Chapter 12
The tension in the grand hall was suffocating. Mei stood in the center, summoned before Nori, yet completely unbothered. Her expression was unreadable, her eyes filled with something between amusement and contempt.
Nori sat at the head of the hall, the financial ledgers spread before him. The weight of his authority settled over the room, and yet Mei stood there, utterly unshaken.
He held up the records. "Your official allowance as a concubine is 7,000 gold. Yet, you have been taking an additional 20,000 gold under the pretense of 'beauty expenses.' Explain."
Mei raised a delicate eyebrow. "So what?"
A single breath passed in the silence.
Nori's fingers curled against the wooden table, a sharp heat simmering in his chest.
"So what?" he repeated, his voice eerily calm. "Do you mean to say that you acknowledge taking from the household funds and feel no shame for it?"
Mei scoffed, tilting her head slightly. "You speak as if I stole from you personally. Do not mistake me for a servant—this estate has been my home for years. A mere 20,000 gold for my upkeep is hardly a crime."
A murmur rippled through the servants gathered in the hall. Some of them exchanged nervous glances, sensing that Mei had crossed a dangerous line.
Nori inhaled slowly through his nose, forcing his composure to remain intact. He turned to the steward. "What are the house rules for those caught stealing?"
The steward, an older man with a rigid stance, answered immediately. "The punishment for theft in this household is 40 lashes, my lord."
A flicker of unease finally passed through Mei's face, but she quickly masked it with another sneer.
"Lashes?" she laughed dryly, folding her arms. "Surely, you are joking. I am not some common maid caught sneaking bread from the kitchen."
"You are a member of this household," Nori replied coldly. "And the rules apply to everyone equally."
The realization settled over Mei, and the amusement drained from her expression. She narrowed her eyes, the sharpness in them turning venomous.
"You spoiled, pampered brat," she spat. "You think you can walk into this house, wave some papers around, and command me? You are nothing but a child playing noble—"
Nori's patience snapped.
He gestured, and two guards stepped forward, grabbing Mei's arms before she could react. She gasped, twisting in their grip, but they held her firm.
"How dare you—"
"For your disrespect, hold her down," Nori ordered, his voice like steel.
The guards obeyed, forcing Mei to her knees before him.
Nori stood and stepped toward her, his movements measured, his gaze cold.
Then, with deliberate force, he raised his hand and struck her cheek.
The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the hall.
Mei's head snapped to the side, her lips parting in stunned silence.
Before she could react, Nori struck her again. Then again. Each slap was controlled but firm, punishment for her insolence.
By the tenth slap, her once-perfectly arranged hair had fallen from its pins, and her cheeks were flushed red.
Tears burned at the edges of her eyes, but pride kept her from letting them fall. She glared up at him, breathless with rage, but Nori had already turned away.
"Take her to be punished," he commanded. "Forty lashes, as the rules demand."
The guards hauled her to her feet. She struggled, but it was futile.
"You will regret this," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Mark my words, you will regret this."
Nori ignored her completely.
"And," he added, addressing the steward, "all funds she has taken beyond her allowance will be deducted from her accounts immediately. She will not receive another coin beyond what is permitted."
The steward bowed. "Understood, my lord."
Mei let out a furious scream as she was dragged away, her voice ringing through the halls.
But Nori didn't flinch.
He sat back down, exhaling slowly.
The house had gone unchecked for too long. That ended today.
Nori paced the length of his chamber, his thoughts spiraling. The sharp sound of his own footsteps on the polished wood filled the silence, but it did little to quiet the growing unease in his chest.
He had acted decisively—he had to. Mei had flaunted her position, taken from the household without shame, and dared to mock him openly. He couldn't allow such behavior to go unchecked. But now that the anger had cooled, a new worry settled in its place.
What if Ryousuke was fond of her?
Nori's stomach twisted at the thought. He didn't know much about his husband's relationships before their marriage. Ryousuke had never spoken of Mei, nor had he made any effort to acknowledge her existence. But that didn't mean she was insignificant to him.
What if punishing her had overstepped his bounds?
Nori paused, pressing his fingers to his temples. He had assumed that, as the main spouse, he had the authority to discipline the household. Yet, he couldn't ignore the nagging fear that Ryousuke might not see it that way.
What if he was furious?
Nori exhaled sharply, his hands curling into fists. Would Ryousuke confront him about it? Would he defend Mei?
Would he see Nori as cruel?
He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. No.
He had been justified. He had acted as he should, as the person in charge of managing the estate. If Ryousuke had any objections, then perhaps he should have ensured that Mei knew her place to begin with.
And yet, that uncertainty gnawed at him.
He didn't know Ryousuke well enough to predict his reaction. The general was composed, impossible to read at times. Would he be indifferent, shrugging off the matter as something trivial?
Or would he be displeased?
Nori chewed his bottom lip, his pacing resuming. If Ryousuke was truly attached to Mei, would he—
The thought made his chest tighten.
Would he take her side over his?
Nori swallowed hard. He had no intention of regretting his actions, but he had to prepare for whatever came next. He would not—could not—allow himself to be blindsided.
He had made a choice. Now, all he could do was wait and see what his husband thought of it.