When You Don’t Get Along With Your Husband - Chapter 24

From Tatiana’s experience, he disliked anyone commenting or nitpicking about his marriage. This was true even if it was Tatiana, the other party in the marriage.

And when the Queen uttered one more word, Gideon’s expression completely froze.

“If we had taken a year or two of leisure, perhaps our Vaikal might have formed a marital bond.”

“……”

Tatiana looked at Prince Vaikal Ainsler, who was sitting like a borrowed sack of barley just like her.

Gideon’s half-brother was skinny but quite handsome, proving that royal blood doesn’t lie. However, he seemed even more uncomfortable than Tatiana, who was unfamiliar with such situations.

In a way, it seemed natural. With his mother and half-brother’s auras being so strong, it was clear that an ordinary person wouldn’t dare to intervene.

But Gideon seemed very irritated by the Queen’s words. As if he had to address this, he looked Vaikal up and down. Then, with a cold smile, he spoke as if chewing each word,

“My wife, as you know, inherited Bloom’s blood……”

“……”

“She doesn’t even see ordinary men as men.”

The reason Gideon looked at Vaikal while saying this was obvious. It meant that such an inadequate guy couldn’t even be considered a competitor.

Tatiana almost felt sorry for the second prince, who had been thoroughly drenched by this sudden downpour while just sitting there.

And it seems that even a Queen can’t bear it when her child is targeted? The Queen’s face, which had been smiling with dignity, turned as cold as Gideon’s around that time.

“The food will get cold. Let’s all eat for now.”

Tatiana said, “Yes, Your Majesty,” and bowed her head. But as the Queen unfolded her napkin, she suddenly added as if she had just remembered,

“Ah, if you find the dining etiquette or royal manners difficult, feel free to ask this old person anytime, princess.”

“……”

“It must have been a difficult environment to master perfectly. The Bloom couple would have struggled to pay attention to such things.”

Tatiana, who had been interpreting Gideon and the Queen’s words well, fell into thought for a moment. Interpreting it at this time was difficult.

But being a noble, and not a fool, she understood after pondering it once. That was a roundabout way of criticizing her parents, who were of commoner origin. As if saying, you didn’t receive proper home education, did you?

‘The power struggle of royals is truly childish.’

But Tatiana found it hard to ignore the unpleasant feelings arising. This was inevitable. Isn’t the Queen also reacting like this because her own child was targeted?

Tatiana also found it hard to tolerate insults to her parents.

But she wasn’t used to attacking others with twisted words. It wasn’t that she lacked the will, but she couldn’t think of any words to retort in the moment.

That’s when the authority in this field appeared once again.

Gideon interjected into the conversation at the right moment, narrowed his eyes, and traced the footsteps of a historical figure.

“Madam Bloom was a mage who will go down in Valter’s history, and a scholar who first deciphered ancient inscriptions. The current Master of the Magic Tower lamented that such a genius as her would be hard to find again in this world. She probably memorized all those stuffy etiquette books before the ink on her title deed even dried.”

“……”

“The same goes for Sir Bloom. Most people only remember Sir Bloom as an outstanding swordsman, but he was actually a capable strategist and tactician. Even from the mere position of commander of a thousand men, he led battles to victory.”

“……”

“Originally, swordsmanship is a battle of reading the opponent’s moves, so it’s difficult if you’re not intelligent. Ah, since Mother and my younger brother aren’t familiar with swordsmanship, it might be hard for you to empathize.”

Gideon looked at the Queen and Prince Vaikal in turn, smiling as if apologizing for talking about something only he and his wife would understand.

Tatiana bit the inside of her mouth, feeling embarrassed and also about to laugh inappropriately. Gideon smiled at her too, adding, “Eat, you don’t have to eat the raisins.”

After the meal, Gideon and Tatiana rode in a carriage. Then, at Gideon’s suggestion to walk a bit, they walked, leaving the others behind.

Both were lost in their own thoughts, but their feelings were similar. A bit awkward and sorry towards each other, you could say.

They opened their mouths simultaneously.

“Um, Your Highness.”

“Were you very displeased?”

Tatiana had actually almost been slightly displeased. Her parents were still her whole world.

But because Gideon showed a much more exasperated reaction than her, that emotion had completely disappeared. What remained was feeling sorry for not being able to help and grateful for him taking her side when it must have been difficult.

Tatiana, feeling shy, couldn’t convey that much and just mumbled unnecessarily.

“I feel like I’ve got indigestion.”

“If you want to throw up, do it quickly.”

Gideon raised his palm as if about to pat her back, but Tatiana turned her shoulder away in disgust.

Even if she had to secretly swallow back her vomit, she couldn’t throw up what she ate in front of him. Such humiliation was enough with the tearful sword dance she had shown when she was young.

Gideon, either understanding her refusal sufficiently or feeling that she was fine, chuckled and nodded.

The previous atmosphere, which felt like walking on thin ice, had disappeared, and he was back to his usual self.

To be honest, Tatiana felt like she could understand Gideon a bit better only today.

He is generally kind to Tatiana, but there are times when he shows sensitive moments. He doesn’t enjoy parties and seems to avoid unnecessary conversations with his advisors.

Sometimes she found it puzzling, but after having a meal with the Queen, she understood why. How tired and annoyed must he be, having to deal with people using such two-faced language every time?

Thinking about it again, it might be better to just take off their shirts and have a proper fight.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Gideon snorted and shrugged his shoulders, and Tatiana added something she didn’t really mean.

“So, I was thinking. Maybe I should learn to speak like Your Highness and Her Majesty the Queen.”

Gideon, who had been maintaining a relaxed expression, frowned at those words. He seemed genuinely displeased.

“Don’t learn that kind of thing. Why would you imitate something like that?”

“What if Her Majesty calls for me again? Should I just sit quietly then too? I can’t fight without a sword, you know.”

“After this, she probably won’t call you out of wounded pride. This time was just for reconnaissance.”

“But what if she does call?”

“Then we’ll say I have chronic anemia or something.”

Tatiana stared blankly at his robust body, just like in the morning. Gideon, seeming to understand, changed his words.

“Not chronic, let’s make it acute.”

Tatiana giggled, and by the time they reached the end of the path, even Gideon seemed to be in a better mood, his lips curling up.

As they walked, they soon found themselves in front of the Prince’s quarters. Before heading to his office, Gideon greeted Tatiana.

“See you at the party, Titi.”

For the first time, Tatiana didn’t get annoyed at him teasingly calling her ‘Titi’. Maybe it was her mood. As he said, it really felt like they had gotten a bit closer this time.

He seemed to feel similarly, as he playfully touched Tatiana’s purple hair and said,

“No need to dress up too prettily.”

“…You should do well, Your Highness. Don’t try to outshine me.”

“Me?”

“Even on our wedding day, you took all the style for yourself. I ended up being just a bridesmaid that day.”

After saying that, Tatiana suddenly ran up to her room.

Gideon didn’t know that this was because of the embarrassing and shy feelings that kept popping up today.

He remained alone, tilting his head to one side.

‘I did that to look good for you.’

And you weren’t a bridesmaid that day. …You were beautiful.

He smiled without realizing it and only moved his feet after a long while.

* * *

After Tatiana returned from the Queen’s quarters, the maids were busy moving about. It was because of the party that would be held in the evening.

In fact, these maids were assigned for moments like this. Menial tasks were the job of nameless servants, not the maids’.

Their main duty was ultimately to be a companion to the person they serve. Sharing trends and tastes, and tipping off about rumors currently stirring up the social world.

The head maid Isabelle asked out of habit to choose Tatiana’s dress.

“How is His Highness Gideon dressing today? Did he give any specific instructions…?”

But Isabelle quickly realized this wasn’t Princess Scarlet’s quarters.

While a battle-like situation would be unfolding in the Princess’s quarters by now, Tatiana was a completely different type of person from Princess Scarlet, who was at the forefront of fashion. Gideon wasn’t much better.