The Earl's Bad Wife Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Honeymoon

It seems we’re currently staying at the same place as my parents’ honeymoon. It’s thoughtful that Mother booked it for us but being with my husband makes me feel restless.

‘I guess even I can be sensitive to other people’, I thought approvingly in spite of myself.

First, I’ll change from my wedding clothes into my normal ones in the privately a.s.signed room.

A maid was already waiting in the room and she helped me with my dress.

Once I stripped out of the snow white dress, I let out a long sigh of relief thinking how today’s battle was over.

I’d probably been nervous all throughout.

The maid chose a dress for me that wasn’t restricting. When my change of clothes bunched up below my chest, the skirt gently puffed out.

My tightly pinned up hair was also taken down and was now hanging in front of my chest in a braid.

With my outfit in order, the maid respectfully bowed her head.

「――Well then Hermina-sama, please call out to me if there’s anything else I can do for you」

「Yes, thank you」

It seems she’ll be waiting inside this room.

Since Mother was worried about a lot of things for me, there were things like a bed, a washroom, and a bathtub in my private room. The s.p.a.ce I shared with my husband was pretty much just the living room.

Gripping the hem of my skirt lightly, I moved to the living room.

My husband had been relaxing on the couch. He changed from his wedding attire and was crossing his long legs.

The moment he noticed I was back, he’d corrected his posture.

「It’s fine, I don’t mind. We are husband and wife, aren’t we?」

「It would seem so. But it still feels like a dream…」

He ended up thanking me again. And I thanked my husband back as well.

It was a rare bond so I hope things would go smoothly.

I called the maid and she prepared tea for us, I took in a deep breathe and tried to talk about a matter that was on my mind.

That, was about the topic of legitimizing the child. I’ve been putting it into deep consideration even now.

As a result, I proposed that he can just grant my whim halfway.

「I’m thinking you could just grant my wish halfway」

「And that is?」

「We’ll adopt the child, but I’ll give up on my request to have Keira Von Weigand be the nanny」

As I thought, with Mother living together with us, I don’t think she’ll be able to stand it if his lover was at home. It would be best if I just create an opportunity to let her see the child.

My husband nodded at my plan of a compromise.

「I understand. Then, let’s do that」

He said even in the worst case scenario, there wasn’t a problem if I adopted. He also said the timing was just right.

What did he mean by that? Even when I asked he didn’t answer me.

With our conversation settled, I was asked about my plan tomorrow.

「Is there anywhere you’d like to go?」

「Let’s see, I’d like to buy souvenir for my mother and my sisters」

「If that’s the case, why don’t we go and buy some famous coral product」

This was the harbour that had the sea right in front of it. I heard their corals were world-famous. My husband says he knows of a good store.

Should I say as expected of a playboy? I suppose he’s a master at knowing things like stores that women would enjoy on a global-scale.

After that, my husband told me he was going out, and went off somewhere.

I tried asking the maid who brewed a second helping of tea.

「Hey, where do you think he went off to?」

「That’s……」

The maid, who usually always answers my question whenever I asked, had been at a loss for words.

Well, if we’re talking about places players go to at night, then there’s not that much.

「I guess he needs to relax as well」

He’d told me it been a long time since he had a vacation, so I guess it’s fine to let his hair down once in a while.

I decided to let him be as long as he doesn’t go too wild.

Looks like it was already the next day by the time he came back home. Based on my maid’s report.
The next day.

Like an actual honeymoon trip, we toured around town innocuously.

We went into a limestone cave near town using a large boat, watched a performance of a girl dancing to the beat of a lively orchestral performance, and tasted the port city’s delicious seafood cuisine for lunch.

My husband was a wealth of information and he answered all the questions I asked.

Against expectations, I enjoyed myself.

We went to buy the sourvenirs for the family at the store that sells coral products last.

I chose coral combs for my sisters and coral earrings for my mother.

The light pink coral was smooth to the touch and had a beautiful l.u.s.ter. I think my family will be delighted as well.

「What about you, Hermina-sama?」

「Me?」

「Yes. Why don’t we buy something as a commemoration」

When he said that, the shop owner came bringing something along.

Stored inside the wooden box was a red coral. The item seemed very rare and looked as if it was shown only to a select few customers.

It was a hair ornament that was modeled after a rose and expertly crafted.

The owner told me it was alright to touch it so I tried holding it in my hand.

「My, it’s incredibly light」

「Yes. It’s hard to get something this big and the craftmans.h.i.+p of the rose makes it the only one of its kind in the world」

It wasn’t a gaudy red, but a sutle color, it was as lovely as an actual rose.

「Do you like it?」

「Yes, I guess so」

From its color, its design, to its size, I love everything about it. But it’s not something to buy as a souvenir. It was probably more expensive than the necklace I was currently wearing.
。
As I was planning to ask the owner if I could take one more look at it, my husband told the shopkeeper, 「Then, we’ll take it」 with a smile.

I immediately gripped his arm and whispered close to his ear. “Is your wallet going to be okay?” I asked.

「It’s fine. I never had an opportunity to use it until now so I should have a little more than average」

He hasn’t had an opportunity to use his money even though he’s been playing around until now?

What sort of player was he?, I’m getting a little curious.

It seems they’ll deliver the red coral hair ornament to our lodging, and, the souvenirs to our residence back at the capital for us.

And so, we left the store behind.

It had completely turned dark outside.

「Are you feeling tired, Hermina-sama?」

「No, I’m fine」

Now that I think about it, we’d spent the entire day leisurely sightseeing.

Since we took breaks every so often, I don’t feel tired. Maybe a free and easy schedule had been prepared for us.

Later after we returned home and I’d relaxed in the tub, my husband called out to me.

He told me he was going out again.

I replied with a, ‘have a safe trip’ and sent him off.

Even on the second day, he went off somewhere to have fun.

How should I put it, I began to admire how he was still full of energy after our one full day of sightseeing.

On the third day, we decided to go to sea port’s festival. Or rather, this was the purpose of the trip.

The boats from all over the world came along to become the biggest market where various products were put on display.

It was fun just touring around. But, I’m amazed at the number of people.

No matter where I went, there were crowds of people.

My husband guided me by the shoulder, making it easier for me to walk around.

I had reservations to eat a meal at a seaside restaurant, but I gave up after seeing the long queue at the shop’s entrance.

Instead, we bought food at the food stand. This is the first time in my life to eat and drink at that place.

I thought it’d be improper, but no one paid us any attention.

There was also a foreign saying that 『once out of the border, one may do anything』, so I decided to take a so-what att.i.tude.

We avoided the crowd and ate at the park.

My husband placed his coat on the lawn and encouraged me to sit there. I thanked him and sat down.

Although the street food was heavily seasoned and eating was also difficult, the food that we were eating under the blue sky tasted delicious.

After that, we resumed our stroll of the market.

“We should also have a honeymoon commemoration of today”, he said and bought me a pearl necklace. Its spehrical shape was charming so I like it very much.

It was evening by the time we returned home.

That night as well, my husband told me he was heading out. And with a smile, I replied, “Okay”.

He’d just come to inform me, so it seems he hasn’t gone off.

I immediately took action.

Asking the maid for help, I took off my dress and put on the one piece dress that servants wore.

I bundled up my hair and put on a kerchief.

From now on, I’ll following my husband tracks to find out where he was going.

I’d been stopped by the maid, but since I had a weapon for self-defense, I argued she had nothing to worry about.

She said she’ll go with me but when I asked if she could erase her presence, she’d shaken her head .

I decided to go alone so as not to get caught.

Once I confirmed that my husband went out, I followed after him.

He left the lodging and proceeded to go to the night streets on foot.

The first place he headed off to was a museum that was closed for the day. Once he did a cursory check of the exterior, he turned back.

Since he was heading my way, I promptly hid myself.

My heart was thumping loudly but I hadn’t gotten caught.

The next place he went to was a restaurant. He went inside. Did he have a rendezvous with a woman here, or something?

When I was hesitating whether to head home, my husband quickly left the store.

I hid myself in a panic.

For the third.

He continued on while staring hard at the souvenir shops. Every shop was closed for the day.

It was too puzzling why he was touring stores that were closed for the day.

The fourth was a planetarium.

It was opened but he just stared at the building without trying to go in.

I’ve been following him around all this while, but it didn’t look like he was playing around with anyone.

It’s like, he was just doing a preliminary investigation of where to sight-see.

Don’t tell me, was he checking out the places the day before so that he could stroll with me?

For what? I don’t get it at all.

Since my husband turned back again, I hid in the shadow of the building.

When I waited for him to pa.s.s and tried to follow after his retreating figure, he suddenly disappeared.

As I was on the verge of searching where he ran off to, I felt a presence behind me.

Since my focus was completely directed at what was in front of me, my reaction was slow.

The person grabbed my wrist and whispered in my ear.

「――with this, are you satisfied, my dear wife?」

My body s.h.i.+vered with a start at the cold tone. He immediately released the wrist he had been holding.

When I turned around panicked, it was the figure of my husband.

The ever smiling face was gone, he warned me with a stern look.

「It’s dangerous to walk alone on the street at night」

「……Y-yes」

It appears that I got caught shadowing him.

When I asked when he’d realized it, he answered that it was immediately after he left the lodging.

It seems that he really had been doing a preliminary inspection of tomorrow’s sightseeing as I imagined.

「I was taking a look at whether the places were dangerous or whether the road was constructed to be easy to walk on, things like that」

「Is… that so」

Should I say, as expected of a knight guarding the royal family? It’s a little vexing that he caught me trailing, but I vowed there won’t be a second time.