I’ve Become a S*ave Bride - Chapter 47
“Kazen, thank you.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes, suddenly. You’ve tried to protect me, after all. Thank you.”
With those words, Lenette smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
“…….”
It was a smile she had never shown him before.
It was beautiful and charming.
However, Kazen ignored the words that rose within him and continued to look ahead at Lenette.
“Look, I can see our midpoint destination.”
Lenette, who had been looking at Kazen, turned her face to gaze straight ahead.
“The city is quite large.”
City. Yes.
Looking at the scale of the buildings in the distance, the word ‘city’ came to mind before ‘village.’
“It’s the fourth capital of the Tazetra Empire.”
“The fourth capital?”
She had heard of the second and third capitals, but this was her first time hearing about the fourth.
Lenette’s eyes widened at the new information.
“Yeah. This is the largest city in the northwest of Tazetra.”
* * *
“The pass has expired. No entry!”
“B-but… this is my hometown…! I just need to visit my in-laws in another village—”
“Next!”
The fourth capital of the Empire, ‘Ashran,’ was indeed different.
Surrounded by thick walls, Ashran had fierce soldiers guarding the gates, who thoroughly checked the travel passes before allowing entry.
“No, my family is inside…!”
“Next!”
“Sir!”
The soldier acted coldly, adhering strictly to the rules without listening to any explanations, reminiscent of the knights of Ecaron.
‘The vigilance is intense.’
“Next!”
At that moment, Kazen approached the soldier without dismounting from the camel.
“Get down from the camel.”
To the soldier who said this, Kazen tossed something at him. The soldier, with a stiff expression, caught it and then suddenly knelt in shock.
“I’m sorry!”
It seemed to be something that proved his connection to the Kal family.
“Open the gate!”
The passage that appeared to be strict for others was completed in an instant. In fact, Kazen’s group passed through without anyone stopping them.
‘Even as a branch family, Tazetra is still Tazetra.’
Could the Kal family wield such overwhelming power like this?
While pondering this, they arrived at their destination.
Lenette gazed up at the enormous building before her in a daze.
“What kind of palace is this…?”
Should it be made white?
Lenette clicked her tongue at the inefficient exterior of the palace.
‘It’s excessively ostentatious.’
The white facade reflected the blazing sunlight, dazzling Lenette’s eyes.
With Nazan’s help, Lenette dismounted from the camel, frowning and shielding her eyes.
Then Nazan whispered softly,
“It’s the Candy Palace.”
“Candy? Are you talking about sweet treats?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not really made of candy, is it?”
“No, it’s not. It’s just named that because it resembles the most expensive white sugar candy made from sugar.”
“Who named it? The owner of the palace?”
Instead of answering, Nazan awkwardly smiled. It seemed to be true.
“What a peculiar name.”
As Lenette muttered this, a hearty laugh echoed from afar.
“Brother!!!”
With arms wide open, a figure approached Kazen, exuding a similar yet distinct aura.
“Why did you arrive only now? I thought I was going to die from missing you, brother!”
The sharp jawline of the running man clearly indicated that he was Kazen’s brother.
However, unlike Kazen’s black hair, the other man had white hair.
‘His eyes are different too.’
The palace owner’s eyes slanted downward, in stark contrast to Kazen’s fierce expression.
‘Theoretically, he should have a gentle appearance….’
For some reason, a significant unsettling feeling gradually emanated from his face.
‘Usually, people with this kind of vibe… don’t end well.’
Kazen jumped off the camel and landed lightly on the ground.
“It’s been a while.”
Seeing this, the palace owner clapped enthusiastically.
“You’re just the same as ever, brother.”
“Yeah.”
Kazen casually scanned the inside of the palace. Then he turned his face and looked at Lenette, who was standing some distance away.
Although he didn’t send a specific signal, it was clear he intended to introduce his bride, so Lenette moved on her own.
As she stood beside him, the introductions began immediately.
“Say hello. This is the person who will become my bride.”
“Not a slave?”
At the immediate question, Kazen raised an eyebrow.
The man then laughed heartily and said, “Just kidding, just kidding.”
Lenette quietly observed him before introducing herself.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Leneta.”
“You’re different since you’re from the North. You even greet first.”
From the looks of it, it seemed that in the Tazetra Empire, women were not supposed to greet before men.
But did Lenette care?
After all, she was leaving anyway.
So, blinking as if she didn’t understand, the man introduced himself.
“I’m Rahim Tazetra. The first of my brother’s many younger siblings.”
After briefly introducing himself, Rahim looked back at Kazen.
“You’re going up for the wedding, right?”
When he asked about the reason for going to the capital, Kazen nodded his head once, nonchalantly.
“You’re being too much. I heard about the wedding through others.”
“It should be through others.”
“It’s not much different, is it? I believed you would tell me directly since we’re family….”
“It was decided in a hurry.”
“Instead, I’ll go up with you—”
“No. We’re going up first. We have something to do. We won’t stay long.”
“You’re really too much.”
Rahim made an exaggerated expression, but to Lenette, it seemed his feelings weren’t entirely false.
‘It seems like he really likes Kazen.’
However, for some reason, Kazen appeared to be wary of his brother.
“I’m tired; how long are you going to hold me back?”
“How much I’ve missed my brother’s straightforward way of speaking.”
“So, which room should I stay in?”
“Come this way. My brother’s room is right next to mine—”
Kazen abruptly cut him off and pulled Lenette close by the waist.
“We’ll share the same room.”
Rahim’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Wait… are you saying you’ll share a bed…?”
“Exactly. Share a bed.”
“Oh….”
Before long, Rahim narrowed his eyes playfully.
“In that case, let me guide you to a slightly larger room.”
Lenette looked up at Kazen with a slightly flustered expression.
‘What’s this? This sudden show-off?’
She stared at him with that look, but he avoided her gaze and took her hand.
Very ‘affectionately.’
“…….”
Lenette blankly looked down at the hand that was holding hers.
“Let’s go.”
Kazen spoke in a calm voice as he pulled her along. Caught off guard, Lenette began to walk after him, biting her lips a few times before finally putting on a mask of composure.
‘Right. There must be a reason for this.’
If someone who never acted this way suddenly did, then there must be a reason.
With that thought in mind, she followed Kazen behind Rahim.
* * *
As Rahim, who had promised a lavish dinner, disappeared, Lenette immediately turned to Kazen and asked,
“What was that just now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just a moment ago.”
“So what?”
Why was someone so perceptive acting this way? Lenette narrowed her eyes and looked up at him.
Then Kazen shrugged off his shirt and said,
“Stop staring and just say it.”
Now, it seemed he wasn’t even bothered by her gaze, as he changed his clothes right there.
Lenette quietly observed the man who was so brazen and then spoke again.
“We acted like we’re a very special couple.”
“Isn’t that true?”
‘Look at this?’
Was he trying to leave her completely speechless?
“Strictly speaking, it’s not.”
He chuckled as he perched on the table in the center of the room.
“I thought we were quite close.”
“Well… I can’t definitively say we’re not close, but….”
Unknowingly responding sincerely to his words, Lenette then changed her tone to a clearer one.
“That’s not what I mean. I’m saying that we can’t really call ourselves a couple or even ‘lovers’ in the sense of being comrades or something like that.”
“And so?”
“And so what? Just now, you were holding my waist like we were a very affectionate couple, right?”
Lenette placed her hand on the side where he had just put his hand, then mimicked his action of grabbing her wrist.
“You pulled me along like this, grabbing my wrist firmly and making me feel like ‘I’m your woman.’”
Kazen, who was silently enjoying her one-person play, laughed quietly. Lenette stared at him in disbelief.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because it’s funny.”
“That wasn’t an invitation to laugh.”
“But it was funny.”
“…….”
What kind of conversation is this?
‘…He doesn’t want to engage in a real conversation.’
Kazen isn’t a foolish person. From what she had experienced so far, he was quite clever.
The fact that he kept avoiding the main point meant he didn’t want to answer.
“Fine. If you don’t want to tell me the reason, that’s okay. But promise me you won’t grab my waist like that anymore.”
“Is there a husband who can’t even hold his wife’s waist?”
“…….”
This guy, really.
With a face that was boiling with frustration, she glared at him, and he chuckled as he stood up.
“Alright, I get it. Stop staring at me like a flounder.”
