IRER 83

Chapter 83

 Sleeping Together After a Long Time

“You’re here.”

Brody stirred and got up sleepily to greet Aidan.

There were still matters that needed resolving between them, so she had deliberately risen to speak.

The subtle fragrance lingering in the room, combined with the damp warmth of the bathwater still present, caused Aidan to involuntarily stop in his tracks.

The white, soft, flowing chemise reflected in the moonlight, outlining the delicate shadow of a woman’s figure.

Her gently curling hair, flushed cheeks, and languid expression—nothing about her failed to unsettle Aidan.

He felt tension in his lower abdomen without realizing it and clenched his fists tightly.

Trying to appear calm, he spoke.

“You’ve bathed?”

“Yes, thanks to the villagers who prepared it. If Your Highness wishes to bathe, I’ll have the water brought up for you.”

“…”

Brody let out a long yawn and stretched, causing Aidan to look away.

The light, flowing chemise had even caught the moonlight for a fleeting glimpse.

“I’m fine. Why weren’t you sleeping?”

In his effort to appear composed, his tone ended up slightly curt.

“Of course I was waiting for Your Highness.”

Brody, feeling pleased, bent her knees and rested her chin on them, smiling.

“…”

Aidan realized his words had sounded cold, but Brody’s charming response left him oddly touched. Was it strange to be moved by such a simple thing?

Trying to hide his embarrassment, Aidan went to the fireplace and stirred the logs aimlessly.

As he fumbled through the firewood, he finally found a topic to discuss.

“The viscount has permitted the construction of a greenhouse on the estate.”

Bringing up a ‘businesslike’ topic seemed a good choice. Fortunately, continuing the conversation didn’t feel too difficult.

Brody also readily engaged.

“Oh, I see. The discussion moved faster than I expected.”

“Mm. The Coral family is also a central power in the north, so they willingly step up for northern affairs. And they have a strong trust with the Mason family, so we’re simply grateful.”

“Then does the viscount know about our plans?”

“As far as I could tell, yes.”

“…”

Brody nodded—not in agreement, but as an automatic acknowledgment of the situation.

Aidan and River could be trusted, but what about the Coral family?

In the story, Aidan had been an extra who disappeared after being assassinated. He had little information about the north, and naturally, the Coral family, one of the northern landlords, was unfamiliar. Brody felt uncertain about how to proceed.

Though uneasy, she knew it wasn’t right to judge someone she didn’t know based solely on feelings.

“What kind of person is the viscount?”

If she couldn’t judge him, gathering information was the first step.

‘I should get a general overview from Your Highness, then hear from River, and finally consider rumors.’

Ultimately, she would have to experience the person directly.

Aidan finally turned slowly from the fireplace to face her.

The fire behind him cast shadows over his face, so Brody couldn’t clearly see his expression.

Aidan, shrouded in darkness, asked,

“Curious about him?”

“He seems close to Your Highness, so won’t you encounter him more often?”

“…”

For a moment, Aidan stood perfectly still. The flickering fire threw chaotic light and shadows, revealing only his outline to Brody.

In a calmer voice, he said,

“He’s a good man. Gentle, soft-spoken, and graceful. His manners are so elegant, he’s like a drawn portrait of a nobleman.”

Hmm, that wasn’t what she wanted to know. Brody urged him with her eyes for him to continue.

But Aidan fell silent again. Brody furrowed her brows.

“Is that all?”

“What else are you curious about?”

“What else?” Brody thought, incredulously. He hadn’t asked the questions that mattered, the ones she truly needed answers for. Slightly raising her voice, she started listing them.

“I mean, basic info—Coral family history, their position in the north, relations with the ducal family, the current viscount… That’s essential info. I can’t just say, ‘I’m the Duchess but from the central region, so I know nothing~’ when visiting the estate. Plus, we need to know how much of our info has been shared, so we can act carefully.”

“…”

A cold sweat ran down Aidan’s back—not because of the fire, but because he realized she might be curious about Claude.

From the first greeting at the village entrance, the tension in their exchanged glances had been noticeable. Claude, with his delicate appearance and gentle personality, was very popular among women. Could Brody have feelings for him too?

Even though Brody was his wife by contract, her heart could freely wander. Realizing this, Aidan had instinctively gone on the defensive.

Embarrassment rose as he recognized his behavior. Thankfully, the fire hid his face, or else his flushed expression would have been obvious.

“Ah, hmm-hmm. Right, right. I missed that. I see.”

Flustered, he started explaining.

❖ ❖ ❖

Listening to Aidan’s calm explanations, Brody gradually felt drowsy.

She had asked him to explain, and since she would have to meet the viscount tomorrow, she listened attentively until the end.

Once the explanation was finished, she collapsed onto the bed.

“Br… Brody?”

“I’m just so drowsy, Your Highness. Let’s sleep now.”

Aidan had worried something was wrong, but realizing she was simply sleepy, he let out a sigh of relief.

But relief came too soon. Brody immediately urged him further.

“You should lie down too, Your Highness.”

“…”

Aidan, in the midst of removing his cloak and light armor, froze.

He stammered,

“Didn’t I say why that would be difficult for me?”

Brody rubbed her eyes and asked,

“So will you sleep uncomfortably again tonight?”

They had talked extensively and untangled their issues today, but the problem hadn’t vanished—it had merely been shared.

Brody understood him, but that didn’t mean she could accept his choice.

“Caleb no longer allows me to stay in my own room. He insists married couples share a bedroom and drove me out, so I have no excuse. With Lady Murphy visiting, it’s even more difficult. So I think I have to sleep in this room again… I’d feel too sorry if you had to sleep uncomfortably because of me.”

Aidan blinked in surprise.

“So you’ve been giving up your space so I could sleep comfortably all this time?”

“Not very effectively, it seems. Why do you look more tired by the day?”

“….”

He thought she avoided him because she was angry. And since he couldn’t see her, he had been even more uneasy. Perhaps something could happen if he let his guard down. He hadn’t fully assessed her abilities, yet wondered if danger could strike unnoticed.

So he had been standing watch almost sleeplessly, paying attention to her presence.

Brody, who had collapsed from drowsiness, felt alert again as their conversation lengthened.

‘Sigh, I have no choice. Time to focus.’

She wanted to resolve this today. Brody spoke clearly,

“Your Highness, it can’t go on like this. If it’s tiring whether I’m beside you or not, wouldn’t it be better if I stayed?”

“No, it’s not because of you. I…”

“I know. It’s your problem, Your Highness. But the cause is me, isn’t it? Then should I give you a mattress like before? So you can sleep well?”

“No, I don’t want that.”

Aidan shook his head firmly. If he fell asleep that way, how could he protect Brody in an emergency?

“I’ll manage. Sleeping on the sofa is enough, so don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry? Your safety is the safety of the north. Didn’t you notice how everyone was watching these past few days?”

“I know, but I can’t respond to everything.”

“Even if you’re not worried, I am. About your headaches, about us… I get messages to care for you.”

“…”

“For minor things, I can ignore them. But these are important problems. We have to live like this for three years. I can’t let you be exhausted for three years. We can make it seem like we’re distant at the end of three years, but not now, at this crucial time.”

Brody’s reasoning was solid. Aidan had no response.

But what could he do? His racing heart, the sight of her lying there—it was difficult to even look at her directly.

Today, after running errands together and escorting her, he had felt clearly how proximity weakened his self-control. And today, he had already reached the edge of that limit.

“Try to endure it.”

“…!”

Had she just read his thoughts? His heart almost fell to the floor.

“You were able to endure before, during our wedding night…”

“…!”

It was the night he had tempted her first and she had refused. Aidan lowered his head in embarrassment.

“Or you could alternate sleeping on the sofa with me. That would be better.”

Seeing his unease, Brody pressed her point.

“If you refuse again, I’ll use every means possible. You know putting you to sleep is easy, right?”

“…!”

Aidan raised both hands in surrender. If Brody decided to make him sleep, he might unknowingly let her be in danger while he slept.

“No, no way. I’ll try.”

Brody smiled and reclined slightly, resting her arm as she watched him.

Seeing her so satisfied, Aidan felt a sudden twinge of frustration.

“But you mustn’t approach me first. Otherwise, I’ll manage somehow.”

“Oh my, as if I ever would.”

“….”

Aidan didn’t answer. Brody assumed he was embarrassed and smiled.

“Anyway, don’t worry. I won’t.”

She tapped the space beside her, indicating he should lie down.

“Starting tonight?”

“Yes, starting tonight.”

Aidan still showed a displeased expression.

He lay on the edge of the bed, far enough that Brody could see his back.

Still, she was satisfied that he was lying down.

But another problem had arisen.

Persuading him had fully disrupted Brody’s sleep. In the end, both stayed up nearly all night.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Why do you both look so exhausted?”

River frowned at the yawning Brody and the dark circles under Aidan’s eyes in the meeting room.