I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 33

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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 33

Brother Vincent moistened his lips with his tongue and rose from his seat.

His muscles writhed with tension like a beast about to explode, but the Duke leisurely crossed the dining hall, completely ignoring Vincent, and sat across from me.

Naturally, Count Baron, who had been sitting there originally, gladly yielded his seat with just one glance from the Duke.

There was no need for words.

‘The Baron is acting as usual, but Vincent is…’

I recalled his earlier appearance.

It was a face I never could have imagined a timid priest would show.

Those gleaming eyes were no different from the mad gaze of the Inquisitor I had seen long ago.

The Iron Maiden rattling as if having a seizure, the agonized screams echoing from within, the pool of blood flowing thickly through the lid’s gaps, and the elderly Inquisitor’s gaze.

That very gaze of one convinced that God’s will had descended upon him.

‘Why on earth is Vincent…?’

But when I looked again, the Brother had returned to his seat.

Though his gaze was still directed at the Duke, his expression as he tilted his cold wine glass was calm and serene like deep water.

As if what I had just seen was an illusion.

‘Ah, he must have been startled.’

It was entirely possible.

After all, he had come face to face with none other than Duke Lombard, the ruler of the north and the continent’s strongest warrior.

It was a reaction I had seen so often that it was now as familiar as breathing.

Though Vincent’s reaction was much more intense than usual.

‘How timid must he be to show such an expression just from encountering the Duke?’

Sighing inwardly, I patted the Brother’s shoulder a few times and faced the Duke.

Vincent looked at me with bewildered eyes, but I decided not to mind it.

“What brings Your Grace to this place when you’re so busy with affairs?”

“I was in the area and heard that my lady was staying here, so I stopped by briefly.”

For some reason, the Duke’s eyes, which had been boring into Vincent’s shoulder, finally curved into a smile.

I maintained an impeccable level of politeness as I continued.

“Dinner has already ended, will that be alright?”

“It’s regrettable that I couldn’t taste the monastery’s refined cooking, but fortunately I ate beforehand. More importantly, I happened to overhear outside that my lady plans to stay here for several days?”

“Yes.”

I quickly interjected before the Duke could get to his main point.

“Even if Your Grace tries to dissuade me, my mind is made up.”

So that’s why the Duke suddenly graced this tiny monastery with his presence…

From his perspective, my staying here for long wouldn’t be welcome.

Unlike Lombard Castle where everything was in the Duke’s grasp, it would be difficult for him to fully monitor and control my movements at the Outer Wall Monastery.

Moreover, if the Duchess wandered about outside, there was potential for politically unnecessary rumors.

But I was equally stubborn.

Staying at the monastery would let me sprawl comfortably and enjoy a leisurely vacation, so what madman would voluntarily walk into the Castle Keep to work overtime?

Of course, such madmen might exist in the world, but I wasn’t one of them.

I emphasized with the most resolute tone that I would stay at the monastery, emphasizing it again and again, when the Duke made an ambiguous expression.

“Hmm, it seems my lady is misunderstanding something.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“While I’m at it, I wanted to mention that I’ll also be staying at the monastery for a few days.”

“…Excuse me?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

The Duke couldn’t be unaware that there were no spare rooms at the monastery, surely he didn’t mean we’d share the same bedroom. Right?

“My lord, I’m sorry but our monastery is far too humble to accommodate such an esteemed person…”

Not only I, but the people who had been pretending not to eavesdrop on our conversation—though in the open dining hall it was hardly eavesdropping—seemed equally surprised.

A monk sitting nearby courageously interjected.

“Doesn’t my lady, who was raised more preciously than I, also stay here?”

“That’s true, but…”

Where did his earlier courage go? The monk immediately backed down.

No, if you give in so easily, what does that make me?!

Resist more, develop some fighting spirit!!

“When my lady works so hard to learn about the people’s lives, wouldn’t it be shameful for me, the lord, to remain idle?”

“Ooh!”

Everyone nodded as if moved. At this rate, I’d really end up sharing a bedroom with the Duke!

“Duke, as you surely already know…”

Just then, Monastery Head Filio courageously stepped forward.

He didn’t forget to lay the groundwork by saying “as you surely already know” for the Duke’s dignity.

“Since visitors rarely come to the monastery, we only have one guest room prepared. Won’t it be uncomfortable for spending the night?”

“Ah.”

Only then did the Duke nod as if realizing something.

Yes, that’s exactly the problem!

“We’re husband and wife, what hesitation could there be? One room is sufficient.”

Excuse me?!

By this point, I was wailing inwardly.

Since I had emphasized again and again that I wanted to see the people’s lives with my own eyes, it was impossible to change my words now.

But it was too late to flee to another place.

This area often had wolf packs and bears—wild beasts that could harm people.

If I had brought an escort it might be different, but my entourage consisted of only Count Baron and the coachman.

I briefly considered squeezing into the other nuns’ room for the night, but immediately gave up as it was realistically impossible.

Their bedroom was as cramped as a coffin for laying out corpses.

The pilgrim’s room was only slightly better among them; most of the monastery’s rooms were like this.

‘Damn, at this point I have no choice but to drag out time with bathing.’

Wouldn’t it be possible to bathe for 7 hours? If it’s me, it’s possible, right? Of course, it’s possible.

I resolved to drown in the bathwater as I suggested to the Duke.

“Your Grace should go in and rest first. I have a habit of washing before going to bed.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to bring the bathwater to the room?”

“The guest room is too small for that.”

I had seen the pilgrim’s room before.

It contained only a bed, a small side table, and a narrow writing desk for copying Scripture.

To bring in bathwater like at the castle, we’d have to break the bed or throw out the writing desk.

The nuns rose to support me as I stood.

“We’ll heat the water for you.”

“Thank you, I’m causing you trouble.”

The Duke’s gaze, which had been watching his departing wife’s back, shifted to the man across from him.

The Duke’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

Gone was the gentle, dignified smile from before Elisia; he now wore the face of a starving mad dog prowling the hunting grounds.

Receiving that gaze head-on, Vincent’s lips curled up meaningfully.

* * *

To cut to the conclusion, I was currently lying in bed wrapped up in the Duke’s cloak.

“My lady, are you alright?”

“…”

A small but distinct bruise appeared on my tightly clenched jaw.

At first, I had entered the bath planning to bathe for 7 hours.

The problem was that I had been living like a hothouse flower lately, romanticizing my past hardships.

Forget 7 hours—I felt like I was freezing to death after just 10 minutes.

A bone-chilling wind seeped through the thin walls, and the boiling bath water cooled down in an instant.

With every breath I took, it felt like my lungs were freezing.

‘Right, this is how it was, damn it!!’

I should have come to my senses when the nuns kept asking if I’d really be okay in this cold while helping me out of my dress…

Still, I endured through sheer willpower. I’d rather freeze to death than share a room with the Duke.

‘Madam, are you safe?!’

‘We’ll rescue you right now, so please don’t worry!’

But when I didn’t come out for over 20 minutes, the nuns, worried that something might have happened to me, urgently burst into the bath house.

As soon as the nuns discovered the frozen Elisia, they wrapped me in towels and delivered me straight to the guest room.

Naturally, the recipient was the Duke.

The moment he saw me frozen blue, he unhesitatingly gathered all the blankets in the guest room and wrapped me thoroughly.

Without giving me a chance to resist, he lifted me up, laid me on the bed, and cupped my pale blue cheeks with his palms.

“Are you alright?”

Large, warm hands with calluses.

His movement to check for fever was natural.

‘Edwin, cough… You need to return to the castle before it gets any later.’

‘Don’t say such things. How can I leave when someone is sick.’

‘But the sun has set. What if scary beasts come out?’

‘Then we’ll stay up together all night. I can’t chase you away when there are scary beasts roaming outside.’

In my childhood, I was weak and often fell ill, and Edwin was accustomed to taking care of me.

But in this life, as a precious young lord, he wouldn’t have had any occasion to nurse someone.

Receiving my newly curious gaze, the Duke smiled ambiguously.

“Even if you look at me like that, you’re not my type…”

This bastard.

The feeling that had been welling up inside me vanished instantly as if cold water had been poured over it.

The Duke, oblivious as he was, continued speaking calmly even though I was cursing him with my eyes.

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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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