TVOWW 41

Chapter 41

Even Your Death Must Belong to Me

April 22, 2022

My whole body stiffened with tension.

Surely I won’t start coughing up more blood here, right?

Thankfully, no more blood came up.

…If it’s just this much, then I can manage…

Johann was staring at me with a grim expression.

No, maybe not.

Frustrated, I appealed to the trees.

—Why now, of all times!

—What’s the matter? Why are you suddenly snapping at us?

—Yes, isn’t it a good thing if the curse is weakening?

—Johann was standing right in front of me. Now he’s going to get the wrong idea.

At that, the trees sheepishly backed away.

—Well, we… we only tried our best to make you better.

—Right, it seemed urgent, so we’ll take our leave.

—Uh, explain things on your own. We believe you can handle it!

Johann bent his knees a little to meet my eyes as I sat in the infirmary chair. His red eyes carried a complex and subtle emotion.

I pretended to be sick before… but I didn’t expect the curse to suddenly weaken and make me cough up blood!

“…You’ve been enduring it all this time, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Since the Duke and Duchess of Hetel manipulated you… you’ve been sick since then, right?”

He pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped my mouth. Johann didn’t ask why I had suddenly spat blood.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been watching all along, but I never noticed.”

…Of course you didn’t notice. I wasn’t actually sick.

“I didn’t even know I was like this myself. How could you have known, Johann? Don’t blame yourself.”

“This isn’t self-blame.”

“…What?”

“It’s reflection on my own incompetence.”

His long lashes lowered as he clenched his teeth. He seemed furious with himself.

“I was so eager to show off what I’d prepared, that I overlooked the most important thing.”

“…”

“Me, of all people.”

His eyes twisted as if in pain.

Why does he keep making that pained expression?

I blankly stared into those jewel-like crimson eyes.

Am I… important to you?

The question I’d been avoiding wriggled to the surface.

Why?

You only keep me as your wife to exact revenge.

…Stop it, Estelle. Don’t think any further.

People only ever judged by appearances anyway. No one ever cared about who the real “Estelle” was. That’s why I became a fake.

Johann wasn’t much different. He was a man who took me, the “adopted daughter of Libertan,” as his revenge target.

Thinking about it more will only hurt you.

Johann was truly overwhelming.

I thought I had given up expecting anything from anyone. But with Johann…

Don’t make me expect anything from you.

I pressed my toes hard inside my shoes and forced my mind to turn.

“When did you first learn about the Hetel family, Johann?”

“Quite a while ago.”

He answered unexpectedly easily.

“I thought they might be useful someday.”

“Then… you had a reason to be so sure they sent that document?”

“Hmm. I only realized it was you because I’d already investigated the entire Hetel household thoroughly. The only thing I hadn’t accounted for was the Libertan document.”

The one and only variable.

“So naturally, the source had to be you. The only thing I hadn’t accounted for was you. Though, I still don’t know how you got it.”

“…Do you normally investigate every noble house like that?”

“I wish I could, but of course not. I only investigated the Hetel family for a simple reason.”

“…”

“Their downfall was inevitable.”

A strange sense of déjà vu hit me.

The downfall of House Blanchet was also inevitable.

And of course, that included my downfall.

“They had been useful for a time, but once they lost their use, I discarded them.”

Johann explained the fate of the Hetel family, who had dared to slander me.

Their name erased, their fortune seized under his name, the Count and Countess imprisoned for their crimes, their daughters stripped of everything and reduced to commoners.

Hearing it made me uneasy. Their future felt like a glimpse of my own.

Johann hasn’t changed at all.

The mastermind who would use any means for revenge.

A cold-blooded man who judged people solely by their utility, and discarded them when they weren’t useful.

And I… once I’m no longer his revenge target, I’ll lose all my value too, won’t I?

Yet, at the same time, this action was for me.

The Countess lost her value because she tried to harm me.

Even now, he was protecting me.

The very fact that he was telling me all this openly proved it.

I really don’t understand.

Fear that one day, when I lost my usefulness, he’d kill me mercilessly.

Gratitude that he had used his power to avenge me.

Both emotions coexisted.

Then Johann gently tucked my loose hair behind my ear.

“I know you’re hiding a lot from me.”

It seemed pointless to deny it.

“…It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, Johann.”

“Of course. You must have your own circumstances.”

“But—!”

I failed to lower the mastermind’s guard.

But I decided to take the best gamble I could.

“If you ask me something, I’ll answer honestly, as much as I can.”

His sharp gaze narrowed, as though scrutinizing me.

“No. There’s no need. I won’t corner my wife when she’s unwell.”

Wait, that works?

I’d given myself a headache scrambling to explain the Libertan document…

It seemed to work out, but why did it feel like things had gotten more tangled instead?

“If you want to hide it, then hide it. Keep it concealed, pretend you know nothing—it’s fine.”

After tidying my hair, Johann pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“But don’t run away.”

“…?”

“No matter what secrets you have, I don’t care. Just never disappear from my side.”

In a drowsy, almost languid tone, Johann whispered:

“Even your death must belong to me.”

***

Late at night, Chancellor Ortega spoke respectfully, with all the lights extinguished.

“Yes, Your Majesty. As you instructed, I found traces of Libertan within House Hetel.”

—Did you find any weaknesses of the royal family?

“Unfortunately, the signs at House Hetel were empty rumors.”

The Emperor on the other end of the communication device swallowed a grunt.

“But it wasn’t a wasted effort. The Libertan documents alone were a great harvest.”

—But you didn’t find the most important thing!

“And yet, I learned something critical.”

Ortega recalled the commotion at dinner.

The Duchess of Blanchet suddenly coughing, her complexion turning pale. And more than anyone else, the Duke of Blanchet had looked alarmed.

Right now, the only thing important to me is my wife.

The true Duke of Blanchet would have utterly destroyed the Hetel family. He would have squeezed every last gain from them, and then demanded something from the crown as his reward for capturing traitors.

But he hadn’t.

Instead, he vanished with his wife in his arms.

As a result, Ortega himself had resolved the Hetel affair under the Imperial banner.

Of course, because of the wager, all their assets would still be confiscated by House Blanchet. But it was strangely uncharacteristic of the ruthless Duke.

—What is it?

In the shadows, Ortega’s navy hair looked almost black.

“It seems the Duke of Blanchet has finally gained a weakness.”

His green eyes gleamed coldly.

***

House Hetel was dealt with when Chancellor Ortega summoned the Imperial Knights.

I thought I’d have to stay, since I was directly involved.

Apparently, Johann had handled it all himself.

The mastermind really is terrifying.

The quickest route back to the Duchy passed through the Monster Forest. Normally, it was avoided because of the steep terrain.

I guess seeing my blood yesterday made him more impatient.

“We’re entering the Monster Forest! Stay sharp, everyone!”

At the words, I peeked out through the carriage window.

Unlike elsewhere, the trees here were black, their branches twisted into grotesque shapes.

So this is what it looks like where monsters roam…

It was an unsettling forest, just to look at.

Even when I try talking to the trees nearby, I can’t get a response.

That’s when Raymond approached the carriage.

“Don’t worry, my lady. This road is well-traveled, and the monsters are culled every year.”

“Ah, Sir Raymond.”

“Just so you know, the chances of you encountering a monster are almost zero. We’ve already sent scouts ahead to check.”

Smiling, Raymond casually asked:

“But my lady, why do you keep calling me ‘Sir Raymond’? Please, just call me Raymond.”

“…Would that be alright?”

“Of course. Speak to me as casually as you do with the lord. I’d like to grow closer with you. Won’t you?”

When he flashed a dashing grin, he gave off a refreshing charm.

“Well, it’s not that I mind, but—”

“That man is off limits.”

Suddenly, Johann appeared, his expression dark with displeasure.

“Wife, be careful around him. He’s trouble.”

“My lord, that’s too harsh! How could you badmouth me like that?”

“Have you forgotten all the scandals you caused with gambling and women?”

Raymond immediately wilted.

“…I just like to play hard when I do play.”

“Play however you like, but if you pull any stunts near my wife…”

Johann’s voice dropped, cold and lethal.

“…that will be the end of your life.”

“But still, she’s the duchess, and I’m the knight commander—”

“One more word, and I’ll end you.”

“L-Lord…?”

“Actually, you’ve already said too much.”

When Johann’s hand drifted to his sword, Raymond turned pale and looked at me desperately.

“M-My lady! Please stop him! This is madness!”

“Well, I do think ending him over one word is a bit much. Sir Raymond seems like a good man…”

He was one of the few in House Blanchet who didn’t openly oppose me.

Though of course, he probably still bears a grudge against Libertan.

At my words, Raymond’s face lit up instantly.

“As expected, my lady is an angel, unlike our cruel lord—”

“I’ll cherish our fond memories of talking together, Sir Raymond.”

“M-My lady?”

Raymond’s eyes darted in confusion.

“Weren’t you trying to save me? My lord, I am the knight commander after all, couldn’t you show me—”

Just then, as Raymond passed beneath a twisted tree—

Whack!

A branch smacked him hard on the head. He nearly fell from his horse and cried out in indignation.

“My lord! That’s not fair!”

I stared at the tree with wide, startled eyes.