Episode 26: My Wife (4)

T/N: Bonus 4~

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“Right, when it comes to a relationship, I think the people involved should handle it among themselves. I don’t want to be involved so I will simply tell you the facts.”

“What?”

Dionna’s eyes shook.

She thought they already got over that earlier so why was it being mentioned again?

“You must have been surprised to hear that Tarkan helped me when I fainted in the bathroom yesterday.”

Aristine crossed her legs and said.

A man and woman, alone in a bathroom. It was the perfect situation for a misunderstanding.

Dionna’s mouth flapped open and closed.

Aristine’s words had an odd nuance to them.

If Dionna claimed that she wasn’t surprised, then there was a chance that it might be perceived as Dionna being unfazed by Aristine collapsing.

While Dionna was choosing her words, Aristine continued speaking, “I took a bath by myself and when I hadn’t come out after a while, Tarkan came in. And naturally, he found me unconscious.”

Dionna bit her lips harshly.

It was hard to decide what to say in response to Aristine describing the process of her fall. She might be able to think of something if she took her time and pondered but it was hard to think right now.

The image of Tarkan saving Aristine was drawn vividly before her eyes.

To her, it only sounded like Aristine was bragging about her relationship and the fact that they could go in and out of the bathroom together.

“It’s not like we took a bath together, or something was going on—it was absolutely nothing of the sort.”

Aristine emphasized, then she made up her mind and opened her mouth again, “Also, I know how it sounds but…Tarkan and I doing that in bed after…that was just to cure my hypothermia.”

Aristine tried to sound as calm as possible. She was honestly embarrassed. She could feel heat rising on her cheek.

‘…What?’

For a moment, Dionna couldn’t understand and stared at Aristine blankly.

Gradually, her breathing became rougher.

‘Doing that in bed? What did they do?!’

Hypothermia treatment.

Of course, Dionna knew about common folk remedies.

‘Don’t they usually strip naked and hug to warm up—.’

“No need to say it in such a roundabout way,” Umiru shrugged, “You can just say he hugged you naked all night long.”

She grinned and seeing the embarrassment on Aristine’s face, she opened her mouth to tease some more.

“His Highness Tarkan has already done worse on the bed anyway…the bed even broke.”

“…!”

And the confirmation acted as a final shot.

Dionna’s face was dyed with shock. Her head dropped down and she bit her lips.

Every time people talked about Aristine and Tarkan’s first night, she felt like her throat was going to burn from the anger rising from her chest.

But now what?

‘You’re telling me His Highness Tarkan isn’t just attracted to her body?’

He didn’t do anything but hug Aristine all night to help her heal. Wasn’t she just showing off?

That Tarkan wasn’t just infatuated with her body but actually cherished her.

He protected her, held her tightly…not just physically but emotionally too.

Dionna’s shoulders trembled.

It didn’t even occur to her to calm down or consider that she shouldn’t be reacting like this.

She was blinded with rage.

Meanwhile, Aristine was looking at Umiru, stupefied.

‘Why would you say that right now!’

All that did was fan flames.

‘Of course, Dionna must know that nothing happened between Tarkan and I on the first night but still!’

Tarkan must have told her already.

But Dionna’s head was lowered, and she didn’t seem happy at all.

‘Come on, isn’t she your girlfriend? Take care of her.’

She looked at Tarkan while thinking that, but he didn’t seem like he was going to comfort Dionna at all.

Rather, he was looking at Dionna with a frown on his face, like he was dissatisfied with something.

In the end, it was up to Aristine to comfort Dionna.

‘Why me.’

—Is what she thought, but she had no choice if she wanted to resolve this love triangle.

You guys have the best relationship.

I can never interject.

Wanting to convey that, Aristine opened her mouth.

“My relationship with Tarkan is through a political marriage. It’s different from people who are romantically involved.”

Aristine’s sudden words thrust through Tarkan’s chest like a dagger. The warriors were startled and turned to Tarkan.

Not even a powerful demonic beast could pierce through Tarkan’s heart. But Aristine’s thoughtlessly thrown words were like a direct blow.

Her sudden attack did not stop there.

“Besides, to Tarkan, I am a bothersome person.”

“What?” Tarkan frowned and asked back.

“Why are you so surprised? You told me that yourself.”

“I never—.”

Tarkan began to say but froze mid-sentence.

《You are a really bothersome woman. 》

Because the words he said some time ago echoed through his mind.

Tarkan was caught off guard.

He didn’t mean it like that. Even he didn’t really know what he meant. But at the very least, he didn’t intend to make Aristine have such a defeated expression.

‘…Looks like he really said that.’

Tarkan’s reaction was very telling.

The warriors were looking at Tarkan with worry but after seeing that, their expressions turned peculiar.

They looked at Tarkan with narrowed eyes. Same went for Umiru and the court ladies.

How could he say such a thing to Aristine?

However, Aristine, the person concerned, was calm. She gazed at Dionna, who had lifted her head at some point.

Upon hearing that Tarkan called Aristine bothersome, joy spread across Dionna’s face.

Aristine spoke to Dionna, feeling a little disillusioned now.

“So, you can rest easy.”

But instead of Dionna responding, a response came from right next to her.

“Rest easy?”

It was Tarkan.

“Why do say that to Dionna?”

He stared at Aristine’s face and asked. He had been feeling strange about this situation since earlier but was just watching.

When Aristine first mentioned a lover, his only thought was, ‘Did Dionna get a lover? But what does that have to do with Aristine?’.

However, the conversation that followed was strange.

Aristine was talking about what happened with Tarkan. And almost as if she was making an excuse.

Tarkan watched Aristine blink as if she was taken aback.

“Huh? That’s obvious.”

“P-Princess Consort…!”

Only then did Dionna come to her senses and she hurriedly called out to Aristine.

Seeing Aristine’s gaze turn to Dionna, Tarkan grabbed Aristine by the shoulder. Her purple eyes were filled with Tarkan again.

“Tell me. What’s obvious?”

“Well, you and Dionna are lovers, no?”

Tarkan was struck speechless.

“And a very passionate pair at that. I heard you’ve been in love for a long time. Dionna is the only woman you consider special, and I know all about your mother acknowledging her as her daughter-in-law.”