I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 96

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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 96

Edwin had a secret he hadn’t told Elisia.

In truth, he willingly shared everything he possessed with Elisia—his money, power, honor, and all—and considered this tremendous happiness.

However, there was one exception.

Things that could hurt Elisia, all the various dangers that could harm her—those alone he quietly handled behind the scenes so that Elisia would never know.

He had done so several times until now.

‘A reply has arrived from the Holy Capital Arzenbach.’

‘What did they say?’

‘They said they would not stand by and watch the Imperial Palace dare to use the Holy Capital. However, heresy trials are the exclusive authority of the Inquisition Holy See, so they would also refuse Your Grace’s proposal…’

Before departing for the Imperial Capital, Edwin received urgent news from a spy he had planted in the Imperial Palace.

The content was that the Emperor was trying to frame Elisia with charges of heresy.

Not satisfied with banishing her to the frontier, he was conspiring with political priests in the Imperial Capital to completely bring about her downfall.

Edwin secretly conveyed this fact to the Holy Capital Arzenbach.

The content was his concern that the dignified divine authority would fall to become a tool of political strife by some corrupt priests who had colluded with the secular world.

There was no need to mobilize spies he had infiltrated into the Holy Capital.

Though reluctant, he was confident that if Brother Vincent, the Director of the Inquisition and the Pope’s closest retainer, learned of this fact, he would not let it pass.

Because he was conscious of Elisia as a woman…

‘A mere clergyman.’

This was why Edwin couldn’t shake off his displeasure despite things going well.

The Holy Capital said they had no intention of playing along with the Imperial Palace’s intentions, but at the same time, they had no reason to clear Elisia’s false charges either.

Of course, Edwin didn’t mind since this was already the expected answer. The Holy Capital’s role was sufficient with just that.

Unlike his foolish and pathetic first life, he had become able to do many things to protect her…

But today’s statement from the ministers was completely unexpected.

The ministers of the Holy Capital had directly cleared Elisia of heresy charges.

Thanks to this, no matter how much the Imperial Capital’s diocese stepped forward, it became impossible to frame her as a heretic.

‘What is the Pope thinking.’

The Holy Capital was a city with a thousand years of history, and they had tremendous pride in their traditions and status.

They weren’t the type to change their words like flipping their palms.

As he retraced the reasons, one face naturally came to mind. Whether it was a misunderstanding or not, it was equally unpleasant.

‘Brother Vincent.’

Did Elisia know?

That he wasn’t the calm and generous man she thought he was.

That even a single glance from a priest who couldn’t freely hold a woman’s hand made his insides churn, and that in truth, he wanted to completely monopolize her.

He wanted her smile, her affectionate gaze, even her slightest touch to be his alone.

“Am I bad for being like this?”

This moment when Elisia was sleeping defensively beside him was heartbreakingly precious.

But at the same time, some desire raised its head in a corner of his heart.

Beyond simply protecting her, he wanted to get closer to her.

He wanted to become someone who could share Elisia’s diverse emotions—not only happiness and joy, but also sadness and anxiety, anger, and sometimes even deeper emotions.

And when had it started?

Quite naturally, the desire to reach her had emerged.

He wanted to become a true married couple… for the first time, he had such thoughts.

Elisia was his most precious treasure, yet at the same time a forbidden territory he dared not touch.

He could no longer return to the days when he didn’t know the happiness of walking through the city district holding hands with her, that overwhelming emotion.

“Please tell me it’s okay to be greedy. That it’s alright…”

Edwin quietly curled up beside his wife who slept obliviously.

The moon was setting.

* * *

“What on earth is the meaning of this!”

Late at night, the Archbishop of the Bellenua Diocese in the Imperial Capital hastily knelt before Vittorio IV’s rage.

Something unexpected had occurred.

It was a completely opposite result from the intelligence they had gathered in Lombard.

The ministers from the Holy Capital Arzenbach had publicly declared Elisia to be a ‘pure soul without sin.’

Those who knew nothing laughed it off, saying the ministers had no eye for people.

But the Emperor and Archbishop couldn’t do so.

“Didn’t you say that bitch Elisia was tainted with heresy?! Didn’t you clearly say so?!”

“I, I heard so as well. That Duke Lombard’s wife’s soul was certainly corrupted…”

“Then why did those minister bastards babble like that!!”

The Emperor had put considerable effort into inviting the ministers from the Holy Capital.

Not only did he lavish diplomatic courtesies, but the Empire also made significant political concessions.

He readjusted the protocol rankings to elevate the status of the Holy Capital delegation and permitted them to freely conduct speeches and religious activities within the Empire’s territory.

He even presented truly exceptional conditions, such as requiring the Holy Capital’s approval for important matters like the Empire’s territorial disputes or imperial succession.

Though the bureaucrats expressed strong concerns, the Emperor remained firm.

He thought that if he could completely bring down Elisia, it would be profitable no matter what price he paid.

But having only stirred up the parliament like an angry beehive while gaining nothing, Vittorio’s anger reached the top of his head.

“Since it’s come to this, create evidence of heresy! Hide it in the Lombard Mansion or something!”

“I, I’m sorry, but that’s impossible…”

Eyes are said to be the windows to the soul.

The highest-ranking priests could look into a person’s eyes and see the true form of their soul.

Moreover, the three ministers who visited this time were among the most powerful figures in Arzenbach, known for their strong divine power.

Since they had affirmed that there was no problem with Elisia’s soul, if they forcibly pinned heresy charges on her, they would face backlash.

“Damn it all!!”

The Emperor threw objects and screamed without caring who was watching.

He had thought he could suppress the parliament’s opposition once Elisia was proven to be a heretic, but this way, hadn’t he just given them plenty of ammunition for attack!

Moreover, what about all that support he had promised to the Imperial Capital?

If he forced this through, even the support of the Court Faction Nobles and citizens that he had barely managed to maintain would collapse in an instant.

“No, wait? Couldn’t I just not keep the promise…”

In Vittorio’s mind, pushed to his limits, a certain word suddenly flashed.

Religious reformation.

If he declared conversion and changed the state religion, he would no longer need to fulfill the promises made with Arzenbach.

Moreover, since he could grasp divine authority along with political power, there would be no reason to watch the arrogant Pope’s mood.

“Yes, this is it!”

Vittorio twisted his lips in admiration of his own wisdom.

However, he overlooked one important thing: that for some people, religion was a belief they wouldn’t trade even for their lives.

It was the moment when the spark that would bring a bloody storm to the Valdin Empire awakened.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, it was bright outside the window.

Seeing how refreshed my body felt, I must have slept very soundly.

I was about to get up refreshingly, unlike usual, when I was caught by something and fell back onto the bed.

“…!”

I blinked in surprise and belatedly grasped the situation.

Edwin was right beside me, sleeping soundly and peacefully, oblivious to the world.

When we fell asleep, we definitely lay down keeping a proper distance, so when did we get this close?

Moreover, there was another problem.

Edwin and I were sweetly holding hands with our fingers interlaced.

My face, which had been staring down at this in a daze, grew hot at some point.

‘This is why you can’t trust men who say they’ll just hold hands and sleep, right?’

Of course, Edwin had never made such a promise, and we really did just hold hands and sleep!

Flustered, I muttered nonsense… and slowly shifted my body to the side.

Usually, I didn’t have the chance to stare at his face like this so intently.

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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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