A Change of Husband - Chapter 37

After the third attack, Esperad refused to leave Asilie’s side, except when attending the Monday morning meeting.

So today’s outing was a rare occasion.

He had been avoiding personal outings as much as possible.

What drew Esperad out of the mansion today was a letter from Thomas.

The letter said that Siena’s treatment was nearly finished, and they would be returning to the estate around tomorrow, so he wanted to meet in person.

If it had been someone else, Esperad might have just invited them to the Medici Mansion.

But Thomas couldn’t stay away from Siena for long.

That’s why, in an unusual move after the third attack, Esperad went directly to the luxury inn where Thomas was staying.

“Such a serious thing happened while I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sure you were shocked, but the Duchess must have been even more surprised.”

“Her eyesight got worse too, so it must have been a bigger shock. But she never showed it. That’s what bothers me more, but it seems like she doesn’t realize it.”

“That’s impressive. I never imagined there’d be something we could relate to like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Siena’s the same. When her condition worsens, she must be the one suffering the most, but she tries her hardest not to show it. It doesn’t feel good. It makes me feel like I’m someone she can’t trust.”

Esperad nodded at his words, understanding he didn’t feel good either.

“Anyway, so the truth about Count Mirk is finally out.”

“I didn’t want to believe it, but I did expect it.”

“So despicable and cowardly. If it was about the throne, he could’ve come to you directly and settled things. But I guess he didn’t have the courage.”

Thomas criticized harshly.

“And the blade always pointed at women. How does someone who threw away his honor think he deserves to be king…?”

“That day will never come.”

Just as Thomas was about to lift his cup to drink water, he froze and looked at Esperad.

“…What do you mean?”

“That seat he so desperately wanted—it’s going to be mine.”

Thomas couldn’t believe his ears.

The Esperad he knew was kind and righteous, but he never extended his favor to those outside his circle.

At his core, he was indifferent and didn’t like getting involved in things.

Just like most people.

Because that was how Esperad was, even when rumors spread that the king’s health was failing and he might die without an heir, Thomas never once thought Esperad would try to become king.

“I realized something. If I want to protect my people, I need to take that position. I don’t want Asilie to always be in danger because of me. If I’m incompetent now, then I’ll become capable. I’ve made up my mind.”

“This is really unexpected.”

“I couldn’t have found all this out alone. Thanks to her, I know the enemy. So now, I’ll move for her.”

After finishing his words, Thomas quietly stared at Esperad, who frowned slightly as if deep in thought.

When he talked about Asilie, Thomas could tell right away that Esperad had feelings for her, but he never guessed they were this deep.

It was surprising. That he could love like this.

Before his fiancées died, many women had approached Esperad—he was royalty and handsome.

He was always polite, but he clearly drew a line, even with a smile.

Their mischievous friends had asked him how he viewed women, but Esperad always answered, “A good friend” or “A kind person,” and that was it.

Thomas was truly surprised that the man who never once wavered, not even for beautiful women, could now care for someone like this.

“I should get going.”

“Already?”

“By now, Siena’s treatment should be finished. I should go get her.”

“Thinking it’s time to part makes me feel sad.”

“There’s the wedding between Prince Bonaparte and Lady Bellucci soon. I’ll have to come back to the capital anyway.”

“I hope I can see you then. I really hope Madam Artlinger recovers by that time. Ah, if you haven’t called your carriage yet, why don’t you ride with me? I can take you to the clinic.”

Thomas didn’t refuse his friend’s offer.

Since the luxury inn wasn’t far from the clinic, they didn’t have much time left together.

As they chatted, there was a pause, and suddenly, Thomas confessed something.

“A few months ago, I almost died while dealing with invaders in the estate.”

It was sudden and shocking, and Esperad looked at him with surprise.

“What?”

“My vision went blurry. I think that’s the first time I really thought about death. I went over everything—what would happen if I died.”

“Interesting.”

“No, it was terrifying. If I die, my cousin will inherit the Artlinger family, and Siena, with her poor health, will be kicked out without even claiming her rights. Isn’t that horrifying?”

In Astel, women weren’t recognized as heirs, so if there was no son, all titles and property usually went to the closest male relative.

Some new heads of noble houses gave travel money to the former lady of the house, but even if they didn’t, no one criticized them for it.

Now Esperad understood the fear Thomas had felt.

“At that moment, I thought of you. I wondered if you could help Siena when she was in trouble. But at the time, I thought you wouldn’t understand how I felt. Now I’m sure—you do.”

“…That’s an unpleasant thing to say. The one who must protect Madam Artlinger is you.”

“Of course. I’m the one to protect her. I just meant… it was a thought I had.”

With a cheerful smile, Thomas patted Esperad’s back and got off the carriage that had come to a stop. Esperad also stepped out to see him off.

“Thank you. See you at the wedding.”

After saying goodbye, Thomas turned and walked away. Esperad also turned around to get back into the carriage.

At that moment, he saw a well-dressed noble couple entering a store.

‘That place is…’

Esperad paused and stared at the store.

Even though the carriage was right in front of him, he didn’t get in, and after a while, the coachman asked with a puzzled face,

“Sir, shall we wait?”

“…Wait a moment.”

Leaving those short words, Esperad walked away with quick, firm steps.

It had been quite a long time since Sophia left the tailor shop.

However, she still actively kept in touch with her old colleagues.

Thanks to that, Sophia became the most well-informed person in the Medici duchy about social news.

Designers who had been chosen by nobles or opened their own dress shops were usually very quick to catch news from high society.

“It’s their wedding, so we can’t prepare it carelessly!”

Sophia was making a fuss since dawn, because she had learned about the trouble between Asilie and the couple getting married today from her old colleagues.

Most people would have been surprised that the bride and groom had once clashed with Asilie, but she didn’t even blink at such a strange coincidence.

Instead, she treated today’s wedding as if it were her last chance to show off all her abilities and pressured Asilie like she was going to battle.

Making her try on several dresses she had prepared for this day was the easy part.

Asilie might have tolerated just changing clothes, but when Sophia insisted on changing the accessories and shoes for each dress as well, she became exhausted.

But that wasn’t the end. Sophia even brought in a skilled hairdresser to the duchy and had them work on Asilie’s hair since early morning.

Asilie sighed deeply, thinking that if she had known this would happen, she would have refused Sophia’s request to bring someone in.

“By the way, where did His Highness go?”

“He’s probably working. Men definitely have fewer things to prepare than women.”

“This is so unfair.”

“Hohoho, we just have more to do, that’s all.”

Sophia’s words gave her no comfort at all.

Asilie told herself to endure just a little more, that soon it would be time to leave and this nightmare would be over, as she tightly closed her eyes.

Knock knock.

“Madam, it’s Rosetta Marce.”

Was Madam Marce finally here to rush their departure?

Asilie responded with hope.

“Come in.”

She entered the room holding a small box.

Since Asilie hadn’t asked for anything, she didn’t know what the box was.

It was wrapped in a shiny, luxurious fabric that looked like the kind used for jewelry boxes from fancy stores, but there was no reason for Madam Marce to bring such a thing.

“What is that?”

“The master asked me to deliver it to you.”

“Esperad did?”

With a puzzled expression, Asilie received the box from Madam Marce.

She carefully opened it, and inside was a thin bracelet made of several flower-shaped ornaments

linked together, shining elegantly.

“This is…”

“He said he thought it would suit you well, so please don’t feel pressured and wear it today.”

So, this was a “gift” he had prepared. Even though it wasn’t a special occasion.

The design of the bracelet was truly beautiful and elegant, but more than that, the fact that Esperad had prepared it just for her made Asilie feel strange inside.

She had never once received a gift from anyone in her entire life.

Her heart raced wildly. Even if the gift had been something small and worthless, it wouldn’t have

changed how she felt now.

Just knowing Esperad had thought of her, imagining what would make her happy, touched her deeply.

She had never received anything like this before, so she didn’t even know how to give something

like this in return.

Asilie suddenly felt very embarrassed that she had never thought to prepare a special gift for him.

“Oh my, it’s so beautiful. His Highness truly has amazing taste!”

“My goodness, this is a Tourse Dure bracelet! It’s a huge hit among noble ladies these days…”

Even the hairdresser Sophia had brought couldn’t stop admiring it.

Asilie silently fastened the bracelet around her wrist. She didn’t say anything now, saving her words to praise Esperad in person later.

Thinking about how to express her thanks to him helped her endure the rest of the preparations.

It was about an hour later when Asilie finally met Esperad.

“You look beautiful.”

He said it the moment he saw her standing in front of the carriage.

Esperad’s gaze slowly moved along her shoulder line and stopped at her arm.

Seeing the bracelet he had chosen and ordered personally now safely worn on her wrist made

him smile.

On his way back from meeting Thomas, he had noticed several nobles entering a shop and followed them without thinking.

The store turned out to be a famous jewelry shop.

While browsing inside, Esperad realized something: other than the wedding ring, he had never given Asilie any accessories.

She had given him so much, but he had hardly given her anything in return.

He knew he couldn’t repay all of it with material things, but he still wanted to express his feelings in this way.

His gratitude—and his love.

“Do you think so?”

“You might even outshine the bride. I fear we may end up offending the Count Bonaparte

family.”

At his words, Asilie let out a small laugh and teased him.

“Countess Bellucci is called the rose of the social world. How could I ever compete with her beauty?”

Esperad didn’t agree with her.

He was sure there was no one in this world more beautiful than Asilie.

“Everyone will think the same. Let’s get in. I’ll help you.”

He helped lift her into the carriage, even though she was wearing a difficult dress.

As he did, he thought once more about the worry that had bothered him until recently, but that he had finally come to terms with.

After realizing his feelings, Esperad had spent every night watching her sleep, wondering when

to confess.

Then just yesterday, he had decided—it didn’t have to be right now.

They weren’t fully settled yet. There were things to resolve, and issues between them still left undecided.

He didn’t want to burden her with a rushed confession at this point.

He wanted to take his time.

And when Asilie came to feel that it made no sense for him not to love her, that’s when he would confess his love.

Until then, he had to show his feelings clearly through his actions.

He was scared—wondering if she’d notice even then. But Esperad chose to believe in her, and in himself.

“Thank you for the gift, Esperad. I never expected it.”

Her words pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked at her again.

Ah, she really was beautiful.

He wanted to wrap his arms around her slim waist right away, brush his cheek against her warm one.

If she allowed, he would have gently kissed her soft lips, too.

But most of all, what he loved was her big amber eyes, which reflected him.

“This is the first time I’ve received a gift like this. No, it’s my first gift, period.

I was thinking all throughout the preparations today—every special experience I’ve had in life,

I’ve had with you.”

When Esperad didn’t respond, Asilie looked down shyly and spoke softly.

“I feel like I only get to know what’s allowed for me in this world because of you.

To me, this isn’t just a gift. Even if it wasn’t a bracelet, but something else entirely, it would still mean the same—because it came from you.”

“…Stop.”

“Yes?”

He didn’t want to say this to her, but he couldn’t help it.

Holding back his burning desire for her, Esperad muttered in a low voice:

“If you say any more… we might not make it to the wedding.”

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