After the Wicked Wife Leaves

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Translated by: Sienna

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

“And when we meet again after time has passed, she…”

On the day he went to the palace in place of his brother, he encountered the princess and handed her a handkerchief.

He thought it was fine if she didn’t remember him, just like when he gave her flowers.

However, the words of his brother, who had just returned from a banquet, were not what he expected.

<Her Highness the Princess remembered the handkerchief you gave her.>

As he listened to his brother’s words, he smiled bitterly.

He looked at her for a long time, but what she remembered was not the beggar boy she’d seen every year at the Founding Celebration, but the Erich Lennon Blant she’d only seen once.

<Her Highness is truly beautiful. I think I fell in love with her at first sight.>

Since that day, his brother has relentlessly visited the princess.

Unlike himself, who always brought her unremarkable wildflowers, his brother came bearing extravagant flowers grown in the greenhouse and expensive gifts.

And his brother’s efforts paid off.

<Her Highness said I didn’t have to bring these things in the future!>

He smiled and congratulated his delighted brother, thinking to himself.

‘Yes, I knew it would turn out like this. Unlike me, my brother… shines.’

That’s why he didn’t think of her as his wife and why he was cold to her when she approached him. He thought it was a sin to have her in his heart, as his brother had her in his heart.

So he tried everything he could to find his brother and put everything back in place.

But all that effort was for nothing…….

<Yes, it was only one day. The day I drank strong liquor alone on my father’s memorial day. Exactly 6 weeks ago.>

A single moment of mistake, and everything went to waste.

‘Was it really a mistake?’

As he pondered, he briefly recalled Cornelia’s demeanor from earlier.

<I know you don’t think of me as a wife, so I’ve decided not to think of you as my husband anymore.>

‘Yes, I have no right to care what you do, for I am not your husband.’

For a moment, Erich’s eyes dimmed.

Even though he wasn’t really her husband, he had a responsibility and a duty to protect her until his brother returned.

But she, the one he was responsible for, was trying to escape him.

<Now, there’s no need to force ourselves to share a bed or pretend to be a normal couple. Just as you find me unpleasant, now I find you equally unpleasant.>

<And I don’t need any of this, so don’t bother me again.>

Erich looked at the jade gemstone on his desk. He clenched his fist tightly.

‘Do you hate me so much that you’re willing to give up the jade you love?’

Eventually, he called for Xenon, who was overseeing the employees in place of the butler.

“Tomorrow, deliver the finest jade stone to the Duchess.”

“Not a crafted jade… but a raw stone?”

“Yes.”

That meant she was to make the jewelry she wanted and wear it.

“If she refuses or discards it, let her do as she pleases and leave it behind.”

With that, Xenon took the jade gemstone and bowed his head.

“Yes, understood.”

“You may leave now. I need some rest.”

With that, Xenon left the Duke’s office.

In the empty hallway, Xenon looked at the jade gemstone and sneered.

“Hah, giving her such a cheap stone as a gift; it’s clear the Duke has no interest in that woman.”

As he muttered to himself, Xenon furrowed his brow.

‘By the way, I’m pretty sure the rat saw something and wanted to report it to the madam…….’

After a moment, Xenon thought of the most suspicious individual.

‘I suspect it was the Duchess’s dog.’

But that thought was fleeting.

‘Well, it’s a rat in poison anyway.’

Xenon was convinced.

Xenon was confident that it was only a matter of time before the culprit was found within the mansion.

‘As it happens, the Duke has given me an excuse to leave. I should take a look tomorrow while visiting the Duchess.’

Xenon moved briskly.

 

4. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚒𝚐 𝙿𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎

 

The next day, I woke up after the sun had reached its zenith. I glanced absentmindedly at my side and smirked.

‘Habits can be truly annoying. I’m sure Erich won’t be coming to this bedroom anymore…….’

After a moment’s musing, I remembered my instructions to Sardin yesterday.

‘Come to think of it, was it a wise decision to order this?’

After washing and changing clothes, I called for Sardin.

“How did things go with what I asked you to do?”

Although I had decided to leave Erich, I had no intention of leaving things as they were before my regression.

So I had Sardin spy on Xenon, who had tried to kill me himself.

And here are the results…….

“As my master predicted, Xenon exhibited suspicious behavior.”

Just what I needed.

“Suspicious behavior?”

As I clenched my fist in tension and asked, Sardin nodded and recounted what he had witnessed.

“As soon as the Duke left, Xenon secretly sneaked out of the mansion and went to meet someone. Then he knelt as if addressing a lord and said something.”

“What did he say?”

“I didn’t hear much because I was keeping my distance, but it sounded like the internal affairs of the mansion. He also handed over some documents.”

Documents—it was difficult to speculate what they contained, but one thing was certain: someone was leaking the internal affairs of the estate.

“Did you find out who it was?”

Sardin shook his head.

“I apologize, but I had to leave because Xenon noticed my presence.”

‘Darn it; he’s sharp.’

The problem was that now that he had been caught, his guard would be up, and he would be vigilant in identifying the culprit.

‘How can I break through that guard and find out who it is?’

Having pondered so deeply, hunger took over, and I sighed.

‘I should at least have brunch now.’

I looked at Sardin and asked, “Have you had your meal?”

“Not yet.”

At his answer, I shook my head and was about to call for a maid. But before I could, there was a knock on the door, and a voice followed.

“It’s Xenon. Do you mind if I come in for a moment?”

Didn’t the dragon say he would come if you spoke about him?

My brow furrowed at this unexpected visitor.

‘Why has he come to see me out of the blue?’

After a moment, I opened my mouth.

“Come in.”

Xenon opened the door with my permission and stepped in. Unfortunately, he just nodded respectfully and stood straight before me.

I raised an eyebrow before speaking, “What brings you to me at this early hour, Xenon?”

Then he replied with an expression that seemed reluctant: “The Duke requested that I bring this to you.”

The moment I laid eyes on the huge jade stone the size of a puppy, my eyes widened.

‘Oh, it truly is top-grade, as they claimed.’

I swallowed hard, unable to help myself.

“It seems the madam gets along well with the slaves.”

Sardin’s expression turned sour at that, I signaled him to hold back.

‘Don’t intervene.’

Soon I opened my mouth and said, “Of course I do; Sardin is my only bodyguard.”

Zenon smirked and said, “Then I wonder why you were out yesterday without him.”

I laughed and thought to myself, ‘This cunning fellow is suspicious of me.’

After another moment, I continued, “You’re not as bright as I thought you were.”

“What’s that…….”

“If you had spoken to the knights, you would know. The ones who used to guard me in the palace almost got into a scuffle with someone.”

At the mention of Fritz, Xenon flinched. It was understandable since he probably sympathized to some extent with the reason behind it.

I swallowed back a laugh and continued.

“It’s your job to check on the knights, so there’s no way you didn’t hear about it. Running your mouth like that; you must not be very clever.”

In my mocking tone, he shuddered and then smiled sheepishly.

“It seems the madam is truly interested in me. I will make sure to pay even more attention to reciprocate that enthusiasm in the future.”

I smirked. His words were a warning that he would be watching my actions closely from now on.

“Well then, I am a busy man, so I shall take my leave.”

Why does he have such audacity to act so arrogantly? But one thing became clear:

‘He definitely harbors animosity towards me.’

I glared at him as he walked out the door.

“From your expression, it seems that you are not pleased with the gift of His Excellency. Well, if you wish to discard it, you are free to do so.”

I raised my middle finger as he stalked out the door with those words.

‘Am I crazy? Throwing away something so expensive?’

After a moment of cursing, I stroked the gemstone he’d left behind.

‘What can I make with this?’

After a brief moment of contemplation,

‘I’m hungry.’

I decided to finish what I had not done earlier due to Xenon’s interference.

“Madam, did you call for me?”

“I’d like to eat.”

When I told her maid, she smiled and answered politely.

“Ah, then I will go to the kitchen and tell the chef to prepare a luncheon, and if there is anything you would like to eat, please let me know.”

No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t get used to this much more proactive and polite attitude than before.

‘Since I was a duchess approved by their master, they want to look good.’

I smiled bitterly.

‘I wish it was that easy.’

I’ve tried to be angry with them, I’ve tried to admonish them, I’ve tried to be a good duchess.

However, no matter how much I acted out, their attitude towards me remained unchanged.

Yet, this time, while I remained the same, the employees’ attitudes became polite just because of his attitude.

Honestly, it was ridiculous.