“When it gets too cold, the northern nobles often leave for their townhouses in the warm south to stay for a few months.”

Cindy is quite the chatterbox…

By the way, a townhouse in the south?

As Belladonna turned with a look of interest, Cindy excitedly opened her mouth.

“Our lord doesn’t really feel the cold much to begin with, and he’s so busy that he’s never gone south… but this time, if you specially request it, he might go!”

Does Escalion also have a townhouse in the south?

Belladonna nodded with an intrigued expression.

She was sensitive to cold, but fundamentally, the cold was unfamiliar to her.

Even after becoming the Holy Maiden, and in her previous life, she had only lived in Astanya and was not used to this bone-chilling cold.

Though she hadn’t gotten close to him…

It seemed like he might grant the request if she asked?

She felt her mood lifting slightly at the thought of a southern townhouse.

“Oh my, look at me. I’ve been chattering too much to an ill lady! I’ll be going now. Please call me if you need anything, and get some more rest, my lady!”

Belladonna smiled and waved her hand at her.

Yes, go on now.

[This is the timeline separator]

Belladonna opened her eyes in the darkness.

Did I fall asleep again…?

She slowly blinked her eyes, groggy from the medicine, and shifted her body.

Since falling ill, she had done nothing but rest in bed, often waking up in the middle of the night like this.

‘Should I sleep more….’

As she was slowly turning over, rustling the blankets, she sensed someone’s presence behind her.

Hm…? Who is it?

Belladonna carefully turned her head.

“Ah.”

In the darkness, Escalion, who had been standing there blankly, slowly and carefully unbuttoning his thick coat, stopped what he was doing and opened his mouth.

“Did I wake you?”

Belladonna shook her head.

No, I just woke up because I’d slept enough…

Looking down at her with an uncharacteristically awkward expression, he quickly walked towards the bathroom and spoke.

“It’s very cold outside.”

After finishing his words, he entered the bathroom, and the sound of water splashing in the sink echoed.

Why are you washing up in my room when you have your own perfectly fine room…?

Belladonna looked at the closed bathroom door with a puzzled expression.

A moment later, Escalion emerged, water dripping from the ends of his hair, having apparently only washed his hands and face briefly.

Without hesitation, he approached Belladonna on the bed and lowered his head to press his forehead against hers.

You’re so close…!

At the sudden warmth and his scent, Belladonna unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Hm…?’

She felt his forehead, which was damp but very warm.

So his face was quite warm, unlike someone who had just been out in the cold.

“Your fever has gone down a lot.”

Escalion said in a seemingly nonchalant voice.

Could it be… he washed up separately inside to avoid his body being cold when touching me?

After finishing his words, he pulled his head away and gently brushed away the hair that had fallen over her forehead with his thick fingers.

Belladonna looked up at him with a slightly confused expression.

She couldn’t understand why he was being so kind to her.

Even if they were a married couple, they weren’t emotionally close…

“…You know, perhaps.”

At that moment, Escalion furrowed his brow and spoke softly.

Me what?

Belladonna quietly waited for his words.

Escalion opened his mouth as if pondering something, then stuck out his tongue to lightly lick his lower lip, then closed his mouth again, repeating this several times.

It seemed like there was something he couldn’t bring himself to say outright.

‘What’s with him…’

Belladonna waited patiently.

After all, since becoming the Holy Maiden, the only thing she had learned was how to wait quietly.

“…That, the holy power.”

Holy power…?

At this unexpected topic, Belladonna’s heart sank. She currently had no idea how to use holy power.

“It takes a toll on your body every time you use it, right?”

At Escalion’s question, Belladonna quietly sank into thought.

Is, is that so? I’d have to have actually used holy power to know… If he says so, that must be right?

Belladonna carefully nodded.

But why is he asking this? She felt anxious, unable to predict what question he might ask next.

“So you haven’t been using it much lately?”

Lately…

Certainly, since being reborn in the Holy Maiden’s body, Belladonna had never once been ordered to use holy power.

But that was less because the Pope of Pronunce was concerned about the Holy Maiden’s body and more because her holy power had mainly been used during her time as a cardinal to help him rise to become the next Pope.

Now that he was established as Pope, he no longer needed the Holy Maiden’s holy power, and recently he had even gone so far as to tell her not to overuse that power.

She recalled the words the Pope had firmly stated not long after she had awakened in the Holy Maiden’s body.

But there was no need to explain all those circumstances…

Belladonna raised her eyes to meet Escalion’s gaze and nodded. Let’s just vaguely explain that that’s about right!

“Then don’t use it here either.”

“…?”

At his resolute voice, Belladonna blinked her eyes.

Escalion opened his mouth as he looked at her.

“You’re no longer the Holy Maiden of Astanya now, but my only family and wife. No matter what people demand of you, make sure they treat you only as the wife of the Lord of Griblata, not as the Holy Maiden.”

“…”

“I heard there are quite a few people expecting you to freely heal the people of Griblata, but ignore them all.”

Belladonna quietly looked up at him.

So now… is he worried about me?

“If they keep bothering you too much even after you’ve politely refused, tell me.”

“…”

“Answer me.”

Belladonna nodded reflexively.

Since she couldn’t use holy power anyway, this was actually a good thing if anything.

For the time being, I won’t have to worry about holy power…

Just as she was feeling relieved, Escalion briefly stretched his neck to the right and left, then crossed his arms in an X and swiftly removed his top in one motion.

Huh? What’s this all of a sudden?

Having become half-naked in an instant, he turned his steps and opened his mouth.

“I’ll finish washing up.”

Uh, um…?

Left alone, Belladonna stared at the bathroom entrance where he had disappeared with a bewildered expression.

Ah, I suppose…

‘…The bathroom in my room must be much better, haha!’

A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and Escalion, exuding warm heat from his entire body, returned to the bed where she was lying.

He unhesitatingly pulled back the blanket and slipped into the spot beside her.

When Belladonna looked up at him with a puzzled expression, he looked down at her with an even more puzzled expression.

“…?”

“What.”

“…”

“What’s the problem?”

The nerve of him…

“This room seems much colder than my room. I naturally run hot, so I think sleeping together will help my wife recover her health.”

Ugh, it’s cramped…

Belladonna reluctantly made room for him with a disgruntled expression.

It was an average-sized bed, but with the giant man entering, it immediately felt cramped and stuffy.

If she moved over any more, it felt like she would fall off the opposite side if she tossed even a little in her sleep.

Moreover, this man…

‘He’s completely shirtless.’

She didn’t know where to put her eyes.

His angry muscles, dark in color, bumpy, and covered in small scars, were unfamiliar but kept drawing her gaze.

“Don’t keep glancing at me with such a lecherous gaze, feel free to look all you want.”

Escalion said teasingly.

What? When did I?

Belladonna glared at him, feeling unnecessarily flustered.

Escalion shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows.

“It’s not like I have anyone else to show it to besides my wife anyway.”

Ugh, really! Here we go again, here we go again!

She felt like snorting in disbelief.

So you’ve already shown it plenty to the owner of that beautiful ruby necklace, is that it?

“Do you want to fall onto the floor while sleeping? Come a bit closer.”

At that moment, Escalion stretched out both arms and grabbed her, pulling her towards himself.

She wanted to resist, but she had no strength to do so.

Belladonna was dragged along weakly and found herself trapped in his embrace once again.

‘The same position as last time…’

Being in his warm embrace, it was certainly warmer than lying alone.

However, her mind wasn’t entirely at ease.

His mistress of unknown face kept coming to mind, and moreover, the more she devoted herself to this marriage that would end in three months, the more it felt like she was doing something she shouldn’t to him.

‘We shouldn’t keep getting closer like this…’

After pondering for a moment, Belladonna steeled her resolve and wriggled out of his embrace.

“Why?”

Escalion asked with a subdued gaze.

Belladonna took his large hand and once again unfolded the finger pen.

‘It’s. Fine. So. Go. Back. To. Your. Room.’

Before she could even finish one sentence, Escalion pulled his hand away from her grasp.

Then he looked down at her with a stubborn expression.

“You want me to go back to my room?”

Nod nod.

“Was my wife always this cold-hearted?”

C-cold-hearted…?

No, isn’t it better if we each go back to our beds and sleep comfortably spread out?

Escalion narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Of course! How could I be comfortable with you lying right next to me half-naked?

But Belladonna didn’t nod immediately.

She shook her head and smiled, trying to make it seem like sending Escalion back to his room wasn’t because she was uncomfortable, but rather a kindness for his sake.

“Then why?”

Escalion still had a grumpy expression.

Ah, he really doesn’t get it…

Belladonna tried her best to explain, but Escalion shook his head as if unwilling to understand and moved his huge body to find a comfortable position.

He raised one arm and brought her back into his embrace.

“Couples are supposed to sleep together in one bed.”

“…”

“At least, that’s what my parents did until they passed away, and since that’s all I’ve seen and learned, that’s what I should do too.”

Belladonna blinked quietly with her face buried in his chest.

“Ah, perhaps our noble Holy Maiden doesn’t understand such ways?”

Escalion said mockingly.

“I’m sorry, but your husband is from the lowest of the low among commoners, so he doesn’t know any better.”

I didn’t say anything though…

Belladonna leaned against him, lost in thought.

Actually, I’m from a common farming background too…

“Now that your fever has completely gone down, from tomorrow on, we’ll sleep together in my room.”

Belladonna, who had been slowly letting his words drift into her other ear, was startled and raised her body.

Then she turned her head to look up at him.

You want to sleep together… every day?