Chapter 12
It had already been five days since the two of them had come to stay at the Navian estate. Violette spent most of her day in the study. The worry about having to manage the estate herself had proven unnecessary, as her days were surprisingly peaceful.
The Navian estate had long been run by a steward and staff in the absence of its master, so things ran smoothly even without her issuing any commands.
“That annoying guy… he just sent over more paperwork again.”
Violette had recently met the longtime steward of the estate, Baron Sabian, for the first time. He was silently wary of her, the woman who had suddenly taken over his duties.
Whenever she asked him something, he would brush her off with phrases like, “You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not your concern. I’ll handle it.” At first glance, it seemed considerate, but Violette was sharp enough to notice the prickly tone beneath his words.
Although his attitude irritated her, Violette restrained her anger for Narsia’s sake. In the end, her entire day in the study consisted of reading the documents the steward sent her and signing them.
“You need to know what you’re signing.”
She muttered in a disgruntled voice, dipping her quill and completing her signatures. On reflection, she realized that she wasn’t particularly interested in running the estate herself, so leaving the work to the steward made things easier. Yet, there was one bigger problem.
“I’m really bored…”
Even before lunchtime, Violette had finished all her tasks for the day. After spending the last few days touring the estate thoroughly, there was nothing more to do. Pouting, she rested her quill on her lips and recalled happier memories.
The laughter of bustling crowds, the crisp sound of cards shuffling in dealers’ hands, the beautiful sight of chips scattered across tables, the sparkling dice, and the haughty nobles who would drop to the floor begging her to forgive their losses…
“I miss those times…”
A soft smile spread across her face as she remembered. She had always loved going out every day and mingling with people. Her restless nature meant she spent most of her time outside.
Argon had cleverly imposed a restriction on going out, using her tendencies against her. Even during her confinement, she still practiced swordsmanship in the gardens and rode horses around the estate, driving Argon to grab his head in exasperation.
To someone like Violette, this place felt incredibly dull. She didn’t dislike the calm, quiet atmosphere, but sitting at a desk all day signing papers clearly didn’t suit her.
Above all, she missed the casino so much that she almost cried. Pressing her forehead against the desk in despair, she dug through a drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper.
“If only it weren’t for this…”
The paper, stamped with both Narsia’s and Violette’s seals, was a contract the two had created together. Composed of thirty-three clauses, it contained numerous restrictions on Violette.
Narsia Kegreiner and Violette Kegreiner
Agree to the following terms to maintain a harmonious marriage:
Avoid physical contact except when necessary.
Never lie to each other.
Affairs must occur no sooner than six months after marriage.
Always attend official events together.
…Limit alcohol consumption to three times per week or less.
Refrain from visiting casinos, racetracks, and other entertainment facilities.
Do not smoke tobacco in the bedroom.
(No lying about smoke carried in from outside.)
Looking at the densely handwritten contract, Violette muttered irritably:
“This is way too unfair to me!”
The contract was heavily skewed in her disfavor, but there was a hidden reason behind it. Narsia seemed to have already mastered how to manage her.
“Then let’s roll a die: odd means you get your clause, even means I get mine. Deal?”
For Violette, who hadn’t been near a casino—or even a deck of cards—for a while, the simple gamble was exhilarating. But Narsia’s win rate was suspiciously high, and even when she won, she rarely asked him for anything.
Her repeated protests of “one more time” had extended the clauses all the way to thirty-three.
“I was planning to cut back, but isn’t this a bit too much…”
Of course, Argon and her older siblings had given their concerned pleas, and there was the promise to Narsia, so she had considered gradually reducing her casino visits—but to suddenly cut them off overnight was unimaginable.
The staff at the Navian mansion were kind, but most were elderly and poor conversational companions for her.
In the end, the only person capable of alleviating her boredom was Narsia himself—but her husband was holed up in the annex, rarely seen. A sudden thought crossed Violette’s mind.
“Ah! I’ll visit the annex!”
Her eyes lit up with curiosity. Why did Narsia spend all his time there? Checking the clock, she saw that it was almost time for the staff to deliver his lunch.
Though Narsia had asked not to be disturbed in the annex, delivering lunch hardly counted as interference. Besides, there were documents requiring his signature, so it was a perfect excuse.
Violette ran straight to the kitchen. As expected, Chef Tri had just finished packing his lunch into a Latin basket.
“Oh my, milady! What brings you here?”
A former royal chef, Tri was as sociable as she was skilled. She greeted Violette warmly without a word of complaint.
“Just… I wanted to bring Narsia’s lunch myself.”
“My, how thoughtful… If you didn’t, you two wouldn’t get much time together. Though the young viscount is talented, it must be disappointing for newlyweds.”
“Well, someone has to feel more disappointed.”
“Oh, just seeing you two warms the heart. Here, I also packed dessert for you, milady. You can enjoy it together at the annex!”
“Thank you.”
Tri handed Violette an apple pie with a fond smile. For some reason, the staff treated them from the start as a genuinely loving couple.
Initially a bit embarrassed, Violette soon played along, enjoying the act.
‘If rumors spread, let them be positive. No one will dare connect me to Terzo again.’
Basket in hand, Violette walked briskly toward the annex. The Navian estate was in the north, colder than other regions, and snow still blanketed the trees from a recent blizzard. She admired the picturesque scene.
“Just one more year, and Golginerus will be mine. Then I can spend all day there.”
Cheerfully humming, she soon reached the annex.
The annex was surprisingly large for Narsia alone. With only one spot making noise, she quickly located him.
Peeking through the half-open door, she saw Narsia in a robe, mixing potions. Something seemed amiss, as he furrowed his brows behind his glasses. Yet Violette couldn’t tear her eyes away from his new, unfamiliar appearance.
Recovering her senses, she prepared to knock—but then, grinning mischievously, flung the door open.
“Narsia!”
“Ah!”
Startled, Narsia screamed. Seeing Violette, he glared at her in annoyance.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to deliver your lunch.”
“Ah, thanks. Just leave it there.”
Though he seemed indifferent, Violette ignored that and leaned in, chattering energetically.
“What are you doing here? Wow, alchemy? You like alchemy too? I thought you only did magic!”
“I actually prefer alchemy. Magic is just something I’m good at.”
“I see… oh, by the way, the temple sent over some documents. Marriage registration forms for the record. I’ve filled mine; you just need to fill yours.”
“I’ll check them later if you leave them there.”
His curt response made Violette frown slightly.
