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Chapter 93
How Much Do You Know About Your Wife?
Published: 2022.10.21
The Emperor winked one eye.
“So, was my judgment correct?”
The Emperor gave off a much friendlier impression than I had imagined.
‘No… that’s what makes him even scarier.’
If you only looked on the surface, Johann seemed like a perfect gentleman too. In truth, however, the current Emperor had once wiped out every brother who possessed strong maternal bloodlines.
“As your vassal, I can only be astonished by Your Majesty’s wisdom.”
“Otherwise, wouldn’t the Duke be rebelling against my decisions by now?”
“How could I, when Your Majesty is so wise?”
I swallowed hard.
‘That sounded polite, but… wasn’t it basically a warning to the Emperor?’
It was like he was saying, “if your judgment ever ceases to be wise, then I might very well oppose you.”
‘Is it really okay to talk to the Emperor like that?’
The Emperor let out a hearty laugh.
“That’s why I like you, Duke. You act only according to your worth. Will your stance toward the Temple remain unchanged?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I have no intention of getting involved with the Holy Kingdom or the Saintess.”
“And why is that?”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.
“You could gain quite a lot if you simply chose to make use of them.”
“There isn’t the slightest chance I’d do anything that could make my wife feel uneasy or unhappy.”
“To hear such romantic words from Duke Blanchet’s mouth!”
A tense atmosphere passed between the Emperor and Johann. I simply smiled as if I didn’t notice a thing, quietly observing the two of them.
‘Johann’s the one holding the upper hand here.’
As if to confirm my thought, it was the Emperor who broke the awkward silence first.
“Continue to be the Empire’s steadfast pillar, as you are now.”
The Emperor gave a faint smile as he passed us by. At that moment, something dangling from his belt caught my eye.
‘Is that… a seal?’
It looked far too cracked and damaged for something an Emperor would wear.
‘It doesn’t match the rest of his appearance at all.’
His overall attire was neat and refined, but that accessory seemed oddly out of place—too excessive, too strange. I couldn’t help but recall my own ability.
‘Could that be the Emperor’s secret?’
Nothing came to mind immediately.
Johann tightened his grip on my hand. When I looked up, his red eyes were narrowed, studying me intently.
‘Why do I feel nervous all of a sudden?’
I forced an awkward smile and asked,
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“That woman—I’ll get rid of her as soon as possible.”
Thankfully, he was worried about something else.
“That woman… you mean—”
“The Saintess.”
There was no one around, and his voice was so low that no one else could have heard, but I still looked around nervously.
“What if someone hears you?”
Johann, however, had eyes only for me.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
“Because no matter who hears it, I can deal with them.”
His crimson eyes gleamed sharply.
“So just tell me one thing—she bothers you, doesn’t she?”
I found myself nodding before I even realized it.
“…I don’t like her.”
“I thought so.”
“But she’s a Saintess of the Temple, and she hasn’t done anything particularly wrong yet—”
“You don’t think her actions so far are enough of a sin?”
Though his tone remained gentle, there was a chilling edge hidden beneath it. I shook my head.
“If something becomes difficult for me, I’ll tell you then, Johann. I’m good at tattling, you know?”
Honestly, talking about the Saintess any further with Johann didn’t feel right.
‘The last thing I want is for Johann to start paying more attention to her.’
If her flirtations were one-sided, then the best course would be to simply forget her existence altogether.
“Come to think of it, Johann, have you ever spent a festival at the Imperial Palace?”
The Duke and Duchess of Libertan had occasionally stayed there as honored guests during such events. For an adopted child like me, though, that had been an unattainable luxury.
‘You should be grateful we don’t bring you along to embarrass us.’
Whenever that happened, I was left alone in the Libertan mansion—an easy target for their servants’ bullying.
And when the Duke and Duchess, who at least pretended to treat me as their daughter for appearances’ sake, passed away… I was left completely alone.
All I could do was pray they would return from the palace as soon as possible.
‘I’ve always wondered what it’s actually like there.’
Johann smiled faintly.
“A few times.”
“And how was it?”
“Claustrophobic at times… but also fascinating.”
I looked up at him in surprise, meeting his crimson eyes.
“Why?”
“It just doesn’t suit you, Johann, being fascinated by something.”
“And how exactly do you see me?”
His smile softened into something warm.
“Hmm… you just seem like someone who’s experienced everything already.”
‘That must be something from his past.’
My body tensed slightly. Johann had never spoken of his past before.
Then he suddenly stopped walking.
‘A carriage?’
The Blanchet family’s carriage waited ahead. The door opened, and Johann immediately helped me inside.
Obediently, I climbed in.
“Are we heading back already? We only greeted the Emperor.”
“That’s more than enough for honored guests. What else is there to do?”
“Usually nobles take the opportunity to socialize a bit more.”
Johann narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful.
“Did you want to stay longer? If so, we can go back now and return later.”
“No, that’s not it. I like visiting new places, but I don’t really enjoy meeting new people. You’ve noticed that, haven’t you?”
“To some extent.”
He nodded silently.
“But I don’t know exactly how difficult it is for you. If you want, I can make sure you never have to meet anyone new again—for the rest of your life.”
‘Wait—how did we get here?’
I quickly waved my hands.
“It’s fine! As long as I’m with you, Johann, I don’t mind. In fact, it’s comforting—and even kind of fun.”
He didn’t answer right away, as if lost in thought.
‘What’s he thinking about now?’
Johann’s misunderstandings could lead to very dangerous consequences.
“I’ll be going straight home to the estate with you anyway.”
“That’s the problem.”
His brow furrowed slightly.
“Something urgent’s come up. I’ll have to send you back alone.”
“Urgent?”
“Yes. I’ll come find you as soon as I finish, but I can’t be sure how long it’ll take. I can’t let you wait here—it’s not safe.”
He placed a large, gentle hand on my head.
“Can you go home first?”
“I’m not a child, Johann. What could possibly happen on the way back in a carriage?”
“If anything does happen, call me immediately, all right?”
He made sure to remind me even as we parted.
‘Honestly, he really treats me like a kid.’
Still, I didn’t dislike it. I liked how much he cared for me.
“If you’re that worried, just hurry back quickly.”
After all, this was the road from the Imperial Palace to the Blanchet estate—heavily patrolled, full of passing carriages. It was one of the safest routes in the Empire.
‘There’s barely even a chance of anything happening.’
***
Estelle’s carriage disappeared down the road.
‘So why do I feel so uneasy?’
Johann kept his gaze fixed on the retreating carriage.
“You can come out now.”
No one was behind him, yet his tone was a low growl.
“I know you’re there. Stop wasting my time and show yourself. Or should I drag you out myself?”
From between the trees emerged Leandro, clad in armor, his expression grim.
“When did you notice?”
“From the beginning.”
The wind rustled between them. Leandro gripped the hilt of his sword, while Johann gathered his magic.
Johann’s red eyes gleamed dangerously.
“I’m sure I told you to stay away from my wife.”
“Johann Blanchet, I didn’t come here to fight you today.”
“Then perhaps you shouldn’t have touched another man’s wife in the first place.”
Leandro’s expression twisted slightly at Johann’s jab.
“That—”
Clenching his fist, Leandro spoke in a low voice.
“Fine. I’ll admit I share some of the blame. But that’s not what’s important right now.”
“And who decided that?”
“How much do you actually know about Estelle Libertan?”
His tone implied he knew more about her than Johann did. But Johann could tell something was off—Leandro wasn’t acting like his usual self.
‘Did he find something out?’
Johann hated dealing with him, but if it concerned Estelle, he’d tolerate it—for now.
“More than someone who means nothing to her, that’s for sure.”
“Then you must not know how she ended up being adopted into the Libertan family.”
“And you do?”
“Of course.”
There was a strange sadness in Leandro’s eyes.
“It was the Marquis of Felsis who first discovered Estelle Libertan. They quietly placed her in an orphanage so that the Libertan family could adopt her without suspicion.”
Johann’s expression froze.
“And to strengthen the bond between our families, Estelle and I were once engaged.”
***
Thud! Bang! Screeeech!
A deafening crash echoed outside the carriage. The smooth ride came to a sudden stop. I woke from a light doze and peered out.
‘What’s going on…?’
Outside, men in black hoods were clashing with Blanchet knights.
‘An ambush!’
One of the knights spotted me and shouted urgently.
“My lady! You’re awake!”
“How long has this been happening?”
“Not long—but we can’t hold out much longer. We must prioritize your safety and get you out immediately!”
The chaotic sounds of battle made my head spin.
‘An ambush… but by who?’
I steadied myself and asked the knight,
“Is it safe here?”
“The entire Blanchet guard is fighting to protect you, my lady.”
“Understood.”
Grabbing the knight’s hand, I stepped out. The danger outside felt far more real.
The attackers had surrounded us in a wide circle.
Tragically, they outnumbered us—and seemed far stronger too.
‘If even the Blanchet knights are being pushed back, this must be a powerful force.’
Upon seeing me, the assailants shouted,
“The Duchess of Blanchet is out! Target the Duchess!”
“Protect the lady!”
My escort knights tightened formation around me, exchanging urgent glances as they sought an escape route.
‘Right—Johann told me to call for him.’
Thankfully, I hadn’t forgotten the magic device he’d given me. I whispered to it,
“Johann, I think I’m being attacked by something weird right now.”
The enchanted bracelet glowed faintly with magic.
‘So it doesn’t summon him instantly, huh?’
Come to think of it, Johann had mentioned that spatial teleportation had many limitations.
‘Still, he must have gotten the message.’
I swallowed hard and whispered again,
“Johann, Johann! If this keeps up, I might die here!”
Then I heard the thunder of hooves approaching. My eyes widened.
‘Already? Johann?’
But—
“Stop right there!”
To my dismay, the one riding toward me wasn’t Johann. It was the Crown Prince, Carlos, galloping in on a white horse, looking every bit the gallant prince from a fairy tale.
“What do you think you’re doing, attacking the Duke’s wife?!”
I turned to the knight beside me, trying not to show my disappointment.
“Will the Crown Prince actually help us?”
“Surely, my lady.”
“The Crown Prince… really…?”
The knight didn’t answer my skeptical look. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Carlos was charging toward us with dazzling bravado.
‘The timing’s just too perfect. Don’t tell me… he planned this?’
