It was quite a plausible idea for something hastily contrived. But Tatiana thought this might also be problematic. What if her nephew liked it too much……

“If he keeps asking me to make more…… that would be a problem.”

Would Evan tire first, or would her magic run out first? She couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be the latter.

Gideon and his adjutants stood at a distance, watching the scene through the glass.

Gideon had the same thought as the villagers. Assassins and rattles—such an ill-fitting combination made him chuckle repeatedly.

When encountering a close and welcome person in an unfamiliar place, everyone’s mischievous side emerges at least once. You just want to surprise them.

Gideon was someone who could play such pranks. However, he also knew well that surprising his wife was nearly impossible. If he moved any closer, she would undoubtedly notice.

Gideon quietly waited outside until Tatiana finished her toy shopping. And as soon as she paid and stepped out the door, he called her nickname.

“Titi.”

He realized that this soft call was enough to surprise his wife. Her emerald eyes widened, and her bewildered expression soon changed into a smile as wide as a basin.

Tatiana was so delighted that he felt not only that it was worth waiting quietly outside but also a sense of satisfaction.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Tatiana quickly approached her husband. This unexpected encounter was even touching, and she realized anew in this moment, I really do like my husband a lot.

“How did you get here?!”

“Through a gate.”

“No, that’s not what I’m asking.”

Tatiana chided him for his dry answer but kept smiling. She was so happy that she wanted to hug him tight right in the middle of the main street.

She actually tried to do so. But she hesitated momentarily because of the colorful rattle in her hand.

“Your Majesty, what do you think of this?”

Tatiana proudly showed off the toy. The bell sound that rang out on the street was truly melodious. Though he had been watching all along, he pretended not to know and asked.

“What is this?”

“A gift for Evan. When you’re on a business trip, you should buy something, right?”

“……”

Until then, Gideon hadn’t given it much thought, but those words put him in a peculiar mood.

Ah, a business trip gift.

He didn’t want to be a man who felt jealous of his young nephew. He didn’t think he was that childish. But words flowed out unconsciously, and he just asked.

“What about mine?”

“……”

“You only bought a gift for your nephew and nothing for your husband?”

Tatiana paused.

……Huh? Is this happening again? I didn’t think about this situation?

* * *

Gideon and Tatiana climbed the steep mountain range to move to the training site.

Though it was an unofficial schedule, Gideon also needed to observe the knights’ and mages’ training.

When the king appeared, the two groups that had been growling at each other just moments ago froze. Some suddenly pretended to be friendly with the other side. The mages were definitely more adept at this kind of behavior.

“That was truly an excellent technique.”

If the other side approached like this, it would be good to respond with appropriate humility and coordination. But one knight who had accumulated many grievances grumbled as if it were ridiculous.

“Just earlier you were scolding us to hurry up and strike……”

Tatiana felt somewhat embarrassed by their behavior. The head of the knights and mages is the king. But she wasn’t sure why she should feel shame instead of Gideon.

Gideon must have heard the knights’ complaints, but his expression showed it didn’t matter much.

He looked over to where the assassins were, and they paid their respects with discipline before immersing themselves in training again. Gideon merely scanned that scene with somewhat indifferent eyes as well.

Finally, his gaze settled on the tent Tatiana had built. Unlike before, a subtle smile seeped into his blue eyes.

“You’ve made it quite cozy.”

“Right? Even I think my skills are improving day by day.”

Tatiana proudly invited Gideon inside, and Gideon entered his wife’s space with a small laugh. He even remembered to say “Excuse me” as if he were a guest invited to someone else’s home.

Unlike the sturdy and neatly built exterior, the inside of the tent was chaotic.

There were countless items that could trip you if you weren’t careful. The ink bottle showing its bottom was one such thing, and books and papers were piled everywhere. Military manuals in circulation, drafts of the swordsmanship book Tatiana was newly writing, soldiers’ training journals, the state of the dead tree ahead and its magical responses……

“You’ve worked hard.”

He too had been cooped up in his office working after Tatiana left. But perhaps she had been much more diligent in her duties here than he had been.

Gideon sat down and picked up one of the notebooks. It was the soldiers’ training journal. Without having to spend a long time observing the training, this alone would be enough to know how they had spent the week.

The technical characteristics of each knight were densely written on the paper. Not only were their strengths detailed, but also their weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. There were many traces of lines being vigorously crossed out and rewritten in the advice section, suggesting she had given it much thought.

Before finishing flipping through the notebook, Gideon thought: This is something that should absolutely not be leaked outside the Royal Guard. While it could be the foundation for knights to improve their skills, conversely, for outsiders, it would be no different from a strategy guide for each individual Royal Guard member.

Admiration gleamed in Gideon’s eyes, and Tatiana felt somewhat proud.

At the same time, she was embarrassed by these traces of everyday life and belatedly began tidying up the tent. She put away books and writing supplies together, and the next in line were household items.

As she neatly folded the military blanket and placed a pillow on top, Gideon, who was watching, frowned. He read traces of sleep in the dented pillow.

“With monsters roaming around nearby, you can sleep in a place like this?”

“I didn’t sleep here. I just lay down briefly.”

“Still.”

What’s with the “still” when I said I slept at the fortress? Tatiana pouted her lips when her husband scolded her. But she soon smiled faintly.

In fact, she was feeling extremely happy right now. There was only one reason, Gideon had come to see her.

He had seen her off to the training camp without showing any displeasure, and then he simply came because he missed her. And he timed it to coincide with when her schedule was nearly finished.

Tatiana felt this was quite a healthy approach. It was a hundred, a thousand times better than interfering or being spiteful. And when she kept smiling and couldn’t hide her expression, Gideon asked.

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes, I was surprised. I didn’t know you would come.”

“Not that.”

What else?

When Tatiana looked puzzled, Gideon calmly added.

“I mean, are you that happy about me.”

“……”

What kind of narcissistic statement was this?

But Tatiana knew Gideon wasn’t particularly full of self-love. He simply wanted to hear from his wife’s lips that she liked him. So she would tell him.

“Yes, I like you.”

“……”

“I said I like you.”

Tatiana wrapped her arms around his neck saying “I like you, okay?” and Gideon chuckled. He had made the right decision to come. He was happiest when with his wife.

But while he was immersed in this clear feeling of happiness, Tatiana suddenly expressed an apology. It was something she had been keeping in mind all along.