C45
The servants stepped back, leaving Bianca and Zachary alone. Sweat dripped from Bianca's smooth chin.
Will the conversation be long enough to issue a dismissal order? Thinking about that, she felt a tingling sensation as if a thorn were piercing through her.
Bianca still felt uncomfortable around Zachary. Standing in front of his direct gaze felt like being prey. Perhaps it's because Zachary is watching her with an unusually sharp look, as if he's going to pierce through her cheeks.
There was no difference between him and the stuffed deer displayed in the hallway.
Fearing that negative thoughts would start to show on her face, Bianca asked cheerfully, as if trying to change the mood.
"What are you doing here? I thought you would be in the office."
"I was wondering if you were doing well. Since you've started paying attention to the castle's maintenance, I thought I'd take a look."
Bianca's face, which had struggled to smile, hardened at Zachary's following words. Although he was busy, it was obvious why he had to take the time to visit Bianca. So yes. A shadow fell over Bianca's face. A strange disappointment and frustration enveloped Bianca, even though she had never expected anything. Bianca asked gruffly.
"Did you come here because you were worried I might do something?"
"No."
Zachary startled to the point of jumping. The shadow on Bianca's face also cast onto his face. He hastily added as an excuse.
"I'm sure you'll do well."
Bianca blinked at the unexpected words and looked at Zachary. It was the first positive response Bianca received. Because every time she said she would do something, the people around her looked at her with suspicion, as if to see if Bianca could really do it or if she was plotting something.
Understanding her reaction, Zachary's face turned blue as if he were being strangled. No. That was Bianca's mistake. Zachary couldn't care less about her reaction. While Bianca was confused, Zachary returned to his original impassiveness.
"That doesn't mean it's not a burden."
Zachary's face was rigid, and his mouth was as dry as his expression. Zachary was the only one who knew that. Realizing that she was making mistakes with her own words, Zachary tried to pronounce each word cautiously. But every time he tried to be careful, his expression became more serious, and it didn't work very well.
"I feel like it's the first time you've done something for me..."
"Not for you. Of course, it's what I have to do."
Bianca smiled. "It's the first time I've done something for him," as if she had been negligent until now. Although it was true, Bianca's words, which felt as if Zachary's words were sarcastic, sharpened.
But perhaps it was too sharp.
Bianca, who belatedly realized her mistake, carefully observed Zachary's face.
He still had a stern look on his face.
Bianca sighed inwardly. Being Bianca, who usually acts as she pleases without paying attention to others, conversations with Zachary were never pleasant. Still, it was something she had to get used to.
"I am the hostess of Arno Castle. Since you don't want an heir from me, I wanted to be of help in some way."
As soon as Bianca's words fell, Zachary narrowed his eyes. After a moment of silence, he asked attentively.
"... Have you heard from Count Blanchefort?"
"... From my father? No."
Unable to understand why her father's story came up suddenly, Bianca frowned.
Does he think her father gave her some instructions? What does the Arno family want to swallow?
Count Blanchefort was a reliable father to Bianca, but to Zachary, he was only a not-so-close strategic ally.
In this world of political relatives, it wouldn't be surprising to be suspicious of a wife who had no idea what her parents thought. In fact, there was a case of a king who married a lord's daughter, gave birth to an heir, and killed the head of the family, devouring the territory and the family.
He knows that... but if he thinks she will betray him...
In an instant, a cold, hard corset made of iron pressed against her chest and cut off her breath. Even though she didn't even expect anything in the first place, what does this frustration mean?
"Otherwise, I can't understand why you suddenly bring up the story of an heir."
Unaware of Bianca's thoughts, Zachary murmured softly.
Vincent had already informed him that Bianca had not been in contact with the Blancheforts. Vincent wouldn't lie to him, so it must be true that Bianca didn't contact the Blancheforts. But if there had been secret contact without Vincent's knowledge...
Thinking about that, Zachary smiled. If they had been in secret contact, there would be no way she would respond so obediently. He knew it was a pointless question, but he couldn't understand her behavior, so he asked out of frustration.
When Bianca realized that Zachary didn't suspect her, she clarified the misunderstanding, but the obstructed breath remained frustrating. She was tired of making excuses.
While trying to bring out the response that had been repeated over and over again, Bianca's face flushed as she realized the oddity in Zachary's thoughtless words.
"Of course, the time has come... By the way, wait a moment, you have something on your nose..."
"You mean you don't?"
Zachary's fingertips lightly touched the tip of Bianca's nose. The sensation of the leather gloves brushing against her nose was strange. Bianca opened her eyes wide. And so did Zachary.
Zachary must have acted without thinking and unconsciously, but the domino effect was significant. A moment of silence passed between the two, who were startled as if they were on fire.
The first one to come to his senses was Zachary, who committed the crime. He changed his complexion, pretending to be calm, and continued speaking as if he had never been embarrassed.
"It's funny to hear you talk about having an heir when you get surprised even by a small gesture like this."
"... That and this are different. This was just unexpected... I can do better in bed."
"What do you know?"
Bianca's pretentious attitude made Zachary burst into laughter. Bianca's face reddened even more as she laughed heartily since she was usually frank and didn't change her expression much.
"The way he touched her nose before, and the way he laughs at it now. He sees her completely as a child."
Bianca pursed her lips. After dismissing the accidental contact with Zachary as rude behavior, she looked at him.
She still felt warmth in her ears, but the tip of her chin rigidly lifted, her shoulders stretched with pride and elegance, and her clear green eyes shone undisturbed.
Bianca provocatively lifted the corners of her lips.
"A lot of this and that. I am the hostess of the Arno family, and of course, I have learned about these things to give birth to the Arno family's successor."
"Who taught you these things?"
"... the maids."
Bianca's voice weakened at the end. Zachary realized that Bianca was lying. It was like finding his warhorse Noah among the scattered horses on the Arno estate. In short, it was very easy.
The only maid close to Bianca was Jean, the nanny she had brought from her family.
Zachary also remembered the nanny Jean. With her fine white hair, she wasn't particularly strict.
Although Zachary was Bianca's husband, she always looked at him with disdain and hid many things that she should have informed him about Bianca.
It must have been due to her resentment and selfishness in not being able to recognize Zachary as Bianca's husband, even though she knew he wasn't good for her.
Perhaps because of that nanny's gaze, the young Bianca truly hated Zachary.
When they were newlyweds, he could make her cry just by looking at her face. That said it all.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)