Chapter 94

‘A forehead kiss…?’

What a day.

Rolling in the snow and now a forehead kiss.

I’d had Hiliberry, the legendary potion, and received a gift from the wild men.

So many good things had happened.

I gently bit my lip as I finally opened the door to my room. I touched my forehead where his lips had grazed it.

My heart raced with excitement. I had to press my lips together to stop a smile from breaking out.

‘I thought he would just leave, but he actually kissed me on the forehead…’

When was the last time I’d felt something this pure and thrilling?

Had I ever?

For other people, this might seem insignificant—by now, they might already have two or three children—but I was giddy over a forehead kiss.

I had never dated in my past life or this one, going straight into marriage, so this was a rare experience for me.

I climbed into bed, snuggling into the warm covers. Happiness washed over me.

So this is what it feels like to connect emotionally with your husband.

Even if he had only kissed my forehead out of courtesy, I didn’t mind because it had made me happy.

Perhaps consummating our marriage had made Alec more comfortable with physical affection like forehead kisses.

Feeling proud and content, I drifted off to sleep, completely at ease.

Maybe it was because of that restful sleep, but I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.

After getting dressed, I made my way down to the dining hall for breakfast. Alec, along with Andrew, was already there.

“Good morning.”

“Please, have a seat.”

“You’re here,” Alec greeted me.

I gave Andrew a nod in greeting before turning my attention to Alec.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Thanks to you, I did,” he replied.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

I took a moment to admire his handsome face. Looking at him first thing in the morning felt like a blessing for the entire day.

His gaze was calm, as usual, when he looked at me. I smiled briefly at him before shifting my focus to Andrew.

“How about you, Andrew?”

“Well, after surviving death, every day feels like a dream.”

“And tomorrow, we’ll already be on our way back to the capital.”

I took my seat as well after making that comment, and once we were all seated, the servants began bringing in dishes one by one.

“Were you discussing something interesting?” I asked, looking at Alec and Andrew.

“Oh, Alec told me an amusing story. Apparently, Marcel bet his entire estate and textile factory that the you and him wouldn’t return alive,” Andrew replied with a chuckle.

“Is that true?” I turned to Alec in surprise, having never heard this before.

Alec, picking up his utensils, responded calmly,

“Some people even wagered gloves and shoes.”

“Unbelievable,” I muttered, taking a moment to absorb the news. Marcel had clearly lost his mind.

After steadying myself, I resumed,

“Well, it looks like we’re going to unexpectedly acquire Howard’s marquisate and textile factory.”

It didn’t surprise me that Marcel would make such a bold bet. Once we returned to the capital, those close to Marcel would undoubtedly come begging for the wager to be withdrawn. Marcel himself would never ask for such a favor.

‘What a stroke of luck! It’s like waking up to find a gift waiting for me,’ I thought, suddenly more excited for our arrival in the capital.

There was an unspoken rule in noble society that any wager made had to be honored, no matter how trivial it seemed. Reputation, pride, and honor were at stake, especially among the nobility.

Andrew joined the conversation,

“Who would have imagined? When we return, people will probably look at us like they’ve seen ghosts.”

“Still, I’m sure Marcel will try everything he can to avoid losing his estate and factory,” I added.

“That’s true,” Andrew nodded. “I doubt Marcel will just let it happen without a fight.”

I gave Andrew a faint smile. Marcel was one of the most corrupt figures in high society. If he tried to back out, we could easily expose the bet publicly and humiliate him.

After finishing breakfast, we headed out to explore Kanak, the heart of the northern region. It was worth taking our time to get to know the place thoroughly.

As we disembarked from the carriage, we began making our way towards the bustling part of town. The buildings and shops were made of dull-colored bricks, which gave the area a clean and sleek appearance. However, by the capital’s standards, these streets would seem stark and lifeless.

It seemed like people here didn’t put much effort into exterior decorations, likely because of the frequent snowfall. The streets were paved with stones to prevent people from walking on the wet ground.

“It would be nice to have a native of the North guide us today,” I said wistfully after walking for a while.

Andrew laughed, “Well, if we asked the wild men to give us a tour, I think we’d end up with bruises from their fists.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I didn’t even think of that.”

We weren’t exactly on good terms with the wild men yet. More importantly, Kililul was still one of those judging whether we were capable of ruling the North.

‘Is there anyone we could hire as a guide?’ I wondered. This was my third time in Kanak. While just observing the area helped me understand it better, I still didn’t know the deeper details only long-time residents would know.

‘I especially want to hear what the Northerners think about the plans I’m working on…’ It would be much easier to move forward if we had someone knowledgeable about the North by our side.

As if reading my mind, Alec said, “It would be a good idea to hire someone well-versed in the North as our advisor.”

“Yes, I agree. But do you think we can find someone like that?” I asked, a bit concerned, looking up at him.

Andrew also seemed curious, watching Alec with a hopeful expression.

Alec replied confidently, “I think I can find someone suitable.”

“Alright,” I nodded at him, feeling reassured. Whoever Alec chose, I knew we could trust them.

Turning my attention back to our surroundings, I changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, the North really has a lot of fascinating things.”

Andrew seemed to agree wholeheartedly, exclaiming,

“I was shocked when I first arrived too. The freezing cold, everything feels like a completely new world! It’s as if we’ve crossed into another dimension.”

“So you felt that way too, Andrew? The scenery is quite special, isn’t it? The snow-covered mountains look like something out of a painting.”

“Yes, if we didn’t have to find castles without paths or gather legendary fruits, it would make for a lovely tourist trip,” Andrew joked.

“…I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” I said with a slight smile, feeling a bit more at ease with Andrew’s light-hearted take.

In truth, I had been worried because of the Emperor’s orders.

‘It would be ideal if we could develop the surrounding area while residing in that castle. It used to be one of Rilt Empire’s natural fortresses, and it bothers me to just let it sit there idle,’ I thought to myself.

Once we had successfully revitalized the region, I couldn’t imagine how much tax and tribute the Emperor would demand.

We would need to gather as much surplus wealth as possible. But securing funds from within the North alone felt wrong, as it would mean exploiting the Northerners. Drawing funds from external sources seemed like a better approach.

One idea that I had in mind was tourism.

‘I’d rather have wealthy nobles come here and spend their money,’ I thought. And it wasn’t just about taxes—if I ever planned to oppose the Emperor, we would need a lot of money.

‘We’ll also need to employ a lot more people in the future…’

As we continued our tour of Kanak, we noticed passersby staring at us in astonishment. Some couldn’t hide their surprise, partly because of Alec’s striking appearance, and partly because our attire was noticeably different from that of the Northerners, marking us as outsiders.

As we headed toward the market in Kanak, I resolved to ensure that the people here would warmly welcome their new lord.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories