It was early evening when Cassia set out to confront Zester again about the Viche Viscountcy. Zester, who had returned with the gathered troops, was, unusually, not in his office but in his bedroom. Cassia quietly made her presence known.
Knock knock.
“Lord Baron. May I… Oh my goodness!”
Zester flung the bedroom door open in a rush and Cassia jumped back in surprise.
“Oh, sorry. Did I scare you?”
“It’s fine. I have something to talk to you about. May I come in?”
“Ah, yes, of course. Actually, it’s about time for bed anyway so um, I was just on my way to your room.”
Cassia looked up at Zester’s reply, speechless.
Yesterday. The day before. The day before that, too. They hadn’t even had any physical relationship, yet Zester had been sleeping in the same bed with her every night.
It was practically like they’d merged rooms.
They were married, so sharing a bed without intimacy wasn’t strange per se, but this was Zester. The same heartless husband of hers who had never once visited his wife without a reason before.
Cassia found his sudden change confusing, and frankly, a little irritating because it felt like an unnecessary ripple in the peaceful, second life she had planned.
With a small sigh, Cassia gently nudged Zester aside and stepped into the room.
“I’ll sleep here tonight, then.”
“Y-Y-You will? This room is surely less comfortable than yours, though…”
“It’s fine. Right, Viscount Havelyn has decided to leave after breakfast tomorrow. Will you be there to see him off?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you for your consideration. And also…”
Cassia sat down at the edge of the bed and looked up at Zester who was staring down at her. Zester swallowed dryly and met Cassia’s gaze. He had a good feeling he knew what she was about to say.
“It’s dangerous…”
“That’s nonsense. You simply don’t trust to go there with you, right? Because you think I’ll start talking about the compensation again for no reason.”
“Hm? But I thought we’d already settled that conversation? Viscount Viche and I have always had this sort of arrangement. I have received a lot of favors from him and thanks to his connection, I’ve been able to get deployment opportunities, so I’m indebted to him. I don’t want to make things difficult with the Viscount over a compensation matter.”
“Yes. I understand what you’re saying, Baron. But even so, it is problematic to receive a mere one million silver for subjugating barbarians, no matter how you look at it. That isn’t something you can excuse under the name of a friendly relationship.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle the expedition on my own.”
Zester cut off the long speech and his expression was firm. Cassia’s lips twisted in annoyance.
Just like in her previous life, Zester clearly didn’t like her getting involved in his deployment of troops. Cassia didn’t want to meddle in his every move, but…
“Let me put this bluntly. Baron, if you go to war and die, what am I supposed to do?”
“…What?”
“I’ll be left to manage the territory alone. And all I’d get for your life would be a measly one million silver, which isn’t even enough to cover one month’s maintenance of the castle. And does that contract even include any clauses guaranteeing your safety after deployment for battle?”
Zester was stunned. He knew she hadn’t grown fond of him yet but hearing her lay it out so coldly made him feel heart broken.
Wasn’t she just saying, ‘you might die out there, at least make sure you negotiate a high price for your life’?
Cassia looked at Zester who had fallen silent and let out a sigh. Perhaps her words had been too harsh.
“I apologize if I upset you. But I felt you wouldn’t understand if I spoke nicely, even if I said it a hundred times. Of course, I want you to return safe and sound. But who can guarantee that on a battlefield where swords and spears are flying? As the saying goes, no one can predict even an inch ahead when standing on a battlefield. Naturally, you should receive compensation worthy of the risk you are taking on.”
“…”
“I’m saying this for your sake, not mine. You’re no longer a commoner but a noble. You are a lord who governs his own territory. You can’t keep thinking of your dealings with Viscount Viche as one between a noble and a commoner or an employer and employee. The Viscount has request for your help, and you, Baron, have every right to refuse this request or negotiate with the Viscount regarding the terms of the contract.”
Cassia held up two fingers and laid out her argument with such precision that Zester couldn’t say anything.
In fact, Zester knew that everything she was saying was correct. He also knew that the troop deployment arrangements that he had been making with the Viscount so far had been unfair. However, he was deeply reluctant to sour his relationship with Viscount Viche by saying something unnecessary.
“If you still don’t plan on changing your mind after I’ve said all this, then there is nothing more I can do. However, I will be terribly disappointed in you, Lord Baron, and I shall resent both my father and His Majesty for sending me to Castle Greze. Your image and how other nobles treat you is passed onto me as your wife. Please, stop acting like a house dog, stuck in its old ways unable to even claim its rightful privileges. I’m the wife of Baron Greze, not the wife of a common mercenary who risks his life for loose change.”
Zester pondered for a long time, mulling over Cassia’s firm words.
She was right. Cassia had no reason to share in his shabby image of himself, unable to escape his past memories and servile behavior before the nobles.
He felt embarrassed, as if Cassia had seen through his hidden inferiority complex and intimidation. Zester lowered his gaze and muttered quietly.
“Alright…I understand.”
“Can I take that to mean I can accept the Viscount Viche’s invitation?”
“Do as you wish. But truly, I only stopped you because I felt you might be putting yourself in danger.”
That sounded like a load of nonsense. It wasn’t like she was going anywhere near the barbarian camp. She was sure he was just worried she might say something unpleasant to the Viscount.
Cassia nodded dismissively, seemingly tired of talking. But when Zester didn’t respond, she glanced at him, and saw the gloomy look on his face.
She sighed inwardly. Not only did she put the strike on hold, but she was also doing so many other things and now she was even worried about her husband’s feelings. Maybe she just wasn’t meant for an easy life.
“Are you upset because I’ve been doing whatever I want?”
“No, that’s not…”
“Let me say this just in case but do not fear other nobles. I bring it up because you seem far too intimidated by aristocratic society. Whatever your background, it doesn’t matter anymore. Whether hereditary or appointed, a noble is a noble. And honestly, I think appointed nobles like you, who’ve proven their worth, are more honorable than fools who simple inherit their titles. So please, have some confidence. Okay?”
She wasn’t saying this just to flatter him. In her past life, she had never once resented Zester for being a common-born mercenary. On the contrary, she had admired how someone with real talent had earned the emperor’s trust. She had once felt proud to be his wife.
Of course… that was before her dream marriage was shattered.
For some reason, Zester looked at her with wide eyes, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish.
Cassia felt self-conscious under his stare and turned her gaze away and pointed to a random box on the table.
“What’s that?”
“Ah.”
Seeing the box she was pointing to, Zester recalled what Paul had said when handing him the box.
『Lady Fleurette brought this gift to help strengthen your relationship. These are luxurious chocolates. I’m sure the Madam will enjoy them. According to Lady Fleurette, this pairs well with Bardé wine…Also remember to tell the Madam you prepared this yourself, okay?』
He’d barely paid attention at the time because he was too preoccupied with the deployment. But now, with the box conveniently on the table, he was grateful for the timing. Zester smiled and nodded toward it.
“You can open it. I prepared this for you.”
Cassia looked puzzled but opened the box, and just as Zester predicted, she smiled in satisfaction. She wasn’t particularly fond of sweets, but these chocolates were so elegantly decorated, they looked like something straight from a noble banquet.
“Thank you.”
She smiled softly, her blue eyes crinkling as she picked one up and popped it in her mouth. It tasted as good as it looked.
Then she picked up another and offered it to Zester.
“These are the best chocolates I’ve ever had. You should try one too, Baron.”
Seeing the genuine happiness on her face made Zester’s heart flutter. And she was offering to feed him one.
Not wanting to hesitate and miss the chance, he quickly opened his mouth. Then their eyes met awkwardly in the air.
“Um, delicious, right?”
“Y-Yeah…”
In truth, he couldn’t taste a thing.
Zester turned his head slightly to hide the smile spreading on his face.
Frankly, at this moment, Zester was the only one enjoying this oddly intimate mood. For Cassia, who had returned ten years into the past, restarting a ‘healthy marital life with her once-cold husband’ was not on the agenda.
This was the husband she had hated so much in her previous life. She felt strangely uneasy, as if she was letting her emotions waver too easily just because he had changed a little, so she surprised her unnecessarily flustered heart and abruptly stood up.
“I’m tired, so I’ll go to bed first.”
“Oh, you are? Then I-I’ll sleep too. Yeah.”
“Okay.”
They lay side by side in bed. Cassia closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly. She wasn’t actually that tired, but she usually drifted off easily once she lay down.
Usually…
‘What the—?!’
She felt wide awake, like she had taken a stimulant. Even though 15, maybe 20 minutes had passed with her eyes closed, she was still alert.
Not just that. Not only was her mind awake, why…
‘What’s going on?’
Her mind was clear and her body was burning up.
Her breathing felt ragged and a strange, tense feeling coiled below her stomach. Alarmed, Cassia sat up and opened her eyes.
“Ack!”
She found Zester also sitting up next to her. He didn’t look okay either. For some reason, his eyes were unfocused, his breathing wass ragged, and his face was flushed.
“Baron, are you oka…Ngh…”
She had barely started to speak when a soft moan escaped her lips. Shocked, she clapped both hands over her mouth.
“Y-You… Hah… Are you…gh..how are you…”
“No, No, I… Haa… I-I think I just need to… go to the restroom an…”
“Wait!”
“W-Why?!”
“I have to go first!”
“Mine is an emergency!”
No, mine is worse! Zester threw off the thick woolen blanket and rushed toward the bathroom attached to the bedroom.
Cassia started moving to get up then she froze when she saw Zester’s lower body which was exposed once the blanket fell off.
Just a moment ago, nothing had been happening between them. But now…something was clearly poking out like it was about to pierce through Zester’s silk bottoms.
Zester and Cassia stared at each other, eyes wide in disbelief. And in that moment, they both instinctively understood.
This strange change in their bodies. It wasn’t something that could be resolved by simply going to the bathroom.
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