Chapter 10 – The Master of the Northern Social Circle (Part 3)

Though Tartenon rubbed his sore foot, he couldn’t erase the smile on his face. He was pleased that Reubellina didn’t avoid his kiss.

“Still, calling me a pervert.”

‘There is no one but you for me.’

Muttering words he couldn’t say aloud, Tartenon also stood up.

As he left the garden, Paddington set the overturned tea table upright and tidied up the situation. The servants’ gossip about the grand duke and duchess’s affectionate display sounded like pleasant music to his ears.

Meanwhile, back in her bedroom, Reubellina locked the door, ignoring Sandy’s plea to enter. She needed time to think.

‘Get a grip, Reubellina. It’s just a contract relationship with him! It was definitely… just a contract….’

‘Why was my heart racing like this?’

‘He must like me, right?’

There was no other reason for him to act this way. Reubellina was convinced.

‘He wouldn’t shake me up like this and then say it was just a joke, would he?’

At least she knew Tartenon wasn’t that kind of man. But having been greatly hurt by Inferno, it wasn’t easy for Reubellina to open her heart to Tartenon. Her feelings had already leaned towards him, but she couldn’t muster the courage to approach him.

‘Sigh.’

‘We were married, and  had a legitimate reason, so why was I so troubled?’

No one would say anything about her spending time with Tartenon. The people of the North would rather welcome it than dislike it. But the fact that their relationship started as a contract was a problem.

Initially, she thought the contractual relationship would be straightforward. If she had known emotions would become so entangled, she would never have signed that contract. She sighed, but it was already water under the bridge.

Her feelings had leaned towards him, and Tartenon kept stirring her heart. Though Tartenon didn’t explicitly convey his feelings, Reubellina could vaguely understand what he wanted to say.

‘Does he really like me?’

‘What if he doesn’t?’

A slight anxiety grew and consumed her. Starting a new love sometimes requires great courage.

After much contemplation, Reubellina decided to have a serious talk with Tartenon after returning from the mine. In truth, she was delaying it because she was afraid to open her heart right now.

The night deepened with her worries, and she tossed and turned. But she couldn’t fall asleep.

As she rolled around in bed with her eyes wide open, the bedroom door opened. Someone entered and embraced her.

Reubellina, who froze in place, could tell from the faint scent who it was. The person holding her and trying to sleep was Tartenon.

‘So that’s how it is.’

She had gotten used to waking up in his arms. But Tartenon never entered the bedroom before she fell asleep. He deliberately came in late to avoid making her uncomfortable. She realized today that it was his way of being considerate.

Though it was a contract marriage, Tartenon and Reubellina were still newlyweds. It wouldn’t be good if it became known that they used separate bedrooms. Specifically, it wouldn’t be good for Reubellina. It could give other noble ladies who were eyeing Tartenon a reason to attack her.

But she couldn’t share a bed with Tartenon either. Her heart would race wildly with tension, just like now.

With a faint soap scent, Tartenon fell asleep as soon as he held her. It was late, and it had been a hard day for him.

Reubellina cautiously sat up and looked at the sleeping Tartenon. She could have suspected that he was pretending to sleep, given that a skilled knight like him didn’t notice her movements, but she dismissed the suspicion, thinking he was just tired.

“Even your eyelashes are silver.”

Unlike her red ones, Tartenon’s silver hair shimmered softly. There was a time when Reubellina didn’t like her own hair, which scattered intense light. Inferno disliked it because the color was too strong.

‘But not anymore.’

Now, she liked her red hair. Thanks to Tartenon, who often grabbed her hair and kissed it. She felt loved by Tartenon’s actions, as if he was holding the most precious thing in the world.

She had come to like herself as well.

Tartenon’s affection had made Reubellina love herself more. She became more confident and self-assured. The old Reubellina, who craved affection from others, was gone. 

And she realized that she hadn’t valued herself before.

Reflecting on her past, thanks to Tartenon cherishing her, she realized it wasn’t normal to sacrifice herself for others.

She realized that everything she took for granted in the capital was actually eating away at her. Reubellina learned to love herself more after coming to the North.

‘There’s no need to hide my personality anymore.’

Everyone in Speraum knew that Reubellina had a lively and cheerful personality. They knew she roamed around, attentively looking after the servants and kindly taking care of her maid, Sandy.

She could laugh heartily with Heather and respond to Hemil’s playful remarks. She could now joke with Paddington and even shout at Tartenon for being too much. She could openly do everything she had to hide while living in the Asillious Duchy in the capital.

Thinking back, her devotion to Inferno wasn’t love. It was closer to obedience to someone she wanted to impress.

Love was something to be exchanged.

‘I realized too late that true love isn’t about one-sided giving.’

Affection should be returned as much as it is given. The only relationship where unconditional love can be exchanged is between parent and child.

Reubellina realized this obvious fact only now. And it took her too long to realize it.

‘To realize this only after investing so much time.’

Unknowingly, Reubellina found herself caressing Tartenon’s face. She traced his high nose with her fingers and touched his strong-looking lips. Moving her hand along his long eyes, she realized that his eyes were quite large.

She knew that when those eyes opened, the blue irises would look at her. She liked the waves that rippled in his eyes whenever they looked at her. Those waves moved only towards her. She had never seen them move towards anyone else.

That’s why she liked it.

She liked that Tartenon didn’t look at anyone else. Reubellina liked the kindness in his blue eyes when they were directed at her. She liked the way his eyes curved towards her. She liked Tartenon’s playful and affectionate nature because it was all hers.

She liked that they could laugh together normally. Being with him made her feel like a valuable person. Every moment spent with Tartenon was meaningful.

That’s why she liked it.

“I wonder if it would have been better if we had met a little earlier… or if I should just be grateful that we met now.”

Reubellina whispered softly. It was her true feelings slipping out unconsciously. Tartenon’s fingers twitched slightly, but Reubellina, who was watching his face, didn’t notice.

“Thank you.”

It was a feeling she couldn’t convey when they were looking into each other’s eyes. Reubellina took advantage of Tartenon’s slumber to express her feelings.

Her softly whispered words scattered into the air. Reubellina lay down, resting her head on Tartenon’s arm. Feeling his arm naturally pull her closer, she closed her eyes.

Even though she had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep, she soon drifted off.

A few days later, Tartenon and Reubellina were riding side by side on their way to inspect the northern mines. Behind them was a large contingent of knights escorting the Grand Duke and Duchess. Among them were Heather, Hemil, and Bruelin. In short, all the key figures of Speraum were present.

‘Oh, my head.’

Reubellina sighed. Despite her explanation that there was no need for so many people to move, Tartenon insisted on mobilizing the knights. When he said that the Speraum Castle could be temporarily entrusted to the Marquis of Istorium, Reubellina was astonished.

When she asked him when he had come to trust the marquis so much, Tartenon just smiled without giving a proper answer.

Reubellina could only awkwardly follow his lead and smile. However, seeing the large number of people escorting her gave her a headache.

There really was no need for so many people. She was just going to the nearby mines to look at some pretty stones.

‘And also think about how to sell them while I’m at it.’

If not for the rumors, she would have stayed in the main residence and just had the stones brought from the mines. But since they could be potential business items, she had to keep them hidden. Right now, they might be considered mine waste, but who knew what they could become in the future.

Reubellina trusted her instincts. Her instincts had never been wrong, so the mine waste would surely bring enormous profit. This journey was to confirm that, so she had to endure such inconveniences.

‘Hmm, good. Thinking like this makes me feel a bit better.’

Reubellina nodded. If these stones turned out to be valuable business items later, then moving with such a large group would be worth it. Thinking of the journey as a way to make money brought her some comfort.