Chapter 58
"Yuka… I’m sorry."
What the hell was I doing? Yuka hadn’t done anything wrong, yet I’d gone and avoided her. The hurt look on her face as she walked away flashed in my mind, and now, belatedly, guilt gnawed at me.
Not that it excused anything, but I’d been waiting desperately to see Yuka again. Just as she’d been training in Hollow Garden, so had I—a full year apart before our reunion. Of course my heart had been racing. I’d missed her the entire time. I’d thrown myself into training to grow stronger, to protect her. Noir’s regimen was brutal, but the thought of her kept me going. Hell, I was glad for the pain if it meant walking forward at her side.
So this was entirely my fault. My perspective on married life had… shifted slightly. That’s all.
The trigger? During a training break, I’d asked Noir about what truly mattered in a marriage. He’d said:
"Trust in your partner is paramount. So is communication—words and touch. Doubt breeds distance. Let that fester, and soon you’ll question everything. That’s the end. To avoid it, you must build a bond where both can voice their hearts freely. Daily conversations, small gestures of gratitude, little gifts on anniversaries—it’s the accumulation of these things that sustains a marriage. Neglect them, and it will crumble."
"Hmm, I see. So everyday connection is vital."
So far, so good. It aligned with what I already believed. I’d resolved to express my gratitude to Yuka more. But then came the problem.
"And then there’s compatibility at night."
"…Night?"
"Sex, obviously. Selfishness ruins it. Magical compatibility mirrors physical—yours and Yuka’s is flawless, but arrogance in the bedroom can fracture a marriage. Remember that."
"Sex, huh… I’ve no experience. How do I even…"
"Well, you learn by doing. No one starts skilled. It’ll be clumsy at first. But respecting your partner’s comfort is non-negotiable."
"I know. I’d never hurt Yuka."
"Good. …Then let me offer this: I could share my memories. My reincarnated self—Albert—will merge with me eventually. It’s only a matter of time."
"…Wait. ‘Memories’—you don’t mean…?"
A bad feeling crept in. I should’ve stopped him there.
"Lumière and I, yes. Though showing the visuals would be excessive. Audio only."
"Absolutely not! Why the hell would I need to hear another couple’s—?!"
"Hah! Joking, of course. Even I wouldn’t share our private moments. Instead, how about this? To avoid freezing up on your wedding night, we’ll train for that too."
"…Train how? Let me be clear: I won’t touch any woman but Yuuka."
"Nor would I ask you to. This is about technique. Well? Interested?"
"……"
Under normal circumstances, I’d have refused. But let’s be honest—I’m at that age. So, against my better judgment…
"…You’ll teach me?"
"Good answer. Then let’s begin."
And that’s how I fell for it. The lessons were… informative. But now I couldn’t even look Yuka in the eye without overthinking everything. Pathetic. I’d planned to apologize once I cooled down, but—
"Lord Albert! Explain why you avoided Yuuka!"
"Lord Albert…"
Yuka stormed into the office, flanked by Lumière’s avatar (or rather, the vessel Lumière had borrowed).
Lumière—or her proxy—looked furious. Yuka’s expression was harder to read, tangled in something between confusion and hurt. Both reactions were my doing. Noir had told me to talk properly, and still, I’d—
"…Forgive me, Lumière. Could you give us a moment alone?"
First, I’d speak to Yuka. My precious Wife.
Comments (0)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.