Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 99

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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 99
She longed for sanctuary—a refuge from the suffocating life of a Grand Duchess and from her obsessive husband’s relentless grip.
“Don’t worry, Idellin.”
Raphael reached out with his other hand, pulling her close by the waist.
His strong grip held her firmly, radiating certainty and reassurance.
Then Raphael whispered, his face almost angelic.
“You’re always on my mind.”
At those sweet words, she squeezed her eyes shut once more.
She could only push her own throat into the serpent’s mouth.
* * *
At that moment, Carcel spoke to Asha with absolute certainty.
“Asha, I swear I will never leave your side again.”
“But you’re not leaving now, are you?”
Asha laughed, tapping lightly against the thick forearm wrapped around her.
“I don’t want to be apart.”
Like a young animal—no, a beast—gripped by separation anxiety, Carcel seemed helpless.
The very thought that anyone would dare do such a thing to Asha and Linea was unbearable.
“Why not bury the Young Duke while we’re at it?”
“What?”
“Then the trouble you’re worried about wouldn’t arise in the first place, and all our problems would be solved, wouldn’t they?”
Like a spoiled child, Carcel pressed his forehead against Asha’s neck.
He couldn’t calm himself unless he felt her warm, soft body.
‘Earlier… when that uncouth fool attacked Asha and Linea.’
Carcel bared his teeth where Asha couldn’t see.
In an instant, his vision flooded red with hostility, rage spreading through every vein in his fingertips.
And that gaze from Raphael Belmang.
He was clearly appraising Asha in that moment, like a lecher evaluating merchandise.
Toward his own wife—invaluable beyond measure—unable to shed his lecherous habits.
Carcel had briefly blocked her view, hoping she wouldn’t see that filthy stare.
‘Asha is too innocent to notice, but I saw everything.’
In a private setting, he would have challenged him to a duel, but Asha abhors causing a scene.
Since meeting Asha, Carcel had learned what patience truly meant.
Instead, he embraced her from behind and buried his face in her shoulder.
“Truly incorrigible, aren’t I?”
Asha finally laughed and reached back, gently running her fingers through Carcel’s hair.
He relaxed into her touch, tension melting away.
Her fresh, clean scent soothed his mind.
“Asha, Isaar said he wanted to discuss something about poisons. Would you come along?”
“Of course.”
“Linea also asked if you’d like to join her on a tour of the Tower.”
As expected, Asha nodded readily.
“Why not?”
She had no idea that Carcel and Isaar would end up bickering the very next day!
* * *
“Asha, there’s something I’d like to show you before we leave.”
“Hmm?”
I had just finished dressing Linea and stepped into the bedroom to change into my traveling clothes.
Carcel carefully handed me a document.
“What is this?”
I took it without thinking, but the words caught in my throat.
‘One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million, hundred million…’
A sum I’d never seen before stared back at me.
And if I converted this to won, it was… entirely beyond comprehension.
But why is this under my name?!
“Carcel, this doesn’t seem to be registered under my name. Am I seeing things wrong?”
“You’re seeing it correctly. This simply shows the total assets. In reality, there are deposits spread across multiple accounts, these are bonds, stocks, investments in merchant companies, and so on.”
Carcel pointed each item out to me with the tip of his finger as he explained.
“The real estate documents are in the back, along with the income from those properties and the revenue from the estate, all listed here.”
“Wait, wait, wait!”
This is all fine and good, but why is it in my name?!
“B-but why is this registered under my name? Not yours, Carcel?”
“I beg your pardon?”
It was Carcel who looked bewildered at my question.
“Aren’t you the Mistress of the House? I should have transferred this long ago, but there were more arrangements to make than I expected. I apologize for the delay.”
“So that means…”
Carcel smiled brightly and nodded.
“Yes, I am now a pauper.”
“Carcel!”
What man cheerfully declares himself a beggar?!
I cried out, my voice wavering.
“No, there has to be limits! What am I supposed to do with such a vast fortune? I don’t have the confidence to manage it!”
“Don’t worry. The asset managers will handle everything for you. You simply need to review the monthly reports.”
My hands trembled.
So much for Carcel to trust me like this.
I asked him carefully.
“Does… does your mother know about this? That the fate of this household rests in my hands?”
No matter how much of a mother she is, she might be shocked and even oppose such a radical move…
“What? She told me to do it first.”
Carcel replied blankly.
“Excuse me?!”
“She said to bind you with heavy responsibility and obligation, in case you try to run away.”
I felt dizzy, as though trapped in a spider’s web, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
‘His mother…!’
This obsessive family will be the death of me.
In the end, I handed the documents back to Carcel.
“I don’t have the stomach for this. I’m terrified.”
“Now that I must live off Asha’s coattails as head of the household, I shall bear the responsibility of taking care of you.”
Carcel teased me mercilessly.
Even as I watched his expression grow somewhat pale, he couldn’t tear his gaze from my face.
“Asha, now my fate, my mother’s fate, and the fate of everyone in this household all rest in your hands.”
“Ah!”
“Now you are mine.”
As if to say: what’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is yours.
I finally nodded weakly.
There was no point arguing with Carcel’s temperament anyway—he wouldn’t transfer the deed back.
“W-well, let me try managing it first, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll ask for Carcel’s help.”
Then Carcel looked at me kindly and asked.
“Are you very burdened by this?”
“Of course. This isn’t a trivial sum. They say a person who’s tasted good food knows the difference, and I’ve never managed amounts this large before.”
“It’s alright. I showed you this only to let you know that my account will never be emptied by you spending as much as you wish.”
I wanted to become wealthy, but now that I am, I realize I’m too faint-hearted to actually spend it.
Faced with such overwhelming sums, even the desire to spend disappears.
I nodded with determination.
“Right then. Should we get Linea and head to the Magic Tower now?”
This was important, but there were more pressing matters.
I’d examine it more carefully when I returned.
So I took Linea with me and we headed toward the Magic Tower together.
* * *
I had never seen the Magic Tower in detail before.
As the carriage approached, it rose endlessly toward the heavens like the Tower of Babel itself.
“It’s beautiful.”
A tower of ivory.
This enormous structure, whose construction date was lost to time, had been owned by successive Tower Masters, and what occurred within it lay beyond even the Empire’s law.
In exchange for the Magic Tower’s contribution to the Empire’s development, it was granted a measure of autonomy.
Of course, the Tower Masters bound themselves by covenant to the Imperial throne, so rebellion was unthinkable.
In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say the Magic Tower had ushered in the Empire’s Golden Age.
‘They’ve even established a Teleport network with the country on the opposite side of the Empire, conducting trade.’
And the one who led this Golden Age was none other than Isaar.
We were guided by way of Teleport to the floor where he was located.
Before I could even properly see the interior.
“Isaar!”
“Oh, you came.”
Isaar’s laboratory was, quite literally…
“A pigsty.”
“What?”
“Quite impressive, actually.”
It was utterly chaotic.
Incomprehensible experimental apparatus connected endlessly in precarious domino-like chains.
The space overflowed with mysterious specimens, luminous ore, and bubbling liquids.
All crammed into a research space of truly vast dimensions!
“Does the laboratory have no end? Is that also magic?”
“No. It just means I have this much experimental work to process in a single month.”
So that’s the scale needed to earn the reputation of an unparalleled genius.
I simply stared with my mouth open, nodding in wonder.
Then Carcel, who was holding Linea, spoke up.
“Can Linea even tour this pigsty? I’m worried her lungs might suffer.”
“This is all meticulously planned laboratory work, and you’re calling it a pigsty.”
“So why did you call us? Have you discovered anything about the poison?”

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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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