I Became a Barbarian's Bride - Chapter 148
“…”
Of course, she couldn’t exactly ask him to kill her, so she simply smiled.
“This is my way of repaying you for what you told me before, Kagan. I’ve already received a reward, so there’s no need to ask for another one.”
“Something I told you?”
“Yes. You made a promise to me, remember? About the matter with Roshan.”
“…Ah.”
At her words, Kagan blinked, his expression showing that the realization had hit him.
“It’s a matter big enough to move nations. Surely, you wouldn’t say it’s not enough as payment?”
“…You’re playing it like this?”
Nisha giggled softly at his words.
Her bright, unguarded smile made Kagan pause.
His eyes widened slightly.
“…I think you should smile more often, Princess.”
“Hm?”
“When you smile so openly, it suits you.”
Kagan watched her with a slight smile of satisfaction, and Nisha paused, awkwardly scratching her cheek.
“You always seemed so stiff, like you were looking far away, and when you did smile, it felt mechanical, like you didn’t know how to smile for real…”
Why did he always have to speak so elaborately?
When Nisha blinked at his subtle rebuke, Kagan quickly leaned in and kissed her lips.
“Wha…?”
Startled, Nisha glanced around, only to find that the attendants had already averted their gazes, looking down at the floor.
Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
“Why? We’re married.”
“Not in public…”
“In public? We’re in the office.”
Kagan tilted his head, feigning innocence, while Nisha buried her face in her hands with a sigh. Laughing, Kagan waved his hand, dismissing the attendants from the room.
“You’re always so easily embarrassed, Princess.”
“…I don’t want to hear it.”
“Do you have a specific region in mind?”
Sensing her irritation, Kagan skillfully shifted the topic.
“A region?”
“The area you want to heal, Princess.”
Nisha hesitated at Kagan’s question.
She hadn’t thought that far ahead.
It was more about wanting to improve things after seeing how beautiful the capital had become, not because she had a particular place in mind.
People often say they find meaning in certain aspects of life, but for Nisha, it was in the feeling of life force draining from her body when she used her power that gave her a sense of purpose.
Nisha slowly inhaled and exhaled.
“Somewhere not far from the capital, where you think it’s needed.”
“Hmm…”
Kagan tilted his head slightly, smiling wordlessly at her suggestion, before downing his tea in one gulp. His way of drinking tea was oddly bold.
“If you don’t choose it yourself, it’s meaningless. So no.”
“…What?”
“I told you to use your power only if you genuinely feel like it. So I think you should choose where and why you want to do it yourself… Am I wrong?”
Nisha was momentarily speechless at Kagan’s words, delivered with a deliberate stretch in his tone.
Her large violet eyes briefly shimmered with a hint of betrayal, but Kagan only shrugged, pretending not to notice.
He did want Nisha to grow fond of this land.
Though, even if she didn’t, he knew there was nothing he could do about it.
Their relationship was complex, and in the end, he had brought her here against her will.
The same applied to her using her powers.
It was fine if she used them where she felt they were needed, as much as she thought was necessary.
But he didn’t want to be the one to decide for her.
That would be nothing more than exploitation.
Kagan wanted Nisha to truly contemplate the use of her powers.
If she was compressing and giving away her own life force, he wanted her to understand the weight of it.
“Now that I think about it, you don’t know much about the geography of Xieman, do you?”
“…Probably not.”
“Should I get you some books on it? Or perhaps a tutor?”
“Books would be good, but…”
Nisha frowned, wondering why the conversation was suddenly heading in such a strange direction.
As she bit her lip in frustration, glaring at him, Kagan blinked lightly and chuckled.
“What is it, Princess? You’re pouting at me like you want me to bite your lip off.”
“W-what?”
“I just thought maybe you want me to take a bite.”
His gaze, suddenly hungry and possessive, trailed over her lips as he licked his own, looking very much like the greedy, savage figure from the books, and Nisha paled at the sight.
