Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 95

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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 95
“Ah.”
Both Carcel and Asha noticed it at the same moment.
Carcel’s heart began to thunder violently in his chest.
And just as he’d anticipated, blood began to trickle from his nose.
‘Thank goodness Asha is looking ahead.’
Carcel wiped away the blood with his sleeve before she could notice.
Knowing that she was at ease, his burden lightened considerably.
But.
“Ahh, that’s refreshing.”
“I’m glad.”
Simply.
“Mmm, just a bit harder, please.”
“Of course.”
It was only that she was far too beautiful and lovely for his own good.
Asha bore no fault.
Carcel alone was the guilty one.
Growing increasingly anxious that something unseemly might happen, Carcel desperately opened his mouth to think of something else.
“Right, Asha—I visited His Majesty today.”
“Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you about that.”
As she turned her head to look at him, he desperately turned his face away so she couldn’t see it.
Even he could feel the heat rising to his ears.
“His Majesty said he would try your approach. However, he emphasized that absolutely nothing must go wrong with the Crown Prince.”
“Is that so?”
“Since the Crown Prince will be attending the event anyway, insiders will be less suspicious.”
At his words, Asha nodded.
“Thanks to you, His Majesty agreed. I was actually worried that suspicion might only grow.”
“Fortunately, it seems your sincerity reached him.”
Though of course it hadn’t. Carcel knew the Emperor would eventually come to like Asha as well.
“And I’ve brought the information you asked for.”
“About Duke Dishulie’s family?”
“Yes. I’ve brought the documents too, so you need only listen for now.”
Asha had pinpointed Duke Dishulie as the perpetrator of this assassination attempt.
Carcel believed her.
Everything she’d said so far had been correct.
All he could do was give her whatever lay within his power to give.
“Duke Dishulie doesn’t associate closely with anyone privy to imperial secrets. As you know, being an unpleasant man, he’s surrounded only by flatterers.”
“What about the Duchess?”
“The Duchess does have some information worth noting, though.”
Carcel wet his lips and continued slowly.
He was worried about reopening her wounds.
“The Duchess has a lover.”
“A lover?”
“It may be an unpleasant memory for you…”
“No, we never married for love to begin with, so I have none. And there was never any such talk.”
Such talk?
Carcel simply waited for Asha to continue, puzzled by her words.
Soon she asked.
“Who is this lover?”
“Someone most people in high society would know—Baron Rafael Belmang.”
“Baron Belmang? I’ve heard the name.”
Asha seemed unfamiliar with him.
Carcel provided the information in her stead.
“Rafael Belmang, twenty-three years old, has been in a relationship with the Duchess for the past two years. He became a figure of note in high society through his striking appearance and eloquent manner.”
“Is he really that handsome?”
If asked whether Rafael was handsome, one could definitively answer that he was extraordinarily so.
Even Carcel, who took no interest in men’s appearances, found him beautiful.
“…Yes.”
At his reluctant reply, Asha suddenly twisted around to face him.
Her face was full of mischief.
“Did you get sulky because I asked if Baron Belmang was handsome?”
“That’s not it. I was merely thinking that it would be difficult for me to seduce you with my appearance…”
“What are you saying! I like you because of your face, Carcel.”
Asha laughed brightly.
Then she suddenly closed the distance and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Show me a man as handsome as my husband, and I’ll eat my words.”
“There are many. Very many indeed.”
Carcel was a man who saw himself objectively.
After looking at Asha, when he looked at himself, he could only wonder what to make of this dour, frightening fellow.
And yet Asha was always radiant as sunlight, lovely and warm.
Carcel drew in a breath at the sight of Asha, nestled against him with that beautiful smile.
He could not meet her eyes.
Asha seemed unaware, but because she held him so close…
Something soft and supple kept brushing against his chest.
‘If this continues, something decidedly unseemly will occur.’
Asha then kissed his cheek with an audible smack and laughed with bell-like clarity.
“Even this stiffness is endearing.”
It felt as though soap bubbles were bursting in Carcel’s chest.
‘Get hold of yourself, Carcel.’
If Asha learned of these indecent thoughts, with what loathing would she regard him?
Rather than be hated, he would gladly remain chaste for life.
Carcel opened his mouth to think of something else.
“Baron Belmang operates a salon, and it attracts numerous nobles of all ages and both sexes.”
“Do you find Baron Belmang suspicious?”
“Suspicious, yes, but Baron Belmang lacks access to the Crown Prince’s unofficial schedule, so it seems we need to investigate further.”
Baron Belmang was no official.
He was merely a profligate squandering his inherited wealth and enjoying himself.
At this, Asha’s eyes widened as she made a suggestion.
“But as a figure of high society, he’d have access to countless pieces of information. Could it be that he gleaned secrets through seduction?”
Carcel found himself in agreement.
“In fact, Baron Belmang’s relationship with the Duchess is not his only one. He maintains relations with numerous women in high society, so there’s a good chance he has access to internal information.”
Asha nodded repeatedly. With each nod, her soft cheek brushed near his neck.
Carcel desperately clung to reason as he exhaled.
In the midst of this, Asha asked.
“So is there an upcoming social event where Baron Belmang is likely to appear?”
“I was already looking into it, anticipating your question.”
Once the spring flower festival ends, the season of the Peace Diplomatic Mission draws near.
During this time, diplomatic missions from various countries arrive to celebrate the Day of Peace.
‘The Day of Peace.’
The Empire had once been a kingdom, but through conquest, it had grown to its present size.
Afterward, to forge marriage alliances with the conquered kingdoms, the Empire killed the heirs and arranged political marriages between the princesses and the heirs of the Empire’s noble families.
No method could unite kingdoms faster than the mingling of blood.
Under the previous Emperor, the realm grew into the Empire it is today.
‘The current Day of Peace serves both to celebrate the Empire’s unification and as a symbolic gesture to foreign powers that the Empire will wage no further war.’
Soon the diplomatic missions would begin arriving one by one.
Of course, Baron Belmang, a figure of high society, would not miss such an opportunity.
“The celebration welcoming the missions will continue for a week.”
Being a national event, the missions arrive weeks before the Day of Peace itself to interact with the Empire’s nobility.
“Baron Belmang will be among the nobles receiving the missions, and I will inform you that we too intend to attend.”
“Who else will be attending? Duke Dishulie will be there as well, won’t he?”
“Of course. Duke Dishulie, Baron Belmang, Count Tabes, and Marquis Limanier will all be in attendance.”
* * *
I nodded, still tucked against Carcel’s side.
“We may learn something new by observing directly that day.”
“Yes. And one more thing.”
One more thing?
“The Young Grand Duke, Duke Dishulie’s son, is effectively the future Crown Prince that the Duke is backing, isn’t he?”
“The Duke likely hopes his son will become the Emperor he himself never became.”
“I’m told the Young Grand Duke has an unusual temperament—very decisive, even somewhat aggressive.”
This was briefly mentioned in the original work as well.
Walter’s personality bordered on psychopathic.
He obeyed his parents, but showed no mercy to anyone else—the strong preyed on the weak.
Lucian had good reason to dislike his cousin.
They hadn’t interacted since childhood.
“It seems the Young Grand Duke will also appear at the event alongside the Crown Prince.”
“Should we bring Linea so the Crown Prince won’t feel lonely?”
Hearing my words, Carcel nodded.
That was precisely what he’d been about to suggest.
I asked Carcel for one final favor.
“Could you perhaps conduct a thorough investigation of the merchants connected to the Protocol Ministry?”
“The Protocol Ministry?”
“I have some information related to the Duke. If we investigate it in advance, it could help us.”
“Understood.”
Carcel nodded readily.
And four days later.
The Peace Diplomatic Mission arrived in the Empire.
At the banquet where those previously mentioned mingled with the unfamiliar diplomats, I found myself
“Young Grand Duke, forgive my bluntness, but please keep your hands off my daughter.”
saying such a thing.

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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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