As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

“Will this really work?”

“It will work. Be careful not to get your dress too wet.”

“Alright.”

Luize let go of the champagne glass and took a step back.

With the sound of glass breaking, people’s attention turned to them.

“Oh my goodness.”

Although her surprising acting was awkward, it was quickly buried because people’s eyes turned to the broken glass.

Edward looked at Luize. She slowly raised her head and met his gaze.

“Madam, are you okay?”

“

yes. I’m fi—”

Edward immediately leaned down in front of her and looked at the floor. The onlooker’s eyes widened. He checked the broken glass and stood up again.

“Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any injuries, but there are a lot of broken pieces right next to you. You could get hurt, so it would be best to be careful and leave the area so the servant can clean it up.”

Edward extended his arm to her. He meant to escort her. Numerous eyes were on the two in an instant. The ladies chatted, covering their lips with fans. The men stopped their conversation and glanced sideways at the two of them.

Luize laid her hand on his forearm and walked slowly away from it. He clung close to her and whispered. “Can you feel it?”

“What?”

“Everyone is watching us.”

“…”

When Luize tried to lift her head to check around, he hurriedly added. “Don’t look around openly, but slowly raise your head towards me and look around. You can see people’s reactions behind me.”

Luize raised her head. Clearly, people around them were paying attention. The women whispered something among themselves, covering their faces with fans. As her husband and his lover were nowhere to be seen, it seemed only a matter of time before the story reached their ears.

Her eyes turned a little higher. Then red eyes met hers in the air. It was so close that she could hardly breathe if he came a little closer.

Edward looked at her and opened his mouth. “I think it’s better to walk away for a while now.”

“…Yes.”

The two headed to the corner of the banquet hall. People paced around them, pretending not to be interested, and cast their eyes from time to time.

“It’s time to have a conversation.”

“What should I say?”

“Just say whatever you want and occasionally smile and act happy.”

“Do I really have to show this to people?”

“Unfortunately, it works best. Try laughing once.”

“

”

“

, you’re not good at acting.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Does it sound like a compliment?”

“Because it means that I’m an honest person.”

“I see. I’ll try my best to get a compliment from Miss Luize.”

“Are you an honest person, Your Excellency?”

“…No.”

“Then I don’t think you’ll hear it from me for the rest of your life.”

“Even if that’s not the case, wouldn’t I still be able to get a lot of praise? And I just answered honestly.”

“You did a great job.”

“Look. I’ve already heard it.”

“…This wasn’t a compliment.”

Edward laughed low. Those who were peeking at the sound of his laughter looked at the two blatantly but then quickly turned their heads.

“I know. Still, I’m better at a lot of things than you thought, so if Miss Luize doesn’t hold back on praising me, I’ll be doing a lot more in the future.”

“…I see.” Luize smiled softly.

Edward opened his eyes as he looked at her like that. “Come to think of it, Miss Luize, I’ve been wondering for a while. Does the count don’t know that Miss Luize is a healer?”

“Yes. To be precise, I’m not a professional healer, but I only know how to do what I learned from my father.”

Luize continued after a brief pause. “I didn’t mean to hide it from the start. In the beginning, there was no need to tell Reiad because he had never been sick, and later on, I decided not to tell him because it seemed like an ability unsuited for a noble lady. Because it seems to be far from the kind of wife my husband wants…”

Luize trailed off her words as she spoke. Is it because they’ve already started sharing secrets? For Edward, it was easy to open up and share inner thoughts.  

“I’ve told you a boring story.”

“Any story related to Miss Luize will do. To be a good lover, I have to know your feelings well.” Edward had a smile on his face.

She answered by nodding her head and looking around. When several eyes met hers, she quickly turned her head. “Come to think of it, Maxion didn’t come.”

“Maxion won’t be here unless he absolutely has to. In particular, he has no chance of being invited to an event like this.”

“Even commoners aren’t often invited to banquets by nobles?”

Edward looked at her with a look of surprise. He realized from her casual reference to Maxion as a commoner that she knew less about him than he thought.

“Knights who used to be mercenaries tend to have a bad reputation.”

“I see.” Luize nodded her head with a slightly tired look. Then she realized she had to control her expression, so she quickly smiled and raised her head. Edward was smiling with a familiar, undisturbed face.

“Falling in love is very tiring.”

“To be exact, it’s acting. You’ll get used to it.”

Luize briefly recalled the past. For her, who lived in Perils, which was dark and gloomy all year round, Reaid, a sophisticated capital man, seemed new and beautiful at every moment. When she was looking at him like that, she felt like she also belonged to his warm world. At that time, she was able to smile with joy every day without acting. There was definitely a moment like that.

“But do I really have to stay in the banquet hall until the dance song starts?”

“Yes.”

“I see…”

“Miss Luize always disappears before the dance begins. Is it because you think your husband won’t ask you for a dance?”

“Yes.”

“Originally, it’s customary to dance with your partner.”

“Reiad will hate it if I stay until then.”

“Today is a banquet held at his lover’s house, so it will be even more difficult for him. That’s why it is also a better opportunity.” Edward grinned.

Luize lowered her gaze with a slightly uncomfortable face. Edward’s hand came into her sight. He reached out to Luize. Only then did Luize face Edward again.

“That’s why I’m here with you now.”

Luize placed her hand on top of his. She smiled bitterly and nodded her head.

* * *

It was just before the dance song started. People began to gather in the center to dance. Reiad looked at Luize and Lillian alternately with an embarrassed look. Buried in the crowd, Edward watched them from a few steps away.

“

Luize, you haven’t gone yet?”

“Yes.”

“The dance will start soon, but Luize doesn’t like dancing.”

“…I want to dance today.”

“You don’t necessarily have to do the first dance with your partner. It’s so old-fashioned.”

There was a commotion between them. It was coming from Reiad’s lover, Lilliana.

Luize held both of her hands together with an anxious face. Her heart was beating anxiously. Seeing him and his lover like that, she felt like the most insignificant thing in the world.

Lilliana added, looking at Reiad with an innocent face. “Isn’t that right?”

The onlookers around them paid attention to Reiad’s expression. It was a much more explicit look than when she was with Edward.

The longer his silence, the louder the onlookers grew. Even though it was a banquet hosted by his lover’s family and he was enjoying the banquet with his lover, he couldn’t openly mistreat his wife in front of everyone. His wife will still be by his side, but his lover will soon change anyway.

The same was true of rumors. Rumors about his mistreatment of his wife will follow him like a label for the rest of his life as long as Luize is by his side. Still, the rumors of his mistreatment of his lover will disappear as soon as he takes on another lover.

Reiad reluctantly moved his lover’s hand from his arm and placed his own hand on top of his lover’s hand. There were too many eyes watching. First of all, he had to pay attention to what people thought. He could change his lover’s mind after this. He might not be able to go home for a few days, but Luize isn’t the type of person to worry about that.

“Madam Cloette, you’re here.”

It was then. Edward approached Luize and called her in a happy voice. Everyone’s attention was focused on him.

“

, you’re here with the Count.”

Reiad froze and looked at Edward and Luize alternately. He opened his mouth with his signature smile, still with his hand over his lover’s. “Nice to meet you, Grand Duke Lindeman.”

“Count, good to see you again so soon. How’s the invitation going? I’d like to take a closer look at the beautiful garden of Cloette’s mansion, so I hope it’s before the end of spring.”

“Our garden is managed by my wife, so it’s closer to a woman’s taste. It may not be as satisfying as you expect, Your Excellency.”

“Most people prefer beautiful things regardless of their preference, but…”

Edward’s gaze turned to Luize, who stood beside him and bowed her head. He continued with a gentle smile. “I’m even more curious because the Madam tended the garden herself.”

“…Is that so?”

“I have more to ask of you than that. I happened to have a chance to talk to your wife and enjoyed the conversation. If it’s okay, I’d like to escort your wife today.”

“Luize, how about you?” Reiad asked in a sweet voice.

Luize answered without making eye contact with him. “…I want to do that. I also want to talk more with His Excellency.”

Reiad’s eyebrows bent diagonally for a moment. He continued, releasing Lilliana’s hand. “Okay. But the first dance—”

“

come to think of it, I’ve never seen Count Cloette and your wife have the first dance.”

“…”

“Wouldn’t you give me that honor?”

Edward bowed his upper body and reached out to Luize. Luize slowly lifted her head and looked at Edward. With his upper body bent to her height exactly, he smiled beautifully.

“Reiad, you don’t have to have your first dance with your partner, right?”

The trembling in Luize’s voice stopped.

“That’s so old-fashioned.” She turned her head and looked straight at Reiad.