Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 22

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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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Episode 22

“You and Daiwos are absolutely inseparable these days. My Lily, my Lily. I’m thinking we should hold the engagement ceremony soon.”
“Ah, yes… that’s right.”
Fair enough.
I’ve gone and swept away all the dangerous elements, so it’s only natural the main characters find their peace. Isn’t it?
But why did it have to be me?
I never asked for it, yet somehow I’ve ended up protecting them of my own accord. It’s not even funny.
All I wanted was to stay unconnected to anyone.
To live like a minnow by the stream, a simple, ordinary life!
“Haah…”
A deep sigh escaped before I could stop it.
“What’s wrong? You look like the world’s caving in. Worried about the lady? They were close, weren’t they?”
“Well… yes, you could say that.”
“If she knew you were here, she’d probably come running this instant. Every time I see her, she asks if I’ve heard from you. You haven’t contacted any of the others, have you?”
“No. I only reached out to you.”
Dillan shook his head with a soft pft, his lips vibrating with the sound.
“You’re something else. When you left like that, we all felt like we were missing a tooth.”
“Once I have time to breathe, I’ll bring something delicious and visit. Until then, don’t tell anyone, understood? Not a soul, not one person!”
At my plea, Dillan shrugged his shoulders.
“Fine, fine. When you’ve sorted out your troubles, come by then. Everyone will probably be thrilled. Actually, I’ve had something weighing on me lately… Oh! Hazel!”
Dillan was tsking, but then suddenly slammed his fist against the table with a bang.
Thanks to that, my mind jolted straight out of its gloom.
This was insane. My heart nearly stopped.
“Ugh, you scared me. Why are you doing that?”
“I need you for something, Hazel!”
At Dillan’s desperate tone, I blinked.
“What are you talking about? We were just discussing the Crown Prince, and now suddenly you need me? Don’t you dare ask me to do anything strange.”
But Dillan’s eyes were already gleaming.
“How didn’t I think of this sooner? Our savior is right here!”
He didn’t even listen to my words and just kept talking.
Why would my name come up as a savior?
If anyone needed saving, it was me.
I lifted my index finger for emphasis and tried again.
“Don’t you dare ask me to do anything. Don’t do it. Don’t speak, Dillan Banker. I’m getting a bad feeling, so not a word. If you say anything, I won’t cooperate. I’ll turn off all my communication channels. I’ll tear up every Guild document.”
Then Dillan suddenly pressed both his hands together and thrust them toward me like he was praying.
“Just help me with one thing. Hazel, Hazel Love.”
“I said no. I’m busy, I told you. Don’t say a word.”
Dillan clung to the table like it was his lifeline.
“I wasn’t trying to ask for your help, but this time—really, truly—you have to listen. Then you’ll understand. You really will. So please, just hear me out once. I’m seriously losing my mind over this. I’m dying. Every day I’m withering away. No, the entire Knight Order is going mad. Only you can fix this! Can’t you at least listen to the beginning? Can’t you? Great Hazel Love, magnificent Summoning Mage, world’s coolest former knight, colleague, dear friend, teacher, captain—can’t you? Please…”
“The more you talk like that, the more nervous I get! No. It sounds like something that’ll trap me by the ankle. Absolutely not. If you keep this up, I’m leaving right now.”
“Ah, Hazel. Please. Please, please…”
“…”
What was happening all of a sudden?
Dillan had never begged me like this before.
Back when I first woke up here and was adjusting, if I’d asked for help, that would be one thing.
If it were casual, I might help for old times’ sake—but this situation was obviously a trap.
When I didn’t answer, Dillan actually dropped to one knee right in front of me.
Mercenaries lounging in the break room started glancing over.
Even an employee who’d brought tea stared in shock and stood there fidgeting, unable to put the cup down.
I grabbed Dillan’s collar like I was about to tear it off.
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden? Get up, now!”
“Just listen to what I have to say. I really feel like I’m dying…”
More eyes were turning toward us, so I grabbed Dillan by the throat and tried to haul him up.
But he was heavy—he didn’t budge an inch. Was he made of stone?
More eyes kept gathering.
Of course they did—a man twice my size was pleading desperately to me, so there was no way people wouldn’t stare.
My head was starting to throb. I should have kept my distance from the start.
My luck had clearly evaporated completely the moment I got married.
Otherwise, why would things get so tangled up every single time!
I stood with one hand pressed against my hip, digging my fingers into my temple.
“Come on, wake up already!”
“Hazel…….”
“Look, just—just say it. Here, let me put the tea down for you. I’m sorry about this.”
I apologized to the staff member standing helplessly beside us instead.
“Oh no, it’s fine. Please, take your time with your conversation.”
The employee disappeared, perspiring profusely.
“Get up. Now.”
At my words, Dillan sprang to his feet in an instant.
“Just visit our Knight Order once.”
“Take care, Dillan. It was nice meeting you. Have some tea.”
I pushed away from the table and had barely set foot in the entrance when Dillan’s arm caught me in a firm grip.
He looked ready to drop to his knees again at any second.
This was the same man who claimed he only knelt before those he truly served as his liege.
What a load. Dillan’s knees were worth less than a five-copper loaf of bread.
It was utterly infuriating.
“Wait, I’m not asking you to come back. There’s someone I’d like you to see.”
“Let go. I’m not going. I already told you—I’ll come by when I have time.”
“This is separate from that! You said you’d listen!”
“Yes, I listened and I gave my answer.”
“Hazel…….”
Dillan looked at me with desperate eyes, his voice thin and strained.
At this rate, he ought to abandon being an Imperial Knight and become an actor instead.
…….
“After you left, we finally got a Summoning Mage…….”
I paused at that. So they’d been lucky enough to find someone after all that searching.
With a Summoning Mage on staff—especially one with strong abilities—combat difficulty drops considerably.
But they’re rare, and all the Summoning Mages in this world seem to prefer working solo, making them hard to recruit.
Some avoid it because of the Dark Magic involved, but strategically speaking, the more Summoning Mages you have, the better.
Since I was the only Summoning Mage in the Knight Order and I’ve left, shouldn’t they be celebrating that the position’s been filled?
There’s no reason for Dillan to be whining about it.
“You’re not fishing for congratulations, are you?”
“Of course not!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
With no other choice, I came back to the table and slumped into the chair.
The moment the two of us fell quiet, the crowd’s attention naturally dispersed.
Dillan muttered something under his breath, exhaustion written all over his face.
“She’s a Summoning Mage, but…….”
“Yeah?”
“…she can’t use Summoning Magic.”
Wait, what?
“What are you talking about? That’s like saying the royal chef can’t cook. Don’t say nonsense like that.”
When I reproached him for spouting absurdities, Dillan’s face twisted with grievance.
“I’m serious. She can’t use Summoning Magic. Well, she uses it, but she can’t use it. Ugh…….”
“What do you mean? Then why is she even a Summoning Mage? Did she lie to get in? Just dismiss her then.”
“No, that’s not it. She definitely has the ability. I just—I can’t explain it properly. You have to see it yourself. I’m dying because I can’t put it into words. You really need to see it with your own eyes… After you left, every Subjugation has been a nightmare, so I was honestly relieved.”
“Right.”
Dillan was practically tearing his hair out.
What on earth could be so wrong that it was causing him this much distress?
Dillan had always been good at mediating between his comrades. He loved peace so much that he’d usually laugh things off with ease—he had that kind of good nature.
Which made his current behavior all the more baffling to me.
“Look, couldn’t you just take a look at her once? If you could spare some time for guidance, I swear I’d never forget this kindness for as long as I live. Please? Just once. It won’t take long.”
…….
Dillan kept acting like he was about to kneel again, wheedling “Teacher,” “Genius,” and other honeyed words.
I couldn’t imagine what kind of person could make Dillan beg like this.
I felt a headache coming on.
Sigh… what do I do?
It wouldn’t be impossible if it were quick, but on the other hand, I was already swamped with my own work, so taking on more wasn’t easy.
Still, it was Dillan who’d helped me send Annie, and that had been a tremendous help.
In the past, Annie said she was satisfied with our first deal, but she never gave me a way to contact her.
The only path to meeting her ran through Dillan.
When we met again, she welcomed me warmly and placed her trust in me, yet the moment the job ended, whether contact would go silent like before was something no one could know.
If I needed to reach Annie again in the future, I might very well need Dillan’s help.
With anyone else, I would have cut ties long ago.
“It really won’t take long, will it?”
At that, Dillan’s face lit up as though he’d found salvation.
“Of course not! We’ll be done that day! With you, it shouldn’t take more than a few hours!”

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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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