I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 77

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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 77

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Time flowed by as quickly as the wind.

During the day, I inspected various parts of Bellamare, in the evening I held meetings with officials, and at night I reviewed documents with Ramon and several bureaucrats brought from the main castle.

Though I worked tirelessly, even cutting back on sleep, each day was enjoyable.

I must have been born with an incurable workaholic constitution.

The citizens of Bellamare, who had initially been extremely wary of me, had now become as comfortable as family after I frequented the village so often that I wore down their doorsteps.

“Madam!!”

“Don’t run. You’ll bump into something.”

Today was the day to take a final look around the site where the smeltery would be built.

Since smelteries produce a lot of smoke, they’re difficult to build near densely populated areas, so we also created a separate residential district considering the workers’ commute.

With lodging, a dining hall, and even a small market planned, that area alone would become a village in its own right.

Children who spotted me came running excitedly to the village entrance.

“Madam, look at this! We found a frog hibernating!”

“Don’t disturb sleeping… I mean, amphibians. Bury it back where you found it.”

“I don’t want to go alone, can’t you come with us?”

“Hey, mom said not to bother the busy Madam!”

The people who had survived the life-or-death situation with me in the cave were the first to volunteer when I said I was recruiting workers.

Having lost their entire livelihood because of the governor, they had no hesitation about moving to a new place.

The children who came with them were also connected through the bonds formed in the cave.

While I generally liked children, I couldn’t help but feel especially attached to these ones.

“Laura’s right. Madam is doing important work right now. Let’s ask her to play next time.”

“Yes, mom… But please play with us again next time!”

Just then, Gibson’s wife Greta and several women came outside carrying laundry.

As I exchanged warm greetings with the women, I looked down at Greta’s belly.

It seemed like I’d just seen her recently, but her belly had swollen like a gourd. She looked like walking would be difficult.

“You’re full-term, is it okay to be walking around like this?”

“Everyone’s busy, so I can’t just sit around doing nothing. I’m still fine.”

“When’s your due date?”

Greta smiled shyly and answered that she had about two weeks left.

No wonder Gibson seemed so absent-minded lately.

“I hope the baby takes after you rather than Gibson. Since Greta is beautiful, the child will be really adorable.”

“When you say such things, Madam, I’m too embarrassed to lift my face.”

“It’s the truth, so what’s wrong with that? Gibson really struck gold marrying you. If he has any conscience, he should serve you for life.”

Just then, a child being carried by another woman started crying inconsolably for some reason.

Since she was carrying a lot of things and looked burdened, I reached out asking to hold the child.

The baby was probably only about three months old.

When I held the child in my arms and gently patted its bottom, it soon started smiling happily.

“Oh my, how adorable. Whose baby could be this lovely, hmm?”

“Ooh—”

The soft little breathing sounds and the gentle scent unique to babies felt pleasant.

As I made faces at the child while maintaining eye contact, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

What on earth were they thinking? Gentle smiles spread across the women’s faces.

“Oh my, look at our Madam’s expression. Those are exactly the eyes of someone waiting for news.”

“You’re being ridiculous too. How long has she been married into Lombard that you’re already saying such things!”

“Both the Lord and Madam are at their prime, so won’t we hear happy news soon? Then we’ll have to hold a festival together in the plaza!”

The moment I understood what the women meant, my face turned bright red.

So these people were now talking about… well, about children between Edwin and me.

As a great noble, bearing an heir to continue the family line was a duty more important than anything else, and while I understood this well in my head!

When it became about me personally, my mind went completely blank.

‘Come to think of it, things between Edwin and me haven’t been bad lately…’

The situation was different from when I first got married.

Back then Edwin ignored me like I was nothing, but now we shared meals and talked about our days, sometimes exchanged opinions, and grew accustomed to each other’s preferences.

When I occasionally overworked myself and felt unwell, Edwin would stay by my side all night caring for me.

‘We’re supposed to be great nobles, but how long can we postpone our marital duties?’

Edwin’s low, gentle voice, his long, firm fingers with calluses, the solid muscles and warm body temperature I felt wherever he touched.

The moment my thoughts flowed to a certain point, I screamed internally!

As my face heated up as if it might burst, the women giggled mischievously.

“H-how dare you tease the Duchess!!”

Though I shouted angrily, it had no effect whatsoever.

They already knew me too well.

They knew I showed no mercy to incompetent bureaucrats and politicians, but was endlessly warm to powerless citizens, and wasn’t the type to flaunt hierarchy.

My image was completely ruined.

I grumbled and fled from the scene as if escaping.

* * *

At the smeltery site, a little distance from the residential district, people had gathered.

Having heard about the inspection, everyone from supervisors to technicians and workers had come out, and among them was a very welcome face.

It was Sten, the head of the smelting guild, whom Bolik from the miners’ guild had strongly recommended, vouching for his skills.

Though their main area of activity was southern Lombard where the inland gateway was located, I heard they had decided to trust me and establish new operations here in Bellamare.

They had arrived at just the right timing.

“Madam! It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Sten from the smelting guild.”

“Nice to meet you. You’ve made a difficult decision.”

“For us, it’s a life of following molten metal wherever it flows. Besides, your achievements have been well-known even in the south. Whenever that fellow Bolik brought up your name, he would go on and on…”

Sten had a cheerful personality.

After finishing introductions, he began the full inspection, explaining in great detail how this location had optimal conditions for building a smeltery.

The technicians and workers from the smelting guild who came with him also had faces full of anticipation.

The amount of ore going out through Bellamare was overwhelmingly greater than through the inland gateway, making it difficult for the current workforce to handle the volume.

In the long term, they would need to teach skills to lower-level workers and help them grow into craftsmen.

Unlike when they hid in caves, now they had a future spread before their feet that they could pioneer themselves.

‘How satisfying.’

This was exactly the Lombard I had dreamed of.

And unlike the past, there was no one to stop me.

I was the most noble woman in the Northern Region, and Edwin the Lord—except when he occasionally spouted nonsense about duchess direct territories—firmly supported me.

Though my body was tired, my heart was more fulfilled than ever.

“Madam, I’m sorry, but this path seems difficult to pass through.”

“It certainly looks that way.”

Awakening from my thoughts, I looked around.

The improved carriage Edwin had made for me could easily pass through narrow alleys, but was useless in places like this where no roads had been paved.

Gareth, understanding the situation, quickly approached.

“Allow me to carry you.”

“No need, I’d like to walk for once.”

“But…”

The citizens still found Gareth intimidating.

Those who had experienced him up close might be different, but people like the smelting guild who had no contact with him found the Duke’s closest retainer very burdensome.

Edwin had probably carved me a new crutch too, so it was better to walk short distances myself.

“Madam, then I’ll help support you.”

“Please do.”

After dismissing Gareth, Sten approached instead.

Due to etiquette based on social status, he couldn’t directly hold my hand, but my arm was permissible—though for that, I first had to get down from the carriage.

It was the moment I carefully stepped down while gripping the handle.

Perhaps it was because I hadn’t been able to rest properly due to official duties, but a stabbing pain shot through my ankle, which had been quiet for a while.

“…!”

As I stumbled, my vision flipped in an instant.

Startled Sten shouted and Gareth rushed over, but it was already too late.

Just as I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking how much it would hurt to tumble to the ground—

“It’s been a while, Elisia.”

A refreshing breeze brushed against my cheek.

The warmth of the arm firmly wrapped around my waist wasn’t unfamiliar.

I never would have dreamed of encountering him in this place.

“While I haven’t seen you, you’ve gained more unnecessary injuries. Just where and how exactly have you been tumbling around?”

Brother Vincent, whose eyes met mine, curved his eyes into a gentle smile.

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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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