I Married a Sick Husband

“I like them both, Your Majesty.”

 

It was an excessively exemplary answer.

 

Theodore and Fabian’s expressions were simultaneously filled with disappointment.

 

“Okay, I understand. Because it is a very rare and expensive jewel.”

 

After a moment, Theodore nodded his head and opened his mouth.

 

“But you can only wear one. It’s not a ring, it’s a necklace.”

 

“No, Your Majesty. I can wear both.”

 

Meredith smiled and asked Theodore.

 

“So, would you please hang both of them around my neck? Both necklaces are so beautiful that there is no distinction between them.”

 

“But one of them will have to be hung lower.”

 

“Please hang your Majesty’s gift below.”

 

Meredith smiled gracefully and answered.

 

“Wouldn’t it be easier for me to reach for it that way?”

 

Even though she said it herself, it was a perfect model answer.

 

Theodore must have really liked it too, as a faint smile appeared on his lips.

 

Eventually, Theodore came behind Meredith.

 

Meredith moved her hair to one side so that Theodore could easily put on the necklace.

 

Soon, the cold feel of the necklace tickled Meredith’s skin.

 

But it wasn’t the coldness of the jewelry that made Meredith more nervous.

 

On the contrary, the heat from Theodore’s fingertips made her body feel even more like ice.

 

Every time Theodore’s fingers touched the back of her neck, she flinched as if she had been burned.

 

Theodore didn’t seem to notice it at all, and just focused on putting on the necklace without saying a word.

 

“… It’s done.”

 

After a while, Theodore’s voice was heard.

 

Finally, Theodore took his hand away from her neck, and Meredith found herself relieved for no reason.

 

‘… It’s not the first time that someone else puts a necklace on me.’

 

Strangely enough, when her partner was Theodore, she felt extremely awkward and nervous.

 

‘It’s not common for His Majesty to do something like this.’

 

Meredith ignored it.

 

“Does it suit me, Your Majesty?”

 

“Very much.”

 

Theodore raised the corners of his mouth and answered.

 

“It seems like a jewel created just for the Empress. It lives up to the name ‘noble birth’.”

 

“That is truly true, Your Majesty. It suits you well.”

 

Fabian chimed in from next to him.

 

Theodore turned his gaze to his younger brother and continued speaking.

 

“I should be grateful to you, Fabian. Thanks to you, the Empress shines even brighter today.”

 

“I am glad that Her Majesty likes my gift.”

 

“Yes, your gift aided mine nicely.”

 

“Well, isn’t my gift too great to be an assistant?”

 

Fabian smiled and raised a counterargument.

 

“Mine is thicker, so I think it will be less heavy if you hang it at the bottom.”

 

“If you look at it, it’s not much of a difference, but you’re putting too much emphasis on it.”

 

“It’s not much of a difference. It is the highest quality among ‘noble births.’”

 

“The design is too simple to be the main display of your gift. After all, the main thing should be something flashy to stand out more.”

 

“Well, the main gem is already great, but if you add side pieces incorrectly, it may look sloppy. Isn’t too much just as bad as too little?”

 

“I don’t think it’s right to disparage the amethyst produced in the Musgray Mountains by calling it a side piece.”

 

… Hey, you’re fighting again, right?

  

Even though a peaceful solution was clearly presented, the atmosphere somehow did not seem to have changed from before.

 

Meredith became very embarrassed.

 

‘It seems like the atmosphere has become lighter than when we first met… Seeing him growling like this makes me wonder if it was my imagination.’

 

It was a brotherly relationship that she could never understand.

 

***

 

Anyway, the situation ended peacefully.

 

Meredith spoke again with the other nobles, wearing two ‘Noble Birth’ badges around her neck.

 

“May I look a little closer, Your Majesty?”

 

“Of course. You can take a closer look.”

 

“Oh my god, look at this brilliance. It’s so beautiful!”

 

“I can’t believe you received not one, but two of these precious jewels as a gift!”

 

“I’m so jealous. Oh my gosh, not only His Majesty the Emperor but also Prince Fabian is so kind.”

 

Everyone was busy praising the kindness of the two men and the beauty of Meredith, who had a ‘noble birth’.

 

And Theodore occasionally looked at Meredith from afar and talked to the nobles around him.

 

“Let’s talk about this.”

 

Meanwhile, as soon as the gift giving was over, Fabian was almost dragged out of the banquet hall by Blair’s hand.

 

“Mom, you walk too fast. I’m going to fall.”

 

“….”

 

“Mother, are you listening to me?”

 

At that question, Blair, who had been walking in silence for a while, suddenly stopped.

 

Only then did Fabian speak to Blair with a look of determination to survive.

 

“I don’t think anyone has heard us if we’ve come out this far.”

 

“… you.”

 

Blair turned around with a bored look on her face.

 

There was no warmth in Blair’s expression as she looked at her own son.

 

Whether out of concern for her son or because she was embarrassed by the situation, only the cold wind was blowing in her face.

 

“Why on earth did you come here?”

 

“Didn’t I tell you earlier?”

 

Fabian answered calmly.

 

“It’s to attend Her Majesty’s birthday banquet.”

 

“Since when did you start taking care of things like that?”

 

Blair snorted and countered immediately, as if telling him not to lie.

 

“Weren’t you the only one who barely came to your mother’s birthday party last year?”

 

“….”

 

“What on earth are you planning? Why aren’t you listening to me?”

 

“It’s already been a few years since I became an adult, Mother.”

 

Fabian also lost the expression on his face at some point.

 

“I’m not a minor, so I can’t just obey my mother forever, right?”

 

“Ha! Are you saying that to me?”

 

Blair burst out laughing as if it was absurd.

 

“It doesn’t suit you. All your life, you followed everything I told you to do.”

 

“… So I regret it.”

 

“You’re regretting it? Oh my, that’s so fast.”

 

Blair quipped.

 

“I’m sorry, but it’s already too late for you to regret it.”

 

Then she looked straight at her son and scolded him.

 

“What are you trying to change now? You can’t change anything.”

 

“…..”

 

“You’ve already agreed to partner with me. From a very long time. Did you forget? We have a mother-son relationship, a common destiny, political partners.”

 

“… I know it very well.”

 

“But why are you doing this all of a sudden? This is not like you. This mother is very embarrassed.”

 

Blair frowned.

 

“Why on earth did you disobey me and come here? I told you to go on a trip.”

 

“…..”

 

“I told you not to return to Valtejain until oyu hear from me again!”

 

“But I wanted to come back.”

 

Fabian gave a general answer that felt insincere.

 

“That’s the whole reason.”

 

“… No way.”

 

At that moment, a thought passed through Blair’s mind.

 

“Could it be…”

 

Blair couldn’t continue her words and just closed her mouth.

 

“… It seems you are my son.”

 

And only after a while did she open her mouth again with meaningful words.

 

“It looks like something just like me caught my eye. yes?”

 

“… … Even if it were me, my mother doesn’t know the reason for the large joint.”

 

“That is consistent with the personal reason I mentioned last time.”

 

The corners of Blair’s mouth rose.

 

“Anyway, if I’m right, it might be a good thing for you.”

 

“Do you think so?”

 

“Because you’ve been like a marionette your whole life. It’s like a living human being for the first time. A human being with desires.”

 

“Didn’t you want me to live like that?”

 

Fabian pointed sharply.

 

“As my mother’s faithful servant.”

 

“I did. But this case is a little different. Your free will appeals to me for the first time.”

 

Because Fabian’s desires would ultimately coincide with what Blair wanted.

 

Even very rarely.

 

Then it wasn’t a bad thing at all.

 

“Are you planning on staying here?”

 

“Yes. I intend to stay even if you oppose it.”

 

“Then I guess I can’t stop it.”

 

“Yes. this time.”

 

Fabian nodded his head.

 

“I’m not going out again.”

 

“What are you planning to do?”

 

Blair said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“It is very dangerous for you to stay here now.”

 

“I know.”

 

Contrary to his answer, Fabian’s voice was still calm.

 

“But mother will help me. As always.”

 

“That’s right. As always, I will help you.”

 

The corners of Blair’s mouth went up even further.

 

“So, stay true to your desires.”

 

“… Of course.”

 

He had no intention of refusing Blair’s help.

 

For some reason, it seemed like his mother had the same thoughts as him.

 

***