Married to a Man who Wants to Kill me

 

 

Olivia gazed into the eyes of the child who had seen the light of day after enduring hellish torment.

 

The child’s green eyes reminded her of a past lover she had once loved passionately, a man who had betrayed her.

 

Their encounter was brief, but it had ruined the rest of her life. She had resolved to live her remaining days cursing that man.

 

In the past, Nathan, who truly loved her, had proposed to her, even promising to take her child.

 

At the time, Olivia had no real feelings for him, but she didn’t want to go into hiding as a single mother. Marrying Nathan was the only way she could maintain her reputation, her honor, and a comfortable life. She gladly accepted his proposal.

 

“Awwwwww-“

 

The child cried pitifully, as if longing for his mother’s touch, but Olivia never once held him in her arms. As soon as he was born, she ordered her maid to put him out of sight.

 

It was Nathan who wrapped his arms around the newborn and held him close. Though he was not the father, he was determined to raise the child with all his heart.

 

In place of Olivia, who didn’t even care about the child’s name, Nathan decided to name him after his grandfather, who had made the greatest contribution in the history of the Fabian family.

 

“Alexis, Alexis Fabian. That’s your name.”

 

Nathan smiled at his son crying loudly. He gave Olivia and Alexis the love they deserved.

 

Through his unrelenting efforts, Olivia slowly opened up to him. A few years later, a child was born between the two.

 

Olivia adored his son with Nathan, Aiden, a blessing born of joy and delight, a far cry from Alexis, who was a blot on her life.

 

As the days went by, Olivia’s favoritism intensified. From the moment Alexis could understand words, Olivia didn’t hesitate to speak harshly to him.

 

“Don’t you dare hang out with Aiden. I can’t stand having you in the same room as my son.”

 

The words stopped young Alexis in his tracks as he approached his brother. His fingers twitched wordlessly at his mother’s threat.

 

He just wanted to show Aiden the finger puppet his nanny made for him.

 

The child naturally knew that his mother hated him. He would always get chills when he stood in front of his mother, who would glare at him with a scary face.

 

But whenever he saw his mother’s loving eyes on his brother Aiden, he had the urge to run to her and hug her. But that could only happen in a dream. He wasn’t Aiden.

 

Nathan gave equal attention and affection to both of his sons. Alexis also followed his father well.

 

He was his only real family. He never said it, but he wondered if he was a child he picked up off the street.

 

He was nothing like his parents, not even in the slightest. But it didn’t matter.

 

His doting father loved him just as much as he loved Aiden.

 

“I also played with a wooden sword since I was your age.”

 

Nathan said, handing Alexis a wooden sword small enough for a child to hold.

 

As captain of the Imperial Guard, Nathan was one of the best swordsmen in Xenos. Most noblemen’s sons followed in their father’s footsteps, and he often thought that one day, when his children were old enough, he would teach them to fight.

 

Even if they didn’t become knights, he reasoned, a man should know enough self-defense to protect those he loves. Most of all, he wanted to bring a little joy to a child who had been hurt by her mother’s coldness.

 

Alexis accepted the wooden sword. His eyes were filled with curiosity and excitement. Alexis was very happy to have his father, the country’s best swordsman, as his teacher.

 

He wanted to become a great knight who protected the emperor like his father as soon as possible.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Alexis had a problem that had been bothering him for days. It was his mother’s upcoming birthday.

 

He found it funny that he was preparing a gift for his mother, who always treated him as if he didn’t exist, but his father bothered him. He knew he wanted him to feel closer to her.

 

But what could he get her? He didn’t think she would like jewelry or dresses like most women.

 

Moreover, even if he did, she was as cold as ice to him, she would be indifferent and discontent no matter what he gave her. All she cared about was his brother Aiden, who was in poor health.

 

One day, Alexis overheard his mother talking to an old lady with whom she was very close.

 

“Mrs. Leafden, is what you said true?”

 

“Certainly. The old herbalist told me that he had seen the sprouts of poliarun on the cliffs of Maccabi.”

 

Aiden had always been weak since birth, and his health was constantly a concern for his mother. Despite trying various remedies at a young age, nothing had worked.

 

To this day, he’s always been a sickly child, often collapsing or getting nosebleeds. If he caught a cold, it was a big deal.

 

What would be a passing cold for most people could mean the difference between life and death for Aiden. He visited several of the empire’s most renowned physicians and healers, but his illness was unexplained.

 

‘Poliarun…….’

 

Poliarun, which looks like a golden ribbon, was a rejuvenating medicine. It was an extinct grass, which could only be found in herbalist books, and now remains almost exclusively in the record.

 

It was his mother’s last hope. His face lit up at the prospect of feeding it to Aiden, hoping it would make him better.

 

“Delicate grasses like poliarun don’t grow in places where people can easily see them. They either don’t sprout or wither quickly in places where animals or people come and go, so you can only find them in places that are very rarely, if ever, inhabited, like steep cliffs or deep caves in high places.”

 

“Then…”

 

“Where else on Xenos would there be such a place, besides Maccabi?”

 

The Maccabi Cliffs were next to the Poisonwood Forest, a forbidden area of Xenos, off-limits to humans due to the presence of an unidentified poisonous plant.

 

For a time, those who ventured into the woods would inexplicably go mad, languish for days, and then die. In order to prevent further damage, the country has made it a prohibited area.

 

“I’m a little reluctant because it’s next to a poisonwood forest, but technically, the Maccabi cliffs aren’t off-limits.”

 

“Let’s discuss it with my husband when he returns. Thank you very much, Mrs. Leafdon.”

 

She clasped Mrs. Leafdon’s hands in hers, tears welling up in her eyes. She would do anything for her second son, whom she treasured more than her life.

 

The information was a bribe to gain the favor of Sir Nathan, the Emperor’s trusted advisor, but it brought a long-overdue smile to Olivia’s worried face. 

 

Alexis knew a shortcut to the Maccabi Cliffs without passing through the poisonwood forest. He’d stumbled upon it one day when he’d gotten lost on his way to catch a thief he’d met on the street.

 

He glanced back at his mother’s beaming face and realized that it was next to a grove of poisonous plants. Alexis was conflicted for a moment, then took a deep breath as he placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

 

Alexis was in conflict for a while, but soon put his hand on the sword on his waist and took a big breath.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

If he told his father right away, he would not hesitate to set out to find Poliarun. However, Alexis felt strange confidence the moment she saw her mother’s bright smile.

 

If he could get it, maybe his mother’s cold demeanor would improve. Alexis swallowed hard, concluding that this was all for the sake of his father, who wanted the family to be harmonious.

 

Just as usual, he carefully checked his horse’s saddle and mounted it. It wasn’t the first time he’d ventured out on his own like this; lately, his father had been too busy to pay as much attention to him as he used to, and his mother wasn’t interested in him going around alone, no matter where he went.

 

For his age, his exceptional sword skills were something to be proud of.

 

More than anything, he enjoyed being alone. He preferred wandering around on his own, exploring odd places, rather than mingling with noble children as usual.

 

It was hard enough to endure the smugness of them hunting for roe deer and rabbits.

 

It was also irritating to be looked down upon for being part of a knight family. Having a father who was a trusted confidant of the Emperor seemed to stir their jealousy quite a bit, and the outwardly polite aristocratic conversations that secretly belittled and mocked him seemed ridiculous.

 

Rumors that he was not Sir Nathan’s biological son also bothered him. It was a fact he already knew, but he couldn’t help but feel bitter.

 

He used to think that one day, when he grew up, he would become a wandering knight and roam free.

 

Then, when he found a place he liked, he could settle down and raise sheep or catch fish. He never told anyone, but he was also interested in cooking.

 

He thought it would be fun to open a small restaurant in a place where no one knew about it. Of course, his father, who saw himself as the heir apparent, would freak out if he found out.

 

A light smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at the absurdity of the idea. After a few moments of contemplating the future, he reached the shortcut to the Maccabi Cliff.