Primrose’s head was instantly flooded with the thoughts of everyone inside the auction house. And all of their minds, without exception, were talking about Edmund, so much that it made her a bit dizzy.
Good thing she had already taken the potion Salem made and wasn’t sitting among the noisy crowd. Otherwise, she probably would’ve fainted from the headache.
[Six hundred thousand gold coins just for a perfume?! Is he insane?!]
[No one would ever bid more than three hundred thousand for that thing!]
[Damn it! I was about to bid four hundred thousand earlier! Whatever, the perfume doesn’t even look that special.]
[I saw them holding hands in the hallway earlier. Is their relationship really that strong, or just an act?]
[Oh, the Lycan King probably spent that much so he can use his wife as much as he wants tonight.]
Who said that?!
Did they seriously think Primrose was some kind of escort who served men for money? Her husband could have her for free!
Wait, that didn’t sound right either. What she meant was: Edmund wasn’t that kind of man. He didn’t give her things just because he wanted something in return, but because he genuinely loved her.
Even so, Primrose had to admit that six hundred thousand gold coins was a ridiculous amount. If Callen had been here, he’d probably have fainted on the spot, especially since he’d been saving for years just to buy a small house and a piece of land in Noctvaris.
"Husband, did you... even bring that much money with you?" Primrose whispered once they sat back down.
"No, but I can borrow from Father first and pay him back later," Edmund replied calmly. "You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll definitely return the money."
Primrose wasn’t even worried about her father’s money!
"No, I mean... it’s a lot of money," Primrose said. "Even my dowry wasn’t that much."
"I know." Edmund lowered his head slightly. "I should’ve given you more."
[I should’ve given her all my money as her dowry.] Edmund thought. [What kind of husband am I?]
"You don’t have to do that!" Primrose quickly said. She bowed her head, hiding half of her face behind her fan after realizing she’d spoken too loudly. Leaning closer, she whispered, "Husband, that’s not what I meant. I was just surprised you were willing to spend that much for a bottle of perfume."
Edmund stayed silent for a moment, studying her face. "You once told me you rarely buy anything at auctions," he said softly. "That’s why I knew this perfume must be special to you. You looked like you really wanted it."
Primrose was always amazed by how her husband could figure out what she wanted even though he couldn’t read her mind.
All he needed to do was observe her, and somehow, he could read her like an open book. It made sense, though because Primrose was always expressive around people she trusted, so it wasn’t that hard to guess what she wanted.
On the other hand, it was nearly impossible to predict what Edmund wanted since his actions often didn’t match his thoughts.
"The perfume really is important," Primrose said softly, taking his hand. "It reminded me of my mother’s old perfume. I thought I’d never smell it again, but because of you, I can."
Primrose smiled at him, the kind of smile that melted every rational thought Edmund had right then and there. "Thank you, husband." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I love you."
The kiss only lasted a few seconds, probably less than ten, but somehow, the people sitting on the balcony managed to catch the moment!
[How shameless! Has living in the Beastland made her that vulgar?!]
[This is why I never let my husband near her!]
Vulgar?! She only kissed her husband, not stripped naked in public or tried to seduce someone else’s man!
She thought people would stop treating her like a threat once she was married, but apparently, old grudges were hard to kill.
"What’s wrong?" Edmund brushed her cheek gently when he noticed her frown. "Someone talking badly about you again in their minds?"
Primrose let out a soft sigh. "It’s alright," she said. "They’re just jealous."
After all, they should’ve known their husbands were nothing compared to Edmund. Why would she ever want anyone else when she already had the perfect man?
"Alright, the next item will be another mystery item!" The auctioneer’s loud voice startled Primrose a little, but thankfully, it drew everyone’s attention away from her and Edmund.
"This item is an ancient artifact, said to be a relic from the temple of a dead god!" The auctioneer grinned widely, knowing such words would stir the crowd.
The crowd immediately came alive. People began whispering to each other, curiosity shining in their eyes.
Primrose blinked in surprise. She hadn’t even stood up or shown any sign that she wanted the music box, so how did he already know?
[That music box looks interesting,] Edmund thought. [I want it.]
Oh... so he didn’t raise his paddle because he thought she wanted it. He did it because he wanted it.
But why?
Edmund was never the type to crave material things. Even when he bought something, it was usually a weapon, a tool for training, or something practical. So why, of all things, would he suddenly want a music box?
The item didn’t even look valuable. The paint was chipped, the metal dull, and Primrose doubted it could still play a single note.
"Five hundred and fifty thousand!" another voice shouted from the balcony beside them.
It seemed this item was about to start a fierce bidding war. Many people loved collecting old things, especially those from extinct civilizations.
Moments later, Primrose heard Nina’s voice again. "Six hundred thousand!"
She sounded nervous, almost desperate. Primrose focused on her, letting the noise fade until she could hear her thoughts clearly.
[Damn it! Why are there so many people after this ugly music box?!] Nina cursed silently. [I need that artifact, or I’ll never complete the task my ancestors gave me!]
Primrose’s eyes widened slightly. Task from her ancestors? What did that even mean?
She’d always thought Nina’s obsession with old artifacts was just a strange hobby, but hearing that thought made everything sound much more serious.
Edmund’s expression didn’t change. He seemed calm as ever, though Primrose could tell he was already calculating something in his mind.
"Six hundred and fifty thousand," he said smoothly, raising his paddle again.
Nina bit her lip, hesitating. Her hand trembled slightly before she forced herself to lift her paddle. "Seven hundred thousand!"
The auctioneer’s grin widened. "Seven hundred thousand gold coins! Do I hear a higher bid?"

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Mind-Reading Mate Why Is the Lycan King So Obsessed With Me