When You Don’t Get Along With Your Husband - Chapter 22

The old royal etiquette of greeting elders and having meals together every morning.

When viewed positively, it could be called a fine custom, but there were several hidden stories and side effects.

To point out the simplest problem first, there was the enormous area of the castle.

The Queen and Gideon’s quarters were so far apart that it was natural to travel by carriage. This meant that going back and forth every morning was inefficient. Moreover, this etiquette was often abused in quite petty ways.

When relationships were bad, it was common for superiors to make subordinates stand outside for hours, claiming to enforce discipline.

If they picked on every little thing at every meal, people without nerves of steel were prone to indigestion.

“It’s always those without real authority who mistake age for authority.”

Gideon had no intention of throwing the purple cat that had recently come into his arms to the old fox. But Tatiana, while thinking ‘Am I being summoned now? Is this how married life begins?’, said nonchalantly,

“A meal should be fine. If I just keep my mouth shut, there shouldn’t be any mistakes.”

At this, Gideon glared at the innocent Tatiana.

“Leave it. I have no intention of forcing you to do something I don’t do myself.”

He immediately ordered Isabelle.

“Tell them that my wife has dizziness and particularly struggles in the mornings.”

At this, Tatiana, who had been calm all along, was dumbfounded.

Dizziness? You, do you not know who my dad is? From squad leader to a commander of a thousand men… the winner of the Royal martial arts tournament three consecutive times… The strongest in Valter… Ah, it’s too long.

“Your Highness, I’m a Bloom. Who would believe it if I said I had anemia?”

Ah, was that the problem? I’ll fix it right away.

Gideon, with a smirking expression, ordered again.

“Then say I have it. Tell them I’m about to die.”

“……”

Tatiana stared blankly at his solid shoulders and the forearms she had been admiring since yesterday.

If she was Bloom’s daughter, Gideon was Bloom’s most cherished disciple when he was alive. With a body like that, who would believe it?

In fact, people might be even less likely to believe this.

Tatiana thought this excuse wouldn’t make sense logically, but Gideon’s stance was that he didn’t care whether they believed it or not.

Anyway, this was just a bit of spite from the Queen’s quarters, and if they went along with it, they’d be dragged into it continuously in the future.

At that moment, Isabelle, who had been watching their not-quite-argument, offered advice.

“How about suggesting lunch? I’ll tell them that Your Highness wants to join after finishing your morning schedule.”

“Oh, that seems like a very good idea, Isabelle.”

Tatiana, who had been inwardly uncomfortable about going alone, nodded her head vigorously.

Gideon glanced sideways at Tatiana and reluctantly agreed.

Normally, he would have consistently ignored whatever the Queen said, but there was a party in the evening. If the Queen were to pretend to be concerned about the princess’s health at that venue, he would want to shut her mouth.

If she tried to steer the topic towards etiquette and implant the impression that Tatiana was ill-mannered, that would be even more annoying. Bloom was a new family of commoner origin, which could be a weakness in noble society.

As Isabelle bowed her head and left the room, Gideon and Tatiana just stared at each other.

It had been a peaceful morning until just now. When he brushed her bangs, it felt ticklish but quite affectionate, and Tatiana even thought about skipping training and going back to sleep.

But where did that cozy atmosphere go? This must be why married couples can’t exclude their in-laws as potential risk factors.

But why are you more depressed than me?

Tatiana stared blankly at Gideon and pondered how to change the mood.

First, should I suggest that he try to fix that habit of unleashing killing intent at any time? It seems quite scary to ordinary people.

Just then, Gideon, who seemed unlikely to speak, suddenly sighed and said,

“I’ll apologize first.”

She thought she hadn’t contributed to this heavy atmosphere. But hadn’t Gideon not done anything wrong either? Why is he apologizing?

Tatiana asked, puzzled,

“For what?”

“It won’t be a harmonious atmosphere. Tania, I can’t provide you with kind in-laws.”

“……”

“You’ll never be able to enjoy the ordinary life of being doted on by your husband’s parents, even if you live forever.”

It was too honest, the plain truth.

If he had said that this is reality so you should endure and accept it from now on, Tatiana would have been quite displeased, but Gideon had just apologized.

When the other person comes out like this, Tatiana also thinks. You don’t need to take a submissive attitude because of that.

The current Queen was elevated from royal consort to Queen after Gideon and Scarlet’s birth mother passed away. She has Prince Vaikal Ainsler, who is five years younger than Gideon.

It was a presence hard to overlook, and anyone could guess that the relationship between the Queen and Gideon would be awkward.

Tatiana knew all this when she got married. It meant that at least she wasn’t deceived into marriage.

“That’s why I said before that I didn’t want to marry into a family with a lot of drama…”

“But you came anyway.”

That’s what I’m saying.

Tatiana chuckled, but Gideon seemed displeased that she was going back that far.

Tatiana asked Gideon, who was making a crooked expression.

“Then how should I treat that person from now on? Tell me if there’s anything I should be careful about.”

She didn’t have the confidence to rush at the Queen like a fighting c**k, becoming one team with Gideon. She didn’t want to either. But she couldn’t laugh and clap hands with the Queen either. That might put Gideon in an awkward position.

Tatiana intended to match Gideon’s political temperature as much as possible.

And this was one of the blind spots of marriage. Because each of her attitudes and statements lead to her spouse’s position and evaluation, she has to think one more time when she moves. There are countless cases where mutual discussion is necessary.

But Gideon, who was thinking deeply while touching his lips, answered,

“Just do as you usually do, wife.”

As he had thought many times before, he had no intention of forcing Tatiana to do something he wouldn’t do himself.

He hadn’t welcomed her as a subject. He didn’t want to push Tatiana to smoothly play the role of mediator in the name of a wife’s duty. That’s what inferior men do.

“The only thing my wife needs to be careful about from now on is…”

“Yes.”

“Avoiding poisoned food…”

“…What?”

Tatiana, who had been listening, was momentarily stunned.

What? You said I didn’t have to do anything, but you just asked for something really scary.

Gideon, who continued his advice without caring, looked at Tatiana’s dumbfounded face, chuckled, and met her eyes.

“I told you before. If there’s someone who makes you angry, I’ll take care of up to three people. Even without any justification.”

“……”

“My wife just needs to eat well as usual and then quietly let me know if the Queen is one of those three.”

Gideon didn’t show any killing intent while saying this. His voice was so gentle that it even sounded affectionate.

But Tatiana felt strangely cold. She just made another resolution that even if she gets angry in the future, she shouldn’t show it in front of him.

She muttered in a small voice.

“I just want to live quietly, getting along with people as much as possible.”

“What’s that? Are you a pacifist? If you’ve drawn your sword once, you should at least cut some grass. You’re a Bloom, aren’t you?”

“Then I’d rather cut grass.”

“With that?”

Gideon glanced at the famous sword he had gifted.

The sword gleamed uselessly again today. Indeed, it looked too grand to be used for cutting grass or insects.

“Why did you give such an excessive thing? Speaking of which… you made that intending to give it to me from the start, right?”

Gideon avoided giving an immediate answer to that question. But when Tatiana kept looking at him, he answered indirectly.

“My wife should only have the best.”

The best.

Tatiana pondered those words and looked at her forearm.

Certainly, compared to Gideon, it’s a ‘meager’ muscle. It was a condition with many difficulties in wielding a sword. What’s the point of having the best weapon when I’m not the best myself?

She smiled, though a bit bitterly.

“Your Highness, a true master is the best even with a wooden sword, even with a child’s toy. You should be able to prove that at any time.”

“Ah. Still, try to be the best while holding a famous sword.”

Use everything you have. You said you don’t carelessly destroy structures. Why are you trying to take the hard path when there’s an easy one?

Gideon spoke as if he was arguing, seemingly unimpressed by Tatiana’s words, and Tatiana, after thinking for a while, just laughed, feeling that his point was valid too.

* * *