As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

Reiad was in the midst of playing a prank on his lover he had recently been putting effort into, all while flashing a dazzling smile.

Luize’s hand, which was placed on Edward’s arm, tensed up. It was when she was about to pull on Edward’s arm to move to a different place.

“Oh my. Madam Cloette.”

Luize turned around and looked at Edward with an anxious face. Her eyes waved. Edward smiled as if to say she could do as she pleased. He thought it was strange for such a strong person to be easily swayed by things related to Reiad.

When Luize turned around, the lover opened her mouth. “Would you like to have dinner together this weekend? I have been invited by Reiad. I don’t know if you already know or not.”

Luize wanted to know the motive behind this peculiar harassment. All Reiad’s lovers wanted a dining opportunity with her. Did they want to show her that Reiad’s heart belonged to them?

Luize thought she should spend the entire weekend away from the mansion. It felt more comforting to avoid it altogether. Even if days like this continued over and over again, one day, she would meet his lover again at the mansion, so Luize didn’t want to think deeply about their relationship right away.

Luize is already exhausted from Reiad’s long affair. She liked her life the way it was now. At least she didn’t have to go to sleep every day worrying that her life was in danger, and she could stay in a proper bed and eat a proper meal. Moreover, Maxion, who was her only friend during childhood, was also in the capital, and she liked the idea of holding a sword for reasons other than to kill. Above all, Edward, next to her, was a pretty good person.

So, if she just waited for a moment… At the very least, if she only leaves the mansion for the weekend, she can easily get over it. Until now, she had never spent a night in Edward’s mansion, but she thought he would gladly agree to it if she asked if she could spend the night at his annex.

“On the weekend…”

“Coincidentally, it was the same day that I was invited to Count’s mansion by Miss Luize. Now that things have come to this, how about having a meal together?” Edward opened his mouth with a sly smile.

Reiad, who was watching the conversation between the two with a smile, had a slight frown on his face. Either way, Edward’s gaze turned to Luize, who couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

“Since  Count, who had promised to invite me before the spring over, seems to be busy these days with no news, I asked Miss Luize instead for an invitation.”

“

that’s right.”

“… Let’s do that.”

When Luize accepted, Reiad reluctantly accepted it.

“See you at the weekend, Reiad. I rarely see you these days anyway.”

“Yes.” Reiad drew a smile on his face again.

Luize turned around with Edward and walked out of the maze, pretending to be fine. It wasn’t until they were a little far away from Reiad that she whispered in a small voice. “…This is beyond even the worst mess.”

“I think so too.” Edward replied with a happy face.

Luize asked, looking at him like that. “Edward, are you okay with this?”

“I think this kind of thing suits me pretty well.”

“This kind of thing?”

“Being Miss Luize’s lover.”

“…To be honest, I was thinking about sheltering in Edward’s annex for the weekend.”

“Have you finally decided to spend the night? You’re always welcome,” said Edward with a slightly excited voice.

Luize shook her head. “Anyway, since Edward is coming to my house this weekend, it would be impossible. You can return quickly, but Reiad’s lover will probably stay the night. Following you to your mansion would look odd, so I guess I’ll have to endure this weekend.”

“Then can I stay for a day?”

“…Yes?”

“If the lover over there says that’s what she wants to do, then I can’t lose either.”

“Are you serious?”

“Is there not enough room?”

“That’s not it, but…”

Luize trailed off and pondered. Luize had been cautious even to a friend of the same sex, but Edward was now her lover, at least on the surface.

Luize and Reiad’s bedroom was on the second floor of the main building. Reiad’s lover usually stayed near Reiad’s room. By that logic, when Edward goes to sleep at the mansion, he will sleep near her bedroom. Luize was strangely uncomfortable with that fact. She was already suffocated to think that she would be staying on the same floor with them.

It was fortunate that there was some distance between Reiad’s and Luize’s rooms. Although uncomfortable, she thought it would be a less difficult time if Edward was with her.

Luize looked at Edward with a puzzled look. He met her gaze with a look on his face, asking her what was going on.

“Edward.”

“Yes.”

“I’m still uncomfortable with Edward.”

“I see. I thought we had gotten quite comfortable.”

“It’s definitely uncomfortable, but…”

“But?”

“Just, that’s it.”

It was strange. She felt a little relieved to have him like that.

* * *

The more you look forward to it, the slower it comes, but the day you don’t want it to come comes strangely quickly.

The weather wasn’t good. The sky was gloomy as if rain was about to pour down at any moment.

“You’re here.”

“Yes. I’m coming.”

It was Reiad’s lover who arrived first. She glimpsed at Luize, who came out with Reiad, with a sharp eye.

Just in time, Edward’s carriage entered the garden a little late. Luize was relieved he wasn’t too late and went down the stairs to greet him.

“Miss Luize.”

As soon as the carriage door opened, Edward got out with a happy face. In his hand was a bouquet of flowers similar to the one she had received before.

“I missed you.”

“…We saw each other yesterday.”

“But we didn’t see each other at night.”

Luize accepted the bouquet from him. She buried her face in the bouquet with a cheerful look on her face.

Reiad’s lover, who was watching them, looked at Reiad with a sullen face. Reiad then kissed her hand.

“I’ll prepare something more beautiful in our next meeting.”

“Okay.”

With a more relaxed look on her face, Reiad’s lover entered the mansion with him. Reiad then spoke without even turning back. “Come in.”

Despite Reiad’s cold treatment, Edward entered the mansion with Luize, his face showing no concern.

* * *

There was a strange atmosphere at the dinner table. As this was the first time, the servants glanced at the four people eating with a very nervous face.

“I guess Your Excellency has no intention of getting married?” asked Reiad’s lover. She seemed genuinely curious.

At the age of 27, even for men, it was well past the marriageable age. He wasn’t even engaged when he was the crown prince, let alone having the crown princess. Even after being dethroned, only dirty rumors abounded, and he never had a scandal openly, so it made people curious about him.

“Well, I plan to respect the opinion of my loved one.”

Edward looked at Luize openly. Luize, who was drinking water, made eye contact with him. The moment she choked and started to cough, Edward stood up and, with a bit of a fuss, patted her back.

“Are you okay?”

“

, yes.

”

“Oh my gosh.”

The lover’s eyes widened.  It was because Reiad had a face that clearly showed what he was thinking. He seemed to be confident that Reiad and Luize would be divorced, and the seat next to her would certainly be his.

When Luize calmed down, Edward went back to his seat. Reiad, who was looking at him with a disapproving expression, changed his expression and opened his mouth. “Your Excellency said you were curious about the garden, but unfortunately, the weather is not nice today, so it will be difficult to go for a walk.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay if the weather clears tomorrow?”

“I don’t think a rain-soaked garden would be a good place for Your Excellency to walk.”

“For me, who I am with is more important than the place.” Edward continued, looking at Luize. “No matter how beautiful the garden is, it cannot be as beautiful as Miss Luize.”

Fortunately, Luize, who wasn’t eating anything this time, let out a long sigh inwardly. As she watched, Edward wasn’t only teasing Reiad now. It was clear that he was enjoying her reaction as well.

Luize thought for a moment. Edward had shown her in advance how to fight back to some extent, but she wasn’t confident.

 With a doubtful expression, she carefully parted her lips.

“I also want to walk in the garden with Edward. Ruby-colored roses that resemble your eyes have begun to bloom in the garden.”

“Roses?”

“Yes. This variety is brought from the south and is really beautiful. I really want to show you.”

“So you were busy tending those roses, and that’s why you had to leave me and go back home every day.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I didn’t expect the day to come when I would be jealous of flowers,” Edward replied in a polite but slightly grumpy tone. Soon, he relaxed and continued with a small smile. “Still, it’s somewhat pleasing to hear that you thought of my eyes while looking at those flowers.”

“

yes…”

“I really hope to see it. If possible, I would like to know the variety as well. I want to plant the same roses in the garden of my mansion.”

“Same roses?”

“Yes. If Miss Luize would think of me while tending those roses while you were away from me, I want to think of you while looking at the same flowers as you.”

“

I see…”

Luize was truly impressed. She never thought it would develop this much when she said something like this. She knew Edward’s speaking skills were better than hers. Still, it’s really something that once again brought her exclamations of admiration.

A similar conversation went back and forth a few more times. Reiad and his lover exchanged sweet words as if they wouldn’t lose, but Edward didn’t even pretend to listen.

“…Isn’t that right?”

When Reiad asked that, Edward simply turned his gaze away from Luize for a moment and answered with a smile. “Ah, I’m sorry. I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation because I was looking at Miss Luize.”