Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 72

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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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Episode 72

“Morgan?”

Upon hearing that name, Nikolai deliberately stopped his movements.

May relayed exactly what she had heard.

“Yes. Prince Docheop clearly said that name. He said the young lady had caught him.”

“…Young master.”

Karl, who was watching from the side, also swallowed dryly. He too had no idea what was happening.

Francesca had kept the inner workings of the wedding secret even from Karl. She judged that aside from the direct family line, there was no one trustworthy enough for the task of catching a traitor.

Moreover, Francesca had been sincere about preparing for the wedding. The wedding dress, the venue – hadn’t she truly wanted to give her son a proper wedding ceremony? From Karl’s perspective, she had genuinely prepared this wedding with all her heart. But now suddenly a traitor?

‘And that traitor’s identity is Morgan? How could that man!’

Karl was nearly dizzy from the successive shocks.

“Catching that person is more urgent than stopping the wedding right now!”

May shouted, thinking this was her moment.

“Y-young master. I don’t know the full situation, but May is right. If there’s a traitor in the family, we must catch him. Move the knights immediately.”

Karl also pulled himself together and agreed.

Nikolai stared quietly at the maid, then spat out a curse.

“Damn it.”

He too was bewildered. Just moments ago, he had thought this entire situation was Hallara’s scheme. However, now that someone specific had been named, he couldn’t just leave it alone.

“Bring in the security captain. Don’t cause a commotion – quietly lock him in the underground prison.”

Nikolai ordered Karl.

“Yes, young master.”

“And guard the prison thoroughly. Until I arrive, absolutely no one should have individual contact with Morgan.”

He gave instructions to avoid repeating the mistake from last time.

***

Running through the forest, I stopped briefly at the snowflakes falling from the sky.

“It’s been dark all day. It’s snowing.”

It was the first snow.

I never thought I’d see it while running away like this.

[Hallara. Let’s rest a bit before going. The horse will get tired soon, and I’m also losing strength as we get farther from Bloodmere.]

Junel kept whining in my ear about being tired. Still, after hearing that Morgan was from the Holy Church, he no longer tried to persuade me otherwise. He seemed to think staying there would bring another tragedy like Brinihanta.

But he’s riding comfortably on my shoulder, yet complaining about being tired.

“No. We need to go now. Once the snow starts accumulating, it’ll be harder to travel. Let’s water the horse nearby and set off again immediately.”

I dismounted and went under a nearby tree. I planned to shelter from the snow while the horse drank water.

[Just a little bit… even just an hour…]

Junel clung to me persistently.

“It’ll be hard, but you need to adapt. We don’t know where we’ll end up settling.”

Still, thinking of Junel, I should settle somewhere with many sword users.

I couldn’t decide where that would be right now.

First, I needed to get out of this forest.

“Hmm. Once we reach a village, I’ll sell these clothes first. They’re a bit dirty, but I should get 10 gold for them, right?”

[You don’t even know if you can get out of this forest, yet you’re already thinking about selling clothes?]

“Of course. I didn’t escape just to die – that’s not in my plan.”

I’ll survive somehow with the money from selling the clothes. Though I just took any horse from the stables, this horse I’m riding seems to be a fine steed in good condition, so it should sell for a good price.

“I’ll use the money from selling clothes to get passage on a ship. It’s probably dangerous to stay in the empire.”

[Sigh. What then?]

“I should head to a distant empire. Preferably to the peaceful south.”

[No way. Those people are weaklings. They’re so steeped in peace they don’t even think about learning swordsmanship.]

Junel strongly objected.

Well, if I’m thinking of living with Junel, the south is too peaceful.

“Should we go all the way to the Northern Kingdom? Since it’s a place constantly at war, I could actually live there without arousing suspicion about my identity.”

[That would be better.]

“Right, right. There would be many people swept up by the war there too. I could settle and live there.”

[What then?]

“Hmm. If I do settle down, I should do the business I never got to do, right?”

“And then you plan to meet a man and start a new family?”

“A man? I’m not interested in that sort of… Huh?!”

Instead of Junel’s cute voice, a deep male voice came out, making me shriek.

What appeared through the gently falling snow was Docheop, wearing white ceremonial clothes.

“Your Highness?”

[He came!]

Junel exclaimed excitedly, then noticed my expression and covered his mouth.

That thousand-year-old spirit definitely had this reason for making me stop.

‘Ugh!’

I wanted to punch him, but I couldn’t with Docheop present.

But why is Docheop here? Don’t tell me he came to catch me?

“You abandoned me and ran away just to do business?”

He looked me over once, then asked in a low voice. Then he dismounted his horse and strode toward me.

He seemed to have heard everything.

“That’s… that’s…”

I was at a loss for words.

My head was spinning, not knowing what to say first. My plan hadn’t included him chasing after me.

“You don’t know what to say first, do you?”

“Yes…”

“I can’t organize what I should say first either.”

It seemed he was just as confused.

Well, of course. He was waiting for the wedding cake when suddenly the bride ran away.

“…I’m sorry. For leaving without saying anything.”

I decided to apologize first.

I hadn’t intended to hurt Docheop.

“If you’re sorry, shall we talk on the way back?”

He extended his hand.

“No. I can’t go back.”

But I couldn’t take that hand.

“Because you’re a survivor of Brinihanta?”

Huh?

It came so suddenly that I wondered if I’d heard wrong.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Well, of course.

I wanted to say that, but saying so would be admitting I was from Brinihanta, so the words wouldn’t come out readily.

“How…”

Docheop took off his white gloves and stepped closer.

I came out from under the tree’s shade and stepped back two paces.

Though I’d thought Docheop wasn’t entirely like a good protagonist from a novel, I’d never found him as frightening as I did in this moment.

“Hallara. Stop there.”

“I don’t want to.”

“There’s a cliff behind you.”

“Huh?”

I almost died, didn’t I?

I turned around in surprise, but instead of a cliff, there was a dense forest.

I’d been tricked. When I quickly turned back around, Docheop had stepped right up in front of me.

I instinctively stepped back until my back touched a tree trunk. Just as I was about to flee toward where the horses were, Docheop’s sturdy arm blocked my path. In the blink of an eye, I was trapped between the tree trunk and his thick chest muscles.

“D-did you just lie to me?”

“I can tell lies like that, can’t I?”

Docheop spoke quietly, blinking his long eyelashes.

“I was abandoned at my wedding, so I can do that much, can’t I?”

He pressed his clenched fist against his chest and pushed out his red lips slightly.

What on earth was this.

That wounded expression.

If it was acting, it was good enough to deserve applause.

For a moment, I felt the urge to embrace him.

At this rate, I felt like I’d be swept away by him.

“You’re right, I am from Brinihanta.”

I decided to go with the direct approach.

I was curious about how he’d learned this fact, but knowing wouldn’t change anything.

I’d never been one for lies to begin with.

I was too cowardly to live carrying a secret like a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

Honestly, when I learned Morgan was a traitor, I pretended to be calm but my heart nearly burst.

Rather, now that I’d honestly confessed the truth.

My heart felt much more at ease.

“It would be better for both you and Bloodmere if I left now.”

I spoke gently while pushing against his chest. But he didn’t budge an inch.

“You don’t know what kind of discord my presence might bring.”

“Then what about you?”

“Pardon?”

“How do you plan to live carrying that bloodline?”

“I…”

I’d somehow manage to live well while hiding my identity.

Perhaps the day would come when I’d have to hold a sword instead of a kitchen knife.

Before that happened, I should learn swordsmanship from Junel in advance.

Since I’m the only one who can protect myself.

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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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