I Think My Husband is a Murderer

I just ran away to my room.

 

‘I need to get used to the changed titles.’

 

After the kiss was over, I couldn’t give a proper answer to the soft voice and just blurted out something else.

 

‘…It’s hot. I guess I’ll just go in now.’

 

It was a perplexing reaction to anyone who saw it. The weather was cold, and all I was wearing was a thin dress. Of course, I had a shawl over it, but it couldn’t block all the cold. Moreover, I even dropped my shawl. In contrast, Johannes looked extremely calm. As if kissing was really nothing.

 

‘It looks like you’ve tried a lot.’

 

Of course, because he probably has dating experience. He said there would be nothing to worry about, but he didn’t say there was no past. But the woman he’s about to marry pretends everything is fine, and then runs away after just one kiss. It would have been very funny.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

My whole body felt hot. I just threw myself on the bed and pounded the mattress with my legs. Even if I had to use the excuse of preparing for the banquet, it seemed better not to see Johannes Schulz for a while.

 

* * *

 

All of the ten or so windows were open. The pitch-black night sky was the masterpiece of this room. The cigarette smoke that I inhaled deeply and then exhaled disappeared into thin air. Johannes stubbed out his unburned cigarette and straightened up from his chair. Fret Gunner, who had been waiting for the right moment, handed me a thick folder.

 

“This is the invitation list for this banquet. Should we send an invitation to the royal family as well?”

 

A line was clearly drawn between Johannes’ straight eyebrows.

 

“Well.”

 

As his greed grew as his cheeks drooped, the king, who was quite intelligent, went somewhere and a toad took his place, revealing more as the days passed.

 

‘Little Duke Schultz… No, no. Now Duke Schultz! I hope that he will manage Mussen well on behalf of his father with a reflective mind.’

 

There was not a trace of guilt on his sinister smiling face. All the children born to toads were the same. One insignificant fox cub and a snake cub who will inherit the position of the next king. He handed over the invitation list and flipped through each piece of paper with his large hands. Most nobles were all included in the invitation list. Johannes lowered his gaze to the red-lined letters.

 

House of Windsor, Edward Windsor.

 

Marquis Russell, Bellatrix Russell

 

“Is it okay if we proceed like this?”

 

Fret Gunner asked. Johannes nodded his head with a dry expression.

 

“What are the royal trends?”

 

“There is no significant movement. According to what I received from the person who planted it, I am cautiously guessing that he may be aware of the master’s intentions for disappearing.”

 

He continued, observing Johannes’ expression.

 

“It is said that he is showing great interest in the article about his relationship with a commoner woman. Especially Prince Edward.”

 

Edward Windsor.

 

Johannes’ frown narrowed as he remembered that he looked luckier than the king. A prodigal son of the royal family with no ability at all. He is a fox who has no idea what he does for a living after receiving the position of police chief of Varden, which is an honorary position. Among the swarms of fire moths that attack Johannes’ weaknesses, he is the least worthy of attention. He didn’t have the nerve to pay attention to a fox cub that barks like a dog for attention. Pret Gunner, who seemed to have sensed the intention of Johannes to remain silent, delivered his final report. Rather, it was a question.

 

“What happened with Miss Prim?”

 

Edith Prim. There were many things that happened with her. They danced, walked through the garden, and now asked whether she had lover or not, and… 

 

“She asked me to tell you that he will be busy preparing for the banquet for the time being.”

 

Johannes suddenly let out a harsh laugh. It was thanks to the clear excuse that I clearly remembered what happened a little while ago.

 

“Nothing.”

 

Fret Gunner lingered around, rolling her eyes, wondering if he would tell her why, but she was chased away under a sharp look from Johannes. Johannes sat down on the chair again. And he remembered the face of the woman who confidently kissed him. A woman whose face is completely different when she belongs to the dukedom and when she does not.

 

‘You can really just do it. Because I don’t attach any meaning to it.’

 

As she tried to accept his kiss while hiding her displeasure, her figure went nowhere, and the woman froze like a stone statue and ran away. It was very funny to see her running away, even dropping her shawl. To be more honest, he felt dirty. Johannes glanced at the cream-colored shawl thrown on the sofa. As if the veins couldn’t be faked, he alternately remembered a face that gave boring answers with a bored face, and a face that frowned and ran away. Lastly, the face that looked fragile from the outside.

 

‘Edith Prim.’

 

He looked down at the invitation list again with eyes shining like the morning stars. The cold green eyes that were staring straight at him obscured his vision. At that moment, Johannes twisted his mouth. Maybe she hated him enough to run away.

 

* * *

 

From then on, I tried to avoid meeting Johannes as much as possible. I tried to practice dancing with Marilyn whenever possible, and I often avoided eating, saying I wasn’t hungry. However, it was true that I was very busy and had to sleep less at night. Because of that, my physical condition was not very good. Today was the last day of that life. Since the banquet was tomorrow, I had to meet Johannes at least once. It was almost a week since we last met.

 

“I heard you were very busy.”

 

Johannes, who was eating his meal with an indifferent expression, said. Fortunately, he seemed to not consider what happened that day to be a big deal. It felt like all the hardships I had gone through avoiding him were all in vain in an instant. I nodded at him, trying hard to keep a straight face.

 

“I left my shawl behind.”

 

“…Did I do that? It was so hot at the time that I didn’t even know I had lost my shawl.”

 

She covered it with clumsy lies, but he looked like he believed it. That’s pretty deep too. I didn’t know if it was because he served in the military for a long time or because he was born with it, but he sometimes showed such a stiff but naive attitude. It was fortunate.

 

“I remember it was quite cold that day, but I guess I had a lot of body heat.”

 

“Yes, I’m kind of like that.”

 

Of course, this was also a lie. I got cold better than anyone else. So much so that I stick to long sleeves even until early summer.

 

“From now on, I will have to wear thin clothes.”

 

I spoke with as little emotion as possible. Fortunately, Johannes seemed to have been fooled by my words. He looked at me quietly with his blue eyes. And he said with a rather stiff-looking smile:

 

“I’ll remember it.”

 

* * *

 

Johannes meant it when he said he would remember my words.

 

“The Duke sent me a new dress.”

 

On the morning of the banquet, the box he sent contained a very thin cream-colored muslin dress and high shoes. I picked up the drab card that adorned the dress.

 

[Dear Edith Prim.

 

When the burning sunlight seeped through the window, I thought of you. Please wear it with joy.]

 

I looked down at the cream-colored muslin dress with a puzzled look on my face.

 

“It seems like you suffer from quite a bit of heat. Even though it is for winter, I see that you gave me a thin dress. This is the first time I didn’t know it was true.”

 

Marilyn said in a dry voice. She picked up the muslin dress, looked it over, and smiled with satisfaction.

 

“It’s a design that follows today’s trends but is not too common. The color goes well with Ms. Prim. The master certainly has great insight.”

 

“…is it?”

 

Now it was no longer possible to tell the truth and refuse. The lies I spewed out to avoid the situation had grown so much that there was more to explain. Besides, what kind of disgrace was that? I remembered the blue eyes that felt quite sincere. I didn’t want to be branded a liar by my husband-to-be.

 

“I like it too.”

 

I forced a smile. The good news was that, as she said, the dress suited me flawlessly.

 

“You are perfect. Really. It would be a perfect fit to stand next to the Duke.” said Marilyn, who helped her put on her dress and decorate her hair. It was the first admiring compliment she had ever received.

 

“I don’t think you need a separate shawl.”

 

Instead of answering, I forced a smile. I had no intention of adding to the misunderstanding by saying yes. I thought she might have thought of me and brought me a separate shawl, but that didn’t happen. When the employee came to call me, all I had to do from now on was to leave on time.

 

A sigh escaped me.

 

My head, which had been pounding for a while, seemed to be hurting even more.

 

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