I Accidentally Resurrected My Dead Husband - Chapter 16
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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 16
Why would Marquis Moseley vouch for my identity?
Puzzled as she was, Udiet pretended to be acquainted with him and left the Security Bureau.
All the while, she combed through her memories searching for Marquis Moseley, but no matter how hard she thought, his name was utterly unfamiliar.
As Udiet emerged, lost in bewilderment, Henry—who had been waiting for her outside the Security Bureau—waved his hand.
“You must be weary, madam. I trust they didn’t subject you to anything unpleasant inside.”
“Nothing to worry about. But Henry, how did this all come about?”
Udiet moved close to Henry and lowered her voice.
“Marquis Moseley vouched for me, but do you know him? Is he acquainted with you? He seems like an extraordinarily important person.”
Though she didn’t know who he was, the fact that a marquis had vouched for her was reason enough for them to release an attempted murderer suspect so easily—so he was clearly a man of considerable influence.
“He is close to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Ah, I see. She tried to recall if she’d seen him in the original work, but her memory wouldn’t cooperate. How many confidants did the male protagonist have? She’d only remember someone if they’d earned a reputation like that advisor who’d once called Ern “a madman”—that sort of thing.
“And it wasn’t my connection—it was Ern’s.”
“Ern’s? You mean Ern actually has connections?”
Udiet recoiled in astonishment.
“I was already surprised he had friends given his personality, but to think he has connections willing to grant favors like this—it’s more shocking than when Cliff coughed up blood.”
“Grateful I saved you, clearly.”
At the voice striking down from behind, Udiet flinched. When Ern turned his head and their eyes met, he dragged his palm across his face.
“My personality may be rough, but hearing that sort of thing from you irritates me considerably.”
“What’s wrong with my personality? I’m the sort who can live without laws.”
“That’s not something you should be saying fresh out of the Security Bureau, is it?”
He grumbled back at her, but truth be told, when Cliff had coughed up blood and collapsed, Ern had been quite panicked as well. Between the gasping Cliff being carried away and Udiet being dragged to the Security Bureau, Ern had hesitated for a moment.
“How long do they keep you if you’re arrested on suspicion of poisoning?”
“At minimum a month. If Cliff dies, add another year. And that’s assuming you prove your innocence.”
If you fail to prove it, it’s execution, Henry had added, and Ern ran his hand through his hair irritably.
“You go to Briks Baronage. Tell them of my death, and ask them to help—say my wife is in a difficult situation, married to me just before I died.”
“Will a marquis really help just because of that?”
“He has a debt to repay me. He’ll help.”
After sending Henry to Marquis Moseley, Ern headed for the Security Bureau. It would have been the wiser choice to have sought out Cliff to learn the secret of his death. Whether Cliff was dying or not, he should have grabbed him by the collar and demanded to know what he’d done to him.
Yet his feet wouldn’t move in that direction. Udiet, who hadn’t batted an eye before the assassin’s corpse, had gone pale and lost when dragged to the Security Bureau. Seeing her terrified face, he simply couldn’t bring himself to go anywhere else.
‘I suppose coming back from the dead has made me weak.’
He’d even waited outside the Security Bureau in case something dangerous happened, and all she’d repaid him with was “does someone like you even have connections?” How infuriating.
“So what happened to Cliff?”
“He’s returned to his residence to receive treatment, I’m told.”
“He’ll survive, won’t he?”
He’d better survive. Udiet muttered worriedly.
“Otherwise I won’t get compensation for damages.”
……
Watching Udiet launch into talk of compensation money the moment she heard Cliff’s fate, Ern thought to himself:
At least this woman absolutely needed the law.
* * *
“Cough—gasp……”
Though the bleeding had stopped, Cliff’s throat burned as if aflame, and he thrashed across the bed, clutching at his neck.
“Hold his limbs steady.”
“Yes, sir.”
Four servants gripped Cliff’s flailing limbs as the Physician in a pristine white coat approached, pressed firmly against Cliff’s heaving chest, and dripped medicine between his parted lips.
“Swallow it. That’s how you’ll live.”
“Cough—”
Whether Cliff heard the Physician’s voice or not, he gulped down the medicine cascading into his throat. Not long after, Cliff’s struggling ceased.
“The rest of you, leave.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the four servants scurried from the room, the Physician continued trickling medicine into Cliff’s mouth. Only after he’d consumed an entire bowl did Cliff’s groaning fall silent.
“Breathe deeply now.”
As the Physician rose from the bed, an elderly Butler approached and wiped the frothy blood from the corners of Cliff’s mouth.
“Ah—”
As the pain receded, Cliff’s mind gradually returned. That woman—damn that woman—did she poison my teacup? He turned his head to ask what had become of Udiet.
“H—cough—”
Instead of his voice came a grating sound, and Cliff noticed this was not his personal physician but a different one. His eyes posed the silent question: who is this?, and the Physician, catching that glance, approached with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.
“You don’t recognize me, Cliff? We’ve met several times before.”
At the sight of the Physician’s face drawing near, Cliff’s pupils trembled as if the earth itself had quaked. How had this man come to be here…?
“We are always at your side.”
He glanced sideways at the elderly butler. As if answering that look, the butler gave a small nod.
Were those men and the butler working together? Betrayal surged through Cliff as he tried to clench his fist, but not a single finger would obey. Something was wrong. He attempted to move his left hand, but it was the same. Cliff realized he couldn’t move even a toe of his own accord, and his eyes filled with pitch-black dread.
“Which is why it would have been better if you’d contacted us before something like this happened.”
“Uh, uh-uh, uh, mm!”
“Don’t worry. Once you receive treatment, you’ll return to your former self in no time.”
The Physician smiled and gently patted Cliff’s shoulder as he struggled uselessly to sit up.
“Of course, we’ll do our utmost to treat you. You’re still necessary to us, after all, Cliff. Though I’m sure you’ll agree not to speak carelessly going forward.”
* * *
The assassin’s visits stopped. And at the same time, Cliff vanished somewhere.
“Did you find out anything?”
“He’s gone on a convalescence trip, apparently.”
After pursuing Cliff for several days, Ern had finally learned something of his whereabouts.
On the day Ern had spirited Udiet away from the Security Bureau, he went to find Cliff. Breaking into Cliff’s mansion was child’s play for Ern, but he had no gift for waking a patient who wouldn’t stir no matter how hard you shook him.
When Ern returned another day, Cliff was already gone. Ern had to spend days bustling about to discover where he’d gone.
“What kind of person flees on a convalescence trip like it’s a midnight escape?”
Udiet muttered to herself. Something didn’t sit right.
Before coughing up blood, Cliff had clearly been about to confess something. He didn’t seem to know why Ern had come back to life, but even so, Cliff was the only thread left to pull.
“Are you going to follow Cliff?”
Ern nodded. Once Cliff ended up in that state, the assassin hadn’t come again. With no more assassins coming, Udiet should be fine on her own now. Henry would look in on her from time to time.
“I’ll leave once I have the forged identification document.”
Ern still had no intention of letting the world know he was alive. But to follow Cliff to his convalescence in another province, he’d need papers.
In the end, Ern commissioned a forged identification document. He’d thought such a scrap of paper could be knocked out in a day, but apparently the order book was full—he’d have to wait at least ten days.
“Can’t it be done faster?”
“Everyone ahead of you has urgent business too, sir.”
You needed to make a reservation just to forge papers? How was this country even functioning?
In the end, Ern’s timeline was pushed back ten days. It would take time for Cliff’s condition to improve anyway, so that wasn’t a problem. The real problem lay elsewhere.
“Miss Herrington, didn’t I pull you out of prison by calling in old favors? Aren’t you grateful?”
He went and dropped himself down beside Udiet, who was making candles.
“It seems like there’s something you need.”
Udiet, whose instincts were sharp when it came to such things, cut straight to the point. If she was going to do that, he might as well skip the roundabout approach.
“Yeah, buy me a horse.”
“What?”
“Cliff traveled by carriage for his convalescence. How am I supposed to follow him on foot?”
Udiet cocked her head as she poured dye-infused wax into a glass bottle.
“Oh, but I’m not that grateful. What do I do? I heard somewhere that they even lend horses. Why don’t you borrow one?”
Udiet’s brazenness got under Ern’s skin. Whether he glared from beside her or not, she filled one basket completely and then pulled out another, saying:
“Carry one basket for me.”
“Now you’re asking me to work.”
“Then I’ll buy you dried meat.”
“Hmm.”
“Look, I’m being generous. I’ll buy you a new water bottle too.”
* * *
….
Dried meat and a new water bottle.
Strictly speaking, they were essential items for the long journey chasing after Cliff, but standing here with the basket tucked under his arm while waiting for Udiet to return from delivering candles felt oddly peculiar.
Not exactly unpleasant—more like the feeling of being a dog trotting along in hopes of a treat? Ern stood with a scowl twisting his face at a sensation he’d never felt in his life, when Udiet emerged from the Briks Baronage, her face bright as morning. She must have gotten a tip. Just as Ern took a step toward her, a tall young man spoke to Udiet.
“Excuse me, excuse me, lady.”
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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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