Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 128

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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 128

“How did poison even come up? Poison!”
Duncan’s voice trembled with anxiety as news of the Northern Empire’s Crown Prince’s return was quickly overshadowed by word that he’d nearly been poisoned.
And it had happened mere moments after he’d forged an alliance with Docheop, backed by business investments.
“Dear, please calm yourself. The Crown Prince survived, didn’t he? Besides, there’s no evidence that Hallara was the culprit.”
“Evidence isn’t what matters. Circumstances are.”
As Duncan groaned, the closed door swung open.
“I apologize for the intrusion, but these are not times for formality, so I’ve come directly.”
Francesca had sought them out upon hearing that the Crown Prince had awakened.
“I’d like to speak with you for a moment.”
At her earnest tone, Eva approached her.
“Of course. Please, come in, madam.”
Francesca nodded in gratitude and immediately broached the subject.
“Hallara couldn’t have done this. Of course, as you say, the circumstances exist, so even my denial won’t dispel suspicion.”
Her gaze grew cold and sharp as a honed blade.
“I’ve heard that you share a special friendship with the Duke of Bresbon, a hero of the Northern Empire. The Duke of Bresbon is an important figure to the Northern Emperor himself. I beg you to contact him and help us.”
Duncan’s mind raced through calculations at her words.
“Lady of Bloodmere. I understand the situation is urgent. But this is an attempted assassination of the Northern Empire’s imperial family. No matter how close I am to the Duke of Bresbon, rash involvement could drag Cardia into unforeseen troubles.”
That was when Duncan tried to draw the line.
“That’s exactly why you should help.”
Eva, who had been listening, spoke up carefully.
“Madam, this involves a foreign royal family and—”
“I’m certain Hallara didn’t do this. We can’t simply pin the blame on her without investigating anything.”
She drew a deep breath.
“Everything about this is strange. Monsters suddenly attack Bloodmere, a supposedly dead Crown Prince returns alive, and right after he specifically takes Hallara with him, he collapses after drinking poison.”
The situation was difficult to accept as she described it.
Even if the Northern Empire had orchestrated moves to check Bloodmere, it would make sense.
But the fact that Prince Aurel drank poison and nearly died was undeniable.
Duncan had to make a decision.
Honestly, he wanted to avoid the immediate risk looming before them.
“I reconciled with Elise.”
That was when Eva suddenly spoke.
“What?”
“It’s thanks to Hallara.”
“What are you—”
“If something happens to Hallara here, I don’t think I could ever face Elise again.”
Eva’s eyes trembled. The relationship with Elise that had remained a knot in her heart for so long—Hallara had untied it, and Eva could never turn away from that debt of gratitude.
At his wife’s earnest, quavering voice, Duncan’s wavering pupils froze. He, who had been willing to accept losses of tens of thousands of gold to avoid risk, was completely undone by that single phrase from his wife.
“Sigh…”
Duncan exhaled deeply and dragged his hand roughly across his face. The decision had already been made.
“I will send a discreet message to the Duke of Bresbon at once.”
​
***
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At the Knight Commander’s gesture, two Northern Empire soldiers approached and seized both my arms roughly.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Hold your tongue. It is by order of the Crown Prince.”
The Crown Prince’s order? Had he regained consciousness?
I’d heard the deadly poison had been neutralized, but I never expected him to wake so quickly.
‘Fine. Let me hear what he has to say.’
It seemed he couldn’t kill me easily. Like Morgan, perhaps because I was a high-ranking official of the Holy Church, he didn’t dare lay hands on me carelessly.
Yet I had no idea what he wanted. I couldn’t even begin to fathom what it meant that he’d drunk the poison directly.
“Go inside.”
The soldiers dragged me to the Guest Chamber of the Main Building. It appeared to be where Prince Aurel was staying.
The soldiers shoved me through and shut the heavy door firmly behind me.
A man in a white silk shirt stood by the window where sunlight streamed in at an angle, gazing out at the world beyond.
“Prince Aurel?”
Soft sunlight scattered across his pallid skin and hair. For a moment, his hair seemed to fall to the floor, as if it had grown far longer than his shoulders.
‘Am I imagining things?’
I blinked several times, studying his back. Looking again, there was no sign of the hair that had seemed so long.
Sensing my presence, he slowly turned to face me.
“Lara.”
His voice was soft yet glacial, echoing quietly through the room. Backlit by the brilliant light, he approached until he stood directly before me, and I froze.
He reached out his large hand and gently cradled my cheek. The touch was so chillingly cold that I couldn’t pull away.
“I never thought I’d see you again looking so perfectly intact.”
His eyes were drowning in such profound longing.
That gaze swept over me relentlessly.
I didn’t avoid his stare and asked him directly.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
“I told you to figure it out yourself.”
“I don’t know. You said I had no memory of it.”
Even accounting for the Holy Church, I had no way of understanding why he was acting like this.
After a brief silence, Prince Aurel asked.
“Why are you here?”
“Why am I here…?”
“I mean, why are you in this Family?”
“Because I married your brother, of course.”
“So why did you marry him?”
“That is…”
I hesitated for a moment.
“I have no obligation to tell you.”
“Because you spent a night with that pathetic human.”
He answered for me.
“You said you couldn’t remember.”
His face hardened terrifyingly.
“Then there shouldn’t have been a marriage either.”
He drew close enough for our noses to touch, his voice cracking as he spoke.
“What you want is what I’d like to know, Lara.”
“There’s no reason to tell you that either….”
But before I could finish, his hand—which had been caressing my cheek—slithered downward like a serpent, brushing directly across my lower abdomen.
“Ah! What are you doing!”
A sinister energy permeated my body, and I flinched in alarm, trying to pull away.
“You’d better stay still. Unless you want the people inside this castle to remain alive.”
His whisper was infinitely soft, yet the content was brutally menacing. There was no guarantee he wouldn’t kill—not after he’d cast Junel aside.
I had no choice but to endure the filthy sensation. Fortunately, the energy that had been rummaging deep within my body soon withdrew.
“…So that’s how it is.”
He let out a derisive laugh. Then he buried his face in my shoulder. As the scent of earth wafted in, his languid voice flowed forth.
“Lara, I was really about to lose my temper.”
Who was he to say such a thing?
It was I who should be furious.
Yet somehow, I couldn’t easily push him away.
This wasn’t my will.
“Go. Get away from me.”
I pushed him with all my might. But the harder I struggled to escape, the deeper I sank into his embrace like quicksand.
“I have no intention of being with you! Just kill me instead.”
“Die then. But if you die, there will be nothing left alive in this Family.”
This time he added a parting threat.
It was a threat to annihilate Bloodmere. I didn’t know who he was or what power he possessed. Docheop might be able to stand against him, but if Johannes stood behind him? If Johannes came forward in full force, we couldn’t withstand it.
“…I can’t.”
As I shook my head, Prince Aurel smiled coldly and mocked me.
“You’ll do as I say, won’t you? Lara.”
In the end, his purpose remained unchanged—the destruction of Bloodmere. I could never stand with him.
But for now, I had no choice but to feign compliance.
“Understood. Don’t touch anyone.”
As I spoke obediently, Prince Aurel released his grip. His fierce eyes softened into gentleness.
“When your memory returns, you’ll want to kill me first, but until then, there will be no bloodshed in this castle.”

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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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