Five years was really long enough. How could it be that the whole world, even the monsters, had seen her bare face, but she wouldn’t show it to her husband? If she were the husband, she would feel somewhat wronged.

Tatiana gave an unnecessary speech about how there should be no secrets between spouses and how they should be truthful to each other.

It wasn’t for any other reason but because in Tatiana’s eyes, her bare face was also pretty. She wanted to see it often.

But had they been talking for too long? There was a knock, and before they could answer, someone abruptly opened the door. It was Gideon.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming to our room?”

He seemed to have just bathed, as his hair naturally flowed down below his eyebrows. In fact, he had finished bathing, lain in bed waiting for a long time, and when his wife didn’t come, he came looking for her himself.

“It’s fine for you two to play together……”

“……”

“But you should sleep with your husband.”

Gideon looked at the darkening window outside, then turned his gaze to the two women lying under one blanket with wide-open eyes. His expression showed disbelief.

But Scarlet demanded very boldly,

“Just let me borrow sister-in-law for one day. You sleep with her every day. We haven’t finished our conversation yet.”

Gideon did not accept this bold request. He didn’t waver at all and didn’t contemplate it for even a second.

“No. One day will become two days, and two days will become three. Save such demands for your own husband.”

“Is my husband here! You sent him to Fullman!”

Oh my, what a surprise.

Tatiana flinched when Scarlet shouted.

Gideon also hesitated, and even the princess herself seemed startled by her own outburst.

Tatiana and Gideon’s gazes shifted toward the princess’s belly. Then they cleared their throats and simultaneously averted their eyes. The message was clear, calm down.

Scarlet muttered, “Oh my, did I startle you? Your uncle is making strange noises…… I’m sorry, little one.”

Tatiana looked at the restless princess and said with a joking smile,

“Why don’t we all play in the large room and sleep together?”

And because of that one joke, everyone turned away from her.

Scarlet was utterly disgusted.

“Sister-in-law.”

“……”

“How could you think of such a thing?”

Gideon was the same.

His expression showed that even the mere thought irritated him immensely. He even turned his back as if to say he would rather sleep alone.

However, after walking a few steps, he looked back at Tatiana, who was still lying on the bed, and frowned.

“……Aren’t you coming?”

Scarlet burst into laughter, saying, “Just look at what he’s doing.” She pointed her finger and laughed in an exaggerated manner, as if taking revenge.

Tatiana, who had been giggling along, averted her gaze uncomfortably when Gideon’s eyes narrowed.

* * *

Tatiana remained with the princess for quite some time afterward. However, concerned about her husband who had left first, she couldn’t focus on the conversation with the same enjoyment as before.

Scarlet looked at her as if she found her cute, then waved her hand without regret, saying she didn’t want to be a nuisance anymore.

When Tatiana hurried to the bedroom a step late, Gideon was lying on his side, propping his chin up while gazing out the window.

‘That posture is bad for your spine, even though he’s already been told.’

She suppressed her playful desire to smack away the wrist supporting his face. Instead, she extended her index finger and slowly traced along his spine.

‘His back really is sensitive.’

It had taken a long time to figure this out because he was always so composed in bed, but Gideon noticeably flinched whenever she touched this area. This time was no exception.

However, he soon turned around with a languid movement. His eyes held a slightly contemptuous look, which almost made Tatiana flare up.

And that’s when it happened. Gideon caught her wrist as it hovered around his back and attempted a throw in an instant.

Finding herself lying on the bed in the blink of an eye, Tatiana twisted her body, but Gideon wasn’t so easily overcome.

He pinned her wrists down on the bed as if restraining her, and she began to think strategically.

What would be the winning strategy to escape this technique? Where should she attack? Were there any openings?

Tatiana deliberately opened her eyes wide.

“Oh? Using force? Wow, that’s really terrible right now. A man using force against his wife, absolutely terrible.”

Her husband was sensitive about his back. But his real weakness lay elsewhere. He hated being criticized by his wife. He always wanted to look good in her eyes.

Sometimes he seemed to not only listen carefully to her casual remarks but also engrave them in his bones.

Sure enough, Gideon hesitated, and in that moment, Tatiana quickly escaped from his grasp. And just as she was about to strike his Adam’s apple with the edge of her hand…

Gideon started to take a defensive stance but let out a hollow laugh. He seemed dumbfounded.

“And what about you, trying to hit your husband’s vital point so……”

They were a couple who shouldn’t even have pillow fights carelessly. If things became serious, there weren’t many people in the world who could stop them.

Besides, they weren’t in the prince’s palace. It would be problematic if they accidentally destroyed someone else’s furniture.

Though it was just play, they reached their usual silent agreement that all their fights should be resolved through conversation.

They lay quietly on the bed, and Gideon pushed back Tatiana’s voluminous hair and said,

“Don’t indulge all of my sister’s whims. You’re tired.”

“……We were just having fun together. I was enjoying it too.”

“Then I’m glad.”

He would be completely exhausted if he had to listen to that vast amount of chatter. What could possibly be so entertaining about it? Gideon found it somewhat difficult to empathize, but since his wife said so, he had no intention of arguing further.

Instead, he pondered ways to enjoyably spend the evening with his wife, whom he had reclaimed with difficulty.

Shouldn’t playing with her husband be more fun than with his sister? After getting married, he didn’t want to hear the sentiment that her husband was just okay but she really got along well with her sister-in-law.

However, it didn’t seem right to look for entertainment in someone else’s castle either.

“Would you like to eat some snacks?”

Surprised by the unexpected suggestion, Tatiana asked,

“What’s the occasion?”

“Just. I’ve heard that commoner couples often do this at night.”

It wasn’t just commoner couples who shared such moments. Noble couples with good relationships also enjoyed chatting while eating roasted snacks by the brazier. After all, winter nights were long.

However, this scene seemed too modest and disconnected to have originated from Gideon’s mind, so Tatiana asked,

“Where did Your Highness hear about such things?”

“From my sister.”

Tatiana nodded with an “Ah,” as if understanding.

But the unfortunate truth was that Tatiana never ate anything right before going to bed. She now ate even raisins and had no food restrictions, but she did have her own strict rules.

Of course, she knew very well that eating a late-night snack once wouldn’t cover her muscles with fat or harm her body.

What Tatiana truly feared was that one time leading to another, and finally becoming a habit. The first time is difficult, but the second and third times become far too easy.

However, she didn’t decline and simply nodded in agreement.

She didn’t want to add even the slightest negative opinion about her husband’s efforts to find ways to spend time with her. She was grateful enough for the thought itself.

Yet she wasn’t just forcing herself to go along with it either. She wanted to experience everything with him, whatever it might be.

Gideon confirmed Tatiana’s willingness and stepped outside the room. When he returned, the basket he carried was filled with chocolates and cookies.

Tatiana chuckled with a “hmm” and picked out the most adorable-looking chocolate. Then she unwrapped it herself and held it up to Gideon’s lips.

Gideon smiled silently, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He seemed to find the act of feeding each other somewhat embarrassing. But looking closely, he also appeared to enjoy it.

‘If you like it, just say so. Come to think of it, you have a bit of pretense.’

Tatiana waved the chocolate in front of his eyes as if urging him.

When he opened his mouth, she wanted to play a trick by quickly pulling her hand back, but she refrained for now, fearing he might never accept food from her again. Building mutual trust came first.

After Gideon put the chocolate in his mouth, she eagerly began unwrapping another piece.

He opened his mouth without any suspicion, but this time she quickly pulled her hand back just as she was about to feed him.

She expected him to make a sour face, asking what she was doing. But Gideon caught her wrist and smiled intently.