Chapter 39
At night, their bare skin touched. And yet, why was it that now—fully clothed and sitting right next to him—her heart fluttered even more than when their lips had met?
Maybe she had a fever today. Perhaps she was coming down with something.
Heat flushed through her entire body.
Floria dabbed at the subtle sweat on her brow with a handkerchief.
When the carriage suddenly jolted, her shoulder brushed against Aidan’s.
“Ah.”
Her voice escaped between her lips, prompting the man to gaze at her with a languid look.
This isn’t right. When I’m with the Grand Duke, something feels off.
Trying to regain her composure, Floria shifted closer to the window, putting distance between them. Only then, with their bodies no longer touching, did she finally notice the scenery outside.
As they reached the edge of the village, unfamiliar-looking houses lined the road.
Floria’s hometown, Altomole, was scorchingly hot in the summer.
Just walking under the blazing sun would leave her sensitive skin reddened in an instant.
That’s why every house in Altomole was painted white, to help keep the summer air inside just a little cooler.
But here, the houses were layered in gray stone with red tiled roofs.
Even the landscaping of the gardens was completely different from what she had seen in Altomole.
“This place is truly different from the world I knew.”
The language might be similar, but the letters, the culture—everything was different.
The architecture, the food…
Everything was fascinating, and Floria’s mouth hung half-open in awe.
As she gazed out the window, Aidan’s hand brushed her shoulder.
The firm hand grazed her bare skin, drawing her attention back to him.
“Ah…”
The distance between them was now close enough that she could feel his breath.
Sunlight filtered through the carriage window, glinting in his eyes.
He was…
In the dark, Aidan’s eyes usually glimmered with unreadable blackness.
But now, they are different.
His eyes were brown. The depth of his irises looked like they might swallow her whole.
Floria was slowly coming to know more about the Grand Duchy of Cief, and the man who ruled it—Aidan.
“I hope you grow to like Cief.
You’ll be living here for the rest of your life.”
His whispered words didn’t register.
Her heart was pounding so hard from the point where he touched her that she could barely think.
What is this feeling?
“Yes… me too.”
Floria swallowed dryly.
“I hope so.”
She absentmindedly echoed his words, not even knowing what she was saying.
Why was she trembling so much from just a touch on the shoulder? She didn’t know the answer.
“Is it really okay to buy this much?”
They had bought so many things that even Floria began to worry.
The capital of Cief, Alexandria, was much more bustling than she had expected.
Shops selling specialty goods from other regions, sweet shops, boutiques for hats and dresses—it was hard to know where to look first.
“What’s this ornament? I’ve never seen one like it before.”
Even the items here were unlike anything Floria had seen growing up.
This was fascinating. That was fascinating.
Unintentionally, she found herself examining this and that. And whenever she glanced at something, Aidan would lift his chin and order it without hesitation.
She had heard that the Grand Duchy of Cief was currently experiencing the greatest prosperity since its founding.
“Still, this is a bit much…”
They had bought so much it felt excessive.
Shopping until she was tired out.
Just the fitting for her dresses took nearly half a day.
She worried that Aidan might get bored, but unexpectedly, he simply watched quietly as his new bride tried on dresses.
They had bought so much in such a whirlwind that Floria couldn’t even remember what she had chosen.
She began to wonder if they were overdoing it.
“Maybe we should cancel a few things.”
Altomole was the smallest among the neighboring nations.
On top of that, her father’s royal authority was weak, and they weren’t particularly wealthy despite being royalty.
As the unloved third daughter, Floria had never indulged in such luxury. Of course, she had never truly lacked anything either, but sweeping up every beautiful item in sight?
That was something she couldn’t have even imagined.
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