About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 187

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 187. Why They Never Returned
The days passed with startling swiftness.
Or rather, they blurred together in a haze of relentless activity—a more accurate description.
Beginning with the decisive evidence Fleit Doorban had prepared, the treachery of Zerox and Eclite unraveled like a tangled vine, revealing countless criminal acts in their wake.
Based on this foundation, the interrogation of Walter commenced, and confessions poured forth in torrents.
At first, he protested his innocence vehemently and demanded to see the Judge, but as time wore on, they all wept and pleaded for mercy.
It seemed Walter’s mastery of interrogation was truly unparalleled.
Moreover, with magic restored to the world, magical instruments were deployed extensively, making evidence collection far more efficient.
While uncovering additional crimes, the related trials proceeded continuously.
During this period, the Emperor of Doorban passed away.
Before his death, he thanked Luderne and me for avenging Hilda, and left behind a final testament: never forgive them, absolutely.
The nobility descended into chaos in the aftermath.
Many nobles who had supported Eclite and Zerox exercised caution given the gravity of the situation, but some protested when the Emperor died.
Several nobles even mobilized their armies in alliance with their respective fiefdoms.
They still supported Zerox and Eclite, refusing to acknowledge Luderne as legitimate because he was born of an illicit affair.
They claimed that Luderne Wintem, who had only ever pursued wealth, possessed no real power and would cower in fear.
The nobles supporting us immediately deployed their own forces in response.
Yet they could not conceal their anxiety about the military strength that would soon converge against us.
Though the armies were dispersed across their respective territories, when combined, the forces arrayed against Luderne across both the Empire and Kingdom were formidable.
Moreover, their arguments regarding Luderne’s legitimacy began to divide public opinion among both the Empire’s and Kingdom’s citizens. People, after all, despise uncertainty.
Predictions emerged that the civil war might drag on for quite some time.
Yet Brissel Mohr said this:
“How convenient that they revealed themselves willingly.”
Luderne remained equally composed. He even smiled.
The nobles were bewildered by this response.
“I was wondering how many years it would take to eliminate his followers.”
I nodded in agreement.
Luderne possessed prepared mercenaries at his disposal.
And they were stationed abundantly throughout the realm.
When I received the invitation to Zerox’s ship party, we had already considered the possibility of being branded as rebels and facing war.
In other words, Luderne’s army was always ready to be revealed to the world.
Consequently, the moment the armies emerged from their territories, they were swiftly suppressed.
The crimes of Eclite, Zerox, Count Veloda Genoma, and Melissa were laid bare before all the world.
Naturally, it became known that Luderne was the fruit of love, not illicit affair, and public opinion swiftly reversed in a single direction.
The trial verdicts were also made public.
Zerox Arde, Eclite Doorban, Count Veloda Genoma, and Melissa.
All sentenced to death.
In the meantime, the fate of these four souls became utterly wretched.
Three of them—all except Zerox—begged for death itself.
They were tormented by curses.
When the death sentence was pronounced, they wept with joy.
Yet the atmosphere shifted when Menglow spoke of how they would endure the curse even in death, for a prescribed duration.
Soon a guillotine was erected in the plaza, and the execution was carried out.
It was the moment when the long, bitter thread connecting Melissa and Count Veloda Genoma was finally severed.
After the execution, I found myself thinking something peculiar.
It seemed inevitable they would have spoken of my curse, yet no one knew of it.
A few days later, I casually asked Walter, whom I encountered in the Royal Palace corridor one afternoon.
Whether they had confessed anything more.
Walter laughed with the gentle demeanor of a large, docile hound.
“What was disclosed is all there is.”
From those words, I understood—he knew of my curse and had concealed it.
“Thank you.”
At my gratitude, his eyes brightened.
Afterward, the Empire and Kingdom grew busy with discussions.
It was due to preparations for Luderne’s coronation and wedding, as he would become both Emperor and King.
No one questioned my status.
A viscount of the Bilsty Estate in the Arde Kingdom, a margrave of the Eurasia Territory in the Doerban Empire.
And a saint.
Though my titles had multiplied rather abruptly, I possessed a status that was undeniably sufficient.
Moreover, the reaction from High Society was gentle.
The ladies had always held favorable feelings toward Priscilla of the Raber Salon.
They spoke of the story of Luderne Wintem Grand Duke and Priscilla of the Raber Salon as romantic and moving, saying it would endure in history.
Furthermore, the name of my teacher became known.
This happened when the Teacher’s Daughter, who had fully recovered from the jackal attack, appeared in the Central Social Circle.
After that, the reactions of male nobles toward me changed quite naturally—they had received instruction from the same teacher.
Everything was peaceful.
At least, it appeared so on the surface.
But from the Ship Party to the execution, the procedures took an extraordinarily long time, and ultimately Luderne postponed all important schedules.
Both the coronation and the wedding.
He wished to rest and delay everything for the time being.
After entrusting state affairs to trustworthy supporters like Brissel Mohr and Count Dora, he returned to Heril Island with me.
In truth, the curse symptoms I had been suppressing through Sir Jester’s efforts had recently resurfaced.
It was not unbearable with him at my side.
But Luderne suffered greatly.
The resurgence of curse symptoms meant I had little time left to live.
Unless a new life took root within my womb.
So Luderne, Walter, and I.
The journey back to Heril Island, quietly with only the three of us, felt bittersweet.
The harbor of Heril Island, far more developed than before, was teeming with people.
Yet the atmosphere among them seemed somehow peculiar.
Their attire and the information leaking from their conversations, their mannerisms—everything pointed to mages.
No matter where I looked, they all appeared to be mages.
I caught fragments of conversation asking where Sir Jester’s Mage Tower was located.
They seemed to be Sir Jester’s guests.
Thinking of him only deepened my bitterness.
Since Sir Jester had transformed into a clownfish and fallen into the sea, I hadn’t seen him again.
To be safe, I’d had signs erected at every harbor with messages for Sir Jester, and stationed knights there as well.
I’d instructed them that if they spotted a white clownfish approaching people in the water, they were to bring it to me.
But Sir Jester never appeared.
Worry for him escaped me in an unconscious sigh, and Luderne wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
“He’s definitely alive, and he’ll come back. He’s not the type to die easily. If he doesn’t return, there must be a reason for it.”
When it came time to board the prepared carriage, Walter, dressed in civilian clothes, bowed respectfully. He looked exactly as he had when he was the tavern keeper.
“Then, Your Highness, I shall take my leave.”
“Thank you for your service.”
While Luderne and I remained here, his tavern would reopen.
On the way home, I noticed that the entrance to Sir Jester’s Mage Tower was indeed crowded with visitors.
I thought it natural that with magic returning to the world, more people would come to visit.
But then I heard shouting.
“Ail Jester, you bastard! Come out! Come out!”
“You damned coward! Hiding won’t help!”
“Reveal the truth! Reveal it!”
The atmosphere seemed ominous.
We cautiously drew closer to assess the situation.
The soldier guarding the Mage Tower entrance was flustered.
“The Tower Master is not here. We don’t know when he’ll return.”
“Don’t make us laugh! You think we don’t know you’re hiding him?”
“We’ve been waiting for days! We can’t take it anymore! We’ll break down the doors by force and drag him out!”
Other mages raised their voices in agreement.
“What is the meaning of this?”
At Luderne’s words, all the mages’ attention focused on him.
“It’s Luderne Wintem.”
The moment his name was revealed, the flustered crowd quickly bowed their heads.
At Luderne’s instruction to invite everyone inside, the soldier opened the firmly sealed doors of the Mage Tower.
The spacious Reception Room of the Mage Tower was packed with mages.
Luderne and I sat side by side on the sofa and listened to what the mages had to say.
They had come to hold Sir Jester accountable.
Some of them remembered their lives before the regression.
And some of them had realized the moment magic returned that Sir Jester had caused the regression.
I didn’t understand the exact mechanism, but according to Menglow, there were occasionally those who became aware of the regression itself.
It seemed they were in a similar state of related awareness.
Time passed, and rumors spread far and wide.
“Do you have any idea how catastrophic the damage has been because of that man? Before the regression, I was a Royal Palace Mage! But because he drained all my magical power to cast that regression spell!”
Listening to their grievances, I recalled what Menglow had said in passing after Sir Jester disappeared.
“I’m annoyed that he rewound time on a whim, so I’ve got plenty to complain about, but since I survived because of it, I suppose I should let it slide?”
She had laughed softly as she said it.
Luderne Wintem, who had been listening to the mages’ complaints while slowly stroking his chin, lifted one corner of his mouth and leaned toward me as I sat beside him.
“Something may have truly happened to Sir Jester, but if he’s safe….”
Then he whispered.
“I think I understand why he hasn’t returned.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————