I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 44

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

#Episode 44

* * *

“Where did Count Alnor go?”

After resting appropriately, I paused as I entered the dining hall for the evening banquet.

Only Duke Lombard was seated at the table. Not only were Count Alnor and his attendants nowhere to be seen, but even our own attendants were missing.

Receiving my questioning gaze, Duke Lombard answered.

“Count Alnor said he had urgent business and returned home.”

“Just a moment ago he was saying he’d stay for a few days and do some sightseeing in Lombard, but suddenly… Your Grace didn’t do something wrong, did you?”

“How could that be possible.”

Duke Lombard chuckled as if he’d heard a lame joke.

Well, the Northern Nobles would do anything to get into the good graces of Duke Lombard, who held absolute hegemony in the north.

If he was willing to kick away an opportunity to get close to him, something truly urgent must have happened.

‘Now what should I do.’

Since the banquet was no longer necessary, it wouldn’t matter if I just returned now.

But if I did that, it might appear as if I was avoiding being alone with Duke Lombard.

It would look like I was running away with my tail between my legs like a beaten animal.

That would hurt my pride.

I had not even the slightest desire to sit across from Duke Lombard and share a friendly meal, but what was there for me to be afraid of that I should avoid him?

As I hesitated, unable to decide either way, Bertol emerged from the servants’ passage.

“Have you arrived, Madam?”

“Bertol.”

“The banquet preparations have just been completed. Please take a seat here.”

Bertol, with his welcome face, naturally pulled out a chair at the table for me.

The problem was that it was a seat directly facing Duke Lombard.

If Duke Lombard had been seated at the head of the table as when there were guests, our gazes would have been at a 90-degree angle, which would have been better, but facing each other directly across the narrow table felt somewhat burdensome.

No, why did he leave the head seat empty and deliberately come down to a lower seat?

We weren’t in a relationship to sit together so intimately like this, were we?

“Madam?”

“Ah, yes.”

Bertol and Duke Lombard were staring at me as I stood there blankly, waiting.

Though I wasn’t keen on it, I was also getting hungry, so I sat down without much expectation, thinking I’d just fill my stomach.

When the Chief Chamberlain gestured, the servants brought out the food.

But it was a truly unexpected menu.

“I heard you haven’t had much appetite lately. So I specially prepared dishes that would be easy for you to eat.”

“…”

“How is it?”

Bertol asked cautiously, watching my reaction.

The dishes were far too modest to call an evening banquet.

On a plain white plate sat warm vegetable stew, and on another plate were freshly baked rye bread and a small portion of thinly sliced meat.

Though simple in appearance, each dish seemed to be prepared with care.

‘This is strange.’

I swallowed the emotion that suddenly rose up, pretending not to notice it.

That was because these were foods that I had truly loved in my past life.

As I stared blankly down at the table, the Elderly Chamberlain hurriedly continued.

“If it’s not to your liking, we can prepare something else right now…”

“There’s no need. I like it.”

“Ah, what a relief.”

Upon hearing my answer, Bertol seemed relieved and unconsciously smiled with satisfaction.

“Today’s menu was personally selected by the master. He remembered that you enjoyed simple home cooking when you were at the monastery…”

“Bertol.”

“My apologies.”

When Duke Lombard gave a brief warning, the Chief Chamberlain immediately closed his mouth.

But he couldn’t hide the inexplicable smile that lingered around his eyes.

Thanks to that, I felt a bit uncomfortable as I picked up my utensils, but I decided not to mind it.

‘Duke Lombard wouldn’t go so far as to carefully tend to my tastes; he must have heard from Berry.’

Come to think of it, from the day I returned to Lombard Castle with Berry, the meals had strangely become more to my taste.

Instead of greasy dishes lavish with butter and spices, they had changed to simple but neat home cooking.

‘Ah, the pitiful fate of a servant…’

Bertol subtly taking credit for a subordinate’s work, and Duke Lombard naturally accepting it.

Having once been a subordinate myself, this situation was so familiar it was nauseating, so I unconsciously glared at Duke Lombard with resentful eyes.

‘Berry, don’t worry, I know your true feelings.’

Naturally, regardless of my resentment, my hands and mouth were busy bringing food to my lips.

Though my chest felt heavy at times, this wasn’t because childhood memories came to mind, but probably because I was eating too quickly and choking.

“No one’s going to take it away, so you can eat slowly.”

“I’m not being gluttonous, okay? I’m hungry. Just hungry.”

Just then, Duke Lombard offered me water.

Wondering if he had noticed something strange, I snatched the glass he offered, drained it in one gulp, and changed the subject.

“Anyway, I’m glad the lawsuit was resolved well. You worked hard.”

“It’s thanks to your efforts, my lady.”

“To call it my contribution, the sound of people cursing was piercing my ears.”

“There are always those who make noise everywhere. Right actions always attract criticism, so don’t take it to heart.”

“I didn’t expect Your Grace to say such things.”

I put down my fork for a moment and stared at Duke Lombard.

It was an action I did without much thought.

But when he received my gaze, he looked back at me calmly as always, then suddenly stood up and reached out his hand.

His long, firm fingers touched my cheek.

* * *

“Your Grace?”

“…Ah.”

Edwin was bewildered.

Their gazes had merely crossed, but when he came to his senses, he had unconsciously reached out his hand.

Just like those times when they had stayed by each other’s side without reserve under the name of friendship.

‘What have I just done?’

The same meals as before, words that passed back and forth like jokes, and that gaze.

Though the color had changed, the warmth dwelling within remained exactly as it was in distant old memories, those eyes that repeatedly made him crumble.

The realization that he had acted impulsively, intoxicated by the momentary atmosphere, came rushing in belatedly.

“There was stew on you.”

“Pardon?”

“On your cheek.”

Had his mind, worn down to its limits, finally broken completely?

Hoping to appear in Elisia’s eyes with the same composure as always, Edwin pulled back his body as slowly as possible.

As expected, Elisia, who had become quite angry, burst out.

“Don’t you know the manners for treating a lady? We’re alone anyway, so why point out such things!”

“Wouldn’t it be more bothersome if you discovered it after returning to your inner chamber?”

“No matter how much you dislike me, you never lose an argument. Bertol!”

With her face all scrunched up, she rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hands while looking for a mirror.

Thanks to this, Bertol, who had rushed out in surprise, handed a small hand mirror to his fuming mistress while simultaneously looking this way with questioning eyes.

‘What did you say to make the atmosphere like this?’

Though he didn’t open his mouth, his thoughts were clearly readable in his gaze.

This time, Bertol seemed to quite like Elisia and was making constant efforts to bring the master and mistress closer together.

His devotion was truly admirable, but…

‘That will never happen.’

Edwin chuckled softly.

He didn’t dare have the qualifications to get close to Elisia.

How could he, who failed to save her, who ultimately drove her to death, face her like before?

However, there was one thing – he was grateful that through a miracle that could only be explained by God’s grace, he could face her again and protect her under the title of husband, regardless of others’ gazes.

Yes, the role he set for himself was exactly up to this point.

But the emotions he had firmly locked away were leaking out without his knowledge.

‘It’s hard to endure this anxiety.’

The starting point was probably when Elisia had been poisoned but didn’t tell him and handled things on her own.

The Hemocaran incident had been in the palm of his hand from the beginning, but if Elisia were to be harmed without his knowledge.

If he failed to protect her again.

Anxiety gnawed at his already broken mind.

Despite having no qualifications, he kept hovering around her. He would watch her sleeping face and for the first time in a long while, fall into dreamless sleep.

When he looked at Elisia, ecstasy and guilt coexisted.

It was agonizing.

Ah, so agonizing.

She was like forbidden fruit thrown before a wanderer who had collapsed from hunger under the blazing sun in an arid desert.

“Your Grace, are you listening?!”

“Of course.”

Edwin awakened from his reverie.

Without revealing the darkness gnawing at his mind, he wore the flawless face of a duke as always.

Receiving his gaze, Elisia continued chattering.

“So what I’m saying is… could you lend me some workers from Lombard Castle? I want to take a look at the land I newly bought.”

“No.”

“Huh?!”

She looked like she had naturally expected him to agree.

Well, that wasn’t wrong.

If it were anything else, he would have gladly done so, but Elisia needed to realize how much she was loved by the Territory Residents first.

He knew it wouldn’t be easy since she had a past of being hurt after expecting and trying every time.

“You’ll be fine without borrowing my help.”

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