Chapter 53

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 53

Chapter Title: The Eternal Second

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"It's fine."

After much deliberation, Erna delivered her conclusion calmly.

"I'll have dinner alone."

She didn't forget to add a gentle smile.

The servants, who had been in a bind—not wanting to wake Biern, yet unable to keep Erna waiting indefinitely—finally breathed a sigh of relief and obeyed her order. Since they had prepared everything in advance and been standing by, the dinner table was set in no time.

"Thank you. It looks lovely."

Erna smiled once more at the maids, who were still watching her cautiously. It wasn't a forced pretense. The dinner table in the sunroom truly was splendid.

A centerpiece of pale flowers artfully arranged, snow-white lace doilies, and silver candelabras intricately engraved with ornate patterns. It was a luxury she hadn't expected to enjoy on board a ship. Though, to be fair, she hadn't anticipated spending the first night of her honeymoon alone either.

Erna began to eat slowly. She had no appetite, but she didn't want to worry them unnecessarily.

She had spent the whole day touring the cruise ship with Lisa. Sipping tea, strolling the deck, peeking into the grand ballroom and casino. It had been delightful enough to wash away the gloom of being ignored by her husband. By the time she returned to the suite, she thought it wasn't a bad start to the honeymoon at all. It was only after freshening up for dinner that she learned Biern was asleep.

Erna swallowed the thoroughly chewed food with effort and glanced around with timid eyes. The room, filled with the warmth of the fireplace and bright lights, suddenly felt like the vast, endless ocean beyond the windows. The shadows cast by the large palm fronds were eerie, and the clinking of cutlery against plates echoed too loudly in the silence.

Since getting married, there had been many days when she ate alone at the table. Over the past fortnight, she had chalked it up to Biern's busyness, but even on their honeymoon, nothing had changed.

Could she really be happy?

Erna took a deep breath to suppress her fluttering emotions and slipped a small piece of string bean between her trembling lips.

'It's been a while, Biern.'

Princess Gladys's voice calling his name suddenly surfaced amid the clatter of dishes.

'Call my name.'

His low command from their wedding night followed right after in her memory.

Right. They were husband and wife.

The fact she already knew clawed at her heart anew.

To her, Biern was another name for all her firsts, but to him, she would forever be the eternal second. The realization brought a chill of loneliness and melancholy. At the same time, a sad understanding dawned about her husband's indifference. He probably felt no excitement or anticipation like this. To him, it was all just a tedious repetition of the past.

Erna pressed her heated eyes with the hand that had set down her cutlery. It seemed the unfamiliar surroundings had weakened her resolve. The grand ducal estate had been just as strange, but at least it hadn't imposed this boundless solitude like the open sea.

How long would the second last?

Erna knew there were people who made cruel bets about such things. The palace had countless mouths, and no matter how she tried to avoid it, the gossip reached her ears.

Don't let careless words sway you. Be a good wife. Do your best.

She made firm resolutions like that each time, but deep down, she wasn't sure. She had no idea how an eternal second could find happiness.

"Don't cry."

Erna muttered to herself repeatedly in a subdued voice.

You knew this already. So stop acting like a fool.

Erna drained a glass of water and picked up her cutlery again. She began eating more diligently than before.

A hungry stomach weakens the heart. A weak heart lets bad thoughts creep in, and bad thoughts bring misfortune.

So, the best thing to do now was eat well.

Erna stabbed her fork deeply into a large chunk of meat, matching her determination. That's when an unexpected face appeared, just as she had shoved half of it into her mouth.

"Hello, Erna."

Erna turned toward the voice greeting her with a chuckle, blinking in stunned silence with the piece of meat still in her mouth.

It was him.

Her persistent prince, Biern—the other name for all her firsts.

The sauce was long gone, but Erna grabbed her napkin and wiped her lips again. It was quite endearing, though it seemed a great embarrassment to a refined lady.

"If it's embarrassing, I can forget it."

Erna's expression turned prim at his teasing remark delivered with a smile.

"It's a bit too vivid a memory for that."

Amused by her reaction, Biern added slyly. Erna wiped her reddened lips once more and faced him with an unnaturally rigid posture.

"It wouldn't have happened if you had kept to dinner time, Your Highness."

"Are you angry?"

"A little."

"Then why didn't you wake me earlier?"

Biern replied matter-of-factly, tilting his head slightly. His still-damp hair swayed softly over his forehead.

"Is that allowed?"

Erna, lost in thought, posed an earnest, offbeat question. It gave Biern another chance to laugh heartily.

When he woke, it was past nine. Assuming they hadn't woken him because he'd forgotten dinner—which he dismissed as no big deal—Biern showered leisurely before heading to the sitting room. The shock of seeing his wife tearing into her meat like a starving beast was all the greater for it.

"Waking a prince won't get you charged with treason."

His portion of food, hastily prepared, was placed on the table.

"Maybe not."

Biern smiled at his dubious wife and began eating at his leisure. Erna, who had been staring fixedly at him, quietly picked up her cutlery again. The way she timidly nibbled at her already minced food was adorable.

It didn't take long for Erna's chatter to join the rhythmic clink of cutlery at the table, which had been silent until then. At first, her words were sharp, as if venting lingering anger, but soon she was chirping away like a clear-voiced bird, excitedly recounting her day.

"First time on a ship?"

A smile tugged at Biern's lips as he watched Erna enthuse about the cruise ship. She rolled her eyes thoughtfully, then shook her head slightly and speared a pea on her plate with a poke.

"No. Second time."

"Really?"

"Yes. We rode it together back then."

The pea dangling from her fork vanished into her small mouth.

"The night of the rowing races, at the festival."

Chewing another pea she'd speared, Erna gazed at him with serious eyes.

Realizing she wasn't joking, Biern burst into laughter that spread through the space where soft darkness and light coexisted. To think she considered that a proper voyage. She had a knack for making him laugh with utterly unexpected remarks.

After laughing until his cheeks ached, Biern rang for a servant. Soon, a bottle of wine appeared on the dinner table.

Gazing at the deep red liquid filling the glasses, Biern suddenly recalled their first honeymoon. Gladys had mostly cried or spaced out, while he focused solely on his duties. Even when seated across from each other at the table, it was no different. There had never been moments of enjoyable conversation and laughter like this—not once during their brief marriage.

The servant filled Biern's glass and approached Erna's side. Just as he tilted the bottle, Biern issued an impulsive order.

"No. Don't fill hers."

Erna's eyes widened at the unexpected command. The servant, glancing between them, left her glass empty and departed.

"I can have a glass too."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"You need to study, miss."

His tone was so straightforward and dry that Erna pondered it for a while before grasping the meaning.

"Good heavens..."

Biern slowly emptied his glass while watching her mutter in shock. Even if this woman acted as irritably as she had that night, he felt he wouldn't see Gladys overlapping her face anymore. He could now admit that was why he'd avoided his wife's bedroom for the past fortnight.

"Why that look?"

Biern refilled his glass himself without calling the servant.

"You taught her well—chattering away like that."

"That's true, but..."

Erna suddenly grew anxious and stared at her plate. All that remained were two peas, a piece of potato, and a bit of sauce.

If only she'd eaten more slowly.

While Erna regretted it bitterly, Biern poured his third glass. It was something she'd forgotten about over time—he'd accepted her plea but never visited her bedroom afterward.

"All done eating?"

Biern leaned back in his chair, wine glass in hand. Erna's cheeks were already flushed pink as she rolled a pea around without answering. His gaze deepened like the night over the sea, recalling the night that color evoked.

"Then let's wrap up..."

"I need to wash up!"

Erna cried out with grave determination, as if it were her life's mission.

"Wash up after. You have to anyway."

Dismissing her plea casually, Biern finished the last sip of his wine.

"No. I want to wash now. Okay?"

As he set down his empty glass and moved to stand, Erna pleaded desperately. Biern's brow furrowed at his wife, who provoked him so boldly yet now schemed to flee.

"I need time, Biern."

"Why."

"We just ate."

"So?"

"What if I throw up right after...?"

Erna's grave concern left Biern momentarily dazed.

So, to her, it was something that made her want to vomit.

It stung his pride considerably, yet it made a certain sense, so Biern ended up laughing.

"Fair enough."

Biern poured another glass of wine.

"That would be inconvenient."

He nodded and gave her a look. Erna sprang up from her seat.

Biern's clear laughter echoed as he watched the lady hurry off to buy time against nausea.

A night prepared with a tender fawn feast to savor in every way.

This seemed like a pretty good start to the honeymoon.