“I’m about to close the shop.”
Using the language of this country, which had improved considerably, Shiori called out to Roche, who was boiling medicinal herbs. At the same time, she went to turn over the [Open] plate hung on the door of the shop.
It’s almost summer, so the sun hasn’t completely set yet, but unless it’s an emergency, no customers will come at this time.
“Oh, Kurst.”
Just as she turned the plate over and was about to return to the store, she noticed someone walking towards her in a dimly lit alleyway. Kurst Orfeld, the hero of this country and now Shiori’s husband.
“I came to pick you up. I finished work early today.”
Kurst smiled gently as his silver hair fluttered coolly. His voice bounced a little with joy at meeting Shiori.
Currently, the two of them live together, so even though they met each other this morning, Kurst always reacted like this just because they couldn’t meet during the day.
There is always an excessive amount of love in the eyes that stare at her, and Shiori feels restless. She couldn’t believe that Kurst, who was the kind of person who couldn’t help but captivate any woman, was looking at her with such affectionate eyes. Shiori still thinks so, three months after she married him. He is her husband who is too good for her.
When she was thinking about such a thing, Kurst suddenly stretched out his arm in silence.
“. . . !”
Shiori involuntarily takes a step back when a large hand touches her black hair.
She intended to just pull her face away out of embarrassment, but she ended up having a bigger reaction than she expected.
Kurst also widened his eyes for a moment as if he was surprised, and then said apologetically,
“I’m sorry, I touched you so suddenly. . . You had a leaf in your hair.”
A piece of a dried medicinal herb was pinched between Kurst’s fingertips.
“Oh, that’s right. Sorry, thank you.”
Shiori thanked him with a smile and unconsciously stroked her hair that had been touched by Kurst. Inwardly, she panics that she may have reacted badly at the wrong time.
Of course I don’t mind being touched by Kurst. But he may not think so. He may be thinking too much about ‘yesterday’.
After Shiori’s awkward gaze wandered around, she reconsidered that it wasn’t a good idea to make excuses in front of the store.
“I’m preparing to go home, so can you wait for a while?”
After confirming that Kurst showed a weak smile and nodded, she entered the store. Taking off her favorite simple white apron, she thrust it into her commuting bag hanging on the back was of the shop.
“Are you fighting? You guys are still newlyweds, aren’t you?”
Roche said while stirring the boiling pot with a wooden spatula. He looks like he’s worried, but in fact, it’s all in his voice that he’s amused. Shiori glanced at Roche lightly, but his eyes were on Kurst waiting outside the store. His shoulders are a little down and he looks depressed.
“Usually, he would come into the store and follow you around as you prepare to go home.”
Shifting his gaze from Kurst to Shiori, Roche laughs.
It’s like she’s sticking around, but she’s just helping out with cleaning up the store.
“Because I said ‘Wait for me’.”
“If you get divorced, can I increase the number of working days that your husband told me to reduce.”
“We will not divorce.”
When she stuck her tongue out at Roche with “Bleh”, she was hit back with a strong poke to the forehead.
“It hurts a little! Terrible!”
“Hey, stop it. Look at that appearance.”
She hit Roche on the back with teary eyes, but it didn’t seem to do much damage. Roche’s attention was on Kurst.
Kurst, who was looking at her with eyes like an abandoned dog, quickly averted his gaze when Shiori’s eyes met his.
“You’re fighting, aren’t you? Normally, he’d go so far as to glare at me.”
“We’re not, and Kurst doesn’t glare at people.”
“No no no, what are you looking at? I’m sure he’s glaring at me all the time.”
Saying in amazement, Roche turned to face the pot again.
“We’re not fighting, but. . .”
After Shiori spoke in a low voice, she thought back on what had happened yesterday.
Kurst was off duty yesterday, so Shiori was also taking a day of, and the two of them went shopping in the city.
After eating lunch, they wandered around the shops on the main street, but since Kurst is a celebrity, she couldn’t shop at her leisure. Along with his wife, Shiori, he is the center of attention and welcome wherever he goes.
However, she has no complaints because she was prepared for it when she decided to marry Kurst. She prides herself that she smiles and responds naturally now.
However, what worried Shiori was that Kurst touched her without hesitation in public.
The temperament of the people of this country is quite similar to that of the Japanese, and it is not good for men and women to get along excessively in the middle of the day on the street. The idea is to be modest.
If you’re a young couple or a newlywed, they’ll watch over you and say, “It can’t be helped.”
But that was different yesterday. It happened when they went to a familiar fruit shop and were shopping there.
“Thank you for always taking care of my wife.”
While pulling Shiori’s waist toward him, Kurst said hello to Colin, the heir to the fruit shop. And then, while Colin was preparing change, he grabbed her by the shoulder and kissed her head. Over and over again.
Kurst was in a good mood with a smile, but Shiori was embarrassed to be seen flirting with her husband by an acquaintance, Colin, and rejected him with a strong tone.
“Hey Kurst, stop.”
With a low voice, she pushed Kurst’s body.
“I didn’t bother to say anything, but I’m not good at this kind of thing. Don’t touch me too much.”
Colin wasn’t the only one looking at them. The townspeople also seem to be curious about the hero and his new wife, and they are looking at them.
Under such circumstances, she couldn’t feel like being touched sweetly by Kurst. Embarrassment always prevails in the city.
“. . . I’m sorry.”
Kurst immediately stopped kissing her, as he seemed to sense that she really hated it. Maybe it was the shock of her rejection, he looked a little hurt, and she wanted to comfort him, but she understood how she felt about not flirting with him in public. Shiori turned her heart into a demon.
However, after that, Kurst smiled as usual, saying, “Let’s go to the store over there next time.”
Shiori crossed her arms and nodded.
Apparently, it wasn’t the fault of her imagination. It seems that her words and actions yesterday were too effective for Kurst.
‘I’m not good at flirting in public,’ may not have been conveyed well, and it may have been taken as ‘I don’t like being touched by Kurst.’
While worrying about what to do, Shiori put on her bag and prepared to go home.
“Then I’m going home. See you tomorrow.”
When she waved her hand at Roche, he smiled while saying ‘Ah’. In order not to entertain Roche any more, I have to reconcile with Kurst as soon as possible.
“Thank you for waiting.”
When she left the store and called out to Kurst, who had turned his back to her, he turned around and narrowed his eyes gently. He was smiling, but he looked somewhat lonely.
“Yeah.”
In short, after snatching Shiori’s bag, Kurst started walking towards the main street where the carriage was parked. It’s normal for him to carry her bag, but today he didn’t hold her hand. On top of that, he tries to be considerate and maintains a subtle distance between himself and Shiori. When walking side by side, it’s normal for Kurst to get so close that their arms touch each other.
Even in the carriage, Kurst didn’t try to touch Shiori at all, nor did he try to get any closer than necessary. He just lent his hand when she got on, but he didn’t pull Shiori’s body towards him and sit down like usual.
For a moment, she thought that Kurst might be angry about yesterday, but he just didn’t touch Shiori and his attitude was normal. He asks, “How was work?”
However, there is something awkward about his smile. Something is wrong.
After all, the expression ‘being considerate’ came to her the most. Kurst measures his distance from Shiori very carefully. He seems afraid of getting too close and being rejected again.
Perhaps unconsciously, he occasionally reaches out and touches Shiori, but immediately withdraws his hand and observes her with a tense look.
. . . I hate to think that, but Kurst is a little cute.
Shiori thought while looking at him sideways. It’s fine if you’re just dating, but we’re a married couple who overcame various obstacles to get married, but you really think that your wife doesn’t like being touched.
I honestly think I love Kurst. Her lips almost arched into a grin, so she struggled to hold back.
“Um, it’s about yesterday, but. . .”
After tightening her loose facial muscles, Shiori opened her mouth. She doesn’t mind being touched by Kurst, she tries to tell him.
However, as soon as Shiori started, Kurst interrupted the conversation with a stiff face.
“I’m sorry. . . I got a little carried away yesterday. I didn’t understand Shiori’s feelings.”
Shiori shook her head as she looked at him nervously.
“Uh, I said it in a bit of a harsh tone, so I’m sorry. But why did you only touch me so much at the fruit shop yesterday?”
Kurst’s demeanor changed as soon as he arrived at the fruit shop, although he didn’t do so when he was touring the other stores. He was very sweet.
When Shiori asked about it, Kurst averted his gaze in an embarrassed manner and began to explain.
“I heard that Shiori is on good term with Colin, the son of the fruit vendor. . . well, maybe I got a little possessive. . .”
Kurst’s voice was getting quieter and quieter. In other words, did he hold her waist to show off to Colin?
Shiori chuckled.
“Even if you don’t do that, Colin won’t try to seduce me. And even if he approaches me, the only person I like is Kurst.”
She conveys her thoughts while being embarrassed. She can’t help but wonder why she has to confess once again even though she’s married, but if Kurst is relieved, that’s fine. Recently, she has come to realize that her husband has a delicate side that makes it hard to believe that he is a hero who has destroyed monsters. He cares a lot about Shiori’s behavior.
“Thank you, me too.”
Kurst’s eyes lit up with joy when he heard Shiori’s words, but he smiled modestly to hide it.
“By the way, who did you heard about Colin from?”
When Shiori tilts her head, Kurst replies, “From Roche,” reluctantly.
“. . . that curly hair”
Shiori cursed in Japanese. It’s definitely not Shiori’s fault that Roche is usually the cause of any problems.
Shiori’s current residence is near the castle, built in a section where many nobles live. It was one of the rewards Kurst received from the king when he defeated the monsters and saved the country, and it was a gorgeous mansion that was too large for just the two of them to live in. Right now they hire servants to manage the house, but they are in the process of planning to rent it out to someone and buy a smaller house in the near future.
Shiori thought that they had made up completely in the carriage, but Kurst’s attitude didn’t change much when he got home. They eat together while having a pleasant conversation, go to the bath in turn, and even when they both sleep in the same bed, Kurst’s expression is somewhat awkward.
Even though I properly told him that I like Kurst, I wonder what he still cares about.
“Um, Kurst. . .”
When the lights were turned off, the room was pitch black, but Shiori turned to Kurst, who was sitting next to her in the big bed. His expression is hard to read with only the vague outline of his body visible. As she wonders if she should turn on her light again and have a long talk with him, Kurst’s hand hesitantly strokes Shiori’s head.
Why do you touch me like that? Such a way of touching like a stranger.
“Should be fine.”
Kurst’s low voice was even softer tonight.
“If Shiori doesn’t like it, I’ll put up with it. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it until now. Let’s sleep now.”
But after saying that, he turned his back on Shiori and lay down. She doesn’t understand why, but Shiori also has no choice but to cover herself with a blanket.
Kurst seemed to be really going to sleep like this, and he never opened his mouth after that.
. . .Well
In the darkness, Shiori thought slowly while analyzing Kurst’s earlier words.
Shiori is a slow thinker, so after thinking about it for tens of minutes, she came to a conclusion.
After all, Kurst still thinks I don’t like him touching me.
That’s why he didn’t kiss her goodnight like usual, let alone do any marital activities, he said “I’ll put up with it” and quickly fell asleep.
“I’ve never bothered to say it, but I’m not good at this. Don’t touch me too much.”
She thought back over what she said yesterday.
By ‘something like this’, she was referring to ‘flirting in public’, but he misunderstood that it was ‘being touched by Kurst’.
I thought I was able to convey my feelings in the carriage and follow up, but it seems that just saying ‘I like Kurst’ wasn’t enough. ‘I like you but I don’t like being touched’. I wonder is Kurst understood it like that.
I think Kurst could be more arrogant.
I don’t mind being touched by Kurst. In general, we’ve already met skin to skin many times, and now I won’t say, ‘Actually, I don’t like it.’
But it’s true that I’m still not used to that kind of behavior, and it’s still embarrassing, so I’ve never invited him.
Come to think of it, did I ever proactively kiss him? The same goes for the act of holding hands. Before she knew it, Kurst’s hand had already reached out, and Shiori simply accepted the warmth without doing anything.
Shiori also wanted Kurst, but she didn’t usually show it in her actions. Was her passive attitude a big factor in Kurst misunderstanding her?
Reflection for a moment. . .
In her heart, she scolded herself for being passive all the time, just silently receiving love from Kurst.
She looked at Kurst’s back right next to her and silently apologized. She wants to clear up the misunderstanding right away, but has he fallen asleep already?
She thought it would be a bad idea to bother him by waking him up again, so she decided to apologize and talk first thing tomorrow morning, and Shiori closed her eyes.
Has thirty minutes passed since then? It was when she was dozing off in bed, having trouble falling asleep. She heard Kurst roll over – and then he lay down and gently hugged her.
Without opening her eyes, Shiori speculates, Kurst must be half asleep.
But, after that, the hand that stroked Shiori’s cheek, and then hugged her tightly this time, was clearly Kurst’s will.
He’s definitely awake. Or rather, he hadn’t slept from the beginning, or maybe he couldn’t sleep.
Even with her eyes closed, Shiori understood. Kurst is making a very sad face right now.
The strength of the arm that held her grew stronger and tighter.
“. . . It’s tough.”
Burying his face in Shiori’s shoulder, Kurst groaned.
Heartbreaking.
Or, it’s too pathetic. .
Shiori reluctantly lifted her eyelids. She couldn’t watch any more.
“Kurst”
The moment she called out to him, Kurst hurriedly left Shiori. He leaned on his elbows and lightly raised his upper body, his eyes wide open and stiff. It seems he didn’t expect Shiori to be awake. Her eyes have become accustomed to the darkness, and she can clearly see the impatient Kurst.
“Kurst”
Shiori whispered to Kurst, who had a cornered face and didn’t even move.
“. . . I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
She replies with a feeling of covering up. Because Kurst is kind, he always thinks of Shiori’s feelings first. If she let him speak like this, he might say things like, ‘Let’s sleep in separate bedrooms for Shiori’s sake.’
“You know, Kurst.”
She was embarrassed, but now she tried to get rid of that feeling. Her face may be slightly red, but it’s dark and she doesn’t care.
Shiori made up her mind and sat up. As she feels her heartbeat throbbing, she makes a bold move that would never have been possible for her until now.
When she pushed Kurst’s shoulders and turned him on his back, he straddled his body and landed on his stomach.
“Shiori?”
She boldly kissed Kurst with a confused face. She was more embarrassed to do it herself than she thought, so the moment her lips touched him, she immediately let go.
Heat builds up on her cheeks. Kurst is staring at her with eyes that don’t believe what they are seeing.
“I- I! I like being able to touch Kurst. . .!”
Shiori made a proper declaration, even though her voice was unnecessarily loud.
“What I said yesterday is that I don’t like being touched in public, so when it’s just the two of up. . . well, I don’t mind being hugged or kissed. . .”
This time she explained in a whisper.
She kept staring at Kurst to say the last thing.
“I’m happy to be able to touch my favorite Kurst. . .”
. . .Truth.
She added that at the end, but did Kurst hear it properly? There was only a faint voice that sounded like a sigh.
Shame makes her body feel better. Her cheeks are probably pink. She bites her lip tightly to endure the embarrassment.
Kurst didn’t say anything, which made it even more unbearable. He just stares at her with his mouth slightly open.
“Wah, that’s all I want to say!”
I want to finish this conversation. With that in mind, Shiori withdrew from Kurst and tried to crawl into bed.
“. . . Really.”
But the awakened Kurst won’t allow it. He reached out from under her and put his hands on Shiori’s cheeks.
Has he noticed that her face is getting hot? She makes eye contact with Kurst, trying to tell him to let go.
And at that moment, She regretted not having seen Kurst after all.
“I heard good things.”
In the darkness of the night, where jet black and deep purple were mixed together, he was smiling with the happiest smile.
Her eyes were somehow pure, but from her melted expression and her well-proportioned body wearing a nightgown, Shiori’s sex appeal was unmatched.
Kurst narrowed his eyes and pierced Shiori with a lustful gaze.
“Shiori, one more time-”
Even though she was a little disappointed that Kurst, who had lost his self-confidence, was cute, Shiori was lured by his low voice, which made her eardrums shake, and brought their lips together.
Well, we have reached the end. I only translated the last few chapters, but I hope you enjoyed the series.
Thank you for reading!
