Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 30: His naivety?

’’All that explanation is only for you to state that you do not care about your husband in the slightest. What a heartless woman!"

The man who had been insisting that he was fine and not heavily injured throughout the highs and lows of the bumpy road groaned painfully as he alighted the carriage.

Lareina glanced around the palace but the guards were at a little distance and they did not seem to budge from their spot. Even Azrael’s people who had been fighting the demonic beasts earlier seemed to have not followed after them.

’’Let me take you to the healer,’’ Lareina took the initiative to support the man.

But just as her hand had barely touched his, two guards ran towards them and dropped to their knees, ’’You Highness, The Lord has summoned you to the Infernal Court.’’

The laidback air around Azrael dispersed and he turned to Lareina, ’’Go back to your bedchamber first. I will visit you later.’’

’’The Lord has also summoned the human princess.’’

"I will go with you,’’ Lareina reached out to support him by holding his hand but the man dismissed her touch nonchalantly.

And for a moment, his indifference made her feel like the man who had gone to the ghost market with her was just a part of her illusion instead. And this was the real him, the one she was familiar with. The one who ignored her and dismissed her when people were around.

But that was probably to be expected. The man who was hailed as the great general could have shined in infinite glory had he not been married to an enemy princess which only brought mockery upon him. In private, he probably wanted to alleviate his boredom when he interacted with her but in public, he was unwilling to acknowledge her.

...

The Infernal Court was enshrouded in a gloom as usual.

The demon lord was sitting on his throne, with a woman on his thighs who held a glass of wine near his mouth.

The Princes were absent and other than a few court members and maidservants, there was mostly no one.

When Lareina entered the court, the demon lord’s gaze settled on her before he looked towards Azrael who was bleeding heavily. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the woman who was sitting on his thigh.

’’I have come to know of everything that transpired with you on your journey. Do you realize your fault?" The demon lord’s gaze was aloof as if he was not looking at his son, but rather his subject.

Lareina frowned. Despite her disagreements with Azrael, she could not understand what his fault was in this entire matter. Rather, he was also the victim.

’’Winning a battle does not permit you to let your conceit shoot into your head, son. The ghost market and the nearby towns have been recently affected by great disasters. You are inherently arrogant and wilful, visiting such a dangerous place without royal guards. So, your sufferings are what you have earned for yourself. Do you understand?"

Azrael kept his gaze lowered and did not speak.

Lareina looked at him, expecting him to narrate the whole event and explain himself but after a long time, it did not happen.

’’Seeing that you understand your mistake, you should receive your punishment willingly now.’’

’’But... How is the marketplace a dangerous place?" In the silence of the Infernal Court, Lareina’s soft voice seemed to be creating a ripple in still water as everybody’s gaze snapped at her, including Azrael’s.

Lareina could feel his burning gaze boring into her. If she looked his way, she would probably see the warning to not say anything.

"Oh? What are you trying to say, human princess?" The demon lord glanced at her with an amused gaze.

’’His Highness did not let the royal guards accompany us because he considered the ghost market to be a considerably safe place. For trifles, he can confront them himself without help from any guards. Having spent four years in a war, it is natural for His Highness to be clueless about the current conditions of the territories,’’ Lareina stepped forward and curtsied to the King with utmost respect, ’’It is also my incompetency that despite being his wife, I have not been able to warn him regarding the same. My Lord, this incident was not a result of His Highness’s wilfulness but rather his naivety.’’

The courtroom fell silent, almost as if nobody dared to breathe loudly. The court members looked at Lareina as if she was a sheep that had stepped out to be butchered willingly.

But after a while, a hearty laughter reverberated in the court, ’’Are you mocking the second prince, human princess?"

’’I dare not, My Lord!"

’’This is not the way a husband and wife should get along with each other. You should deal with your matters behind closed doors rather than making a spectacle of each other in front of everyone,’’ The demon lord chided but the man’s body language did not show the slightest bit of anger, ’’Alright, you both are dismissed,’’ he waved his hand.

Lareina let out a breath as she curtsied to the man and then turned to leave with a straightened back. She did not wait for Azrael to come with her, and her lowered eyes masked her thoughts.

...

"My Lady, are you fine?" Rosie quickly supported Lareina and brought her to the bed before she poured her a glass of water.

As the water poured down her throat, Lareina suddenly felt a sense of exhaustion washing over her body, ’’Help me loosen the corset,’’ she turned her back towards Rosie.

Once Rosie tugged at the laces of the corset, Lareina found it easier to breathe, her organs functioning a little better than before.

’’I am uninjured. Does everyone know of it?" She asked Rosie. Since Rosie was aware of this matter then others in the palace might not be unaware of it.

’’My Lady, I overheard the servants whispering about it,’’ Rosie’s eyes watered and she dropped to her knees in front of Lareina, ’’I was so concerned and I felt very guilty. I should have accompanied you there. In any case, I could have shielded you. The next time...’’