Savior’s First Lady

The expression of annoyance or anxiety faded, and Eden’s face returned to its usual cool and composed demeanor.

“Where should I begin to correct things?”

“Excuse me?”

“Has marrying me brought you such shame? That you had to marry me because there were no other options left after we slept together?”

“That’s not true. This marriage was my choice.”

My voice became slightly urgent.

“Then nothing is ruined. In fact, this evening has been quite…”

“……”

“Just promise me. If there is ever a matter concerning your safety or if you need my help, you must tell me.”

“I can do that. But do I always have to tell you right away?”

“Is that even a question?”

“……I will from now on. I promise.”

“Alright.”

Eden nodded. He glanced at the receipt on the table once more.

“Do you remember how much money I gave you?”

“2000 gold coins.”

“Then what about the remaining amount?”

I had definitely told Eden that the safe was nearly empty. I spoke softly.

“I have 10 gold coins left. Most of it was spent on household necessities…”

Eden quietly waited for me to confess where I spent the remaining amount. I lowered my head.

“I’m sorry. I spent the remaining 390 as well.”

“Where, and to whom?”

To whom? His intuition is sharp. How did he know I gave that gold to someone?

“To someone I knew before. But I promise, it wasn’t used for anything disgraceful.”

“You just promised to tell me immediately.”

“I’m sorry. Please make an exception for this matter. Can you give me just a few more days?”

“Interesting. It seems you have the ability to swing my mood back and forth. I didn’t know that when I married you.”

Eden spoke expressionlessly.

“I’ll definitely repay the money. And I won’t hire a housekeeper; I’ll do all the housework myself. And I can find a job. I had a job before. I’ll earn money—”

“A job where you served tea or wiped tables at an inn?”

I felt a slight sense of shame.

Of course, I didn’t enjoy working at the inn. But it’s another wound when your spouse feels embarrassed about it.

“If there’s no distinction between jobs—”

“Then you wouldn’t be making that face right now. I’m a holy knight, so I understand the nobility of professions. But you’re lying to yourself.”

“It’s different.”

Now, I have a dream. I’ll start with baking.

So I can endure working harder than at the inn, even under a harsh boss.

Because no matter how low you start, you can leap high. I know this from Yun Si-hyun’s successful experience.

“I’ll find a better job by working hard, even if it’s similar work. I can do it. I’ll save on living expenses, and—”

“It’s not about the money.”

Eden said coldly.

“Even so, a thousand or two thousand gold coins is a significant amount.”

“Losing thousands is acceptable, as long as you’re honest.”

I pressed my lips together tightly.

“Anything else to say?”

“Just a few more days.”

I repeated the same request. Eden looked at me intently.

Finally, he suppressed his emotions and spoke quietly.

“I just stopped by for a moment today. Starting tomorrow, I have other commitments and won’t be home for a few days.”

“You don’t need to leave because of me. If you want, I’ll stay upstairs and be as quiet as a mouse. You said you’d stay home for a few days.”

“Something came up.”

Eden said calmly.

“And you don’t need to do housework to apologize to me. That’s not your duty.”

“Then what is my duty?”

In my previous life, he never asked anything of me.

What was the point of my existence? Was I just there to fill a role?

“If you really want to know that meaning.”

Eden stood up and leaned towards me.

“First, that sweet scent wafting from you needs to disappear, and your body needs to fully heal.”

“And, what kind of wife should I be? An obedient wife?”

“If you must ask. At the very least, a wife who can let her husband into the marital bedroom.”

Eden said. He turned his back to me.

That night, Eden slept in the study, and the next morning, he quietly disappeared.

It was a pattern I had become accustomed to for over a decade.

***

“……Thinking that a marital spat like this would ruin my day is a huge misunderstanding.”

Well, not disclosing where I spent the money was my fault.

But still, it’s much better than the future I saw in my dream. At least we communicated.

I tried to hide my sadness and muster the strength to carry on.

‘I’ll tell you everything in a few days, Sir Eden. Just wait a little longer…….’

The next morning, I got up and made a stew loaded with meat and tomatoes.

I seasoned it generously, but it tasted bland.

‘Still, it was nice having dinner together last night.’

Even the leftover lemon cake didn’t taste as good as it did yesterday.

That morning, the postman came by.

There was a letter addressed to me.

‘33 3rd Avenue, Eustrief Street.’

That was the return address.

After reading the letter, I prepared to go out. I hailed a carriage and told the driver my destination.

“Please take me to Eustrief Street.”

“What business does a young lady living in such a place have in that neighborhood?”

The coachman eyed me suspiciously.

I shrugged.

Soon, the carriage arrived. Eustrief Street wasn’t quite a slum, but it was a place where poor people gathered.

As I got out of the carriage, I saw children playing at the entrance of an alley.

“Do you know where Mr. Andwarf’s house is?”

When I asked the children, they exchanged glances.

“Are you here to collect a debt? Those folks don’t have any money, so you might as well give up. The eldest sister has to work three jobs just to get by,” one of the children blurted out.

“No, it’s the opposite,” I said.

“What? What do you mean?”

“I’m the one who’s going to free them from their debt.”

In fact, I already had.

The children shrugged and pointed.

“It’s that way, pretty lady.”

I headed towards the green-roofed house they pointed to.

The house I approached had a very low fence and was quite small.

I stopped just before knocking on the gate. Instead, I stood on tiptoe and peeked over the low fence into the house.

“Who’s there?”

At that moment, someone opened a window.

Tall, with short reddish hair, freckles across the nose, and wearing old men’s clothes. At a glance, they looked like a young man.

The style had changed so much that I didn’t recognize them immediately. But it was definitely someone I knew.

“Miss? Miss Bryn?”

Their eyes went blank for a moment before their mouth dropped open.

“Oh, um…”

Soon, there was the sound of running, and the door quickly opened.

“Come in, please. I didn’t expect you to come right after receiving the letter! It’s me, Lydia!”

Lydia’s face was full of smiles, and her eyes were already brimming with tears.

Her tone was boyish, but it was clear she was trying to be as polite as possible.

“Lydia, how have you been?”

“Of course. Oh, and congratulations on your marriage, Miss. I heard the news.”

“…Thank you.”

“You look much thinner than in the newspaper photos. Are you doing well?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

Lydia hugged me tightly. I couldn’t hide my happiness either.

“I really, really missed you, Miss.”

“Me too.”

I swallowed the emotions rising in my throat as I spoke.

She was the person to whom I had given the 390 gold coins.

Mr. Andwarf, Lydia’s father, had been my father’s chief employee and business partner.