I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 30

“What?”

His expression hardened slightly. If so, that horse must have been the horse that the Royal envoy had ridden.

‘Why the hell is the imperial family sending an envoy now?’

Iellie grabbed Zachary’s hem with an anxious face.

“…Zachary.”

She felt a little nervous. Zachary bit his lips. All the time Iellie was worried that she might be a burden to the Duchy… He tightened his grip on her hand with that thought.

“Why are you making that face, Len?”

“….”

“It won’t be a big deal. Maybe it’s about my coming-of-age ceremony.”

As he opened his mouth in a calm voice, her expression softened slightly.

“Well, it’s because it’s your coming-of-age ceremony, not anyone else.”

“My position in the Empire is a little different.”

Zachary lightly shrugged his shoulders. Anyway, he was the next heir to inherit the title of Duke, the only one in the empire, and he was a being with winter magic. The Imperial Family being sensitive was also understandable.

“We better go inside, though.”

“Yes, then.”

In response to Zachary’s answer, Iellie turned her body in a hurry.

But then, he whispered softly.

“Really, Len.”

“Huh?”

‘Why are you calling? Shouldn’t we go in now?’

Thinking that, she glanced back at Zachary confusingly.

“Talking about a coming-of-age party, but the birthday cake you made last year.”

“Oh, that?”

No, why is he talking about that here? To be honest, the cake was almost a failure. Iellie became slightly embarrassed and avoided Zachary’s gaze.

Still, he continued with a gentle smile.

“It was very delicious.”

“…You can be honest. I made it, but it was too sweet.”

“But, it doesn’t matter how sweet it is.”

Zachary stroked Iellie’s hair. It feels good to have his hand brushing her hair.

“I just love the fact that you made it yourself.”

Looking back, he ate all the cake she had made. Iellie made the cake herself, and even she, who likes sweets, couldn’t eat a whole piece. She asked, feeling embarrassed.

“Zachary. Do you like what I made myself?”

“Hmm. Anything that your hand touches are fine.”

At that, her cheeks blushed at his kind words. Holding his hand and heading to the Duke’s castle, she thought.

‘It’s Zachary’s coming-of-age ceremony soon…’

A special day to prove that the young man has become an adult at the age of twenty. So, she also wanted to give him something special. What kind of gift would he like?

Iellie, who was rolling her eyes, suddenly realized something.

‘Zachary… Did he deliberately bring up a light story to relieve my tension?’

Her tension, which had definitely weighed on her shoulder, was now entirely resolved through the conversation. One of his little considerations made her happy.

She decided to give Zachary a gift that would suit her heart.

The Duke welcomed the imperial envoy by opening the Emerald Hall.

The Emerald Hall was a small hall used to welcome precious guests, and it was to show respect for the Imperial Family by welcoming envoys in the hall.

“If you don’t do that, they will definitely be annoyed.”

Zachary, who muttered somewhat poignantly, staggered his steps into the hall, and Iellie followed him.

“Zachary.”

“Father.”

With his head bowed, he stared back at the envoy bearing the imperial coat of arms. When the cold blue eyes turned to him, the envoy flinched.

When the Duke saw Zachary, who was as if warning them, he quickly turned his head.

“Greetings, Hessenweitz Heir Apparent.”

The envoy, exhausted by the turbulent momentum, hurriedly greeted him. Zachary looked at him with his head bowed slightly.

“You are the envoy of the Imperial Family.”

‘For what purpose did you make a precious journey to the North?’ Although he didn’t ask it out of his mouth, Zachary’s expression itself clearly shows that he was being sarcastic.

Said the envoy, swallowing a gulp.

“Congratulations on your coming of age, Heir Apparent.”

“Thank you.”

With a look of no gratitude at all, he replied so.

The envoy gave strength to his stomach and continued to speak. “To celebrate the Heir Apparent coming-of-age ceremony, His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess will visit.”

“Yes?”

‘What kind of nonsense is this?’

Zachary’s expression, staring almost glaring at the envoy, with one eyebrow raised high, meant precisely that.

On the other hand, the Duke, who had been watching him silently, opened his mouth.

“Really. The two members of the royal family have decided to come down to celebrate your coming-of-age ceremony.”

But, it’s an unpleasant voice. The Duke’s expression also looked quite similar. He then opened his mouth.

“Iellie.”

“Yes, Duke.”

Because she didn’t know he was going to call her name, Iellie was surprised inside. She had to make considerable efforts to hide her startled expression.

The Duke continued his words with a calm expression, but with displeasure.

“We are planning to hold a hunting party and a large-scale banquet to celebrate Zachary’s coming-of-age ceremony.”

‘That means…’

Iellie opened her eyes wide. Receiving the gaze, the Duke nodded his head.

“It is only natural that the two members of the royal family are visiting. But…”

But? She frowned at his words. When the Duke adds something like that, it usually follows a bad word.

“Huntings and banquets should be conducted on the advice of the Countess Laurent.”

“Father!”

An angry Zachary raised his voice. However, the Duke did not raise an eyebrow and declared

“It has already been decided.”

“However…!”

“I see, Duke.”

At that, Iellie stepped forward and opened her mouth. The Duke looked at her with a curious face, and Zachary barely suppressed his wrath. There must be something, she thought so.

She wouldn’t know if it was the Duke when she first met, but the current Duke was a fairly rational person, except for Zachary’s problem.

“I will follow your orders.”

“Yes.”

Having said that, he slowly waved his hand, meaning to step down.

Zachary was trying to protest, though Iellie, who was in the middle, grabbed his hand before politely bowed her head.

“We’ll just leave.”

The Duke nodded his head slightly.

Still grabbing his hand, Zachary, who frowned, let out a sigh as he tried to pour words at the Duke and the envoy.

Soon, the two came out.

“Len, why the hell did you do that!”

As soon as he left the hall, Zachary burst out in anger. She shook her head and spoke calmly.

“I thought there must be something to do with it.”

“Still…!”

“Zachary, you are my precious person. So, your coming-of-age ceremony is very important to me, too.”

At those words, he gently blushed even in anger. Iellie continued to explain her thoughts in detail.

“With such a coming-of-age ceremony, I don’t want to leave any room for the imperial family to blame on anything.”

“The Imperial Family?”

“Yes, the Imperial Family.”

Iellie nodded her head. The Duke also does not view Countess Laurent very positively. If such a duke dared to bring in the Countess again, there may have been some pressure from the imperial family.

“But, I don’t want to see you put up with such a nasty woman.”

Zachary, who was silent for a moment, replied sternly.

Iellie looked at him and smiled softly.

“You will protect me whenever something unpleasant happens, right?”

Zachary stared at her with a bewildered face. He wrinkled the tip of his nose and added his words sarcastically.

“As before.”

“…Haa, Len.”

He finally let out a long sigh. It was no other person but Iellie. There’s no way he can win a quarrel with her. Zachary finally turned his gaze away with a sullen expression and muttered a little.

“Yes, no matter what… I will protect you.”

Aside from being offended, Zachary’s voice was full of sincerity.

The hand that was holding Iellie’s hand could not be released, and she swallowed a smile. Her husband has always been cute.

The imperial envoy stayed at the Duke’s castle for a day and then returned to the Imperial Castle. As soon as he saw the envoy leaving, he rushed into the Duke’s office. Angry Zachary raised a shrill voice.

“Father, why did you decide to employ Countess Laurent!”

“Because the Countess directly reports to the Crown Prince.”

Meanwhile, the Duke replied calmly, as if, ‘The weather is really nice today.”

Zachary’s eyes widened wide.

‘…That damn woman.’ He poured out harsh language inwardly.

Seeing so, the Duke spoke slowly.

“However, she was your aunt, and you did not respect her as your aunt.”

“If she wants to be treated respectfully, she shouldn’t be presumptuous because she’s my aunt!”

Zachary wrinkled his brow. The woman, he didn’t like her from the start. Moments later, Duke said in a relaxed tone.

“And, they say that I beat her up and kicked her out… Well, that’s true.”

He then chuckled.

The Countess, who left the castle without even making a plea, with her face dyed red and purple. Nonetheless, he never thought she would do such a thing. The Duke’s eyes went cold.

“The Crown Prince seems to have been quite upset by this fact. As long as she speaks directly to me.”

Zachary’s expression also hardened coldly. The Duke watched his son silently and continued his words.

“They asked if it would be a good idea to make peace with Countess Laurent this time.”

“Yes?”

Hearing that, Zachary made a startled face. However, the duke’s words were not over yet.

He went on, “Anyway, that’s what the royal family says…”

The Duke’s blue eyes narrowed for a moment. He finished the conversation by tapping the armrest with his finger.

“…I’m sure your aunt, Countess Laurent will not look good enough.”

“What reconciliation, nonsense!”

Zachary screamed without realizing it. At those words, the Duke, who had been deep in thought, nodded his head.

“I think so, too.”

‘What…?’

For a moment, Zachary stared at the Duke with a puzzled face. He had never been optimistic about his opinion. What does he mean by agreeing with his words?

Doubt loomed in his dark blue eyes.

“Still, we must not establish a serious confrontation with the Imperial Family.”

“….”

“At least, until you succeed in the title of Duke.”

He spoke calmly. As the Duke’s eyes looked straight at him, Zachary hardened his shoulders.

No matter how much his position has gotten better than before, the Imperial Family does not let their guard down.

‘The Frost Demon with the magic of winter, descended from the silver dragon Hessenweitz…’

That name was the number one cause for the imperial family to be wary of Zachary. Nonetheless, there was some truth to the Duke’s words.

“As you know, Countess Laurent is a limb of the Imperial Family.”

The Duke clenched his jaw and looked up at his son. Not even a slight warmth remained in his gaze.

“To put it bluntly, I didn’t even follow the minimum courtesy when I cut off the limbs that the Imperial Family had attached.”

“Why should Hessenweitz pay attention to the Imperial Family?”

“Of course, because our family has a lot to protect.”

Saying that, he didn’t raise an eyebrow. The Duke, leaning against the back of his chair, spoke in a relaxed tone.

“The more things you have to keep, the more careful you have to be.”

‘The more things you have to keep, the more careful you have to be…’

As soon as he heard his father’s words, Zachary thought of his wife.

Iellie.

A beloved lady who resembles an asha flower. With that thought filling his head, his momentum softened slightly.

“Perhaps the visit of the Crown Prince and the Princess to the Duke’s Castle has various political meanings.”

“In a political sense…”

“From the outside, they probably want to show off themselves to the Duchy. That’s one.”

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