I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 17

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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 17

Sensing something from Edwin’s expression, Bertol spoke up again.

“Master, are you truly alright?”

“Of course.”

Edwin was indifferent to most things, but he often unintentionally showed his vulnerabilities to Bertol, who had served him since childhood.

In truth, he was comfortable with him.

Bertol was tight-lipped and loyal, and having watched over him since childhood, he even felt something akin to paternal affection for Edwin—there was no reason to be wary of him.

‘I’m the only one who has changed.’

Edwin smiled bitterly.

Nightmarish old memories consumed him, but the moment he saw the empty teacup, he was pulled back to reality.

“I just thought it might be fine to give her a chance.”

“Master.”

“It’s true that the territory’s problems were solved thanks to Elisia, isn’t it?”

“Yes, the ability the Duchess is hiding may be of great help to our Lombard in the future. But what matters most to me is none other than you, Master.”

Bertol seemed to be thinking about the previous generation’s affairs.

But he was misunderstanding one thing.

The reason he had hated that woman wasn’t because of the previous generation’s affairs. He wouldn’t deny that there was once such a foolish time.

Edwin continued with a much lighter expression.

“If Elisia handles official duties well, it’s a benefit to our Lombard. If she fails and makes mistakes, we can use that as leverage to demand other things from the Imperial Palace.”

“Surely you don’t mean…”

“Either way, it’s not a losing proposition. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Edwin closed the documents and rose from his seat.

Bertol looked confused, unable to read his master’s true intentions, but contrary to his concerns, Edwin’s mood wasn’t particularly bad.

“I’ll be away for a few days, so please handle internal affairs as you have been.”

“Don’t worry, Master.”

The elderly chamberlain soon cleared his confusion.

Bertol didn’t raise his bowed head until the young lord’s footsteps disappeared beyond the corridor.

* * *

After parting with the Duke, I immediately began preparations to receive guests.

What’s coming this time is an Inquisitor.

Moreover, one directly dispatched by the Minister of the Inquisition who received the Pope’s decree—in other words, a top-level core figure from the Great Cathedral.

‘The Duke said it seems to be because of him, but I can’t be relieved just because of that.’

The Great Cathedral’s influence was truly tremendous, exerting strong influence not only on Baldin but on many nations.

Especially since the current Pope was from another nation’s imperial family, he held both political and religious authority.

Someone like me, a collateral imperial princess who became like a kite with a broken string after my father’s death, could be dealt with easily depending on the circumstances.

‘Perhaps someone reported that someone was possessed by a demon.’

There’s a saying that a thief’s feet tingle.

In fact, since I wasn’t certain why I had been revived, I might have been more startled by the news of the Inquisitor’s arrival.

Anyway, I steadily prepared to make the Inquisitor shed tears of emotion at my overflowing faithfulness and abandon all suspicions about me.

Though no specific visit date was designated, according to custom, they would arrive about three months after the special envoy’s dispatch.

I would be extremely busy for a while, but fortunately, there was sufficient time.

I first conveyed my intention to visit the Lombard Diocese Cathedral.

And a few days later, the diocese arranged the earliest possible audience date along with their welcome.

“My goodness, isn’t this the Duchess!”

“Please feel free to call me Elisia, Archbishop.”

“How could I dare do such a thing?!”

The Archbishop responsible for the Northern Imperial Diocese came rushing out in haste to greet me as I stepped down from the carriage.

I greeted him with the most faithful expression possible.

“Actually, I should have visited to pay my respects much earlier, but it took some time to adapt after marrying into Lombard.”

“The climate here is quite unforgiving. I’m also from the south, so I suffered from colds for months after being assigned to the Lombard Diocese, haha!”

“I’ll visit frequently from now on.”

After brief greetings, I participated in mass like any other noblewoman, read scripture, and even completed confession.

Afterward, I was guided to the Archbishop’s reception room.

Only after exchanging appropriate pleasantries like when I first stepped out of the carriage did I gradually move to the main topic.

“As you well know, Archbishop, I did many shameful things in the past.”

“Hmm, hehe… Everyone has such times when they’re young.”

“I sincerely regret it. Only after marrying into Lombard and seeing the people’s lives up close did I finally mature. So I want to repent for my past and confess my faith to God.”

“What kind of confession?”

By now, the Archbishop must have gotten the gist.

His acting of pretending not to know was quite excellent, so I continued with the most faithful expression possible.

“I’d like to donate a giant golden cross to the cathedral. What do you think, Archbishop?”

“A g-golden cross?!”

“Though it’s difficult to measure the size of faith with worldly objects, I still wanted to express my sincere heart in some way.”

I presented the cross blueprint I had prepared in advance.

The Archbishop’s eyes became the largest I’d ever seen as he confirmed it would fill an entire wall of the chapel.

Everything was going according to plan.

‘I already knew the Archbishop was crazy about worldly objects.’

He was looking completely smitten with me—or more precisely, with my wealth.

He seemed ready to grant any request of mine without hesitation, but what I had prepared didn’t end there.

“Naturally, I’ve prepared a separate donation. Please use it for good works.”

“Ah, God will surely joyfully accept Madam’s broad and deep faith!”

The Archbishop’s mouth split wide as he casually glanced at the number of zeros on the check I had filled out, pretending not to be interested.

He seemed greatly impressed by my faithfulness(?), repeatedly bowing his head and expressing gratitude.

‘At this rate, it’s hard to tell whether it’s God or the Archbishop who will joyfully accept it, but well…’

There was a reason I was going this far.

When a priest receives a mission and is dispatched to another region, it’s standard procedure to visit the local diocese cathedral first.

And high-ranking figures are usually greeted by someone of appropriate status, such as an archbishop, according to custom.

‘They say first impressions are important in everything.’

Even just one good word from the Archbishop about me could completely change the Inquisitor’s first impression of me.

So I was extending my hand first.

“Since you’ve taken the trouble to make this precious visit, how about touring the sanctuary? There are areas normally not open to outsiders, but for a deeply faithful Duchess like yourself, that’s an entirely different matter.”

“Then I’ll gratefully accept the Archbishop’s kindness.”

The Archbishop, who had been extremely attentive but became even more so, began to personally offer to guide me.

“This way, please. This area houses the sacred relics of His Holiness Andresillius I, the first Pope—”

I let the Archbishop’s explanation go in one ear and out the other as I looked down below the window.

I could see people gathered like clouds along the cathedral’s outer walls.

When I stopped walking, the Archbishop stopped as well.

“Is there some trouble at the cathedral?”

“Ah, Lombard’s winters are particularly long and harsh, aren’t they? Since there are many starving people this winter as well, we distribute daily bread once a day.”

“Wait a moment.”

I was confused.

No, more precisely, it was closer to not understanding the scene before my eyes.

“Isn’t large-scale construction currently underway throughout Lombard?”

“I heard you plan to renovate all the churches and monasteries. Now that the long-vacant mistress position has been filled, wouldn’t the territory finally be returning to its stable former state?”

“I ordered that the workers’ wages be paid daily and meals also be provided at the construction site…”

The Archbishop’s flattery no longer reached my ears.

‘Let me prioritize the tasks before welcoming guests.’

Preparing accommodations, training servants, and preparing meals and banquets were certainly important, but these didn’t require much time.

So I ordered the construction of the old churches and monasteries first.

By showing cleanly renovated churches and monasteries to impress the Inquisitor, I also partially expected the effect of stimulating the winter domestic economy.

The plan was to circulate money in Lombard through large-scale construction.

‘Surely they didn’t embezzle this…’

No matter how corrupt the Holy Official might be, I expected them to have at least minimal conscience.

Lombard’s winters are long and harsh.

Farming is difficult and food self-sufficiency is low, so without central intervention, many people freeze to death in winter.

Therefore, this construction was a good opportunity.

Since it happened to be the farming off-season, I thought we could employ Territory Residents to create jobs and even aim for regional economic revitalization.

‘Even if they’re noble-born Bureaucrats, they couldn’t have been unaware of the people’s winter lives.’

It was the moment when my expectation that they would have at least minimal conscience and common sense was shattered to pieces.

The people of Lombard are still starving.

Then who exactly are the people working at the construction site now and where did they come from?

‘Just how far has the corruption of Lombard’s Bureaucrats gone?’

My grip on the railing turned white.

* * *

Meanwhile, someone was looking down from afar at Elisia standing like a faithful wife’s stone before the window.

Large glasses that covered half his face, and beneath them a vaguely visible strong nose bridge and sharp jawline.

He was a man who drew attention in many ways, with his tall height and broad muscles that didn’t match the shabby robes of a Lower Priest.

The man’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“Ah, found you.”

Everything according to God’s arrangement.

His blood-red hair fluttered in the wind.

* * *

“Baron?”

“Yes yes! My beloved, respected, cherished Madam who deserves all the praise in the world!”

Count Baron, who spotted me, came running with his mustache fluttering.

In fact, the Baron had been excluded from promotion candidates for quite a long time.

Just when he was anxious about being pushed out of power, he was promoted thanks to me—though the reason for promotion was quite insulting to me—so I could feel his loyalty visibly rising.

The person standing next to the Baron also hurried over and bowed his head to me.

“I am Clayton Viscount, the civil engineering inspector who will oversee this construction. It is truly an honor to greet Madam.”

“Nice to meet you.”

I threw the gloves he had kissed on the back of my hand into the fireplace without hesitation.

With a whoosh, large flames rose and soon died down.

Regardless, Clayton continued speaking as smoothly as if his tongue were oiled.

“Indeed, the public reputation was no exaggeration. Seeing Madam’s appearance directly, even the expression ‘beauty that topples nations’ seems insufficient. I have never seen such a beautiful person in my life.”

Perhaps because I had witnessed the Baron’s promotion, which I had thought hopeless.

Clayton’s eyes, as he flattered me, gleamed with ambition for success and advancement.

He seemed ready to do anything to please me.

And the Baron’s gaze watching him was like that of a Concubine who had lost favor.

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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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