Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 9

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 9. Sparkling Azure Sea (9/130)

#9. Sparkling Azure Sea

2024.03.09.

Belladonna leisurely finished her breakfast and, with Cindy’s help, returned to her room to wash up and prepare herself anew.

Today, she was scheduled to tour the castle with Volf’s guidance and receive explanations about the estate.

“Madam, did you sleep well?”

Belladonna nodded and smiled.

“Last night, an unexpected north wind blew in, causing the temperature to drop sharply. I regret not providing you with thicker blankets in advance; I was concerned that you might have been too cold.”

Cold?

Belladonna rolled her eyes, recalling the previous night.

Escalion had been stuck to her like glue, making her feel anything but cold—rather, hot and stuffy.

She shook her head and offered another smile.

“I’m glad to hear that. Then, please, this way.”

Volf smiled kindly and guided her outside.

“Griblatta generally has a cold climate. The irregularly blowing north wind doesn’t allow tender sprouts to grow.”

Belladonna followed his explanation, looking down at the estate visible below the castle.

It was truly a desolate land, with little sign of lush greenery.

“Because of this, the farmers mainly plant crops that can withstand the harsh climate, and other necessary crops are procured from the south through trade among merchants.”

So, commerce must be well-developed.

Belladonna quietly raised her hand, pointing to the sparkling azure sea in the distance.

That’s the sea…….

“Yes, that’s correct. Fortunately, the sea is located not far away, so the movement of trade caravans is active through the port.”

Volf explained in detail about Griblatta’s sociocultural characteristics, geography, climate, history, and more.

She couldn’t understand everything, but she realized that it was a place with unique diversity, rather than just concluding that it was a cold and desolate region.

“Please come this way. This is the bedchamber, and if you go around that way, you’ll find the stables. Thanks to purchasing several horses recently, the stables are quite full, and a foal was born a few months ago.”

Oh, really!

I should ask to see the foal next time.

Belladonna loved all animals.

“And if you continue straight this way, you’ll find the smithy, and if you follow that path…….”

Volf, who was walking ahead, stopped.

Following him around the building, she could hear sounds like men shouting.

“Ah! It seems they are having their morning training. This is the training ground for the Griblatta Knights.”

In the place Volf pointed to, knights lined up in rows, swinging wooden swords.

Some knights were familiar faces who had traveled with her from Astagna, while others were completely new.

And the one moving among them was…….

“Today, it seems the Lord is personally helping with the training of the trainee knights. It must be an unparalleled honor for those fellows.”

It was Escalion, with a leisurely expression, swinging a wooden sword and taking steps with an arrogant posture.

‘He’s always like that.’

Belladonna sighed inwardly, watching the man who was always acting as he pleased.

Perhaps because he was not born into a noble family but received his title as a commoner, he exuded a freedom that could not be felt from other knights.

‘To put it nicely, he’s not bound by convention.’

Belladonna watched him playfully swing the wooden sword, easily blocking the trainee knight’s sudden attack.

The sight of him grinning and using the handle of the wooden sword to press down on the young knight’s crown was friendly yet relaxed.

‘Ah.’

How long had she been staring at him? He, who had been dealing with the young knights in the distance, turned his head towards where Belladonna was standing.

Could their eyes have met?

Feeling inexplicably embarrassed, Belladonna tugged at Volf’s sleeve.

“Yes? Ah, I’ll guide you to other places, Madam.”

“Have you eaten?”

What, when did he get here so fast!

Escalion, who had approached Belladonna in an instant, pulled up the corners of his lips and asked.

His voice was slightly rough, mixed with the sound of his slightly labored breathing, as if he had been running.

“Then, I’ll be going…….”

The quick-witted Volf bowed to the Lord and subtly moved away.

Belladonna tightly gripped his sleeve and nodded towards Escalion.

“Ma, Madam?”

Volf, grabbed by Belladonna, turned his head with a puzzled expression.

Volf? Where are you going? You have to continue guiding me around the castle, right?

Belladonna gave Volf a warm smile.

Escalion, who had been quietly looking down at her, narrowed his eyes and raised the corners of his lips.

“Ah. You want to tour my castle? In that case, I will personally explain it to you.”

Ah, no! No! Not you! Volf! Volf should do it!

“Did you hear that? Then, please let go of my sleeve now, Madam…….”

Volf looked down at his sleeve, which was crumpled miserably under Belladonna’s hand, with a troubled expression.

Belladonna shook her head, not releasing her grip.

No, the Lord is busy.

“No, I’m not busy.”

Escalion replied immediately.

What, are you a mind reader?

Belladonna still stubbornly kept her gaze fixed on Volf.

Even though they had spent the night together, she still felt uncomfortable, unsure whether he knew she could speak or not.

‘And if I’m going to refuse to share a bed in the future, I should refrain from getting unnecessarily close…….’

“My wife is quite stubborn.”

Escalion forcefully pulled Volf’s sleeve, which she was holding, away.

Ugh…….

“Go now.”

“Yes, yes……! Madam, then I’ll be going now.”

Volf quickly moved his feet, as if this was his chance, and left the spot.

Belladonna stared at his disappearing back, then took a step to follow him.

If that’s the case, then I’ll…….

“Where are you going? You said you wanted a tour of the castle.”

Instead of answering, Belladonna looked at the training ground behind him.

“Those guys are originally good at training on their own even without me. I just came out because my body felt stiff today.”

“…….”

“I’m not such a heartless husband that I can’t spare time for my wife’s tour of the castle.”

After finishing his words, he grabbed Belladonna’s hand and started walking.

“Where did Volf explain up to? Where haven’t you been?”

I can’t speak, you know…….

Belladonna glared at the back of his head.

But he seemed to be in a good mood and didn’t really expect an answer.

“Have you been to the stables?”

If it’s the stables…… It was a place Volf had mentioned in passing earlier, but she hadn’t actually been inside.

When Belladonna shook her head, Escalion immediately turned to the right.

They passed the smithy and headed to the stables located at the back of the castle.

“Lord, Madam, greetings!”

The servants who were moving haystacks at that moment bowed their heads towards them.

Escalion waved his arm casually to acknowledge their greetings, then strode inside with her.

He took Belladonna to the innermost part of the stables, to the place where the largest and most intimidating black horse was located, and released her hand only when they arrived in front of it.

Wow, it’s big…….

“Be careful.”

Escalion, who had placed a saddle on the large horse, said.

Huh?

Belladonna, who was standing next to him and quietly looking up at the horse, suddenly floated into the air.

Wh, what!

Belladonna, who had been placed on the horse in an instant, looked down at Escalion with a bewildered expression.

Afraid that she might fall to the ground, she instinctively wrapped her arms around the horse’s neck.

“Then this guy will be even more surprised.”

Belladonna quickly straightened her back and sat up.

In contrast to Belladonna’s frightened and bewildered expression, Escalion, the one who had put her on the horse, had a very nonchalant expression.

He looked at his horse and his wife alternately with a satisfied expression, then grabbed the reins and started walking.

Following his steps, the horse slowly moved its legs.

The elegant sound of the horse’s hooves echoed inside the spacious stables.

‘W, wow…….’

Belladonna, who was riding a horse for the first time in her life, looked down at the horse’s glossy mane with sparkling eyes.

Cool…….

Escalion carefully checked behind her, worried that Belladonna might fall, and cautiously led the horse out of the stables.

“Lord, are you thinking of going out for a while?”

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

“The road hasn’t frozen yet, but there are many potholes in places. Please be careful!”

The people cleaning the stables waved their hands and bowed towards them.

Once they came out into a wide open space, Escalion briefly put down the reins and jumped onto the horse.

Belladonna, who had been looking down without thinking, stiffened her whole body, conscious of his body closely pressed against her back.

‘W, we’re riding together……?’

“Hyah!”

Escalion properly grabbed the reins again and struck them down hard from above.

The clever horse followed his command and darted out like an arrow.

Belladonna leaned her back against his chest, pushed by the sudden speed.

Wow, that was a surprise.

“Tell me if you’re too cold or dizzy.”

His low voice echoed through her back.

Belladonna nodded.

‘No, but this isn’t a tour of the stables! Suddenly putting me on a horse and taking me somewhere!’

The horse carrying Belladonna and Escalion quickly passed the castle walls and ran outside.

He skillfully turned the horse’s head and drove it towards the opposite side of the estate.

Belladonna couldn’t open her eyes properly because her hair kept scattering wildly in the wind.

She shook her head to avoid her hair and tried to figure out their destination.

‘Ah.’

And finally, when she realized that the sparkling sea was definitely getting closer, she was able to figure out where he was heading.

‘……The sea.’

When Escalion put strength into the hand holding the reins, the horse, which had been running endlessly, gradually slowed down.

Before she knew it, they were on a sandy beach where her feet sank easily.

Belladonna looked at the vast sea sparkling in the sunlight.

“Have you ever seen the sea?”

She quietly shook her head.

This is the sea…….

Belladonna looked down at the waves that kept crashing in and receding without being caught, with enraptured eyes.

She heard unfamiliar bird sounds, and the salty smell that she could only occasionally smell from freshly caught fish tickled her nostrils.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Escalion stopped the horse completely and jumped down.

He turned his body, looked up at Belladonna, and held out his arms.

“Would you like to come down?”