HNMCEH~33

CHAPTER~33

“Ugh! Damn it! How annoying, how annoying! I hope you get hit by bird droppings while passing by!”

“…P-please calm down, Madam!”

The shock from that clause didn’t fade easily, even the next day. I ended up staying awake all night.

Still, my anger didn’t subside, and I had no choice but to throw a tantrum.

‘As a married couple, you must share the same bed. Of course, only once in the first month, then gradually increase the frequency.’

Sharing the same bed? Even thinking about it made me want to scream and jump in rage. All the long talk about divorce and curses had been just to say this. And he laughed, saying only once in the first month as if it were an act of mercy. That made me even angrier.

I finally stopped the tantrum and desperately tried to calm my breathing.

“Phew. Really… Madam, no one may believe it, but your strength is incredible.”

Seeing me finally calm down, Loren slumped onto the sofa with a very tired face, completely different from the morning.

“Hehe, I don’t even need to try to lose weight here. Just dealing with you makes me slim. I might even build some muscle.”

“Wow, that’s a relief.”

I replied vaguely and stared blankly out the window. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to mind.

“Loren. If I jump from here, my legs will definitely break, right? Good…! Then I can use pain as an excuse to skip sharing the bed.”

Since it’s only the second floor, a small crack shouldn’t be a problem, right? With that resolve, I flung the window open roughly. The rushing wind whipped my hair against my cheek.

“Kyaa! Madam, what is this noise!? Absolutely not!”

“Ah! It hurts!”

But Loren, running at high speed, grabbed my arm roughly. Fearful that my arm might dislocate, I quickly stepped away from the window.

Clearly, it’s Loren, not me, who is stronger.

“My arm feels like it might pop out…”

How could someone so small have so much strength?

“You can’t think of weird things! Earlier you wished for body aches, and today you’re really acting strange. Madam! Is this because of the bed-sharing?”

I sat on the sofa, clutching my head as I imagined the hopeless future. Then Loren asked cautiously.

“Madam, why do you dislike sharing a bed with the Duke so much? Is there a special reason…? Huh, maybe I’m being too nosy. Sorry.”

“No, you don’t need to apologize.”

The reason I dislike sharing a bed is simple. If we do, I’ll inevitably get involved in the succession matters of the Decart family.

“Of course, ‘sharing a bed’ is just words. Even just using the same bedroom would be fine. I’m sure the Duke meant it that way. But over time, the Senate will definitely question it.”

“Question what?”

“They might complain if no child is conceived. At worst, they could force a public sharing of the bed.”

“Eek…! Public bed-sharing? I’ve heard of that. Years ago, a few elders, with the approval of the gods, would enter the Duke’s room and watch the couple in order… But that tradition disappeared decades ago, right? Ugh!”

Even if it disappeared from history, they could revive it anytime. For those who value bloodlines and legitimacy, it’s easy to justify bringing it back.

And in my plan, there was no bed-sharing. Even in my past life and now, I’ve never lived closely with anyone. Just thinking about it makes my nerves tingle.

Besides, our relationship is a superficial marriage.

We are a contract couple, acting only for mutual benefit. I need a fence to protect Mela, and he needs a wife.

When the time comes that our utility to each other diminishes, it will end.

Our ending was predetermined. Perhaps from the very beginning.

‘Let’s divorce, Duke. The sooner the better. I can’t live like this anymore. I’m fed up, and I hate it here.’

‘Even if we divorce, nothing will change. Our marriage never had love.’

Five years ago, I requested a divorce first, and he accepted. Back then and now, there was no love in our marriage.

Probably.

“…Madam?”

“Evlyen!”

Through my deep thoughts, a cheerful voice called me.

“Hm? You called? Sorry, I was lost in thought. Anyway, harvesting the Andra fruit comes first. Did you check what I mentioned?”

I snapped back to reality and naturally changed the topic. Loren nodded vigorously.

“Ah! Yes, I was going to tell you anyway. Here, this is the book, right?”

The book I asked Loren for was a pharmacology text. The very book that the Lopenter Marquis used to obtain treatments for infectious diseases.

I opened it immediately, flipping through pages to confirm.

“…It’s here. This is it, Loren. Well done. It must have been difficult to find!”

Fortunately, it detailed the method to make the medicine.

“It wasn’t too hard. Since it’s such an old book, even the library doesn’t handle it. Then I went to the general store you mentioned, and it was right there! I got it almost for nothing.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Since the book was still at the general store, the Lopenter Marquis probably hadn’t been there yet. Well, he would obtain it later anyway.

Anyway, with some Andra fruit secured, making the medicine was only a matter of time.

But then I wondered if the epidemic would happen as in the original story.

Honestly, I hoped it wouldn’t.

“Madam, what will you do with this book?”

“I’ll make medicine. By the way, how is the capital? Anything happening? Any rumors? I haven’t been able to check with the guild, so I have no idea.”

Loren tilted her head, thinking, then brightened as if she remembered something.

“Hmm. Nothing serious, but… ah! At the square, I saw a paper about a disappearance. Seems a noble family is looking for someone… I didn’t see details because I was chasing the general store.”

A noble family is looking for a child? Did such an incident happen?

“Other than that, nothing special. The festival is coming, so security is tighter. Don’t worry, Madam.”

Though suspicious, I decided it was probably nothing. There’s already too much to think about with this little head of mine. I should focus on how Mela and I survive in the north.

“Also, here’s a transportation scroll. Its price seems to rise daily, especially the ordinary ones, which are ridiculously expensive.”

“If it’s needed, there’s nothing we can do. Anyway, thank you.”

“Hehe, you’re welcome.”

After getting a few more transportation scrolls from Loren, our conversation ended smoothly.

Time had passed unnoticed as we focused on talking. Looking out the window, the sun was stretching across the sky. Mela must be attending class by now…

I hope her condition improves as soon as possible. My mind was full of worry.

“…Madam.”

Loren, who had been talking cheerfully, now looked strangely tense.

“Loren, what’s wrong? You look pale…”

“Wait, Madam!”

She raised her hand to stop me. For a moment, she looked like someone completely focused on something, eyes shut tight, ears pricked.

“It’s nothing, but something seems to be happening outside. Very noisy…”

“Noisy?”

Before I could ask, Loren rushed out of the study, ears alert.

“Loren!”

Not long after, she stopped at the end of the corridor, flung open a window, and leaned forward.

Worried she might fall, I grabbed her arm desperately.