Being acknowledged by the Skydane family did not feel right at all. Though they do not have anything against Adriana. For her, it was more of an uneasy feeling.
The grand duke insisted on letting the new couple stay for the night, which they couldn't decline.
The new couple stood awkwardly in their room when they both saw one bed. Yes, they are a couple, but they did not sleep on the same bed.
Back in the Helene Mansion, their rooms were connected with one another. Which sounds weird, but then Astell wanted to give Adriana some privacy.
Astell could not say another word. He was flustered, standing still like a mannequin. Adriana comfortably sat on the chair and glanced at Astell.
"Why are you acting like we've never stayed in the same bedroom?" Adriana teased Astell while the tip of his ears slowly turned red. Astell cleared his throat and unbuttoned the first two of his clothes.
"You've gotten the wrong idea," lied Astell as he sat across Adriana, who was holding her laughter.
"We are legally married, and I don't mind sharing the bed if it's you," Adriana smiled at him.
Astell chuckled as he thought it was impossible to defeat Adriana and just surrender. Just how can she be so daring?
"Why are you laughing? Did I say anything wrong?" Asked Adriana.
"No, you did not. It's more of how can you be so bold?" answered Astell as he stood up to pour them a glass of water. "Well, this is fine. At least you're showing your true character in front of me."
Her true character? Adriana asked herself, falling into deep thoughts. Back in the Belladonna mansion, she had to play as the lovely yet evil daughter.
Adriana noticed that her body felt a lot lighter the past few days. However, she speculated that it was because she had not been using her magic or because living in the Helene Mansion felt safe.
And it was all thanks to Astell. When the Helen Mansion was being built, Astell would almost be on site everyday. If something was off, he could ask the workers to fix it immediately.
According to Astell, the Helene Mansion should be a safe place so his wife can live each day with a smile on her face and that every time she goes for a walk at night, she would feel at ease.
Which made sense with the number of protection spells around the mansion. Adriana couldn't help but feel grateful for Astell. She had to do something to repay him back.
Though Adriana had no idea why he would go this far when their marriage was something but a contract. Unless he had fallen for her. If so, since when? Adriana was craving answers but did not dare to ask.
"Do you like it?" Adriana asked Astell, who nodded his head.
"It seems like people always misunderstood you," said Astell, who placed the two cups on the table and looked at Adriana. "In my eyes. You never looked like a poison beauty. But a beautiful blue butterfly."
"Why do you think so?" Adriana rested her arm on the chair rest while keeping her smile.
"Has anyone told you?"
"About what?"
"That you look beautiful wearing a blue dress?."
A blue dress? Adriana never thought about it since she would only wear dark colors or a color related to her family's logo. Adriana giggled and moved closer to Astell and shuffled his hair.
"I've never thought about it. But if you say so, I'll try wearing blue dresses starting tomorrow."
Astell looked away, feeling flustered once more. But now that one of his wishes was about to come true, he did not want anything else anymore.
"It doesn't have to be every day…"
"It's alright," smiled Adriana. "Thanks to you. I've discovered my favorite color."
"You're not forcing it, are you?" Astell felt that he had forced her, but Adriana shook her head.
"No. Before, I had a feeling I liked the color. But never admitted it," Adriana fiddled with her fingers. "Congratulations, you're the first, no second person to make me admit something that I did not want to admit."
"The second person?" repeated Astell and asked, "Then…who is the first?"
"The woman whom I only consider to be my mother."
"Elphina Belladonna, the one who created a huge impact when she announced her marriage with Vayne Belladonna," Astell frowned, and so did Adriana, hearing this for the first time.
"Where did you hear this from?" Inquired Adriana.
"You do not know?" Astell asked in a surprised tone while she shook her head. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"
Astell remembered Adriana having some sort of admiration for Elphina. But he was surprised that no one told her or heard about the real reason why Elphina had married into the Belladonna family.
It was a story that no one wanted to tell. In short, fate is cruel.
"Have you heard of the rumor? About the story of Madam Elphina and the former head of the Belladonna family?"
"No…I've never heard of that."
This made Adriana interested. So there were many more things in the family she did not know about. Yet this made her wonder how Astell knew about this.
"As everyone in the world knows. The Belladonna family are heartless murderers," hearing this explained Astell while Adriana clenched her fist. "However, did you know they weren't like this before Vayne Belladonna took control?"
"What do you mean?"
"To make it short, before Vayne Belladonna became the family head. The four families used to have great relations. Yes, the Belladonna family was still cruel in their work. But they had some principles that they followed."
"To make it clear. They never harmed innocent people?" Summarized, Adriana and Astell nodded their head.
"Yes, though it is just a rumor."
"And you believe in it?" Adriana raised a brow. "Rumors are just rumors. They aren't real."
"But this rumor is true," convinced Astell. "If my grandparents were still alive and knew I had married a Belladonna, they would have been proud of me."
"Still, time has changed."
"But once a Belladonna is still a Belladonna," Astell gently smiled at her. Which made the expression on her face relax a bit.
"You're weird. Who would want to marry a woman like me?" Muttered Adriana, looking away from him.
"I did," answered Astell. "And I don't regret this decision."
Adriana could feel the heat from her neck climbing up her face. She took a peek at him and seeing his smile made her look away again.
"You…You're getting bolder as we spend more time together," the corners of her mouth twitched.
"This just shows that I'm comfortable around you."
Adriana did not expect him to be such a flirt. His gentle appearances and actions may fool others. No, it did fool her. But that doesn't change the way she sees him.
If Astell were to explain what their relationship looked like. The best description would be.
A gentleman and a blue butterfly.