I Became a Barbarian's Bride - Chapter 36
“I can’t believe how small you are.”
“You said that yesterday too. And the day before that, and the day before that.”
“Let’s sort out how I should address you. What do you prefer? Tun? Nisha? Princess? Honey? Darling?”
“…What?”
Nisha’s expression turned perplexed as the titles he suggested became increasingly playful and peculiar.
He really is an unpredictable man.
At first, she thought he was like a beast, an aloof and arrogant predator.
“Hmm? Tell me, Princess.”
The low voice whispering in her ear and lightly biting her earlobe was chillingly unsettling.
Not because she disliked hearing it.
On the contrary, it was a problem because she liked it too much.
But ever since their first night together, he had been consistently friendly, approaching her first, talking to her, and taking good care of her.
To someone who was essentially a hostage in a political marriage.
“Nisha is fine.”
“Nisha.”
She hesitated at the sound of her name spoken in a deep baritone voice.
It had been so long since she heard her own name that she could barely remember it.
No one had called her by her name properly for almost a decade.
She was always addressed as Princess, sewer rat, or trash, so there was no need for her name to be called.
Except for Mary, all the maids and servants avoided her.
Perhaps they avoided helping her or speaking to her for fear of being targeted or retaliated against.
Nisha understood them.
She understood, but it was still hard.
“That’s a lovely name.”
“Is it?”
Thinking it was just empty words, Nisha replied lightly, and the man, still holding her from behind, chuckled. He gently tickled her lower abdomen with his fingertips as he spoke.
“Yes. In our language, your name means ‘Goddess of the Moon.’”
Nisha froze at Kagan’s words. She never imagined it would have a real meaning.
“Really?”
“You didn’t know?”
“No, my mother passed away shortly after I was born.”
Kagan nodded at Nisha’s words.
“Ah. It’s likely that your mother had Kashan blood. Otherwise, the oracle wouldn’t have come.”
“Me? Wait, an oracle…?”
“I’ll tell you more once we reach the capital.”
Kagan whispered softly in her ear.
The closer they got to the capital, the more frequent his touches became, or so it seemed to her.
‘Did he know me from before, without me knowing?’
She wanted to ask if their sense of distance had closed so significantly without her realizing, but Nisha swallowed the question.
“Nisha, once we enter the capital, you should consider yourself on equal footing with me. So, there’s no need for unnecessary formalities.”
“…What?”
“For a while, there may be forces that try to undermine you. I can protect and shield you, but in the long run, that won’t be beneficial for you. So, securing your position is entirely up to you.”
Nisha froze at Kagan’s words.
It wasn’t hard to realize that he was giving her advice. Seeing her still and silent, he spoke again.
“Well, you seem small, soft, and like you’d be blown away by the wind, so they might not dislike you too much…”
“Pardon…?”
“In any case, it’s best to drop the formal speech if you don’t want to be disregarded.”
Disregarded.
Nisha’s eyes widened slightly at the word.
“…Understood.”
She barely managed to speak, her lips twitching as she did.
“If it’s uncomfortable, you can just do it during public activities.”
Kagan added leisurely, then continued.
“Xieman’s climate is quite dry. We’ll create a suitable environment for you, but it won’t be the same as Roshan. The facilities here aren’t as developed as those in Roshan, so keep that in mind.”
Nisha nodded at his words, which implied that he’d help her as much as possible.
“And lastly, don’t bow your head easily, Nisha.”
“Bow my head…?”
“Right. There’s no one in the royal palace that you need to bow to, Nisha. You don’t need to bow to my parents, and since you’re equal to me, you don’t need to bow to me either. Well, as a princess, you probably know this better than I do, but still, don’t forget it.”
