Violet Zerotta's Hasty Marriage - Chapter 26
The end of their lovemaking left a languid afterglow.
Violet realized that her body felt far less strained than it had on the first night.
Unlike that time, when she had passed out as if fainting, tonight she was leaning against Aldrick’s shoulder, enjoying his body heat—that was proof enough.
It may have helped that, unlike the first night, Aldrick had released her after only two rounds.
In any case, she found this drowsy atmosphere oddly pleasant.
Aldrick seemed to feel the same relaxed mood. He was absentmindedly playing with her thick brown hair, his eyes closed.
His softened, relaxed face looked so handsome that Violet felt her heart flutter without meaning to.
“Aldrick.”
“Yeah.”
When Violet called him, he gave the usual gentle reply. His voice was calm and relaxed.
Violet had been admiring his blissful face, but a sudden thought flashed through her mind, and she felt as though her heart had dropped.
Why had she forgotten this until now?
She suddenly remembered that she wasn’t wearing a single thread of clothing and sat up straight.
She didn’t want to ruin this peaceful moment, but the thought wouldn’t go away, and she couldn’t calm down.
“Violet?”
Aldrick, startled by her sudden movement, also sat up and adjusted his posture.
“What’s wrong?”
Sensing something was off from her expression, Aldrick cautiously took her arm.
“You… you know that if we keep doing this, I could get pregnant, right?”
As Violet brought it up hesitantly, he looked momentarily speechless.
“You didn’t know?! No matter how young you are—”
When Violet questioned him in shock, Aldrick quickly shook his head.
“No, no. I knew. I just… forgot for a moment.”
“Well, that’s a relief…”
For a moment, she had wondered if she would have to teach him even that.
Violet let out a sigh of relief. But Aldrick now looked a bit sulky, as if something had annoyed him.
“And I’m not that young.”
“You’re three years younger than me, so what.”
“…Anyway.”
“What I’m trying to say is, if we keep living like this, won’t we end up having a baby someday?”
Aldrick fell silent again.
Just like Violet, he clearly hadn’t thought much about that kind of thing.
“Aldrick?”
“Sorry. It’s just… kind of sudden. I mean, don’t misunderstand—I don’t dislike the idea. It just doesn’t feel real…”
“It only just came to my mind, too. I can’t even imagine what it’d be like to have a baby.”
Still, she didn’t dislike the thought.
At the time of their wedding, she had feared a bleak future, but now, after spending time with Aldrick, she had begun to dream of a rose-colored one.
“Mm, well… doesn’t it sound kind of nice? That would make us a real family.”
When Violet said that with a small smile, she felt his hand around her shoulder tighten slightly.
When she looked up at him, he was wearing an expression filled with emotion.
Thank goodness. He didn’t seem to dislike the idea of children.
To Violet, Aldrick seemed like someone who would be a far better father than her own father, Baron Zerotta.
And if she had a child now, it would be a noble’s legitimate heir, not a bastard like herself.
She liked the sound of all of that.
“A family…”
“I always wanted a big family. With lots of kids running around, and I’d scold them while chasing them… But I’ve heard giving birth is really painful.”
Soaking in that hope, Violet began talking freely about her thoughts.
Aldrick silently listened to her, a contemplative look on his face.
“Since the pain is a bit scary, maybe I’ll try having one first, and if it’s okay, we can have more? What do you think about five kids? Wouldn’t that be too much for our food expenses?”
At her premature worries, Aldrick chuckled softly.
“Once we get to the fief, everything will settle down. You won’t have to worry about money anymore. As long as it’s not too hard for you, let’s have as many children as you want.”
He spoke gently, then added one more thing.
“I can’t believe I’ll have a family. I mean, you’re already my family, Violet. But a child… it really feels like a dream.”
He made a promise to her, as if swearing a solemn vow.
“I’ll protect and take responsibility for you and our children. Even if I have to give up my life to do it.”
Hearing Aldrick’s heartfelt words, Violet felt deeply moved, and any lingering doubts or tensions melted away.
Even if the shape of it wasn’t yet clear, there was definitely affection between them.
And as long as they could build trust upon that affection, even if it wasn’t what people called ‘love’, they could still be a good married couple.
Violet secretly wished for this peace and tenderness between them to last forever.
As one more layer of distance crumbled between them, they grew much closer.
***
After that day, Violet and Aldrick began to learn more about each other’s bodies—more deeply and intimately.
Once her reluctance disappeared, he asked for her almost every night, and she willingly gave herself to him.
Violet explored not only her own body but Aldrick’s as well.
The two of them, who had started off as blank slates, discovered, one by one, the joys they could give each other.
The spark Aldrick had kindled in her body only grew stronger with every time they came together. But Violet no longer feared it.
After three years apart, the husband and wife were finally living together and getting to know one another.
And in that sense, their honeymoon truly was a honeymoon.
Even far in the future, long after this time had passed, Violet was sure she would be able to say with confidence—
That the journey she took with Aldrick had been the happiest time of her life.
