I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 37

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#Episode 37

“So you’re Thomson’s daughter. No wonder your build seemed familiar. What’s your name?”

“B-Berry.”

I couldn’t believe this situation.

That Madam would personally help me up, a mere commoner.

Even though my fingernails were blackened from woodworking and hunting, Madam didn’t seem to mind at all.

Standing up abruptly, I mumbled as if making excuses for this situation.

“I-I’m sorry! I heard that Madam came to the monastery without even a servant, so I couldn’t help but…”

“Thank you.”

“…Pardon?”

“You came because you were worried it might be inconvenient for me to have no one to attend to me, didn’t you? Then from my perspective, it’s something to be grateful for.”

To me, a mere commoner from the outer castle walls, Madam, the most precious woman in Northern Lombard, said thank you.

She said that.

Shocked, I couldn’t bring myself to answer and just blinked blankly.

Madam smiled gently to reassure me, and her curved eyes were so bright and warm like sunlight that I was mesmerized again.

How could a person be so small and delicate?

She was like a porcelain doll crafted with care by an artisan.

Then, Madam’s expression became a little more serious.

“If you stay by my side, you too will face many hardships. Are you really sure you’ll be alright?”

“There won’t be any hardships.”

I had prepared myself from the beginning.

Madam has many enemies.

In our village, many people have received Madam’s grace, so misunderstandings were cleared up long ago, but in distant villages, she still suffers from absurd rumors.

“No, even if it’s a difficult path, I’ll be fine. As long as I can protect Madam, I’ll go anywhere with you!”

To repay my father’s debt of gratitude, for the glory of our family.

I can’t say I didn’t have such feelings when I first decided to become Madam’s servant, but now that I’ve met Madam in person, I was certain.

All my wandering in search of dreams until now was to meet Madam.

At the blooming age of twenty-two, it was the moment Berry’s future aspirations were decided.

* * *

Thick oat porridge, barley bread, hard jerky, and some cheese and honey.

Despite their meager means, it was a breakfast that showed they had done their best to serve the Duke and me.

Nevertheless, my mood was somewhat complicated.

“Madam, aren’t you thirsty? Shall I bring some more wine?”

“Sit down and take it easy, Berry. Won’t you get tired if you keep standing?”

“No! I’ve even camped in the mountains for over two weeks. Just standing for an hour or two doesn’t even register on my feet!”

Every time Berry ran around for me, the monastery’s belongings crumbled to dust.

Just then, Count Baron, who was entering the dining hall—having complained about sleeping arrangements and ended up sleeping in the carriage—was startled and screamed.

“Kyaak, a bear came down to the village?!”

“It’s not a bear… She already ran away.”

Fortunately, Berry was in the kitchen and didn’t hear it.

Actually, I hadn’t directly seen her go inside, but I could tell because the kitchen was half-devastated.

‘Thomson has several daughters, and they’re all skillful and quick-witted. They did the errands I asked them to do quite well.’

Hmm, what kind of errands did Gilbert have Berry do?

I thought I should definitely ask when I meet him later.

Meanwhile, the monks couldn’t bring themselves to say anything to Berry, my servant, and just squeezed their eyes shut.

I resolved to give them appropriate repair costs later.

‘I must never have Berry do any cleaning.’

I had to protect the precious books and expensive furniture in my bedroom at all costs.

Just then, the Duke came down from the upstairs lodging.

His face was smooth and his usually sharp eyes had softened a bit, clearly showing he had slept soundly.

“Good morning, Madam.”

“Has your insomnia been cured?”

“It’s all thanks to you, Madam. I’m a little embarrassed.”

Annoyingly for Elisia to watch, the Duke sat across from me with a demure demeanor completely different from usual.

I could feel the people in the dining hall pretending not to listen while paying attention to our conversation.

Even the thunderous noise from the kitchen had stopped!

“Being with you made me so happy that I even thought it would be nice if morning never came… Ugh!”

I didn’t listen further and kicked his leg.

Though the Duke was the Empire’s strongest warrior who had trained his entire body to the limit, he apparently hadn’t trained his shins as he let out a death cry.

“Don’t say things that will make people misunderstand.”

“Heh heh!”

The Duke, who had been hunched over with his shoulders shaking, raised his head to look at me.

His mischievously curved eyes and cheeks reddened from laughter reminded me of a boy who had once been closer to me than anyone else in the world.

Just because we shared a room last night and talked all night, the psychological distance that had been infinitely far was shortened, even if just a little.

Damn it.

I quickly hardened my expression that was about to soften without realizing it.

“B-Berry?! Come out quickly and greet Duke. You’ll be seeing him often from now on.”

“Yes yes, Madam!!”

I decided on Berry’s use.

When I need to contact the Duke, I’ll send Berry as a messenger.

Then what breaks won’t be my bedroom but the castle keep, and the Duke’s office.

It was the moment Berry hurriedly came out at my call to greet the Duke.

“Your Grace! I have an urgent report and had no choice but to disobey orders… Kyaak!”

The dining hall door burst open, and the knights who rushed in screamed when they discovered Berry.

I glanced at the Duke.

His eyes, which had been pleasantly relaxed just moments before, instantly hardened coldly.

‘What does disobeying orders mean?’

Did he tell his subordinates not to follow him?

Thinking about it, it was strange from the beginning that a high-ranking nobleman like the Duke came alone to the outer castle walls.

I have personal attachment to this monastery and was also fleeing from bureaucrats.

But why did the Duke bother to come?

‘I used to be able to tell what Edwin was thinking just by looking at his expression, but now I have no idea what he’s scheming.’

While I was lost in thought, the Duke, having received some report from his subordinates, dismissed everyone in the dining hall.

Everyone except me, the Duke’s wife.

“From the atmosphere, it seems to be related to me?”

“It’s not like that. However…”

For him to say it wasn’t, the knights kept glancing this way.

The atmosphere was subtle.

Though they maintained courtesy on the surface, I could feel subtle contempt and hostility in their gazes toward me.

Most of all, unlike the agitated knights, the Duke acting nonchalantly as if it were nothing was more disturbing.

Finally, only after I pushed directly did the Duke open his mouth.

“Do you remember Count Alnor?”

“Ah.”

As I was thinking about who that was, I suddenly stopped.

The cousin of Clayton Viscount, the civil engineering inspector who fell from grace due to corruption, and the lord of the small territory Alnor that borders Lombard.

Most importantly, he was the owner of the trading company whose contract I had broken.

“That man has filed a lawsuit against Lombard.”

“Lombard? More precisely, it would be against me.”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

I recalled the answer I had given when Bertol and Ramon worried about the possibility of legal disputes.

‘If Count Alnor has any brains, he wouldn’t dare come after me. So let’s wrap this matter up here—’

It turned out he had no brains.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————