A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 67: Deep conversation with Melissa

"It made you seem... submissive," Melissa mused. "People assumed it was because you had no power, married to clear your ancestral debts, and no protector to lean on. But a human’s psychology says otherwise. A person may accept unfavorable conditions due to circumstances, but their emotions—" she tapped her temple "—don’t lie. Even slaves would sometimes show their dissent despite being loyal to their masters."

Her gaze softened, thoughtful. "But you? You never even flinched. Never looked uncomfortable. That was what confused me at first. Were you truly like this, or was it all an act?" She let out a small sigh, a knowing smile forming on her lips. "But the more I watched you, the more I understood. You’re someone who just... flows along with the river, wherever it takes you. Rather than resisting, you’ve learned to survive by adapting, by surrendering to whatever life throws at you and slowly dealing with it."

Kael sat frozen, her words sinking in.

He had assumed Melissa was just fulfilling her duty as a wife—managing the household, greeting him morning and night, sleeping with him when necessary. She was always calm, never quarreling, playing the elder sister even to Seraphina and Amanda. Everyone confided in her. Servants, sisters, even strangers. She was the dependable one.

But she never shared anything about herself.

Only recently had he realized—she was lonely too.

And now, watching her speak so candidly, Kael felt something shift inside him.

Maybe... he should start talking to her more.

Kael let out a quiet sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Well, you’re not exactly wrong," he admitted. "But the primary reason I’ve been so supportive is... guilt."

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Melissa tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Guilt? For what?"

He continued, voice steady but infused with something deeper. "You and your sisters are all talented—each of you had promising futures. But because of my circumstances, you were forced into this marriage. I couldn’t pay off my ancestral debts, and the Queen—your mother—could only clear them by binding you to me as the law forbade her to give such a huge amount as a gift without any substantial achievement. It’s like I was the one in trouble, but you were the ones paying the price."

His fingers curled slightly against his palm. "If not for me, you could’ve married into powerful noble houses or even foreign queendoms. You could’ve had the life you deserved—wealth, security, prestige. I have nothing to offer you. No riches. No protection. Nothing to make you proud of having me as a husband. The only thing I can do is support you. However I can."

Silence stretched between them.

Then, Melissa’s expression softened, and to his surprise, her eyes shimmered—not with sadness, but something warmer.

"Oh, Kael..." Her voice carried a quiet tenderness. "Why do you think like that?"

She reached out, placing a gentle hand on the table.

"You make it sound like our mother sacrificed us for your sake—as if she was some fool throwing away her daughters. But if that were true, wouldn’t that mean the Queen is an idiot and narrowminded?" A small, amused smile tugged at her lips. "You should try looking at it differently. Maybe... my mother saw something in you. Something you haven’t realized yet."

Kael blinked, caught off guard by the certainty in her voice.

Melissa continued, her fingers lightly tracing over his knuckles. "And even if we assume we had married into some noble household... what then? No matter how extravagant the life was, it wouldn’t compare to the one we had as imperial princesses. Moreover, we would be at the beck and call of noble house heads (mothers-in-law/grandmothers-in-law), mere pawns in political alliances. The men we married wouldn’t love us, wouldn’t care about our dreams or thoughts. We’d be nothing but tools—to bear heirs, to secure power. That’s the fate of almost every woman in nobility who couldn’t become the head of their respective House."

Her voice grew quieter, more thoughtful. "But with you? It’s different. Here, there’s no pressure. No one is controlling us. No one is deciding our worth. We have a husband who stands by our side. Most importantly, we sisters are together. We grew together from childhood under the same roof, and we can grow old together, raise our children together, and face every challenge as sisters under the same roof, too. That’s a gift most noblewomen can never dream of."

Kael stared at her, the weight of her words settling over him. "Still..."

"You don’t have to feel guilty," Melissa said, squeezing his hand lightly. "What we need isn’t riches or protection. We don’t need a husband to give us something to boast about. What we need—what every woman truly needs—is love, support, and trust. And you’ve already given us that."

For a moment, Kael was silent. However, thoughts raced in his mind that could not speak aloud. "Well, to be fair, I just never thought I was useless. If anything, I always saw you all as burdens I had to bear because of my ancestors’ mistakes. One wife would have been stressful enough. But five? Keeping the peace in this house, giving you all equal time, love, and attention—while still focusing on my career, making money, and sneaking out at night for my assassin work? Ugh, it was a massive headache. That’s what I thought when I first married all of you. Things turned out to be better than I imagined. But come to think of it, aren’t we originally supposed to be engaged? Mother and the Queen had talked about our betrothal every time the Queen visited our home when I was a child. Had my parents still been alive, I wouldn’t have been an assassin. I wouldn’t have hidden my soul realm like this. I could have grown into a fine young noble with decent soul realm. I could have been engaged and married to Melissa. Perhaps, start a family already by now, living a peaceful life… Ugh... Anyway, let’s not go what-if scenarios."

Kael pushed those thoughts aside, met Melissa’s gaze with a smile, and said, "Thanks. I feel a lot better."

Her smile widened, and got back to eating.

The topic about Princess Artemis has gone to dust, and silence returned between them once again.

However, this time, that silence only lasted a moment.

She raised her head and glanced at her husband a couple of times, slightly poking the plate with the fork in a bit of hesitation. "Umm, Husband, there’s something I want to ask you, though."

"What is it?" Kael looked at her curiously.

Melissa hesitated a bit once again but then said. "After lunch, you are going to the Auction House, right?"

Kael nodded. "Yes, I need to appraise the statue to see how much they are willing to buy for it. Then, based on the results and Amanda’s investigation report, I would plan my trip to the South Western District."

Melissa said. "Can I come along with you?"

"Eh? You?" Kael was taken aback.

Melissa nodded. "I’m going to read the book anyway. So, I thought I might as well come along. Moreover, my presence can give you a better offer."

Kael thought about it and gave a nod. "Of course, why not?"

*

As Kael prepared to leave his estate with Melissa, he felt an odd sense of pressure weighing on him.

Melissa, usually so calm and collected, had expressed her desire to accompany him to the auction house—a place known for its reputation of safety and honesty in the imperial city. Kael had not expected this, but he couldn’t bring himself to say no, especially when she had expressed such genuine interest.

However, the underlying issue was that he knew the value of 60% adamantine far more than the princess. He was aware that it wouldn’t be just one million. In an auction, it could be sold at double its price. Or at face value, the auction might offer him around 1.2-1.3 million after negotiations. And due to their reputation of secrecy, not even the Queen would know their dealings.

It could be a bad thing but he wanted to add a portion of that money into his secret savings.

With the auction maintaining secrecy, he would make it seem like he purchased it for 800K to 1 million, giving that money to Melissa for her to manage the Shipyard business or whatever she wants.

But now that she was tagging along, he cannot do that. But at the same time, he cannot dismiss her. So far, he had been supportive, and Melissa even praised him to his face at his supportive nature. She seems to have a great deal of respect for him. Now, if he says ’NO’ without giving any valid reason… No, if he gives one, it might still break her heart, and he definitely doesn’t want to do it.

Moreover, he knew that regarding finances, she was atleast better than him. Perhaps she could also negotiate for him instead and get him an even better price? He could only think optimistically as the carriage set off its course to its destination.

Once inside the Grandcrest Auction House, Kael and Melissa were met with an air of refined luxury.

The polished marble floors gleamed under the golden glow of crystal chandeliers, and the scent of aged parchment and exotic perfumes lingered in the air. Nobles, merchants, and collectors moved about, their conversations a quiet hum of anticipation as they eyed the various treasures on display.

A formally dressed attendant approached them with a polite bow. "How may we assist you today, esteemed guests?"