I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 105

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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 105

 

* * *

 

The moment their lips touched, the world fell silent.

 

Edwin had only intended to lightly catch Elisia as she rushed toward him to prevent her from falling.

 

But the silk nightgown she wore happened to be far too thin and slippery.

 

He thought he should catch her again, but the body heat transmitted through just one layer of nightgown and the sweet scent that penetrated deep into his lungs drained all strength from him.

 

When he came to his senses, their lips were already pressed together.

 

“…!”

 

Blue eyes trembled greatly.

 

Elisia froze in surprise, but Edwin couldn’t tear his gaze away from her.

 

Self-control was as natural as breathing to him.

 

This was the reason he could maintain his sanity without being consumed by boiling despair and rage even while wandering through countless worlds.

 

Edwin’s self-control was unparalleled.

 

If it had been any other time, it surely would have been the same.

 

But now, his entire sense of reason was crumbling.

 

The moment he held Elisia’s delicate body and tasted her sweet lips, something in his mind that had been suppressed for so long twisted.

 

“I’m sorry! That’s what you get for teasing people….”

 

Elisia quickly raised her head and shouted something, but she couldn’t continue her words.

 

It was because Edwin had swallowed them all.

 

Their lips overlapped once again. Edwin turned his body while keeping their lips pressed together and laid Elisia down on the sofa.

 

The kiss continued. They were so close that it was impossible to distinguish whose breath was whose.

 

Elisia seemed a little surprised at first.

 

But soon her eyes slowly closed as she pulled Edwin’s nape closer. The meaning of her action was clear.

 

In that moment, the reason Edwin had barely been holding onto shattered completely.

 

It was right when he was breathing roughly, unable to hold back.

 

“Lord, you didn’t answer when I called, so I’m just coming in. The meal has arrived….”

 

Gareth, who opened the door, and the servant who followed behind carrying a tray suddenly stopped in their tracks.

 

Since coming to the Imperial Palace, Edwin had conducted poison detection on all of Elisia’s meals.

 

Especially given the precedent with Lady Olden, he had arranged for Gareth, his chief aide, to personally handle everything related to her safety.

 

Just like Edwin correcting false rumors about Elisia behind the scenes, this was one of the backstories she was unaware of.

 

“…!”

 

Meanwhile, focus returned to Elisia’s eyes that had been dreamily unfocused.

 

She silently looked back and forth several times between Gareth and the servant standing at the entrance, and Edwin right in front of her.

 

He wondered why her reaction was so quiet, but it seemed her thoughts had temporarily stopped from being too shocked.

 

‘Ah, I guess she’s finished thinking.’

 

Elisia’s face turned even redder than Count Baron’s letter that had burned to ashes!

 

At the same time, Edwin, whose reason had returned, clicked his tongue quietly and sat up.

 

He naturally concealed Elisia, whose clothes were disheveled, behind his back as he continued speaking.

 

“You’re good in every way, but you really have no sense of the situation.”

 

“Didn’t you say that’s exactly why you like me?”

 

“….”

 

Right, I chose Gareth as my aide because I liked his straightforward nature that didn’t overthink things unnecessarily.

 

Living up to these expectations, Gareth truly seemed to have no thoughts whatsoever about what he had just witnessed.

 

But that wasn’t what was important right now.

 

Edwin heard the sound of teeth grinding behind him—thinking his eardrums might burst once Gareth and the servant left—and instructed them to leave the meal and go.

 

The servant, fearing he might get caught in the crossfire, hurriedly rushed over, set the tray down at a distance, and disappeared as if fleeing.

 

Gareth followed suit and left, closing the door behind him.

 

Edwin felt a type of nervousness he had never experienced even when facing the Great Demon, and very carefully began to speak.

 

“Um, your meal has arrived.”

 

“I must be going crazy… Wh-what am I going to do, he saw everything, wh-what do I do?! Aaaaaahhh!!”

 

That day, it is said that Edwin begged on his hands and knees until Elisia’s anger subsided.

 

* * *

 

After that day, several changes occurred in my life.

 

First, things became a bit awkward between Edwin and me.

 

Actually, his attitude hadn’t changed much from before, but I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I could hardly look him straight in the face.

 

‘If you asked me whether I disliked it… honestly, it felt good.’

 

His touch as he held me as if I were more precious than anything in the world, and his rough, hot body temperature.

 

It was an ecstatic sensation I had never felt before.

 

That’s why being alone with Edwin became even more embarrassing. Having gotten a taste of playing with fire (?), there was no guarantee I wouldn’t cause another accident next time.

 

I even had this thought once.

 

Maybe I should find that miraculous acupuncturist Ramon mentioned who could make even a paralyzed man stand up… Wait, what am I thinking right now?!

 

Anyway, that’s why I left Edwin alone and busily ran around outside for once.

 

But there were limits to pretending to be busy.

 

Elisia’s original connections were of poor quality, and the new connections I had made were as cramped as a monastery single room.

 

Even Isabella’s literary society was still some time away.

 

So while looking for places to kill time—

 

“Sister, what shadow play will you teach me today?!”

 

“How about a deer.”

 

“May I exercise my right to refuse?”

 

“When did you learn to talk like that…”

 

I frequently visited the Empress Palace, which seemed the most manageable (?), and grew close to Joseph.

 

In the cold imperial court, it seemed there were hardly any people who treated Joseph well, as he was likely to be pushed to the periphery of power in the future.

 

Perhaps secretly longing for affection, the boy came to follow me well.

 

Growing close to his mother Mariana was also a natural progression.

 

“Elisia, what is this ‘deer’ that makes Joseph’s face turn serious whenever that word comes up?”

 

“You could say it’s an activity that tests the range of motion of finger joints.”

 

“…?”

 

Mariana was also in a lonely position in the imperial court.

 

Since Lady Perez, Vittorio IV’s favored mistress, was acting as the mistress of the court, there was no place for Mariana to step forward except for official events.

 

Caterina, who had happened to visit the Empress Palace, joined this gathering of idle people.

 

And with Isabella, Caterina’s relative, also joining, the four-person party was complete.

 

Though it was a group formed by chance, their personalities and thoughts unexpectedly matched well, and it quickly developed into a small book club.

 

Isabella, who had been reading aloud, suddenly turned her gaze toward the window.

 

“The court seems particularly noisy today.”

 

“I heard there’s a mounted spear tournament.”

 

“Ah.”

 

She tried to resume reading, but Isabella’s voice was drowned out by the passionate cheers of the spectators that erupted periodically.

 

Finally, Isabella closed the book and smiled.

 

“At this rate, we’ll end up reading the flow of the match instead of the book.”

 

“The red team seems to be winning. His Majesty the Emperor must be pleased.”

 

Caterina’s expression was cynical as she replied.

 

In reality, she meant not the Emperor but his mistress, Lady Perez.

 

She was an avid fan of mounted tournaments and never missed appearing whenever events were held.

 

Thanks to this, Mariana was in a position where she was semi-forcibly confined to the palace.

 

Having both the Empress and the mistress appear in the same place would do no good for the Imperial House’s reputation, but Lady Perez was the type who didn’t care about such things.

 

On the contrary, the Emperor even protected and defended such a Lady Perez.

 

Isabella, who lightly signaled to Caterina with a small sigh, changed the subject.

 

“There’s a riding tournament in a few days. Are you all participating?”

 

Horsemanship was a basic accomplishment for nobles regardless of gender.

 

Even if it wasn’t as perilous as mounted spear tournaments, female nobles also wanted a stage to showcase the skills they had honed.

 

Caterina was the first to answer.

 

“Of course I plan to participate. I can’t miss the chance to show off Pavia’s equestrian arts. What about the rest of you?”

 

“I think I’ll abstain. I should leave the shining trophies to the young people now.”

 

“I used to love horsemanship in my youth, but after becoming a mother, I tend to avoid dangerous activities. Thinking of Joseph, I have no choice but to always be careful.”

 

Mariana, who had been speaking with a calm expression, looked at me.

 

“Shall I guess Elisia’s answer? Since you’ve loved showing off your riding skills since childhood, you’ll definitely participate this time too.”

 

“Oh my, then shall I go out to cheer for once?”

 

“…Eh?”

 

Having spent the entire gathering as a supporting role, happily gazing only at Isabella, I looked up in bewilderment.

 

‘What kind of nonsense is this for someone like me who hates all exercise except breathing exercises?!’

 

Actually, it wasn’t that I couldn’t ride horses.

 

Lombard had rough mountain terrain with many paths where carriages couldn’t enter, so most northerners learned horsemanship as a necessity.

 

Moreover, since I had a low status and mainly handled outer castle wall duties, I had even more occasions to travel long distances on horseback.

 

The problem here was that ‘being able to do it’ and ‘wanting to do it’ were not synonymous.

 

Just as I was about to smile calmly and say I would abstain.

 

“Elze is not only excellent in literature but also in equestrian arts. Having gained such a versatile wife, Duke Lombard is truly blessed.”

 

My idol Isabella called me by my nickname—in some sense, my real name—in a friendly manner and praised me.

 

She even said this.

 

“I happen to have many acquaintances who want to meet Elze. That day seems perfect for introducing each other, so what do you think, Elze?”

 

“….”

 

I silently gave a thumbs up.

 

It was the moment my participation in the riding tournament was confirmed.

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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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