Episode 22: After the hunt, the hunting dog…(1)
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Ever since Tarkan couldn’t forget his first love, Dionna thought it was fine as long as he came around to her in the end.
She was the only one watching him for a long, long time while he never turned around to look at her.
‘I can endure this much.’
As it happens, Dionna had heard what kind of lingerie the court ladies had chosen for Aristine on the first night. So, she also gave the handmaids that information. After all, if she was going to do this, it better be done right.
‘It’s alright, Your Highness. You can play as much as you want. In the end, you will arrive at me, Dionna.’
* * *
The summer night was filled with the sound of crickets.
As Tarkan walked down the hallway to his bedroom, his nose was filled with the strong scent of the night garden. A small bug, glowing like a firefly flew low among the bushes.
However, Tarkan’s steps were heavy. And that’s how it has been for the last few weeks.
Before getting married, Tarkan always slept alone and woke up alone.
Falling asleep meant becoming defenseless.
There was nothing more annoying than having someone with you at those moments.
‘That’s definitely what I thought before.’
But it seemed he had gotten used to it at some point because lately, when Aristine didn’t return till very late because she was developing the scalpel, his mood was in the trenches.
‘It’s not that I want to sleep together.’
Despite thinking that, Tarkan’s footsteps slowed down.
He had to work late the last few days so he entrusted the job of escorting Aristine to another warrior. If he had known that he would be done so early today, he would have gone himself.
‘…Maybe I should just go to the smithy now.’
As the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly twitched and lifted his head.
‘A presence?’
With every step, his strides towards the marital bedroom grew faster. He could sense a little presence inside the bedroom.
Apparently, Aristine came home early for the first time in a while.
His expression softened without him realizing.
But when he got the door, he came to a stop.
There was more than one presence inside.
His golden eyes turned sharp.
‘…Is she with the court ladies?’
It would be good if that was the case but he was worried because of what happened with Brodie not long ago.
He didn’t hesitate any further and opened the door.
‘This…’
He was greeted with a sweet and refreshing smell, like a gardenia flower. The lingering scent was slightly sweet.
It felt like the pure sweetness of when you bury your nose in a bouquet of fresh, dewy flowers.
It was the perfect scent for a summer night.
Tarkan felt the tension in his neck loosen.
Somehow, the scent felt reminiscent of Aristine.
‘Is this the handiwork of the court ladies?’
They were always acting silly and whispering about the bed so he figured they had prepared another event.
Thanks to the tricks of the court ladies, there was still no lamp in the couple’s bedroom. Only candles.
‘Is today a special day?’
Maybe the chocolate fudge that Aristine sent earlier in the day had some significance?
Despite thinking that it was impossible for an indifferent woman like Aristine to have such delicate thought, Tarkan subconsciously tried to guess what day it was.
Maybe it was a month since they got married…no, it had been way over a month—at that time, when Tarkan saw Aristine’s blank expression, he didn’t feel good somehow.
It was definitely not to commemorate their one-month anniversary! Forget it—he couldn’t think of anything special.
The lace curtains on the bed were replaced with an opaque one. The red hue of the silk curtains exuded a sensual atmosphere.
Tarkan frowned but walked faster towards the bed.
“What kind of game are you…”
—Tarkan’s voice suddenly cut off.
On top of the bed were two of Aristine’s handmaids, lying in weird poses. And they were wearing pieces of fabric that couldn’t even be called proper clothing.
It was the lingerie that the court ladies had chosen for Aristine to wear before.
The hideous things that they waved in front of him, asking him which one he liked.
Translator’s Corner:
*This is a really short one but the next one is much longer.
