ITMWG 54

Chapter 54. This is going to be quite the trouble.

The steps toward the dining hall became urgent. She couldn’t run without dignity, so all Nadia could do was walk at a brisk pace, but in her own way, she was able to pick up an incredibly fast pace. Perhaps it was rare for her to walk so hurriedly, the workers, who were cleaning the hallway all bowed in surprise and quickly made way for her. Nadia passed their dazed gaze and by the time she arrived in front of the dining hall, she was already completely out of breath.

One, two, three…

She counted numbers in her head, quietly regaining her composure, and carefully opened the door to the dining hall. As the door opened smoothly without any squeaking, the inside came into view. There was luxurious food laid out on a huge table, and Altair and Pavel were sitting across from each other, eating. At the sudden appearance of a visitor, the two turned their heads and looked at her. Nadia saw the two people’s eyes widen at the same time, and her shoulders slightly shrunk.

“The meal… uh…so…”

As she stood at the entrance muttering, not knowing what to say, Pavel got up from his seat and led her to the table.

“Sit this way, madame. I will bring you new dishes.”

Dazed, Nadia sat down following Pavel’s instructions, meanwhile, he skillfully took away the utensils he had been using and gave a glance to the waiter who was serving them.

“No…if I’m interrupting your meal…”

Feeling sorry for taking Pavel’s place, the corners of her mouth drooped, but instead, the butler shook his head with a rare broad smile.

“You did not interrupt at all. Rather, you saved me.”

While Nadia was having a short conversation with Pavel, new dishes were quickly prepared. The salad Pavel was eating just a moment ago was also brought out again. After the meal was served up rather frantically, Nadia looked up and made direct eye contact with Altair, who seemed to have been looking at her for some time. How should she treat her husband upon meeting him for the first time after awkwardly turning her back on him after an argument? Perhaps Altair was also unable to find the correct answer, and so, only heavy silence filled the space.

“Then, you two, please enjoy your meal. We will bring you more dishes out one by one.”

As Pavel bowed and left the dining hall, the mood became even more awkward. As Nadia went through the salad with a fork, she kept checking for Altair’s mood. Seeing Altair eating salad with a somewhat distressed look on his face made it difficult for Nadia to speak up. But with the thought of breaking the ice by saying something, she desperately tried to rack her brain for a suitable topic.

“The trees…”

When she cautiously opened her mouth, Altair’s hand stopped.

“The trees in the garden broke. They suddenly fell down on their own, so I think they were sick trees.”

“…sick trees?”

Altair asked back with a somewhat uncomfortable expression. Nadia smiled and nodded, relieved that she had somehow started a conversation with him. Moreover, seeing that expression on his face, she guessed Altair must also think that the merchant who delivered the seedlings was reprehensible?

“Pavel assured me it wasn’t like that, but if so, the trees wouldn’t have suddenly fallen on their own.”

“…right. Trees don’t suddenly fall on their own…”

Altair agreed, discreetly avoiding her gaze. This was an uncharacteristic response from Altair, who always spoke eloquently. At that, Nadia tilted her head and continued the conversation.

“I’m a little upset that this happened to the trees that I chose with great care. I chose each seedling by looking at it one by one.”

“… I see.”

“Yes. I really paid a lot of attention… I never thought they were sick trees…I guess it happened because I didn’t look closely enough.”

As she sighed, Altair’s expression became increasingly darker. She brought up the story to lighten the mood, but it seemed to only add to Altair’s worries, so she quickly redirected the story.

“But Pavel already decided to take care of it! You don’t have to worry about the garden being ruined!”

Altair, who had remained silent, sighed and shook his head.

“I broke those trees.”

“Pardon?”

“That…I broke them. They weren’t sick or anything, so you didn’t make a mistake.”

Nadia’s head momentarily went blank at the completely unexpected remark, but she quickly came to her senses and parted her lips.

“Why did you break the trees…”

“…”

Altair remained silent for another while, now with a slight frown on his face. Nadia felt like it was almost like an overlapped illusion of a child’s behaviour when trying to find an excuse for his mistake.

“… ”

Oh my god.

There were so many holes she could point out that she had a hard time deciding where to start. Why at that time, why in the garden, why did he train, and how could Altair, who was invincible when it came to skills and physique, miss his target? The questions she couldn’t bring herself to say out loud seemed to be clearly visible on her face, and in the end, Altair let out a deep sigh as he dragged both hands down his face.

“…I saw it.”

“Pardon?”

“I said I saw it. That you were having a friendly conversation with the prince.”

“Oh…”

“When I saw my wife, who turned her back on me and left, talking sweetly with another guy, I got angry. That’s why I took out my anger on the trees.”

As Altair continued, her mouth slowly fell agape. Altair lowered his head with a solemn expression as she looked at him, speechless and just blinking blankly.

“If I had known that the trees were chosen with such care, I would have taken my anger out on somewhere else. I’m sorry.”

With Altair’s head lowered, and a serious look residing on his face, a laughter unknowingly burst out from within as Nadia looked at the top of his head.

“Pft!”

It was rude to burst out laughing in front of someone who was apologising, so she desperately tried to hold back her voice, but in the end, she could not help it and a laugh escaped from her mouth. As she covered her mouth with both hands while laughing, Altair slowly raised his head and looked at her. As soon as their eyes met, she laughed even harder.

“Hahaha.”

Altair’s face was filled with doubts and questions, as he didn’t know why she was laughing. Eventually, Nadia managed to control her laughter and open her mouth.

“You could have just pretended you didn’t know. That way, I would just think something was wrong with the trees, and could have let it pass. Are you telling me everything honestly right now?”

If Altair had kept his mouth shut, Nadia wouldn’t have known the truth until the end. If so, Altair would have been able to save his face. But when he saw Nadia blaming herself for making a mistake, he risked losing his face and told her the truth. Wasn’t this the kindness Altair had? There were times when she got angry at the way Altair showed his kindness, but she was certain that he didn’t treat her with bad intentions. When Nadia looked at the table with a more relaxed mind, she could finally see the food that had been prepared. It was a diet favoured by the capital’s nobility, and was far different from the Eastern diet favoured by Altair.

“Oh, I didn’t prepare this, Pavel did…”

“Are you telling me that honestly too?”

When she started giggling again, Altair still looked at her with a serious expression.

“Nadia.”

The laughter stopped as she heard her name coming out of Altair’s mouth.

“I’m not used to living according to someone. I was always alone, I was used to giving orders, and everyone took it for granted. But things will change now. I understand…No, I don’t completely understand it. I think I only know a little bit right now.”

As Nadia quietly listened to him, he let out a small sigh.

“Therefore, if I do something wrong, get angry like how you did. I will think about why you are angry and try to find the answer. I think we will get closer to being the couple we both want to be.”

The type of couple that we both wanted.

“Actually, I don’t know. Things like what kind of couple I want us to be. But for now… I want to help Altair. I don’t want to be a burden. That’s it.”

The people at Marquis Vine used to point fingers at her, calling her a troublesome burden. Everything would seem fine as long as she did not have to go through that again. Nadia thought it was something Altair would accept readily, but surprisingly, he frowned.

“But…”

“Besides, if we are a married couple, isn’t it okay for one of us to become a burden to the other? I can just lift a small load like you with one hand.”

“S-small?! I’m not that small, okay??”

“You are small.”

Altair spoke confidently, comparing his body size with hers.

“Of course I’m small compared to Altair, but I think of myself as average.”

“Then isn’t it safe to say that I can easily lift you with just one hand?”

“That’s not it…!”

Nadia was so angry that her grip on the utensils tightened, and this time, a small laugh came from Altair. At that, she blinked with daze as she watched him laugh, her rage shrinking fast like the air leaking out of an inflated balloon. It was rare to see Altair laughed like that, so it felt somewhat strange.

“What I’m saying is that you don’t feel like a burden at all. If what you’re trying hard for is self-satisfaction, then fine. But if you’re trying because you don’t want to be a burden, you don’t have to.”

Nadia didn’t understand it immediately. If her satisfaction came from working hard because she did not want to be a burden, then wasn’t it the same after all? As she couldn’t speak and kept her mouth shut, Altair started eating the salad again.

T/n: lol he’s talking as if she’s some kind of herbivore.

“I think I have enough strength though. Besides, I can’t do heavy work anyway because Altair is overprotective, so what’s the point of having more strength?”

“What’s the point of having more strength? That’s…”

“That is?”

Altair, who was continuing naturally, pursed his lips and looked at her. There was a strange heat in those eyes, and her heart sank. At that moment, the tightly closed door opened and the next dish came out. Eating meal in this order was also the culture of the capital’s nobility. Eastern nobles were more used to enjoying a meal with all dishes served at once. In an instant, the strange atmosphere dissipated. Nadia looked at the next dish, regaining the breathing she held back, not sure whether it was relief or regret. And as soon as she confirmed what the following dish was, she got choked and started coughing.

This-, this is!

A fish dish that was all the rage in the capital because it was rumoured to be good for men’s strength! (T/n: including sx-*cough*-drive)

I heard there were reviews from many nobles circulating in social circles that said they ate it and saw the effects(?)… 

It was a dish with obvious intentions, but Altair seemed to have no idea what was going on and cut through the fish with a disapproving look on his face.

It-, it’s going to be quite of a trouble…

Feeling unsettled, Nadia swallowed her saliva and quietly put the fish filet into her mouth. It didn’t seem like the night would pass peacefully.