Chapter 79
====
The lips Ludville's fingers had touched felt as hot as if burned by fire.
"…I didn't mean we should use separate rooms for five years."
She added, trying to appear calm, but couldn't bring herself to look up.
Odelia pressed her lips with the back of her hand, as if trying to cool his warmth.
The lingering heat of his touch still remained on her lips, burning.
"If it can't be hidden, at least just for today…"
"Just for today? You must know that today is the most important."
Indeed.
It was important in the eyes of others, and that was the problem.
Spending the first night together was more than just a husband and wife sharing a room.
It was a symbolic union, the first intertwining of their souls.
This was a tradition highly regarded even in the Imperial Family.
The first night was said to be the time when the blessings of the gods were most abundant, and children born from the union at this time were believed to be blessed by the gods.
So, to solidify her political standing, she had to spend the first night with him…
'In my past life, the reason I wasn't fully accepted as his wife in aristocratic society was because it became known that we didn't spend the first night together.'
So, this life had to be different.
Her reason told her that if she could be accepted with just one night, she should just grit her teeth and get it over with.
'Even if it's just superstition, it feels ominous. What if I get bound to him in soul or something…'
They were already so bound, tangled, and twisted.
She had barely managed to sever the ties by taking advantage of Ludville's memory loss.
Odelia inhaled and tried to push Ludville away again.
But he didn't budge. Instead, he held her even tighter.
"I still haven't heard it. The words you need to say."
"…"
"Or… do you dislike being in my arms that much?"
The Golden Banquet Hall was still splendid.
Dozens of chandeliers hung from the ceiling like stars in the night sky, and the golden pillars and marble floor sparkled under the glittering lights.
Once a lavish space created to find the Blue-Eyed Woman, to lure her in.
Only the two of them remained at the pinnacle of that extravagance.
Ludville and Odelia.
As she tried to escape, Ludville grabbed her wrist with half-lowered eyes.
And slowly, he lowered his head.
There was no kiss.
His lips came close to Odelia's neck, but didn't touch.
Instead, his breath, his warmth, and a familiar thrill quietly settled there.
"Why. Are you scared? Or…"
Warm, deep breath brushing against her earlobe.
In the center of the golden light pouring from all directions, his low voice burrowed into Odelia's ear.
"Is this what you were… afraid of, my wife?"
Odelia couldn't move.
His breath, neither violent nor entirely gentle, held her like chains.
Emotions that hadn't surfaced even when facing the Cardel family rushed in like a river bursting its banks.
Odelia was helplessly swept away.
She couldn't handle these emotions at all.
If just embracing and thinking about kissing made her breathless…
If she were to share a room with him, how many memories would resurface?
Odelia was terrified, feeling like she wouldn't be able to endure it.
"It's, it's a contract marriage. Even if we're pretending to be in love…"
Odelia stammered, losing her composure to an extent that surprised even herself.
Ludville's eyes wavered at her desperate words.
His lips were smiling, but there was no laughter in them.
"Is that so. Because it's a contract, you'd rather die than risk sharing a room?"
"…"
She hadn't said it that way.
Ludville chuckled briefly.
"Because it's not with a man you love?"
Ah.
She had forgotten.
'That ring…'
Ludville was still angry about the misunderstanding regarding that ring.
That she stood at the wedding wearing another man's ring.
He seemed to have been enduring it throughout the reception, sharpening his anger for this moment.
'So, the reason he hasn't let me go since earlier…'
Was it because he wanted her to properly explain about the ring?
But of course, she couldn't say anything.
She had said from the beginning that it was a misunderstanding, but he didn't believe her at all.
While Odelia felt a headache coming on and remained silent…
"I understand."
Suddenly, Ludville readily released Odelia.
So easily, it was almost absurd how much she had struggled to escape his embrace.
"We will use separate rooms tonight."
"…"
"If my wife dislikes it, what can I do? It's not an issue I can force."
With those words, he quietly turned his back.
His shadow stretched long on the marble floor.
"Then, as we have been doing, we will sleep in separate rooms."
"…"
"No, since I can't sleep in the first place, it wouldn't be sleeping arrangements. I'll just wander outside on the terrace. Watching the morning sun rise over the snow mountains…"
Odelia felt a pang and reached out her hand.
It was an unavoidable instinct that made her grab him.
"Wait."
Ludville's steps stopped.
Without turning around.
"Are you still unable to sleep these days?"
"These days… you say."
He laughed softly.
As if the question itself was absurd.
"Before… when you came to my room. I remember you fell asleep then."
"Ah, that time… certainly. I did."
"…"
"It's alright. I'm used to it. Well, as always."
Odelia was flustered because she thought Ludville's insomnia was gradually improving.
At first, she wondered if he was openly flirting.
Odelia looked up at Ludville's face.
The dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced, and his skin was particularly pale.
She had been too busy with other things lately to pay attention to him…
'Is he still spending his nights sleepless due to insomnia?'
If that was the case, no matter how obvious his ploy was, she couldn't help but give in.
"…Were you violating Article 6?"
Get at least six hours of sleep a day.
As Odelia mentioned the clause, he raised the corner of his lips.
"It's force majeure, so there's nothing I can do. If you really want to enforce it, you'll have to hit me hard on the head and knock me out. Or, I could smoke a Cigarette, although the effect is minimal."
"…"
"Will you approve me to use medication?"
Ludville mentioned Article 7.
He couldn't use medication without prior approval.
"…Just a moment."
After quietly biting the inside of her lip, she managed to squeeze out a word.
"We're just sleeping together. …As you know."
At those words, Ludville's gaze slowly scanned her.
From above her forehead, past her trembling eyelashes, to her lips hesitating as she suppressed her emotions…
He quietly smiled.
"…Yes, of course. You must only sleep."
Then, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.
