Episode 99. Conclusion (4)

“Is that so?”

I retorted, raising an eyebrow with a playful smirk.

“You sure have a high opinion of yourself. What makes you so confident that I’m in love with you?”

“Because you’ve already confessed to me before.”

“What? When did I do that?”

A confession? I racked my brain, trying to recall such a moment, but nothing came to mind. As I stammered in confusion, Percy smiled knowingly and explained.

“When you were drunk. Do you know that you become very honest when you’ve had a bit too much to drink?”

“I did what?!”

The idea of being drunk in front of Percy was mortifying enough, but to think that I had confessed my feelings in that state?

“When did I ever get drunk around you…?”

I started to ask, only to have my words cut off as Percy’s lips claimed mine in a sudden, heated kiss. His soft lips parted mine, and the warmth of his body, like a shot of whiskey, sent a burning sensation coursing through me.

Before I realized it, my arms had wrapped tightly around his neck, clinging to him as his strong arms encircled my waist, holding me securely against him.

The overwhelming mix of comfort, tenderness, and a fierce, passionate intensity left me reeling, my emotions in a delightful mess.

This was a feeling that, from now on, would be a part of my everyday life.

* * *

After that intense kiss in the carriage, by the time we arrived, my lips were tingling, and my tongue felt slightly numb.

‘He really doesn’t know when to stop!’

I glared at Percy, who, despite it all, looked perfectly composed as he stepped out of the carriage. He had the audacity to offer his hand to me with that same unruffled expression.

“We’ve arrived,” he said smoothly.

“I have eyes; I can see that,” I snapped back.

“Oh dear, why are you so upset?” he asked, feigning innocence.

Why? Because of you! I could hardly believe he was pretending not to know.

As I narrowed my eyes at him, Percy gave me a sly smile and continued in a mock-serious tone.

“Are you upset because the servants didn’t give you the proper welcome on your return? I can have them disciplined immediately…”

“That’s enough!”

I cut him off quickly.

I could see where this was going. If I let him have his way, I’d soon be met with a grand spectacle—the entire Stewart household turning out to shower me with flowers and lay down carpets. I wasn’t about to let that happen, so I quickly put a stop to it.

Percy just chuckled and grabbed my wrist, helping me down from the carriage. As I took my first step outside, he planted another kiss on my cheek. When I shot him a sharp look, he turned his head and pretended not to notice.

‘Has he always been like this?’

I wondered. He seemed more affectionate than before, as if the character he’d been playing had shifted.

‘Or maybe he was always like this, and I just didn’t notice?’

With Percy’s arm guiding me, we walked a short distance to the familiar Stewart estate, where the doors swung open wide in welcome. Familiar faces appeared to greet me, and I felt a surprising warmth in my chest.

‘Ah, it really is nice to be back home.’

The thought struck me, and I was a little startled by it. Home.

‘I’m actually thinking of this place as home now.’

A place to return to and rest. Our home.

Percy excused himself to his quarters, and I made my way to my own room. As soon as I flopped onto the sofa in the center of the room, the maids who had been waiting for me rushed in with excitement.

“My lady! You’re back!”

“We missed you so much, my lady!”

“You girls!”

I was just as happy to see them. Grinning widely, I welcomed them with open arms.

“Did you all do well? I bet you were glad to have a break while I was gone.”

“What are you talking about? Without you, the Stewart estate was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the hallways.”

“Oh, come on, don’t exaggerate.”

I laughed, waving off the idea, but one of the maids, her eyes serious, spoke up with a determined expression.

“Please, don’t ever leave us again. We might have to nail your door shut to make sure you stay!”

Why were my maids suddenly so clingy? Even Percy hadn’t gone as far as to suggest locking me up, but here were the maids practically plotting it. I shrugged and gave them a bright smile.

“No need to worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’m Sienna Stewart now. I just signed the marriage contract.”

“Oh my goodness!”

The maids gasped in unison, their excitement bubbling over as they fussed over the news. Their joy was contagious, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. This was home now, and I wasn’t going anywhere.

The news that Percy and I had already married hadn’t spread yet, so the maids were utterly shocked when they heard it from me. They quickly covered their mouths with their hands, eyes wide in surprise, before erupting in outrage.

“What do you mean you’re already married without a proper wedding ceremony? Did the master say it was okay? I’ll go talk to him right now! A wedding is one of the most important events in a woman’s life, and you can’t just skip it!”

They seemed to think that Percy had rushed through the marriage without giving it proper consideration. Realizing the grave misunderstanding, I waved my hands frantically.

“We did have a ceremony! It was today! His Majesty announced our marriage during the banquet and even made us sign the marriage contract.”

“That’s not a wedding! That’s just a rehearsal!”

Since when do people hold such grand rehearsals?

I hadn’t thought much about it myself, but now, with Julius, Percy, and even the maids criticizing the situation, I found myself at a loss for words. Seeing my hesitation, the maids took advantage of the moment to raise their voices even more.

“We can’t let this stand! Even if the whole world accepts it, we won’t!”

“Exactly! You should be having a grand wedding with all the citizens of the country invited, not just signing a contract and calling it done.”

“If that was a wedding, does that mean tonight is your first night together…? Wait, the first night?”

“The first night!”

The maids, who had been ready to storm off and confront Percy, suddenly fell silent, exchanging glances with each other before breaking into sweet, almost mischievous smiles.

“Now that I think about it, it’s actually a good thing. After all, His Majesty only recently passed away, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to have a large wedding ceremony.”

“Yes, it’s quite commendable that the Princess and the Duke had such a modest ceremony. It sets a good example.”

“So, we should focus on preparing for the first night…”

These women! I narrowed my eyes, utterly bewildered by their sudden change of attitude.

“Isn’t your real intent a little too obvious?”

The mention of the first night made them do an about-face so quickly. I shook my head in disbelief.

“Whatever you’re expecting, both Percy and I are completely exhausted, so don’t get any ideas.”

The maids blinked at me with wide, innocent eyes, trying to feign ignorance.

“Oh, come on, my lady. What could we possibly be expecting?”

“Exactly! We’re just admiring His Majesty’s wisdom and foresight.”

“…”

If they were going to insist on being innocent, they could at least wipe those smirks off their faces.

‘They’re all so shameless, just like their master… or wait, am I one of the masters now? Am I insulting myself here?’

Feeling a bit disoriented by the reality of being a Stewart now, I found their sly smiles increasingly irritating. With a huff, I flopped down onto the sofa and declared.

“I’m exhausted. I just want to take a bath and go to bed.”

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

“Don’t worry. The master will take care of everything.”

“…?”

Take care of what?

‘They must find life so amusing every day.’

Everyone else seemed so happy while I was left feeling sulky. Pouting like a fish, I finally gave in to laughter. Despite their teasing, the Stewart maids were competent and quick with their duties. Before I knew it, I was scrubbed clean and feeling fresh.

As they rubbed fragrant oil into my hair, one of the maids asked, “Would you like a drink, my lady? We just received some apple wine from this year’s harvest in Jalbert.”

“Sure.”

I had no idea where Jalbert was or that apples could be made into wine, but it sounded nice enough, so I agreed.

“Isn’t the rose scent a bit too strong?”

“No, it’s perfect. The rich scent suits you, my lady.”

“I thought the lady was more like a dandelion?”

Even as they debated the best scent for me, I was too tired to join in. I let them do as they wished, focusing on unwinding.

It wasn’t until I was dressed in my nightwear that I spoke up again. The maids had selected a two-piece set, with a top and bottom, but the problem was that the shorts were quite short, and the top was a sleeveless piece connected by delicate lace. I held up the lace and complained.

“What’s with this nightgown? Isn’t it a bit too revealing?”

The maids, as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths, smiled sweetly and tried to reassure me.

“You’ll be warm once you have a drink.”

“The wine is quite strong, you know.”

“Really?”

Before I could object further, they had already poured the golden liquid into a glass for me. The scent of fresh apples wafted up, enticing me to take a sip.

“It’s sweet.”

The flavor was delightful, with a sweet apple taste and a hint of a sharp finish that lingered pleasantly. As I sipped, the maids quietly slipped out of the room.

“We’ll take our leave now, my lady.”

Already starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, my vision began to blur slightly. I didn’t even notice them leaving.