Chapter 121
Wakako had no idea what their former captain was busy with. She simply continued fulfilling her duties as captain, while occasionally visiting her wife at the palace.
Crown Princess Tsukiyo, who had been worn out from days of training, was now showing signs of stress. Whenever Wakako stepped into her chambers, Tsukiyo would immediately push her out: “Master, please, go straight ahead and turn left to the temple. That’s where she is.”
Wakako: “But you haven’t been training for days…”
“I haven’t been feeling well!” Tsukiyo declared firmly. “Master, please don’t waste your time on me! Go find your wife!”
Hearing this, Wakako couldn’t help but feel guilty. She wondered if she’d been prioritizing her personal matters too much lately. As the Crown Princess’s instructor, she should be diligently teaching Tsukiyo. How could she let her student develop such an attitude?
Little did she know Tsukiyo was desperate for her to leave.
After all, Lady Miki, who was responsible for her academic education, had assigned endless homework. If she didn’t complete it perfectly, the consequences would be severe.
Actually, Miki never scolded her or even mocked her sarcastically. She would just sweep that cold, detached gaze over Tsukiyo, implying—
Is this all you can do?
Tsukiyo had never endured such hardship! She swore to make Lady Miki see her in a new light, so she had been studying like mad recently.
As for combat training, she could make up the training with Master Wakako later!
Being a princess was so hard, why did she have to learn everything? Waaah.
Seeing her insistence, Wakako could only head toward the temple with her food box.
Miki claimed she was supervising the repairs there, but in reality, she spent most of her time alone in the inner chamber, only needing to periodically check the craftsmen’s progress.
This noblewoman appeared aloof and proud, and being married, the common-born craftsmen didn’t dare engage her in conversation.
Feeling guilty about driving them away last time, Wakako now brought extra food to share. She didn’t put on aristocratic airs and was gentle by nature, quickly becoming friendly with them.
Today, the craftsmen at the entrance greeted her cheerfully: “Lady Kitagawa.”
Wakako casually distributed the snacks she had brought.
As they ate, someone started chatting about everyday matters, “Where’s that girl? She loves these sweets. Why isn’t she working today?”
“Don’t be dense, she’s getting married. She’s at home preparing. She took leave.”
Wakako knew the girl they were talking about and couldn’t help but ask curiously: “When did this happen?”
“Well, that’s quite a story…”
Their voices weren’t low, clearly reaching the inner chamber. With her keen hearing, Wakako caught slight movements and glanced back, glimpsing through the door crack a figure in light red robes approaching, as if wanting to join the conversation.
But her steps faltered, and she hesitated.
Suddenly, Wakako recalled the past.
When they were young, the Saint also wanted to make friends, whether it was the siblings from the Saionji family or others from noble families
Sometimes when those people held poetry gatherings or flower viewings in the garden, Miki would have Wakako accompany her to secretly watch.
But they never showed themselves, only standing in the corner to see how vibrant the flowers were, listening to the laughter and chatter, the playful teasing.
The reason for their seclusion was simple: the Saint’s status inherently set her apart.
Everyone was carefully taught from a young age to revere the Saint, never to diminish her status, lest they offend the God.
No one could bear such a heavy accusation, so they couldn’t relax and play with Miki. Once Miki appeared, they would have to bow respectfully, carefully weighing every word to ensure it was appropriate and wouldn’t offend her.
Though no one would say it openly, the Saint’s presence subdued the mood.
How could Miki not understand such an obvious truth? So she just silently watched and listened without saying anything.
The only person qualified to be her friend was the Queen.
The Saint had grown used to being outside the crowd.
But…
She wasn’t the Saint anymore.
Wakako paused for a moment, then suddenly stood up and pushed the door wide open, revealing Miki’s slightly surprised face.
She gently took hold of her sleeve, leading Miki out of the inner chamber, asking casually: “Which one would you like to try?”
A few steps ahead were the craftsmen sitting on the ground. They didn’t bother with noble etiquette, ate without manners, and would even lick their fingers after finishing, not caring whether it was clean.
Wakako had brought two food boxes. She opened the other one, taking out snacks identical to what the others had, offering them to Miki: “How about this one?”
Two craftsmen immediately brought over small stools: “My lady and madam, please sit.”
Miki glanced down.
The wooden stools were the ones they used during work. They weren’t dirty, but the paint was old and peeling.
Noble etiquette dictated silence while eating, and married noble ladies should cover their mouths with handkerchiefs while eating to avoid showing unseemly chewing.
Since birth… she had never sat with a group of commoners on worn-out stools, eating the same food.
Something previously unimaginable, but now… she found she didn’t dislike it.
Could she?
Miki felt a rare hesitation, her heart beating rapidly.
Finally, her gaze fell on Wakako’s still-outstretched hand, and she said softly: “Okay.”
She sat down slowly, as careful as a child learning to walk.
Miki was Wakako’s wife and was there to supervise the work. Naturally, the craftsmen wouldn’t stare at her or deliberately say anything impolite.
They simply continued their earlier conversation: “You know, that girl had an arranged marriage when she was just a child. She’s been waiting all this time to be old enough to marry. But poor thing, her fiancé had an accident a few years ago. I heard they’d barely even met before he passed away.”
“Really? So who’s she engaged to now?”
Someone chuckled: “Still the same family, but now it’s the younger sister of her previous fiancé.”
Everyone was shocked, looking at each other.
“Huh? So… what was supposed to be her sister-in-law is now her wife?”
“I really haven’t seen enough of the world.”
“But with her fiancé gone, she’s free to find someone else, right? As long as it’s mutual.”
“I guess, to them, it’s all the same as long as it stays within the family.”
The craftsmen chatted happily while munching on snacks and sunflower seeds. Wakako listened happily, joining in the laughter, but she didn’t forget to sneak a glance at Miki’s reaction.
She probably didn’t know much about these things. Although there were plenty of scandals among the nobility, they were still quite different from the amusing stories of common folk.
As expected, despite her best efforts to maintain her composure, Miki’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Sister-in-law… turned wife?” she repeated softly. “That’s…”
How could a widow marry her late fiancé’s sister? That was so improper!
Wakako loved seeing Miki show expressions different from her usual self, and her smile deepened, revealing two round dimples.
“What’s even funnier is that the ‘younger sister’ is quite young and inexperienced, and she can’t change how she addresses her. Even now, she still calls her, sister-in-law…”
“Oh my…”
Miki’s eyes grew even wider.
Still calling her “sister-in-law” even after marriage?
She quickly realized that Wakako was secretly observing her reaction and immediately retracted her gaze, casting a cold, warning glance.
…So what if she hasn’t seen much of the world!
Wakako simply pressed her lips together and looked away, pretending not to be giggling.
Miki felt looked down upon, somehow annoyed, and took a big angry bite of her snack, then immediately realized how crude her eating must look.
Fortunately, the craftsmen didn’t give her strange looks.
Somehow, the topic shifted to the two of them, ” Lady Kitagawa, how did you and your wife end up together? Tell us your story!”
They knew Wakako was good-natured and probably wouldn’t mind such questions.
Wakako was terrible at lying and hesitated. What should she say? Should she start with the thirteen-year-old Saint and her servant? No, no, absolutely not.
But if she had to make up a story on the spot, her mind couldn’t come up with something plausible…
Seeing the craftsmen’s expectant looks, Wakako opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Miki suddenly spoke calmly: “Well, it started when she first joined the mercenaries.”
She spoke smoothly, as if recounting a true story: ” Back then, Wakako wasn’t the captain yet, but she had already achieved so much that her name was known far and wide, even among the nobles.”
Though the craftsmen didn’t know much, they had heard of the famous Rose War, and they nodded vigorously upon hearing this.
Wakako suddenly felt nervous, having no idea what Miki would say next.
“By chance, I saw her in action and fell in love at first sight. I told my family that I wouldn’t marry anyone else.”
Miki’s smile was as gentle as water, “But my family had already arranged my marriage to another noble, so they refused, which led to a huge argument…”
“I cried and begged for a long time, even threatening my own life. I told them that if I couldn’t marry her, I’d rather die. Only then did they reluctantly agree to my request.”
What nonsense is this!
There’s no way Miki would cry, throw a tantrum, or threaten to take her life for anyone!
Wakako’s face suddenly turned bright red, like a ripe peach.
“It was hard enough to get my family to agree, but… Wakako didn’t even know me yet, it was all one-sided. So I often found excuses to see her, and over time, my determination finally moved her.”
Miki smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
“With an Alpha like Wakako—skilled in combat, caring, and someone you can always rely on—what Omega wouldn’t want to marry her? I always feel like I must have been blessed in a past life to have earned this marriage.”
Aaah, stop talking!
Wakako felt her face burn as if it were on fire.
That wicked Miki must be getting back at me for teasing her earlier…
The craftsmen exchanged mischievous glances but said nothing, their only response being a couple of polite coughs.
The Madam was merely reminiscing, yet Lady Kitagawa was so embarrassed she buried her face in her arms, refusing to look up.
As expected, they must still be newlyweds.
