I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 79
“I thought honeymoons were just a formality, but seeing you two makes me want to take a trip to a quiet place ourselves.”
“That’s something you do when you’re newlyweds. How many years have we been married…?”
“This is how he is. Before marriage, I dreamed of a sweet married life, you know.”
The Baron Mayer couple seemed to think they had become completely familiar with us by this point. The couple, slightly lowering their guard and engaging in casual conversation, appeared so harmless that if Cassion and I were a real couple, I might have thought it would be nice to cultivate a friendship with them.
“You two look good together, too. Even though you say that, I can feel the trust and affection you have for each other.”
“It’s not affection, it’s familiarity born of dislike. I live with it, unable to overcome even that kind of attachment.”
“You don’t deny the trust, though.”
“Well, that… After all, aren’t we family? When the whole world points fingers at me, he’s someone I can rely on.”
“Dear…”
“Don’t get all sentimental now, honey. It’s creepy.”
“And just like that, any emotion I was about to feel vanishes.”
Though they were bickering, the Baron Mayer couple looked truly friendly as they naturally pushed each other’s favorite desserts toward one another while talking.
If we were acting out a burning love, they seemed to have a truly long-standing and familiar affection. A close relationship with nothing hidden from each other.
“….”
“Hm? Do you want more?”
What about us? Honestly, I was thinking of accepting his confession at the end of this date.
Then what? Would we cancel the contract and start dating from the beginning? Or maintain our marital relationship?
Would we smoothly transition from a fake couple to a real one like this?
“No, I don’t.”
“Why are you suddenly upset…?”
“Sigh.”
“Asil?”
If we become a real couple like that, could we someday become as close as the Mayer couple? Someday, really someday, even talking about my past life memories. A friendly relationship with nothing hidden from each other.
…That might be too much to ask.
They say humans are creatures of desire, and here I am, not satisfied with just receiving Cassion’s confession and becoming emotionally connected, but looking beyond that.
I sighed, realizing I was unnecessarily getting dozens of steps ahead of myself. This isn’t like my usual personality to indulge in such fantasies.
“By the way… Your honeymoon should have been just enjoyable, but you must have been disappointed to encounter unexpected events.”
“What are you saying? They made a great contribution to the empire.”
“No, of course, it’s admirable that it became a great contribution to the empire, but it’s a ‘honeymoon,’ right? It’s not just an ordinary trip, there’s a special romance to it.”
As I let out a small sigh and Cassion floundered, not understanding the meaning, the Mayer couple, thinking it might be related to the recent trial, continued speaking.
How fortunate it is that there’s no mind-reading superpower at times like this.
If they found out that I was thinking about romance so comfortably after cornering the Empress and the First Prince of the empire into a dead end, everyone’s expressions would surely contort.
“That’s right. But it was such a shocking event that it overshadowed any regrets. After meeting that person, my head was so confused about the trip and everything else…”
“Oh my, but it’s because the Duchess is so astute that you noticed right away. If it were me, I would have just thought, ‘Oh, they look similar,’ and moved on.”
“The Duke’s sharp instincts must have played a part too. The sense of the battlefield is something that manifests keenly in everyday life as well… You must have sensed something like the dignity of royalty, right?”
“…Hmm.”
It’s astounding and ridiculous to think they felt royal dignity from Lorang. Cassion and I could only mumble vaguely, unable to agree.
The last image I saw of him was Lorang dodging Pia’s nagging and her slapping hands, telling him to make sure to buy gifts.
“Who would have ever imagined? My, how thick-skinned. To have deceived His Majesty the Emperor and the entire nation for so many years…”
“I feel even more sorry for His Highness the Second Prince, who grew up persecuted without knowing the truth.”
Well. I don’t think he was persecuted to that extent? He just couldn’t stand out as much.
In fact, I’m more concerned about the situation of the First Prince, who will be going downhill after knowing nothing… rather than the Second Prince, who will receive the position of Crown Prince.
“It seems the First Prince didn’t know the truth either. I wonder if we gave him too big of a shock…”
“Oh my, what are you saying! You did absolutely the right thing. The First Prince… Well. I’m not sure if we should keep using that title. Anyway, he enjoyed privileges until he became an adult, so even if he didn’t know, it would still be a crime.”
“That’s right. It’s too big of an issue to get away with just by claiming ignorance. I heard that His Majesty the Emperor was merciful and only confined the Empress to the tower, while he merely isolated him in his room for a while. Your Grace, have you heard anything about what his position might be in the future…?”
“Nothing has been decided yet. It seems His Majesty will gather people again soon to make a few announcements.”
“I see. His Majesty must be troubled as well.”
That’s right.
After the trial, the Empress was isolated at the top of a remote tower without a single servant to attend to her. It’s hard to tell if not executing her on the spot was mercy or cruelty.
And the First Prince was temporarily confined to a room in the palace for causing a disturbance in the courtroom.
However, no punishment had been handed down for the fact that he was not of the Emperor’s bloodline but the son of a commoner.
As such, people’s interest was focused on how far the First Prince would fall, as much as on the upcoming Crown Prince investiture ceremony for the Second Prince.
“To think how he insisted on his blue blood all this time while being an illegitimate child. Looking back now, it’s infuriating.”
“If only he had a generous personality like His Highness the Second Prince, everyone wouldn’t feel so betrayed.”
Watching the Mayer couple gossip in perfect sync makes me feel somewhat uneasy. People usually prefer talking about others’ downfall.
Especially if that person was originally noble and arrogant.
Already, everyone on the streets was openly mocking the past actions of the haughty First Prince who had looked down on commoners as less than worms.
“…Still. I’m a bit worried.”
“Oh my, Duchess, you seem to have too soft a heart.”
A soft heart. This was the result of what I had initiated and carried out. Yet, feeling uneasy about it made me wonder if it wasn’t softness but cowardice.
After all, it’s not like the First Prince had ousted the Second Prince to take the Crown Prince’s position. He was just excessively elitist and arrogant.
It’s natural that he can no longer hold the position of prince, but whether it’s right for him to be the subject of everyone’s mockery like this… I’m not sure.
“Don’t blame yourself too much, Asilia. It was for my sake.”
Cassion, noticing my unease, tries to comfort me as if volunteering to be the villain of the whole affair.
“I’m not regretting or anything. I just thought about it a bit more, but I still think it was the right decision. Don’t worry.”
How can a person not be selfish?
Everyone has their own priorities. My priority was maintaining my life, then Cassion’s and Jenin’s lives, followed by the Second Prince’s ascension.
This situation came about because I kept pushing those priorities forward. I thought I should steel my heart even more, if only for the sake of those around me.
If it had been a life-or-death situation, I wouldn’t have even thought about such victor’s leisure or mercy…
“Oh my? Why is it suddenly so noisy?”
“Indeed. I wonder what’s happening outside.”
Just as I’m steeling my resolve anew, the commotion from outside reaches even this quiet dessert shop we’ve entered. As I turned my head, even the staff standing by the door widened their eyes and started whispering, forgetting their positions. What is it? What’s causing all this fuss?
“Um… Your Grace. Knights from the palace have come looking for you outside. They say it’s an urgent letter…”
An employee unfamiliar with such situations hesitantly relayed the message to Cassion. But as if that was enough, Cassion waved his hand and stood up.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Of course! Don’t mind us, Duchess.”
Curious about what was happening, I naturally stood up with him and asked for understanding from the Baron couple sitting across from us. Cassion, as if it were natural, took me along as he left the shop to face the palace knights. The knights flinched upon seeing me but couldn’t say anything as they handed over a tightly sealed letter.
“This is a letter from His Highness the Second Prince. He asked for it to be checked immediately as it’s an urgent matter, Your Grace.”
“Hmm.”
While Cassion received the letter with a calm attitude and opened it without hesitation, I turned my gaze to the knights. It’s not about the contents of the letter, so it should be okay to ask, right?
“How did you know we were here?”
“Eh? Well, after all, the Duke and Duchess… Ahem. You’re not exactly an inconspicuous couple, are you? We mean absolutely no offense, my lady!”
“Ah. I understand.”
I had wondered how these palace knights had managed to find us so perfectly when we weren’t even at the mansion, but it was a foolish question. I’ve been so preoccupied lately that I forgot about Cassion’s and my beauty.
They probably just had to ask one or two merchants on the street.
However, while I was satisfying my curiosity, Cassion, who had checked the letter, was furrowing his brows intensely. Why? What’s the matter that make him react like that?
He checked the seal on the letter once more, looked over the faces of the knights, and then nodded in understanding as he handed the letter back to them.
“Tell them we’re heading to the palace right away.”
“Yes! Then, we’ll take our leave. Your Grace!”
For some reason, the knights’ faces, which had been looking like dogs needing to relieve themselves, brightened up. They returned to the distant palace, running through the streets as noisily and urgently as when they had arrived.
Before I could ask what was going on, Cassion took me to a corner of the alley next to the shop and bent down. His breath tickling my ear as always.
“The First Prince has escaped, they say.”
“What? How?!”
The ticklishness instantly turned into goosebumps. I hadn’t really wished for a situation where a knife might actually be at my throat.
“We’ll have to go see for the details, but it seems the Empress’s family helped. They probably want to turn the tables before the flames reach them too.”
Cassion’s eyes gleamed sharply as I looked up at him in surprise.
