ACMAR 09

Chapter: 09

But that doesn’t necessarily mean I perfectly suit His Highness’s tastes, does it? That’s certainly how I had interpreted it—

I was just about to say something when Henrik, sitting right beside me, caught my wrist and naturally pulled me closer by the back.

“Y-Your Highness.”

Without hesitation, he leaned close to my neck.

“Ah…”

The quiet room gradually filled with unfamiliar breaths and warmth.

This was exactly what I had wanted, so I simply tried to endure the embarrassing moment.

There was no way this was something Henrik had actually wanted. He would probably do what was necessary and finish quickly.

“……”

But I had been mistaken.

Henrik remained silent, lingering persistently at my neck. For a moment, he almost seemed like a boy experiencing something sweet for the first time.

A strange warmth spread through my hand, which he held firmly, and across my back.

A fleeting thought crossed my mind that something was strange. Surely this couldn’t be his first time. When I had been placed in a separate residence in the Kingdom of Francia, hadn’t there been talk of him not turning away women who visited him at night?

I felt that saying anything in this situation would only make the atmosphere even more awkward.

I raised my free hand to cover my mouth and turned my gaze away from him as he remained close to me.

That was when—

“Dear. Focus.”

Henrik warned me in a quiet but gentle voice.

He took hold of both my hands and continued. His warm breath and lingering touch were enough to make my heart race.

It was rather overwhelming.

Perhaps it was simply because this was my first time with Henrik.

My heart pounded fiercely.

When Henrik leaned closer, I instinctively let out a small gasp.

“Ah…”

For a moment, I felt as though I might lose myself completely in the situation.

“Whew…”

His breathing sounded calm beside my ear, but his actions were anything but. It was almost as though he had suddenly transformed into a passionate bridegroom. The composed and calm attitude he had shown earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Confused, I could do nothing.

After continuing for a while, Henrik gently brushed my shoulder before touching the tie of my nightgown.

“Your Highness, just enough of a sign, I—”

Overcome by embarrassment, I finally pulled away and spoke. At the same time, a deep breath escaped me.

“Haah… Didn’t you already do enough? Ah, surely this much will be enough for the maids to—”

There would surely be enough evidence around my neck to make it obvious. The sensations had been far more intense than I had anticipated.

I had only asked for enough of a sign so that when the maids helped me wash tomorrow, they would notice what had happened.

“Ah. Did I?”

I couldn’t finish either my words or my thoughts.

Henrik looked down at me with a strange smile. His amethyst-colored eyes were slightly brighter than usual, and his cheeks were faintly flushed.

For an instant, I felt as though I had forgotten how to breathe.

His lips looked unusually moist after everything that had just happened.

Without a doubt, it was a side of him I had never seen before. In fact, I doubted that many people had ever seen Henrik like this.

Complicated emotions suddenly swept over me, and I struggled to steady my breathing.

“Haah… Your Highness… this…”

Attilenta, this is a transaction.

Henrik is simply fulfilling his side of the bargain.

After all, I had asked someone I barely knew to take me with him.

Henrik must have experience with these matters, and this wasn’t something completely unfamiliar to me either. I couldn’t afford to act inexperienced.

“I don’t think there’s enough evidence yet.”

Henrik naturally loosened the tie of my nightgown. I could clearly hear his breathing becoming heavier.

I was afraid that I might become too emotionally caught up in the moment. If that happened, I might lose sight of my purpose, so I tightly closed my eyes and pressed my lips together.

Perhaps Henrik was only acting differently because this night was completely different from anything I had experienced before, and that was making me nervous.

Antony—

“Dear.”

Henrik called me again.

I slightly parted my lips and let out a shaky breath.

“Yes, Your Highness…”

“You’re not concentrating.”

This time, his voice wasn’t gentle.

I immediately opened my eyes.

Henrik was already sitting upright, staring at me.

It was as though everything he had been doing only moments ago had never happened. The unfamiliar warmth and closeness that had surrounded me disappeared as quickly as a passing breeze.

At that moment, I reached a conclusion.

Was it over already?

Yes. Of course. It was probably because I wasn’t his type after all.

In a way, this situation was much more familiar to me.

Even Antony, who had constantly proclaimed his love for me, had abandoned me. So it was only natural for a man who had no particular interest in me to react this way.

That was why Henrik’s sudden attentiveness had caught me so completely off guard.

Just as I had wanted, I had obtained the evidence that I had spent the night with him. Even now, the area around my neck still felt sensitive.

Only now did the night seem to be unfolding the way I had originally expected.

Henrik let out a long breath and pushed back his disheveled hair.

“If this were truly the kind of night you wanted, you wouldn’t have made such a request.”

My eyes widened.

Until just moments ago, I had been flustered by the strange emotions I was experiencing. But his words surprised me for an entirely different reason.

Consideration?

I felt the back of my neck stiffen.

That couldn’t be.

This was a transaction, and in the end, I would go to the battlefield and help him with his war.

It might have been an unusual arrangement for an ordinary prince’s wife, but I was willing to do it.

If I wanted to use him for my own purposes, I also had to prove that I was useful to him.

Don’t believe him, Attilenta.

Everything is for my own purpose.

What he said isn’t consideration for a nervous bride. He’s simply a prince who has everything, taking things calmly because he can afford to.

It was better for me to appear inexperienced to him.

That was preferable to relying emotionally on someone again, only to be discarded like something worthless.

I calmly took a sip of wine and spoke as though imitating his composure.

“Thank you for granting my request, Your Highness. I will take care of what I mentioned by tomorrow.”

The next morning.

The maids who helped me wash were behaving somewhat differently from the night before.

“Your Highness. Would you like to use this scented oil? It’s a specialty from the southern region, and it has a wonderful fragrance.”

The maid who had carelessly handed me my nightgown yesterday had looked at me as though I were a vulgar woman.

But now things were different.

She politely held out a shining bottle of scented oil, and I merely gave her a small gesture.

It seemed that the signs Henrik had left behind had indeed been helpful.

I sank comfortably into the bathtub, surrounded by the gentle fragrance of the oil and the rich scent of flowers.

A pleasant sense of relaxation washed over me.

“How is the water temperature, Your Highness?”

“Perfect.”

With the maids taking such careful care of me, I was able to enjoy a deep sense of ease for the first time in a long while.

It was true that yesterday’s unexpected situation had left me flustered.

Even Henrik had noticed.

But I didn’t think I needed to let those emotions control me.

I had clearly gained something from the situation.

First of all, the maids who had previously looked down on me were treating me differently, which meant life here would probably become easier.

At least I wouldn’t have to waste my emotions on unnecessary matters.

More importantly, I had realized very clearly that Henrik was the kind of person who sincerely tried to fulfill his side of a bargain.

He was willing to go that far even for a woman he wasn’t personally interested in.

Then again, it was only natural.

Henrik must have had his own desperate reasons for agreeing to this transaction.

With such enormous ambitions, Henrik seemed like the sort of person who would bring anyone with ability into his circle.

In any case, it was beneficial for both of us.

I didn’t know how sincerely he intended to continue fulfilling his side of the bargain, but I decided that whenever I needed something, I would ask without hesitation.

“Your Highness, please come this way.”

Following the servant’s guidance, I entered the dining room dressed according to the style of Buendovska.

A large lace collar surrounded my neck, golden ornaments decorated my outfit, and I wore a dress with a wide, flowing skirt.

The prince’s palace where I was staying was just as magnificent and solemn as the clothing.

Gold decorations and black marble were especially prominent throughout the palace.

“You look good in the clothes of this place.”

Henrik offered the rather dry compliment with his usual calm expression.

It seemed he was conscious of the maids and knights standing nearby.

If he had greeted me with excessive enthusiasm, like a newlywed husband who had enjoyed his first night with his bride, it would actually have been more awkward.

I gave an appropriate response as well.

“It’s thanks to Your Highness’s consideration.”

Neatly prepared food covered the dining table.

There was bread similar to bagels, warm stew, and an abundance of fruit and vegetable salad, all of which looked appetizing enough for breakfast.

As we ate together, Henrik finally told me what I had been waiting to hear.

“After the ceremony, I hear that your homeland will send a delegation. Apparently, it’s a tradition.”