My Villainous Husband

20

The cows were scheduled to be slaughtered at noon, so seeing them slaughtering live cows would be a big deal if I ate till my stomach was full. Besides, it was clear that I would lose my appetite when I saw it, so if I wanted to eat something at the luncheon after the blessing, I’d have to starve myself to the point of being unbearably hungry.

‘What if I don’t have the strength to hunt like this?’

Well… I couldn’t help it.

I moved to the Main Palace early before people started entering the Palace. The maids had to hold the long hem of my dress from behind to prevent it from being dragged across the ground.

‘So, should I just make a palanquin…’

On the fourth floor of the Main Palace, there was a room prepared for such a day. In other words, it was like a waiting room.

There was a spacious balcony in this room overlooking the gardens of the Imperial Palace. It was the perfect place for the Emperor and his wife to show their faces when there was an event like this. It looked like a room that was originally built for that purpose. As I entered the room, Raniero Actilus sat down on the sofa for one person and smiled faintly at me.

Even though I think about this too much, only his looks were perfect.

“You’re here.”

I laughed awkwardly and made timid jokes.

“I…I’m not late today, am I?”

I couldn’t be late because Duchess Nerma had woken me up from dawn and prepared me. Nevertheless, he couldn’t be compliant and give me the answer I wanted.

“You’re late. I’ve been waiting for you for two hours.”

Raniero didn’t even look at me, only tapping his fingers.

I approached him, being careful not to step on the hem of the robe. He then beckoned my maids out of the room.

As I stood close to him, he casually pulled me by the waist and sat me on his lap. It was a familiar thing for me now that he would make contact without even thinking about it. Regardless, as I get closer, I become more concerned about making a mistake.

“Again… you’re frightened.”

Although Raniero seemed to be in a good mood when I was trembling.

“How’s your body?”

“…It’s not bad.”

“What will you do first when you enter the hunting ground?”

“I’m going to run to the center. To get a high position…”

“Haha.“

…What was so funny?

“I’d like to avoid close combat—”

“Well. You didn’t survive my dagger even for a minute.”

“I was still alive for thirty seconds…”

“Do you know why? It’s because you’re moving absurdly slow.”

Yes… Thank you. Ah, even if he didn’t say that, I know that His Majesty was amazing.

Little by little, a clattering noise could be heard from outside. It was because my hearing was better now.

Today would be the first time I met the nobles other than the maids. No, would we even meet? It’d be only at the evening banquet that I could ‘meet’ them and talk. However, if I didn’t survive, I wouldn’t be able to debut in the social world as an empress and would die.