As Seren walked to check the books on the shelf, she heard the hushed conversation between the pair of customers huddled on the corner.

“…so your husband is still into that mistress of his?”

“Nowadays, he visits her even more often, spending days on his alleged ‘business trips’. Before, he used to return after a single night…”

“Tsk. That swine. How dare he treat a pearl such as you this way? If I were you–“

“…He used to be so sweet when we wedded but seven years have passed so I think he wanted someone young…”

“That is why I brought you here. Didn’t our friend say we can find a useful book here on how to keep your husband with you?”

“What kind of book?”

The woman scanned the rows of books and showed a particular one to her friend, flipping the pages in front of the other woman. “This kind of book.”

Her friend gasped. “W-What is this?! What kind of–“

“Don’t be shocked. This is what that mistress uses to please your husband, that’s why he won’t come back to you.”

The woman loudly gulped. “Will this really please my husband?”

“Right, and now, you need to find which among these will please your husband more so he won’t go to other women.”

“B-But, this looks…”

“It’s better than seeing your husband spend nights with his mistress while you pine in loneliness in a cold empty bed,” the other woman said and placed that book in her hand. “You better buy this, study this and do everything to keep your husband the happiest man on this land! That way, no matter what pretty lass bats an eye his way, he will be too smitten with you to look away!”

Her friend nodded quietly and embraced that book as if her life depended on it. Only then did Seren and her lady-in-waiting realize they were so immersed in eavesdropping that they almost forgot to breathe.

For Seren in particular, the words ‘pleasing your husband’ caught her entire attention. Back in the ship, Drayce had asked her to please him. This was the perfect opportunity to learn what she needed to do!

She looked at her companion and said in a low voice, “So that book will tell me how to please my husband?”

Lady Xena shuddered before nodding hesitantly. She could guess what that book must be about. “Seems like it, Your Majesty.”

“Then we should get it,” Seren said, and the other woman could merely agree wordlessly. She didn’t stop Seren as she knew the Queen had no governess or older female relative who could provide her guidance about private matters such as this, and neither did she have a friend or peer she could ask. It was best for Seren to get answers to her questions this way rather than lowering herself to such an embarrassing situation where she had to ask the only maidservant of hers who was married…

Keeping her thoughts to herself, the blushing noble lady picked another copy of the book the two women got. She handed it to Seren and turned away to hide her expression.

“What is it about–” Those purple eyes widened the moment she flipped the pages. “This…”

Seeing all those explicit images of a couple being intimate, she slammed the book close the next moment.

The pair of blushing women looked at each other and Seren asked, “D-Did you pick up the right book, Xena?”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. This is what those two women were talking about…about p-pleasing her husband. Weren’t you also curious about it?”

Seren gulped, and she belatedly understood why that female attendant stopped her from going to this section. “But, this…”please visit panda(-)N0ve1.co)m

“I think you should buy it, Your Majesty. It’s less…less shameful…Better reading than asking others, yes?” Lady Xena suggested while her cheeks had turned tomato red.

Seren thought about what those two women said and asked with a serious look in her eyes. “Xena, if I don’t please Drayce, do you think he will go to other women as well?”

“N-No, Your Majesty. His Majesty loves you a lot and has eyes only for you.”

“That woman, wasn’t she implying he lost interest because they had been together for seven years? Her husband was sweet at first…”

“His Majesty is different from other men, Your Majesty. Rest assured, he–“

“Still, I cannot take a chance. What if he…N-No, I can’t let it happen. We should get this book.”

Lady Xena didn’t insist on assuring Seren as getting that book would not change the King’s feelings for his Queen. She knew their King would never betray the Queen, as to him no woman existed but his wife.

The pair then walked out of that section to head for the shopkeeper manning the counter. Given the lady-in-waiting needed to pay for the books, Slayer would normally follow behind Seren. But this time, Seren did not leave Lady Xena’s side, that was why Slayer approached them with the intention of helping the young woman carry the books.

“Lady Xena, please hand them to me. They must be heavy to carry.”

Lady Xena looked taken aback, and Seren hesitated between allowing the knight to do a gentlemanly act or leading him away. Both were worried that Slayer would see what kind of books they were buying which they didn’t want. They exchanged a firm gaze and then Lady Xena gave a gracious smile to Slayer.

“Much thanks but allow me to do it, Sir Calhoun. Please stay with Her Majesty,” the young woman suggested as she took a step forward. “I alone am enough–ah!”

Thud!

She bumped into a woman who walked out of nowhere, causing the books in her hand to drop on the floor.

pAnDa (nov)e1​ “Apologies!” the woman shot quickly before turning away, leaving the shop in a hurry.

Meanwhile, Slayer’s outreached hand stopped midway as Lady Xena was quick to regain her foothold. “Are you alright, Lady Xena?”

“Ah, yes. I am fine,” she replied and looked at the books on the floor…where a particular book was dropped with its pages open, which those two didn’t want him to see.

Slayer followed the two horror-stricken women’s lines of sight, and with an impassive face, the knight immediately kneeled down to pick up all the fallen books into a neat pile. His expressions did not change the entire time as if he had seen nothing and stood up, holding those books in his arm.

The Queen of Megaris and her lady-in-waiting dare not meet the knight’s gaze.

“I will pay for these books. Please wait for me here,” he said and walked ahead to line up.

Seren and Lady Xena looked at each other, unable to say a single word to each other as embarrassment engulfed the both entirely.

Slayer returned in a while and handed the bag filled with books to the Queen’s servant.

“T-Thank you, Sir Calhoun,” Lady Xena said as she tried to hide the red in her cheeks, while Seren felt somewhat grateful she was wearing a veil.

“Should we continue shopping?” Slayer said and the two women nodded quietly before following the knight. However, after this incident. Seren no longer had the will to walk around the market and she decided to return to the Selve Estate.

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