The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 91
“The lodging fees shouldn’t be too high. Otherwise, people will hesitate at the thought of spending a lot.”
“Instead, we’ll make up the difference by selling these miscellaneous items?”
“Exactly. If the lodging is affordable, they’ll feel like they’re saving money. Once they arrive, they’ll be excited and more willing to spend.”
“And when they see all these various items for sale?”
Jean and Amber exchanged knowing glances.
If someone had seen them, they might have called it a ‘friendship forged in money making’.
At that moment, they were perfectly in sync.
“Let me draw what I’m imagining.”
Amber eagerly took out several sheets of paper. Jean quickly waved his hands in protest.
“Oh, no. Please just describe it to me. I’ll draw it.”
“I can draw well too.”
“Ahem. How could you use your delicate hands for drawing? Let me handle it.”
In the end, Amber won the playful argument.
Stubbornly, Amber drew camellia pins and brooches with all her might, and the result was…
“Is that a snail?”
“No, it’s not!”
The result was less than stellar.
* * *
As Jean had mentioned, Igmeyer didn’t come to the bedroom that night.
Normally, she didn’t question his whereabouts, so she couldn’t blame him for his actions.
However, she was a bit annoyed because she had waited for him until she fell asleep, and even after waking up, he was nowhere to be seen.
If he was busy, of course he couldn’t come. Lately, he had been training at night in the snowy mountains with the prince and the priests.
Technically, he wasn’t the one training but the one overseeing the training, but still.
‘I know it’s rare for couples to see each other every day. I know. Usually, I’m not even that curious about where he is.’
So why was she so pouty today?
Amber realized she was feeling grumpy.
“Madam, shall I go outside the castle gate to see if he’s coming back soon?”
Nora, sensing her mood, cautiously spoke up.
“Why would you do that? He’ll come when he can.”
Realizing she had shown her irritation enough for her servants to notice, Amber cleared her throat and adjusted her expression.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“But… it’s the first time he hasn’t come back for this long.”
Really? If she thought about it, it had happened before. What made today different was that she had something to discuss with him.
Amber and Igmeyer’s sleeping schedules often didn’t match.
Honestly, she often wondered if he even slept. She had heard that he took short naps, as his unique power meant he didn’t need much sleep like ordinary people.
So, Amber often fell asleep alone and frequently woke up to find him gone.
“I guess I’ve never had the feeling of waiting for him before. I never realized how hard it is to wait for someone.”
As Amber sighed, Nora shook her head.
“That’s not it. Usually, about three hours after you fall asleep, His Grace comes in.”
“…Really?”
“Oh, I thought you knew. He does it every time…. He watches you sleep for a while before leaving again. But he didn’t do that last night…”
Nora’s voice trailed off, as if she was worried she had said too much.
Amber’s silence wasn’t due to Nora’s words but her own thoughts.
‘I had no idea. He sneaks in while I’m asleep, like a thief, and then leaves quietly.’
Feeling a mix of surprise and amusement, Amber didn’t know what expression to make.
‘And then he pretends nothing happened during the day?’
What kind of man does that?
With her mind in turmoil, Amber patted Nora’s head absentmindedly and walked to the window.
She now had one more thing to discuss with Igmeyer, but he still showed no signs of returning.
The frustrating part was that she had no way to go out and find him.
“Sigh.”
Amber checked the time with a sigh.
Soon, Jason’s morning lesson would end. Maybe she would take him for a walk today.
* * *
“All done.”
At that moment, Igmeyer was in a rundown back-alley shop. The shop, entirely black in color, was just as old inside as it appeared outside, though it was meticulously clean despite its age.
Igmeyer had been in this shop for eight hours, from night until morning.
“Be careful for the next few days. Don’t overexert yourself or engage in any fights. If the wound reopens, the picture will be ruined.”
“Anything else I should be aware of?”
“Make sure to apply the ointment thinly and frequently. Never wash it with hot water.”
“A lot to keep in mind.”
A married man staying out overnight wasn’t good, especially when it wasn’t due to training but for an entirely different reason.
However, Igmeyer had done nothing to be ashamed of in front of his wife. This was clear from the conversation he was having with the shop owner.
