My Favorite Smut Author Is My Husband! - Chapter 33
“Ashulin, you’re not the author ‘K,’ right? You’re just a reader, and yet I jumped to conclusions and got angry….”
“Lily, it was natural for you to get upset. It’s me who should apologize.”
Ashulin’s wavering gaze steadied, meeting hers with firm resolve, as if he had made a decision.
“It’s all because I wasn’t honest. As you said, we vowed to be truthful to each other when we became husband and wife, yet I broke that promise. This is my fault.”
“Ashulin.”
“Officially, if I reveal this, I could be sentenced to death for royal treason. But I can’t bear to hurt you any further. I’d rather face execution than let this misunderstanding persist.”
“What?”
What was he about to say? She knew all too well the depth of his love for her and that he wasn’t the author. Was there something else he was hiding? Lily had resolved to accept whatever he would say without surprise, but within seconds of making that resolve, she found herself stunned.
Royal treason? Execution? Execution?
“Wait, Ashulin, don’t say it! If it’s something that severe, I understand. You don’t have to say it!”
“No, Lily.”
The bathwater was still warm, but it felt like cold water had been poured over her head, bringing her to a sharp awareness. Despite her frantic gestures to stop him, Ashulin, having made up his mind, couldn’t be halted.
Just as Lily tried to raise her hand to cover his mouth and prevent him from speaking, it was a moment too late—the words she shouldn’t hear hit her like a blow.
“In truth, the author ‘K’ is His Highness, the Imperial Prince.”
“Ahh!”
No! Lily couldn’t figure out whether she should be more shocked that her favorite author was none other than His Highness, the Imperial Prince, or more worried about Ashulin, who had revealed this secret. All she could do was scream. But oblivious to her distress, Ashulin merely poured warm water over her shoulder once again.
“His Highness writes novels whenever he’s stressed. He’s been writing since our academy days and used to hand them to me under the guise of teasing me. Strangely, he never shared them with anyone else, yet he’d always thrust them at me.”
Ashulin, who seemed so exasperated that he was practically grinding his teeth, had now dropped the honorifics when referring to the prince.
But Lily understood. A man this tight-lipped would indeed be a safe outlet for His Highness to vent his stress. Ashulin’s dismayed reactions were surely part of the fun, too. In fact, Ashulin was the only one who knew the truth, which allowed author ‘K’ to keep the secret perfectly.
Though, that perfect secrecy was now broken.
“Still, since it’s a book authored by the future Emperor, I couldn’t just discard it, so I shoved it in a corner of the library. And yes, that stack of documents you saw earlier is indeed part of author ‘K’s’ latest work, just as you suspected.”
“I see…”
Lily, who had been fully absorbed in what felt like Ashulin’s confession, suddenly snapped to her senses. “I see!”—what a relaxed response! Ashulin had just divulged the Imperial Prince’s secret. Confidentiality wasn’t only for military strategies, after all. Any hidden fact was a secret to be kept!
“W-What should we do? I swear I won’t say a word to anyone. You took such a risk because of me!”
“Lily?”
“I’ll act as if my lips are sewn shut. I swear, Ashulin.”
*Swish—*
“…..!”
“Execution? Don’t even say something so dreadful. Don’t make me a widow who loses the one she loves.”
Just moments ago, she thought she didn’t even have the strength to lift an arm, but it was clear that a person’s willpower was what truly moved them. Lily, pushing through the still water, threw her arms around his neck. Though her chest felt tight, what did it matter? Compared to Ashulin’s honesty in revealing such a big secret, her past misunderstandings and actions were nothing but a nuisance.
“I’m sorry, truly sorry. A sincere marriage shouldn’t be burdened by things like this… If I really trusted you as my partner, I should have believed in you without needing explanations. But I couldn’t even trust in your love or your work.”
“L-Lily…”
“How can I make it up to you, Ashulin?”
The one consolation was that, despite her mistakes, he still loved her and didn’t seem angry. Now, she could see clearly into his heart. Yet, since she owed him an apology, she bit her already swollen lips.
Ashulin, visibly flustered, quickly reached out, brushing her lips with his fingers. Then, he placed a gentle, feather-light kiss on her lips that seemed about to bleed from how hard she had bitten them. He rose, fetched a large, thick towel, and, as Lily stepped out of the water, he wrapped her in the towel, his gaze filled with pure affection. Then, he used another towel to gently dry her damp, glistening silver hair.
His somewhat awkward touch, as if he was unused to such tender care, only made Lily’s heart flutter even more.
“I, too, must deeply apologize for causing you pain. What’s marriage if not understanding each other’s faults? Let’s just pretend our mistakes never happened and move on.”
“But…”
“Of course, the fault I bear toward you is heavier, but I hope that with your kindness, you’ll grant my request.”
Ashulin’s broad, unfamiliar smile was so dazzling that Lily couldn’t help but surrender. Without realizing it, she had begun to smile along with him as he gently bundled her up and lifted her effortlessly.
Listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat as he carried her, they soon arrived in their shared bedroom. Who knew what the household staff thought about Lily and Ashulin’s uproar as they dashed around without even having dinner? Ever so considerate, the staff had tidied the bedroom and even left a small plate of biscuits and wine.
Grateful as she was, Lily was too exhausted to think about eating as her eyelids grew heavier.
“Lily, to be honest, I’ve never even read one of His Highness’s books properly.”
“I… completely misunderstood…”
Gently setting her down and covering her with a blanket, Ashulin quickly lay down beside her. He stroked her rhythmically, listening to her drowsy voice as her eyes fluttered shut. Her long, wet eyelashes, looking tempting to kiss, were something he resisted with difficulty.
“But since you’re such a fan, I’ll make sure to read them. Just…”
“…….”
“Just, if you decided to marry me thinking I was the author, wouldn’t you be terribly disappointed? I worry that your feelings for me may have changed.”
As Lily’s breathing grew softer, on the brink of sleep, he hastily continued. Trying to gauge her feelings in her sleep might have been a slightly underhanded tactic, but he preferred it to hearing her say something like, “I was disappointed!” while awake.
But to Ashulin’s relief, Lily’s damp eyelashes fluttered before her eyes curved into a crescent smile like a new moon.
“No, marrying you was the best choice of my life.”
At last, a full smile bloomed on Ashulin’s face as well.
