I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 41

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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 41

‘Are there any guests here worth mentioning? There’s a pig who can’t read the room, but that’s about it.’

‘D-Duke!’

‘If you dare speak carelessly of my wife again, I cannot guarantee what will happen next.’

The pressure was overwhelming.

With just one indifferent glance from the Duke, his breath caught and he couldn’t move a single finger.

He had poked the wrong hornet’s nest. At this rate, he was really in big trouble.

‘I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?’

‘How could that be, my lady. Even a moment’s wait was a pleasant time.’

When the Duchess returned, the Duke transformed as if nothing had happened, wearing a pleasant smile.

The Count was breathless again at that sudden change.

‘He transcends human physical limits and is enlightened about worldly affairs? He has an indifferent and insensitive nature?’

All bullshit.

He’s not insensitive—he just considers everything except what interests him to be worse than trash!

The retainers also began hastily analyzing the situation, each having their own thoughts.

“Come to think of it, the Duchess was friendly to us from the beginning.”

“She didn’t seem so arrogant. Far from being tyrannical, she treated us with courtesy throughout… Could it be that the rumors were wrong?”

“Unfortunately, that possibility cannot be ruled out.”

“What on earth is going on!!”

It was hard to believe the rumors anymore.

The Duke even seemed to have favorable feelings toward the Duchess, who was quite a beauty.

Whether it was human kindness or interest with deeper meaning.

“Given this situation, it’s hard to believe that the Duchess really broke that contract.”

Everyone sighed deeply in their bewilderment.

A heavy silence settled over the reception room.

* * *

“Duke, wait a moment. I have something to tell you.”

The dinner ended without incident.

After Count Alnor’s party withdrew first to rest, I caught the Duke who was about to leave.

“It won’t take long.”

“….”

The Duke looked down at his caught arm with somewhat surprised eyes.

Since his reaction was bigger than expected from just lightly touching his arm, I quickly let go and stepped back.

Since returning from the monastery, the Duke seemed to treat me a bit more comfortably, but lately he was reacting like this again.

He would flinch and step back at the slightest contact with me.

What kind of change of heart was this?

The Duke silently turned his gaze away, dismissed all the servants, and sat down.

“It’s fine, so please speak comfortably.”

“I’d like you to provide some of the Mountain Guard.”

“The military? It’s not difficult, but I’d like to know the reason.”

“Brother Vincent has gone missing in the mountains. It’s already been several days… I’m worried he might have been harmed by wild beasts.”

“…Who?”

The Duke, who had been fairly favorable, hesitated the moment he heard the Brother’s name.

Then he frowned as if he’d heard something unbearable.

The change was so dramatic that I wondered if I’d said something wrong and retraced my recent words.

‘There’s nothing particularly problematic about it, is there?’

Brother Vincent was a priest dispatched from the Holy Capital Arzenbach in Papal Territory.

No matter how low-ranking a priest he was, if he was harmed by mountain beasts, it could cause friction between the Holy Capital and Lombard.

Making enemies of the Holy Capital wasn’t a good choice, whether religiously or politically.

The Duke couldn’t be unaware of this, so why did he have such a crazy expression?

‘Did he take it as me encroaching on the Duke’s domain?’

Due to Lombard’s geographical characteristics bordering the Northern Wall, only the Duke could exercise military authority.

So my recent request might have been seen as crossing that line.

Power hunger, ambition, struggle for control—roughly something like that.

‘That’s why I’m asking like this. I asked as politely as possible, what more do you want me to do?!’

Anyway, Vincent’s safety was at stake.

I did my best to persuade this damn suspicious man.

“Brother is just a powerless and timid priest. Please show mercy to him who must be trembling in fear, lost in the mountains.”

“…?”

Despite my earnest appeal, the Duke looked completely confused.

“Is there really a need to look for him? If we wait, he’ll probably come back on his own.”

“Duke, you have excellent military prowess so you’d have no problem traversing mountains alone, but Brother’s situation is different, isn’t it? He’s someone who’s only held scripture and a pen his whole life.”

I became very frustrated.

Eventually, before the Duke could say anything, I shot back strongly.

“You must send the military. If you don’t, I’ll stop receiving guests and withdraw from domestic affairs.”

“This is quite troublesome….”

Was I mistaken?

The Duke looked a bit sulky.

But since it was much more likely that my eyes were playing tricks on me, I ignored it and was about to continue persuading him.

“My lady.”

“Yes.”

“If I went missing, would you react like this? Would you deploy troops for me and beg someone else to find your husband?”

“No?”

Why would I worry about the Empire’s strongest man, a living human weapon who could instantly kill even giant demons with overwhelming martial prowess that transcends human physical limits?

Especially since he’s not just anyone, but the enemy who killed me.

“My lady, I’m a bit hurt—”

“In such a case, I think we should worry about the beasts’ safety rather than yours, Duke.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s you we’re talking about, Duke. In any situation, you would not fall—that’s what I think.”

“Not falling in any situation….”

Why was that?

Inappropriately for the mood, the Duke smiled bitterly for a moment before composing his expression.

“Even for me, that would be very difficult, but I feel proud that you seem to trust me, my lady.”

“Ah, yes.”

There’s a saying that interpretation is better than dreams, but I didn’t voice it.

It was because the Duke’s expression really did look proud.

As expected, the Duke nodded before long.

“Since this is the first request you’ve made of me, I cannot dare refuse. I’ll dispatch troops for the powerless and timid Brother Vincent, who’s only held scripture and a pen his whole life.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

“Though I personally think it’s completely unnecessary.”

I pretended not to hear the latter part and expressed my gratitude.

I called Administrative Chief Ramon to confirm the Duke’s permission and instructed him to deploy the Mountain Search Team.

When the situation was roughly settled, Count Alnor’s party returned right on time.

* * *

Duke sat at the head of the massive negotiation table.

To his right sat Elisia and Administrative Chief Ramon, while Count Alnor’s party sat to his left.

Duke turned toward Count Alnor and was persuading the Count with a gentle voice.

“Why are those people acting like that?”

“Everyone acts that way in front of Duke. You’re the exception, Madam.”

Ramon interjected at Elisia’s muttering.

The Count and his retainers were dripping with cold sweat. Occasionally, they would glance repeatedly toward Elisia sitting across from them with seemingly pleading looks.

But it wasn’t as if Duke was threatening the Count at all.

He was simply repeating in a low, calm voice Lombard’s position—that they couldn’t pay compensation for breach of contract, nor could they release Count Clayton, who was a criminal.

It was an extremely principled statement.

The moment they paid compensation, it would amount to admitting Lombard’s fault regardless of any trial.

And they couldn’t release a criminal who had nearly caused a major disaster through shoddy construction.

“Is this really something to be that scared of?”

“Duke strikes fear into the Northern Nobles. Lombard’s military might is formidable, but above all, Duke’s martial prowess is transcendentally overwhelming.”

“But he’s still human in the end.”

“Human… You’re probably the only person in the world who thinks that way, Madam. In Northern Lombard, Duke is like a god.”

Elisia tilted her head.

She knew Duke’s martial prowess was extraordinary.

Though she hadn’t directly seen him fight demons, from occasionally hearing the knights praise him with fervor, she could guess how transcendent his skills were.

But Duke—Edwin—was merely physically strong; essentially he was an ordinary person.

He had an incongruous love for sweet tea and desserts, got sentimental about aging when the year changed, was surprisingly prone to sulking but quickly got over trivial matters, and sometimes even complained about not wanting to work—

He was no different from anyone else.

She muttered without realizing it.

“He must have been lonely.”

“Come on, how could that be? Duke doesn’t have such human emotions…”

Ramon, who had been whispering close to Elisia’s side, suddenly startled and moved away.

At some point, Duke’s gaze had turned toward them.

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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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