My Dear Husband, Let's Keep It Business-Like! ~Countess Anastasia, Raised in The Downtown, Won't Give Up Her Way~ - Episode 86

The next day, while reluctantly bidding farewell once again to the servants led by Sebastian and Michelle, we headed back to the estate.

By the way, this time too, Marie and Dahlia will be coming along.

Since Marie was stuffing her bag full of the delicious specialties of the royal capital, the baker will probably be very busy for a while.

It’s a bit disappointing that this time it’s a different carriage from the two of them, but I think traveling in the carriage with you isn’t so bad either…

I sneak a glance at my husband sitting next to me. Yep, he’s sparkling consistently today too.

Because I kept glancing at my husband, we suddenly locked eyes when he turned to look at me.

“What’s wrong?” With a gentle smile in their eyes, my heart involuntarily skips a beat.

…What!

No, no, no, no, realizing you have feelings for someone is amazing, isn’t it!?

No good. At this rate, my brain will turn into a field of flowers.

In the commoner days, I have a memory of being completely put off by a friend who, for some reason, became a poet when they fell in love. Indeed, I should be careful, or I might end up doing the same.

By the way, that friend regained their composure a few months later and was writhing in agony while reading the poems they had written.

I hate being like that! So, I desperately search for small talk topics.

“By the way, dear! I’ve been thinking for a while now, but doesn’t your arm seem a bit more muscular?”

It’s not something you can tell just by looking at the clothes, but I started to feel a certain strength in the arm I touch during the escort and the shoulder I lean on in the carriage, and it has been on my mind.

“R-Really? I don’t quite understand it myself, but…”

“Eugene, you’ve been working hard on your muscle training lately!”

“You want to show off to Ana, don’t you?”

“Hoo hoo! Eugene, hoo hoo!”

The spirits are teasing me just like when they were heading from the territory to the royal capital, but my feelings have changed so much that it’s extremely unbearable.

Huh? Wait, is it possible that my husband started working out because I once said, “I prefer muscular, sturdy men over slender, handsome types”? Huh, I like it.

Once again, my heart goes thump… and I shake my head vigorously from side to side. No more flower fields. No more poems, absolutely not.

“Ana… be honest with your feelings…”

Kaia looks at me with a disappointed expression and says.

Waaah! Stop saying things like you can see right through me!

It’s different. I do indeed like you, my husband. I will admit that.

But, then, I don’t know if my husband feels the same way.

After all, all I’ve been told is that I want to become a “real couple.”

Moreover, I don’t even remember it because I was drunk.

This “so-called real couple” is quite the trickster. It might make sense to nobles who often have arranged marriages, but as someone raised as a commoner, I don’t quite get it.

Perhaps, since we are currently like a fake couple as business partners, I think it means we should stop this sham marriage and become a “real couple” by properly having an heir…

It’s not that I like it or anything like that.

Since my husband is oddly principled, it seems he decided to give me a “trial period” to see if I am truly worthy of being his real wife, given how much the situation has changed from our initial discussions.

In other words, my husband has finally correctly positioned himself at the starting line of a “couple in a political marriage.” He should respect the other person without treating them harshly and deepen their bond.

My current husband is exactly like that; he respects me without treating me harshly and serves me as a devoted husband.

On the other hand, I had jumped over that and found myself standing alone at the starting line of a couple who had married for love.

It’s not about respecting and supporting my husband as a wife… I just ended up liking him as a man.

There’s no doubt that we both want to get along well as a couple, so at first glance, it might seem like there’s no problem, but this is something that will gradually become tough for me.

Moreover, in this era, it is actually very common for couples who entered into arranged marriages to end up getting divorced.

If the marriage was formed with the purpose of becoming business partners, once the business stabilizes and mutual trust is established, the marriage is no longer necessary. Similarly, if the marriage was aimed at financial support or backing, it is not a problem to discontinue the marriage itself once the difficult times are overcome.

There are cases where, as long as an heir is born, a wife is no longer needed.

After all, the underlying motivations behind strategy and love are completely different…

What if, all of a sudden, your husband said, “We’ve had an heir and solved the problems of the earldom. Thank you for everything, Anna. You’re free to go now,” and divorced you?

I involuntarily imagine something unpleasant, and the bl00d drains from my face.

No way, that’s absolutely impossible now!!

“What’s wrong, Ana? Your face is pale; did you get car sick?”

My husband calls out to me with a worried voice.

I imagined strange things on my own, turned pale on my own, and in the end, worried my husband… I regret it.

“Do you want to rest your head on my shoulder? Or would you prefer to lie down a bit? If you don’t mind, I can lend you my lap too.”

Knee pillow!!

That is too stimulating for me right now, my husband!

As I trembled and shook my head, battling the emotions welling up inside me, my husband opened the window and said, “At least let’s let some air in!”

A pleasant breeze comes in through the window, and it cools my head a bit.

Oh no, I was completely flustered.

Hmm, when you fall in love with someone, it seems like people become less aware of their surroundings.

While being intrigued by the strange thing, I made a resolution.

Alright, there’s no point in moping around alone over problems involving such people!

In times like this, the best approach is to confront the person directly and honestly.

When we arrive at the territory, let’s ask the master directly.

——— I’ve started to like my husband, but is that okay in terms of the “real couple” that he desires?

Yeah, let’s go with this!