Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 6

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 6. Griblatta Castle (6/130)

#6. Griblatta Castle

2024.03.06.

‘So refreshing…….’

Belladonna glanced down, taking in the distant sky, the occasional falling leaves, the knights resting in the distance, and the seemingly content servants.

She looked at Escalión, who was breathing rhythmically, appearing to be truly asleep.

He looked much like he did when they had first encountered each other on the way back west from the Papal State.

This man, who radiated a dangerous aura when awake, seemed to have that intensity softened in his sleep.

Strangely, the sleeping man seemed almost like an innocent child.

Belladonna unconsciously reached out and gently touched his prominent brow bone.

‘His eyebrows are really thick…….’

They must be twice as thick as mine, she mused.

She admired him for a moment, then slowly moved her finger along his forehead, down the bridge of his sharp nose.

Looking at him closely, she could understand why the maids kept blushing when they looked at him.

‘He is handsome, I must admit.’

Her hand, which had been resting on the bridge of his nose, drifted down little by little.

Belladonna’s slender finger finally touched his thick lips.

‘So soft…….’

Belladonna touched his lips as if entranced.

Her hand, moving freely without hesitation, was suddenly caught, and he opened his eyes and abruptly sat up. It all happened in an instant.

Belladonna stared at the golden eyes that were now inches from her face.

The golden eyes, which had been staring intently at her, curved into a crescent shape.

“My wife is a repeat offender.”

W-What!

Belladonna’s face flushed.

Escalión spoke with a leisurely smile.

“She keeps touching her husband whenever she gets the chance, and she keeps groping him…….”

When did I ever!

Belladonna blushed, completely forgetting that she had been touching his face just moments ago.

She struggled, trying to pull her hand from his grasp.

Escalión smiled even more deeply and brought his face closer to hers.

“Are you that impatient? We’ll arrive at the estate in no more than four days, no matter how late it gets?”

Belladonna shook her head vigorously with all her might.

No! No! I can be patient!

Then, Escalión suddenly raised his hand and cupped her cheek.

“I can’t be patient.”

His hot breath was very close.

Belladonna was so surprised that she couldn’t even breathe properly and looked up at him.

“…….”

At that moment, Escalión’s eyes darkened.

Belladonna recalled the kiss at the wedding ceremony and closed her eyes without realizing it.

I, I don’t know……!

“Your Highness! One of the horses pulling the carriage has been acting up since earlier……. Ugh, s-sorry!”

At that moment, one of the knights, who had been approaching from behind without thinking, shouted as he was giving a report to Escalión.

Having realized that the Duke and Duchess were in a compromising position, he was startled and jumped back, turning away.

Belladonna, also surprised by the sudden appearance of the knight, opened her eyes wide and looked up at Escalión in front of her.

He was frowning with a very annoyed expression.

“Haa…….”

He let out a low sigh and slowly turned his head.

Then, he glared at the knight with his darkly shining golden eyes.

“Do I have to manage every single horse myself? If a horse is acting up, you can coax it, soothe it, or give it more food.”

“S-Sorry. I will do as you command.”

“……Which horse is it, anyway.”

Having said that, Escalión turned away from her.

He stood up completely and glanced back at Belladonna, who was still sitting on the blanket, before speaking.

“Rest for a while. Since there’s no one bothering you, you’ll be able to rest more comfortably.”

Belladonna nodded slightly.

As he followed the knight, who was hurriedly guiding the way, she stroked her chest and let out a breath she had been holding in.

Oh, that was close……. That could have been a disaster.

* * *

The arduous carriage journey to the estate finally came to an end three days later, very late at night.

Even that would have taken much longer if they hadn’t used the public portals [magical teleportation gates] located along the road.

Belladonna looked out the window at Escalión’s estate, which was shrouded in darkness.

Griblatta.

The name of the northern estate that Escalión had personally received from the Emperor, and the name of the place where she would be staying for the next three months.

“It’s too dark to see anything.”

Escalión, who had been sitting with his eyes closed on the seat across from her, slowly opened his eyes and said.

“It’s better that way. There’s nothing worth seeing yet.”

Belladonna diligently looked outside, ignoring his words.

As Escalión had said, it was very dark, but thanks to the estate residents diligently lighting fires to welcome their lord, she could make out the simple and plain scenery of the village.

Despite the late hour, the estate residents came out to the streets in front of their houses and stood in line along the procession of carriages.

They were smiling brightly, chattering, and throwing flower petals at the knights, even though it was dark. It was a heartwarming sight.

‘It feels similar to the place I lived in my previous life.’

Belladonna smiled without realizing it, feeling a sense of familiarity with the scenery.

It was a place where she had experienced many hardships, but also many cherished memories.

“…….”

Escalión rested his chin on his arm, leaning against the window frame, and quietly watched her looking out the window.

He wondered what she found so amazing and enjoyable.

It was captivating to watch her turn her head this way and that like a child, looking around at everything.

The Saintess of Astanya seemed to give her heart to such simple things easily.

He snorted softly, but he didn’t take his eyes off her.

Even though it was a dark night, her sparkling blue eyes kept catching his attention.

The carriage passed through the village and headed towards the castle located in the deepest part of the estate.

The sound of knights talking could be heard from the front, and the huge castle walls opened with a groan of old wood.

Even after that, the carriage continued for a long time before finally stopping completely in front of the castle gate.

“Lord, Madam, thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”

The old butler, who opened the door of the carriage, bowed his head.

Escalión jumped out first and reached out his hand to Belladonna.

Belladonna took his large, firm hand, which she had grown accustomed to, and got out of the carriage.

“This man is the butler of this castle. He is in charge of the overall affairs of the castle, so if there is anything you don’t know, find him and ask him.”

“My name is Volf. I will do my best to assist the Madam in adapting to this place.”

Belladonna nodded and gave him a bright smile.

Volf returned a soft smile as if to reciprocate her warmth.

He looks like a very kind grandfather…….

“It’s very late, so please go to your bedroom quickly. I will order hot water to be prepared in the bathroom.”

“Yes, and give hot water and plenty of food to the knights and attendants who have worked hard.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Escalión, who gave Volf other simple instructions, let go of Belladonna’s hand and strode up the stairs leading into the castle.

As he disappeared, the maids, including Cindy, came to her.

“Madam, please come with us.”

Belladonna nodded and followed them.

Belladonna, who entered the castle following Cindy, found herself in a lobby with high ceilings and a more elegant atmosphere than she had expected.

Wow, Escalión’s taste is more sophisticated than I thought?

Although she had only seen luxurious mansions outside the Papal State, even to Belladonna, who didn’t have much experience with such things, his castle had a pretty cool atmosphere.

“I’m sorry. Thanks to our Lord living alone as a bachelor all along…… the castle is rather humble.”

Huh? This is humble?

Volf, who had been following them, spoke, noticing Belladonna’s expression.

“No matter how much we told him to renovate it, he wouldn’t even listen……. We also haven’t touched it separately, so from now on, you can rearrange and decorate this castle as you wish.”

But I don’t know how to do it?

“We will call a merchant as soon as possible, so please take a look at it step by step.”

Volf added in a polite tone.

Belladonna looked over the spacious lobby once again.

No matter how she looked at it, it wasn’t at all humble…….

“Madam, please go up to the second floor.”

Belladonna took her eyes off the lobby and nodded to Cindy, moving to the central staircase leading to the second floor.

The heavy carpet covering the stairs, the beautiful landscape paintings and decorations adorning the walls. Moreover, even the neat vases placed in just the right spots…….

It was an interior that didn’t seem to have been touched by Escalión, who was a knight.

‘……It seems like someone has already meticulously taken care of it before I came?’

Belladonna followed Cindy up the stairs with a puzzled face.

“This way.”

Cindy went up to the second floor and pointed to a room with the door open on the right side of the hallway.

As she entered the room, she saw a wide window facing the outside, a bed facing the window, a dressing table, a few small shelves, and an empty space with an entrance to the bathroom.

“This is the space where the Madam will be staying from now on. I think you can gradually fill this place with your taste.”

Belladonna nodded with an awkward smile.

“You must be very tired from the long journey, right? I’ll help you take off your clothes, so please go and sit in front of the dressing table over there.”

Belladonna sat demurely in front of the dressing table chair, which looked almost brand new.

‘It’s different from just sitting and smiling without any opinions…….’

Belladonna sighed inwardly.

In the Papal State, everything was solved by just sitting still, smiling, and nodding.

After all, she shouldn’t have any opinions in the Papal State, and she just had to sit and smile as the Pope told her to.

‘But this place is completely different.’

It was only for three months, but Belladonna had become the mistress of this castle.

Even if she didn’t want to do anything, it was obvious that the head maid and maids would ask her for various opinions.

‘I should convey my opinions by writing on paper…….’

Belladonna looked at herself in the mirror, wondering which method would be the most effective.

The maids were busily taking off her hair accessories and unbuttoning the back of her dress.

As she sat still, Belladonna became bored and unconsciously reached out and opened the dressing table drawer.

Creak.

“…….”

Huh? What is this?

Belladonna looked inside the drawer with a bewildered face.

In the space she had naturally expected to be empty, there was a necklace crafted with splendid and sparkling rubies.

“…….”

Moreover, it was a necklace with clear traces of someone having used it before.