Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 29

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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 29
“I cannot permit this marriage.”
“I didn’t come seeking permission. This is a notification.”
He regarded his mother with an indifferent stare, their eyes differing in color alone—otherwise stamped from the same mold.
Across from him, Carsel’s mother Anastasia met his gaze with an identical expression.
Neither blinked, both engaged in a taut battle of wills.
At last, Anastasia broke the silence.
“And does this girl of yours wish to marry you?”
“She said she is considering it favorably. I haven’t made a formal proposal yet.”
Today, Carsel had sought out his mother not for her blessing but for the ring.
The ring—a family heirloom of the Duke’s House—was kept in her custody.
It was tradition for the Duchess to pass the Engagement Ring to her son upon his coming of age.
The Duchess eyed him suspiciously and asked again.
“You haven’t brainwashed her, locked her away, or coerced her, have you?”
“I’m no criminal. Why would I do such a thing?”
“It would have been better if you had.”
The Duchess continued, muttering to herself.
“She might run away.”
“Even if she does, that would be Asha’s choice.”
“Appeal to her with money, at least.”
“I’m already doing that.”
They shared the same flat, toneless manner of speech.
Eventually, the Duchess’s noble face clouded into a frown.
“I suppose I owe that girl a debt of gratitude for accepting you.”
“I’m grateful too. I wouldn’t have thought of marriage at all if it weren’t for Asha.”
Carsel answered thus, and after a moment of silence, the Duchess grew suspicious again.
“……You’re certain this Asha girl is not an orc, yes?”
“…….”
Carsel stared at his mother with an expression that suggested he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“……An orc? Asha is very beautiful.”
“I cannot fathom why a girl as beautiful as that would agree to marry you.”
The Duchess scrutinized her son openly, genuinely baffled.
Carsel decided to boast about Asha a bit more.
“Asha possesses a lovely face that resembles a fallow deer, intelligent auburn eyes, and beautiful hair. She is vibrant and bright.”
“That can’t be right.”
“Regardless of what you say, I will marry Asha without fail.”
At Carsel’s resolute words, the Duchess exhaled a shallow sigh.
“Do as you wish. In any case, I didn’t ask for my blessing—I asked for the ring.”
“Exactly.”
Carsel nodded once, his expression saying: Hand it over.
The Duchess rose to her feet and pushed aside her portrait hanging above the hearth.
She removed her necklace from her neck.
Sliding the necklace into the groove of the safe that appeared behind it, she heard a click as the door swung open.
“Here it is.”
She retrieved a single elegant ring case, closed the safe, and restored the portrait to its place. Then she turned and handed it to Carsel.
The moment Carsel received the case, he opened it to inspect the contents.
“This is authentic?”
“It’s exactly as your father gave it to me. If it’s a fake, then your father gave me a fake.”
Inside lay a diamond ring that appeared to be at least ten carats.
Carsel held it up to the light, examining it suspiciously, before finally closing the case and tucking it away.
“Is your business concluded?”
Her expression weary, his mother seemed eager for him to leave. Carsel stood and spoke.
“Ah, and I should mention—Asha has an adoptive daughter. I thought you should know beforehand.”
“How quick you are to tell me.”
“Your permission isn’t necessary for this marriage anyway.”
Carsel had never been close to his mother since childhood, and now, with their temperaments misaligned, he had struck out on his own.
Raised roughly alongside his father on battlefields, his mother had always been a distant figure.
In truth, he held no particular fond memories of his father either.
‘Learning the Dragon Hunt with my father at thirteen—that was good.’
Having wistfully relived this memory for ten seconds, Carsel turned and left the room.
His pace was considerably lighter now that his business was done.
* * *
That night, after Asha had wished Linea a good sleep and returned to her own room, Linea slipped the quilt aside and sat up.
With the soft creak of footsteps, she opened the wardrobe.
‘My treasure trove.’
What had once held only a few outgrown dresses now overflowed with beautiful gowns.
And shoes, and various accessories besides.
In truth, she had always felt envious when other girls wore such dresses.
As her grandmother had said, they didn’t suit her station—she thought so every time—but she couldn’t help feeling small.
Even now, Linea knew these dresses her new mother bought her cost far more than she could imagine.
‘What if they’re terribly expensive?’
She would grow quickly, work hard, and earn money to buy her mother even prettier clothes.
And the delicious foods her mother had first let her taste, she would buy more for her.
And she would buy her a house and a carriage too.
‘I’ll become rich.’
Linea clenched her small fist.
But what she treasured most was undoubtedly the doll.
She knew the doll’s price well.
At gatherings, children would match their outfits to such dolls and brag about their cost and who had given them.
Yet she hadn’t wanted it simply because others had one.
Rather, when she felt lonely—the way she once hugged her pillow while imagining her late mother—she thought holding the doll might ease that ache.
But now the doll wasn’t necessary.
Suddenly, an image of Asha came to mind—eyes reddened slightly, smiling.
Opening her arms toward Linea, taking her hand, stroking her hair.
It was strange and embarrassing to be treated so kindly by an adult she wished to resemble, yet it felt good.
She had resolved not to open her heart, but that resolve had crumbled long ago.
‘Mother said she wouldn’t leave me.’
Linea reached out, quietly withdrew the doll, and held it close.
Though it was only an object, the warmth spread through her entire body just from holding it.
‘And today, she even showed me the man she might marry.’
His appearance might be the opposite of her mother’s, yet his nature resembled hers.
Linea was struck by how gently he treated her mistake—something her grandmother or uncle would have scolded harshly or even struck her for.
She had learned that not all adults were angry beings.
It was still new to her—an adult who didn’t require her to read the room, who accepted her thoughts when she voiced them.
‘I hope Mother marries him and takes me with her.’
In that moment, Linea discovered her true heart, hidden deep beneath resignation.
She wanted to leave this house.
She wished her family were this kind new mother and new father, not her grandmother and uncle who had always treated her poorly.
Linea carefully returned the doll to the wardrobe.
She stacked miscellaneous items in front of it to hide it from her grandmother’s sight before closing the door with relief.
Tomorrow she had even been invited by Lucian, whom she’d met before, so she really did need to sleep now.
“Yawn.”
Linea yawned and returned to bed.
She pulled the quilt up to her chin, the one Asha had tucked around her, and closed her eyes tight.
* * *
“Linea, shall we set out?”
I looked down at Linea, now ready, and asked.
Today’s schedule was busy.
This morning I needed to fit two dresses, buy a gift for Lucian and beads to make for the other children.
Then I had plans with Carsel before the luncheon Lucian had invited us to!
Now Linea took my hand first.
I found it endearing and smiled a little to myself.
With only a few delicious meals, some clothes, and small gestures of kindness, Linea had opened her heart.
‘I didn’t do anything so remarkable.’
Now I could feel that Linea trusted me.
I didn’t want to betray that trust.
I wanted to show Linea more, to let her experience more.
And I wanted her to know she could choose her own path, and that she had a place to return to.
What had tormented me most was a life where even collapse was impossible.
Sometimes everything felt overwhelming and uncertain, and I wanted to let it go. But I needed someone—a home—to return to.
One step back meant a cliff.
I asked Linea, “This time, would you like to pick out which dress I should wear?”

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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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