I Healed my Husband, the Leader of the Underworld

I remember how gentle Siegfried was just before dawn, how beautiful his face was in the darkness, bathed in a pale light.

 

He was captivating, trying to deceive me.

 

I have to be careful.

 

I needed to secure my place, but I had to be ready to run at a moment’s notice.

 

Don’t get comfortable, don’t feel safe.

 

I took a step forward and then turned back to look at the desk. It occurred to me that when I was in Siegfried’s arms today, the piece of metal about an inch and a half long that I usually touched was not there. It could be mere speculation, but it might have been Siegfried’s consideration.

 

As I thought this, I took another step forward and…

 

I slammed my foot to the floor and ran out into the hallway. A strange sense of liberation washed over me. The sound of my heels pounding the ground grew louder, my footfalls heavier, but I felt no pain.

 

It felt refreshing.

 

Just the idea of escaping the everyday routine I had meticulously built to become a useful wife in Roam was liberating.

 

The maids turned their heads in odd, jerky movements to observe my actions, but I didn’t pay them any mind.

 

“Let me help you.”

 

A butler appeared out of nowhere, blocking me, but I brushed past his hand and threw open the door in front of me.

 

Bartholomew’s door.

 

He was pacing inside, but stopped to stare intently at me.

 

I must have looked a mess. My hair was probably tousled from running, and my eyes were likely shining with excitement. In the midst of it all, I think I was even smiling.

 

“Brother.”

 

“……”

 

Without a word, he started walking toward me. That’s when I felt the excruciating pain in my feet, but I tried not to show it.

 

I could hear the slow, very slow sound of the butler closing the door.

 

As Bartholomew clenched his fist, scattering sword aura in all directions, a low painful moan came from behind us.

 

I should have been more cautious, but I was very surprised by Bartholomew’s bold action.

 

Soon, the door was abruptly closed, leaving me alone with him.

 

“Thank you.”

 

I expressed my gratitude, and he acknowledged it with a nod. The distance between us right now should have been enough, but he continued to walk towards me, his footsteps heavy.

 

What was he trying to do? As I stepped back, wary of the man, Bartholomew suddenly enveloped me in a hug, and slowly leaned his head towards me.

 

Since I planned to go out for a moment, I needed to ask if he could provide protection.

 

I needed someone I could fully trust, someone who wasn’t affiliated with Roam.

 

“I’ve disabled Roam’s barrier magic,” he said it without any hesitation.

 

I froze, my eyes widening in disbelief.

 

Can he actually do that…? Disable Roam’s barrier magic?

 

“It’ll only last for ten minutes. I won’t be able to hold on for much longer.”

 

“…Brother.”

 

There was a desperate edge to his voice. He tried to stay calm, to soothe me, but it couldn’t be concealed. From his voice, I could read his sincerity.

 

He slowly stroked my back. His warmth was so reassuring that, strangely, I wanted to forget about  the conclusion my mind had reached.

 

Running away wasn’t part of the plan.

 

“The sword I was meant to wield for the Emperor, I will offer it for you.”

 

He must know better than anyone how powerless Rochester is against Roam.

 

Bartholomew let me go and added;

 

“Just one word from you, and I will give up everything.”

 

I had decided to keep a safe distance from these people after the ball last night. I knew their usefulness, but I reminded myself that if I grew attached to them, it could become a burden.

 

Yet, the look in his eyes made all that seem insignificant.

 

His sincerity weighed heavily in my heart, and I found it quite frightening.

***

 

Something must have gone wrong.

 

Jane Roam paced the empty room, her hands nervously clutching Milena’s pretty bonnet.

 

She knew how much Milena had been looking forward to going out today, so her absence made Jane even more anxious.

 

After Milena’s departure to Rochester was rejected, thank goodness, Jane had been walking on pins and needles.

 

From what she heard from the Marquis of Rochester, Milena had no reason to be in Roam at all. There was always a wonderful family that would warmly welcome her, even if Roam didn’t.

 

Knowing how precious family was, Jane couldn’t help but anxiously rub her arms. She was scared about Milena leaving, but envious of her having a father who loved her so much.

 

She felt gloomy at the idea of being left alone and possibly going through such an experience again, but Milena had come to her and gifted her with the face of her father, Victor, causing a very old memory sprouted in her heart.

 

 

So, when Milena, with a face full of joy, asked her to go out, Jane couldn’t have been happier.

 

It was an exceedingly quiet and peaceful afternoon in Roam.

 

So, how could anything go wrong?

 

Yet, Jane was anxiously biting her nails. It was a habit she had long discarded thanks to her governess’s influence, but when she was truly anxious, the habit resurfaced.

 

Jane’s eyes swept over the clock once more.

 

That’s when the massive siren rang out, and Jane realized for the first time that such a sound could come from this enormous mansion.

 

“The barrier….…It must be the work of an insider….,” Jane gasped.

 

Was Milena okay?

 

She quickly ran toward the door.

 

What would happen to Roam if the barrier fell?

 

Jane’s eyes was flickering with a sense of impending doom.

 

At that moment, a chilling sound came from behind her, causing her to freeze in place.

 

What was it?

 

Wait, It might not have been a ‘what,’ but a ‘who.’

 

Realizing that, Jane’s breath quickened. Should she scream? She wasn’t used to this kind of situation.

 

Her instincts set off alarms that whoever that noise came from  was somehow connected to the present commotion. So, she decided not to act impulsively.

 

Knock, knock.

 

Suddenly, a knocking sound echoed in the room.

 

“Miss Jane, are you alright?”

 

At the sound of the voice, Jane turned and looked out the balcony window. It was not far from the spot where she had been laughing and chatting with Milena earlier. The transparent glass window was rattling in the wind. It was the first time such cool air had entered the room, and Jane found the curtains billowing in the wind quite refreshing.

 

Her gaze landed on the intruder perched on the balcony like a sleek bird. Even from a distance, he was undeniably handsome.

 

The man was perched on the edge of the balcony railing, against a backdrop of an expansive sky with not a cloud in sight—something she had only seen from beyond the window frame.

 

As their eyes met, and he muttered, “F*cking hell,” brushing back his platinum blonde hair. Beneath it, his eyes sparkled, holding the sky within them.

 

Jane’s thoughts lingered on his vulgar word. No one had ever spoken to her like that, not even her brother, the Lord of Roam.

 

“Miss Jane.”

 

The voice from outside the door suddenly rang again, making her gasp. Then, the man on the balcony pressed a finger to his lips and stared at her intently. Yet, somehow, she didn’t feel threatened.

 

“Y-yes,” she finally answered.

 

“ Roam’s barrier has been breached. If you don’t mind, may I come in?”

 

Jane looked back at the man outside in the balcony.

 

She wanted to tell the people at the door to come in, she wanted to tell them that there was a suspicious person, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

 

There was a familiar aura emanating from the man on the balcony—familiar yet intense. As Jane tried to gauge whose magic it was, she quickly reached a conclusion.

 

Just as she was about to speak, the intruder muttered, “So annoying….”

 

Then, something unbelievable happened.

 

“Miss, are you aaalllriiighttt…”

 

The voice of the man outside the door began to slow down like a broken wind-up toy.

 

Strangely, the sound of the second hand ticking from the clock in the eerily quiet room faded away.

 

Then, the man jumped in from the balcony and slowly approached her.

 

Jane spoke with a trembling voice:

 

“P-Please don’t come any closer,” Jane spoke with a trembling voice

 

Was there really a magician with such a great ability to stop time, and so young at that?

 

The empire was indeed filled with talented individuals, but…

 

“I’m going to scream,” she warned.

 

But the man soon replied with a calmness that suggested he found it her words entirely unimportant.

 

“Um, excuse me, but Milena Roches…”

 

He paused for a moment, ruffling his golden hair.

 

“…Milena Roam, do you know which building, I mean, which window leads to her quarters?”

 

“…What?”

 

The man looked extremely annoyed at having to explain twice, and said,

 

“I think I might have gotten the wrong address.”

 

Jane was so dumbfounded that she could only mumble in response.

 

“I. Um…”

 

Frustrated, he shot Jane a look that screamed “pathetic” as he spoke, his tone was like explaining something to a three-year-old.

 

“Ughh, I can’t keep this up for long. Miss, look at my face.”

 

His face? Jane thought as her gaze unconsciously shifted to his smooth and handsome face.

 

“Doesn’t this make me look convincing? Someone with a face this gorgeous can’t be a bad person…”

 

“Uh?…”

 

At Jane’s babbling, the man’s beautiful brows furrowed.

 

“You are not as handsome as my brother though….”

 

While her straightforward evaluation made him ruffled his hair, and looked down at the ground, defeated.

 

“Ha. Yeah, he is handsome. Right. So that’s why that crazy b*tch is so smitten, and put herself in this mess…”

 

Hearing his crude words, Jane felt as if her mind was going blank.

 

The man, who had been cursing under his breath while looking at the ground, lifted his head and, as if nothing had happened, put on a highly serviceable smile and said;

 

“Apologies, but I have someone I need to save.”

 

Only then did Jane recall that the Rochesters were a renowned family of magicians. If that were the case, then this person was…

 

She had never seen a time mage before, and one this powerful left her feeling dizzy.

 

“Riiiight. Now then, Miss, Milena Rochester…”

He keeps saying Rochester; Jane thought to herself.

 

It seemed like he still hadn’t quite let go of Milena’s maiden name.

 

“Tell me which room she’s staying in.”