The Art of a Brilliant Political Marriage - Chapter 12

Cheap tea leaves are not processed evenly, so if you brew them normally, they taste very bitter. I discovered that if you keep the temperature low and let them steam, the sweetness increases. All the trial and error I did with Litte back home to find a way to make cheap tea taste good was worth it. I never imagined I would be showing this to my husband in the future, though.

“Did you brew this? I mean, was it today? I heard you haven’t come out of your room.”

“Since no meals are provided, I had no choice but to have things bought for me… My father-in-law told me not to touch anything belonging to this house.”

“I… I see. I am truly sorry about that.”

“No, I am managing somehow, so it is fine.”

It was all within my expectations. Besides, Litte has been “borrowing” things from the kitchen on his own, so Cielin isn’t having any trouble. However, being apologized to makes Cielin’s excitement drop, so she wished he would stop. If possible, she wanted him to act like the men in the gossip articles. As Cielin looked down, Saves asked a question that sounded like a groan.

“About your clothes…”

“Since I am not touching anything belonging to this house, I am wearing what I brought with me.”

“I see… I am sorry for that as well.”

For some reason, he made a painful face and lowered his head as if he were hanging it in shame. There was not a trace of the arrogance he showed at the wedding when he told Cielin that no one in the Zikkeldocra house intended to serve her. Even though he had called her the most unhappy bride in the kingdom, that coldness was gone too. This was a huge disappointment. He was moving too far away from her ideal husband.

“Anyway, I will do something about your clothes and food.”

“Eh…? That is quite unnecessary.”

Cielin was taken aback. Inside, she was feeling a storm of disappointment. The gossip articles flashed through her mind. Stories about him kicking a naked woman out into the night, or how he claimed he didn’t care about anyone despite dating three women at once. Or how he mocked a married woman he met at a party, saying their night together was the “worst,” which led to her divorce.

Where had that “enemy of women” with a personality like garbage gone? He was supposed to be arrogant, cold, and truly wicked. He was even called the “Arrogant King of the Night” in the gossip papers! She could almost see the stack of gossip papers hidden behind the bed crying because their reputation was being ruined. It was so bad she was practically having hallucinations.

“Are you actually angry?”

Saves looked up at Cielin’s face, trying to read her expression. Seeing him look as pitiful as an abandoned puppy, Cielin’s heart suddenly gave a loud thump. No, no, this wasn’t her type. This wasn’t her taste at all, so why was her heart beating so strangely?

“No, I am not angry, but…”

I am disappointed, though! She was at the level where she felt disappointed from the bottom of her heart because he was so different from the rumors. When Cielin hesitated to finish her sentence, he gave a weak smile for some reason.

“…I see. You are a kind person.”