I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 61

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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 61

“When do you think those men will be able to get up from their sickbeds?”

“It’s hard to say for certain, but I think about a month should be possible.”

“Do your best. So they can join the Western Region even a day sooner.”

“I sincerely want that myself. They’re so noisy, taking turns tormenting me from both sides – it’s killing me.”

Brother Matthew and Sister Judith tried to win over Gilbert whenever they had the chance.

Even when rejected and pushed away, they persistently pressed on.

Even when he tried to get angry out of frustration, their gleaming eyes reminded him of wild beasts he’d encountered in the mountains as a child, sending chills down his spine.

They were truly like unleashed wild dogs.

It would be nice if Brother Vincent would at least restrain his subordinates…

But let’s not even talk about him.

He had no idea what Vincent was thinking, and his creepy way of grinning and wandering around made Gilbert avoid him from a distance.

‘Of course, there’s someone else who’s the most spine-chilling.’

Gilbert stared at the man sitting in front of him with an expressionless face.

His complexion seemed uninterested in anything in the world.

But thinking about what Duke Lombard’s expression had been like when he reported Elisia’s poisoning… it still haunted his dreams like a nightmare.

Duke Lombard, whose gaze met his, continued speaking.

“It seems those barbarians from the Holy Capital offered you quite substantial compensation.”

“If you’ve found out that much, there’s no need to test me. Madam is much wealthier.”

“Hmm.”

“And regardless of how Your Grace may view me, I have sworn loyalty to Madam. She was the first person to recognize my worth.”

Anyone can recognize the value of a cleanly refined gem. Just by looking down at it once from above.

But to recognize raw ore, one must personally descend to lower places and meet each stone at eye level from the same height.

It was something ordinary nobles could never do.

“Madam is that kind of person. She may be misunderstood now, but someday everyone will recognize her.”

“I suppose so. She is a kind person, after all.”

“…Excuse me?”

“That’s enough, you may go.”

At Duke Lombard’s dismissal, Gilbert bowed his head.

As he stepped into the corridor, cold air penetrated deep into his lungs. It was cold enough to bring the dazed Gilbert back to his senses.

Even so, he still felt as if he had seen something unreal.

It was surely his imagination, but when Duke Lombard said Madam was a kind person, he seemed to be desperately holding back tears…

* * *

I was bored to death.

I was trapped in this bleak inn with no Nero, no books, and no companion gold coins.

It was due to the local physician’s prescription that my stamina was depleted and I was seriously ill, so I needed to lie down and recuperate for at least a week.

Just getting up from bed made Count Baron and Ramon make a huge fuss, and Duke Lombard’s aide Gareth stood guard at the entrance.

“Madam, I’ve brought some thin soup to soothe your stomach.”

“…”

At least there should be the pleasure of eating, but this place’s hospitality was truly poor.

Fish soup, smoked fish soup, salted fish soup, and occasionally fish pie served as a special meal – everything they brought as food was fish.

Was I receiving such desperate treatment because I was hiding my identity as a duchess?

“Madam, I thought you might be bored, so I brought you some reading material!”

Had he noticed my increasingly low spirits?

Ramon finally started doing something sensible.

“It’s a current affairs report investigated by Bellamare Officials♡”

“…”

I immediately took back my thought that he was being sensible.

You should bring something interesting, how dare you shove this kind of thing in front of me calling it reading material?!

I glared at Ramon silently, and even the clueless Administrative Director seemed to realize something was wrong as he started backing away.

“Please rest comfortably, Madam. I’ll be going now.”

“How is this reading material, hey!!”

I threw the bundle of documents at the fleeing man, but unfortunately I had no strength in my hands and it slipped.

Flap, the report with its cover flipped open landed perfectly on my lap.

Unintentionally, the first page caught my eye.

[Report on Bellamare Road Restoration and Supply Provision]

Hmm.

I’m not reading this because I want to. It’s just unavoidably entering my sight because it’s spread out in front of me.

…Even while saying that, my pace of turning pages one by one quickened.

And by the time I reached the last page—

“Shit.”

I was in a state where I felt like I’d die from rising blood pressure before my body worn out from travel.

They had haphazardly covered up all the problems piled up in Bellamare by blaming road collapse, then presented it to me as investigation results – it was such an ultimate display of incompetence that I could only laugh bitterly.

“Did I come here to enjoy the sea breeze or do I look like I came to work? After suffering so much at the castle, do I have to toil even at a resort?!”

Let’s ignore it.

Right, I’ll pretend not to see it. I didn’t see anything.

“It’s hot as hell. Getting angry just makes me unnecessarily heated up.”

They had lit up the fireplace claiming I was a patient, making the air stuffy.

I was irritated and kept fanning myself with my hand when the cool sound of waves hit my ears.

After staring at the sea shrouded in darkness as if enchanted, I immediately opened the door.

“Merchant leader?”

I met eyes with Gareth, who was guarding the corridor, probably for security.

I whispered quietly, lowering my voice.

“Where are Lord Ramon and Count Baron?”

“They said they were bored with nothing to do and went to bed early.”

Good that the troublesome nagging duo had disappeared.

I was smiling inwardly when Gareth brought a blanket hanging nearby.

“The corridor air is cold. If you have something to order, please go inside…”

“You, what’s your skill level?”

“Excuse me?”

“If you’re His Grace’s aide, you can’t be completely useless.”

Even at my sudden question, Gareth calmly nodded.

“With a sword, I’m quite capable.”

“…”

His eyes were more certain than his words.

His usually vacant eyes that seemed thoughtless completely changed the moment he grasped his sword.

“Good, I want to take a walk so follow me as a guard. I won’t accept objections.”

* * *

I walked through the Bellamare City District shrouded in darkness with Gareth.

We occasionally encountered passersby, but since I borrowed clothes from the inn owner, I didn’t attract much attention.

Rather, the combination of a young man and woman wandering around at night seemed to cause some kind of misunderstanding.

Someone whistled and giggled.

“Seems like you’ve mistaken me for a tavern wench?”

“If His Excellency heard those words, he’d carve Bellamare right off the map entirely.”

“Leave it be. Who would have imagined a duchess would be wandering around at this hour in such a state.”

What’s the honor of great nobility worth? It vanishes without a trace just by changing clothes.

After being exposed to the sea breeze for so long, my legs were starting to ache and my body began to shiver.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

“You don’t look well. How about we head back now?”

“My feet hurt so much I can barely walk.”

I sat down on an old fountain with its water flow cut off.

I thought a walk would clear my head, but it only made my thoughts more complicated.

‘Lombard has two major trade routes.’

The Third Great Bridge leading to the southern inland and Bellamare Harbor connecting to the western sea routes.

Among these, the sea route was especially important as it was the hub for transporting Lombard’s biggest export – minerals.

‘What on earth has the Governor here been doing.’

There were too many problems.

To pick just one immediate issue, if they refined the minerals before export, it would create jobs and generate much higher profits, yet Bellamare didn’t have a single refining facility.

Food ingredients, Lombard’s biggest import, were also problematic.

‘Due to the Northern Region’s characteristics of long winters and barren land, we have no choice but to depend on imports for food.’

But whether rats had gotten onto the ships or there were other rats involved, the supplies stacked at the loading dock and warehouses were noticeably less than what the reports indicated.

To fix all this, where should I even start―

‘Wait.’

Fix what? I came here to leisurely enjoy the sea breeze, and here I am having such futile thoughts!

“Trading Company Leader.”

“I, I wasn’t thinking about anything.”

“…?”

My endless train of thought was interrupted by Gareth’s quiet call.

Though we had set out in the middle of the night, the bluish dawn was already breaking.

Just as I thought we should head back to our lodging since our walk was done, I spotted a crowd silently gathering where Gareth had gestured with his 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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