doesn’t talk about his feelings enough to begin w so she just thinks he’s doing the usual. hamill is throwing another wrench in the communication pipeline bw these two and im a little exhausted atp, i just want to see aristine find out and ice him out rn
Well, up until now we have seen a good story, well created. But they have to go ruining it by creating mess because “plot”. Every single time Aristine or Tarkan had met a royal, they had called their name and title. How come just when it is convenient plot wise, Tarkan doesn’t mention it at all? And you can’t tell me it is because he was flustered, when the queen almost slapped Aristine, he called her “mother”. It is so unnatural that is annoying obvious the author did it because of “plot”! Plus, in the beginning episodes Aristine said Tarkan had trained her on who where who that why she recognized the Duke (The queen’s father), but he didn’t show her who the 1st prince was? Come on?!. I ignored the inconsistencies, but this chapter was too much, too obvious.
And….Miss Ruby thanks for translating, you are the best!🎉❤️