Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Convenience (MTL Novel) Chapter 10

C10


"...You just got back from the war, right?" As your wife, she is expected to come,” Bianca answered.

 

A subtle crease marred Zachary's forehead. Was he upset by his words? It was possible that he found the last part of her comment unpleasant, since she had been ignoring him all this time. It is possible that she also took it as sarcastic. The lies he felt from his forced smile may have also played a role. Afraid that Zachary might misunderstand, Bianca quickly added. 

 

“And there are also things I've been neglecting. 

 

Zachary fell silent. It seemed that he did not believe her.

 

He continued to stand at a distance and watch her. Not only was the distance between them wide, but their conversation also seemed to go in circles. Would it improve a bit if the gap between them was narrowed? Bianca took a step forward. It was only a step, but she felt terribly heavy.

 

But his efforts ended up being in vain. Zachary winced visibly as soon as Bianca took a step forward and took several steps back, widening the space between them again. Her face was contorted, as if he hadn't expected her to come near him at all.

 

 Do you dislike me to the point where you don't want me to get close to you? Stunned, Bianca stared at the gap between them, which had grown wider than before.

 

"I haven't washed yet." Zachary added quietly before clearing his throat. He perhaps realized that his previous actions had been too direct.

 

-… sorry?

 

Bianca tilted her head at the random comment, causing him to flinch when he saw her confused look. However, this made Bianca flustered as well, not knowing why he seemed taken aback.

 

"...Should I be alright now?"

 

-I do not understand that… 

 

-It's no big deal.

 

Zachary murmured, almost as if he were talking to himself, before closing his lips.

 

Bianca frowned at the ambiguity in his words. She didn't understand what it had to do with what they were talking about moments before.

 

In the midst of his confusion, Zachary carefully took a step toward her. Now it was Bianca who flinched, her instincts screaming at her to run.

 

At the same time, his rational part warned him that if he backed down now, all his efforts would go down the drain. She couldn't let that happen. Although she was afraid, she Bianca knew better than anyone the result of running away. She stood stubbornly in her place, not taking a single step back, while the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her palms were drenched in cold sweat.

 

Before he knew it, Zachary had closed the space between them step by step. Seeing him up close like this, Bianca realized that he was bigger than she thought. Her eyes only went to his broad and robust chest, which gave the impression that she would not move no matter how hard she pushed. Bianca took a breath.

 

She had hated this part of him in the past. He was huge and terrifying like a locked up black demon only spoken of in fairy tales.

 

But he couldn't be afraid forever. She needed to face him head on. Bianca raised her head nonchalantly, her eyes roaming from her long, thick neck to her deep, sparkling eyes. The uneasiness of her in the sharp gaze of her that looked at her was as clear as day.

 

Drink. His Adam's apple moved noticeably as he swallowed. Although his movements were stiff and disciplined like a soldier, there was still a primitive and untamed air that couldn't be hidden in small insignificant actions of his like this. He felt like he was facing something raw; an instinctive threat that she, a helpless herbivore by comparison, could only shudder at.

 

"... This is the first time I've seen you so affectionate." 

 

Zachary muttered in a deep, husky voice.

 

His dark eyes scanned Bianca's pale green irises before lowering to take in her nose, cheeks, neck, and the outline of her shoulders. Her skin flushed at his direct gaze, feeling like she was being thoroughly examined. Zachary licked his dry lips, as if his entire mouth had gone dry. Each and every little action of his made Bianca stiffen.

 

"I seem to be dreaming," he commented.

 

-It's not a dream. 

 

Bianca forced the corners of her mouth to turn up. She felt like she was going to get a cramp in her cheeks from how much she had been forcing a smile today. She wished that she could freeze into a cute smile permanently, since from now on she would have to keep forcing one on her lips.

 

In any case, Zachary was too close. He didn't know when he'd closed the gap so much, but he'd shrunk to the point where his bodies could almost touch. His bangs fluttered slightly from his exhalations. He was under the impression that reducing the physical distance between them would improve their doubts towards each other, but it seemed that was not the case.

 

Her heart was pounding and her body was shaking, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible. She hated herself for feeling so shy, but just because she was determined to change didn't mean the change would come right away. Her patience was pushed to the limit. Unable to take any more, Bianca did her best not to look uncomfortable before reaching up to lightly push against Zachary's chest.

 

Although at first it seemed that he was not going to make it because of his weak push, he ended up easily backing away from the force of his fingertips.

 

Bianca used what was left of her strength to smile. Whether he really believed her or not, she had no choice but to continue affirming and repeating words like a talking bird.

 

"As you know, I've grown older. 

 

Zachary looked a little taken aback. His eyebrows furrowed as if he was trying to figure out what he was referring to, but ultimately failed. Bianca smiled bitterly.

 

"I can't avoid you forever either... I must do my duty."

 

-Have to? she asked.

 

It would have been better if he had made fun of her. Instead, he was staring at her dryly, looking completely clueless. This made Bianca's face grow hot. Desperately praying that her nervousness wouldn't show, she feigned composure and lifted her chin.

 

“The duty to give birth to your heir. 

 

“…Do you know what it means to give birth to an heir?

 

-Of course!

 

Bianca screamed before she knew it, unable to keep her composure like an adult.

 

 Zachary rubbed the palm of his hand over his face, and for the first time, his gaze left her face. He pursed his lips, having trouble putting his thoughts into words. With the silence continuing, Bianca's eyes flitted to her lips where she saw her tongue moving between them several times. He knew what that muscle felt like; a blunt, harsh, honest part of him that could completely strip her of her resistance. Her cheeks reddened even more.

 

It was after a long time that her ears picked up Zachary's voice.

 

“This is quite confusing.

 

He looked puzzled, his words mixed with a sigh. His voice was calm as if he was talking to a child. 

 

"I don't know what caused your change of heart, but why don't you go and rest?"

 

She couldn't believe the seemingly warm tone that came from Zachary's lips. His face turned red for a moment before turning pale. To think that she would simply tell him to go rest after she had steeled herself and taken an active role. Was that all she had to say? When it took her so much courage to present herself to him like this…she Bianca she felt her body begin to tremble, feeling insulted.

 

A flame flared in her green eyes, her lips curved crookedly. A crack formed in the mask she had struggled to maintain, and as pieces began to fall off, her wounded pride began to rear its head.

 

Do you think I'm doing this because I'm really in love with you? You're coming to take me in two years anyway. You have to have an heir through me anyway!

 

Bianca made an effort to calm her ragged breath, her shoulders shaking. Her little lips twitched before she finally pulled up. Although she was able to put her mask back on, her tongue still bit. Her eyes were dim, resembling a dark, viridescent forest, but they were also quite light.

 

"How much was my dowry exactly?"

 

—400 calves, 900 pigs, 100 silver bars, 300 rolls of silk, 2 chests of jewels and a part of a territory… Equivalent to a two-year budget for Arno County.

 

Despite the randomness of his question, Zachary's answer came calmly and quietly. It didn't seem like he needed to rack his brains or count his fingers to remember. He easily listed the items of her dowry and his assets as if he had memorized them, as if it was something he would never forget.

 

Bianca didn't understand why she had something like that memorized. Her dowry was indeed huge, but it was not something that she needed to remember enough to be memorized.

 

First, a wife's assets were essentially her husband's. There were only two scenarios where it would be necessary to calculate the wife's assets: when the wife is widowed or when the husband wants to kick the wife out to proceed with a second marriage.

 

It was possible that Zachary was anxious to kick her out. After all, Bianca had clearly heard the talk of her having a mistress.

 

However, it didn't matter at the moment because Zachary clearly had no plans to divorce her. If he was going to leave her, they would have parted ways long before in her previous life, after all. As much as a woman couldn't file for divorce on her own, the idea of ​​divorce itself was meaningless.

 

 In that case, there was only one answer.

 

Smiling like the white fox on her shoulders, Bianca commented.

 

"Don't you think you should make up for that?"

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