Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 33: Scene XXXIII

"Cole, I suggest you to halt any other intent." — The Baroness told her Husband in a discreet murmur.

"They have no respect for what is proper... Such savages..."

At a safe distance, the guests glanced with contempt at the wedded. Yet the woman continued to warn her reckless husband.

"If not for the girl you could be lying dead and stomped on the ground. Be grateful that no head has been split tonight... I don’t want to become a widow because of my husband’s impertinence."

"... You think you would stay a widow?"

"....."

The glare of Cole was asserted. Before men as those in the Hall, the woman would stay a widow only for the time they took to reach her head.

"... I still can gain more from him."

"Cole!..." — Watching that her jolt was unnoticed, the Baroness continued. — "Do not be reckless..! These men are not–"

"Woman. Stay quiet. I will handle these matters."

Shutting the woman’s warning, the greed of the baron decided on his next steps.

"We won’t stay here long. So we may as well make some profit... I am sure the Archduke will cooperate..."

*******

The people’s cheering continued to be heard in the Hall.

Her Spouse had gone down the Host’s platform and joined fellow guards in drink and conversation. Stoic as he was, he would pester his peers with entertained demeanour. Brutish in his motions yet gladly approved by those receiving them.

’He seems to be having a good time...’

Ewelina curiously peeked from time to time at her Spouse. Conceiving such thoughts with intrigue.

"Ma’am, your hair is so odd..."

"Bela!! It’s unique... not odd."

"Is it?... Its shape makes it difficult to arrange..." — Ewelina then inquired to the girls who had cautiously approached her. And commented about it.

"... Do you truly need to arrange it?"

"That’s right... isn’t it already a wonderful decoration as it is?"

The youths surrounding her conversed intrigued. Tracing the flow of her hair, comparing it with their straight ones as they played with it.

"... That is a very nice thing to say... Thank you."

Pleased by their comment, Ewelina showed appreciation. Since her hair and eyes were the common features she had possessed in her body from the beginning of her soul.

"..... Aha hahaha!"

"Hm?"

At the sudden laughter of the women, Ewelina alternated between them.

"How come that is something to thank?!? The Ma’am is truly foreign!"

"Hahaha!"

The confusion commenced to show on her face. Seeing no motive for their laughter.

"I knew Master’s Wife was interesting~... I had never seen a Mate being grazed in greeting."

"Our Lord even came on top of the Ma’am!"

"Gasp!... I was surprised to see that...!" — Bela commenced to whisper to the women. — "Our Lord has never growled this strongly before... Surely the Jazharas woke at its tremor!"

"....."

"Ma’am truly is unusual... Are all women further to the north like you?"

"..... I wouldn’t say that."

"Hmm... Then. Are they like that woman over there?"

"... Mostly. Yes."

"Hmm... Is she your mother, Ma’am? She doesn’t have your beauty."

’... beauty... I’ve never been seen as such in my past...’ — Distracted by the compliment, Ewelina took away her eyes from the Baroness.

"She is my stepfather’s wife. My mother has been dead for a long time."

"!... What about the Ma’am’s Father?"

"He also died long ago... Before I was born."

"..... I see..."

"May their dust lay together in the roots of the earth." — The two women recited sensibly in a solemn tone.

"... What?"

Ewelina’s eyes widened at the words of the women. Which in their simplicity rested great meaning.

"Hm? Does Her Grace ignore what we are and become?"

"...No... I... Excuse me, I was simply amazed at such wonderful prayer."

"Oh! That is what we say here. Although, it depends on the occasion."

"I see..."

"It’s a pity your true roots weren’t here to give you up to our Lord. If we had known, we could have done a Stoned Wedding instead."

"That’s true! It has been so long since a Stoned Wedding has been held!"

Ewelina continued to listen to the entertained women, slightly uninterested, for the memory of her parents had been mentioned.

’Mother would have... I wonder if she would have been happy... Would she have stopped– uh?’

In her ponder, the woman had lowered her gaze and in the envisioning of a different present, her eyes had gone to the man that had placed her in this situation. Finding no sight of the man that was supposed to be seating next to his Wife.

’Where is the baron...?’

Her eyes commenced to search through the Hall for the round man’s presence, aware that no good could come from his sudden disappearance.

"...... Where is my Husband?"

"Our Lord?..... I don’t see him..."

"Me neither... Oh! Kir is not here so maybe they went outside for a moment?"

"Sigh... Would Kir insist? He never gets to cut our Lord..."

"Yes but... Shuno... Isn’t it strange? There are too many men here. Usually, they will follow. Since their brawls are interesting."

"You’re right..."

"..."

Listening to the girls, Ewelina became concerned.

There was no wish within her to forgive the abuse she had lived under Cole’s survey.

Who she was and what she owned had been taken from her with outright shamelessness by a greedy man whose blood was not in the slightest share of her predecessors.

In her steady regain of notion from her past, Ewelina had decided to retrieve what was robbed and repay what was given.

Hence, rescuing him once from the axe of her Husband had not been pure kindness.

’He cannot die so easily... Husband... Please remember that excuse I gave..... Don’t spill his blood tonight...’ — Ewelina requested to him who couldn’t listen.

"Do you need to speak with his Fine Grace? We can go look for him if you desire so, Ma’am. "

"....." — The lost in thought Archduchess’s expression had gone quiet in begging prayer, yet at this time...

’Nothing can be done.’ — She understood.

"It is alright... I solely wondered for my spouse’s whereabouts. There’s no need for you to go."

"Hm~ If so, in the meantime, would you like more ale?"

"Ah... No... I have had enough..."

"Aw... Alright..."

Responding to the attentive yet ignorant women, Ewelina resumed their dialogue, listening to their disappointment as her answer to their offer was told after a glimpse to the entrance of the Dining Hall they filled.

’If Cole continues to live after tonight... I shall take it as the sign that retribution is for me to take.’