Chapter 8

<b>Chapter 8</b>

“Are you sick anywhere?”

Juliana, who looked quite haggard with her pale complexion, looked up from the soup she was struggling to eat.

She would have preferred to get up a bit later after the events of his return yesterday. However, her husband got up at the crack of dawn, got stopped by the imperial knights to write a return report, and trained with his knights. He was clearly a person of great stamina.

Juliana touched her pale cheek while trying to answer his question in her usual tone.

“I’m just a little sleepy.”

It was because of a certain someone who showed up in my dreams! This damned male lead…

She ate a little more soup before putting down her spoon, afraid that she might show resentment while thinking about something else. Besides, she had lost her appetite.

Evan looked at Juliana and frowned.

“I guess it doesn’t suit your taste. I told my sister to take good care of you while I’m away.”

“Ah. Only today is different. I usually eat quite well. You’re the one who must have suffered on the battlefield during the war.”

“Even on that battlefield, I took measures to check on your health.”

“Hrrrk!”

Juliana smacked her chest in a hurry as she tried to swallow the water she had drank. 

No wonder…

Thinking of how the butler always hangs around her whenever she’s eating and drinking, Juliana realized it must have been to record her mealtime actions and send reports to the battlefield.

Juliana Auburn was a fire elemental mage, but she had a very weak body. That’s why she had been very spoiled, given that she’s also the precious only child of the Marquis of Auburn. There was once a time when she was too weak to even lift a teacup, but she had gotten better as she grew up. 

However, if she neglected herself even just for a little bit, she would immediately become sick and have to stay in bed for some time. Evan knew about this and became very worried about Juliana’s health even when he fought in the war campaign. He was a wonderful husband in every inch.

“You didn’t have to do that. I’ve been eating really well and doing fine.”

“Alright. I know you would, but you know, I always worry about you.”

“How kind.”

“Isn’t that necessary?”

Juliana smiled awkwardly.

It was no longer necessary as she had already planned to ask for a divorce. She wondered if it would have been better if she remained cold and indifferent like her previous self.

Evan, noticing Juliana’s expression when she avoided answering the question, smiled. Juliana was startled at the sight of him smiling as if he knew something.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know what you’re up to.”

“You’ve been saying strange things since yesterday. Ho-ho!” 

Juliana laughed in an exaggerated way as if she was an actor. Although she had no appetite, she picked up the spoon that she had put down earlier and started eating again.

“The chef has given me strength now. This is really delicious!”

“I’ve thought about the reason why you’re acting like this.” 

“…huh?” 

Juliana, who had been eating her soup, stiffened when she saw the letter in his hand.

Normally—back in the days where she still didn’t remember her past life—Juliana Auburn would have gone hysterical that someone, especially him, dared to touch one of her letters. But now, Juliana could only shiver like a frightened little sparrow caught in a cold, merciless wind. 

She cried and cursed in her heart.

Why the hell do you have that?!

“Why do you have a letter addressed to me? I’m really confused!” 

“Aren’t there a few authors who would dare to put letters in my mailbox to prove their courage because they are blinded by love?”

“Such rude authors! I really don’t know who they are. Believe me.”

Juliana looked a little defiant. 

Whether or not he was fed up with the defiance he saw in her eyes, Evan began to read the letter out loud in an emotionless tone of voice. 

“To my love, Juliana Auburn, my fated one—.”

“Hrrrk.” 

Juliana, who held a spoon with an awkward expression while trying to finish her meal, put the spoon down without paying attention to the creamy soup spilling down from it.

One of her suitors could stand out or not. No, rather, Juliana had a colorful past—playing around with men to insult Evan Hilchen. And to be honest, she didn’t even remember the name of the stupid guy who had sent her this letter. 

Juliana rolled her eyes inwardly. I only have this trick! She awkwardly stood up, putting a hand on her forehead to buy herself some time.

“Ah, ah! Evan. My head hurts. As you said, I guess I’m feeling sick again. I need to rest.”

“Juliana, I’m writing this letter to tell you that the rose garden I promised you the last time is finally ready.”

“Ahhh!”

It was at that moment.

Juliana’s eyes flashed as she jumped up and tried to take the letter from Evan’s hand. 

But whether he had noticed it or not beforehand, Evan lifted the letter higher than her height and looked down at her with his eyes shining indescribably blue.

“Are you feeling better already?” 

“…Evan.”

Juliana glanced at the slow-moving letter in his hand as she uttered his name as if chewing the word. 

“Yes,” he replied, after a brief break.  

“It’s true that I met a lot of men with the intention of insulting you, but I want to let you know that my heart has changed.” 

Juliana knew her future, which would be disastrous if she went on like this.

The reason why she’s even more upset was due to the fact that she knew Juliana Auburn died under the title, ‘Evan’s poisoner,’ but she had no clue as to who she was going to be misunderstood as conspiring with.

In fact, she ended up in a short line in the novel.

[Juliana Auburn, who was caught up in a plot to kill her husband, died.] 

—I know it’s going to be like that!

Juliana looked down at the tasty smelling food before flopping down on the chair to regain her stability.

Juliana Auburn, whose novel was short, was actually fond of having fun with countless men, but not thorough enough to conspire to poison someone. 

It wasn’t a very smart move. To poison her husband, who was revered as a hero without any grounds. She wasn’t stupid enough to conspire with the little ones!

Obviously, she wanted to break up with her husband in passing, so she always whined a lot. But the problem was her followers, who might do something after hearing it.

But I don’t know who’s got the bell. I mean, every time I met someone, I could say something like…

Juliana got a throbbing headache just from thinking about it. Evan, who was looking at her, smiled faintly.

“Should I read more of this rubbish letter?” 

“Please, stop.” 

“Why? Should I also keep this letter in your gift room?”

Juliana met Evan’s gaze. 

Her husband, who wouldn’t have sent her a letter like this, was expressing his feelings little by little. 

Jealousy, anger, and misery. 

In his good-looking face, his eyes blackened with unbecoming anger.

Evan bent his knee in front of Juliana and lowered his back, making eye contact with her.

At the same time, his shadow fell on her. Evan readily reached out to Juliana, trapped in his shadow. He tightly held the armrests of the chair she was sitting on. The rolled-up sleeves of his shirt revealed the blue veins bulging out on his forearms. 

His face, which was white and cold like an expressionless doll, was covered with scars.

He said through gritted teeth. 

“Do you know what I was thinking on the battlefield?” 

“I don’t know.” 

How can I know that? 

Juliana looked awkwardly at Evan with a glaring look. His voice remains calm, however, his gaze displayed anger. 

“What else will you do to piss me off this time? You know how much I love you. How can you laugh just for the sake of trampling on it? If you think about it, then…”

“Did you want to kill me?” 

“I didn’t even think about such a terrible idea. So relax.” 

Evan laughed coldly.

How can you know that?

Juliana bit her lower lip hard.

But you will kill me on the day I will be found guilty of trying to kill you…without even questioning whether or not the charges were wrong.

Juliana turned her head, clearly avoiding the hand he stretched out.

Evan sighed at the sight. Accepting her refusal, he put the letter down in Juliana’s hand. 

Every time he got close to her nose, he smelt like the refreshing scent of rose soap.

Juliana felt that even her fluffy hair was too close to him, so she tucked one loose strand of hair behind her ear.  

Evan tightened his grip on the armrests of the chair. 

He surrounded her with his arms, but in reality, he said calmly, without touching her. 

“Alright. Enough. I can’t take your pleasures away from you.” 

He bowed his head and rubbed his lips against her smooth cheek as if he was kissing a fragile bird. 

With a sense of falling, Juliana clasped the letter in her hand. 

He was kind to himself. 

Juliana frowned and shook her head in confusion. Evan, who was looking at her, smiled bitterly. 

Evan even suspected that his wife had gotten tired of meeting up with her dear friends. Juliana, who didn’t notice Evan’s smile, said in a quivering voice, “You don’t have to think about it in the future. Now that I’m going to stop playing this kind of game.” 

“Can I know what’s the source of this whim?”

“The game aiming to embarrass you turned out to be boring.”

Juliana laughed awkwardly and tore the letter in front of his eyes without looking at it properly.

Pieces of paper flew in front of him. She made a good move. She coughed and said cautiously, “Are you free in the evening?”

“You don’t have to empty it if you don’t want to. And yes, I want to see you.” 

“I didn’t say that.”

Juliana jumped out of her seat cursorily, said goodbye to him, and left the breakfast table, ready to face the day. 

Evan snapped his finger, staring at her. The servants, who were busily collecting the dishes, backed away and the butler came inside. 

Evan picked up a half-empty glass of water. He was lost in thought.

The old butler, who has been working in this mansion for a long time and serving three generations, did not hasten him as he patiently waited for the Duke’s orders. It was a time when he shouldn’t say anything.

“Leigh.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Do any of Juliana’s puppies show a strange behavior?”

“What do you mean?”

“I was wondering if there might be some useful dogs, not like those idiots who are trying to prove their bravery by putting a love note in my mailbox.”

“There was no such behavior.”

Evan raised a glass of water to his mouth and dipped his lower lip lightly into it.

He wandered around the battlefield for a year. 

He even led a group of knights across the mountains and rivers to cut the head of the Yahat tribe chieftain.

Nonetheless, there was no sense of dullness in his life, but this was always the case with Juliana. In his heart, he got caught up in a fit of dirty jealousy, and his head became numb. Sometimes, he also became Juliana’s dog and was no different from all her lovers who behaved according to her will.

Evan frowned. 

The water was bitter. 

Like foul-blooded jealousy. 

“Leigh. Wouldn’t it be better to kill an overly harassing dog?”

“Do as you please.” 

The butler, Leigh, answered the question in a flat voice.

As for the butler, there was nothing more inconvenient than the valiant Duke who still stubbornly refused to get rid of the rule of his cheating wife or at least get rid of her noisy idiots. 

“I feel like I’m taking away one of Juliana’s pleasures, but I can’t help it.”

“Doesn’t the Duke’s feelings matter?” Leigh dared to ask, showing his emotions for the first time.

The glare of injustice in his eyes was a natural manifestation of emotion as he was loyal to this family.

“Leigh. You’re saying silly things.”

Even though he knew that Evan scolded Leigh. He said relaxedly, “Don’t you know that the one who falls in love first loses?”

* * * 

Translator –

Editor – Rinkunai