Chapter 26. The Southern Townhouse
“Can’t you sleep?”
Escallion asked in a low voice.
His voice tickled Belladonna’s ear like a soft wind.
Belladonna didn’t answer, so Escallion kissed her gently on the back of her neck.
‘So that’s how it is.’
Belladonna realized something as she felt Escallion’s warm lips.
When a man and woman are so close—especially a newlywed couple—you can’t just ban kissing whenever you want.
And once two people get close, it’s hard to move apart again.
‘At least, I need to spend less time stuck to him like this…’
She shrugged her shoulders, thinking to herself.
But Escallion came to her room every night to sleep beside her.
There was no way she could refuse him for no reason.
So what should I do…?
As she worried, his arms around her waist grew heavy, and she heard his steady breathing behind her.
He must be tired after dinner and then training the young knights so hard tonight.
Listening to his breathing…
Belladonna blinked slowly—and soon fell asleep too.
The next morning, Cindy came early to help Belladonna get dressed.
She gently held Belladonna’s long silver hair and started brushing it.
“My lady, your hair is always so beautiful. It’s like I’m touching the finest fabric, not hair!”
“It’s so soft and shiny, even without any special oil!”
Cindy chatted as usual while brushing, then tilted her head, picking out a hair ornament.
“Hmm… Is there any hair accessory you want to wear today, my lady?”
Belladonna shook her head.
While she waited, Belladonna wrapped her arms around her shoulders, feeling a little cold in the morning.
It’s chilly…
“Oh, are you cold? Should I get you a blanket?”
Cindy hurried off, grabbed a thick blanket, and put it over Belladonna’s shoulders.
She looked worried.
“This place really is different from Astanya, isn’t it? Even with lots of heat, it’s still cold here…”
“From tomorrow, I’ll bring you much warmer pajamas! I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.”
Belladonna gave Cindy a bright smile to thank her.
Cindy stared at her, enchanted for a moment, then suddenly clapped her hands.
“Ah! Instead of suffering here, why not ask the lord to let you go to the southern townhouse?”
The southern townhouse?
Belladonna remembered Cindy mentioning it before.
“The cold will get even worse for the next two months. For someone as delicate as you, my lady, this season will be very hard.”
Even colder than this?
Belladonna glanced at the big window.
She couldn’t see outside because frost had covered the glass, thanks to the harsh snowstorms.
It’s already cold now… Can it really get colder?
Cindy kept brushing Belladonna’s hair.
“I know the lord is too busy to leave Griblatta, but… I really wish you could go south and stay somewhere warmer, at least by yourself!”
Wait, so Escallion might not go with me…?
Belladonna’s blue eyes sparkled.
This is it!
“What brings my wife all the way here?”
Escallion opened the office door and smiled when he saw Belladonna in the hallway.
He brought her in and gave her a comfy chair.
“It’s nice to see you here in the daytime, in my office and not just our bedroom.”
Belladonna didn’t answer but looked around his private office with curiosity.
Wolf’s office was big, but this one was bigger and fancier.
She looked at the tall bookcase on one wall, then her eyes fell on a painting.
Oh…
Belladonna’s mouth fell open.
That painting…
“Do you like it?”
Escallion followed her gaze and asked in a happy voice.
On the wall in the center of his office was the portrait they’d had painted together during the winter festival.
He’d thought about hanging it in the lobby or guest room, but decided he wanted to see it every day.
Belladonna studied Escallion in the painting: dark hair shining in sunlight, golden eyes, and a confident smile.
It was a good painting, but… was it really that special?
She looked from the real Escallion to the painting and back.
He looked even better in real life.
“So, what brings you here at this hour? Did you suddenly think of a request or suggestion?”
Wow, he’s sharp.
Belladonna nervously played with her hair.
“I’ve never met someone so easy to read as you.”
“So? What is it? You can write it down if you want.”
Escallion leaned back in his chair, waiting.
After thinking for a moment, Belladonna got up and went to his side.
She took his hand from his lap and wrote big, clear letters on his palm:
‘COLD’
She meant to add “so I thought of the warm south,” but stopped.
Escallion frowned in concentration—then suddenly hugged her tight around the waist.
What? What’s happening!
He pulled Belladonna onto his lap.
She blinked in confusion, finding herself sitting on his strong thigh.
His arms held her close.
“You’re cold? You could have just said so.”
Escallion playfully buried his face in her neck, chuckling.
His deep laugh tickled her ear.
Ugh, he’s teasing me.
Belladonna pushed at his shoulder, but it didn’t move at all.
“You just missed your warm husband, didn’t you?”
He murmured.
Belladonna let out a small laugh. That’s not it!
She tried pushing his arm away again, and this time he let her, so she pulled his hand up and wrote:
‘WANT TO GO TO THE WARM SOUTH’
“The south?”
Escallion raised an eyebrow.
When she nodded, he asked again,
“Where in the south? Do you want to go back to Astanya?”
No, no! Not Astanya!
“Then… oh, right, the townhouse the Emperor gave us, along with Griblatta. That’s in the south.”
That’s it! Belladonna’s eyes sparkled.
But Escallion’s face grew troubled.
“The southern townhouse… Winter is so busy here, I can’t leave Griblatta so easily.”
Right? He really is responsible.
“But… I can’t let my wife spend her first hard winter here alone, either.”
So you’ll send me to the south alone, right?
Everything was going just as Belladonna hoped.
She decided her new goal was to spend the last two months of marriage in the warm south, alone, then get divorced and return to Astanya.
That way, there would be no more awkward, confusing moments together.
“Can you stay there by yourself?”
Escallion asked.
Belladonna was about to nod eagerly, but then put on a sad face.
Should I at least pretend to feel sad?
She blinked up at him with innocent eyes.
Escallion looked at her for a while, then sighed deeply.
“Let me check first. I haven’t managed the townhouse, so I don’t know if it’s livable or if there are good staff there.”
Yes, please do!
Belladonna nodded.
To make her feelings clear, she leaned into Escallion’s wide chest.
I’m so cold… Please let me go south!
Her gesture said it all.
“Ah.”
Escallion’s body suddenly tensed up.
Huh? Why is he stiff now, after hugging me so easily a minute ago?
She didn’t know, but it didn’t matter.
“My lady! Do you have a moment?”
A few days later, Wolf stopped Belladonna as she was leaving breakfast.
She nodded and followed him to his office.
Wolf handed her a paper filled with writing.
What now…?
Nervous and curious, Belladonna took it and slowly read it.
“Have you heard of Sirlennia?”
Sirlennia? That sounded familiar…
Seeing her puzzled face, Wolf explained,
“It’s a small city in the south, where the lord’s townhouse is. The winter here is too harsh, so the lord wants you to stay there for a while.”
