About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 30

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 30. Don’t Even Start
‘There’s no need for her to be a noblewoman of the Central Society, is there? That young lady was just as elegant as any aristocrat.’
Ail reconsidered his position.
Though I received a knighthood through miraculous achievements, I am still a commoner at heart.
‘Unless I could master magic properly.’
The thought crossed my mind that winning Priscilla’s affection and living contentedly on Heril Island might bring more peace of mind than venturing into the Central Society.
‘Why is that woman so beautiful?’
A smile bloomed naturally on Ail’s lips, and my heart felt suffused with warmth.
That was when it happened.
For some reason, a wall came to mind.
“Ugh!”
A terrifying headache struck. My mind felt shrouded in fog.
‘Damn it! What is this?’
Ail clenched his teeth and waited for the pain to subside, hoping he wouldn’t collapse like last time.
Fortunately, the agony was brief.
“Hah… I need to solve this problem.”
Ail murmured while steadying his breathing.
Since the war’s end, I could no longer wield magic properly.
It wasn’t just me. From what I knew, all mages were the same.
But the intermittent headaches were unique to me alone.
It was inconvenient, but the pain was mild enough to endure. Sometimes it would vanish as if nothing had happened after I rested briefly.
The problem was recent.
Less than a month ago, I suffered a headache so severe I lost consciousness.
The Doctor said there was nothing wrong.
So I reached one conclusion on my own.
Though I couldn’t identify the cause, it was undoubtedly related to some form of magic.
The thought that it might worsen gradually filled me with dread.
‘Could this kill me?’
I am different from my past self. I have wealth, honor, and a title.
I wanted to enjoy all of it for the rest of my life.
‘I absolutely cannot die. I must find the cause and cure this illness!’
Ail clenched his fist tightly.
Just then, I spotted Luderne Sellen’s carriage coming to a stop nearby.
‘Perfect timing.’
Ail strode toward it.
As the carriage door opened, Luderne Sellen and Brissel Mohr descended.
Ail bowed respectfully to Luderne Sellen and opened his mouth.
“It’s about that young lady named Priscilla.”
Anyone could see the brightness in Ail’s expression and the excitement in his voice.
Luderne Sellen’s eyes deepened as he noticed it.
Brissel’s expression immediately turned serious, and he let out a loud, deliberate cough.
“Ahem!”
Ail couldn’t bring himself to speak further, his lips merely moving silently as he gauged the atmosphere between Luderne and Brissel.
When Ail fell silent, Luderne broached the subject first.
“I had something to convey regarding that lady anyway.”
“An order, sir?”
“Yes. It appears she is indeed under a curse.”
“Have you spoken with Priscilla?”
“I have.”
“Did you learn what manner of curse it is?”
Rather than answer, Luderne turned his gaze toward the distant sea.
Ail scrutinized Luderne’s expression, hardly believing his own eyes.
Before the war, Luderne had been reserved in displaying emotion, yet Ail had sensed a certain warmth beneath that restraint.
After the war, he had become cold-blooded, as though his capacity for feeling had simply died.
Yet now, the corners of Luderne’s mouth were slightly raised.
Quite naturally.
Like that expression he would wear after brutal combat, sitting dazed and drenched in blood, catching his breath for a moment.
An expression he rarely showed, and one he would never explain when asked why he smiled.
Soon, Luderne opened his mouth.
“I heard it, but it would be improper to reveal it without her consent. In any case, it was a vicious curse.”
“Could it pose a threat to her life?”
“It doesn’t appear so. She seems to have found a temporary method of relief on her own.”
“Then it’s not an urgent matter.”
“Perhaps not. In any case, I plan to return in about ten days.”
“I understood you were heading to the Capital. Ten days?”
Ail pressed further with his question.
“I thought you were originally planning to stay for three months. Will that be alright?”
“Now that I’m here, I’ve found the Capital to be quite close. Without disturbances and with the quiet, it seems far more suitable for rest. I intend to recuperate on the Island as much as possible.”
Luderne’s expression hardened once more, as though his earlier softness had never existed. He patted Ail’s shoulder and issued his command.
“You’re the one most knowledgeable about magic, aren’t you? Meet with her today and share whatever knowledge you have. Help her prepare a response.”
Before he could finish, Brissel’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Your Majesty! That is——!”
Luderne raised a hand, cutting off Brissel’s protest before it could fully form.
Brissel clenched his teeth, suppressing what he had been about to say.
Bewildered, Ail glanced between the two men, then quickly nodded.
He couldn’t discern the source of their disagreement, but regardless, this was a welcome order.
“Understood.”
“Thank you for your efforts.”
Speaking without inflection, Luderne passed by Ail and headed toward the Quindel.
The sailors busily transporting cargo quickly parted on either side, bowing their heads to Luderne.
Ail gazed at Luderne Sellen’s back as though entranced.
Broad shoulders and long legs, striking features, and the firstborn of the imperial family to boot.
Being a bastard might be considered a slight flaw, but even so, his mother was an extraordinary figure.
Thus, Luderne Sellen was the most noble and magnificent person I had ever seen.
“Sir Jester, I do hope that spring doesn’t suit you.”
At the low voice of Brissel Mohr from behind, Ail’s mind snapped back to attention.
Brissel Mohr, his expression hardened, bumped his shoulder against Ail’s as he passed.
“Don’t even start.”
* * *
I was able to meet Sir Jester in the Reception Room of the Mansion, where sunlight streamed in abundantly.
He sat in a reclined posture on the sofa, sipping tea, dressed in comfortable shirt and trousers.
It appeared he was resting in this Mansion.
“Hello, Priscilla. You seem to be doing better?”
“Thanks to you. I’m grateful you helped me access the books.”
“Did the books help much?”
“Yes. They’ve been tremendously helpful. I think I’ll be fine for a while.”
Though it wasn’t the books alone that had improved my condition, he had truly contributed greatly to my recovery.
He had allowed me to meet Luderne Sellen alone in the Library.
“The Grand Duke’s Highness instructed you to meet me, but Lord Brissel Mohr seemed quite opposed to it… The Grand Duke’s Highness appears to have changed somewhat…”
Sir Jester’s gaze swept over me.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s happened, but if you’re beautiful, it could certainly explain things…”
His tone suggested he already understood everything, and my face grew hot.
What followed was a mischievous smile.
“I’m genuinely curious—did you perhaps seduce him?”
When he had helped me access the Library, he was a grateful person, but now he was truly troublesome.
“…How rude.”
At my retort, Sir Jester’s lips curved upward on one side.
“Sorry. Let me rephrase the question. Has His Highness the Grand Duke taken responsibility for you?”
The answer to this question was already determined.
“No.”
“Then is he trying to take responsibility for you?”
I shook my head.
“Then does he seem to have any affection for you?”
With each successive question, I could answer with greater certainty, and it made me melancholy.
“Not at all.”
“Hmm…”
Sir Jester made a meaningless sound and spoke as though tossing out words.
“Fine. Tell me once, then.”
I bit my lip.
And shortly after, I told him where, how, and by whom I had been cursed—as much as I had told Luderne Sellen.
However, I did not reveal the nature of the curse.
“Hmm, the situation is truly unfortunate. But you say you cannot speak of the curse’s nature….”
“I apologize. It’s difficult to disclose.”
The curse itself was simply not something I could easily bring myself to speak of.
I paused briefly before asking carefully.
“Would it be difficult to restore me to a normal state without knowing what kind of curse it is?”
I posed the question with the understanding that if I absolutely had to, I would have no choice but to tell him.
Yet he answered easily, as though entirely unbothered.
“It’s fine. Curses often come with restrictive conditions attached.”
He seemed to have reasonably deduced why I couldn’t speak of it.
“Then let me confirm one thing.”
After hearing enough of the story, Sir Jester stroked his chin and asked.
“You suffer from this curse, but there are certain circumstances under which your condition improves somewhat?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“And you’ve found that method?”
“Yes, I have.”
“So even though the curse causes you suffering, you have a way to alleviate it?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, that’s fortunate at least. Menglow Breeze rarely leaves behind curse-breaking methods. To undo it, you’d need a higher-ranking mage, but strangely, magic has vanished…. So for now, the alleviation method itself is likely your best answer. Probably.”
His explanation carried conviction.
It meant that breaking the curse was nearly impossible.
In one sense, it sounded like good news.
Even if I were no longer Luderne’s wife, I could insist on remaining by his side under the pretense of the curse.
Yet simultaneously, I felt helpless.
If Luderne cast me out, it would all be over.
There were countless reasons he might cast me out. Considering only the political marriage, I was an obstacle.
Thinking that far, I grew despondent.
Then Sir Jester’s next words caught my attention.
“But I haven’t abandoned my magical research. If my research succeeds, I’ll be able to use magic again, and then I can eliminate the curse.”
“You can eliminate the curse?”
“Yes. I originally wielded detection magic and temporal magic.”
“…Could you use detection magic to find a spell that breaks my curse?”
“That’s one way to apply it. Though I can’t say when that would be.”
Sir Jester shrugged.
“I’m an expert in detection magic as well, but in society I’m known as an authority on temporal magic. It’s what I do best. Though I can’t do it now.”
His tone carried a note of pride in possessing such abilities.
Perhaps because I had regressed, I found myself particularly intrigued by his words.
“Temporal magic means…?”
The moment I asked, he smiled as though he’d been waiting for the question.
“Regression.”

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