I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 52.2

“The people in this village are quite close and rumors spread fast, huh? Coming to help a debtor in the middle of the night, barging into a room where nobles are staying.”

“…We apologize. We thought you were just ordinary commoners visiting the village… That friend, even though he has a lot of debt, has been a neighborhood friend for decades. When we heard he was suddenly grabbed by the neck and dragged away by strangers, we were shocked and came looking.”

“Even bringing along a big guy to beat up the stranger if necessary? What a touching friendship.”

“Friendship, my foot! I’ve got debts with that Lorang too. And not just a coin or two! I don’t care if he gets roughed up, but if he’s trying to run away with outsiders, I won’t stand for it!”

“I, I wasn’t trying to run away! I’ll pay back all the debts! These people forcibly… mmph.”

As Lorang stood up like a roly-poly doll despite his bound hands and feet, I covered his mouth and pushed him back down, then stood up. It would be good to handle this quietly, as we don’t know how far the Empress’s influence extends in this village.

“If it’s just a matter of money for both of you, we’ll pay it. So I’d like you to leave now. Name your price, whatever it is, we don’t mind.”

“…”

“Why no answer? Ah… Is it because of that friendship or whatever? No, this gentleman said it wasn’t that, so why aren’t you answering?”

Seeing my grinning face and Cassion closing the door to block the exit while drawing his sword, the expressions of the two men changed as they realized they had messed up.

“Um… ? Thanks, but these people are nobles, you know? You don’t have to go that far… Eek!”

Feeling no need to keep up the act any longer, they also drew weapons from their clothes.

Cassion quickly deflected a small dagger that flew towards Lorang the moment he raised his head from being pressed down. Only after it stuck into the opposite wall did Lorang’s belated scream ring out.

Watching Cassion’s eyes and sword flash, I whispered, still sitting down next to Lorang.

“Do those people still look like kind village friends who came to save you?”

I grabbed Lorang’s face as he turned towards me, bewildered, and turned it back to the front.

The sight of the two men, who became bloodied in just a few minutes due to Cassion’s terrifying skills yet still stubbornly threw daggers towards Lorang while blocking the door, looked nothing like ordinary merchant commoners.

“Didn’t I tell you that everything about you would be reported, Lorang?”

“But Vincent has been looking after me since I moved to this village! He even visited me when I was sick…”

“They probably came to check if you had run away when they didn’t see you for a few days.”

“But we’ve been friends for 20 years…”

“Wasn’t it strange from the beginning that there was an art shop in this small village, not even the capital? You’re the only painter in the village, and commoners who paint as a hobby would use at most a piece of charcoal, yet there’s such a proper art shop. Doesn’t it look like it was set up for someone to come?”

With a scream like a death rattle, the fallen ‘Vincent’ reached out towards Lorang until his last moment. If this is what friends are like, I’d rather have no friends.

“Urgh… We’re not the only ones! Once you leave the village, word will spread everywhere and the imperial elite knights will come. Can you handle that?!”

“Did you hear that, Lorang? He said imperial elite knights.”

“This is no joke, Duchess!”

“He says it’s not a joke. They’re really trying to kill you.”

“You…!”

The muscular man who had been holding out a bit longer couldn’t contain his anger at seeing me whispering and taunting Lorang, and charged at me. Of course, he ended up running straight into the tip of Cassion’s sword.

Squelch-

“Gasp…!”

Along with the sound of flesh being pierced, Lorang turns his head and looks at me with shaking eyes.

“You haven’t had a ‘normal life’ since that day. You’re just acting on a large stage set up by the Empress.”

It’s like a kind of Truman Show. Even the neighborhood aunties who greet Lorang in passing and nag him about how long he’s going to live like this could be the Empress’s spies.

I made a small gesture to Cassion, who was approaching to check on me and Lorang, safely out of the way without a single drop of blood splattered on us, to put away his bloodied sword, then met Lorang’s eyes again.

“Do you think we’re being too forceful in trying to take you away? No. If you stand in court, we’ll do our best to be your patrons.”

“Pa… patrons, you say…”

“You’re coming to tell the truth to the Emperor, prepared even for execution. Both His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Prince… Ah, I mean His Highness the legitimate Second Prince. Anyway, both of them will see your courage.”

“Won’t His Majesty punish me?”

“Of course, he’ll be angry at first, but His Majesty is a rational person. Especially at a time like now when the succession to the throne is approaching. In the end, he’ll realize that your courage was greater, that you were also a victim.”

“But… but…”

“We’ll be the spark that ignites your courage and His Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Lorang bites his beautiful lips. The way he gnaws at his lips, which have a pretty blood color as if he’s wearing makeup, shows his inner turmoil. Seeing this, Cassion approaches and places a hand on his shoulder.

“Think about the future. It’s not just about His Majesty’s forgiveness. The Second Prince, who will inherit the empire in the future, will highly value you. You’ll be able to live proudly in the capital under your real name, without needing to hide anymore.”

“Ah… His Highness the Second Prince…”

“Yes. He’s known to be generous and sure in his rewards.”

Lorang’s overworked lips suddenly relax, as if he had been so focused on thinking about His Majesty the Emperor’s punishment and the Empress’s anger that he hadn’t considered the Second Prince. He seemed to have found a glimmer of hope.

“Th-that’s right. Wouldn’t… wouldn’t what I say be of great help to His Highness the Second Prince’s succession to the throne? His Highness the Second Prince and Your Grace would protect me, wouldn’t you?” “That’s why we came looking for you. To protect you.”

Cassion firmly grips Lorang’s shoulder and meets his gaze. His sturdy appearance gave an infinitely reassuring feeling when considered an ally, so Lorang must feel like he’s gained a powerful army at this moment.

Not bad, my husband.

“I apologize for being a bit forceful earlier. But can you understand that we were worried you might rush out without listening to everything and end up in trouble in the Empress’s hands like this?”

I sat down on the floor again like an ordinary village lady, trying to untie his hands and feet… but it didn’t go well.

Oh no. This is ruining the mood.

“Duchess…” “Lorang. Don’t be afraid. We’ll help you.”

Fortunately, Cassion noticed me struggling with the rope and handed me a small knife from his pocket. I thought it would be easy now, but even with the dagger, the rope didn’t cut easily.

Not wanting to appear flustered, I maintained an infinitely generous expression while frantically cutting away at the rope below. Seeing this, Cassion started to shake with suppressed laughter.

Don’t laugh, help me!

“I… I’ll do it! I’ll try to realize justice, Duchess! Your Grace!”

As I finally managed to cut through the rope on his arms, Lorang prostrated himself on the floor and gave us a welcome answer.

I patted his back benevolently and handed him the knife.

“You’ve made a good decision.”

You cut the feet. It’s hard.