Chapter 4: Chapter 1: The Strange Bride (3)

She cut him down with a tone that was refreshingly crisp.

"What did the Empire gain from this war? Since Ultima alone probably wouldn't have been able to achieve victory, the achievements of the Empire’s Army must be highly valued. ...The Grand Duchy's territory? But incorporating land that is not geographically contiguous would create friction with neighboring countries and could become the spark for a great war involving the entire continent. Would they go that far for a tiny territory with few resources?"

"...That is classified information."

"Then, is it people?"

This time, Erwin was genuinely startled, and he stared intently into the depths of her glasses.

"Why do you think that?"

"It was not the Allied Forces, but soldiers of the Saxon Empire’s Army who found me at the Earl of Knowles' estate. Furthermore, they were not exhausted in the slightest; their uniforms were perfectly neat. I do not know how many search parties they had split into, but there is no doubt that the estate was high on their list of priorities. Moreover, when they found me, they said, 'Are you associated with the House of Knowles?' That is why I felt they had visited the estate only after thorough preparation and investigation."

Her crisp tone gradually shifted into a murmur, as if she were questioning herself.

"The reason the Empire’s soldiers, impeccably dressed, would go out of their way to come during the chaos immediately following the war... It should have been easy to find that the Earl of Knowles had admonished the Grand Duke and stood by the people. The Crown Prince knew this, and he was searching for the Earl's kin... I wonder what His Highness intends to make a member of the Earl's family do."

"And what does that have to do with your wish?"

A harsh tone escaped him instinctively. Letiana started and bowed her head.

"My apologies... I always have a tendency to poke my nose too far into things that interest me."

Seeing her shoulders slump despondently, Erwin softened his tone.

"You are the daughter of the Earl; it is only natural that you would want to know. However, as I said before, this is classified information, so I cannot speak of it carelessly. Do you understand?"

"Of course. ...Um, may I continue my explanation?"

Seeing Erwin nod, Letiana relaxed her shoulders.

"In short, His Highness likely sees a value in me beyond that of a mere, insignificant noble of a fallen nation. If so, his order for us to marry was likely not a mere whim, but based on a proper reason. I do not believe it is wise to let the matter fade into obscurity by simply waiting for the heat to die down."

That was precisely what Erwin feared.

"But there is no other way, is there?"

"That is where my proposal comes in. Why not actually lead a married life?"

Erwin leaned back slightly, staring intently at Letiana, who was dressed in nightwear that lacked even a shred of allure.

"...With you?"

"Yes, with me."

A typical young lady would have cried or flown into a rage at such a rude attitude, but Letiana remained unfazed.

"I suspect that the reason you have avoided marriage, Lord Erwin, is that you have not found a woman who suits your heart, you wish to avoid a political marriage with an incompatible partner, and you are fed up with being pursued by young ladies you do not even like. Am I mistaken?"

"Something like that. ...Go on."

She was roughly correct. Erwin urged her to continue.

"Even if you were to find a partner within the country and marry, you would likely not divorce even if the affection cooled. This is because you are aware of your parents' divorce and the scandal that followed."

She had likely learned the inner workings of the Marquis's house from the head housekeeper, who had been in a welcoming mood for the bride.

"Even for a prestigious house, two consecutive divorces would be poor for one's public image. Yet, continuing a loveless marriage is agony."

"And you claim that marrying you avoids this? Why are you so certain? Do you mean to say we would live a life devoid of love from start to finish?"

"No."

Without flinching at Erwin's scoff, Letiana immediately denied it.

"I am a person from a defeated nation; from the Empire's perspective—to borrow your words, Lord Erwin—I am 'yesterday's enemy.' Moreover, I am a woman with no merit in lineage or appearance, nothing noteworthy about me at all. I am entirely unsuitable to stand beside you, the heir to a prestigious Marquisate with a guaranteed future."

"Now, there is no need to belittle yourself so..."

Raised as a gentleman, Erwin instinctively tried to follow up, but Letiana brushed it aside.

"Everyone will realize that this unnatural marriage was the Crown Prince's command. If I am the partner, people will feel sympathy for you. I believe that even if you filed for divorce once the heat had died down, you would not be condemned."

"In other words, a marriage predicated on divorce."

"Yes. To be honest, I do not desire marriage either. However, upon further reflection, I began to think that having a history of marriage might be more convenient."

"Convenient?"

"What I desire is an independent life. That is something I cannot achieve as an unmarried woman."

That may be true. An unmarried woman living without anyone's protection would be condemned as improper, but if she had been married, it would not be such an issue.

"The timing of the divorce would depend on confirming His Highness's intentions, but if we simply say the cause was that I could not adapt to the Empire, the flaw in the House of the Marquis would be nearly nonexistent."

Erwin fell silent, directing his slate-blue eyes toward the ceiling.

Indeed, it would be better than marrying a domestic noble lady and divorcing due to failure. However...

"Even if it's predicated on divorce, must we... perform those acts?"

"Yes. I have no one else to ask, so I have no choice but to beg for your mercy, Erwin-sama."

"Did you have no close male friends in your homeland?"

"Unfortunately, I did not."

"Not a single one?"

"No, not one."

Whatever the circumstances, it meant she had no experience with the opposite sex. Even if she had a close male friend, if her parents found out they had gone that far, it would have been a matter of responsibility.

She certainly doesn't look like the type to have played around...

Her straight nose and lovely lips suggested she had good features, but the bottle-bottom glasses ruined everything. That said, her unpretentious personality was likable, and if he wasn't picky, he felt he could at least take her virginity.

However, that wasn't the essence of the conversation. After thinking for a while, Erwin spoke.

"I do not wish to be pitied, nor do I wish to protect my honor by sacrificing you."

As he slowly returned his gaze to Letiana, the woman who had made such a bold proposal was looking down, her thin shoulders hunched.

"...I am truly sorry. If I had not wished to go to the Empire, this marriage, and this unreasonable request, would never have happened."

Though apologetic, she didn't seem intent on withdrawing her request. Erwin narrowed his eyes.

A typical noble lady would value her chastity as much as her own life. Doubting her stubborn attitude, Erwin couldn't help but ask.

"Why do you loathe being innocent so much?"

Her lips parted slightly, but only a small sigh escaped. Before he knew it, Erwin had edged closer to his bride, straining his ears so as not to miss a word.

"...Ghosts."

Her voice trembled slightly at the end.

"Ghosts?"

"Yes. ...So that I am not attacked by ghosts."

Ghosts... does she mean nightmares?

Wondering how far he should push, Erwin asked slowly.

"...Is that what is tormenting you?"

Letiana's throat bobbed. In the next instant, a single tear rolled down from beneath those thick glasses.

"...!"

He thought the sight of the transparent droplet tracing her cheek was beautiful.

A woman's tears are nothing but a weapon. He had believed that, yet he could not take his eyes off Letiana.

Almost unconsciously, Erwin reached out to the transparent drop and wiped it away with his index finger.

"S-sorry."

Startled by the sudden touch, Letiana turned her face away and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Erwin's hand, having lost its destination, lingered in the air and curled into a light fist.

Was it her tears that ultimately made him decide?

He thought back on it many times in later years, but he could never say for certain. However, everything that composed her—her plain appearance, her crisp tone, her honest and straightforward attitude, and the sudden glimpse of fragility—piqued Erwin's interest and led him to accept a proposal he would normally never have agreed to.

"—I understand."

Letiana whipped around.

"Really?"

"Yes. Let us do as you say."

Letiana beamed. Even with her eyes hidden, he could tell this was her true smile.

A desire stirred in Erwin's chest, and he reached out softly.

As the man's hand approached, her trembling lips straightened. The air between them suddenly grew tense.

Carefully, so as not to tangle in her wavy hair, he removed the glasses. He then brushed back her bangs with his fingertips, revealing her face.

She had her eyes closed. Long eyelashes. Well-shaped brows. The line of her nose, extending straight from the bridge, was like a textbook painting, and her slightly high cheekbones carried an air of nobility.

"...Open your eyes."

His throat suddenly went dry, and his voice rasped.

Her trembling lashes slowly lifted. Erwin's heart hammered violently, and blood surged through his entire body.

And then appeared hazel eyes that resembled gemstones.

The greenish pupils captured the man before her and contracted sharply.

Because he had suddenly inhaled, a raspy sound escaped his throat. But he didn't notice; he simply stared at her, devouring her sight with obsession.

My god!

Letiana Abalov. Erwin's wife, who wore shabby clothes and bottle-bottom glasses, was a beauty more perfect than any he had ever seen.

Erwin was almost dazed.

His mother, Kathleen, was also quite a beauty, but the quality of Letiana's beauty was different. To use a metaphor, Kathleen was motion and Letiana was stillness; a dazzling sun and a single ray of moonlight; a crimson rose and a white lily. Rather than being incomparable, it would be more accurate to say they were too different to even compare.

Perhaps it was because of the long eyelashes that cast shadows on her cheeks, or the misty eyes that looked like scattered crushed emeralds. There was a shadow in her presence that resembled melancholy. She lacked the brilliant flashiness of Kathleen—and of Erwin himself—but she possessed a quiet elegance akin to an untouched snowfield.

"Erwin-sama?"

A soft voice brushed his earlobe, and his mind flickered dully. He knew he had to respond, but he couldn't find his voice.

Meanwhile, Letiana looked up at Erwin, who had become expressionless due to his extreme confusion.

"...Um..."

Her moist hazel eyes took on a jewel-like brilliance.

For a moment, Letiana pressed her lips together with the face of a helpless child, then she pushed on the shoulder of Erwin, who was entranced by her sparkling eyes.

Hm?

Looked down upon by that small face framed by rich chestnut curls, Erwin finally realized he had been pushed down onto the bed. He tried to prop himself up on one elbow, but Letiana pushed his shoulder again, forcing him to lie flat.

Just as Erwin was about to ask what she was doing, he froze with his mouth open. This was because she had untied the waist-cord of his nightwear.

"Wh...!"

"Please do not overexert yourself. If you just stay still, I will do everything—"

"Wait!"

Rising using only his abdominal muscles, Erwin caught Letiana as she lost her balance and stumbled. He then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to sit on his lap.

The weight on his lap and the melting softness. While Erwin fought the rising impure thoughts, Letiana looked at him with a bewildered expression. Recovering from his surprise, Erwin asked:

"Just to be sure, you have no... experience with this, do you? You've never even kissed?"

She gave a small nod, and Erwin breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed certain that she was inexperienced not only in foreplay but even in kissing. Her claim that she had no contact with men in her homeland must also be true. And it matched what Erwin had felt while speaking with her.

Despite that, her excessive confidence bothered him. Stroking Letiana's hair, Erwin asked:

"What is your understanding of sexual love between men and women?"

Feeling that speaking indirectly wouldn't get the point across, he spoke bluntly. Letiana, still on his lap, tilted her head.

"I have heard that if you stroke a man's body and kiss or rub the sensitive parts with your hand, the act becomes possible."

"And the sensitive parts are?"

"The skin, or the neck, and..."

Apparently becoming embarrassed, her smooth cheeks flushed a soft red. Seeing this, Erwin felt even more reassured; he moved the hand that had been stroking her hair to her slender waist, pulling her close as he brought his face near.

"To get a man in the mood, it is better if the woman is not too aggressive."

"...Is that so?"

"At the very least, I prefer to be the one doing the pushing rather than the one being pushed."

A small wrinkle formed on her plaster-like forehead as her brows knit. It was so cute that Erwin couldn't help but smile.

"Why don't you stop using formal language?"

"...But..."

"A familiar tone is also an important element in getting a man in the mood."

Letiana seemed to accept this somewhat contrived argument without question.

"I understand."

"That's better."

Satisfied, Erwin repeatedly stroked from his wife's slender shoulders down to her arms.

"...So? What did you intend to do after feeling my body?"

Letiana, who had been shrinking as if tickled, flinched as she realized the man was unexpectedly close.

"Um... what do you mean, 'what'..."

"You strip me, stroke my body... and then what?"

He kissed her smooth cheek as if grazing it. Letiana, who had closed her eyes in embarrassment, slowly lifted her long, trembling lashes.

"Now, tell me."

When he prompted her half-teasingly, Letiana reluctantly spoke.

"...You make a certain part of the man... hard, and put it inside of me."

"Inside of you?"

She nodded. It seemed she possessed a basic level of knowledge regarding sexual intercourse. Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Erwin caressed her innocent earlobe with his fingertip.

"Nnh, stop that..."

"Why?"

"Because it tickles."

Stroking her reddened cheek with the back of his index finger, Erwin leaned in. He was in a state where his chest was almost touching Letiana's as she sat on his lap.

"Why are you complaining already?"

"I-I'm not complaining!"

He blocked the mouth that tried to argue with his own lips. He stroked her tensing back, his right hand cupping her slender chin.

"Ah..."

"Letti."

Even her muffled voice sounded adorable. In the gap where her lovely lips sought breath, he invaded her mouth without hesitation, savoring her sweet saliva as he toyed with her tongue.

"Cute Letti."

He parted his lips by a hair's breadth and called her by the nickname.

"Erwin-sama."

"No need for '-sama'."

As he spoke, he gave her a light, pecking kiss. Looking at him from such a close distance, she looked a bit puzzled.

"Is that also to get you in the mood?"

"Yes... no, it's because we're married. Using '-sama' is too distant."

As he tickled her chin with his fingertip, Letiana shrugged.

"Please call me Tia, not Letti."

"Tia?"