HPMC 13

 Chapter 13

Before I knew it, night had deepened.

After finishing all my chores, I left the kitchen.

Holding a candlestick, I looked around the house alone, and it still felt like such a beautiful home.

I began extinguishing the candles lit throughout the house.

Originally, it would have been one of the servants’ duties, but now I couldn’t expect anyone to do such things for me.

The rest of the family were nobles through and through—they probably couldn’t even imagine doing it themselves.

‘Should I assign shifts for this…?’

It wasn’t a very hopeful thought, but I made my way up to the second floor.

On the first floor were my mother-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s rooms, and on the second floor were mine and Alec’s rooms.

Just as I wondered if Alec had already gone to bed, I noticed a silhouette in the hallway.

“…Alec?”

I lifted the shawl draped over my shoulders and checked who it was.

He had just been about to enter his room, but turned toward me.

“…Ah.”

“You’re still awake.”

A hint of relief naturally crept into my eyes.

His tousled black hair reflected the moonlight, and his gaze was clear, without hesitation.

“…Are you coming in now?”

His refined pronunciation flowed like velvet.

It was only a change in tone, but he looked ten times more handsome than usual.

I walked up to him.

“I had some things to finish. I was just about to rest. What about you?”

“…I was just about to sleep as well.”

Sparkle, sparkle.

My eyes, looking at him, shone brighter than ever.

‘So we’re finally alone together.’

It felt like we were finally getting time to have a proper conversation after days.

Recently, everyone had been thrown into chaos because of the tyrant’s misconduct.

I brought up what had been on my mind.

“Alec, wasn’t it hard finding a house? It couldn’t have been easy for you…”

“……”

“Ah, I just… I was worried. I was worried you might not come back safely.”

“…I didn’t expect you to worry about me that much. I’m sorry—”

“No, that’s not it…”

I cut him off and took a few steps closer. I stood right in front of my husband and looked up at him.

“I don’t want an apology. From now on, don’t try to handle everything alone. No matter how much of a family head you are, I don’t want you to carry everything by yourself.”

While staying at the inn, I had realized something.

Waiting for him was more painful than anything.

I’d rather be with him, wherever he was.

“Honestly… I want to be of help to you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t say this before…”

I clasped my hands and spoke sincerely.

I should have said this much sooner.

Before he drank poison because of the tyrant.

Before his heart broke and he thought of death…

Why hadn’t I comforted him earlier?

Thinking about the fact that he had tried to die made me regret how cold I had been to him in the past.

He just looked at me stiffly, unable to respond.

Then he finally spoke.

“…Thank you. I will keep that in mind, if that is what you wish.”

“Yes.”

I smiled faintly while meeting his gaze.

After a moment, I spoke again, almost dazed.

“…It still feels like a dream. Are you really my husband? I didn’t know you could speak so elegantly like this.”

He had always had a very nice voice.

Even just hearing him cough as he passed by would make people turn their heads.

Even the sound of a sacred bell couldn’t compare to the dignity of his voice.

And now that he wasn’t stuttering, his voice seemed even more radiant.

Just listening made my chest feel full.

He turned his head slightly away from my intense gaze and cleared his throat.

“…Hmph.”

That small sound made me place a hand over my chest.

‘How can even his cough sound so handsome…’

Truly, marrying a man like this means even if the house falls apart, your eyes and ears are blessed.

“Alec.”

I clasped my hands and looked at him with shining eyes.

He met my gaze, looking puzzled, as if he had no idea what I would say next.

Then I carefully spoke what I had been thinking for a long time.

“…How about we start sharing a room?”

“…Pardon?”

His reaction was exactly as I expected.

His eyes widened, as if he had just heard something unbelievable.

Well, of course.

I hadn’t really expected my timid husband—especially in that regard—to agree so easily.

Nobles usually didn’t share bedrooms as couples.

It had been the same for us before the ducal family fell.

But now I felt our relationship needed to become closer.

He had been driven to the point of attempting death, after all. I didn’t want something like that to happen again.

“…I know. You’ve been feeling guilty about only being able to let me sleep beside you.”

“……”

“And how you always apologized, saying the only thing you could offer me was letting me rest on your arm.”

His eyes wavered slightly.

He seemed startled that I brought this up.

I gently grabbed his arm. He flinched, but I didn’t care.

“But I still want to be with you. Being a couple doesn’t mean we have to… do that kind of thing at night.”

“……”

Now his gaze was wandering everywhere, unable to settle.

My heart also began to pound.

It wasn’t easy for me to say this either.

But unless one of us was honest, our relationship would keep circling in place.

Of course, I was always the one to approach first.

“Alec, let’s stay together from now on. I… I get really lonely being alone…”

After speaking, I hesitated and slowly reached out with my other hand.

Did he know?

I was pretending to be calm, but I was actually craving his warmth and touch.

When would I ever receive a gentle touch from my husband?

Even if we didn’t do anything, even if we just stayed together, that was enough.

Maybe I was too lonely.

The moment my hand brushed his side, I felt him tense.

I gently wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my cheek against his chest.

Ah.

It was warm and comforting.

His abs, tensing in response to my touch, felt firm beneath my cheek.

It felt good—but also a little frustrating.

He’s more tense than usual.

Unlike before, he didn’t avoid me—but he didn’t hug me back either.

Earlier, he at least pretended to return my embrace when I approached him.

“Alec. You are still breathing, right?”

I slightly lifted my head.

So—are we sharing a room or not?

His silence stretched longer than expected.

But I still believed he would accept my wish.

He always blamed himself for not fulfilling what I wanted, but he didn’t actually dislike it.

If I said I wanted to stay together, he would surely agree for me.

My hand slipped slightly along his side, brushing his spine.

A faint tension spread through his body under my touch.

At that moment—

A distinct bulge rose under my dress fabric.

“…Ah.”

Even now, I still couldn’t quite get used to that feeling.

Just the faint awareness of it made my heart flutter.

It was an existence that could make me feel that dizzying anticipation.

What a pity. He’s so healthy and normal…

Then suddenly, he stepped back.

“Alec?”

While I stood there stunned, he turned his face slightly away. His cheeks were red.

…Did he just push me away?

“I’m sorry.”

“…?”

“I think I’ll go in first today.”

“……”

He quickly bowed his head and turned around.

He opened the nearby door and slipped inside.

Silence quickly fell.

I stood alone in the cold hallway, blinking.

‘Did he just reject me…?’

It’s not like I asked for a child—I just asked to sleep in the same room.

Was that really so bad?

I couldn’t move for a while.

‘This is insane.’

The moment Alec closed the door, he rubbed his face roughly.

He stepped as far away from the door as possible.

He could still feel Louise standing in the hallway.

Thump, thump, thump.

His heart was beating so fast it felt like it would burst.

A sudden embrace from an unfamiliar woman…

His whole body felt like it had been set on fire where she touched him.

The cold fingertips against his spine, the soft feeling of her pressing against him—

…everything lingered far too vividly.