I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 101

 

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The Holy Mother Dedication Ceremony was proceeding more perfectly than any other year.

 

It wasn’t over yet since it would continue until the evening star rose in the night sky, but the stories already being heard were extraordinary.

 

The noble ladies highly praised the Empress’s meticulous attention to following procedures and etiquette precisely, and the religious order also expressed satisfaction, saying she followed the laws of Scripture without the slightest deviation.

 

In other words, it also meant there was no room for the ‘problems’ the Emperor had found fault with to arise.

 

“Your Grace.”

 

Edwin, who had been sitting alone in the small prayer room, awakened from his thoughts at someone’s call.

 

A priest carefully entered and sat beside him.

 

“I apologize for being late. An unexpected matter arose.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Princess Rosalind’s marriage has just been decided. But the other party is…”

 

Edwin didn’t particularly like it when people beat around the bush.

 

Receiving his sharp gaze, the priest immediately got to the point.

 

“It’s the boy king Karl II of Pavia.”

 

“Karl II? Isn’t he a Protestant?”

 

Naturally, Rosalind was a member of the Arzenbach Orthodox Church.

 

For her to marry into the Pavia Royal Family, conversion would be essential, but Pavia wasn’t significant enough a nation to warrant that.

 

That’s why in most lives, Rosalind became the crown princess of Marsen.

 

In fact, excluding the Marsen Royal House, there weren’t many families that matched the status of the Valdin Imperial Family.

 

But suddenly Karl II of Pavia?

 

“Have the royal marriage procedures already begun? Why didn’t anyone know until things reached this point?”

 

“No. This is news that just came from the Ambassador Reception Hall.”

 

The priest explained in detail what had happened at the reception hall, saying this was why he was late.

 

The Pavia Ambassador who had just arrived today had an audience with Vittorio IV, and the Emperor proposed a marriage between Princess Rosalind and Karl II right there on the spot.

 

It was said that no one on the Valdin side had known about this either.

 

“Pavia… wouldn’t refuse, of course.”

 

“Yes, the ambassador said he needed to confirm the king’s intentions, but he seemed quite pleased.”

 

As it happened, Caterina, Karl II’s half-sister who posed a threat to him, was currently in exile in Valdin.

 

Last winter, Empress Mariana had pitied her wandering situation across the continent and arranged a small residence for her, allowing her access to the Imperial Court.

 

If this marriage proposal went through in such circumstances, Caterina would be expelled from the country again.

 

“I’ll report immediately if any new information is confirmed.”

 

“Very well.”

 

Having finished his business, the priest quietly left the prayer room.

 

Left alone, Edwin stroked his chin.

 

“This is troublesome.”

 

Was the Emperor really planning to convert? Such a worst-case choice?

 

Thinking back to past lives, it did seem unlikely, to be honest.

 

But today, not only did he disrupt the Holy Mother’s Dedication Ceremony, he even proposed a royal marriage to Pavia—the Emperor’s intentions were clearly pointing toward one specific direction.

 

If by any chance Vittorio IV wasn’t just speaking in passing but truly declared his conversion.

 

‘Elisia won’t just stand by.’

 

Honestly speaking, she wasn’t particularly devout in her faith.

 

Her beliefs were directed toward the citizens, not religion.

 

This was precisely the problem.

 

The Northern Region was an area where Arzenbach Orthodoxy held strong influence. If the Emperor declared his conversion, fierce resistance was as clear as day, and large-scale religious persecution would be unavoidable.

 

Of course, there was also the option of declaring a holy war and making the Northern Region independent from the Empire, but even in this case, there would be too much blood to shed.

 

In either case, she would suffer.

 

Edwin could never bear to see that sight, even if it meant his death.

 

“…How frustrating.”

 

He had lived countless lives.

 

After wandering and roaming through endless worlds searching for the disappeared Elze, he had become unable to feel affection or interest in any world.

 

In his first few lives, there were times when he did his best to become an excellent ruler.

 

But at some point, he gave up on everything.

 

Since it was a world that would disappear anyway.

 

‘But this life is different.’

 

She is here.

 

At first, just her existence in this world seemed like a dream, but as time passed, Edwin developed greater desires.

 

To grow old together with Elisia…

 

He came to wish that he could spend his long, arduous life entirely by her side until the very end.

 

“Then I cannot just remain powerless.”

 

Edwin’s eyes gleamed more clearly than ever as he murmured those words.

 

Leaving the prayer room, he answered the attendant who asked about his next destination.

 

“To Grand Duke Heidelberg’s residence.”

 

* * *

 

Before I knew it, it had become completely dark outside the window.

 

The Holy Mother’s Dedication Ceremony that had started during the day was also nearing its end.

 

‘Ah, I want to lie down. Can’t I just pretend to be crazy and lie down on the floor? If it’s Elisia, it might actually work.’

 

My mind started becoming hazy around eight hours after my back left the bed, and now that twelve hours had passed, I just wanted to faint.

 

But I still had to endure about three more hours.

 

I felt like grabbing that damn morning star by the collar and asking why it rose so late.

 

“Mother…”

 

“Shh, Joseph.”

 

Compared to me, who was pretending to pray fervently while dozing with my eyes closed, six-year-old Joseph was much more dignified.

 

I could see how much effort Mariana had put into teaching him.

 

But even that boy was reaching his limit as he began to fidget. A small whimper mixed into Joseph’s breathing as he clutched his mother’s collar.

 

No matter how much royal education he had received, he was still just a young child.

 

I, who had been slowly dying, finally lifted my heavy eyelids.

 

“Look at this.”

 

Using the small reading stand with the scripture on it as a backdrop, I made tiny animal shadows with my fingers.

 

A rabbit tilting its head, a running puppy, a fluttering butterfly.

 

Joseph’s eyes widened in wonder.

 

“Wow… Sister, how did you do that?”

 

“It’s not difficult. I’ll teach you later.”

 

“Are there other ones too?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Being skilled at caring for children, I showed him several more animals.

 

When I increased the difficulty level from before, Joseph’s mood quickly brightened. The boy whispered excitedly.

 

“Sister, sister, this is a deer, right?”

 

“How clever. It was worth sacrificing my finger joints.”

 

Creating deer antlers with human fingers that have limited range of motion required some sacrifice.

 

Thanks to that, the child’s expression shifted slightly from wonder toward shock, but anyway.

 

Just then, I heard Rosalind’s small snicker from beside me.

 

“Sister, you’re not even a child, what are you doing?”

 

“You were laughing just now too.”

 

“Th-this and that are the same? I was just laughing because what sister was doing was funny…!”

 

“That’s exactly what we call laughing.”

 

“…”

 

Acting cocky when she gets defeated by a single word.

 

Rosalind had been picking fights since our first meeting, but the gap in our verbal skills was too wide for me to bother putting up thorns to deal with her.

 

‘This is why hothouse flowers are no good.’

 

I ignored Rosalind who was fuming without being able to respond, while also quietly avoiding Mariana’s gaze as she glared this way wondering what the commotion was about.

 

The moon was setting.

 

Finally the morning star rose and it was time for communion, signaling the end of the ceremony.

 

As the hall became a bit noisy with the sharing of bread and wine, those who had been dozing including myself suddenly opened their eyes and wiped their saliva-dampened lips.

 

Mariana also carefully woke the child who had fallen asleep leaning against her.

 

“Joseph, wake up.”

 

“I’m so sleepy, Mother…”

 

“It’s almost over.”

 

Just then, bread and wine arrived at our seats as well.

 

In Lombard, even great nobles ate dry rye bread during communion, but the southern version was fluffy wheat bread.

 

Is this the majesty of a granary region where double and triple cropping is possible?

 

I was thinking how tearfully envious I was while chewing on a small piece of bread when it happened.

 

“Kek—”

 

Joseph clutched his throat and let out a weak groan.

 

At first I thought he had just choked for a moment, but his red, plump cheeks suddenly turned pale for some reason.

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