Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 22

#22. Imbued with Emotion

March 22, 2024

Belladonna swayed gently on the slowly moving horse, lost in thought.

Escalion was a knight defined by his loyalty.

It was likely ingrained in his very nature, a way of life further solidified by his years of service as a knight.

‘So, he’s being this good to me, his only family and wife…’

Realizing that his infinitely kind demeanor stemmed from loyalty brought a bittersweet feeling, even though it was perfectly understandable.

‘Even regarding the mistress he hasn’t completely resolved…’

She suspected he was gradually taking care of things behind the scenes.

And that the time to tell her everything would come when he felt it was right.

Belladonna sighed, a complicated breath. A plume of white vapor escaped in the now-chilled air.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Escalion, noticing her sigh, asked from behind.

Belladonna quickly shook her head.

“Not cold either?”

Belladonna shook her head again, diligently.

She wasn’t cold at all, as Escalion was holding her close from behind, providing warmth.

He chuckled softly and urged the horse to move faster.

Belladonna looked back at the village, now appearing as a small dollhouse in the distance.

How far are we going?

He stopped the horse about 20 minutes after leaving the village and picking up speed.

Belladonna turned to him with a puzzled look as he stopped in the middle of what seemed like nowhere in the forest.

Why did he bring me here?

The snowy white forest resembled a beautiful winter kingdom.

Escalion jumped off the horse and turned to extend his arm to her.

“Be careful.”

As Belladonna carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders, he lifted her effortlessly and set her safely on the ground.

Standing on solid ground, Belladonna felt like an excited child as she looked around.

‘This is a first…’

Perhaps because it was a forest in a cold region, trees with sharp, pointed leaves, rarely seen in Astagne, surrounded them.

Belladonna reached out and touched the seemingly sharp leaves.

The soft leaves lowered, dropping the accumulated snow beneath her hand.

“Let’s go that way.”

Belladonna, who had been touching the leaves for a while, turned her head towards him.

Escalion had unloaded all the luggage from the horse, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and was striding towards the opposite side.

Wait for me!

Belladonna quickly followed after him.

Her legs, hurrying as she gazed at his broad back, suddenly stopped completely.

‘Wow…’

Passing through the pointed trees, an open view unfolded before her eyes.

There was a lake, brightly shining under the sunlight.

A beautiful lake, shining so brightly it was dazzling.

She felt like she was visiting a lake straight out of a fairy tale book, the only one in her neighborhood that children passed around and read many times when she was very young.

“Come down carefully.”

Escalion, who had gone down to the lakeside first, turned and reached out his hand to her.

Belladonna, who had been blankly staring at the lake, took his strong hand and went down.

After confirming that Belladonna had safely descended, he stepped on the edge of the water and stomped his feet.

Soon, he raised the corners of his lips and said.

“It’s completely frozen.”

Frozen?

Belladonna looked down at his feet.

Looking closely, the lake was indeed frozen solid, just as Escalion had said.

Ah…! Was that why it was shining so brightly?

Escalion went completely onto the lake and began to glide as if he were skating.

He walked from the edge to the center and back, wearing a satisfied smile, and returned to Belladonna.

“It seems quite thick. Will you come over here?”

Belladonna’s eyes sparkled as she carefully stepped onto the solid frozen lake.

Astagne was a city where it didn’t snow even in winter.

The river that flowed through Astagne also never froze, even in winter.

Standing on such a large sheet of ice was a completely new experience for her.

‘It’s slippery…!’

She took a step as if it were solid ground, without thinking, and slipped.

If Escalion hadn’t quickly reached out and grabbed her, she would have undoubtedly fallen on her bottom.

Belladonna looked at him with wide eyes.

How do I walk?

“Our elegant saintess doesn’t seem to know how to walk on ice,” he said playfully.

“Don’t try to walk, just slide. Do it like I did.”

Like Escalion did?

Belladonna tried walking on the ice, pushing her feet forward as he had done a moment ago.

“You’re getting good quickly. Just don’t go too far.”

A satisfied voice came from behind.

Belladonna couldn’t hide the corners of her mouth from constantly lifting as she slid across the ice.

Ah, this is fun!

Escalion, standing far away and watching her wobbly movements, stared at her with an unknowingly deepening gaze.

The same smile he had seen at the sea last time.

Not the unnatural smile that always seemed like a thin mask, but that innocent face that came from the heart.

Perhaps, he wondered if he had brought her all the way to this remote place because he wanted to see that smile one more time.

Belladonna, who had gone far away without realizing it, stopped her legs.

She had been so excited and moving forward without realizing it, that she was now in the middle of the lake.

Even though Escalion had confirmed that it was solid, if the ice suddenly shattered, she, who couldn’t swim, would be trapped in the water.

As soon as she had that scary thought, her legs suddenly felt paralyzed and stiff, and she couldn’t move.

‘Come and help me!’

Belladonna awkwardly raised one arm and gestured to him.

Escalion, who had been watching her from afar, moved his long legs and quickly approached her.

‘Phew, that’s a relief…’

Belladonna reached out to him and grabbed both of his arms.

Escalion looked down at Belladonna, who was leaning on him, and smiled pleasantly.

He found her hands, held them, and began to slowly back away towards the shallow area.

“Were you scared? I thought I had gained a brave wife, but it turns out I gained a cowardly one.”

Belladonna, being dragged by him, looked down.

Below the transparent ice, there was an abyss of unknown depth.

I should just play gently in the shallow areas…

As Escalion was holding her and moving her to the shallow side, a sharp piece of ice caught on the tip of Belladonna’s foot, who was standing still and being dragged along.

‘Ah!’

Belladonna, who had been so tense, was startled and flailed her legs wildly, falling forward.

Escalion, also surprised, reached out his arm to support her as she fell.

“Watch out…!”

But he realized that his hand was heading towards her chest, and he inadvertently pulled his hand away, ultimately losing his balance as well.

Thud!

Ugh… That hurts…

No… It doesn’t hurt at all?

She had expected to crash onto the hard ice floor, surely breaking her nose or knee, but she was lying on something soft.

Belladonna frowned and opened her eyes.

What is it?

“…!”

Before her eyes, Escalion’s face filled her vision.

Belladonna’s eyes widened.

Escalion also seemed very surprised, wearing an uncharacteristically flustered expression.

So, Belladonna was lying on top of him, having crushed him as she fell.

“…”

Belladonna, having grasped the situation, moved her knees to get up from on top of him.

S-Sorry…

“Ugh.”

Escalion, who was pinned beneath her, groaned softly.

Kyaa! Sorry! Did I press on a bad spot?

Belladonna, startled, lifted the knee that had been pressing down, but then lost her balance again and flailed, falling onto his upper body.

Escalion raised one hand and held her tightly, preventing her from rolling down.

“Ha…”

Above her head, she heard his low sigh.

Belladonna couldn’t lift her face in embarrassment.

She buried her face in Escalion’s chest and listened to the pounding of his heart.

Hmm…? A pounding heartbeat?

She thought it was hers, but the sound she heard was much louder and clearer than her own.

Belladonna listened carefully.

The rapidly beating heart was coming from Escalion’s chest, not from within her own body.

After hearing that sound, ridiculously, her face began to heat up.

Belladonna blinked her eyes rapidly, not knowing what to do.

“Bella.”

Then, his voice resonated softly through their pressed bodies.

“I’m going to get up. You might wobble a bit.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Escalion braced himself on the ice with his thick arms and raised his upper body.

Belladonna, who had been on top of him, naturally slid down and nestled into his arms as he sat on the ice.

Embarrassing…

She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the face properly.

Belladonna lowered her head and looked down.

“…Lift your head.”

Escalion reached out and lifted her chin.

Her eyes, forced to lift, met his gaze.

Escalion spread his palms and cupped her red, flushed cheeks.

He wondered if they were red from the cold weather, but the warmth beneath his palms was distinct.

Belladonna’s trembling eyelashes, looking up at him with a bewildered expression, were more stimulating than he had expected.

Escalion felt his mouth drying up without him even realizing it.

“…”

Belladonna was also flustered by her constantly pounding heart and blinked her eyes.

An excessively hot heat was flowing from Escalion’s closely pressed body.

The sight of his ears flushed red stole her gaze.

She thought it was beautiful how his tanned skin was flushed red.

Belladonna slowly turned her eyes towards his golden eyes.

Two gazes, filled with heated emotions, collided in the air.

Soon, Escalion, having moved his Adam’s apple once, slowly lowered his head towards her.

As Belladonna closed her trembling eyes, he also closed his eyes.

The faint white breath they exhaled intertwined with each other.

Escalion’s large palm strongly pulled the back of Belladonna’s head.