He had heard about this. He had searched for it.

Rublier looked again at the dead birds. He began to understand what it felt like to think that evil spirits had passed through.

Is it something like this? Calling the mass death of birds a great disaster might be an exaggeration. But there was a clear sense of unease that gnawed at his heart. It was a rare and eerie occurrence in everyday life. It was ominous.

“Shall we inform the nearby diocese?”

The lieutenant sought permission.

“…I have confirmed it with my own eyes. Let’s dismount, clean up this place, and leave.”

Rublier ordered. The Holy Knights, following his command, dug a pit and buried the bird carcasses.

His heart moved faster than his feet. He felt as if they had already arrived.

To the capital where the Pope resides.

And to the newlywed house where Satin is.

Rublier turned his horse around.

* * *

“Madam, Madam!”

Larie came running in, calling for Satin.

Satin was sitting by the window, watching the pasture. It was the usual leisurely day. Avoiding social interactions until the scandal died down, Satin spent her days either taking walks around the estate or doing small tasks at home.

Watching the evening sky, the grazing goats, and the serene, picturesque scenery brought an unparalleled sense of peace to her heart. Every day was astonishingly calm. Hearing Larie’s excited voice after such a long time felt refreshing.

Satin tilted her head and asked,

“What’s going on?”

“The flag has been raised on the city walls. It’s the flag announcing the return of the Holy Knights!”

“What?”

Oh no. Her heart sank.

Honestly, it was a bit long to ask, ‘Already?’ Rublier had been gone longer than expected. The person who said he would return early had already exceeded the originally expected period of two and a half months.

“We should be celebrating his return.”

While Satin was still bewildered by Rublier’s sudden return, the servants were bustling about. The tension showed on Satin’s face.

Of course, it was natural for Rublier to return home after completing his mission, but… she didn’t expect it to be today.

This is too sudden. I’m not ready to face him yet.

Satin froze.

Even if the other servants didn’t notice, Larie, who had taken care of Satin for a long time, quickly sensed her tension.

“Madam, I’ll prepare a bath to help you relax.”

Having an old maid was beneficial in such moments. She could understand and take care of her master’s mood without a word.

“…Okay.”

Larie quickly walked away, calling a few servants and giving them instructions. The kitchen, which had just finished dinner, became busy again. Shortly after, the servants carried hot water to the bathroom.

“Madam, everything is ready. Please come.”

Larie gestured. Satin trudged after her.

“What is this?”

“It’s goat milk. It’s good for your skin.”

Satin, who had been lazily soaking in the warm water, was startled and straightened up when Larie poured some kind of milk over her shoulders and back.

The bathroom was filled with the rich scent of milk. Larie explained further.

“They say the milk quality is good because the pasture is nearby, and it really is.”

“Really?”

Since she didn’t drink milk, she wasn’t interested in its taste. Satin rested her arms on the edge of the tub and laid her face on them again. The feeling of Larie’s hands gently massaging her body was so pleasant that she began to feel sleepy.

Larie massaged Satin’s scalp and combed her hair repeatedly to prevent it from tangling. At some point, Satin dozed off briefly and woke up to find her skin exceptionally smooth.

“Since you’ll be going to bed soon, I’ll dress you in something light.”

“Okay.”

However, the clothes Larie brought were too light, almost excessively so. Satin lifted the hem in disbelief. She held it delicately with her fingertips, afraid it might tear if she gripped it too tightly. The flimsy fabric clung to her body.

“How is this considered sleepwear?”

Larie replied nonchalantly,

“Why not? It’s perfect sleepwear.”

“It’s completely see-through.”

Not only did the gauzy fabric reveal her body’s curves, but it also highlighted the tips of her br*asts.

Is this even considered clothing? It barely covered her body, making it worse than not wearing anything at all. She didn’t even know such a slip existed in the house.

Seeing Satin’s disbelief, Larie quickly draped a thin robe over her shoulders.

“You can wear a robe over it.”

“It doesn’t seem very effective.”

“It’s enough.”

“Why are you dressing me in this today of all days?”

She wore ordinary sleepwear every other day, but today, of all days, when Rublier was returning, the normal clothes had disappeared.

Do they think I’m a bear?

Satin instructed sternly,

“Change it, Larie.”

Larie’s face fell.

“There’s no quicker way for a couple to bond than this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you really dislike it?”

“Yes, I do.”

“The Paladin doesn’t seem like a bad person…”

“…….”

Satin didn’t think Rublier was a bad person either. He just wasn’t the right person for her.

Larie sighed quietly.

“If you really dislike it, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll find you something else. Will you wait here?”

Seeing Larie walk away dejectedly, Satin had a foreboding feeling that she might have to wait a long time. If she ran into Rublier in the meantime, it would be truly troublesome.

After a moment of contemplation, Satin quickly followed Larie.

He hasn’t arrived already, has he?

Even if the Holy Knights had entered the capital, they would first report their mission to the Papal Palace. He wouldn’t arrive home until very late at night or early in the morning.

By then, she would be asleep. Reuniting could naturally be postponed until the next day. It would be better to change clothes and retreat to the bedroom early, using fatigue as an excuse.

Having made up her mind, Satin hurriedly headed to the dressing room near the bedroom.

Just as she was about to enter, the door to the adjacent room opened, and Rublier, dressed in comfortable indoor clothes, appeared.

Oh my god. Speak of the devil.

Satin froze and rolled her eyes.

The slip was as thin as paper, the robe half-draped and slipping off her shoulders, her bare legs…

Where should I even start covering up?

Covering up felt awkwardly self-conscious, but not covering up was embarrassing. Both options felt strange. Satin awkwardly raised her arms and then flinched. Her already pale skin looked even whiter.

It must be the milk. That damn milk.

Satin, glancing at Rublier, took tiny, sparrow-like steps backward. But with such small steps, she barely moved away before freezing in place.

It was too quiet.

The silence was so thick that Satin couldn’t move.

Satin remained silent.

Rublier remained silent.

There wasn’t a single servant passing by. Even Larie was hiding in the dressing room, not showing a single hair.

The first to break the silence was Rublier. He tilted his head, looking puzzled and surprised by the unexpected encounter, yet his expression remained mostly unchanged.

A smirk appeared on his lips.

“…Kid.”

“……”

“I thought it was too early, but I guess not?”

What is he talking about?

Oh my god! Oh, my god.

Satin screamed silently.

Satin, her face fully showing her embarrassment, ran to her bedroom first, while Rublier slowly entered his own bedroom. He closed the door with a click and leaned against the wall. A chuckle escaped him belatedly.

Kid.

He used to call her that because the sight of the small girl scurrying around like a squirrel was endearing, and she kept catching his eye. He had called her that for so long it became a habit and stuck.

But it seemed he had been mistaken even up until now, despite being married.

“…I really can’t call her that anymore.”

Language governs thought.

It was time to change old habits for new progress. Unless he wanted to remain stuck in the academy days even after getting married.

She was no longer a kid. She was a fine lady and now his wife. But both Satin and he were still tied to their past relationship.

Rublier sat on the edge of the empty bed. He then flopped down, half-lying on it.

“Satin.”

He looked in the direction of Satin’s bedroom. He quietly called her name. Naturally, there was no response.

“Not Gjorn. I’m your husband. Isn’t that right?”

She might have lived as Gjorn’s fiancée for 21 years, but the man who actually made vows with her at the wedding was him. He had been so overwhelmed by this fact that he had missed what came next.

How foolish.

Rublier raised his arm. He ran his hand over his face like he was washing it, then placed the back of his hand on his forehead.

His feelings, which he couldn’t reveal because of the long-standing fiancée by her side, were long and deep.

So even though she was within reach, he acted like an innocent student.

I won’t lie and say I’m satisfied just having you.

I’ll say I want more.

Rublier turned to face Satin’s bedroom.

The afterimage he saw with his eyes open became clearer when he closed them, so he chose to close his eyes.

It seemed like it would be a sleepless night.

* * *

‘…I thought it was too early, but I guess not?’

It was a sleepless night for Rublier, but even more so for Satin. She pulled the blanket over her head.

Wow, really!

The Rublier she knew was mostly the one from the academy, with his personality and attitude from back then. Naturally, she thought of the old Rublier.

Yes, he was always that kind of guy. Always making things awkward for people.

Of course, she didn’t expect him to pretend not to see her. Having dealt with Rublier throughout the academy, if he had been that considerate, they wouldn’t have had a bad relationship.

He used to always call her ‘kid’ and tease her. She wasn’t the only one who suffered; anyone who got involved with him by mistake also got hurt. Gjorn, too, was humiliated during a fencing tournament at the academy because Rublier, upset because of her, ignored the skill gap and pressed him hard.

In hindsight, the fencing incident was somewhat satisfying. It felt like Rublier in the past was avenging the deceit Gjorn would commit in the future.

For a brief moment, Satin saw Rublier in a new light, but she quickly shook her head vigorously. She had no intention of siding with Rublier just because of that one lucky hit. It was like a cow accidentally catching a mouse while walking backward.

Moreover, the Rublier she saw earlier was no different from the twelve-year-old Rublier.

Satin thrashed about.

“What was that comment about!”