I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 25
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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 25
“There are too many watching eyes inside the castle.”
“Good, and then?”
At Lady Olden’s urging, the servant recalled the next incident.
Even thinking about it now, it was truly terrifying. During her time in the Imperial Capital, even when she caused trouble, it wasn’t to this extent…
“She gave some official a very harsh punishment.”
“She punished him? How?”
“She had soldiers force the official to kneel on the ground, then slapped him countless times. She even kicked him with her feet.”
Lady Olden felt puzzled.
A personal attendant or guard would be one thing, but Elisia had virtually no reason to get involved with castle officials.
Nominally she was called the supervisor of this construction project, but how could someone with nothing in her head manage the affairs of a great territory like Lombard?
She even went out claiming to do inspections only to have romantic affairs with some corrupt priest.
“Did you hear why she punished the official?”
“I’m sorry. Unfortunately, outsider access was restricted in the area, so I couldn’t get close.”
The servant who shook his head continued speaking.
“However, Madam seemed to be reprimanding him for something. When she raised her voice, I could catch bits and pieces of the content.”
The servant explained the incident in as much detail as he could remember.
Madam insisted that something that hadn’t happened had occurred, and harshly pressed the official about it.
The official jumped up and protested his innocence, but the more he did so, the more furious Madam became, slapping his cheeks even harder.
Having heard this much, something flashed through Lady Olden’s mind.
“I see… it seems Madam is trying to establish discipline.”
“Establishing discipline, you say?”
It was something that often happened in the Imperial Capital too.
Finding fault with anything and making anyone kneel down to beg for forgiveness.
‘She’s trying to establish the mistress’s authority that way, but she only knows one thing and not two.’
The mistress’s position wasn’t one to rule with authority like a princess, but one that needed to earn the respect of officials and the hearts of Territory Residents.
‘The Imperial Palace methods won’t work at all.’
Lady Olden chuckled and praised the servant with a much softer expression.
The servant’s eyes widened at the gold coin that fell into his palm.
“Oh, such a large sum…!”
“It’s just a small token of my appreciation.”
Watching the servant who would jump into fire if the lady asked, a satisfied smile spread across Lady Olden’s lips.
There seemed to be no need to see more. Elisia was living much the same as she had in the Imperial Capital.
‘Stupid, crude, and dissolute.’
She felt pathetic for having suspected and been wary of such a woman, even briefly.
Lady Olden turned away, leaving the servant bowing enthusiastically.
Her steps were elegantly efficient.
* * *
At the same time, Vincent was moving along the ridges of the Valheim Mountains.
Even in the darkness without a trace of moonlight, his steps were sure.
“Ah, my God.”
Thick Dark Magic painfully clawed at his lungs.
But the more it did, the deeper the smile on Vincent’s lips became. He looked as if he was feeling pleasure even in pain.
Taking a deep breath, he whispered.
“There was a reason You sent me to this place.”
One night, God’s revelation came to the Pope in a dream.
An ominous energy had descended upon Northern Lombard. Massive Dark Magic had coiled itself around that land, devouring all life and order that God had created.
When he awoke, His Holiness could not shake his deep unease.
Thus he ordered the Holy See to dispatch a special investigator.
This was why Vincent had left the Holy Capital and come to this distant northern land.
“I wondered where I should look for heretics with no clues other than being somewhere in the north.”
But the moment he crossed the Valheim Gate, he sensed the ominous energy spread throughout Lombard.
God’s revelation was being realized without a single error.
Vincent thought finding the source of the Dark Magic rooted in this land was the most urgent task.
He disguised himself as a Lower Priest dispatched from the Holy Capital to move more freely.
But on the very first day he began his investigation, he encountered it all too easily.
As if by God’s arrangement.
‘Please come this way. This area houses the Sacred Relic of His Holiness Andresillius I, the first Pope—’
Duchess of Lombard, Elisia Valdin La Lombard.
He could sense an ominous energy from her.
But since the Duchess was of too high a status for a Lower Priest to approach, he instead infiltrated a monastery on the outer castle walls that she paid special attention to, using volunteer service as a pretext.
As expected, he encountered her under the guise of coincidence and was able to naturally become close to her.
Vincent observed her throughout.
He thought the Duchess was the being who would bring disaster to this land, but as time passed, only facts contrary to his expectations became clear.
Rather than the Duchess being the source of Dark Magic, he got the feeling that someone else with powerful Dark Magic existed separately around her.
The Dark Magic he sensed from her was merely traces left by a third party.
‘It’s not her then.’
From now on, he needed to search around the Duchess.
Thinking he had wasted his efforts made him irritated, so half-impulsively he wanted to play a prank.
On the person who had been conducting Surveillance on the Duchess since morning.
Of course, he knew the target of the Surveillance wasn’t himself, but just the fact that they dared monitor him was enough to ruin his mood.
‘Let’s see you waste your efforts.’
Vincent tripped the Duchess.
And then conspicuously caught her waist as she was about to fall.
‘Are you hurt anywhere?’
While he was briefly anticipating what kind of story the servant would concoct, Vincent was surprised.
‘How can a human body be so delicate and slender?’
Her waist that his hands encircled was so fragile he was afraid to grip it, and her skin that briefly touched his was as white and soft as whipped cream.
None of the bodies he had dissected were like this.
The moment the Duchess looked up at him with her large, clear eyes, the flustered Vincent froze in place.
‘It was fortunate that the officials and soldiers came running at just the right time, allowing me to barely regain my senses.’
The Duchess’s face hardened frighteningly upon hearing the official’s report.
Since it was an expression he never imagined she would show, Vincent suddenly became interested.
That’s why he followed along even though it seemed unrelated to the Dark Magic investigation.
‘Seize him.’
‘Pardon? What do you suddenly mean…!’
The Duchess unhesitatingly slapped the cheek of the official who was dragged over.
The fury the Duchess displayed was truly tremendous, enough to momentarily overwhelm even Vincent.
She slapped the official’s cheeks until her palms split as if harming herself, and when her anger still wasn’t appeased, she roughly kicked him with her feet too.
There was too much emotion involved for it to be simple tyranny.
That very point sparked Vincent’s interest.
‘They said she was a stupid wench with nothing in her head…’
As expected, rumors can’t be trusted.
Just look at the rumor that the Inquisition Ministry Director is a merciless and cruel demon bastard.
Awakening from his recollection, he chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.
But even in his amusement, he didn’t forget his duty.
Who was it that tainted the Duchess with Dark Magic, and what was the source of this ominous atmosphere spreading throughout Lombard?
Were those two the same entity?
Vincent’s pupils narrowed as he looked down at the base of the mountain.
‘He is merciful. He loves all things that God has created. Very much so.’
Ah, I love all things that God has created.
So what is not must be swept away.
Leaving not even a trace, crushing bones and tearing flesh and burning even souls in agony, I must return this land to the pristine state of creation that He made in the beginning.
Chuckling, he looked down at Lombard Castle.
A Sword Piercing Inverted Chalice.
The Inquisitor’s insignia engraved on his Uniform Insignia gleamed coldly, like the smile of a sacred statue.
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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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