When emotions overtake the head, it’s easy to get injured. However, Kay looked even more uncomfortable when the royal member offered an apology. She could feel that he found this situation very awkward and wanted to leave.

If she felt that, she should stop tormenting him and let him go. Tatiana asked, as if testing him, bringing up the Duke’s words.

“They say it’s a technique for killing people……”

“……”

“What do you think about that, you who use similar techniques to mine.” 

 Kay sighed at that, and Tatiana became certain from that simple reaction.

You heard, didn’t you? Hey, you eavesdropped on my conversation with the Duke. Could he hear from far away with sharp ears, or was his stealth skill that good?

Sometimes she felt his presence and sometimes not, making her uncertain, but he was impressive in many ways.

Though Tatiana was secretly impressed, Kay was in a position where he couldn’t ignore even a small question from the prince’s consort. After contemplating for quite a while, he answered quietly.

“It’s not something Your Highness should take to heart.”

“……”

“Though I’m not sure if I, not being a knight, have the right to say this, but knights are not butchers. They’re different from that, Your Highness.”

“……I see.”

Tatiana nodded with a bitter smile.

In fact, she thought the same as Kay. They were words she was grateful  for, and perhaps what she wanted to hear from others. But they didn’t provide much comfort or suddenly boost her strength. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that the situation was flowing strangely and dangerously.

Tatiana waved Kay away, telling him to go. Then, remaining alone at the training ground, she mulled over her conversation with the Duke.

Her figure sitting with her back to the setting sun looked unusually gloomy and lonely. 

***

 The newlyweds were both in a bad mood tonight. 

 In the evening, Gideon received several reports from his subordinates. One of them stated that Duke Muller was reinforcing his private army. 

 ‘To what extent?’ 

 ‘……’ 

 ‘You haven’t figured that out yet? Are you perhaps trying to play games with me?’ 

 Gideon looked at his subordinates with an expression that genuinely wondered how useless these trash could become, if they could be fixed for use, and if people could also be recycled. 

 However, nobles hiring mercenaries for protection wasn’t particularly unusual. Moreover, the Duke had recently suffered an unfortunate incident. It was a very natural response and measure for someone who felt their life was threatened to increase their security personnel. 

 Gideon merely pondered how he could make an issue of this. He also instructed his adjutants to find ways to connect this to his younger brother. 

 But until then, his mood, which hadn’t been too bad, began to gradually decline afterward. It was because of Kay’s report, though that was just one of the triggers. 

 Gideon had been ready to become quite sensitive from the moment he saw Tatiana sitting absent-mindedly at the training ground. 

 As his killing intent along with the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, his adjutants carefully observed his mood. 

 ‘The Duke.’ 

 ‘Yes, Your Highness.’ 

 ‘I wonder what kind of things he’s been saying to my wife and how.’ 

 ‘……’ 

 ‘Why can’t my wife properly refute when she hears such nonsense? She has backbone.’ 

 Gideon still felt irritated whenever he thought about how the Duke had subtly disparaged Tatiana’s swordsmanship. He felt enraged remembering how Tatiana had sat quietly at the table listening to those words. 

 And now, to call it a technique for killing people… He could only think that the Duke must be desperately eager to die. 

 Gideon didn’t think the Duke was wrong. He had not even a speck of desire to waste time engaging in philosophical debates about it. 

 But even he, a prince, always chose and was careful with his words in front of his wife, so how dare someone like the Duke speak so carelessly. In front of my wife who has lived her whole life pursuing the sword, who does he think he is. 

 Gideon couldn’t swallow his unpleasant feelings. He was so displeased that throughout the evening, he wore the face of a germaphobe who had put on mud-stained clothes. 

 And when he entered the bedroom after finishing all his duties, Tatiana’s situation wasn’t much different. 

 The two lay side by side in bed, both wearing expressions as if they had something bitter in their mouths. 

 But isn’t it strange? While thinking ‘ha, how annoying,’ Gideon was still twirling Tatiana’s hair with his fingers. That touch was very gentle and affectionate, unlike his terrible mood. 

 Tatiana also fidgeted with Gideon’s shoulder while pondering how to bring up the topic. Just like someone trying to tickle him unconsciously. 

 And then, it’s unclear who started first. 

 Though Gideon was the one who overlapped their lips, it wasn’t as if someone had ordered Tatiana to cling to his neck, so there was no one person to blame. 

 Suddenly finding herself straddling Gideon, she thought how frightening habits could be. 

 Gideon caressed her lower back and asked while moving beneath her. 

 “Haa, I hear you went to the barracks again?” 

 “Yes……” 

 “Why do you keep going there? Were you perhaps bored? Is the plaything I gave you not enough?” 

 Plaything? What plaything? 

 After thinking for a while, Tatiana frowned and said, “Could it be…” 

 “Kay?” 

 Though Gideon spoke first and showed his malice by treating someone like a toy, he twisted his lips as if disliking her words. Strength entered his previously gentle movements. 

 “For another man’s name comes too easily in bed, not considering how the listener feels.” 

 “……” 

 “Just play with him moderately. Don’t irritate me.” 

 Tatiana gripped his shoulder with an “Ah!” And as soon as she realized spite had entered his movements, she frowned. 

 What did I do so wrong for him to suddenly act mean? She felt like crying from the unfairness of it all. 

 She clenched down below as if in protest. Gideon barely suppressed the rising sensation with an “ugh,” then laughed in disbelief. 

 “Haa, you’ve learned to attack even in bed?” 

 “Your Highness…… first to me…… I-I’m really going to get angry.” 

 “Alright, alright. I was wrong, so stop glaring.” 

 “Why? Are you scared?” 

 “Because you’re like a cat. Stop glaring unless you’re going to meow for me.” 

 Gideon stroked her arms as if soothing and coaxing her, then moved his hips again. It was a gentle movement, no different from usual. 

 Was she reassured by just that? Or did she want to address things more clearly now that the topic had come up? Tatiana continued to press the issue that had surfaced. 

 “Father was injured…… uh, that’s why I went.” 

 “Who, ha, is your father.” 

 My father-in-law is currently buried in the patriotic martyrs’ tomb. 

 Though Gideon sneered, Tatiana didn’t stop. 

 “But there I met His Highness, uh, Vaikal.” 

 “……Now another name comes up. Are you mentioning this knowing you almost married that young brat?” 

 Tatiana punched his shoulder with her fist as if saying ‘why are you really being like this,’ telling him to be reasonable. 

 Gideon laughed and blocked her words with his lips as if telling her to be reasonable too. Then he moved his body skillfully, urging her to focus on him. 

 It was a strange situation. Their bodies desperately craved each other while completely different thoughts floated in their heads. 

 She wanted to shake off those distracting thoughts through this act, but also wanted to use this as an opportunity to bring up those uncomfortable topics. But it seems she didn’t fully succeed at either. 

 Even so, their bodies responded honestly, and the two breathed heavily while joined together. And Gideon was the one who first concluded this conversation. 

 “Your adoptive father…… No, I’ve been unhappy about this for a while, let’s be clear about titles from now on.” 

 “……” 

 “Duke Muller will side with the Queen. He already has been. The knight’s oath is just part of the evidence I have.” 

 “……” 

 “Things will be very noisy for a while. Now you need to distance yourself from that side too, Titi.” 

 Tatiana felt like she was confirming the identity of the anxiety she had felt all day. But this was too sudden for her. Did it really have to go this far, was there no way to turn things back? 

 She carefully spoke while holding her husband’s hand. 

 “What if I try talking to Father once more……” 

 He laughed “Ha!” and shook his head. 

 “No. There’s no need for that.” 

 “……” 

 “Wife. I spoke clearly. Keep your distance.” 

 Gideon cut off her words at once as if they weren’t even worth mentioning. His attitude was so firm it became one-sided. 

 In fact, Tatiana even thought he was being somewhat coercive right now. 

 Why? She had thought until now that she and her husband communicated fairly well. Though perhaps not excellent character, she felt he was someone always ready to listen to her words. She thought that was enough. 

 Confused and perplexed, she asked him. 

 “Do you mean I shouldn’t get involved in this issue from now on? To step back?”