MASKS TO UNVEIL CHAPTER 16: A drink
Naxzi nodded his head at himself as he was thinking about her.
"By the way, husband… I'm.. quite… uh…" Her face looked like she had been wronged and both of her index fingers were touching each other.
"I know. You're hungry, right?" He smiled at her and patted her head. It seemed as if his cold heart had been melted by her that easily. He thought that his marriage would be just like other nobles' marriages. It was only marriage out of convenience.
He initially guaranteed that she would never be this soft nor gentle to him but what his eyes were seeing was a lovely, pure and strong Sencha he had never seen. Maybe it's a miracle to have them paired again. Then again, didn't the emperor seldom meet or date someone he likes? Is marrying Sencha really made him gain more?
Even if General Fornolyo was recognized by everyone in the empire, if you look at it in a different direction, General Fornolyo can make a new empire and be the emperor himself. Therefore, what the emperor gets is also limited.
Even if the dowry is not included, General Fornolyo is always known as a stingy and jackass General that he mostly dismissed the emperor himself. It even looked like he had more power than the emperor.
So why did he marry Sencha to him?
Is it to control the General?
But the general hated his daughter. It's unlikely that the emperor could control the general, even if he has the most authority and power in the empire.
Moving on, Sencha helped him to the wheelchair and grunted after shocking her body by almost carrying Naxzi. The weight of him is truly incredible. It was said that he never learned how to wield a sword nor to even awaken his powers.
Rumor has it that when he was young, he was so intelligent but after a miserable and irreversible occurrence, all of those gifts to him were gone which were bestowed upon him as the first son of the empress.
It almost looked like someone stole them. Or maybe someone did?
But more importantly, why does his shoulders feel so broad and muscular? Even his stomach is toned and feels like it has abs. If her husband isn't exercising, it's impossible to have abs without doing anything.
There seems to be a flaw about their relationship not in her body. If the crown prince is secretly casting spells, or wields a sword, or let's say, he has an incredible power, then he must be planning big to do something he was restricted.
She glanced at his legs and squinted her eyes. She's not the only one hiding something here. He is also hiding something from her.
Everyone is secretive, especially in the palace. She knew the moment she stepped in that her life would be turned upside down, but it was far more than she imagined.
Loushin hastily made a bold move. But thanks to that, she knew that Loushin will stay quiet for now. Since her husband is a paralyzed crown prince, he must have a lot of enemies lingering around. Even his siblings or step siblings can't be excluded in that area. Everyone in the palace is greedy for power. Is Naxzi the same too?
Sencha pushed the door open and Sanc quickly bowed his head then couldn't help but say, "M'lady, you did well! Loushin's face was distorted! Haha. if you saw how her face was getting darker as she was being dragged, it feels satisfying!"
Sencha smiled at him. "Sanc, you should always refer to her as someone higher than you. If she hears that, she might aim at you the next second."
Sanc was frozen. He was only meant to praise her for her bravery but she took it in a different way. He didn't know how to respond so Naxzi uttered.
"That's right, Sanc. We don't know what kind of ugly plan she might be doing now, so we must be truly careful."
"Right. Because I made her mad, she will not stay defeated." Sencha nodded her head calmly.
"True. It's guaranteed that she will remain in her chambers for sometime now, but others Imperial Concubine may not."
Sanc blinked his eyes and apologetically bowed once again.
"Pardon my impudence. I overlooked my authority and insulted one of the Imperial Family."
"You can insult them once no one is in sight other than us." Sencha whispered, which made Naxzi smile.
Sanc scratched his head and flushed out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Your Highnesses."
Naxzi nodded at him. "Alright now. Push me to the dining room, Sanc."
Sencha looked at him and asked, "Hmm? Why him? I am the one pulling your wheelchair? Why are you ordering him?"
"... W-wife, it's not really appropriate for you to do this. You only recovered."
".. But I am perfectly fine! I feel refreshed. Didn't I tell you earlier?" She pouted then Sanc glimpsed at Naxzi's helpless expression.
Sanc smiled then sneered.
'Tsk, always saying that he doesn't like her but who's the one head over heels for her?'
He couldn't help but feel jealous.
Naxzi sighed. "Starting tomorrow.. You can push my wheelchair, but not right now, hmm? Not right now."
"B-but I want to…"
"Your Highness, please let me. His highness is correct. You just recovered, thus you must devote yourself to recover fast."
"After that, I will not order Sanc to push my wheelchair anymore, hmm?" Naxzi nodded at Sencha. She glanced at Sanc and bit her lower lip. She really wanted to push his wheelchair for him. But he was right. It might look bad to have her pushing his wheelchair.
Some maids are perhaps the people of who-knows, hence she must act accordingly. Her dream is to prove people that they are not useless but it's really annoying her that people take advantage of weak people.
She removed her hands from the wheelchair and looked at it as if it was something very special to her.
"Alright…"
"That's good. What would you like to eat?"
"Whatever. I am not picky."
All Sanc knows is that he was a single dog between a married couple. He was really not hurt. Promise.
***
The servants served the food on the table splendidly and smiled at her. Why does she feel like she was already welcomed when she was here for only two days and five hours at most?
"Don't worry. They are my trusted people here."
Naxzi said, looking at how confused her face appeared.
She turned to him then whispered, "Do they not detest me?"
"Detest you? Why did you think like that?" He seemed baffled. She blinked then pointed at the maids passing by secretly.
"But they.. They don't know me. Why do they look like they.. They accept me?" She blushed at the end of her words and he smiled.
"Of course. Why would they not welcome and accept my wife?" He stretched his hand and put the hair on her face. At that time, she stared blankly at him and she could feel how her heart was thumping loudly.
She already knew that his face is something one of her weaknesses…. But why is her heart beating so fast? It feels strange. It can't just be a simple attraction. Then, what is it?
She unconsciously touched her heart while staring at him. When he noticed that, he burst into laughter. His eyes were sparking with happiness and his face looked so blissful.
She blinked her eyes and blushed even more. When he laughs, it feels like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Can it stop beating like drums?! It's making her die out of embarrassment.
As she was thinking how to stop her unstoppable heart, maids went in then poured them wine.
"Here's the top wine of the empire. Your highness, have a taste."
Sencha 's attention was now on the wine then blankly stared at it.
".. Hmm? Do you not like wine?"
She shook her head then pondered, "T-that's not it. But… is wine some sort of juice, husband?"
When he heard that, he almost vomited the water that he swallowed and looked at her in disbelief. He was so shocked that he covered his mouth. Does she not know what wine is?
He waved his hands and patiently explained, "N-no. It's not juice, it's an alcohol that once you drink it without stopping, you'll get drunk."
"Drunk? Ohhh, I want to try!!"
"W-wife? Wait, no. Is this your first time drinking wine?"
"Yes! I want to taste it!"
But before he could say a word of refute to her, she drank all the wine in the goblet. He sighed resignedly and felt that his life was all a lie.
After that, she continuously drinks like a pro drinker!
"W-wife, stop. You'll get drunk!" He warned her but she said with such happiness,
"Waaahhh~ this feels refreshing! Wow, I knew it. This is juice, right?"
"No, wife. Stop! Stop drinking! That would be your seventh glass!" Naxzi wanted to take the giblet from her hand, but she held his hand and put it away.
"W-wife… stop, oh?"
She rolled her eyes and squinted them. She hiccuped too then turned to Naxzi.
"Just…. O-one glass. Hmm?" She lifted her index finger and promised. He pressed his temples and regretted that they had to drink wine. It's morning yet she was drunk.
The maid was thinking if she should give Sencha one last drink and Naxzi nodded at her.
Sencha looked at the goblet then hiccuped. Naxzi shook his head. Just what kind of woman did he marry?
".. Oh? Did you give me two glasses?"
"... Wife, that's only one."
"B-but… hmm.. I don't care. I want to drink."
"... Wife, stop."
".. Husband~ Husband~ "
Hearing that, he felt that another mess would be made.