Chapter 7.6

“Did you think you’d get away with trying to kill me?”

Kainel’s angry gaze, having arrived at the office, turned on Baron Dunmoa.

“I-it was a mistake. If I’d known it was you, Your Grace, I would never have done such a thing.”

Trembling, the Baron prostrated himself.

“You should have checked before you sent someone. Did you think I’d let you off if you just called it a mistake?”

“I-I was wrong.”

“Is saying sorry enough? I almost died.”

If it had been anyone else, they might have actually died. Kainel and his vassal Earl Down survived only because they moved faster than others.

But the fact that Kainel’s shoulder was slightly injured made Earl Down even more displeased. He was determined not to let Baron Dunmoa off the hook.

“Take him away. Leave the judgment to the Imperial Family.”

“I’ll go as well.”

He could have punished him directly, but not wanting to bother, Kainel left Baron Dunmoa’s punishment to the Imperial Family, and Earl Down dragged the Baron away with the knights.

Attempted m*rder of the Empire’s hero would not be lightly punished, but Earl Down intended to see him punished even more severely. Imprisonment was a given, and the Baron’s title would be stripped, but Earl Down also intended to charge him with treason.

After confirming that Earl Down and his group had left for the Imperial Family by carriage, Kainel also set out. With the issue of Baron Dunmoa resolved, he now had to find out where Erika was.

* * *

Unaware of what was happening at the Dunmoa family, Erika was heading toward Lux Village.

It was all thanks to Eva. Even though Erika had worried that Eva might change her mind and harm her after getting what she wanted, Eva had even prepared a carriage for Erika’s escape.

That was how much Eva hated the fact that Erika belonged to the Dunmoa family, but Erika was grateful. Thanks to her, she had another chance at freedom.

Except for the matters concerning Grand Duke Hartwig, everything she had worried about had worked out more or less well.

Of course, she still feared that Baron Dunmoa might come after her again, but Eva had promised to handle it, so Erika had to trust her.

As dusk fell, Erika got off the carriage with the attendant Eva had arranged, to stay at the inn Eva had reserved in advance.

“Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, for two people.”

While confirming the reservation with the innkeeper, Erika saw people in the back looking like they were searching for a criminal. Their searching made things so noisy that it was hard to hear the conversation.

“Is something going on?”

“They seem to be looking for someone.”

“A criminal?”

“That’s not it…. Huh?”

The innkeeper, who was checking the reservation list, looked surprised when he saw Erika’s face.

“Is something wrong?”

Erika was startled by his suspicious demeanor. She wondered if Baron Dunmoa had come looking for her.

Did Eva’s help ultimately fail?

While showing them to their room, the innkeeper kept glancing back at Erika and the attendant, quickly turning his head away whenever their eyes met.

No matter how she looked at it, the innkeeper seemed suspicious, so after being shown to her room, Erika hurriedly began to prepare to leave the inn.

There was only one inn nearby, so she was worried about having nowhere to stay if she left, but now was not the time to worry about that. For now, escaping from the Baron was the priority.

She covered her face with a cloak and was heading toward the carriage with the attendant when—

“Eri!”

A familiar voice called from afar. A voice she should never have heard in this place.

Erika paused, tilting her head in confusion.

No, it couldn’t be.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking she must have misheard, and tried to move on. But then, someone hugged her from behind.

She wanted to shout for this person to let go, but she was so surprised that no words came out. However, the moment a familiar scent brushed past her nose, her tense body melted away.

Turning around, Erika’s eyes widened when she saw the man who had embraced her.

“!”

She didn’t know what to call him, so while she was opening and closing her mouth, Kainel embraced her once again. His overwhelming joy was difficult for her to process.

He looked just as perfect and noble as when they first met. But when that image overlapped with the Kai she had lived with, Erika could only blink in confusion, unable to say a word.

Had his memory returned?

She was uncertain. His slightly arrogant demeanor suggested his memory had returned, but the joy in his eyes made her doubt it.

As she continued to look bewildered and said nothing, Kainel looked at her with a hint of disappointment.

“Why? Are you not happy to see your husband after such a long time?”

“D-did your memory come back?”

“It did.”

If it had, why didn’t he seem angry? He must know I lied to him.

No matter how much Erika thought about it, she couldn’t understand the situation.

“Then you know now, don’t you? That I deceived you. That I pretended to be your wife and acted as if we were married.”

“I already know.”

“Then why….”

“We’re husband and wife. How could I not be happy to see my wife after so long?”

“Aren’t we just a fake couple?”

“You might have thought it was fake, but my feelings were real.”

Real feelings? Even hearing it, she couldn’t believe it. When they first met, he had clearly looked down on her and disliked her. Could his feelings really have changed in such a short time?

“Didn’t you hate me? You insulted me.”

“I hated you at first. But not anymore. I already apologized for what I said back then. If that’s not enough, I’ll apologize as many times as it takes. I can say sorry until your heart is at ease.”

“Y-you don’t have to apologize that much. I just wanted to say that you really hated me.”

Kainel looked into Erika’s eyes and spoke his mind.

“People’s feelings change. Mine did, too. So please understand at least this: everything I did while we lived as husband and wife was sincere.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I heard what your subordinates said. They said you didn’t just dislike me—you despised me. That if it weren’t for certain circumstances, you would never have gotten involved with me.”

Hearing her words, Kainel suddenly looked awkward and began to watch her closely.

“Ah, you heard that. The truth is, I had personal reasons. I hope you won’t be angry after hearing my story.”

“Angry?”

Erika couldn’t understand what he meant.

Then Kainel let out a small laugh and began to explain everything step by step.

Everything had been planned to extend his lifespan, and in the process, he had used her. He also revealed that some villagers, including Madame Mori and Ailee, had helped him.

The more Erika listened, the wider her eyes grew, and by the end, she stared at Kainel with her mouth agape.

So it was all a plan? Some villagers, including Madame Mori and Ailee, had deceived me?

Even though she heard it from Kainel’s own mouth, she couldn’t believe it. Seeing her reaction, he said,

“I’m sorry I deceived you. But you hated me so much too, I had no choice.”

Erika was too confused to say anything. As her reason gradually returned, she tried to process what she had heard. No matter how she thought about it, it was hard to believe.

“Did you use me to break your curse?”

“Yes.”

Kainel’s face twisted in pain as he answered.

Even after checking again, Erika realized she hadn’t misheard. She felt betrayed.

She recalled the moment she first found him. Even eating poisonous mushrooms had been staged to evoke her sympathy.

Could she really trust anything this man said?

Now, even when he claimed that he had been sincere during their temporary marriage, she couldn’t accept it easily. The line between truth and lies was blurred.