“Thank you. Please sit here and take your time to review the report I’ve prepared.”

Wolf placed the wood-related ledger with Belladonna’s signature on the desk and spoke as he pulled out a chair for her.

Belladonna snapped out of her reverie and looked down at the chair he had kindly pulled out.

Uh, no, I’m going back to my room…

“I suppose there’s quite a lot to look over?”

Ah, no, I’ll just skim through it and go back to my room…

“If you want to review it thoroughly, you’ll probably need to focus on it all morning today.”

Ah, no, I’m going to leave now…

“I’ll tell Cindy to bring some tea, my lady.”

Ah… Okay…

Having failed to escape from Wolf, who was pushing her with a kindly face, Belladonna reluctantly nodded and sat down in the chair in front of the large desk.

Well, I should at least play the role of the lady of the house during the remaining time…

She adjusted her posture once and raised her hand to turn the cover of the thick report.

“…”

Wow, this is boring.

Wolf was a neat and efficient butler, but it seemed he didn’t possess the talent for writing interesting reports.

In just a few minutes, her concentration wavered, and her eyelids became heavy.

Blinking slowly, Belladonna shook her head slightly and strained her eyes to read the text.

As she was struggling with sleep that kept trying to devour her, a specific page in Wolf’s report caught her eye.

It was a page listing furniture to be placed in the bridal chamber.

‘Bridal chamber…? Was there a part of the bridal chamber that needed repairs?’

As far as she knew, the bridal chamber was a space that Escalion had used alone until Belladonna arrived at the castle, and besides a large bed and a few pieces of furniture, there was nothing special about it.

So what repairs and additions were needed?

“Ah. There’s nothing in particular that needs to be repaired in the bridal chamber, but we plan to bring in a new bed, dressing table, and wardrobes.”

Wolf, who was scribbling something with a pen across from her, spoke up as he glanced down at the page Belladonna was studying intently.

A new bed and dressing table? And wardrobes? Why…?

Seeing that Belladonna still looked puzzled, Wolf provided further explanation.

“It’s something the lord specifically instructed.”

Escalion did?

“He seems to think the furniture in the bridal chamber is quite old and out of fashion. For someone who’s never been particularly interested in such things, he seems quite concerned now that you’ve arrived, my lady.”

Hmm… Was the furniture that old?

Belladonna herself hadn’t had the luxury to pay attention to such things.

She hadn’t really looked at the furniture properly, being preoccupied with sleeping in a strange place with a strange man, and even if she had…

‘…What would a poor farmer’s daughter know about it anyway.’

Belladonna shrugged her shoulders slightly. She didn’t particularly trust her own judgment in these matters.

“My lady, I’ve brought your tea.”

Just then, Cindy entered the office and placed a steaming cup of tea on the desk where Belladonna was sitting.

Belladonna looked up at Cindy and gave her a grateful smile.

As Cindy turned to leave after finishing her task, Wolf also stood up, seemingly having an appointment.

Oh? Are you leaving?

“My lady, please continue reviewing at your leisure. I have some matters to discuss with the staff, so I’ll be out for a moment.”

Oh! Nod, nod!

Go ahead!

Belladonna gave a smile that was a bit more sincere than usual.

As soon as Wolf closed the door behind him, Belladonna, left alone, jumped up from her seat.

Phew, it was boring, I need to stretch a bit!

She raised both arms, stretching languidly, and approached the window where bright light was coming in.

Despite the cold weather, the winter sunlight was warming her pleasantly.

‘It’s warm…’

Belladonna moved close to the window, soaking up the sunlight with her whole body, and looked down.

Outside, she could see the servants moving between the wide gardens.

They were smiling brightly and exchanging greetings as they passed each other, looking similar to the people of the Papal States, but seeming a bit brighter and more lively, which was nice to see.

‘Gribblata seems like a really nice place.’

Although the weather was harsh, being in the north, the people seemed to have warm hearts unlike the cold weather.

The servants are like that, and the residents I saw during the festival also mostly seemed kind and simple.

‘And Escalion too…’

Hmm, should I say his body is hot rather than his heart being warm?

As she gazed at the cozy outdoor scenery, Belladonna sat down on the wide windowsill, lost in various thoughts.

The windowsill shelf was quite wide, enough for her small frame to sit comfortably.

Sitting there, leaning her head against the corner and getting into a truly comfortable position, she felt like she might doze off.

The warm winter sunlight embraced her like a blanket.

Well, it’s natural since Wolf’s report was incredibly boring…

She yawned softly and closed her eyes.

I’ll just sleep for a little bit…

She was barely roused from her sleep when she heard the office door click open.

‘Is it Wolf?’

If it was Wolf, she should quickly open her eyes and get up, but her body wouldn’t listen.

This position is too comfortable right now… I want to sleep a little more…

She was completely out, her mouth slightly open.

The person who entered the office stopped in their tracks upon seeing Belladonna asleep, leaning against the windowsill.

If it was Wolf, she thought he would either wake her or leave on his own, but it was strange that he was hesitating.

‘But why should I care, I’m sleeping my sleep.’

Belladonna withdrew her attention from the person who had entered and drifted back into sleep.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…”

Escalion, who had entered the office, was dumbfounded by the unexpected sight.

His wife was sleeping like a picture under the large window where bright light was coming in.

With the winter sunlight shining from behind her like a halo, she looked exactly like the beautiful saint that the people of Astanya praised so much.

Escalion, who had been staring at her without breathing, clenched his fist.

In his mind, he recalled when Pope Briel had sent a letter to his castle.

A letter that demanded marriage without proper introduction or even common courteous greetings.

It was an unpleasant letter that gave the impression of “How dare you refuse the Pope’s proposal, which is close to an order?”

His marriage to her had been a choice mixed with childish emotions towards such a Pope, a bit of curiosity about the familiar tune he had heard in his sleep, and the impulsiveness of wanting to get it over with if he had to marry anyway, rather than fussing and deliberating any further.

“Haah…”

Staring at Belladonna with dark golden eyes, he covered his eyes with one hand and let out a deep sigh.

But what is this unfamiliar feeling…

After standing still for a moment, he slowly lowered his hand and turned his gaze to the desk.

‘She said she was studying.’

The report spread out on the desk hadn’t even reached one-third of the way through, and thinking of her falling asleep just like that made him feel both exasperated and endeared.

He made a sound like a deflating laugh and approached his wife, who had fallen into a deep sleep leaning against the windowsill.

The windowsill looked hard, so he intended to carry her to the bed in the bridal chamber to let her sleep comfortably.

He had finished work early on purpose and returned, so lying down together would be nice too.

Just as he was bending down and reaching out to lift Belladonna, her lips, slightly parted and exhaling sweet breaths as she slept so soundly, caught his eye.

“…”

Looking at that sight, he felt his mouth go dry and his blood rush.

It was vexing how her lips were so pleasingly plump while the rest of her body was slender and thin.

After hesitating for a moment, Escalion, as if entranced, raised his finger and very carefully traced her lips.

As his thick finger touched her, Belladonna slightly furrowed her brow and smacked her lips.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Escalion let out a groan-like sigh and lowered his head.

Since that kiss that day…

He felt so depraved for having dirty thoughts about his innocent wife at all times.

Escalion, who had been looking down at the floor and catching his breath to some extent, raised his head again.

This time, he was determined to move her to the bridal chamber without any distracting thoughts, but…

“…”

Escalion stopped in his tracks as he raised his head.

Belladonna, who had woken up at some point, was looking at him with eyes full of drowsiness.

“…You were sleeping so soundly.”

To think that this was all he could manage to say.

Escalion clenched his jaw, internally hurling harsh insults at himself.

At his words, Belladonna smiled broadly as if amused.

And because she looked so pretty smiling like that…

‘I can’t hold back.’

Escalion impulsively lowered his head.

[This is the timeline separator]

It’s ticklish…

Belladonna frowned at the unknown something that kept touching her lips.

Go, go away… I’m sleepy, I said.

‘Ugh…’

But the warm and thick thing touching her lips showed no sign of stopping.

Belladonna gradually woke up, feeling it very gently and very carefully tracing her lower lip.

The first thing she discovered upon opening her eyes was someone’s jet-black crown.

“…”

Escalion was exhaling low breaths with his head bowed towards the floor.

‘What’s this, why is he like that?’

The confused Belladonna blinked her eyes, which still felt heavy.

Escalion, with his head lowered, was clenching his hand resting on the windowsill tightly, as if in some difficult contemplation.

Her gaze was drawn to his fingertips, which had turned pale white from lack of blood flow.

Eventually, he slowly raised his head.

Belladonna met his golden eyes with her still dazed gaze.

“…You were sleeping so soundly.”

Escalion, who had been staring at her, spoke with an expression she had never seen before.

He seemed deeply focused on something, yet at the same time, he looked completely lost.

Finding his appearance funny in her drowsy state, Belladonna unconsciously smiled.

What a silly expression.

At that moment, as if a small breeze had blown, his masculine scent suddenly enveloped her.

Simultaneously, something hot touched her forehead.

Her body involuntarily moved backward.

She thought she would inevitably hit her head against the window, but Escalion’s hand was already firmly holding the back of her head.

‘…Oh my.’

Belladonna widened her eyes as she stared into his golden eyes, which had suddenly come very close.

It felt like she was wide awake now.