Once again, the husband finds himself on the first night of being a new groom.
As he experiences the most profound loneliness since marrying, Cazerose quietly sips her tea while seated.
“…Sigh..”
The taste of the tea today feels especially bitter.
Watching her from the side, Polena speaks in a calm voice.
“Are you okay? You seem quite uncomfortable.”
“…Can you tell?”
“If I said no, that would be a lie, wouldn’t it?”
“..Hehe.”
Cazerose lets out a slightly bitter laugh in response to Polena’s words.
She then places her teacup down with a shadowed expression, and Polena addresses her in a tone different from usual.
“It’s alright. You don’t need to blame yourself so much.”
“…Huh?”
“Am I being too petty? Am I overreacting to my husband taking a concubine? You’re thinking something like that, aren’t you?”
“…Sigh.. Yes.. That’s right. I can’t lie in front of you, Polena.”
Polena’s words hit the mark.
Cazerose, exhaling as if overwhelmed, replies.
“I know this situation is unavoidable. In fact, it’s quite natural. It’s common in these days for a man like me to have an extra wife or two. But.. it still doesn’t sit well with me. The fact that the one I love is in another woman’s arms..”
Cazerose reveals her unfiltered thoughts.
And while looking at her face, Polena speaks with a gentle smile.
“I understand that feeling well. Not to brag, but I have seen quite a few people around me experience that.”
“Really?..”
“Yes, my mother went through it, and so did my beloved younger sibling. Both truly loved their husbands and were the primary wives, yet they suffered a lot because of the concubines.”
“Ah…”
As she listens to her, a thought begins to rise in Cazerose’s mind.
‘Now that I think about it… I’ve spent a good amount of time with Polena, but I hardly know anything about her.’
She first met her as a mere bar maid.
But as time passed, Cazerose realized she was no ordinary person.
With her excessively capable demeanor, and an air of elegance that gradually surfaced in her actions.
What if she, like Cazerose in the past, is hiding something?
From what Cazerose observed of Polena, it didn’t seem like it would pose any danger to her.
‘She’s playful and her identity is a mystery, but I can tell she’s not someone who would stab you in the back.’
With those thoughts, curiosity nudged Cazerose to ask the red-haired maid in front of her.
“I see.. What about the people around you, Polena? If you wouldn’t mind, could you tell me about them too? Since they share a similar experience, it feels oddly relatable.”
“Yes, certainly.”
With a light smile, Polena agrees to Cazerose’s request.
She then gazes at Cazerose with an expression that seems to hold a hint of nostalgia as she starts to speak.
“My mother was… strong, I feel. No matter what happened, she never wavered. She always wore a gentle smile and was kind, yet surprisingly adhered strictly to her principles.”
“Hm.. That sounds quite similar to you, Polena? You’re also relaxed yet have that strict side, after all.”
“Haha.. Is that so? I guess.. the blood doesn’t lie.”
Polena chuckles slightly at Cazerose’s comment.
Then she continues in a lighter tone.
“Anyway, because she was such a mother, she handled my father’s concubine with remarkable composure. It might sound a bit harsh, but the new mother-in-law wasn’t that pleasant either. So despite what she must have endured, my mother never showed any signs of distress in front of us.”
With those words, Polena takes a sip of the tea she poured for herself.
Gazing thoughtfully into her teacup, she expresses a bittersweet sentiment.
“When I was young, I didn’t comprehend the significance, but later I came to realize how strong she really was. What she endured for our family.. and for us.”
“…I see.”
At that moment, Cazerose finds herself in a similar situation, and it brings to light how she should respond moving forward.
Even though it still discontented her, the die had already been cast.
It was essential to accept and endure the irreversible situation.
While she might not be able to endure it like Polena’s mother, she believed she could at least attempt something similar.
“So.. what about your younger sibling?”
“My sibling… Hehe. Speaking of them, I must say, they remind me quite a bit of you, Cazerose. Their honesty with their emotions and how they actively show affection.”
“T-That’s… true? Well, I can’t deny that entirely.”
“Hehe.”
Cazerose feels a bit embarrassed at Polena’s observation.
Seeing her, Polena gives a light smile and continues.
“Anyway, my sibling didn’t seem to bear the situation well. Instead, they maintained a friendly relationship with the person who became a concubine. They treated them not as a rival for the same husband, but as a family member and a friend to rely on.”
“A friend…”
At that moment, Cazerose suddenly thinks of her own mother.
Upon reflection, she remembers how Cattlena, her mother and the Duchess of the Dragona Empire, maintained a surprisingly amicable relationship with her own husband’s concubine.
In reality, Cattlena had spent her childhood under that concubine’s care, so there was no resistance toward her either.
‘If I recall, she was said to be the princess of the Turk Empire, right? Regardless, maintaining a relationship like that with Estelle doesn’t sound bad…’
As Polena mentioned, they would, after all, be living under the same roof, facing the same face every day.
Additionally, this wasn’t just an ordinary time, with an imminent large-scale war for the fate of the nation unfolding right before their eyes.
Now was precisely the time to unite their strengths.
Instigating rivalry would be counterproductive; they needed to offer mutual support and consideration.
‘Endurance and understanding.. I wonder if I can manage that… no, I must succeed. In this situation, how I act will decide Santana’s and this household’s stability…’
Steeling her resolve, Cazerose smiles at Polena in front of her.
“Thank you. I think I’ve gained a good perspective.”
“Hehe, I truly appreciate your kind words, my lady.”
“…Um… As much as I appreciate it, please refrain from calling me that. My lady? What do we have between us…”
“Hehe, if so, I shall continue to call you Cazerose as I have been.”
With her usual lighthearted tone, Polena converses while looking at Cazerose.
To this, Cazerose once again feels fortunate that someone like her is by her side, offering a bright smile in return.
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