The Villain's Terminally Ill Wife

Chapter 5

“Madam, are you inside?”

I heard a knock on the door followed by Olivier’s voice.

“Come in.”

I set down the teacup I was drinking from and permitted her to enter. Olivier opened the door, greeted me, and approached.

“Is something the matter?”

It wasn’t unusual for Olivier to seek me out. She was the head maid of this mansion and the person who assisted me most closely.

But what piqued my curiosity was the mysterious letter in her hand.

“Yes, madam. An invitation to a ball from the imperial city.”

Olivier handed me the letter. I unfolded it and read the contents.

As Olivier said, it was an invitation to a ball celebrating the emperor’s birthday, urging us to attend if possible.

The recipient of the invitation was the Countess of Theodore, which meant it was addressed to both Richard and me.

“Is Richard going to the ball?”

I asked Olivier, just in case. She nodded affirmatively.

“Yes, he is likely to attend.”

“Really?”

I was surprised. Not too long ago, he had been so busy with work every day. Yet, he found time for a ball.

“…Aren’t you going to attend, madam?”

Olivier asked cautiously, perhaps finding my unenthusiastic response strange.

I frowned at the invitation, then shrugged.

“Well. I don’t think there’s anyone I particularly want to see there.”

If I went, I would undoubtedly see my father and my stepsister, Cecilia.

We hadn’t parted on good terms when I left home, so I didn’t particularly want to see them.

But if we did meet?

Would they greet me? Acknowledge me?

I considered it, but only negative answers came to mind.

The ballroom would be a place where people who didn’t want to see me would gather.

Would there be any point in going if I’d just be ridiculed?

“Still, it’s your first ball after marriage. Wouldn’t it be better to attend?”

Olivier’s voice was filled with concern.

I understood her worries.

After all, Richard and I were an unusual couple who hadn’t even held a wedding ceremony. People must be wondering if there was something wrong between us. Even if our marriage was arranged, it was common to have a ceremony.

Moreover, if we didn’t attend official events together, it would surely fuel gossip.

If this were just my issue, I wouldn’t care about the rumors. But this time, it involved Richard too.

If I didn’t attend the ball, Richard would become the target of gossip.

Olivier suggested attending, considering these circumstances.

“I guess it’s better to go, right?”

Even with only a year left to live, it didn’t mean I should welcome criticism.

If I just spent one day there, it would reduce the criticism for both Richard and me.

“Yes, I think that would be best. I apologize if I overstepped.”

“No, I was considering going too. Don’t worry about it.”

“Then I’ll arrange for a dress designer to come for your ball gown. If you have a preferred designer, please let me know.”

“I don’t have one. Can you recommend someone?”

“Yes. Then I’ll contact Viscount Lumière, who designs for the Count.”

“Alright, thank you.”

I smiled at Olivier, who looked relieved and returned the smile.

“By the way, is Richard in his study today?”

Visiting Richard’s study for tea had become part of my daily routine.

Contrary to my initial thought that he would eventually ban me from entering after a few visits, Richard didn’t particularly restrict my visits to his study.

I also preferred spending time conversing with him over having tea alone, so I visited his study regularly.

I intended to visit his study today as usual, but Olivier’s response surprised me.

“No, he isn’t in his study today.”

“He’s not?”

It was puzzling that someone who was always cooped up in his study working was not there.

“Today, the Count went to the training ground in the east wing of the mansion.”

“The training ground? Is he practicing swordsmanship?”

I was surprised by the unexpected answer.

“Yes. He’s stronger than most knights.”

“Really?”

Today seems to be a day full of unexpected sides of Richard.

I always imagined him buried in paperwork at his desk, so it was hard to picture him wielding a sword. Well, thinking back, there was a setting in the novel where he was proficient in swordsmanship. It was mentioned a few times in the story.

Come to think of it, his body was solid with muscles. He even looked a bit tanned. It made sense, considering all the sword training he did.

Indeed, when the novel was serialized, there were quite a few people who had second lead syndrome for Richard.

Especially those who mentioned that Richard looked sexy when he was focused on his sword training.

Thinking about it made me curious to see him practicing swordsmanship.

“Then I’ll head to the training grounds.”

“Yes, I’ll make the preparations.”

I headed to the training grounds with Olivier and a few maids accompanying me.

I could hear people shouting and practicing as we approached the training grounds.

Finally, we arrived at the training grounds in the mansion.

Many people were gathered there, training with their swords.

“Wow!”

Even at the duchy, there were knights training in the training grounds, but I never paid much attention to them, so this was the first time I saw people moving with such fervor.

There were intense sparring matches, and some were practicing swordsmanship alone.

Richard was among those sparring.

“Hah!”

Richard pushed his opponent back with force and then angled his wooden sword to strike diagonally upwards.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, his opponent dropped his wooden sword.

Richard didn’t miss the opportunity and immediately pointed his sword at the knight’s neck.

“…I yield.”

As the knight acknowledged his defeat, Richard smiled and retrieved his wooden sword.

“Well done, Lorenz.”

“No, Count. I learned a lot today.”

Knight Lorenz bowed respectfully to Richard.

I clapped my hands, drawing the attention of both men toward me.

“Diarna?”

Richard raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“You both were impressive.”

Even though I saw only a brief part of the sparring, it was evident to me, a novice in swordsmanship, how skilled Richard and Knight Lorenz were.

I genuinely praised them, but Richard seemed wary of me.

“What brings you here?”

Richard’s voice was cold.

I pouted and then returned my expression to normal.

“I heard you were here, so I came. Is it a place I’m not allowed to be?”

“You’re disturbing the knights’ practice.”

“Disturbing?”

“Yes, disturbing.”

Richard’s blunt words annoyed me, so I squinted at him and then shifted my gaze behind him.

“Is there anyone here who thinks I’m a disturbance?”

I asked the knights, making sure Richard could hear me.

Naturally, none of the knights openly expressed discomfort towards the Countess.

I confirmed the silence and looked back at Richard with a smirk.

“See? No one says I’m a disturbance.”

“They just can’t say it. You’re definitely a disturbance.”

“So, as the Countess, I can’t even visit the Count’s training grounds?”

“Is there any need to come all the way here to inspect?”

Richard was clearly reluctant about my visit.

Probably because he didn’t see me as his real wife.

Of course, it could also be because I was genuinely disturbing the knights’ training.

But I thought differently.

He probably didn’t want to show off the knights of the Count’s house to me.

I had a reason for this suspicion.

I remembered the scenes where he proudly showed Eilen how he wielded a sword and how disciplined his knights were.

In the original story, he brought Eilen to the training grounds several times, but I wasn’t allowed.

Well, I’m not Eilen.

I’m not the protagonist of this world, Eilen Heinz is.

“I’ll leave for today.”

“…I understand. I’m just a disturbance, right?”

“Yes.”

I looked at Richard, who spoke firmly.

I saw my pitiful reflection in his eyes.

“If I’m such a disturbance, I’ll leave. I came to the wrong place.”

For the past few days, Richard hadn’t stopped me from visiting his study, so I had forgotten that Richard was indifferent to me, Diarna.

I had overlooked that fact.

It was just a business relationship, but I seemed to have momentarily forgotten that.

“Let’s go.”

I commanded Olivier and the other maids.

Then I turned and began to leave the training grounds.

With each step, a rush of emotions swirled around my throat, making me feel overwhelmed.

Yes, I shouldn’t cling to useless things.

He was never mine.

From the beginning, Richard was…

“Madam!”

As my thoughts were interrupted, the world went dark.

And Olivier’s voice calling me grew faint and distant.