ITMWG 104

Chapter 104…

I didn’t mean to do this.

“If-, if that’s how you’re going to put it, I also…”

Nadia barely managed to stay unfazed by Altair’s words and refuted him.

“I learned things I didn’t know because of Altair.”

“What did you learn?”

“Like being able to speak my mind to others, ignoring what other people think, and thinking about my feelings first… ”

Altair’s expression turned weird as she continued.

“That’s really…”

“Really..?”

“It sounds like I made you a reckless person.”

“I needed it! In fact, I wanted to live like that all along.”

She had a timid personality, so she always held back what she wanted to say or do because she cared too much about other people’s opinions and evaluations.

Whenever something difficult came up, she would rather solve the problem by running away than confronting it.

In fact, it was the same when she realised that this was a world in a novel.

She didn’t try to prevent or change the tragedy that was coming. She just thought she had to run away right away.

She thought using marriage as a means to leave the capital for Aylesford, far away, was the solution, but in fact, it was just an escape.

However, the groom she met in Aylesford was the villain Duke Altair.

When she was forced into a situation from which she absolutely could not escape, Nadia had no choice but to learn how to confront and solve it little by little.

Because she had a role model like Altair right next to her who didn’t care about other people’s opinions and evaluations, she was able to change more easily.

Thanks to that, she was able to confidently express her thoughts in front of everyone who gathered in the courtroom.

When thought back on how she felt at that time, she was very nervous and tense…but when it was all over, she felt an incredible sense of accomplishment.

The reason she was able to change like that was Altair.

“So if I have to take responsibility for Altair’s changes, then Altair has to take responsibility for mine as well. That’s only fair.”

You can’t just blame it all on me!

As Nadia insisted strongly, Altair’s expression turned civil.

“My wife seems quite smart…I don’t know why you’re making a fuss.”

“A fuss?”

“I’m already prepared to take responsibility for you, so saying something like that is useless.”

“Uh…”

Altair’s face remained calm even as he spoke those embarrassing words.

Nadia was the only one that blushed as she heard him.

“It’s natural for a husband to take responsibility for his wife. So it is also true in reverse. A wife should take responsibility for her husband. So don’t think about evading responsibility.”

“I, I never thought like that…”

“Really?”

“Really.”

She nodded to Altair’s question as if confirming, and answered in a much more mature voice than usual, and the corners of his mouth went up prettily.

It was rare for the usually expressionless Altair to smile so beautifully, and it made her feel nice.

“This time, I’m going to hand the sword to the Third Prince. What do you think?”

(T/n: he means he’s going to let the third prince do the work)

In a pleasant atmosphere, Altair suddenly brought up Orca name.

“Let him swing the sword instead and we’ll just get the advantage.”

“Hmm. Prince Orca wouldn’t be the kind of person who would do that easily.”

Prince Orca and all of them would probably be thinking the same thing, which was leaving the heavy work to the other party.

‘How can I defeat the enemy through the hands of someone with whom I have a common enemy without getting my own hands dirty?’

“Actually, the one who is more urgent is Prince Orca. The opportunity to strike down his brother in a fair way won’t come easily. If we take it easy, he won’t be able to endure it and will move first.”

“Of course, this is a very good opportunity for him, but Prince Orca has a very good eye for reading people.”

In the novel, the fact that the Third Prince Orca was able to turn the tables and successfully rebel was all because of that kind of insight.

“Prince Orca will know that we can’t take it easy, so it won’t be easy to pass the buck. And Prince Orca… ”

As we spoke, the smile on Altair’s lips gradually faded, and her voice also became smaller.

As Nadia recalled the words that worried me, wondering if she had said something strange, Altair let out a small sigh and pressed his forehead against hers.

In an instant, the distance between them became much closer, and a strange tension rose in the once comfortable atmosphere.

“It’s good to have a good understanding to be on the lookout…”

“That’s true. As a commander, it’s a welcome situation. But as a husband…ut’s somewhat…”

Altair trailed off as if he couldn’t find the right words.

Nadia carefully continued Altair’s words, thinking that it might not be true.

“A bit jealous?”

Altair frowned slightly and let out a deep sigh, as if that was the right answer.

“… I used to scold knights who were swayed by their wives. Now I can’t do that anymore.”

Does this mean that Altair is being swayed by me?

Nadia blinked in bewilderment at Altair, and he groaned, carefully pressing a kiss on on lips.

The process of their breaths mixing together was so natural and smooth that she didn’t feel as tense as before.

Her body relaxed and she naturally leaned against Altair, and he skillfully stretched out his arm and hugged her with one hand.

Her two legs floated in the air, but she didn’t feel uneasy. It was as stable as if she was standing with both feet on the ground.

Nadia wrapped her arms around Altair’s neck and closed the distance a little more. Naturally, their kiss became deeper.

A cool hand suddenly slid under her skirt and touched her leg, and at the same time, her body that had been lifted settled on the table, ending the long kiss.

The only thing between Altair and her as they met eyes was the sound of their heated breaths.

“… I didn’t mean to do this.”

Altair let out a hollow laugh, embarrassed that he had caught fire in an instant.

They were clearly seriously contemplating the future.

How to deal with the First Prince, and what kind of cooperative relationship to establish with the Third Prince for that…

But then the situation suddenly changed like this.

It was so funny that she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I didn’t mean to do this either. Should we stop?”

For now, let’s discuss the future seriously and constructively…

However, Altair’s blunt voice cut off her thoughts.

“Stop? Are you serious?”

Altair’s face crumpled as if the word ‘stop’ was annoying, and he pushed his hand that had been inside her skirt even deeper.

“(Gasp)!”

Altair raised his lips crookedly as if he was enjoying, while Nadia flinched in surprise.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re serious. I have no intention of stopping.”

❈❈❈

“Ugh…”

Nadia’s whole body felt heavy, and it was hard to get up from the bed.

As she rolled around on the bed, she heard a snickering, and she inhaled sharply.

(Gasp)!

Thinking she was alone in bed, she was startled and turned her head toward the laughter.

She then saw Altair leaning against the headboard of the bed, holding a book.

“Why-, why are you still here?”

She always woke up alone the next day after spending the night with him.

Altair was a busy person who had to work from dawn, and she had no stamina, so she had to sleep late after working hard all night, so she couldn’t get up on time.

Thus, Nadia naturally thought she would stay in bed alone today!

“I wanted to see you wake up today, so I took it easy. I just chose the bed as the place to go because I had something to read.”

“Then at least make a sound… ”

“There are very few people who can sense my presence. You, in particular, wouldn’t have noticed no matter what I do.”

“That’s…true, I guess… ”

Nadia mumbled and turned over the blanket.

She rolled around in bed so much that she must have looked like a mess, but it was still embarrassing to show herself like this.

She heard Altair let out a small laugh, perhaps because her behavior was funny.

But that was only for a moment.

“Is this always how you started the day after spending the night? Or is it because your body hasn’t recovered yet?”

It was a health concern that she thought she had forgotten.

Thinking that if she didn’t give him a decent answer here, Altair might come back as an overprotective person like he did in Aylesford, she shook her head desperately, pulling down the blanket she had covered.

“That’s just how it is. Doesn’t anyone who spends the night with Altair become like this? It’s not because my body hasn’t recovered. Really.”

“Hmm. Am I bothering you?”

A somewhat embarrassed look crossed Altair’s face.

I didn’t say that to make you feel sorry.

In trying to emphasise that her body was fine, Nadia accidentally ended up criticising Altair’s aggressiveness.

“It’s-, it’s definitely a little rough, but I don’t hate it. It’s something a couple do anyway, and it’s also proof that you’re healthy. Oh, um, so you’re not bothering me. I like it as much as you like it.”

When she told him her feelings in a rambling manner, Altair narrowed his eyes and let out a strange ‘hmm’.

“Okay. So my wife likes being bullied, right?”

“Why would you say that…”

When she responded bluntly to the teasing words, Altair smiled faintly and lightly tapped her cheek with his finger.

“Now that you’re up, I guess I should get moving too. I’m going to the palace today. I’ve been granted permission to enter.”

“Are you going to meet the Third Prince? Or the First Prince?”

If he were to meet the Third Prince, he would probably discuss how to lead the joint front, and if he were to meet the First Prince, he would probably try to figure out his situation and thoughts.

However, Altair’s answer was neither.

“The person I’m going to meet is the Emperor. I’ve been poking around here since I was sure who the real ‘higher-up’ was, but I got a call first after the trial.”

“Meeting the Emperor…”

“Isn’t it a bit strange? The Emperor is still alive and well. He’s holding onto power so greedily that he’s holding a grand Silver Jubilee. But everyone else is ignoring the Emperor and focusing on the First Prince, and the Second Prince…his successor.”

Altair continued, his eyes calming down as he fixed her hair.

“After talking to you yesterday, my thoughts have become more certain. There’s no need to use the Third Prince. Just negotiate with the one who truly holds the sword. Then there’s no need to join hands with someone who might be a backstabber.”

“You’re going to target the Emperor?”

“I’ve already helped the Emperor. When his power was about to waver, I framed Balhail and gave him the opportunity to strengthen his power. He knows how useful I am.”

“But that means…telling the Emperor to kill his son. Will the Emperor accept that? Rather, it might spark a firestorm.”

“The Emperor is a rational person. He has strong pride. If he had realised what the First Prince had done, no, he might have already realised it, and he would never want to hand over his position to someone like that. He’s always worried about how he will be recorded in history.”

Altair grinned dangerously, perhaps already creating the picture in his head.

“I should tell him how to get rid of the First Prince appropriately….while protecting the honour of the Imperial Family.”