A Marriage of Convenience /The Marriage Business

Ch.86

As soon as the spokesperson's shout ended, Zachary appeared majestically on a black horse.

The sun gleamed against the silver armor engraved with molten gold, and the black surcoat he wore elegantly fluttered in the wind. Above his helmet was a sculpture of a wolf with its mouth open as if ready to charge and bite the opponent at any moment.

The spectators held their breath and watched Zachary's every move as if in a trance.

Fernand alternated his gaze between Zachary and Bianca. Bianca mentioned that it was her husband's turn, and the last match of the tournament was the Count of Arno. That meant Bianca's husband was the Count of Arno. Fernand opened his mouth in disbelief.

When engaging in a passionate affair with a noblewoman, there were risks involved.

Among the nobility, courtly affairs where both the wife and husband had lovers were in vogue, but not everyone agreed with that trend. Often, honest husbands couldn't bear knights praising their wives.

Indeed, they burned their lust with women and enjoyed them to the fullest. But if a husband ever found out that his wife was having fun with another man, he would swing a club at his wife, and also at her lover. If the man she was involved with was just a minstrel, the club would become the hilt of an axe.

There had been dangerous moments for Fernand as well, and he had been living on the edge until now. However, if the opponent was the Count Arno, he would precisely pierce Fernand's neck, unlike the axe blades of the obese nobles with protruding bellies. Fernand fervently prayed to himself that the Count of Arno wasn't of the "wild" type.

Fearful, Fernand slowly distanced himself from Bianca. Still, he forced a smile on his face, not giving up on trying to impress her.

What a stupid look!

Bianca sneered.

Judging by the emotions clearly displayed on Fernand's face, he seemed unaware of Bianca's identity. If that was the case, it's possible he hadn't planned to approach her on someone else's orders.

But that didn't mean she was relieved. Rather, she was quite annoyed. Did he think she was a woman who could be seduced by anyone like a moth?

It was unexpected that Fernand feared Zachary, as he had openly come to the Arno estate in the past and seduced Bianca.

"That's good. I hope you don't even think about taking this opportunity to step towards me."

Bianca's lips twisted.

Embarrassed by being ridiculed by the woman he had been seducing for a long time, Fernand blushed. He opened his mouth to apologize, but as the match began, the space filled with the thundering hooves and cheers of the crowd, so he couldn't say anything.

---

Zachary stood tall at the entrance of the tent until Bianca's back disappeared. If it hadn't been for the handkerchief Bianca had tied around his forearm, he might have mistaken his visit for an illusion.

That's how hard it was to believe what had just happened.

While Zachary pondered over what had transpired, one of the servants cautiously spoke to him.

"Count... You still have yet to finish preparing."

"...Yes."

Only then did Zachary snap back to reality.

He returned to the tent and carefully inspected the seams of his armor.

When a knight was fully armored, his armor and helmet weighed almost as much as a sack of wheat. The weight was not light, but Zachary, who had worn armor his whole life, was accustomed to it.