As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

She looked out the window to calm her troubled mind. In her line of sight was a shabbily dressed person wandering the dead-quiet street late at night. He rummaged through the trash can in the alley, then moved on to the next one without finding anything.

“…I feel even more unsettled now.”

She sighed deeply, turned around, and crossed the room to open the door. The tea leaves had run out during the day, so she thought it would be good to warm herself with some hot water.

Standing in front of the slightly squeaky wooden door was Edward in comfortable clothes. He was frozen in a knocking posture as if he had stopped just before knocking. Luize’s eyes widened.

“Good evening.”

“You startled me. What are you doing here at this hour without making a sound?”

“I thought Miss Luize might be having trouble sleeping as well, so I dropped by.”

“What about your guards?”

“They looked tired, so I let them rest for a while.” He answered confidently, a smile playing on his lips.

“They’ll feel guilty if they find out they fell asleep while on guard duty…”

“I usually erase that part of their memory when I wake them, so it should be fine.”

“If you were considerate, you wouldn’t sneak around without your guards in the first place. It seems like this isn’t your first time, given how skillful you’ve become.”

“I can’t deny that.”

Luize chuckled softly. “I was on my way downstairs to drink some hot water, hoping it might help me sleep. It seems I’m out of lavender tea.”

“No need to go downstairs. I can get some lavender tea for you.”

“Really? Do you have tea leaves?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Come in.”

When Luize stepped back, Edward entered her room.

As soon as she closed the door, Luize froze, gripping the door handle. She realized that apart from when she was on guard duty, they hadn’t been alone together since the day they kissed. Being alone with him in a small room late at night…

Luize enjoyed spending time with him and had no regrets about their impulsive kiss, but Edward had lost his memories of the past seven years, and with their final mission about to begin, it was not the right time to move further. She should be the one to break this off, considering their mental ages.

“

, come to think of it, I don’t have a magic device to boil water in my room. I should really go downstairs…”

Edward snapped his fingers, and a steaming teacup appeared on the desk by the window. The air was filled with a mixture of rose and lavender scents from the tea.

“The tea is here.”

Luize looked alternately at the teacup on the desk and Edward, who was gazing at her nonchalantly.

“Is there a problem?”

“No… Now that I think about it, there’s only one chair. I’ll sit on the bed. Elliot takes the chair.”

Luize pulled the chair to face the bed and sat on the bed. Edward handed her the teacup and placed his own cup on the nightstand.

“It’s our first time having a conversation like this.”

“Yes. Maybe we should have moved to Elliot’s room. There’s a table there.”

“I prefer it here. I’ve always been curious about where you stay.”

“It’s just a normal room. We share the same quarters anyway.”

“Shall we combine our lodgings then?”

Luize replied firmly to his cheeky question. “No. Absolutely not. I won’t allow that.”

“It’s a shame, but your firm refusal leaves me no choice. I also don’t trust myself anymore, so it’s a wise and safe decision. My patience is more lacking than I thought.”

“I’m not in a position to talk either…” Luize trailed off, embarrassed.

He continued more respectfully. “I regret not being able to give you a more beautiful beginning. Please don’t think I take Miss Luize lightly.”

“…I liked it, so it’s okay. I-I enjoyed it.” Luize hurriedly took a sip of tea, avoiding his gaze. Her face flushed with deep embarrassment. It was her first time experiencing such a passionate kiss. By that, she learned that a kiss could heat her body, make the air warm, and make her want her partner. Kissing him felt like the two of them were walking a tightrope on the edge of reason.

Luize tried to break the awkwardness. “

, it seems like you used very good lavender. It’s warm and smells nice. I thought you mixed in rose petals because of the rose scent… By the way, Elliot, I’ve always thought your magic smells like roses.” She turned her gaze back to Edward.

Edward smiled leisurely and answered. “According to Maxion, my future self was aware of it. It seems Miss Luize can smell my mana.”

“What? Is that possible?”

“This is my first time encountering such a case.”

“It’s strange that I can smell mana, but I’ve never smelled the mana of other wizards. Why can I only smell Elliot’s mana? And why is it specifically the scent of roses? Our first meeting was in the dead of winter…” Luize put her teacup on the nightstand and looked at Edward. “Can you use magic again so I can confirm?”

“What would you like this time?”

“Can you bring out food like you did with the tea?”

“If it’s small food prepared in the kitchen of the capital mansion or Lindeman Castle, I can, but since it’s night, there doesn’t seem to be any meals.”

“Was this teacup from there too?”

“Yes. The servant who notices the missing set will probably run to the butler in the morning.”

Luize laughed softly but then paused. “Then, can’t you use the same magic to get people out of here? You did it in the mirror building.”

“I tried it with objects during the day, but while I can bring things in from outside, it’s completely blocked from sending things out.”

“I see…” She lowered her gaze. “Then what magic should I ask for?”

“

, does Miss Luize remember the promise I made to you the day we first met in this village?”

“Other than meeting again, did you make another promise?”

Edward snapped his fingers in the air.

At that moment, a rose scent wafted, and a red rose without thorns appeared in his hand. “I promised to give you a red rose.”

“Now that you mention it, I vaguely remember. It’s amazing to see such a beautiful rose in winter. Did you get this from Lindeman Castle or the capital mansion?” She smiled as she accepted the rose.

“I took it from the imperial greenhouse.”

“

, I see… Wait, is that okay?” Luize looked at him, startled.

“No, it’s not. So it’s our secret.”

“How can you be so calm after doing such a big thing? Alright. This rose is as red as your eyes.”

“That’s why I chose it as a gift.”

Looking into his eyes, Luize suddenly remembered something. “Come to think of it, I thought your eyes looked like roses back then. Maybe that’s why I perceive your mana as the scent of roses.”

“That could be it.”

“I still don’t know why I can only smell Elliot’s mana…”

“We’ll figure out the rest slowly. We have plenty of time to spend together.”

“Yes.”

Luize brought the rose to her nose. The rose scent from his magic, the natural flower scent, and the lavender from the tea mixed pleasantly, lifting her spirits.

“Miss Luize.”

Luize slowly raised her head to meet his red eyes. He spoke while gazing at her.

“When this incident in the village is over, and I regain my seven years of memories, there’s something I want to tell you. I hope we can move forward into a closer relationship rather than being fake lovers.”