It might be a joke. That’s what I thought, but it really was the same room.

The only thing I could call somewhat fortunate was that there were at least two beds. However.

“Right side? Left side? Which one do you want to use?”

No matter which side I chose, the two beds were placed right next to each other.

“Why are the beds pushed together like this?”

Sikar Blake was pretending to know nothing, putting on an innocent face.

“Well, maybe the maids put them together. Who did it?”

As if anyone wouldn’t know he was playing dumb while fully aware.

“Who set up this room?”

“The palace steward gave the orders.”

The palace steward was a position temporarily held by Vika Lamberst. Given Vika’s personality, he wouldn’t have arranged the room like this.

“Liar. With Vika’s personality, he wouldn’t have placed the beds so affectionately side by side.”

On that point, Sikar agreed.

“Of course, with Vika’s personality, he wouldn’t do that. So I roughly explained the layout I wanted.”

“So, in the end, you’re the one who had the beds placed side by side?”

“Well…”

“Then change it.”

I demanded confidently, but Sikar rejected my request with a single word.

“No.”

“Why? There are plenty of spirit traps here, so I’ll be fine even if you don’t hold my hand while I sleep.”

“If someone spreads a rumor that we don’t even share a bed and sleep apart, who do you think that rumor will reach?”

“Well…”

“Even if we can’t show the king that we’re affectionately sharing one bed, having the beds side by side shows enough closeness to avoid causing him any trouble.”

I sighed, recalling the time we shared a room at the Grand Temple.

Unlike me, whose head was throbbing, Sikar wore a relaxed smile.

“We’re married. How long are you planning to sleep in separate rooms? Now that Kian Blake is in his rightful place, our duties are done, so it’s about time we shared a room, don’t you think?”

That’s true, but I still wasn’t mentally prepared. Every time I tried to prepare myself, something always came up.

They say life doesn’t go according to plan, and that saying somehow fits me perfectly. I was already worried about what might happen next.

That said, I couldn’t just start sharing a bed with someone who hasn’t even confessed their love to me.

“We may be married, but we’re strictly a contract couple, aren’t we? Don’t you remember saying you’d let me go once your curse is lifted? So my goal is to break your curse. Until then, I absolutely won’t share a bed.”

“Then I’ll cancel that promise. If I can break a vow, what’s a little promise? I can cancel it anytime.”

“A contract is something agreed upon mutually. I don’t agree.”

Sikar’s face paled, as if my refusal had thrown a wrench in his smooth plans. What a satisfying expression.

“You don’t agree? Are you saying you’ll break the contract when it’s over?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“Because you…”

Sikar, unable to contain his curiosity, looked at me and echoed.

“Because I…?”

I opened and closed my mouth as if about to speak, and Sikar focused all his attention on my lips.

I couldn’t give him the answer that easily.

“You have to figure out the answer yourself. Think hard about why.”

Sikar looked at me, clearly exasperated, and said.

“How am I supposed to find the answer when there’s no problem? All I heard was ‘because you…’ What am I supposed to figure out?”

Seeing his sulky expression felt quite satisfying.

“Want a hint?”

“Don’t give me a hint, just tell me the problem clearly. What’s the issue?”

“There’s something you haven’t said to me yet. Until you say it, our contract remains valid.”

Sikar nodded, as if he finally understood something.

“So, there’s something I haven’t said…”

“Yes. Something very important.”

“Then…”

Sikar paced the room a few times, sighing as if deep in thought, then spoke with a smug look, as if he’d figured it out.

“Is it this?”

I was curious about what he’d say, so I focused on his next words.

“Will you bear my child?”

…Of course, I shouldn’t have expected anything.

“What are you talking about? That’s wrong!”

“I’ll give you a hint.”

“Think of something you can’t say but can write.”

Sikar winked, as if he finally got it.

“You mean… lo… lo…”

Was I finally going to hear it? At that moment.

“Look out the window before people come.”

Of course. With his personality, he wouldn’t say it easily. I didn’t expect much anyway.

What’s outside that he’s telling me to look?

I glanced out the window indifferently and saw rosebushes planted, just like at the duke’s residence.

They were the roses Sikar had planted, saying I needed to be a bit sharper, like their thorns.

“More of those roses I saw endlessly at the duke’s residence? Did you plant them here to tell me to live sharply too?”

“I didn’t plant them.”

“Then who?”

“The king did.”

Kian Blake…?

“No way… Did he plant them because he still thinks I like roses?”

“This palace was originally called Daisy Palace. But the king planted roses for you.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

I couldn’t close my mouth. To think Kian Blake ordered this for me.

I was so moved that my heart swelled.

“And I prepared something too…”

I was a bit wary, thinking it might not be good, but surprisingly, what Sikar offered was quite nice.

Sikar handed me a literal bundle of cash.

“What’s this money?”

“A gift.”

“Can I really spend all this money?”

“Yes. I thought about it. If you’re not using jewels or magic stones, what would be best? Money seemed perfect.”

Exactly. Money is the best.

Ignoring Sikar’s gaze, I focused on counting the money. It was a stack of checks. My heart fluttered with each one I flipped through.

“I hope this bundle softens you up a bit. Accept that we need to share a room.”

“I’ll take the money, but that’s a no. We’ll share the room, but the beds stay separate.”

“We’ve been through life and death together. Do we really need to do this?”

“I have my own process. If you refuse to follow it, I’ll do it my way.”

“Is that so…?”

Sikar pondered for a while, then, before the感動 from the roses and money faded, he made me forget it all.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to tell Kian you don’t actually like roses.”

“That’s not just a threat; it’s unfair.”

“What can I do? It’s the only card I have.”

Right. He’s always been this shameless, hasn’t he? This crazy guy.

No. A crazy guy needs to be tamed gently.

“You’ve been busy lately. Sleep in the study.”

“I’m not busy.”

Sikar suddenly started taking off his jacket.

“Why are you taking off your jacket?!”

“I’m exhausted from gathering valuables since dawn. I think a nap and lunch with Kian would be nice. Since we’ll use this bed tonight, lying down together now wouldn’t hurt.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“I’ll help you sleep.”

Sikar reached behind my shoulders and lay on the bed with me.

“Comfortable?”

“No. Uncomfortable.”

Even when I said I was uncomfortable, Sikar stared at me without a care.

“You might not know, but lately, I’ve been holding your hand every night while you sleep. Did you know?”

I knew. Every morning when I woke up, Sikar was holding my hand tightly.

“I know. So what?”

“Because of that, I occasionally ended up on your bed.”

“You climbed into my bed without my permission?”

“You’re misunderstanding. I didn’t climb in; your thrashing forced me to.”

“Fine, let’s say that’s true. But you don’t need to do that here. There are enough spirit traps, so I won’t have nightmares.”

In the original story, Kian Blake stopped having nightmares after entering the palace because of the spirit traps, so I should be fine too.

“I’m not saying we should share a bed.”

“Then why insist on it? I’m uncomfortable.”

At that moment, Sikar sat up and gently stroked my hair.

“Because I love you.”

Love…

The word, so unfamiliar yet sweet, echoed in my ears, making me want to ask him to repeat it.

“You just said lo…”

“I love you.”

My heart raced as he smiled tenderly and whispered his love. I repeated the unspoken words of love in my mind several times as Sikar spoke again.

“I love you.”

He whispered his love and kissed me. My eyes closed instinctively.

Our hands intertwined, his soft, warm lips, the moist sensation, were sweet and tender.

His hot breath seeped in, his warm body enveloping me.

It was a word so moving, so overwhelming, that it brought tears to my eyes. I love you.

Once the words burst out, they poured like a broken faucet.

“I love you. I love you.”

His arms tightened around my waist, repeating the words.

“I love you.”

The words were so sweet, so joyful, that I ended up crying.

Sikar wiped my tears and kissed me again.

In our private room, bathed in early afternoon sunlight, on our bed, we whispered love.

“Now you’ll end our contract marriage, right?”

Not wanting to agree right away, I just stared at his face without answering, and he kissed me again.

It was as if he’d keep kissing me until I agreed to end the contract.

After a deep kiss, Sikar asked again.

“Now you’ll end our contract marriage, right?”

Reluctantly avoiding his gaze, I answered.

“F-fine.”

“And we’ll share a bed, right?”

Instead of answering, I nodded awkwardly.

“I love you. So you must never disappear from my sight. Got it?”

The words “don’t disappear” felt so sudden.

So I brushed them off lightly.

But later, I understood the feelings behind those words.

And why he was so desperate to share a bed with me…

And how much I meant to him.

All of it, I only understood later.