Violet Zerotta's Hasty Marriage - Chapter 7
He was still questioning her as if interrogating her. Violet, who had been dazed by his sudden appearance, slowly began to come back to her senses. And as her mind cleared, his tone started to grate on her nerves.
“What do you mean ‘why’? This is my house. Where else am I supposed to live?”
The pointed reply came out without hesitation. Since he was treating her like he’d seen a ghost, Violet was irritated, too. She had clearly resolved to greet him with a smile, but their first conversation in three years was anything but warm. Somehow, Violet felt deeply upset.
“I was just about to make lunch. Have you eaten?”
Let me be the mature one, since I’m a little older. Violet sighed inwardly and asked him. He shook his head with a dissatisfied expression.
“Then come in. Let’s eat together.”
She tried to sound as kind as possible, but with the way he was acting, her voice still came out brusquely. Seriously, what is this? Couldn’t I be a little more affectionate toward someone who just returned from the jaws of death? Even as she scolded herself, it just didn’t come easily.
Well, he was the husband she hadn’t seen since that awkward wedding day. Aside from the fact that they were legally married, they were practically strangers. It was no wonder she found it hard to act close. And she had been through so much just to survive. A sudden feeling of unfairness welled up.
Sure, she had managed a fairly pastoral life, all things considered… and it wasn’t as if he’d been off having fun either… but still…
Her mind thrown into disarray by his return, Violet stomped into the house.
She had always known life wouldn’t go the way she wanted, but she hadn’t expected their reunion to be such a mess from the very first day. That made the disappointment even worse.
***
Carrying their mixed emotions, the two of them ate lunch in silence. It looked like an ordinary meal, as if this had been their routine all along.
But he still seemed unsatisfied, a frown lingering on his brow. Even after finishing the meal, he didn’t get up from the table. Instead, he crossed his arms and looked at her, eyes still filled with suspicion.
“You… You’ve been living here this whole time?”
“Yeah.”
Working like an ox the entire time.
“But… I definitely heard you ran away to your family’s house the day after the wedding. No, more importantly, how did you even manage to live here alone? You didn’t have any money.”
“I had the money you gave me. It was a bit tight, but I managed. I earned a little on the side too… you know.”
“You lived for three years on that?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Three years… on that money?”
“Are you scolding me for spending too much? I used it frugally, without waste. I even managed to save a little.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
His expression had softened a bit. Now, he just looked a little confused.
“But you’re a noblewoman. I didn’t think you could possibly live in a place like this with that kind of money…”
“What are you talking about? Come on, would a proper noble lady even agree to a marriage like this in the first place? I’ve always been used to doing this and that. Living like this wasn’t that hard.”
It had been lonely and difficult, yes. But it really hadn’t been that bad.
Or maybe she’d just been convincing herself of that all along.
“……”
Aldrick now looked completely lost in thought. Seeing that expression made Violet feel strangely uneasy.
“Don’t tell me… were you actually hoping to marry a real noble lady? Is that why you’re dissatisfied now?”
“That’s not it.”
It was hard to believe, but if he said no, she had no choice but to believe him. Violet let her energy deflate again.
With everything happening so fast, it was only now that she really took in Aldrick’s appearance. He looked like a traveler who had come a long way. Dusty clothes, a shabby bag, and a slightly tired expression.
Feeling a little softer now, Violet asked,
“Are you hurt anywhere? Are you feeling unwell?”
Even she was surprised at how worried her voice sounded to her own ears.
“…No.”
He replied with an awkward look on his face.
“That’s good. Then go wash up first. And change your clothes. You’re covered in dirt and dust.”
“…Alright. Got it.”
He still looked a little dazed, but whatever suspicion had been weighing on his mind seemed to have eased somewhat. His expression was much more relaxed than before.
Of course, Violet still had no idea what exactly it was that had made him so suspicious in the first place.
Though their reunion had been awkward and bumpy, as time passed, Violet began to feel a bit better.
After lunch, Aldrick washed when Violet told him to, sat when she told him to sit, and rested when she told him to rest. He seemed like an easy person to deal with, as long as he didn’t have any particular complaints.
Once she had him clean and lying down in bed, Violet stepped out alone into the sitting room and sank into thought.
What now?
