Chapter 266
He stared quietly at her cheek, pressed up plump under his palm, and spoke.
“I received a report that you did not allocate a single coin for your dignity allowance this quarter.”
“I’m a debtor. A debtor doesn’t have the right to spend money on something like a dignity allowance…”
She was already slowly organizing the dressing room to repay her debts, so why would she be crazy enough to increase them?
At that, he lowered his head and whispered in a small voice.
“You may repay that debt slowly. Since it gives all the more reason for you to stay by my side, I’m only glad.”
Nina’s body flinched.
“After pretending to be mature all this time, I couldn’t even hold back a bit of jealousy and ended up hurting you again.”
It had been said like a joke.
But the same bitterness from that time lingered at the end of his words.
“…It would be good to buy several pairs of earmuffs as well.”
At that moment, as if trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, he gently smiled and rubbed her cheek with his thumb.
Was the warmth of his fingertips contagious?
As he pressed her cheek as if she were cute and slowly rubbed it in circles, her heart pounded madly.
…More than secret touches, sometimes this kind of familiar teasing, like that of ordinary lovers, was more dangerous.
She had just realized that.
A momentary surge of passion faded quickly, but this kind of passion instead sank deep into the heart.
So deeply that the thought suddenly rose that living like this with him might not be so bad.
‘Get a hold of yourself. Have you forgotten your resolve when you first regressed?’
You decided to pay off your past deeds and enjoy an SSS-Class countryside life!
You decided to cast off all the restraints and burdens of this world and leave in search of happiness!
She had never actually made such a vow, but in any case, to escape this dangerous feeling, she hurriedly removed his hand.
“A-Anyway, that’s enough shopping. We should look around the other areas too, right?”
Surely they weren’t only going to look at the market and the dress shop street.
Ash lowered his voice and whispered.
“You don’t need to worry about that. There are people assigned to gather the information we actually need.”
Those with something to hide were sensitive to the lord’s inspection.
When the lord appeared publicly, informants moved in the shadows the moment he began moving.
If they simply caught those who hurried about like minnows scattering the instant their feet touched the water, the objective could already be considered half accomplished.
“So it means we can move at a relaxed pace.”
When it seemed he was about to continue shopping, Nina made a distressed face and sought help from Hozi and the knights.
But no one responded to her plea.
‘…Didn’t you dislike me?’
She knew that her reputation among the staff had improved greatly, and she knew they wished for harmony between the two of them.
But Hozi, you shouldn’t be like this!
Even Hozi pretended not to notice, as if he had no intention of helping her.
At that, a gentle curve formed on Ash’s lips.
As if there was no one who would pull her out of this swamp(?).
“Then as you wish, my wife, we will stop shopping here and move on to another area.”
Was she finally escaping shopping purgatory?
As color returned to Nina’s face, Ash glanced at his pocket watch and said,
“It should be about time to eat. We should move to a nearby restaurant.”
“…Pardon?”
She had clearly come out for an inspection.
“There is a restaurant nearby that was recently opened by a famous culinary researcher. Let us go there.”
Shopping, then stopping by a restaurant.
This was exactly the course of a normal couple’s date.
‘Was the inspection just an excuse from the start?’
Of course, that was a misunderstanding.
*
‘…What date? I was completely overthinking.’
To suspect that workaholic of using an inspection as an excuse to enjoy a date.
After returning home, Nina laughed to herself.
The real inspection began after the meal.
They walked through the market during a time that wasn’t too busy, listening to the merchants, and spoke with the poor as well, examining the actual conditions of the territory.
‘We can’t interfere during the busiest hours for business.’
She hadn’t known there was such consideration behind it, and it made her see him in a new light.
She had known he was a responsible person, but he was more sincere about caring for the people than she had expected.
But now wasn’t the time to think about that.
“……”
In the couple’s bedroom, already filled with enough warmth to feel stifling.
Nina squeezed her eyes shut, her face flushed.
It was because of the sound coming from the bathroom.
T/N: ash??? whatcha doin there buddy???? omg???????
Erica
No way!!! Well. I guess she brought it on herself lol. Ash is respectful enough not too push her, but that doesn’t mean he can withhold his desire much longer lol