I Healed my Husband, the Leader of the Underworld

Thank you, @Arwendolyn and @Ella, for the Kofi😘

Siegfried Roam was truly a son of a bitch.

If he had said, ‘So, did you mess around with another guy like a dog?’ I would have hated him even more.

But instead, he just stared at me quietly.

Intensely.

Then he cautiously took a step towards me. Slowly, as if I was a stray cat with every single hair on my body standing on alert.

Next, he put me in his arms and gently stroke my back.

I could hear the rapid beating of his heart in my ears.

And as his scent filled my nostrils, I had to hold my breath.

His touch was so tender and warm that I almost forgot whose arms I was in.

“Was it very hard?”

His low voice was sweet and gentle.

“I know you’ve been through a lot.”

His tone, as if he was fully aware of everything, was unsettling.

“I….” I stammered.

Then, his lips suddenly pressed on my forehead.

“I just didn’t want you looking at another guy, okay?” he pleaded.

“…….”

“I didn’t want to make you cry on such a good day.”

As I silently looked at him, he tidied up my hair and continued with,

“Do whatever you want, but….”

He stopped talking, lowered his head, brushed my hair away, and kissed me on the cheek.

“Don’t get caught. Don’t let anyone find out who that jerk is. I won’t just stand idly by and watch you flirt with someone else in Roam.”

With that, he walked away, saying he needed to go to check on Jane. And as I watched his figure fade into the distance, I couldn’t help but think that there was no other bastard like this one.

* * *

“You are unstable,” a voice whispered.

I thought it would be quite some time before I saw Siegfried’s face again.

And since I didn’t feel well, I washed up early and went to bed.

My husband would be out doing God knows what anyway, and I was desperate for some sleep.

As I drift into slumber, I reassured myself that seeing his face was a matter for tomorrow, but, unexpectedly, it was the dawn light that woke me up.

When I opened my eyes, my whole body felt like it was on fire. My face, rubbing against his big, calloused hand, felt oddly scorching.

Sensing his touch, I looked up into Siegfried’s blue eyes, and strangely, there was a thick metallic smell coming from him.

“It smells like blood….” I muttered.

Even in my semi-conscious state, the sharp stench strongly stabbed my nose, making me gasp for breath.

“Don’t worry,” he said while gently stroking my cheek. “Is it hard to get up?”

Then, supporting my head with his hand, Siegfried put a pill in my mouth before placing a glass of water against my dry lips.

And as I quietly observed him, he nodded, murmuring, “Drink.”

In that precise moment, I reflected on the fact that I failed to fulfill my role.

I dared to challenged him earlier, and I couldn’t even heal him right now because my own body was on the verge of collapsing.

The dark stains I spotted on his shirt, and the brown marks on his neck that looked like hastily wiped blood instilled a deep sense of fear in me.

I quickly spat the pill on the floor, trembling as I imagined red blood smeared under his black shoes.

Then, with weak hands, I pushed the glass away, splattering water on the bed.

“… Spare… me,” I choked, still tasting the pill’s bitter flavor on the tip of my tongue.

It seems the original storyline is coming to life; I thought, terrified.

I felt so weak that I couldn’t control my body. Even my voice was cracking up pitifully.

“This….”

Siegfried’s brows furrowed as he looked at me.

“Lie down,” he ordered, gently putting me back in my original position.

Then, after pulling another identical pill out of his pocket, he bit it, and firmly pressed his thumb against my chin.

Bitterness instantly flowed through my parted lips as he skillfully intertwined his tongue with mine, gently caressing my throat.

When I came back to my senses, I had already swallowed the pill.

Next, his hand supported my head as he placed the glass against my lips once again.

“Drink,” he said in a commanding voice.

But refusing to swallow even a single drop, I confessed, “It’s because of the contraceptive medicine.”

“…….”

“While the medicine is taking effect, I can’t heal myself. The name is Kelvermess, and it’s the strongest contraceptive….”

“I know,” He cut me off without a change in expression. “Now, drink.”

“I’m still useful,” I persisted.

My obsession with surviving was the same even until the very moment of death. I wondered if I were to tell him the truth, wouldn’t he give me something like an antidote?

“You,” he said, stroking my arm. “Your body is really weak.”

“…….”

“Yet, you didn’t ask for help out of pride? I came back here in a hurry because they said you would be in a critical state early in the morning. … You drank five times the normal dose.”

I remained silent.

“Why Kelvermess?” His voice was chilly as he asked, “There must have been many other medicines.”

For some reason, there seemed to be an anger, that he couldn’t contain, in his voice. I averted my gaze, and his hand gently stroked my hair.

“Why did you take it knowing it could kill you?”

“…….”

“If I were to take you right now……,” he trailed off, the hand stroking my cheek gradually slowing down.

“I could leave a lasting mark within you.”

His fingers gently brushed across my lips.

“Is that what you want me to do?”

He looked at me with enchanting eyes.

“If I could engrave myself inside of you, I wouldn’t mind doing it before that bastard you spoke of even touches you,” Siegfried threatened, then he lifted the blanket, climbed on the bed, and settled between my legs.

 As my body trembled, the man lowered his head to kiss my cheek. Next, his warm tongue invaded my mouth where the pill’s bitter taste still lingered. After the brief kiss, Siegfried looked down at me quietly, and brushed my sweaty hair back.

“But you’d only get hurt like this.”

I had never heard him talk in such a sweet and caring voice. It was the only warmth I felt as sleep was pulling me into the darkness.

It reminded me of the gentle way he treated me just before our first night. Tilting his head, Siegfried left small kisses on my lips while firmly gripping open legs.

When he started to sniff my neck like a mad beast, I pushed his head away. Then looking up at him, I said in a weak voice:

“If you are sure… then do it.”

“…….”

“I don’t want children, either” I added.

His face hardened at those words. The stark contrast between his earlier affectionate demeanor and his current icy glare made me shudder involuntarily.

He pulled himself up and stared down at me in silence. Then, after letting out a sigh, he sat at the edge of the bed, and ran his palm across his handsome face before looking at me again through his parted fingers.

“There,” he said, standing up and covering me with the blanket. “I’ll use the adjacent room today.”

As the effects of the of the pill he gave me started to kick in, my clarity gradually returned.

Wait, did he save me?

I didn’t want to be indebted to him because of this incident.

The reason I got angry at him wasn’t only because he wanted to tie me up like a good dog for his own use, nor because he kept pointing out my unrequited love that didn’t even exist.

It was because he was cruel. He is only being affectionate now because he didn’t want his little toy to leave.

Still, I needed his kindness–at least as much warmth as he was showing me right now–because staying in this mansion seemed to be the best option for me at the moment.

With my face buried in the pillow, I held onto his sleeve. There was no sound of footsteps, and silence hung over the room for a while.

Then, I slowly opened my eyes only to find him staring at me in silence.

“You….” He said as if he was holding back. “You really can drive people crazy with just one look.”

Contrary to my expectations, Siegfried didn’t hurt me; rather he took his vest, and his shirt off, lay down, and hugged me.

 He then kissed my forehead as he softly caressed my back.

“Come on now.”

His low voice tickled my ears.

“You can sleep soundly until morning. So, go ahead” he said, running his fingers through my hair.

 My body was exhausted, and as soon as I felt the tension leaving me, I drifted into a cozy slumber with his warmth wrapped around me.

And as my consciousness was fading away, I believed I heard him mumble something like,

“That’s why I didn’t want to give you affection, but you….”

His big hand soothingly patting my back was somehow comforting.

* * *

I woke up quite early in the morning despite my disrupted circadian rhythm.

I also thought that my body would feel heavy because of the Kelvermes tea, but that wasn’t the case.

It’s probably thanks to the pill Siegfried gave.

Grateful for that, I tried to pull myself up, but someone dragged me back in from behind, tightly embracing me.

“Stay in bed,” a hoarse voice tickled my ears. “You’re sick.”

As I listened to Siegfried’s voice, memories of yesterday flooded my mind.

Even though I wished to repress everything that happened, Jane’s debutante was not to be forgotten.

There was a lot of work to be done.

I’m worried about holding Jane’s debutante right after the Empress’s ball.

Wearing the same dress in public twice was a disgrace among nobles. However, not every aristocrat could afford such expensive dresses every month.

So, the number of people capable of attending Jane’s party right after the Empress’s would be an inevitable problem. In addition, people’s gaze was also a factor to consider.

If I hold Jane’s debutante shortly after the Imperial ball, the Empress might take it as a challenge; I reminded myself.

So far, she had maintained a neutral position in the social world, but if I were to boldly challenge her, well, it was a given that I would lose.

Although I held a high position in the social hierarchy, it made my already precarious situation as Milena even more vulnerable, so being disliked by her would be a significant blow for me.

Plus, the preparations alone are going to take a tremendous amount of time.

The Empress spent four months preparing for her big party, but I didn’t have that much time.

I don’t know how much more the Duchy’s servants will hate me if I keep Jane here for four more months in the name of her debutante; I lamented.

I did claim it would be a piece of cake for me to organize everything, but even after getting Siegfried’s permission, it felt like climbing a mountain after another.

I don’t have much time; I thought as I wriggled my way out of his embrace and rose from the bed.

The medicine he gave me yesterday seemed quite expensive and rare, something I couldn’t easily obtain.

Feeling a sense of obligation to at least acknowledge the person who saved my life, I turned my head towards Siegfried.

He gazed at me with a puzzled expression, and his beautiful forehead slightly furrowed, as if wondering what the issue was.

“I have to start preparing for Jane’s debutante.”

“Do it later,” he said, rising from the bed, and wrapping his arms around me. He then lowered his head, nuzzled against my neck, inhaling its fragrance before burring in nose there.

“The Imperial Palace Ball is just around the corner, so if I want to meet the schedule….”

“Cancel it then,” he cut me off, and I froze at the sound of his resolute tone.

 Seizing the opportunity, Siegfried hugged me tighter, and dragged us back under the warm blanket.

“You’re sick. Just rest,” he persisted.

“I can’t just not go….”

“I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go.” He opened his eyes, looked at me, and added, “I’m saying to cancel the imperial ball, my dear wife.”

I blinked several times, unsure if that was truly possible.

Well, in the original, it was written that even the Emperor could not boldly confront the Duke after all.