Chapter 164
Nisha often got sunburnt, so she always wore long sleeves when going outside, even if they were thin.
But he, well, he walked around with everything exposed.
Because her body retained heat and didn’t easily release it, Nisha often wiped herself down with a cold towel or soaked in lukewarm water.
They said suddenly cooling down too fast wasn’t good either.
“Don’t tell me we’re going to bathe together…”
“Yeah. We’ve already seen everything. We’re married.”
Well, that was true, but wasn’t it a bit too early?
Not that it hadn’t been early the last time, either…
While Nisha hesitated, unable to say anything, Kagan scooped her up and strode straight into the bathroom.
He undressed her, sat her in the tub, and turned on the water in one swift motion.
Then he took off his own clothes just as quickly.
“…This is someone else’s house.”
“It’s my land too.”
There was nothing to say to that.
Once the water had filled enough, Kagan stepped in and sat her on his lap.
“If your body feels hot, tell me, Princess.”
“It’s not that… I’m not really struggling.”
“It’s worse if you say something after you’re already struggling.”
Nisha lost her words at his dead-on remark.
She slowly sank into the water, leaving only her eyes above the surface.
Watching the bubbles rise, Kagan burst into laughter.
“What are you, some kind of frog, Princess?”
Staring at that innocent face, Nisha finally giggled too.
“You always say weird things.”
“…Really?”
“Ulbah seemed like a good person too.”
“He’s a diligent guy. Kind of unusual for a Xieman man, he doesn’t like fighting much.”
At Kagan’s shrug, Nisha gave a nod.
“Do you think I could visit the greenhouse later?”
“Why? Want to see it? If you want to go, just go.”
“I mean… outsiders visiting might not be something he’s comfortable with…”
As Nisha’s voice trailed off, growing smaller, Kagan narrowed his eyes and shrugged again.
“No way.”
“…Mm.”
“He was probably really happy when you said you came to revive this land. Except for what we import, most of the produce grown in Xieman comes from the Shaman territory. Livestock farming too.”
Nisha nodded at Kagan’s words.
Farms usually produced feed, so it made sense they’d also raise animals.
“The seeds Ulbah researches have helped Xieman a lot.”
“It’d be even better if the soil became more fertile.”
“Sure, but… I still don’t like seeing you suffer, Princess.”
At the ever-repeating line, Nisha narrowed her eyes slightly, then gave a small laugh and shrugged her shoulders.
“Still, I like seeing things change for the better because of me.”
“…You do?”
“Yeah. It makes me feel like I’m not useless… and watching things change because of me just feels good.”
Nisha, thinking she might have sounded gloomy, quickly changed the end of her sentence.
Kagan held her in silence for a moment, then gently buried his face against her nape.
“If that’s how you feel, Princess, then that’s how it is.”
He responded plainly.
The truth was, Kagan didn’t fully understand how Nisha felt.
He didn’t know what it was like to be anxious from lack of recognition, or to suffer because of it.
After all, his entire life had been one spent earning acknowledgement as Kagan.
And in return, he had received recognition for his efforts.
But Nisha… likely hadn’t. Which is why he couldn’t completely understand her.
‘Is it something I simply can’t understand…?’
Even as he thought that, he lazily rubbed the back of her neck.
“Anyway, if this whole thing brings you any satisfaction, then that’s good enough for me.”
With that short reply, Kagan pressed a light kiss to her ear.
Nisha let out a quiet laugh and nodded.
The water was warm, and his embrace was broad, so she stayed nestled against him like that for a long time.
