Chapter 127 (2/2)

What did I really want?

For now, I didn’t know for sure.

I knew Lucretius could feel a strange tension between us, but we both pretended it wasn’t there. We just continued to chat about mundane things.

It took a week to get to our destination.

I was enjoying the scenery in the carriage when suddenly, I noticed the familiar place.

‘Aeal forest.’

The place where I arrived.

The land Lucretius gave me as a proposal gift.

The sun was still high up but…

Tonight was the full moon.

***

When I entered the castle, I was surprised.

“There are… different people working here.”

None of the people, who were standing in line to greet us, looked familiar.

“I ordered to have them replaced. We can’t trust those that worked for the Bonafits, so new people were chosen temporarily. You are the Duchess of Bilenae, so if you want to get other people, you are welcome to do so.”

When Lucretius gestured, a newly appointed butler hurriedly came by and offered to show us the castle.

I refused.

“I have lived here for a year, so I know the way. His highness and I came here to rest, so there is no need for formalities.”

I ordered only a minimum number of servants to remain in the castle and not to disturb us until called.

I didn’t want dinner. We had a huge feast of lunch when we stopped by at a nearby castle.

I headed to the room where I spent a year in this castle. Just as he had done, Lucretius followed me quietly like a shadow. He didn’t seem to have any intention of questioning me or stopping me. However, it was clear that he would stay close to me at all times.

In my memory, I remembered my room being big and luxurious, but when I saw it again, I realized how faulty my memory was. It was shabbier than the smallest room in my wing at the Cransian castle.

I looked underneath the bed to find a box filled with my things.

My clothes and coat from my old world were still there.

“…”

I touched them without a word.

Lucretius, who had been quiet for a while, asked, “Are those your clothes?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“They look strange.”

I put the coat on the bed. It smelled like old dust.

I knew this coat would look ridiculous if I wore it now on top of my dress. Lucretius studied it with confusion.

“In your homeland, does everyone wear so little clothes?”

“What do you mean? This is a winter coat so it’s quite thick.”

He shook his head.

“It’s so narrow and short.”

“…”

I supposed compared to the clothes we wear here, the modern-day clothes looked minimal.

I grinned and hung the coat on a chair nearby.

I said to him, “I’m tired. I will sleep here, so you…”

Lucretius finished my sentence.

“I will stay here as well.”

“…”

There was no reason for me to say no. He was legally my husband, and we had been sleeping on the same bed for most of the nights since we got married.

He hugged me tightly. It had been over a month since he was injured.

When he gently laid me on the bed, I didn’t refuse him. I gave myself to him desperately as if this could be our last night.