I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 56
“Please forgive me for not being able to properly welcome you due to my daughter’s wedding, Your Grace, Duke and Duchess.”
“No, it’s fine. We should be the ones apologizing for causing a disturbance. We’ll stay quiet and leave as soon as dawn breaks.”
Thinking about the commotion at the inn still makes my ears feel like they’re about to burst. Lorang, terrified and refusing to come along; Cassion, insisting on checking if I had any other injuries; and the innkeeper, calling for the territory’s knights at the sight of the pile of bodies.
There were too many of them to be simple robbers, all fully equipped with masks, and our response had been excessive.
We had no choice but to reveal our identities to the lord, and it seemed that the incident would be quietly buried, as someone of a duke’s status could be attacked even while traveling. However.
“…We ended up in the same room after all.”
Having revealed us as a ducal couple, the lord naturally gave us one room.
“Don’t even dream of another room, Asilia.”
Only after the lord’s physician reassured him several times with a pale face that I had no injuries other than the graze on my arm did Cassion calm down his excitement.
Perhaps because it was right after the fight, his emotions hadn’t settled. His behavior was more agitated than usual, which is a big problem as it seemed to have scared Lorang.
“Is it okay to leave him in another room? What if he runs away?”
“He probably won’t even be able to get up until tomorrow morning. Besides, with his timid nature, he wouldn’t dare to go far alone.”
When Lorang tried to enter our room as a couple, the lord looked puzzled and guided him to the adjacent room.
Lorang, who had just faced assassins targeting him, resisted frantically, but soon fell asleep after taking the sleeping pills and sedatives given by the physician, and the lord’s knights agreed to guard his door.
We had given a slight hint and some money, saying he was a criminal involved in political matters.
During the previous attack, it was more like the villagers who were watching Lorang had come, so he must have felt betrayed and confused, but this attack was truly a planned assassination attempt, which must have shocked him more. Even for someone as naive as Lorang, he must have realized his situation once again.
“Are you really okay without any sedatives or other medication? You must have been very shocked.”
“I’m fine, I tell you.”
“How can you say you’re fine with that arm?”
Sparks fly in Cassion’s eyes once again. Ah, it really is just a scratch. Besides, I wasn’t as scared as I thought I’d be. It was more like I was just overwhelmed.
“Look who’s talking. Then shall we strip naked and take a bath together?”
Tired of Cassion constantly scanning me with his red eyes despite the physician’s repeated assurances, I teasingly suggested. Unlike his appearance, Cassion is quite naive, so I expected him to blush and turn away immediately, saying it’s fine, but.
“…I’d really like that.”
Cassion, who had been silently staring at me as if he would devour me, murmurs in a low voice. I instinctively flinched at his low, growling voice, and he gritted his teeth before turning away.
“Even if you don’t take medicine, get some sleep. There are only a few hours left until sunrise.”
Somehow feeling that I shouldn’t tease him this time, I obediently followed his words and went to lie down on the bed. Then, remembering my habit, he grabbed a suitable spare pillow and tucked it into my arms.
“The lord said he’d provide us with new horses and supplies, so we’ll be able to get to the capital faster.”
“It’s a race against time now that they know the Empress is looking for Lorang to bring him back.”
The villagers from Lorang’s town must have reported as soon as they noticed we had disappeared, but I didn’t expect the news to reach the Empress so quickly and for her to take action to send people. Since it was faster and more sensitive than we thought, we also need to speed up.
“Yes. We’ll have to ride without rest like we did on the way here, so stop turning that little head of yours and get some sleep, Asil.”
As I was rolling my eyes, thinking about how to solve the upcoming issues, Cassion, who noticed it with uncanny perception, flicked my forehead.
Then he gently stroked my hair, which had been trimmed to match its new shorter length. Even though he was just touching the ends of my hair, it made me feel ticklish somewhere inside.
“…I’m sorry I was late. It seems I’m always apologizing to you.”
“What are you talking about? You weren’t late. You came at just the right time. And you should stop thinking unnecessary thoughts and sleep too. You’re the one driving the carriage, after all.”
I tugged at Cassion’s collar as his mood sank low, but he only leaned slightly, showing no intention of lying down.
It’s clear he intends to stay up all night in case of another attack. Even though he has to lead Lorang and me in just a few hours.
“Surely they won’t come twice in one day. Besides, this is the lord’s castle. It should be harder to climb than the inn, right?”
“Asil.”
“Speaking of castle walls, it reminds me of when we first met.”
I finally got up and wrapped my arms around Cassion’s neck, almost hugging him as we fell onto the bed together. This time, unable to resist, he leaned his head against the headboard and glared at me slightly.
“Come to think of it, I was really clumsy back then.”
“…I told you I prefer direct confrontation to assassination. And a marquis is no match for me.”
“An old marquis might not be, sure. But what about the marquis’s guards? Even you would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, wouldn’t you?”
“Ha. Let them come in droves.”
If I didn’t know the original story, if I had only seen him deal with over a dozen men while protecting Lorang and then rush to me today, I would have believed Cassion’s words.
But because I knew of one possibility where he might have fled while injured, I tilted my head at the snorting Cassion.
I slowly approached and bumped my forehead against his, causing Cassion, who had been smiling with a smug expression, to freeze.
“I trust you, but still, let’s try not to take difficult and dangerous paths if we can avoid it. You never know what might happen.”
I don’t regret the choices I’ve made since realizing my past life. And I don’t want to regret anything in the future.
I hope that the original story I’ve destroyed will ultimately have a happy ending.
If my parents died unlike in the original story, couldn’t Cassion and Jenin, who were supposed to die, live instead?
No, they’re practically my people now, so they must live.
“…Asilia. Are you scared?”
“No.”
I didn’t notice when I was speaking, but when Cassion spoke, I felt how close we were, close enough for our breaths to touch. But with our foreheads pressed together and our lying position, it felt like something was holding me back from changing my posture.
It feels like those red eyes are holding me captive.
“Then are you worried?”
“I am worried, but not because I’m scared. It’s because I like you.”
“…”
Cassion, who was about to answer, only moved his lips slightly before pressing them shut. As I wondered why he averted his gaze from our eye contact, I realized that my words might have sounded a bit strange.
Just as I was about to clarify that I meant ‘like’ as between friends, those red eyes that looked back at me shone like jewels.
“I like you too, Asil.”
“…”
“I… like you.”
Who said his eyes were blood-colored? Was there such a sparkling and beautiful blood color? The deep color, full of emotion and vitality, was incomparable to any commercial garnet or ruby.
Our touching hair tickles.
As I try to slowly remove my hand that was still around him, Cassion grabs it with his large hand. As I always feel, his hand is so warm.
“When I see you smile, I can’t help but smile too, even over small things, and when you get angry, I don’t know what to do. When I think of you getting hurt, everything goes dark.”
“…You’ve always been kind to your people. That’s why there were few employees or knights at the duke’s mansion, right?”
“This is different from that. I care for them, but I don’t lose my mind when they’re in danger.”
“…”
“You make me a better person, you make me happy, and you make me more vulnerable.”
“…Cassion.”
He lowers our tightly held hands and gently strokes my shoulder where the wound is, furrowing his brow.
What is that expression? It’s an expression that makes my heart ache more than just sadness or pity, and this time I slightly lowered my eyes.
But even when I look down, all I can see is Cassion’s body.
“…That’s how I like you.”
“…”
“I want you to always be by my side, Asilia…”
Our touching foreheads gently rub together as Cassion’s face slowly approaches. That sight seemed infinitely slow.
I don’t remember that there was an attack today, or that this is an unfamiliar territory.
Only Cassion fills my vision, my heart. I wanted to give in to this flow and close my eyes.
“…Haha. I’m glad we think of each other as good friends. Let’s keep in touch even after our contract ends!”
But he was too precious to just gloss over this. What if I went along with the mood and responded to his precious feelings, only to end up hurting him? I’m still not sure about my own feelings.
“…Right.”
Cassion, who had been staring intently at me as I turned my head away, closed his eyes and pulled away.
Feeling suddenly empty, I unconsciously bit my lip, and he tapped his own lips.
Although he has moved away, he doesn’t seem to have any intention of turning over.
“Don’t bite. You’ll hurt yourself, Asil.”
“…”
“You must be tired from today. I’m sorry for keeping you talking. Let’s sleep now.”
“Cassion.”
“Good night, Asil.”
“…”
I wanted to call him one more time, but I closed my mouth, not knowing what answer to give to those red eyes that would look at me if I called.
I gazed at Cassion, who had abruptly closed his eyes, before slowly shutting my own. It’s a night of unsettled feelings.
Shimer
WTF MAN NOT EVEN A KISS HE SPILLED HIS HEART OUT AND U FRIEND ZONED HIM 😞