I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 74

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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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“Ma, Master?”

Judith stepped back in surprise. She turned pale and gasped for breath.

Ekian stared intently at her reaction. There was no joy at all in her eyes. Only awkwardness and bewilderment showed through. That hurt his feelings again.

“Ho, ho, how did you get here?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Ekian’s voice evaporated quickly as always, but nevertheless carried a coldness.

“I came using the secret passage, so no one would have noticed.”

Judith blinked her eyes.

“Secret passage?”

Then she tilted her head and asked.

“Well, you’re the man who knew about the secret passage to the Meius Mansion, right? There’s no reason you wouldn’t know about the annex’s secret passage. Bu, but what about the garden party?”

“What about the garden party?”

“I’m sure it looked like it was just getting started in earnest earlier.”

“I ended it after just the first question.”

Ekian said calmly.

“They asked who knew a scandal that could overturn the Empire. So I answered that I didn’t know if it could overturn the Empire, but I did know one interesting scandal.”

“What? And that was the end?”

“I talked about Anais Anitas Countess’s five lovers.”

Judith coughed. Of course, this would have been completely new information to her.

“Of course, among the five lovers, I mentioned Emperor’s name first.”

Having lovers openly was common. Everyone knew in whispers that Anais was also one of the Emperor’s lovers.

But the Emperor’s lover having lovers was another matter entirely. Since it was information that even shocked Judith, it was natural that the garden party had been completely turned upside down earlier.

“The Countess turned pale and angrily told me to leave immediately, so I came out.”

Ekian said leisurely.

“She should have laughed instead of getting angry, then it could have been treated as a joke, but she panicked and showed her amateur side. She’s not as skilled as you, Judith.”

Judith’s face flushed slightly.

She seemed to remember how she had slapped Anais’s cheek and smiled calmly in front of him. Well, it could have been an embarrassing situation, but Ekian was genuinely quite impressed by that display.

“I hadn’t planned to expose that fact all at once like that.”

Ekian said as he slowly stood up.

“I was in a bad mood, so I just said it. And staying there longer became rather uninteresting.”

And as soon as he came out, he headed to the annex. That’s why he could arrive before Judith, who came late because the coachman had to take a roundabout route, and wait for her.

“Ah, I see.”

Judith rolled her eyes and slowly nodded.

A moment of silence passed. Judith glanced at Ekian and said.

“Th, things went well. The conversation with the Crown Princess went very well too, and although I dealt more damage to Anais than expected, anyway.”

“I see.”

After the brief conversation, silence fell again.

Ekian took a step toward Judith. Judith stepped back exactly that much and said.

“Uh, then… do you have something more to say?”

“Don’t tell me you’re asking me to leave?”

“No, well…”

When Ekian took another step closer, Judith also stepped back again. She smiled awkwardly and turned her head. That sight was frustrating again.

If asked what was frustrating, he had no answer, but whenever she widened the psychological distance even a little, he became anxious and uneasy.

Even though he knew he should abandon his Master persona and approach as Ekian… he couldn’t distinguish well inside. It was because just seeing her made him caught up in strange impulses.

“Judith.”

“Yes.”

“…Why did you avoid me like that today?”

“What?”

“You didn’t even acknowledge me properly, didn’t give proper answers to conversations, and just avoided me…”

“Excuse me!”

Judith interrupted him and spoke quickly.

“So, sorry, but! If you have something to say, could we do it in a little while?”

“…In a little while? Why?”

“I want to wash up a bit.”

Judith hesitated and gestured toward the bathroom.

“I feel too uncomfortable. Let’s talk after I wash up. Whatever it is.”

“Alright.”

Ekian nodded.

“Let’s do that.”

Judith headed to the bathroom as if fleeing. Ekian sat back down on the living room sofa.

He kept thinking about how Judith had stepped back when he moved forward, then stepped back again, and his mood wasn’t good.

‘Ah, what is this.’

Judith sighed with a tearful expression in the bathroom.

‘Why did he come now!’

The reason she had avoided Master at the garden party was simple. It was just because her body had an unpleasant smell.

Master was already too wonderful, and the women beside him were excessively pretty!

She had dried off the water but hadn’t been able to wash. She could smell the strange fishy odor coming from herself.

What woman would want to approach the man she likes in that state?

So when a situation came where she might be questioned one-on-one, she couldn’t bear it and got up.

‘It would have been nice to just meet at the Duke’s mansion later!’

In the end, she couldn’t stand it and had come all the way to the bathroom. She washed her body and shampooed her hair while venting all her frustrations internally.

‘Aaah, this is really annoying!’

Still, she couldn’t bring herself to say that she had stayed away because she was embarrassed that she might be compared to other women who were clean, pretty, and smelled nice. That was a matter similar to pride.

‘What on earth am I supposed to say!’

Judith stamped her foot once. That’s when it happened.

“Aaaaah!”

Splash, at the same time she stamped her foot, her leg slipped smoothly. With a loud crash, she fell ungracefully.

Immediately, a sound came from outside.

“Judith?”

It was Master’s panicked voice.

“Judith? Are you alright?”

Judith shouted first.

“Yes! I just fell for a moment!”

Wow, this was really the worst. Judith made a tearful face and tried to get up quickly. That’s when it happened.

“Kyaaaah!”

At the same time, her bent leg cramped up. She screamed involuntarily from the pain.

“Judith!”

The door burst open. At the same time, Judith shouted.

“Get out! I’m not wearing anything!”

Then the door immediately closed.

“So, so, sorry…”

Along with a dejected voice heard right in front of the door.

“Bu, but I really didn’t see anything. Really, I closed the door right away.”

Judith sighed and covered her face with both hands. This was really the worst.

But what was even worse was that she really couldn’t get up right now. Her foot was still full of pain and her cramped leg hurt even with the slightest movement.

And there was no maid…

“But Judith.”

A cautious voice came from outside the door.

“Are you really alright?”

Judith couldn’t bring herself to answer that she was fine.

“…Is there a problem? Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Well…”

After quite some time had passed, Judith spoke in an almost tearful voice.

“My leg… I have a cramp and it’s difficult to move. What should I do?”

“Pardon?”

“What should I really do?”

“Well, if you lift your knee and press on your leg, it should release more quickly.”

“Can I do that by myself?”

“It’s, possible, I, suppose.”

An awkward silence fell for a moment. Only Judith’s intermittent groans of pain could be heard.

After some time passed, Master spoke slowly.

“Um, so please don’t suspect anything, and, well. I’ll come in briefly and just help with your leg. You can’t stay like this forever. Don’t you have something to cover yourself with?”

Judith really wanted to die.

However, truly, she couldn’t continue staying like this. It would be even more awkward if the coachman came by.

Until now, she had avoided bringing a maid along every day because it was too embarrassing, but she was beginning to understand why nobles always brought maids with them.

“Then, I’ll wrap myself with a towel, so you really must just help with my leg and then leave.”

Fortunately, there was a large towel within reach.

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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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