I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 75

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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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After sending Melanie to the garden party, Alteon was moving busily.

Since he had decided to openly oppose the Emperor, he had no intention of dragging things out. He needed to strike with maximum speed to avoid giving them time to prepare.

‘Fortunately, the Emperor didn’t prepare for the possibility that I would survive so intact after the birthday banquet.’

Alteon saw hope as he consulted with his trusted retainers, putting their heads together.

‘Even if he hurriedly prepares now, he can’t change the major schedules that have already been set.’

He began consulting with his close retainers while looking at the map.

“His Majesty the Emperor will soon depart for an inspection of the Eastern Aarten Region. How about we settle things there?”

The Aarten region had a good climate and was prosperous, but it was a place where conflicts were quite frequent due to barbarians settling nearby.

The lord of Aarten was like the Emperor’s right hand, and the troops and supplies he was raising there could all be considered for the Emperor’s benefit.

“A frontal assault won’t work. However, since battles occur frequently in Aarten, we could use that to our advantage.”

Alteon was originally inflexible and valued principles above all. However, in this situation where a father was trying to harm his son, he had no choice but to use cowardly methods if he wanted to survive.

The Emperor had also tried to assassinate him. So what was there that he couldn’t do?

“If we pretend it’s a barbarian raid and kill His Majesty the Emperor and the Aarten Marquis…”

Alteon said with sharp eyes.

“Imperial succession would naturally become possible.”

“However, we would need to secretly move to the barbarians’ territory. Naturally, Your Highness the Crown Prince cannot personally take action.”

Alteon couldn’t engage in direct combat due to his long-term poison consumption. And if he were directly present at the assassination site, he could be suspected of murdering his father.

“Is there someone Your Highness the Crown Prince can trust completely, who is skilled in strategy and military tactics, and who could disappear from the capital for a while without arousing suspicion?”

At his retainers’ question, Alteon fell silent for a moment.

They needed to secretly kill the Emperor and the Aarten Marquis, bury that fact in history, and return safely. If discovered, they would immediately be executed for regicide.

No, even before being discovered… they might die at the hands of the barbarians while mixed among them.

“Of course it’s dangerous work. If successful, it would be good to grant the Aarten territory as a reward.”

Aarten was a wealthy place with a mild climate, so it was indeed good territory. Though barbarian invasions were frequent, conversely, if one could protect against those invasions, it was also a place where one could easily earn the loyalty of the territory’s people.

“…There is one person who comes to mind.”

Alteon said slowly.

“However, I’ll need to hear their opinion.”

Someone he could trust completely, who was strong enough to kill the Emperor and Aarten Marquis while pretending it was a barbarian attack.

And someone who, having disappeared once before, wouldn’t arouse suspicion if they disappeared again.

‘Ekian Meius.’

Alteon knew Ekian well. He was absolutely not someone who would lose his life or show weakness in such a local battle.

Of course, at the same time, Ekian had plenty of reasons not to take on this task.

First, his wife was pregnant. And Ekian was the Meius Marquis, lacking nothing in terms of background or wealth. This meant he wasn’t someone who would covet the Aarten territory.

Normally, he wouldn’t even make such a proposal. It was an unreasonable request.

‘But there are too many puzzling things.’

However, Ekian’s current actions were not reasonable at all. So perhaps Alteon’s proposal might fit into Ekian’s secret agenda that no one else knew about.

Alteon bit his lower lip as he thought.

‘He’s showing behavior I can’t possibly guess, so it’s difficult to think within common sense. I should at least make the proposal.’

While resolving to grant whatever he might desire, whatever it might be.

Finally, the bathroom door opened.

Judith took a deep breath while wrapped tightly in a towel.

“Trust me, Judith.”

Master said in a low voice.

“I’ll just treat your leg cramp and leave.”

He strode over and stood in front of Judith. Judith unconsciously let out a shriek.

“Close your eyes!”

“How can I treat a leg cramp with my eyes closed?”

Saying it was nonsense, Master grabbed her leg. Then he tilted it toward her body and pushed it up.

“Just wait like this for a moment and it should ease up.”

Judith covered her face with her hands in embarrassment and shouted.

“Don’t look. I told you to close your eyes!”

“I’ll close my eyes now.”

“So you were looking before! Then what’s the point?”

“Since there’s no point, should I just keep my eyes open? By the way, is it feeling better?”

Master asked while pulling her foot closer to her body. Judith gritted her teeth in shame and muttered.

“Ah… how am I supposed to look at Master’s face after this? Leave when this is over. Actually, I have nothing more to say anyway.”

“Well, I have something to say.”

Master said sullenly. Yet his hands massaging her leg were gentle, and Judith felt her ears burning red.

“Wh-what do you have to say?”

“I told you. Why exactly did you avoid me like that? There was no need to look at me like I was some disgusting bug, was there? When you obviously knew I was worried?”

At the word ‘worried,’ Judith’s face flushed even more. He was saying that from the moment she got drenched, he had been continuously thinking about her…

While it was true she had avoided him out of embarrassment, she didn’t feel bad about receiving his concern. No, to be honest, a strange fullness began spreading from deep in her heart.

“Ah… um.”

“From your inability to answer, I can see you deliberately avoided me.”

“Ah, I don’t know. Anyway, I’m so embarrassed I feel like I’ll never be able to look at Master’s face again.”

“What do you mean you can’t look.”

Master seemed frustrated and interrogated her irritably.

Judith really didn’t want to be caught with her flushed face. Especially not while facing Master’s expressionless mask.

Her head was already blank from his gentle touch, and she could only keep repeating the same words.

“Ah, how can we face each other again after going through this situation? I can’t do it.”

Then Master immediately grumbled as if exasperated.

“If you put it that way, I was embarrassed beyond belief after kissing you, but at least I didn’t avoid you…!”

It must have been quite an impulsive statement, as he couldn’t finish his words. Judith stared up at him from the floor with wide eyes.

“Ah…”

Master, who seemed to have fallen into a momentary panic, let out a deep sigh. Then he muttered as if things were ruined.

“You seem not to remember because you were drunk, but we also kissed. I endured the embarrassment while remembering it alone…”

“Uh… wait a moment.”

Judith blinked and interjected in a small voice.

“There’s a bit of an error there.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t not remember. I remember everything.”

“…What?”

“Our kiss. Master was having a hard time, so I helped you…”

Now it was Master who was speechless with bewilderment.

“You acted so nonchalantly that I naturally thought you had forgotten something like a kiss.”

He said with a dazed voice, stammering.

“Th-th-then… you remembered all of that and pretended not to know?”

There was even shock in his voice.

“It wasn’t a big deal to Judith, so you just forgot about it nonchalantly?”

“Ah… that’s not it.”

Judith glanced up at him and said.

“I just thought Master wanted to pretend it didn’t happen. Wasn’t that right?”

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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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