I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 159

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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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As she emerged from the training ground covered in dust, she could feel the tense atmosphere.

Edith instinctively realized that Marius had come to visit.

And soon, she made eye contact with Marius, who was standing not far away with a rigid expression.

“Let’s talk.”

Marius, with a haggard face, urgently approached her.

His expression was so serious that she worried whether some incident had occurred outside while she was training.

‘He didn’t come about Edgar, did he?’

Though she felt sorry for her siblings, if she had to choose between the terrible scenarios of Marius noticing Edgar’s existence and visiting her, or news that her siblings had been attacked by Lazarus, it would naturally have to be the former.

She could step in and handle the latter situation, but the former… well, it would complicate things in many ways.

‘He came on his own last time too, so it’s probably the same this time.’

Hoping it was neither the former nor the latter, she followed Marius.

As she moved with the Emperor to the drawing room within the training grounds, curious gazes followed them from here and there.

“We don’t need refreshments, so don’t let anyone disturb us.”

After having Max ensure no one could approach the vicinity, Marius collapsed into a chair.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m not here as an Inspector right now, Edith. I came to see you.”

Perhaps it was because the curtains were drawn, making it dim. Marius’s voice sounded not just dry, but chillingly cold.

“What is it?”

Marius stared at Edith intently before dropping his head.

Countless sentences swirled around in his mouth.

Don’t you have something to tell me? How long are you planning to hide it? Every question that came to mind felt rough like sandpaper.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

His head ached. His insides were incredibly complicated. He didn’t know how to bring it up.

To ask why she hid the pregnancy was too much, given the serious wrong he had committed.

Their relationship was built on a foundation that was wrong from the start, so trust crumbled just from the truth being discovered.

But it was about the child.

The reality that he didn’t even know of his son’s existence until the boy was old enough to run around with his cousins was astounding.

‘It’s all because of me.’

Though he had only seen him briefly, the child looked exactly like him.

The blue eyes were closer to Edith’s, but from his face to his voice, he resembled Marius’s childhood so much that it was miraculous how Edith had hidden Edgar’s existence and raised him to that extent.

Even so, he didn’t want to make Edith suffer.

Since she had already been hurt because of him, he wanted to clutch the pain to himself as much as possible.

So he chose a completely different approach.

“Shall we start over?”

Swallowing his questions back down his throat, he folded his hardening eyes. Stretching the corners of his mouth wide, he chose the method he was good at.

Acting lightly and cheekily.

Marius wrapped his sincerity like a joke and offered it to her.

“I can’t do it without you. Looking back, every moment without you is agonizingly painful, like I’m dying.”

His breath was so choked that he could no longer suppress the stale longing.

“Edith. I won’t ask you to forgive me. I’d be fine being even a tiny fragment of your life. Just allow me to be by your side. That’s enough.”

He gripped his pants with palms that had become damp with sweat.

His jaw was trembling, and if he hadn’t applied force, there would have been the sound of his teeth chattering.

“I know it’s shameless, but I hope you’ll seriously consider it.”

“…I was bored living as Empress.”

At Marius’s earnest attitude, Edith also slowly confessed her true feelings.

“I like the sea. When I use my abilities, the frozen air brushes against my cheeks. It feels like my skin might tear, but after running around for a while, I’m drenched in sweat.”

“…”

“Living in the Empire was like ill-fitting clothes for me. I didn’t feel alive.”

“Was the time you spent with me unhappy?”

“It wasn’t unhappy. It’s just that the happiness I wanted was cut away.”

Marius’s complexion turned pale blue. His chest heaved. Rough breathing filled the quiet drawing room.

Watching him, Edith added with difficulty.

“I truly loved you.”

“If I, if I hadn’t told those lies… if our beginning hadn’t been wrong, would you have stayed with me?”

Edith’s lips trembled violently. She fixed her wide eyes on her hands and barely managed to speak.

“My mother was a general. I want to become a commander like my mother, standing at the front when war breaks out and taking responsibility.”

Plop. Drip drip. The tears Marius shed fell onto the table.

Filled with despair, he couldn’t even think to wipe away his tears.

Though he gritted his teeth, he couldn’t hide even the sound of swallowing his tearful breaths.

His hands, which had turned red following his face, painfully raked through his blonde hair.

“What if I abdicate? Then could I be by your side?”

“You know that’s impossible.”

“How about becoming a naval officer in the Empire? I could give you a commander position.”

“Marius.”

Marius, who had buried his face in both palms, breathed painfully.

“There isn’t a reason you have to stay in Trowance, is there?”

“What?”

“You’re not rejecting my proposal because you have a secret that must be hidden from the Empire, from my sight?”

Confirming her complexion that had instantly turned pale, Marius let out a bitter laugh.

A beast-like laugh, no, a sob flowed out. He panted like that for a while before weakly rising from his seat.

“Don’t worry. I won’t take anything from you.”

I’m sick of destroying things.

Just before opening the drawing room door and leaving, he spoke in a devastated tone.

“Sorry for visiting so suddenly.”

Click.

The door closed.

Edith, tense from extreme stress, felt her heart pounding as if it would burst and squeezed her eyes shut.

The situation she had worried about had finally occurred.

* * *

“Auntie. Little auntie.”

“Edgar?”

As I opened my eyes drowsily, Edgar was shaking me.

What time is it? The clock on the nightstand pointed to 12 o’clock.

“What’s wrong, Edgar.”

“A bed monster appeared in my dream.”

“That must have been scary. Come here.”

As Edgar climbed onto the bed, I quickly lifted the blanket to welcome the little puppy.

Just like Edith’s son, he had thoughtfully brought his pillow too.

“Little auntie. You’re not going to school tomorrow either?”

“Right. I’m not going.”

“Then play with me.”

“Okay. What should we play?”

“Hide and seek.”

“Good. Hide so well that I absolutely can’t find you. Though I’ll probably find you anyway.”

After giving him a kiss on the forehead, I pulled his small, warm body into my arms.

When I patted his back, Edgar quickly fell asleep with gentle breathing.

‘Look at that baby smell.’

My older brother and sisters had always practiced communal child-rearing.

Thanks to Edgar becoming part of that tradition through generations, we often slept together for many days.

This was because Edith was often too busy with work to come home. As a result, Edgar had been like my youngest sibling since he was little.

‘We’re only 11 years apart, so I’m more like a big sister than an aunt.’

It was exhausting when he begged to play more even after playing for over an hour with his buffalo-like stamina, but I felt good when Edgar needed me and came looking for me.

Because I could give back the love I had received.

Sometimes I would reminisce about my own childhood and think that my sisters must have felt this way.

In moments when I could truly feel what kind of love I had received and what feelings the adults had when caring for me, my heart would ache and my eyes would redden.

‘Edgar. I’m worried that Edith needs to be a bit more honest.’

The resentment and hatred had melted away, filled with affectionate longing, yet she didn’t know her own heart.

I fell asleep listening to the sound of peaceful breathing.

* * *

Tap. Tap.

The Ritualist tapped the paper with his pen tip. The pen tip made holes, but he didn’t care.

Lord Razas had been defeated by the mage and returned to Hell again. All the Elders had been dealt with, leaving no remaining manpower.

Of course, the Sect was still full of hidden Black Mages and believers ready to sacrifice their lives at any moment.

This was thanks to changing course after realizing the realistic difficulty of killing their great enemy, quietly building strength on an island unknown to anyone.

‘The ones left in the Empire were nothing but fools.’

Despite giving him all the remaining black holy water, that stupid Elder had been thoroughly beaten to death without even obtaining the Holy Maiden’s blood.

Now the future of the Sect depended on the choice he would make.

Only he could bring Lord Razas down again.

“I should prepare for the final descent.”

He would cut the damn Holy Maiden’s throat and complete the ritual with her blood.

Since there were many who would interfere, he planned to mobilize all the forces the Sect possessed.

Anyway, if they failed this time, Lord Razas would be eternally destroyed and the Sect itself would become nothing more than a sandcastle that would soon crumble.

The Ritualist held his pen straight and began writing the mobilization orders he would send to the Black Mages.

Soon, the final war that would determine the Sect’s survival was about to begin.

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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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