Chapter 4.1 – Does My Husband Love Me?

She didn’t know how much time had passed. When she opened her eyes, the sky was faintly lit with the blue light of dawn.  

‘This place…….’  

It was still that bridal room. The moment she tried to sit up, she felt a hand tightly wrapped around her waist.  

“Sleep a bit longer.”

With a low voice, hot lips grazed Epona’s shoulder. The ticklish sensation made her body tense immediately.  

“How long did I sleep?”  

It certainly felt like a lot of time had passed, but the dawn, just like yesterday, felt strange. Epona turned her head slightly and asked with a puzzled expression, and Karos lightly kissed her cheek.  

“You slept all day.”  

“Really?”  

She tried to sit up in surprise, but a gasp escaped her lips. Every part of her body ached.  

“That’s why you should sleep more.”  

Karos clicked his tongue briefly and laid Epona back down. His gentle kindness, tucking the blanket up to her neck, made Epona gaze up at Karos. On Karos’s nape, the red bite mark she’d left in excitement was clear.  

Karos, instantly noticing where her gaze landed, smiled mischievously and touched his nape.  

“If you look at me like that, I get embarrassed.”  

“Oh, s-sorry.”  

But contrary to his words, the smile on his lips seemed satisfied. Epona quickly hid her face under the blanket and peeked out at Karos.  

Before she knew it, Karos had gotten out of bed and was putting on his clothes.  

“My body is clean, so did a maid…?”  

“I washed you myself.”  

“Oh, I see… Wait, what?”  

Karos nodded calmly, but Epona’s face began to flush red. Embarrassed just by the thought, Epona fidgeted, while Karos smiled happily.  

“Rest a little more. When you get up, make sure to eat.”  

“Where are you going…?”  

At her words, Epona covered her n*ked body with the blanket and managed to sit up. But Karos laid her down again.  

“I’ll be back as soon as I’m done with work.”  

Then he kissed her white forehead, making Epona’s face turn even redder. Karos looked at her lovingly, gave a shallow laugh, and left the room. Even as he left, he kept turning back, reluctant to go.  

When the door closed, Epona sat up in bed again, groaning as she moved.  

‘My waist hurts, my legs hurt…’  

At least she was glad her body had been cleaned. But thinking that Karos must have washed her made her face burn again.  

‘Still, it was nice.’  

For the first time, she felt truly loved, and she couldn’t stop smiling. Yet, she still couldn’t shake the image of Karos smiling with another woman.

***

On the first night they spent together, Karos seemed to tell her he loved her with his whole body. But since she hadn’t heard it directly, it had weighed on her heart.  

‘Is it okay to just let it go like this?’  

Come to think of it, today was their wedding anniversary. So much had happened in such a short time, she didn’t know how time had passed.  

Epona had prayed at the Temple of Beatrice from early dawn and returned to the mansion, letting out a long sigh. But somehow, things felt busy around her. Wondering what was happening, she followed the noise and saw Earl Stein moving busily.  

“Earl Stein?”  

“Why, why are you here now?”  

Seeing his obviously flustered face, Epona grew even more confused.  

“Today’s prayers ended early. But why are you here?”  

“It’s nothing, Madame. Please, go to your room for now.”  

If it wasn’t a misunderstanding, he was trying to hide something. Epona’s face turned cold.  

“What are you trying to hide from me?”  

She remembered that at the last party, Karos and Earl Stein had shared a secret conversation. That memory resurfaced, making her feel even more suspicious.  

“I’m not hiding anything! Not at all!”  

Earl Stein flailed his hands in panic. But then, behind him, Epona saw servants carrying something.  

“What are they doing there?”  

“Nothing… Ah, no, Madame! Please, wait!”  

Earl Stein called out urgently from behind, but Epona didn’t look back. She simply hurried over to check what the servants were carrying.  

Strangely, everything the servants held was flowers.  

‘These flowers…’  

They were the same flowers used for her bouquet on the wedding day.  

Epona, as if mesmerized, followed the servants. At the end of the path, a flower garden covered in bright blossoms awaited her.  

“Earl Stein.”  

Earl Stein, following after her, had a troubled expression, his eyes shifting anxiously. Epona looked straight at him and asked,  

“What is all this?”  

“Well…”  

Faced with her determined gaze, Earl Stein finally confessed everything. Epona listened quietly, then entered the mansion again with a firm face.  

‘Young Master asked for it.’  

‘Suddenly, flowers?’  

‘Yes. He insisted on gifting you this flower garden.’  

The conversation with Earl Stein echoed in her mind. Her eyes grew hot, her heart raced wildly, and she felt she might go mad. All she wanted now was to see Karos.  

‘Are you free ten days from now?’  

He had remembered.  

‘Our wedding anniversary.’  

She thought he had forgotten.  

Suppressing her overflowing emotions, Epona ran to the study. But then she remembered something she’d forgotten and returned to her room.  

‘Brooch.’  

She needed to say she hadn’t forgotten their anniversary either. She wanted to let him know.  

‘What kind of expression will he make?’  

Would he be happy, or surprised?  

Honestly, she just wanted to see Karos’s face right now.  

Epona quickly searched her drawer and took out the hidden gift box. Inside was the emerald brooch she had prepared. As she hurried past the parlor with the gift box, she saw a familiar face.  

‘That woman…’  

It was the Flower Shop Lady who had been with Karos. Unconsciously, Epona paused and stared, and when the woman noticed her gaze, their eyes met.  

“Ah, um…”  

Clearly flustered, she tried to hide something, just like Earl Stein had. As Epona approached, the Flower Shop Lady reluctantly revealed what she’d been hiding behind her back.  

It was a bouquet full of the white flowers used for Epona’s wedding bouquet.  

Watching Epona’s reaction, the Flower Shop Lady spoke carefully.  

“This is the bouquet Young Master asked me to give you.”  

When she handed over the bouquet, a white card fell out. Epona picked it up slowly and opened it, unable to say a word.

「Lisianthus – Unchanging Love」

The flowers in the bouquet prepared for her, and the ones filling the garden, were all lisianthus. Epona bit her lip and went to find Karos again.  

He had told her from the start.  

He loved her.  

Her heart swelled so much that she could hear it pounding right next to her ear.  

Maybe she was too hasty. As she hurried down the stairs, she tripped, her body pitching forward. Epona squeezed her eyes shut. But what she felt wasn’t a hard floor, but a firm, warm embrace.  

“You’ll fall.”  

Despite his tense voice, his face was full of worry. Karos didn’t seem to notice her dazed stare, too busy checking if she was hurt.  

“Young Master.”  

“……?”  

Karos, half-kneeling and smoothing her dress, slowly looked up. There was Epona, on the verge of tears, looking down at him.  

“What happened?”  

The moment she rose in surprise, Epona threw herself into his arms. Her small hands gripped his clothes tightly, burrowing deeper into his embrace.  

“Madame.”  

“Just a moment… Just a moment, please.”  

As she gripped his collar tighter, Karos gently patted her shoulder. Even though he didn’t know why, his soothing touch made Epona want to cry.