Chapter 25 - Call Me Caril (1) (2/2)

The smiling look in his blue eyes faded.

“I told you, you sometimes make me greedy.”

“…”

“I hope you will have my child. They would be lovely with blonde hair and red eyes like you.”

“…What?”

Elena blurted out. It sounded like he could not love his child unless it looked like her.

Carlisle smoothly changed the subject, as if he had no intention of explaining himself.

“You know, I’ve been trying to listen to a lot of your opinions.”

“Oh, yes. For that I am grateful.”

“I’ll tell you what I want from now.”

“Please do.”

It was time for Carlisle to offer his conditions for the marriage contract.

Elena swallowed dryly at the tension hovering in the air.

“Call me Caril.”

“E-excuse me?”

Elena opened her mouth like a fool. He wanted her to call him by a pet name all of a sudden? Why?

Carlisle continued with a smooth expression.

“You asked me to pretend to love you. But will you continue to address me so formally? I will be your husband, right?”

“Ah, but…”

Couples did not necessarily use pet names. In the aristocratic society where political marriages were common, many couples used honorifics until the day they died. A pet name, indeed, was an intimate expression that could only be used for lovers.

More questions threatened to burst out of her, but she simply nodded her head when she saw Carlisle’s determined look on his face.

“Alright…I’ll call you that.”

Yes. It didn’t matter if she called him Caril. She would gladly call him dog shit if he agreed to her other conditions.

“It may seem strange to others if I use a pet name from the beginning, so I’ll act formally in outside situations. Please understand this.”

“I’ll leave it to your judgment. But you can call me that when we’re alone.”

“Yes, I…Caril.”

A picturesque smile drew on Carlisle’s lips. It was his first genuine smile that didn’t seem to be a joke or a grim expression.

Elena stared dazedly at him for a moment, then soon came to her senses.

‘…What was that?’

She didn’t know anyone who smiled like that just because they were called a pet name. But he wasn’t done yet.

“We have every meal together. Unless you have other commitments.”

That meant seeing him every day. Usually couples in political marriages end up taking their own meals, and did not often meet face to face unless it was absolutely necessary. Of course, in Elena’s case, she intended to stay as close as possible to Carlisle to protect him. But she never imagined that he would suggest it first.

“I see. I accept your terms.”

She immediately agreed as it wasn’t a bad deal, but she wondered what he really wanted. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke again.

“Our contract is getting longer, so could you bring me a pen and some paper?”

Carlisle stood up then placed a pen and paper on the table in front of her. She carefully began to write down all of their conditions.

For some reason it felt like a very long day.