Sickly? Husband's Contractual Wife

The chapters from 4 to 63 are taken from Guavaread translated by Melodee. I’ll be translating from here on. Thanks for your support.

Episode 63

I automatically took a few steps back—first one foot, then the other.

However, the distance was reduced to a single stride.

“…”

Amoide was standing right in front of me.

His chest was close enough to touch, rising and falling nervously.

I cast a sidelong glance to the side, gauging my departure.

I’d have to sidestep if I couldn’t step back.

Thunk.

His outstretched arm effortlessly barred my retreat.

This could be better.

A glimmer of hope is gone.

“Answer.”

I returned my attention to my husband, who was emitting a terrible aura once more.

I simply cannot do it.

I’d sooner die than repeat it.

‘Jerk?’

Even if I died, I couldn’t do this.

I rolled my eyes without responding.

“What exactly did I say?”

I moved my hand to my face and lightly patted it, feeling warm.

“What exactly did I do?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

I attempted to put on a relaxed expression, but all I got was a twitch at the corner of my eye.

With the facial muscles so tense, it seemed difficult to appear unconcerned.

I had failed miserably in my attempt to project nonchalance.

I searched my mind for words that could help defuse the situation.

“Um, Amoide, I might be a little drunk…”

I began to collect odd words.

“Drunk?”

His voice had almost become a snarl, approaching that of a beast.

His firmly clenched body was radiating heat as it basked in the moonlight.

‘How come it’s so hot?’

Is it possible that I’m feverish?

I was gripped with fear.

If he collapses again due to booze, my life might be in jeopardy in that home tomorrow.

“Amoide, please wait a moment.”

I reached out and caressed his brow.

Then I touched my forehead with my other hand.

Is it similar?

I’m unsure, but there isn’t much of a temperature difference between my forehead and his.

My body was slightly inebriated, and it appeared that his body was as well.

The delightful rising warmth was not a feverish boil but a soothing simmer.

I didn’t notice it while we were away, but he also appeared somewhat intoxicated…

Yes, this is the case!

“What are you doing?”

He swatted away my hand, which was lying on his brow.

My anxieties shrank once again as a result of his incredibly furious look.

“That’s…”

I hesitated to say anything since I was caught in his look.

“Amoide, I think you’re drunk.”

He glanced at me with narrowed eyes.

I could see he was thinking, ‘What nonsense is this again?’ without saying it out loud.

He’s keeping his calm like he always does.

“…I’m not drunk.”

“No, I’m sure you’re inebriated. That’s why you’re so attractive.”

I softly covered his cheek with my hand.

“Look at this.”

When my palm touched his cheek, it felt warm.

He had to be inebriated because my cheek was warm to this amount.

It has to be that way.

“What would happen if I were drunk?”

“Uh, you misunderstood.”

“What?”

In response to my inquiring remarks, a chuckle escaped.

“Anything. You haven’t drunk alcohol in a long time, have you? As a result, you’d start hearing and seeing things that aren’t there. Normally, it is like that.”

I lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

“So, you don’t remember anything at all?”

He quickly removed my hand from his face.

“No, I don’t remember anything!”

With my hand still in his grasp, I struggled and yelled,

“If things aren’t going your way, you claim you don’t remember!”

He didn’t seem to want to let me go this time.

He clung to me with a firm grip.

Without a doubt, I could sense his intent to force me to succumb.

We were entangled as we toppled over the sofa.

But the winner had already been determined.

“You… you coward…”

I gasped for air.

I was almost pinned beneath him before I realized it.

His eyes were filled with rage as he looked down at me.

“What makes you think using strength to overpower someone is best?”

I yelled, clearly irritated.

Being beneath his massive frame was no longer terrifying.

Because of the alcohol, my mind was racing.

“Calling yourself a knight, but you’ve sold everything that makes a knight honorable.”

I couldn’t stop talking once I started.

While debating whether I should speak such words, a voice in my heart said, ‘Why not?’

Why not, after all?

What could go wrong?

Death?

I begged as hard as I could. I apologized a hundred times over, but he didn’t seem interested. Even a clogged sewer would seem less oppressive than this.

“You say you’re a knight? Someone as unpleasant as you being referred to as this country’s greatest knight, the commander of the Sun Knights? That is an insult to knighthood. Got it?”

“In…sult?”

“Do you believe that knowing how to use a sword is sufficient? Eh? Looking down on humans as if they were pests! What makes you so special?”

His countenance shifted fairly dramatically with each phrase.

It became as sad as a folded-up piece of paper after being wet in water.

His face shrank halfway in my vision and swelled up like a balloon multiple times.

“You’re quite drunk.”

He suffocated my struggling body.

I flailed my arms and legs violently while holding both of my hands.

But his strength remained unaffected.

“Am I the only one who’s drunk, huh?”

“Stop doing it.”

He seemed to have gathered the last of his patience and chewed into each word.

“You’re eunuch! You eunuch cretin! What a jerk!”

I yelled, practically yelling with all my might.

“…”

“You couldn’t have done that if you weren’t a true eunuch!”

I flapped desperately, like a bird with its wings clipped.

“…I told you to stop.”

A chilly coldness flowed for a little moment.

“You’re… not a eunuch?”

Without trying to, I let out a laugh.

My body and mind had already surpassed my willpower.

“…No.”

He shouted it again, his teeth clenched.

“Then prove it.”

I spoke confidently while tilting my head.

His eyes strangely glittered briefly, but I was too delighted to notice any danger.

Such words as rationalism and control had long been obliterated from my memory.

This is commonly referred to as ‘losing one’s nerve.’

“Really?”

His blue eyes flashed like a beast’s for a brief second.

Something didn’t feel right.

“Eek!”

His lips suddenly grabbed mine.

“Mm… Ah!”

A sensation that felt like it was stealing my breath crept throughout my body.

My breath became obstructed as the heat rose.

I felt like I was barely holding my floating body together.

What was formerly a mismatched movement is now synced.

When he pushed, I drew, and when he drew…

As a result, we were entangled for a while.

When we finally parted ways, both of us were quite a spectacle.

Our hair was unkempt, moisture had gathered in our eyes, and sweat glistened on our brows from our hot bodies.

His eyes seemed to be asking a question.

What were we on about?

Oh, I forgot about being a…

“…I don’t think this proves anything.”

After catching my breath, I managed to say.

“What?”

“How can you tell just by a kiss?”

I moved my weight, and my knee barely brushed against his legs.

For a brief moment, he jerked as though struck by a harpoon.

‘Why did he suddenly react that way?’

I blinked numerous times in response to his surprising reaction.

Looking up at him, I noticed his face had turned red, like a ripe peach.

I wanted to bite into it since it was such a vibrant color.

I reached out to stroke that peach-colored cheek.

The sense of his solid, silky, and warm skin was directly communicated to my hand.

“…”

He gazed at me as though taken aback by my action.

He was as stiff as a log and stayed immobile.

I noticed the hue of his touched cheek darkening.

When I saw that, I busted out laughing.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

“Why are you laughing?”

His visage, now confused rather than hostile, inquired.

“You’re adorable.”

I squeezed his cheek amusingly.

It was fascinating to see such a powerful man moved by passion.

“Ah, so cute.”

I repeated, and the next thing I knew, a new expression formed on his face.

He appeared dazed, his thinking processes frozen by the sheer shock.

His grasp on my wrist had lessened significantly.

His lips moved, obviously hardened by the shock.

If I leave him alone, he may say something, as always.

I lifted my now-relaxed arms and wrapped them around his neck before he could.

“Why? Are you going to ask me to back off once more?”

Before he could even say those words,

“…!”

I decided to stop him once more.

I drew him in closer, clutching his muscular neck.

As a result, our lips connected again, this time with his fragile body.