Sickly? Husband's Contractual Wife

Episode 69

“You were saying… please continue.”

“…So, unnecessary contact is strictly prohibited. We mustn’t disturb the positive energy.”

“Of course.”

I nodded and smiled.

But somehow, sweat was dripping down my back.

‘If she finds out about last night…’

Camilla might try to kill me.

‘So, let’s keep it an absolute secret.’

I deliberately turned away from Camilla’s gaze and replied.

“I will never, ever go near Amoide.”

“…Just do that.”

Camilla nodded with a suspicious look.

“You may go now.”

“Yes.”

I quickly got up.

At that moment, the chair behind me fell over with a thud.

“…”

I picked up the fallen chair and looked at Camilla.

“Anyway, it’s quite uncomfortable.”

Camilla clicked her tongue and gestured as if urging me to leave.

* * *

As I left Camilla’s room and entered the garden, I let out a long sigh.

‘It was dangerous. Really dangerous.’

Throughout the conversation, I couldn’t properly hear what Camilla was saying. My mind was solely occupied with what happened yesterday and whether I handled it appropriately. Yes, I might not remember. It could be him who took care of everything. I desperately hoped that was the case. ‘It has to be like that.’ It must be. Around the time my memory was cut off, I wanted to believe he handled the situation splendidly.

“Aaah.”

I groaned weirdly as I slumped down.

“What on earth did I do?”

Getting up from the bench, I paced back and forth, running my hands through my hair.

Even though I had neatly combed my hair, it was now a mess, but that was the least of my concerns. Of course, no amount of self-loathing would change anything. What happened with him during the night remained unchanged.

People often say they forget things when they’re drunk, but for some reason, I retained all the memories. It was tormenting to think why I had such clarity.

“Is it the alcohol?”

Seems like I had too good of a drink. Perhaps that was it.

“I mixed the poison out of the alcohol and made it a tonic, you know.”

Velter’s boastful words about the concoction came to mind. Maybe it wasn’t the alcohol but the medicine. I must have ingested unnecessary strength, causing the accident.

“What should I do now?”

How should I see his face?

I felt my body squeezing like a wrung-out laundry in the ever-growing fear.

I sat huddled next to the bench, lost in thought.

“Has Amoide woken up?”

Surely, he must have woken up by now.

And he must have realized the events of last night.

Now, all that’s left is to receive his contemptuous gaze.

Offering him drinks, teasing him… eventually making him drunk and tangled in a bet.

Just thinking about those embarrassing conversations resurfacing one by one made me feel ashamed to the point that even my toes curled up and disappeared.

With my face buried in my hands, I seriously contemplated how to navigate this situation.

If I think about it, the answer will come.

Yes, that’s right.

So, a considerable amount of time passed.

“Alright.”

Finally, I raised my face, which had been buried in my hands.

There was only one way.

A method with a very long and venerable history.

The method that had overcome the concerns of all humanity.

“Just act like it never happened, right?”

I asked myself.

“Yes, just act like it never happened.”

Absolutely.

Last night’s events will be erased from memory.

As if they never happened in the first place.

Yes, like that.

“He probably wants to forget it too.”

I asked myself in my madness, but how would Amoide feel?

He would probably want to throw away the memories of last night deep into the abyss.

Thinking like that, a corner of my heart finally felt relieved.

Yes, forget everything and spend a new day.

I straightened my contorted body and stood up.

And as soon as I did, I noticed a man watching me from afar.

Tall, blond, with distinctly visible handsome features…

As if he strongly resembled someone I spent a passionate night with yesterday.

“Oh my goodness.”

And the man, using his long legs, was striding confidently toward me.

‘No, no, no!’

No matter how much I screamed internally, his steps towards me didn’t falter.

If anything, they quickened.

He had been quite far away just a moment ago, but he rapidly closed the distance.

Instinctively, I stepped back, and my dress got caught underfoot, causing my body to sway awkwardly.

Having witnessed this, Amoide started running towards us.

“Oh, no.”

Desperately, I regained my balance, swiftly turned around, and took a few steps forward to run.

Snap.

Someone grabbed my arm, and my body naturally turned back.

“Selene.”

A voice calling my name echoed in my ears.

“…”

Without saying a word, I found myself just standing there with only my arm held by him.

I couldn’t lift my head or meet his gaze.

Somehow, the courage to do so didn’t emerge.

Yet, I could feel the penetrating gaze from above, even without looking into his eyes.

“Let’s talk.”

A deep voice resonated, and upon hearing it, every word he had whispered in my ear last night flooded my mind in an instant.

So, well, those regrettable words that were too shameful to recall under the bright sun.

“Um… Uh…”

Suddenly, as if I had aged, a whimper escaped from my lips.

“Why are you like this? Is it hot? Because of the scorching sun?”

The sun was indeed hot. The noon sunlight was intense enough to sting the eyes.

But I hadn’t felt it that way until he grabbed my arm.

“This, let go of this.”

“Oh.”

He loosened his grip, and I seized the opportunity to pull my arm away.

“Sorry, did it hurt?”

His voice was filled with concern.

“It’s okay.”

I quickly replied, scanning the surroundings.

“Let’s talk.”

“…”

In the end, I had no choice but to make one decision.

“Amoide, look over there, a snake!”

As I pointed behind him, Amoide’s head automatically turned.

“Huh?”

Not missing that moment, I swiftly turned my body and began to run.

When I sneakily looked back, Amoide stood there with a bewildered expression, frozen in place.

Avoiding eye contact, I moved my legs as if fleeing from a lion, running across the vast peacock courtyard until he was out of sight.

“Phew… Huh.”

How much did I run?

My breath reached my chin, and my legs were trembling.

Due to the sudden sprint, the muscles in my legs were shaking as if surprised.

Suddenly, I felt nauseous, as if my body had exerted itself excessively.

It was the result of pouring out every bit of strength I had.

“Ugh…”

An involuntary groan escaped from me.

It felt like I had aged about 50 years all of a sudden.

Why does it feel like I’m about to die?

I furrowed my forehead, trying to figure out the cause of my sudden physical retreat.

And soon enough, I found the reason.

…Why?

It was all because of the excessive exercise, no, labor from last night.

It was way too much.

‘How many times did it happen?’

It was impossible to count.

Due to the aftermath of last night, various parts of my body were sore.

My lower back hurt, thighs were pulling, and…

As I bit my lips, the sensitive sensation vividly returned.

It was understandable.

“No, is it yours?”

It was very likely.

Because of that someone who hadn’t let these lips rest even for a moment.

I gently raised my hand and wiped my lips.

Even with a slight touch, it stung and tingled.

Not only that.

It also swelled up.

The perception of my lips appearing unusually plump in front of the mirror earlier was not just an illusion.

How many times had it been swallowed by his lips?

…Of course, he wasn’t the only one doing it.

I, too, without knowing whose lips belonged to whom, recklessly explored.

Like picking and eating a very juicy fruit, drinking the most fragrant liquor in the world.

Traces of the time we spent together all night were engraved all over my body.

“I’m insane.”

I groaned and slumped down.

I really went completely mad.

As I grabbed handfuls of grass within reach and tore them apart, I sank into contemplation.

Now, how should I face Amoide’s face?

Even just locking eyes and exchanging a few words seems enough to send me halfway out of my mind.

What about him?

“Let’s talk.”