As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

“…What?”

“I don’t know how you two got to know each other, but even though you’re childhood friends, that man is a knight who was a wandering mercenary. You’re now a countess.”

“Reiad, if it’s like that…”

Luize immediately wanted to bring up his commoner lovers who came and went to this mansion. But if she did that, she wouldn’t be able to avoid a fight. She didn’t have the confidence to break this peace with her own hands yet. So it was right to close her eyes and move on, just like the other hurdles she had passed so far.

“…No, it’s nothing.”

“If it were a lover that would only pass by for a moment, I wouldn’t have said anything.”

“Right, if you’re that bored, it’s better to have a lover. That would be nice.”

“Reiad.”

“Yes?”

Luize, who still had a stern face, raised her head. Purple eyes resembling lavender stared straight at Reiad. “Maxion is my friend. That doesn’t change.”

“Luize.”

“But if it bothers you, I will refrain from seeing him often.”

“…” Reiad’s expression hardened.

Luize tried to add words but closed her mouth. The corners of her mouth trembled. She took a deep breath and let out a long breath. She had to calm down as she didn’t want to break this peace. No matter how much this relationship was just a play, it was better than the reality that she would return after it was over.

“…Would it be okay if I brought in a lover?”

“Yes. Because I’m always here for Luize. You need to relieve your stress too.”

“I’ll do that.”

Luize rose from her seat and went back to her room. Reiad didn’t follow her. Sitting at the desk in front of the window, she looked out the window and recited in low tones. “Lover…”

She took out the stationery from her drawer. Reiad didn’t tell him not to send or receive letters.

* * *

While Edward read the newsletter today, Maxion held a letter across from him. He sat awkwardly on the sofa and looked at the letter before him. Maxion didn’t touch the letter until Edward had run out of reading material.

“…What you’re doing?”

“I’m looking at the letter.”

“I know. You’re just staring at the envelope without even looking at the contents.”

“I don’t have the confidence to take the envelope without damaging it.”

“…”

Edward looked at him and rang the bell on the table. The servant came up to him in no time.  “I need a paper knife.”

Soon, the servant returned with a silver paper-knife. Edward handed Maxion a paper knife. “Since you’re an inspector, you should be able to scrutinize this well, right?”

“Yes.”

Maxion opened the seal with a serious face. He carefully opened the letter with his large, thick fingers and slowly read its contents. As his eyes turned downward, the hand holding the letter trembled. “Damn it.”

“

”

Maxion checked Edward, who was sitting opposite him and added hastily. “I’m sorry.”

“There must be something you don’t like.”

“…My friend’s husband told her to take a lover.”

“Lover? So, what is your friend’s reaction?”

“She asked where she could get it. She’s wondering if she should at least check out the gigolo.”

“

.”

Gigolo was a term used to refer to a man who dealt with women in the back alleys for money. They were those whose job was to satisfy women, from pouring drinks and fawning over them to, in some cases, dates and doing night duty.

While Edward was lost in thought, Maxion left the letter and stood up. He left the parlor on the second floor and soon returned to his seat with a pen, paper, and ink.

“Lord Edward, if you have time, could you help me? I don’t have much experience writing, so I still have a lot of difficulty with words.”

“I will do that.”

Edward put his arm on the table and put his chin on it. He tapped on his ear wheel with his index finger and stared at Maxion wrestling over a piece of paper. “Maxion.”

“Yes.”

“What are you going to reply?”

“I’ll say I don’t know. I would like to tell her to ignore her husband’s words, but I can’t interfere with the couple’s affairs.”

“I see.”

Maxion crumpled the paper after writing down the content several times. Every time he asked about a word he didn’t know, Edward kindly spelled it out with a straight face.

“You can’t concentrate today.”

“I’m worried that something might happen if my friend goes to the back alley by herself. It’s very likely with her personality…”

“She said she needed a lover. From the looks of it, she doesn’t seem like the type of person who would normally have a lover in society.”

“Yes. She is probably the most unsociable person in the capital.”

“Then what about me?”

“…Yes?”

Edward’s fingers stopped tapping his own ears. The corners of his mouth rose slightly and then drew a smooth line. “Yes, that will do. I will do that, become a lover.”

“Lord Edward yourself?”

“Yes. Why? Do you think I’m not good enough?”

“Rather than that… May I ask the reason?”

“I’m bored.”

“…”

“I’ve finished all my territorial work, and the emperor often seems to have no intention of messing with me other than sending assassins every now and then until he finds a new excuse to kick me out. However, we’re not ready to make the first move right now.”

He shrugged and continued. “Maxion, you’d feel more at ease with me than letting your precious friend get in touch with a worthless gigolo.”

“Do you know who the other person is?”

“There is someone I could think of, but I won’t say it out loud. If you do, wouldn’t it be like reporting the other person’s situation in detail to your superior? I guess I’ll figure it out on my own.”

“…”

Maxion sighed long and shook his head. “Isn’t it no different from that situation already?”

“Then I take it as you are agreeing to my request.”

“…”

“You just need to introduce me as a lover, that’s all.”

“Your Excellency may be in danger.”

“I can do my best to protect myself.”

“Said the person who came back injured that day.”

“I didn’t expect him to betray me in the end.”

“…I know you knew what you were getting into.”

“If you want to blame me for being foolish, feel free.”

“…”

Maxion lowered his head. Edward’s injury was partly due to his lack of skill as an aide. The sister of the knight who betrayed Edward was hospitalized in a hospital run by the imperial family. Although he had been concerned about it before, he didn’t neglect his guard. The person who broke through the guard was none other than Edward himself. As a result, he was wounded by one of his subordinates and had to wander the outskirts of the capital all night to avoid other assassins sent by the emperor.

Maxion knew. Edward was purposely cut by the sword. He knew that his fellow knight and his sister would be safe if he got cut by that sword.

“You just sought some advice from a more experienced person while writing your reply. Let’s put it that way. From now on, every word I say will be from your perspective, indicating things you find difficult and need help with.”

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“Partly because I’m bored…” Edward, who laid his chin down on his armrest, leaned back against the backrest and said. “I’m a little curious. What kind of person is she?”

“…”

“The investigation of the Cloette family is a bonus.”

“As expected, you know it.”

“I’ll just proceed to the extent that I won’t get hurt or that it doesn’t harm the madam.”

“…”

“That’s good enough, right? Am I not trustworthy enough?”

“No, it’s not.”

Maxion put a new piece of paper in front of him and picked up a pen. “Please tell me the contents of the letter.”

“

Dear Luize.”

“

I’ll write the beginning.”

Maxion rushed to write the letter. From time to time, Maxion asked him to recite the contents of the letter whenever necessary. Edward spoke the content at the pace of Maxion’s writing speed and spelled out words that Maxion might find difficult. Surprisingly, the letter was completed in one go without correction.

“Your ghostwriting skills are really top-notch.”

“Because letters from the imperial family are rarely written in person.”

“…I see.”

“It’s been a long time since I sent a letter to someone about something other than work.”

Maxion looked bitter at Edward’s words. Edward, who was looking at him like that, opened his mouth. “Maxion.”

“…Yes.”

“I order the chef to serve apple pie for dinner.”

“Do you think I’m a child whose mood changes over a single pie?”

“Should I tell them to preserve the texture of the apples and sprinkle plenty of cinnamon?”

“Yes,” Maxion replied, avoiding his gaze.

Edward smiled lightly at him like that.

It was the next day a letter arrived at Count Cloette’s family. Luize, who received the letter, read the contents with a puzzled expression.

“The best gigolo at the Dolores Inn… the name is Ellisian? I never thought Maxion would know so much about such a place.”

Luize hurriedly folded the letter and burned it in the candle. It wasn’t a good thing for servants to see.

“…Could it be that he’s a gay? Maybe he is. He didn’t seem interested in women.”

As the letter burned down, the slightest misunderstanding became certain. Luize thought she should prepare her heart so that she wouldn’t be surprised if Maxion revealed the truth to her someday.

It was the next day. Luize put on her robe and headed to the capital’s back alleys.

* * *

It was the second day since the letter arrived in the county. Edward lay down on the sofa and checked his pocket watch. He had deliberately lit good incense and was waiting. Still, it seemed like Luize had no intention of coming to the inn today either.

Edward recalled the first time he saw Luize at the banquet. The beautiful countess who appeared like a comet was enough to attract people’s attention.

Everyone looked at Luize with stunned look when they saw her picking up the food decorated in the banquet hall. Edward was also watching. He looked at the nobles’ reactions with a bored expression and then turned his head.

Edward also thought it was a strange culture to consider eating food at the banquet held by the imperial family or nobles to be shameful. It was also strange to dispose of the food as it was so that the servants couldn’t take it.