Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 5

#5. To His Territory

“Sir Escalión Diete? What’s wrong with him? Seeing him today, he looks like royalty, not just a war hero who made tremendous contributions in the war.”

“His appearance is certainly…! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a strikingly handsome man.”

Following the women’s voices, a male noble’s voice continued.

“He’s so big and sculpted that he looks like a painting when he stands next to the Saintess.”

“I also think they look good together externally. But….”

The nobles’ voices faded for a moment.

“…He’s from a commoner background.”

Hazel, hearing their words, clenched his teeth, ready to burst through the wall at any moment. But Escalión quickly reached out and stopped him.

The nobles continued their conversation, unaware that the person in question was standing behind the wall.

“I heard he doesn’t even have parents? That’s why he received the Duke title directly.”

“No parents? How can someone of such unknown origin be with the Saintess….”

Hazel swallowed hard, looking up at Escalión with a nervous face.

He expected Escalión to be upset, but Escalión was scratching his chin with a surprisingly intrigued expression.

“Isn’t that all thanks to the Pope’s immense generosity?”

“What do you mean?”

While they were eavesdropping behind the wall, the nobles’ voices continued.

“The Papal State does not discriminate against people based on their background. The marriage of the Saintess and a war hero from a commoner background is another way for the Papal State to show that it treats all citizens of the empire equally, regardless of their position or status, and loves everyone.”

“Oh my… Is that so? If that’s the case, then it’s definitely something to celebrate, isn’t it? How wonderful.”

Hearing the woman’s words, the man chuckled and asked.

“Wonderful? Do you really think so?”

After a small, deflating laugh, the woman spat out in a cold voice.

“Of course not. How can I be happy when the only reason I come to the Papal State, the confessional, is disappearing? The only reason nobles consistently visit the Papal State and donate is because of the Saintess. For the Pope to so easily give up the Saintess as a trump card… I find it a bit surprising.”

“I agree. Who will listen to my secrets now? Quite a shame.”

“How can we, like them, presume to fathom the Pope’s heart? Let’s go.”

The sound of nobles leaving in a group could be heard.

Hazel stood still, as if frozen, watching Escalión, who was listening to their conversation, and opened his mouth.

“C, Commander….”

Escalión swept his hair back with a blank expression.

“…So, my wife was just for show for the nobles. I thought all the citizens of the empire loved her with pure hearts, but I guess that’s not the case?”

“Commander, that’s not important right now. They’re talking about you behind your back…!”

“It’s not like they’re wrong. It’s not like I haven’t seen nobles doing shady things once or twice.”

He tilted his head, touching his eyebrows as if annoyed.

The old emperor, who had summoned him from Griblata to the capital a few weeks ago and abruptly told him to marry the Pope’s daughter, came to mind. The emperor, constantly rolling his murky gray eyes, seemed uncomfortable and dissatisfied.

He knew that the emperor was displeased that he, with his humble origins, had suddenly gained the absolute support of the empire’s citizens. Therefore, he also knew that the emperor was offering him not the precious daughter of a powerful family, but a Saintess full of superficial justification as his marriage partner.

At the time, he didn’t want to bother arguing about it in that uncomfortable situation, so he simply said he understood….

Escalión recalled visiting the Papal State to express his intention to decline the marriage proposal.

The intensely trembling blue eyes that seemed frightened, the clear gaze that made him feel dizzy, and even his own intentions that he had unknowingly reversed.

Escalión, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth.

“Hazel, we’re leaving right now.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve changed my mind. Griblata, let’s leave right away.”

To Hazel, who asked back in surprise, Escalión pulled up the corners of his mouth and gave a playful smile.

* * *

Thump, thump.

The carriage shook with irregular movements.

Belladona felt a slight dizziness and nausea and let out a low breath.

“Are you dizzy?”

Escalión, who was sitting across from her with his arms crossed, looking out the window, turned his gaze to her and asked.

Belladona slowly shook her head.

As soon as the wedding ceremony ended, she had to get on the carriage without resting and was on her way to his territory. She looked up at him with resentful eyes.

What was the rush to insist on leaving right away!

“What do you mean, no? Your already pale face has turned even whiter.”

After looking at her, he clicked his tongue once, reached out the window, and stopped the carriage.

It was solely his decision to force the trip to Griblata after the wedding ceremony, so he felt a bit sorry.

“Let’s take a break here.”

As the carriage stopped, the throbbing in her head seemed to subside a little.

Escalión, who got up first, opened the carriage door and jumped out, reaching out his hand to her.

“Come out and get some fresh air.”

Belladona nodded and took his hand.

As she stepped out of the carriage, a cool breeze blew, scattering her bangs.

Ah, feeling the cold wind makes me feel a bit better….

Only then did Belladona, who had come to her senses, look around and see the many knights and servants looking at her with worried faces.

The sight of the already thin and pale Saintess getting out of the carriage with an even whiter face was a great shock to them.

They were much more accustomed to their tall, sturdy master holding her small hand.

The knights and servants stared blankly at their master and mistress, who were clearly contrasting at a glance.

At that moment, a maid who had come with them in the servant’s carriage approached her and cautiously asked.

“Are you alright, Madam…?”

Madam? M, me?

Belladona blinked her eyes.

Facing her bewildered face, the maid quickly lowered her head.

“Ah, I’m Cindy, who will be serving you from now on, Madam! Originally, I was going to go back to the master’s castle and give a formal greeting, but I’m greeting you in advance like this.”

The maid who greeted her was a cute girl exuding a calm but cheerful atmosphere.

Belladona mustered all her strength and gave her the kindest smile she could.

“Ah….”

Cindy blushed, happy to be serving the beautiful mistress.

At that time, Escalión, who had been holding her hand, spoke bluntly.

“Enough with the greetings, at least spread out some cloth for my wife. It looks like she needs to sit down and rest.”

Ah, no, I’m okay….

Belladona quickly reached out to stop him, but Cindy’s movements were faster.

Without hesitation, she turned around, took out several thick blankets from the servants’ carriage, and spread them out widely under a nearby tree.

“Madam, please rest in the shade.”

Belladona gave Cindy a smile of gratitude and then sat down on the blanket that she had neatly laid out.

“…….”

Umm….

Um, wouldn’t it be very… uncomfortable for me if everyone keeps looking at me like that…?

Belladona looked up at Escalión, the knights, and the servants who were only looking at her with a troubled expression.

Escalión, who noticed the signal of distress in her eyes, put his hand on his hip and turned to look at them.

“If you’re done watching, go rest on your own.”

“Ah! Yes… Yes!”

“Understood!”

As the knights and servants creaked and disappeared from view, Belladona finally stretched out her legs and leaned her back against the tree trunk. Whew….

“Is this your first time traveling long distances?”

Escalión asked, plopping down next to her.

Belladona nodded.

Neither in her previous life nor after becoming the Saintess Belladona had she ever traveled far by carriage. In her previous life, she was confined to a narrow farmland, and after becoming Belladona, she was confined to the Papal State….

“It’ll be tough, but bear with it a little longer. That damned territory is located at the northern border, the farthest from Astania.”

“…….”

“If they were going to grant it, they should have given me a better territory. Like a greedy old man, he gave me the worst one out of the many territories he’s holding onto.”

Huh?

Belladona turned to look at him with wide eyes.

W, was that just a comment about His Majesty the Emperor…!

But Escalión shrugged with a very nonchalant expression as he looked down at her.

“What about it? Everyone else tells you things they can’t say anyway, right?”

That’s true, but….

“But from now on, you’ll stop doing that and only listen to me for the rest of your life.”

Belladona felt a sudden tightening in her heart at Escalión’s casually spoken words.

The fact that her married life with him would only last about three months was something only she and the Pope knew. He clearly had no idea that their marriage would end so quickly.

“What are you thinking about again that makes you so serious?”

Escalión’s hot, large fingers touched Belladona’s brow.

Belladona blinked her eyes and leaned her head back against the tree trunk as he applied pressure.

He lowered the hand he had placed on her forehead and covered her eyes with it.

“If you’re tired, get some sleep.”

I’m not sleepy though….

Belladona shook her head and took off his hand that was covering her eyes.

“…Are you more stubborn than I thought?”

Escalión rubbed his lower jaw and looked at her intently.

Ah, no….

Belladona slyly avoided his hot gaze and looked at the distant sky. Ah, the sky is pretty….

“If you’re not sleepy, then I’ll sleep.”

Escalión moved his large body and plopped down, using her lap as a pillow.

Belladona was horrified in her heart and looked down at him lying on her lap. What is this!

“You’re so skinny, there’s no cushion.”

Escalión grumbled.

Am I a pillow!

“I’m going to sleep for a bit. Marriage is more tiring than I thought. So much to worry about.”

Escalión muttered in a low voice and then closed his mouth and began to breathe evenly.

R, really, he’s going to sleep like this? It’s heavy?

Belladona looked down at the man who was acting as he pleased with a dumbfounded face and then shook her head helplessly.

Rather than constantly saying things that made her soul leave her body while he was awake, it seemed much better for him to just fall asleep and keep his mouth shut and be quiet.

Swoosh….

The wind that blew at that moment shook the tender branches of the tree she was leaning against up and down.

A leaf that couldn’t withstand the wind and fell into her view. The tender green leaf fluttered, moving in a soft parabola, and slowly landed on the ground.

‘Free.’

At that moment, Belladona felt, ridiculously, freedom.

Was it because it wasn’t the narrow, dirty farmland filled with the smell of sweat?

Was it because she had escaped the stuffy Papal State that kept oppressing her, holding a secret that no one knew?

Belladona quietly exhaled.