Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband

“Thank you. I never even thought about it.”

“Shall we go inside? It would be nice if my wife could see everything inside, too.”

With a nod, I followed as Noah wrapped his arm around my shoulder, leading me inside.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a corridor that surpassed the width of our current guild building’s twofold corridor. The spaciousness extended further with lounges designed for the relaxation of employees.

I had envisioned expanding our existing lounge if we ever moved to a larger location, and in an instant, that dream became a reality before my eyes.

Observing the vast and comfortable rooms, I couldn’t help but entertain the thought that relocating to such a grand building would alleviate my worries about the guild’s potential closure. I had feared that Noah, considering the immense wealth I had amassed through the guild, might spitefully dismantle it.

Still, those concerns diminished to some extent.

The offices were situated on the 1st and 5th floors, and the top floor boasted a spacious area with only two rooms—the executive office and the executive lounge. Furthermore, a convenient mechanism facilitated effortless movement between the 1st and 5th floors.

Truly, money held its own allure.

I couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

At the very least, if we relocated here, the risk of him disposing of the guild would be minimized, and if I were to propose the idea of moving swiftly, he wouldn’t suspect anything, right?

“Do you like it?”

Noah asked, and I swiftly turned my body. I took his hands in mine and my eyes sparkled.

“I love it! I love it so much! I want to move here right away!”

His smile deepened.

“I’m glad my wife likes it as well.”

“It’s perfect. It’s as if you could ready my mind. What would I do without you, Noah? I’ll work even harder for this guild.”

I exaggerated my words more than usual.

* * *

That evening, after examining all the gifts, we returned and had dinner. While cautiously flipping a steak that Noah had personally cooked and sliced for me, I cautiously changed the subject.

“Noah, you see…”

“Yes, Hazel?”

I waved the invitation to the Guild Association, which I had prepared in advance.

“I’ve been invited to the Guild Association held in the capital, and I want to attend it.”

Noah’s smile remained, but his eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

“The association?”

“You know, it’s held every year! Do…do you remember?”

“Weren’t you annoyed by such things before?”

“Yes, I was, but after seeing the new guild building today, my feelings have changed. It would be a good opportunity to promote the guild, and because we expand, we can provide more support.”

“Ah.”

A fleeting expression appeared on Noah’s face. It seemed as if he regretted giving me the building as a gift.

Well, maybe.

“I think I’ll be gone for about a week. Is that okay?”

Noah, who was skillfully wielding a knife, stopped his movements.

“…A week?”

“Yes, about a week. It’s been almost a year since I last went to the capital, so I thought it would be nice to take a little sightseeing trip. Or maybe two weeks…?”

“That won’t do.”

Noah flatly rejected.

“What?”

“It’s already difficult to handle a week without you… let alone two weeks…”

“Uh… well…”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better for me to go with you?”

Oh, that was not possible.

Going together… nothing could be more dangerous than that. I couldn’t afford to extend the duration unnecessarily! Besides, could he really go to the capital? There might be people in the capital who recognize his face.

I was curious, but I wasn’t brave enough to ask.

“Umm, maybe a week is better! Come to think of it, I don’t think I can manage without you for more than a week.”

At those words, Noah’s expression softened noticeably.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page. Oh, speaking of which, I might as well go with you. I’ve realized that even a week would be too difficult… to bear.”

I inwardly screamed at his words because I didn’t expect him to cling like this. I quickly cut him off.

“Oh, no. Noah is busy, so I’ll go alone.”

“No, that’s not necessary. It would be better if we went together.”

Cold sweat ran down my back.

“Only guild representatives can attend the association. And besides, my friend said she’s extending her vacation plans, so she said she would come with me and help me with the preparations.”

“Ah, that friend.”

“Yes, exactly. I don’t want you to be busy because of me. You already went out in the early morning and came back late. As much as you supports me, I want to support you too. I’ll come back as quickly as possible! And I’ll buy a gift for you, too!”

“….”

I smiled as brightly as possible though the corners of my mouth stiffened with tension. If I stumbled or showed any strange signs, he would immediately notice. If it weren’t for him wanting to hold me back, it would have been a perfect performance.

Noah didn’t say anything.

He continued to smile, but his gaze seemed to be slightly off.

“Aren’t you worried that it might be dangerous? I’m concerned about sending you alone.”

I burst into laughter at his words.

“It’s not like I’m going to hunt down monsters or anything. What’s there to be afraid of? Elkard is probably the safest place in this empire.”

“Well… I guess so. When will you depart?”

“If I leave on Friday, I can rest over the weekend and attend the association on Monday.”

“I understand. If you need anything, I’ll prepare it for you. I’ll also arrange accommodation in the capital since I can’t have my wife stay in just any hotel.”

What kind of nobleman casually displayed their wealth like that… but I had no intention of missing out on this opportunity.

“Ah, it’s alright. Sometimes it’s good to experience such places, don’t you think? It might make our home feel even more precious. I might even miss it.”

Was that momentary flicker in his eyes just my imagination?

“Not a bad idea. Then I should choose the safest place. You have to be careful.”

“Of course. I’ll buy you lots of gifts, Noah!”

I replied with a teasing smile, even as I noticed Noah’s somewhat troubled expression. While looking at his somewhat uneasy face, I responded playfully. In Noah’s arms, before leaning against him, I gazed at the documents in my hand, and a sigh settled in my mind.

“Noah…?”

As I raised my head and met his gaze, I saw the worried expression on his face.

Why did he look like that? He didn’t want to change his mind, did he? After all, he even gave me such a big building as a gift!

“Yes, Hazel?”

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“…Do you have any concerns?”

“No, none at all.”

“I saw your expression just now.”

As I tilted my head, Noah sighed again as if trying to convey something.

“Hazel, just the thought of being without you for a week feels bleak.”

I was bewildered and stared at him intently.

“It’s only a week…”

“Since we met, this will be the first time we’ll be apart. Since we got married, we haven’t been away from each other for more than a day.”

…Did that really happen?

It dawned on me that my routine had become a monotonous cycle of moving between my office and home, and even after meeting him, my life revolved around work, dates with Noah, and returning home until we got married… His words were right.

Come to think of it, why had my sphere of activity become so limited?

Even in my previous life, I was confined to knowing only my workplace and home, and it appeared that I had fallen into the same pattern here as well!

I was constantly occupied, with no respite, and I failed to notice anything amiss.

The few outings I had during our marriage were always in the company of Noah. Naturally, that was to be expected since being with him brought me immeasurable joy and contentment. On the other hand, Noah surprised me as well. Despite having numerous responsibilities, he managed to navigate his work without straying too far from my side.

“Ah, I see.”

“That time will feel like a year to me.”

He gazed at me with a gloomy face, leaning his chin on my shoulder and wrapping his arms around my waist even tighter. I chuckled.

“Noah, you’re exaggerating too much. If I come before the weekend, it won’t even take a week.”

In truth, a week was just an excuse, and I planned to stay a little longer than the promised time. If I didn’t return on the appointed day, I wanted to see how he would react.

If he revealed himself to find and eliminate me… maybe I should leave him a little earlier than planned.

A sigh settled in my mind once again.

“You have to come back soon.”

“Yes, I will.”

Every time this happened, my heart ached a little because I’d miss the affectionate Noah. Even though I had prepared myself, each time, it felt like my heart was being torn apart.

* * *

The next day, Kairos, who accompanied Hazel on her way to work, was in a bad mood again.

“Sid.”

“Yes?”

“Bring me some portraits.”

Sid blinked his eyes in surprise.

What kind of instruction was this?

“Portraits?”

“Yes. I need to have portraits of my wife. As many as possible.”

What could he mean by that?

Sid strained his brain to understand the underlying meaning. There wouldn’t be many occasions where he would need a painter.

“Capti—no, I mean her portraits. When a bounty was issued, her face must still be around. Should I bring them right away?”

When Kairos shot back sharply at his remark, Sid flinched before opening his mouth again.

“…I will bring a painter.”

“Within a week. Since Hazel is busy, the person will need to be able to stay at the mansion until they finished all the drawings.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Oh, it would be nice if it’s a female painter.”

“Pardon? Why does the gender of the painter matter…?”

“I just find it bothersome, just do it.”

“Yes. Then, should I put the captive, no, the lady, I mean, Lady Hazel, um… Baroness Hazel Love’s portraits in the warehouse?”

“No, they should be hung in the office. Maybe in the corridor or a different room…anywhere that catches my eye would be fine.”

Sid replied with a puzzled expression.

“…Yes? Aren’t you drawing the portraits to find her if she tries to escape later?”

It wasn’t for that reason, but Kairos nodded, thinking that excuse would work.

“Exactly.”

“But why in the office?”

“If I keep seeing them, I’ll be able to recognize her at a glance even if she tries to run away.”

There wouldn’t be a need for that since he saw her every day, but Sid didn’t have the courage to voice his thoughts.

“Ah, I see! You’re indeed wise, my lord.”

“Bring a painter who is quick and skilled. If they can’t draw it accurately, I’ll hold you responsible first.”

Why him…

Although he felt unjust, Sid had no strength to argue.

“I will bring the most famous portrait painter.”

He had no choice but to follow the order.

That day, Sid had to release dozens of subordinates to find the best portrait painter in the empire. Not only that, but he also had to run around tirelessly, his feet on fire and sweat pouring down, all night long.

* * *

“So, you’ll be able to go up to the capital this time?”

Annie, who visited after a long time, asked while sipping tea.

“Yes, a timely invitation arrived.”

“That’s fortunate. If you said you were going on a trip, I could have used it as an excuse to tag along.”

“That’s right.”

“Oh, about 10% of the funds you handed over for identities have been cleaned up. It looks like the false identities will be completed today or tomorrow. I made quite an effort to find a name that suits you. Should I keep them in the new safe together?”

“Yes, please. And use half of the cleaned funds to purchase purification stones as they become available.”

“Purification stones? Are you talking about the ones sold at the temple?”

“Yes.”

“Huh? Why would we need those useless things?”