MHITE - Chapter 6
My Husband is Too Earnest
Translator: Aucchan
Proofreader: Chonnie
Chapter 6
“The food today was delicious.”
“I agree. The new chef we hired recently is excellent.”
Lately, Alberto has gone out of his way to initiate our conversations together. Not only that, instead of retiring to his study after finishing dinner like he usually does, he started to spend his time with me in the same room.
“It seems like I know nothing about you,” he suddenly said in a gloomy voice as we discussed our families and hobbies.
I tilted my head, “It seems so.”
Alberto’s words were correct, so I nodded. But it seems like my assent just made him dejectedly droop his shoulders even more.
It was the truth, so he didn’t need to look so down and look like a puppy that had just been kicked. ‘Good grief,’ my heart sighed.
“That’s why I’m saying that you should know more about me one by one from now on as a punishment.”
Alberto suddenly lifted his head up.
“Is this okay?”
“Yes. We are a husband and wife after all. We will be together from now on.”
After I said that, his face radiated with a warm glow.
I got a very different impression from him now compared to the Alberto I saw when he was talking to Lady Liselotte. Maybe his meeting with his beloved at the ball gave him the will to continue living.
Thinking of that, I still couldn’t really make light of the concept of love. I really need to change and adjust my way of thinking.
It’s not possible to say that we have become a perfect husband and wife pair. At night, we still sleep in separate rooms and have never whispered sweet nothings to each other.
But I’m satisfied with that. As adults, as partners, if we’re able to work and manage together, then I’m satisfied.
“Claudia,”
Alberto looked my way wearing a serious expression on his face. I stopped sewing to look his way. I’m not good at sewing, but Alberto had asked me to make something for him so I’ll try my best.
“What’s happened?”
“I’ve said so many rude things to you, and have had nothing but a bad attitude towards you. I’m really sorry.”
“What’s happened?” I asked him once more.
Maybe he had a fever? I rose to my feet in order to take his temperature, but Alberto looked at me with a sullen look.
“I’m not unwell. It’s just– I always miss my time to apologize. It’s been drawn out for too long.”
I paused, “You apologized to me honestly, so it’s alright.”
I let out a small chuckle to punctuate my words, watching as relief flooded Alberto’s face.
Lately, I’ve noticed that he’s been glancing towards me as if to say something. So it was about that. Well, I’m fine with it– happy, even. I’m glad to have gotten the apology even if it has already been a long while.
It’s true that I had been angry at him in the past, but now he’s dedicated to his work and has done his best to face me. I was satisfied.
“But, is everything alright concerning you and Lady Liselotte?”
I suddenly asked. He awkwardly looked away from me and answered with a yes.
“Don’t talk about her anymore.”
He stopped speaking to me after he said that. He also didn’t even try to look my way.
I realized that he still couldn’t forget about his beloved. Even if on the surface he looked as if he was fine, but his heart was still with her.
However, as Lady Liselotte was married and trying to move forward, Alberto couldn’t afford to stay in the same place.
They must have finally realized the importance of their positions after being apart for so long.
When I think of it like that, I began to feel sorry for Alberto. I felt bad that he had to spend the rest of his life with me. I’m the one who thinks it’s okay to not have love, but Alberto probably didn’t think that way.
As he is still young, it is impossible for a man not to long for a woman. As I realized the fact that should have been obvious to me from the start, guilt surged up in me.
But if I were to say ‘please embrace me’ now, it would make me feel awkward.
In the first place, does he even see me as a woman? Taking Lady Liselotte into account, I have a feeling that he must prefer delicate and tender girls. Of which, I was not.
If he couldn’t have Lady Liselotte, maybe I should just prepare that kind of woman for him?
But then again, it’s the earnest Alberto. If I were to prepare someone similar to her, he would probably get angry at me. That’s right. Because he’s earnest, he would make the effort to not embrace anyone.
If I were to interfere with his determination, it will probably hurt him in the end. But if he were to endure, it wouldn’t be good for his body.
Ah, how pitiful.
As if the universe was listening to my worries, a letter arrived addressed to me.
I was startled when I saw the name of the sender. It was from Lady Liselotte’s brother.
He requested to meet me with the condition that Alberto must not know of it. I was sure it was about the relationship between my husband and his little sister.
I was on the mark.
“Can you please have Alberto meet with my little sister alone? Even if it’s just once.”
As I mentioned last time, Lady Liselotte’s brother’s name is Ruth. He was a good looking man with a delicate face. Unlike his parents who hated Alberto because they believed he deceived her, he cheered for him to become his little sister’s fiance.
I was curious as to why he would reach out to me, Alberto’s wife, instead of the man himself. As it seems, he has a favor to ask of me.
“Actually, Liselotte is sick.”
Ah. Just as Alberto still has his heart preoccupied with her, she seems to still think about him. She must have felt even more sure that she couldn’t love anyone other than Alberto when they met again at the ball.
Even as she was already married, she denied her husband and even fell ill. Seeing their precious loved one become like that, her parents and brother must have broken down.
“When Liselotte returns to her house, I will let her meet with Alberto. For that, I need your permission.”
Former lovers to be reunited again. Her parents must know what kind of results it would bring. But in exchange for their daughter’s life, they’ve finally made the decision.
I thought it would be a good opportunity. Alberto and Lady Liselotte can finally be together, and I will overlook it. But I still had one question left.
“Why do you need my permission?”
Couldn’t he just talk with Alberto instead of coming to me? He probably would have happily gone out to see his beloved and keep it a secret from me. I also wouldn’t pry about it, even if I did find out it was happening behind my back.
“In the case that Liselotte’s husband finds out, I want you to collaborate with us and say something along the lines of ‘my husband and I get along well,’”
I see. My role was that of insurance.
“By the way, if I were to refuse, what would you do?”
“…I planned to convince you somehow.”
It means he’ll threaten me, huh? Well, his sister’s life is on the line. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
“I know that to ask this of you is very rude, but I will make sure to return him to the houses they belong to. That’s why…”
“I understand.”
I agreed in the span of a few minutes, causing Ruth to constantly ask if this was really okay.
–he’s the one that requested me of it. What a strange person.
“Yes, I don’t mind.”
Ruth opened his mouth but then closed it again. He looked as if he sympathized with me.
“Are things not going well between you and Alberto after all?”
I was a little perplexed by the question. It’s true that we weren’t at all like a husband and wife from the storybooks, but I wouldn’t say that we hated each other or anything.
In my silence trying to figure out how to explain, Ruth interpreted it by himself. He seemed to be holding himself back from being moved to tears.
While I knew that he definitely misunderstood, it was too troublesome to clarify so I left it like that.
Like this, I gave my consent to the plan that brings two lovers back together.
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