I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 16

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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 16

Five people emerged from the reception room.

A clergyman who appeared to be of quite high rank, his three assistants, and finally the Duke who came out to see them off.

“It was an honor to meet you, Cardinal Andre.”

“You are too kind. His Holiness is also keeping a close eye on Duke Lombard’s military achievements, so I look forward to even more brilliant accomplishments in the future. May God’s grace be upon you.”

The Cardinal, who shook hands with the Duke, then gave me a light nod and left.

I also bent my knees slightly and waited for the Cardinal’s entire party to depart.

When the sound of footsteps disappeared, I raised my head.

“Are the guests leaving just like this? I thought they would stay for at least two or three days.”

“His Holiness the Pope has just been elected. It would be difficult for Cardinal Andre, who is His Holiness’s closest confidant, to be away from the Great Cathedral for long.”

“That’s fortunate. Then may I go back now?”

I had come to greet the guests, but since the guests had left, there was no need for me to stay here any longer.

I was about to leave when the Duke spoke to me.

“There’s something urgent I need to discuss with you. Please come in for a moment.”

“You don’t have a cat allergy, do you?”

“Fortunately, I don’t.”

Tch.

I didn’t want to be alone with the Duke, but there were many watching eyes around, and more importantly, it seemed to be related to the Cardinal’s party that had just visited, so I went inside out of curiosity.

The Duke, who guided me to the sofa, began as expected.

“It seems we’ll have guests from the Great Cathedral soon. They say they plan to stay in Northern Lombard for a while, so I’d like you to prepare for them.”

“Important guests, I suppose?”

The Duke nodded and handed me a letter instead of explaining.

I considered pretending I couldn’t read even now, but found it too bothersome to act stupid, so I just read it. It was too late to hide it anyway.

The content was simple.

Someone would be dispatched to Lombard to carry out the Pope’s mission, and during their stay, there should be no negligence whatsoever.

When I put down the letter after reading it, the Duke continued.

“So I’d like to ask you to handle the hospitality for our guests.”

“Me handle the hospitality? Oh my, of course I can’t do that.”

“I thought so. I must have overestimated your abilities.”

I thought so? What does “I thought so” mean?!

…is what the old me would have shouted, but the reborn me was regrettably not thirsty enough for others’ recognition to fall for such childish provocation.

Whatever.

“That’s unfortunate. It would have been a chance to make a good impression on the Minister of the Inquisition.”

“The Inquisition Ministry?”

“The Faith Doctrine Ministry. This visitor is said to be a direct investigator under the Minister.”

The Minister of the Inquisition Ministry was a position with authority ranking among the top in the Great Cathedral, following the Pope and the Secretary of State.

But the really important part was something else.

The Inquisition Ministry was also called the Faith Doctrine Ministry or the Inquisition Bureau!

“Why would the Minister of the Inqu… I mean, the Inquisition Ministry send someone all the way to Lombard? Someone must have committed heretical acts, right?”

“Who knows. Perhaps they received a report that someone was possessed by a demon.”

“Haha, demons? Just hearing about them is sc-scary. There’s no way such things really exist in the world, right?”

Even as I spoke, my spine shivered.

If the Minister of the Inquisition Bureau was personally dispatching someone, just how serious must the report have been.

Or perhaps it was a report about someone of such high status that the Minister had to personally intervene.

For instance—

‘Me?’

The moment I recognized the threat to my life, my brain, which had been lazily relaxed, began spinning like crazy.

I had to make sure the Inquisitor wouldn’t harbor even the slightest suspicion. No, I had to give them no chance to be suspicious at all.

The method ultimately converged on one point.

‘Moving the Inquisitor with my faithfulness.’

Using every possible means to touch the Inquisitor’s heart and send them back to the Great Cathedral.

If necessary, even by waving something (?) made by forming my thumb and index finger into a circle…!

“We can’t leave such important guests only to the servants. I’ll do it!”

“You should be able to handle it well.”

“Of course!”

Having received a definite answer, the Duke continued in a light voice.

“The Inquisitor might have business with me as well.”

“…Huh?”

What could this sudden statement mean?

I blinked at this unexpected information, but the Duke looked nonchalant.

“I caused some trouble beyond the Northern Wall.”

“Uh, what kind of trouble?”

“Are you curious? If you want to know, I wouldn’t mind telling you.”

The Duke’s gaze as he stared at me was eerily clear to answer that I was really curious.

And unfortunately, I had the heart of a young goat…

I quietly averted my gaze as if I wasn’t curious at all, but my eyes happened to fall on the refreshments that the Cardinal hadn’t even touched.

Suddenly, grumble, my stomach churned.

‘Aaah!’

The problem was that I had skipped breakfast.

An ordinary gentleman would have considerately pretended not to notice and naturally moved on, but unfortunately, the Duke was far from that kind of consideration.

“I think I heard a strange sound just now. Did you skip a meal?”

“…”

“I think I hear it again.”

“Pl-please consider a lady’s dignity!”

Yes, it would have been unimaginable for the old me.

Except for the brief period right after my parents died when I lived like a wreck, I really put all my strength into shoving food into my mouth.

Even when chewing and swallowing was torture, I never skipped meals.

Because while no one would be sad if I died, there were plenty who would mock me.

But now I was Elisia, and the situation was incomparably more comfortable than before. There was no reason to desperately cling to eating.

It was just something from the past that had disappeared forever…

But why was it that the Duke’s gaze looking at me became strangely crumpled?

“What time is it and you still haven’t eaten? I didn’t train the servants that carelessly.”

“I just had some things to do.”

“What things?”

“Do I have to report all my personal affairs to Your Grace?”

“It must be true then. Who is it? That servant.”

Making such a face when he’s not even really worried about me.

I thought someone who didn’t know the Duke’s true nature, or if it were the real Elisia, would be perfect for misunderstanding.

‘He must not like that the castle servants are acting on their own.’

Being from a military background, he was sensitive about discipline and order.

Not wanting to think deeper, I ended up hastily blurting out anything.

“I’m on a diet. It’s basic etiquette for a lady.”

“Ah.”

Diet—the Duke, muttering that, rarely showed a troubled expression.

His sharp eyes had somehow returned to normal.

“That’s unfortunate. I prefer voluptuous women… ugh!”

Without listening further, I kicked the table.

It was already annoying that he usually insulted my eyes, but now he was spouting such nonsense that I got even more irritated and my leg moved first.

Thanks to that, Duke who bumped his knee let out a death cry and collapsed.

“Since your mouth is still working, I suppose there’s no need to worry about your injuries.”

I glanced down at the back of his hand.

I heard that a full investigation had been launched into Patrick’s corruption as the mine manager.

But I hadn’t heard anything about Duke who was injured trying to save me, which had been weighing on my mind and making me feel guilty, but seeing him rolling around on the iron floor, it was indeed a needless worry.

However, Duke seemed to have interpreted my scolding completely differently.

With a slightly surprised expression, he murmured.

“Were you worried about me?”

“No.”

“Didn’t you just show concern for my wound? Why…”

“Now it seems your hearing has problems too. I recommend you get examined by your personal physician.”

Just because the word personal physician was mentioned didn’t mean it was all worry, but Duke’s attitude became subtly relaxed.

Then he continued speaking like a clueless boss suggesting a company dinner on Friday evening.

“I happen to be before my meal as well. How about we dine together while discussing the guest reception?”

“I’ll consider this my meal.”

I quickly snatched the dessert from the table.

The luxurious taste of madeleine filled with butter and sugar struck my taste buds.

Briefly holding my forehead from the distant dizziness, I quickly popped all the refreshments into my mouth.

Duke openly rested his chin on his hand as if watching my behavior.

“It’s nice to see you eat well. But didn’t you say you were on a diet?”

“I’ll start tomorrow.”

“Hmm.”

“What, why, what? If you keep looking at me with those eyes, the guest reception won’t go smoothly.”

At my subtle threat, Duke quietly closed his mouth. Even the mighty Duke Lombard seemed to fear the Inquisitor.

That ended our conversation.

I carefully picked up Nero, who was purring on my lap, and stood up from my seat.

Duke, who stood up almost simultaneously, stepped forward to block the door.

“I’ll tell Bertol, so feel free to use the budget.”

“Yes, then I won’t decline.”

“…”

“Do you have more to say?”

Standing face to face with Duke, old memories suddenly came flooding back.

In the past, despite the vast difference in status, Edwin didn’t particularly like it when I bowed my head to him.

It wasn’t just dislike—he would refuse with a serious expression.

So when I stood facing him, this area was always at my eye level.

His overwhelming height approaching nearly 2 meters, his broad shoulders, his loosely unbuttoned shirt collar, and the clear outline of his collarbone and chest visible between.

‘Once upon a time, it was like that.’

The past when I thought of him as my only friend with whom I could share my heart despite our different statuses, a lord worthy of gladly sacrificing my life for.

“…Then I’ll take my leave.”

Unable to bear it any longer, I broke the silence.

I slightly bent my knees in greeting and was about to reach for the door handle he was blocking.

Duke added as if he had just remembered something.

“I’ve prepared a small gift for my wife who is taking on official duties for the first time in a while.”

“Hmm?”

I unconsciously stopped in my tracks.

A gift from Duke would likely be of considerable value.

Even though I already had enough to live comfortably for a lifetime, this must be why they say human desire has no end.

Receiving my gaze, Duke continued with a much more generous expression.

“Unlike my wife who criticizes my taste, I always respect my wife’s preferences. So it would be proper to show such consideration to Count Baron.”

“…?”

“I will promote the Baron. I hope you’ll receive it gladly.”

This son of a bitch.

I will definitely pluck out those rotten eyes of his someday.

* * *

“Master, what are you thinking about?”

“Hmm?”

Edwin, who was turning through documents, looked up.

The elderly chamberlain was looking at him with a worried expression.

“About the Duchess. Not only did you promote Count Baron, her closest aide, but you also entrusted internal affairs to the Duchess.”

“Using the expression ‘entrusting internal affairs’ for just guest reception is quite an exaggeration.”

“But…”

Bertol hesitated, unable to continue his words.

Edwin wasn’t unaware of his thoughts.

He probably wanted to ask whether it was really okay for Elisia, the enemy of the previous generation, to take control of Lombard’s internal affairs.

‘Always so full of worries, then and now.’

Edwin chuckled and turned his gaze.

The spot where Elisia had been sitting came into view. The teacup showing its bottom and the cleanly emptied dessert plate.

Though it was nothing special, it particularly caught his eye.

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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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