A Way to Confirm Your Husband’s True Feelings - Chapter 82

Of course, even where no one could see them, their affectionate display did not end. In fact, it became even more overt than before, if that were possible.

As soon as they stepped onto the terrace, Caesar locked the door, drew the curtains with meticulous care, and then caught his breath as his wife came running at him like a small ball of joy. Without a flicker of hesitation, he enveloped her in his arms.

Naturally, their kissing continued. Caesar, pressing forward with such force, had to tug insistently on Beatrice’s body when she faltered and tried to pull back under the intensity of his embrace.

Wrapped almost entirely around her husband’s solid form, Beatrice waited for the next kiss. Yet for some reason Caesar paused, pressing his lips together and glancing warily around.

“I’m a bit unsettled. Are you absolutely sure no one can see us here?”

He seemed genuinely anxious that someone might spy on their private moment.

“I was told that the terraces of the imperial palace has long been used for exactly this purpose, and that countless… histories… have unfolded here. Not even the Emperor may intrude upon it, apparently.”

Caesar, scanning the terrace for any sign of intrusion, then turned his gaze back to his wife.

“Is that so? Then who told you such a story? It wasn’t… that guy, was it?”

“Why, of course it was His Highness Edgar…”

As expected, Caesar’s brow immediately creased in displeasure.

“That scoundrel… I can’t help but wonder what his motive was in sharing that with you.”

“Perhaps he simply wanted to encourage his dear younger sister to enjoy herself if she’d found a man she liked,” Beatrice replied cheerfully.

Caesar could not argue further, though his displeasure lingered in his expression.

“You’re too trusting for your own good.”

After months of practice, he’d finally learned to show his emotions plainly in front of Beatrice, but he worried she might tire of this side of him. Yet she still seemed utterly delighted by him. Perhaps his mind wasn’t as unbalanced as he feared.

“You still have no idea how brazen your husband can become when he lets himself go,” he said, his voice suddenly low and insinuating, sending a thrill through both their hearts.

Beatrice smiled with the contentment of a well-fed cat.

“Oh? And just how brazen can my husband get? I’m terribly curious.”

She matched his provocation with a playful retort. Caesar’s shoulders stiffened like a hunting hound at the chase, and Beatrice leaned close, her voice soft with laughter.

“Caesar, shall we play a game?”

The air was already heavy with desire, but Caesar could not refuse his wife’s invitation.

“A game?”

“Yes. It’s nothing special… um… we each confess one truth we’ve never told until now.”

Though they had talked many times, there was surely at least one secret left unspoken between them. Beatrice’s playful proposal brought a wry smile to Caesar’s lips.

“What’s the wager?”

True to his mercenary past, he demanded clear stakes.

“Would a kiss be insufficient?”

“I’ll have to stake my life, then.”

Beatrice laughed again. Unbeknownst to her, her husband had an extreme streak—rather fierce, in fact. She did not dislike it.

“Then… you first?”

Caesar, holding his beloved wife in his arms, paused to consider. A secret he had not yet told her… it wasn’t anything earth-shattering, but he did have a few things he’d been keeping back.

“…Though I behave as decently as possible before you, in truth my tongue is coarse and foul.”

The first confession from her husband was entirely within her expectations. She’d noticed how differently he spoke in private with her than he did in public or with Sir Schultz.

She did not mind that he used proper language only before her. It was merely that thinking of his swearing…

“Your face has gone red, Beatrice.”

Caesar murmured, puzzled by her blush. Beatrice answered in a whisper:

“You must speak to me as such… next time… preferably in bed.”

This time it was Caesar whose face flamed. The stirring in his loins grew even more insistent.

“Now… it’s your turn to answer.”

What should she reveal? As she chose her words, she suddenly spoke.

“Actually… although my face is rather pretty…”

She trailed off, smiling as Caesar nodded vigorously.

“I’ve always thought there was nothing else remarkable about me.”

“Isn’t that just a humble way of saying you do well at everything?” he teased.

“Hmm, does it sound that way? But it’s not. I have four older sisters, you know. Since childhood they were my rivals and my benchmarks.”

“I can see that.”

“But I was never as wise as Freya, nor as clever as Regina. I had no great passion to pour into something, like Amelia or Camilla. So… maybe I wanted to escape into marriage. Since I lacked other talents, I wanted to prove my worth that way.”