Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 14

At Seed’s words, Kailerus recalled it late.
“Ah, my wife was from the Imperial Palace Knight Order, wasn’t she.”
Seed looked at him with a puzzled expression at what seemed to slip out unconsciously from Kailerus, but soon bowed his head again.
“That aside, sir, I believe it would be best to avoid contact with them for the time being, as they appear to be watching us closely due to the smuggling business and gambling arena matters we’ve encountered.”
“Then search for another Sacred Purification Stone regardless.”
Kailerus had suffered from an inexplicable, vexing headache for more than a decade.
Not once in all that time had the pain subsided.
None of the physicians he brought in could find the cause, and nothing he tried made any difference.
Then, a few years ago, he happened to acquire a Sacred Purification Stone he’d received in place of a debt from another nobleman, and he was freed from his long affliction.
For those who wielded Dark Magic or had resistance to it, the Sacred Purification Stone would be something to avoid—but for him, it worked like medicine, numbing his senses and producing a calming effect.
Ordinary Purification Stones had no effect whatsoever.
Unlike ordinary Purification Stones, which emitted white light, the Sacred Purification Stone gave off a blue glow; rare as it was, its efficacy was far superior.
The real reason he was troubled to seek out another Sacred Purification Stone was not the headache, but rather the sudden, violent urges that seized him.
His mood would plummet without warning, or he’d find himself gripped by some overwhelming desire.
Kailerus loved when everything moved according to his will.
He despised looking up to anyone, and his nature was to dominate—so being unable to control his own moods was deeply, profoundly unpleasant.
Such impulses struck more frequently at dawn.
Once, he’d even lost his reason entirely. It had happened only once, but it had been violent enough to shatter the Sacred Purification Stone itself.
The problem was that he had no memory of that night whatsoever, so he still didn’t know why his rage had been so overwhelming, or exactly how the stone had broken.
By fortunate chance, since meeting Hazel, he’d been receiving something similar to the Sacred Purification Stone’s effects.
Oddly enough, when he held Hazel and slept, her sweet, comforting scent seemed to calm him somewhat and helped him rest better.
When he touched her small, pale, soft hands and her delicate feet, he’d sometimes forget he even had a headache.
While not a fundamental solution, his symptoms had eased considerably, so he no longer needed the Sacred Purification Stone.
But that was a temporary measure.
Once Hazel was gone, he would need a replacement.
And to think he was bound to such a bothersome creature. If only that Sacred Purification Stone hadn’t broken, he wouldn’t be dealing with this headache in the first place.
“Yes, understood. And we’ve captured the one who fled until the very end among those traitors. Shall I dispose of—”
Kailerus’s gaze suddenly shifted to the clock.
It was almost an animal instinct.
Sure enough, it was nearly Hazel’s quitting time.
If he left now, he could have her in the carriage without making her wait at all.
He didn’t pick her up every time.
He usually did so only when he felt inclined or had the leisure—but today was different. Today he would go.
Then she’d leap up and smile at him again.
Of course, it wasn’t for that smile that he was going; he simply wanted to see everything through perfectly.
Seed’s eyes widened as he watched Kailerus rise from his seat with more haste than before.
“Sir?”
“What now.”
“Shall I dispose of him?”
“Handle it yourself and have the carriage ready.”
Kailerus left the room.
Seed remained frozen, eyes still wide.
Normally he delegated other matters to Seed, but usually dealt with eliminating traitors himself.
Ah, right—the carriage!
“Y-yes! Understood!”
Seed hurried after him.

* * *

That night.
We’d had a lovely dinner out and spent the evening together, returning home only after it had grown late.
I was leaning against Noah, reading, when I noticed him fidgeting with my fingers without pause.
Why on earth was he playing with my fingers like that?
Sometimes in bed he would caress my feet.
I’d laugh softly whenever I caught him at it.
At first, I thought it was affection. But Kailerus Hadid would never be capable of such a thing.
Counting fingers one by one, was he?
If I end up going to the bank again, I’ll need to change those fingerprints on file first.
Or perhaps he was considering whether to cut off my limbs instead.
Terrified I might slip up in front of him, I’d been trying hard to think of Noah instead of Kailerus, yet with each passing moment, an ominous suspicion crept in that I couldn’t shake.
I pretended not to notice and settled the book back on my lap, abandoning one hand while turning pages with the other.
After I’d turned a couple of pages, a knock on the door from outside forced me to lower the book once more.
Noah returned after checking who was at the door.
“Just a moment, Hazel. I sent someone on an errand earlier this afternoon, and it seems they’ve returned. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Noah gave me a brief kiss on the cheek before leaving.
The instant he was gone, I scrambled to my feet.
I pressed my ear against the door and strained to listen to their conversation.
The voices that had been indistinct at first gradually became clearer, though still muffled.
“Yes, because of the rain that day, it collapsed… took several days… to rebuild… we’ve finally restored it today…….”
What? Collapsed? What collapsed?
I pressed my ear harder against the door.
I could hear them, but it was frustratingly fragmented.
Still, that voice—I knew who it was.
It was Noah’s aide. A man named Seed with chestnut hair.
Clearly, Seed was Kailerus’s right hand.
He was the subordinate I saw most often.
I’d always thought he looked at me with displeasure, eyeing me sidelong each time we met, but now that I knew he was Kailerus’s man, it all made perfect sense.
We’d exchange greetings, but we could never grow close—and now I understood why.
“For now, we should hold off… to proceed. The command… until…….”
Their voices were fading as they seemed to be moving away down the corridor.
What had collapsed, and what did they mean they’d finished reconstructing it?
Could it possibly mean that the grave meant for me had collapsed in the rain and they’d had to rebuild it?
“…That seems right.”
A building wouldn’t collapse from rain like that!
But it seemed he’d ordered them to put off the plan to dispose of me for the time being.
Until he gave the command!
Isn’t it? Doesn’t it fit perfectly? Click, click, everything aligns.
Perhaps this gift had, after all, softened Noah’s heart a little.
Which meant I had time to work out an escape plan!
Hallelujah! O Divine One!
I clasped my hands together toward a god I didn’t even believe in.
So you are human after all, Kailerus!
You knew the meaning of mercy.
The original work had said he was utterly heartless, yet it seemed he was capable of leniency after all.
So I could breathe a little easier now?
If I could gradually convince him to abandon the idea of getting rid of me, divorcing him wouldn’t be the worst outcome!
Relief flooded through me and my legs gave way, sliding me down to the floor in a heap.
Now I could afford to take my time.
I’d been inwardly anxious about making a mistake if I rushed, but now I could be more thorough.
Good.

* * *

“So the road should be fully restored by tomorrow, and the fence reinforcements you requested should also be completed within a fortnight. If the rains hold off, it’s possible within a week.”
“I’m pleased.”
While Hazel heaved a sigh of relief, Kailerus was discussing the newly constructed Guild Building with Seed.
The two of them were currently planning to expand and relocate Hazel’s Guild Building from two stories to five.
Originally, this had been her genuine wedding anniversary gift.
Seed had even questioned why they were going to such lengths when everything would soon be disposed of anyway, but it was purely Kailerus’s whim.
Every time he saw her frantically toiling away in that cramped two-story building—she who had stolen his money and fled—it rankled him.
He’d decided that even if he were to eliminate her, he wouldn’t have to watch her suffer in such an unpleasant state.
And as everyone knew, the greater the hope and happiness, the more devastating the despair at the end.
It wasn’t as though he were building a grand mansion, so there was no significant loss. Later, if it proved useless, he could always convert it into storage.
But Hazel had fallen seriously ill over the weekend, and then a sudden downpour had caused one side of the road leading to the entrance to collapse, necessitating an urgent road repair.
While they were at it, he decided to reinforce the fence with a double layer, making it stronger and more secure.
A Demonic Beast had appeared without warning, and Hazel had nearly come to harm.
Even if he had to eliminate it with his own hands, he couldn’t allow some Demonic Beast to beat him to it.
No one but himself would ever be permitted to lay a hand on her.
As a result, the gift presentation ceremony was delayed by a full fortnight.
He hadn’t planned it deliberately, but the schedule had slipped away like water through his fingers.
“But sir, the anniversary has already passed. Isn’t this terribly late?”
“She’s not the sort of woman to be disappointed by such things. Just see that it proceeds without incident.”
“Yes, sir. I shall ensure everything is completed properly. I will search the entire Empire for the Sacred Purification Stone and present it to you. Please, give me a little more time.”
Kailerus sent Seed off, pleased at his devoted words, and returned to the room.
In the meantime, Hazel had set down her book and fallen asleep on the bed.
He’d hoped to hear more of her cheerful chatter.
Kailerus had no choice but to lie down beside her.
He reclined on his side, arms folded, and gazed at her face for a long time.
His eyes traced downward from the fluffy forehead that rose softly from where her hair began, then lingered at her eyes.
The delicate light-brown lashes were densely packed beneath.
He noticed her eyebrows trembling faintly.
A soft breath escaped Kailerus’s lips.
After troubling her all night, she would sometimes show this expression the following day.
She appeared to be thinking he might touch her again, worried in her sleep—though Hazel herself seemed unaware that she was a poor pretender.
Today, Kailerus intended to let her rest peacefully, so he allowed her performance to continue undisturbed.
It was curious that he sometimes witnessed the moment she actually fell asleep, finding the sight of her expression relaxing into genuine ease quite intriguing.
Kailerus gazed down at her intently.
Now that he thought about it, her hair color was vivid, yet everything else about her bore no dark tones.
There wasn’t a single angular feature anywhere; observing her forehead, the tip of her nose, the point of her chin, and the curves of her ears gave him the strange impression that she was composed of circles of varying sizes.
It was remarkable, really.
Kailerus reached out and gathered a handful of her hair, pulling it toward himself.
There were times when her hair seemed unusually luminous. Like now.
It felt almost as if a light had been lit, so he closed his fist around it to block the glow.
Though certainly—she was no luminescent Demonic Beast. Hair couldn’t possibly emit light.
Soon, Hazel’s breathing grew shallow and even.
She was asleep.
She clearly didn’t have the stamina to keep pushing herself, so why was she expanding the business?
What did she think she’d accomplish with a pittance?
For the next few hours, Kailerus did nothing but watch over her.
Without conscious awareness of his own actions.
Using the excuse—though it could hardly be true—that if she fled, it would be troublesome to catch her, so he should examine her carefully and commit her to memory.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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