Married to a Man who Wants to Kill me

 

 

“I heard there’s a peculiar rock in Lerian. I want to see it with my own eyes,”

 

Erita had been bugging Theo about going to Lerian. Lerian was located at the southernmost edge of Asha’s capital, and Erita had been wishing to visit it for a long time.

 

However, Theo’s response was always cold.

 

“I’ve told you many times that it’s too far, and it’s not an area I’m familiar with. If you really want to go, I can arrange for someone to accompany you, but you’ll have to go alone.”

 

“Why are you always so mean?”

 

“If I were really mean, I wouldn’t have let myself be dragged around like this by Her Highness. When are you returning to Delua anyway?”

 

“I will go, I promise!”

 

Erita annoyedly replied while avoiding Theo’s gaze.

 

Theo thought Erita insisting on going to Lerian out of the blue was a bit strange, but he had already decided that today would be the last day he played the role of her guide.

 

He no longer had the patience to entertain Erita’s various excuses.

 

For a while, Erita pestered him with all sorts of excuses, and when he showed signs of reluctance, she whined that this was the way to repay her for saving his life.

 

He had anticipated it, but Erita was truly persistent. Moreover, there was an imperial order for him to look after the Princess for a while, so outright refusal was not easy.

 

Theo was thankful that he didn’t have a sister like her. 

 

Erita pleaded,  “This will be the last time. I promise. I’ll even swear on Delua.”

 

“Oh, this would make His Majesty Kundras very sad.”

 

Erita became increasingly anxious as Theo didn’t even bat an eyelid. There was nothing in the world that didn’t go her way.

 

She thought the man in front of her was infuriating, yet her deep affection for him remained unchanged.

 

The longing that had accumulated while waiting to meet him again in Delua was indescribable. Nothing was enjoyable anymore.

 

If she could, she wanted to kidnap him now and tie him up so tightly that he couldn’t be separated from her. Theo was the first man she had ever fallen for since she was born.

 

If she couldn’t make him hers, she felt like she would be forever unhappy.

 

Every time Theo didn’t go along with her wishes, that woman came to her mind. The empress of Asha, who was as beautiful as an ice sculpture.

 

If only that woman didn’t exist, Theo wouldn’t have been so stubborn. Mixed jealousy and anger sprouted in her heart once again.

 

But she pressed down her emotions and put on the expression she often used on her father in Delua.

 

“I mean it! I’ll come back right away after visiting Lerian. Asha is a strange place for me, and there aren’t skilled knights here like you.”

 

Erita acted aggrieved as if she would shed tears at any moment. Even seeing that, Theo remained unmoved.

 

At first, he had allowed himself to be fooled by that look a few times, reminding himself of the debt he owed Erita. However, if you overuse that expression, anyone would become immune to it.

 

Except for the pitiful Emperor of Delua.

 

“No.”

 

Theo rejected her with one word. Erita clenched her fist out of anger, but he acted like he didn’t notice. 

 

It had been a few days since then…

 

Coincidentally, an imperial order was issued for Erita to visit Lerian with him. It was undoubtedly one of Erita’s schemes.

 

He couldn’t believe Ianhart was participating in such childish antics.

 

It meant that Erita’s obsession with Lethenia had grown to such an extent. Erita, with a more serious look in her eyes than before, pleaded.

 

“If you grant my request just this once, I’ll leave right away. Please believe me.”

 

Due to his recent frequent meetings with the princess, absurd rumors were circulating.

 

In the past, he would have easily ignored such gossip, but it bothered Lethenia.

 

<Princess Erita and him seemed closer than I thought.>

 

<I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget that person for the rest of my life.>

 

Those words left a deep impression on Theo’s heart. He wanted to sort out this situation as soon as possible.

 

He looked into Erita’s eyes and spoke coldly,

 

“If you break that promise, I will sever ties with Her Highness.” 

 

Erita flinched slightly. She knew that Theo’s words were sincere.

 

‘Erita, stay as far away from the capital as possible on that day in.’

 

She remembered her brother’s, Crown Prince Tolle’s, request. Then she turned to Theo and nodded slowly.

 

××××××××××××××××××××××

 

According to the palace physicians, the wound caused by the dagger had penetrated so deeply that it had caused significant damage in his organs.

 

Realizing that his condition was more serious than he thought, the chamberlain immediately summoned the knights. Knights, in a larger number than usual, guarded the imperial palace as if it were a fortress.

 

The Emperor had sent word that, in the event of an emergency, all access to the Imperial Palace was to be blocked. Even I, the empress, was not allowed to enter to see him.

 

Only the chamberlain and palace physicians were allowed in his bedroom.

 

Rosetin, who had come running as soon as she heard that Ian had been attacked, was in distress.

 

In front of the sealed entrance to the imperial palace, Rosetin lost her composure and wailed like a child who had lost her mother, a stark contrast to her usual dignified demeanor.

 

The scene was so tragic that even onlookers couldn’t help shedding tears.

 

Rosetin’s wailing continued for a very long time until she eventually fainted.

 

Several days passed. The investigation revealed that the unidentified magical weapon contained black magic.

 

When the item was removed from Ian’s abdomen, it turned into black smoke and vanished into thin air. This was no ordinary mage’s haphazard use of black magic.

 

It was a complex spell, one that could not be detected by a magic detector stone. It was created by pooling the magical powers of dozens of black mages.

 

The man disguised as Maser Calikin was indeed James Caron. He had consumed a magic potion that altered the color of his eyes and hair for a certain period.

 

He had a deadly poison in his mouth before appearing at the audience-day event. And as soon as the dagger struck Ian, he swallowed it, ending his own life.

 

It was a calculated move to protect the instigator. The only person who crossed my mind at that moment was one.

 

‘Duke Bledel.’

 

I suspected that the Duke of Bledel had known about this all along, and that’s why he didn’t oppose the event. However, the Emperor’s faction and the Duke’s faction had been tearing each other apart over this incident.

 

The dagger had indeed struck Ian, but it had been aimed at me from the beginning. Hence, both sides had strongly opposing views.

 

The Duke’s faction argued that the initial target was the Empress, so it was undoubtedly the nobles of the Emperor’s faction who had orchestrated the plot without the Emperor’s knowledge.

 

On the other hand, the Emperor’s faction claimed that the Empress had recently fallen out with Duke Bledel and had helped the Emperor. They argued that it was the resentful Duke’s faction that had orchestrated it.

 

But what was more important than identifying the culprit was the condition of the Emperor, Ian.

 

‘If Ian were to die…….’

 

It was clear what would happen if the world fell into the wrong hands. Duke Bledel would monopolize the power and rule the country as he pleased.

 

Above all, there was no way I would be spared. I had been the Duke’s target from the beginning.

 

That dagger had flown toward me. Ian’s interference might have been unexpected, but if James had aimed at the Emperor right then and there, it would have been difficult for the Duke’s faction to avoid suspicion.

 

The faces of the palace servants darkened noticeably. Everyone remained silent, but the ominous thought that the Emperor might be in danger filled the air with tension.

 

For several days, there had been no word from the Imperial Palace. I, too, was restless, anxiously awaiting news of Ian’s recovery.

 

The next day, the chamberlain entered the empress’ palace, looking very gaunt, as if he hadn’t slept for days. His complexion was far from good.

 

He, too, looked as if he might collapse at any moment. Ian’s condition was still very serious.

 

“Perhaps it would be best if Her Majesty the Empress were to stay by His Majesty the Emperor’s side.”

 

The chamberlain said with a pensive mood.

 

I could feel the ominousness in his deep voice. I took a deep breath and followed the chamberlain to the imperial palace.

 

××××××××××××××××××××××

 

I entered the Emperor’s bedroom in the Imperial Palace. The palace servants and the chamberlain momentarily stepped aside.

 

The room was filled with the scent of unknown herbs, giving the impression that pain relievers had been used extensively.

 

Ian seemed to be in a tormenting pain like he was about to breathe his last at any moment.

 

Seeing him wandering in agony, Lethenia’s emotions inside me began to sway, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

 

I quietly watched Ian, who seemed to be dying.

 

I couldn’t believe that he had taken the blow meant for me. It wasn’t my fault, but I felt like I owed him so much, and my heart was heavy.

 

Why had he done such a thing? Had his attachment to Lethenia been so strong?

 

Maybe… he still loved Lethenia. Countless questions swirled in my mind.

 

Then something caught my eye. It was the necklace Ian always wore.

 

‘The Healing Stone…’ 

 

I remembered the day I was struck by Ian’s sword. As soon as he placed the stone on the wound, it disappeared.

 

The Healing Stone was inside the secret chamber. No one could enter that chamber except for Ian.

 

Not even his closest attendants would know what was inside. Except for me.

 

Perhaps that stone could heal Ian. With these thoughts racing through my mind, I reached out and placed my hand on Ian’s neck.

 

I bit my lip, not as hesitant as I had been before.

 

This was a matter of his life, after all. There was no other quick solution available.

 

I hoped I wouldn’t be questioned for entering the secret chamber without permission. I could feel the thin golden thread on my finger.

 

Carefully, I undid the necklace and moved to where the secret chamber was located.

 

Clang.

 

As I lifted the angel’s hand supporting the candlestick, the keyhole opened. I slid the key in, and the door to the chamber opened.

 

With a throbbing heart, I moved slowly forward.

 

 

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊