Chapter 39

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 39

Chapter Title: Between Husband and Wife

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"Another gift?"

"……."

Normally, when he gave her a gift, she'd be delighted or grateful—or both.

But Clodel, letting out a sigh, showed not a hint of either.

Kaiyan paused for a moment, but he couldn't give up on his desire to see her in this dress.

"It's a new dress. Why don't you try it on?"

The dress Madam Marcel had brought was exceedingly elegant and refined.

Lately, Kaiyan had been pouring all his effort into giving Clodel only the finest, the most special, the rarest things in the world.

He had never been one to crave or find meaning in owning what everyone else already had.

He only kept things that were extraordinarily rare or undeniably perfect.

Yet that same man was deeply satisfied with a marriage forced upon him by royal decree.

Clodel was an exceptionally beautiful woman, aside from bearing the colors of House Vermonte.

She had a kind heart and honest nature, along with the perfect blend of refinement and common sense.

He never could have imagined that the bride thrust upon him against his will would love books, be remarkably intelligent, and diligently study the duties of a duchess on her own without instruction.

The women Kaiyan had grown up closest to were all 'princesses.'

Queen Sylvia, his mother Lady Elise, and his cousin Biange.

After marriage, their titles changed, but at their core, they remained princesses.

Because of that, the queens trained in royal studies from the palace left a profound impression on him, and his own mother was no less accomplished.

Though his father was considerably older than his mother— the previous duke and duchess had an eleven-year age gap—Kaiyan later realized, as he grew older, that there must have been expectations for Lady Elise to make a politically advantageous marriage to aid her sister, the queen, when joining House Temneth, the pillar supporting the kingdom.

As a result, his mother wielded immense influence as the lady of House Temneth and the lord's wife of Rowen.

Among the three princesses he knew, Biange was the only one who seemed somewhat less bold.

Biange had lived the life of a normal noble lady rather than delving into politics, unlike her mother, who had become crown princess and heir to the throne as a woman; she had the sturdy backup of her younger twin brother, Valquiter.

Still, Biange carried the blood of the Oberon royal family, so who knew what lay at her core.

The royal bloodline had always been greedy, with a fierce conviction that they must have only the very best.

Kaiyan, being half royal himself, was aware that he shared that trait.

After all, with princesses for mothers, Valquiter, Kaiyan, and Biange were all half royal blood.

Because of the women he'd grown up around, by the time he entered high society, he was utterly fed up with the delicate young ladies whose heads seemed filled with flowers.

What was he supposed to do with girls who couldn't even hold a proper conversation, staring blankly at his face instead?

But then Clodel, who had fallen into his hands, turned out to know how to read even the dead language of ancient Sol continent script—a fact he discovered by chance—and it left him utterly stunned.

And that woman was utterly captivating, by day and by night.

At the end of this forced marriage, having gained a woman without equal in the world, Kaiyan could no longer deny it.

The young king, admired by the entire Oberon Kingdom, had truly keen insight.

He'd once thought that if he'd known Valquiter would agonize so much over his own marriage, he wouldn't have been forced into one like this.

Now, he even wondered if the absurd demands—like reconciling with that bastard from House Vermonte—had been meant to pair him with someone like her.

If Valquiter had asked beforehand, before the marriage, whether he might wed a woman from House Vermonte, their generational enemies, because she was the perfect match for Kaiyan, he would have absolutely refused.

He had planned to crush House Vermonte before the year was out, after all.

In any case, Kaiyan was utterly absorbed in treating his perfect possession—his wife—as the most precious woman in the world.

But the woman who had once said his gifts were excessive and unnecessary now reacted to everything he gave her with a soulless emptiness.

So when he saw this dress today, he had a feeling.

That she would light up and say it was pretty.

"Try it on. Come on."

Clodel kept her hands clasped at her chest, showing no sign of even lifting the hem, so Kaiyan urged her on.

"No."

"What?"

"I don't want to wear it."

Kaiyan was flustered.

"Why?"

When he asked, Clodel actually stepped back three paces, avoiding his gaze.

"You always say the same thing."

"I always say the same thing?"

"Yes."

"What do I say?"

He had spent his life being praised, and while it was true he'd phrased his compliments a bit indirectly since he couldn't bring himself to do it outright, he hadn't repeated the exact same words.

"Try it on. Wear it."

"And?"

"That's it."

As Kaiyan's eyebrow twitched, Clodel backed away two more steps.

"At night."

He felt wronged.

He only teased her or put her in awkward spots to satisfy his private desires when she didn't seem all that pleased.

"How many times have I even said that?"

"Everything but once."

……She was right.

And he even remembered which one was the exception.

The time he brought her a renowned steed.

When she saw the black horse with a stark white star on its forehead, her golden eyes sparkled in the sunlight, clearly delighted.

Watching her, he'd thought,

'I can't tell her to try that one on.'

That was the one exception.

"That was…… ahem. Does that mean you won't even try on a gift you've received?"

"I'm not taking any more gifts. Or rather, I'll stop now. Rumors might start spreading in the territory."

"What rumors?"

"That the wicked daughter of Vermonte came as a bride and is squandering the Temneth family fortune on luxuries."

It was absurd.

Clodel would only receive what was befitting her station, and it would take over a thousand years to squander the family fortune on things like this.

"Ha. Haha."

But the woman saying such things was so endearing that Kaiyan laughed despite himself.

"Ha. Are you worrying about my finances now?"

If that was the adorably quaint reason she refused his gift today.

Kaiyan's mood lifted, and he swiftly scooped up the woman who had backed away a full five steps, pulling her into his arms.

"Thank you. What a dutiful lady you'll make."

"Ugh. Let go."

"Now, try that one on quickly. Alright?"

He personally tugged at the laces of her dress.

In the end, she changed into the new dress, and seeing how perfectly it suited her as expected, he was pleased with his newly hired seamstress's skill.

After bickering with Kaiyan and being half-forced to change into the dress, Clodel felt exhausted.

"Haa."

She sighed, and Hanna tilted her head.

"What's wrong, my lady?"

"It's nothing."

It was something no one would understand or sympathize with, so Clodel decided not even to tell Hanna.

"Is the new dress uncomfortable? It's so pretty."

The dress Kaiyan had brought this time was a unique style she'd never seen before.

It was southern in form, styled to beautifully accentuate Clodel's figure.

The intricate details made it feel like a true bespoke piece, and the idea of dyeing the fabric to match the design resulted in a sophisticated final product.

"No. The dress is comfortable. Very."

And it fit without any discomfort whatsoever, making it even more perfect.

"Then why the long face? I'd be parading around the castle."

Hanna, her friend since childhood, always knew where to draw the line between personal and professional.

They shared their hearts as friends, but she never envied or coveted Clodel's possessions or lifestyle despite their difference in status.

Even Hanna couldn't tear her eyes away from the new dress today, exclaiming in admiration.

Yet Clodel, the recipient, felt downcast.

As time passed, her once-barren dressing room was filling up with dresses and jewels of every kind.

And in such a short span.

But Kaiyan wouldn't allow her anything else.

"I don't need any of this."

What she truly wanted, regrettably, was that man.

Kaiyan.

She wanted him.

Kaiyan was an incredibly busy man, governing such a vast territory.

Yet he made time for her requests, coming to her side at night so she wouldn't sleep alone.

If only Kaiyan would say the one thing she longed to hear, instead of jewels or dresses.

But he wasn't one to speak sweet words or compliments straightforwardly.

There was no emotion in what he said to her.

'It feels like I've become some trophy or object he owns.'

Everything Kaiyan owned was precious and of exceptional quality.

Not to the level of Duke Vermonte, the duchess, or Irena, but growing up as a lady in Valmond Castle, Clodel hadn't lacked for much either.

Irena had been amazed that Clodel showed no interest in jewels or dresses.

As children, she'd pitied her, thinking perhaps she didn't know any better from living like a commoner.

They'd even lamented the lack of girlish fun in dressing each other up.

Even to Clodel's eyes, Kaiyan clearly had refined taste and high standards.

The more he filled her wardrobe with jewels and dresses like this, the farther away he felt.

Even though they were husband and wife.

The man was paying a price for her body.

"……How long will this last?"

Such thoughts left Clodel feeling lost.

During her education as a castle lady, her etiquette tutor had said a true lady must be like a flower.

Clodel had disliked the expression even then.

Wasn't a flower something that, once plucked, could never take root again?

The one who plucked it could simply walk away unscathed to pick another.

She questioned whether it was right to brainwash noble girls into becoming 'flowers' just to symbolize beautiful youth.

If she could be reborn, if she had the chance, Clodel wanted to become someone incredibly tough and strong.

So she could pluck the Kaiyan she desired for herself.

"I want to be the one picking the flowers."