CH 20

“Thank you for visiting the Duchy of Havel.”

“…”

“May you have a safe journey home.” I smiled. Clearly hiding my anger.

Count Dorison, who never took his eyes off me, had a pale face. That’s right. He thought he was seeing things. Unluckily for him, I showed up perfectly fine. Initially, Rhonda told me the count drank a lot last night as if he was celebrating something. Congratulations to the unlucky noble who can’t even use an arm. It may be strange to say that, but not for me.

He must have been happy when I rushed out of the banquet hall yesterday. What will he do now? The poison made by humans didn’t kill me, the witch. Perhaps his mind was in a state of chaos. I was certain he could only think of one thing: his doom. He was done for.

“This is… How…”

“Hmm? What are you trying to say?” I tilted my head as if I didn’t know what he was talking about on purpose.

The count was embarrassed and almost look ready to faint. “I-I mean, I… Ahem!” He was so surprised, and the other nobles had nothing to say.

“I heard he drank a whole bottle of wine last night. How can you be intoxicated while on an errand for the royal family? Tsk, tsk.”

“Can he call himself a nobleman?”

“He can’t even swing a sword yet has the audacity to still speak.”

“Why does he want to anger Duke Havel again…”

The blatant criticism only added more insult to injury. Count Dorison trembled, unable to bear the humiliation, but no one backed him up. The nobles who had supported him were eager to leave a favorable impression on my husband. Lukas’s annoyed expression was priceless.

This was great. I got to see those two be bullied in different ways.

“It’s impossible. This… Yes, it’s all because of the witch. There’s no other explanation…” Count Dorison was pulling his hair out, and some of his followers looked the other way.

Meanwhile, I was enjoying what I saw. Admittedly, wasn’t his reaction a little much?

He grabbed my arm. “Magic! Yes, it has to be some kind of spell. Tch, I know what you’re planning…!”

The people near him began to show signs of worry, and others were upset by his lack of manners.

“I thought I made it clear to treat my wife with the utmost respect.”

“…”

“Would you like to lose your other arm?”

“D-Duke Havel!”

As soon as my husband spoke, the frightened count let go of my arm and stepped back. He fell to the ground. I was quite happy that I was here to send off the guests. If I didn’t, such an amusing scene wouldn’t have occurred.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

My husband rolled up my sleeve and checked my arm. He only nodded after seeing there were no marks or bruises. “My apologies, Count. I cherish my wife, unlike someone here.”

The count flinched after standing up.

“His Majesty values monogamy. Even now after Her Majesty’s death, he has yet to marry again or take a mistress.”

The emperor was someone who married the woman he loved. Usually, the royal family practiced arranged marriages. He was lucky his true love was from a high-ranking aristocratic family. As such, the people of the Edelin Empire call him The Romantic.

However, not even royalty was exempt from misfortune. Many years ago, the empress became ill and passed away. With the position of empress empty, many nobles were eager to present their daughters. Yet the emperor was determined to love only one person all his life. The late empress was irreplaceable. For an emperor who ruled over humans, he was respectable. But I still didn’t like him for insisting on a ridiculous marriage between a witch and a human.

After hearing about the emperor’s love story from Emily, I viewed the story in a more positive light.

“’Tis a shame the crown prince doesn’t follow in the footsteps of his father.” My husband clicked his tongue.

The count seemed to understand what he was implying. “Are you insulting His Highness in front of me?”

“Yes, but it is all a matter of taste. Oh, I don’t think you know what that is. Shall I provide a thorough explanation?”

“Tch…!”

The count was better off becoming a coachman with his limited strength. Unfortunately, it would be a pitiful end for an ambitious but weak-minded man.

“Everyone is being controlled by a witch. Even the duke himself. When the world finds out, Havel’s walls will crumble…!”

“Yes, I am a madman being controlled by a witch. What has possessed you then to make your life turn out like this?” It was neither sarcasm nor an insult. My husband seemed to be genuinely curious.

As a result, the count was further humiliated, and he was famous for his pride.

“I-I…”

“Count Dorison, please calm down!”

“We are deeply sorry, Your Grace. We shall take our leave!”

In the end, a bunch of nobles surrounded the count and ushered him into the carriage.

“It’s finally over.” I smiled, pleased the celebration had come to an end. Meanwhile, my husband, standing next to me, sighed.

“I should have cut off his other arm,” he muttered as he stared at the carriage in the distance. His blue eyes were like the eyes of a hunter who found his prey. He was probably thinking about whether he should chase after that carriage and how to do it.

Alan also noticed this and was uneasy.

I hoped this worked. “Let’s go back to the castle. Now.”

“…”

“I’m exhausted from being outside for so long.” I decided to sacrifice myself for everyone’s sake, so I quickly interlaced my fingers with his. Ah, this was the first time I did such a thing.

Holding his hand, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I sneaked a glance at him. He was also surprised, his widened blue eyes as big as full moons in the sky.

It was fortunate that the murderous aura around my husband dissipated.

“That’s correct. My lovely wife is tired and deserves to rest.”

I take back what I said.

Turning his attention away from the guests, my husband smiled and hugged me.

“Again?!”

“Please stay still, my dear.”

I struggled for a bit, but those familiar arms shackled me in place. I couldn’t move.

“I’ve indulged you enough. You must focus on resting. Of course, you aren’t allowed to do anything else.”

“…Until when?”

“Until I say it’s all right for you to walk around,” he answered as if I had asked the obvious.

I thought it would be for the rest of the day or tomorrow morning at the most.

I was horribly wrong.