I'm So Tired Because of My Contract-Breaking Husband - Chapter 9
Chapter 9
“Princess… It is said that the Duke does not use handkerchiefs. Even other ladies know this but continue to give them.”
Another maid hastily tried to console Isabelle, whose lips had tightened.
It was well-known that Lexion did not use handkerchiefs. Therefore, the ladies were even more eager to offer their own.
If Lexion were to use a handkerchief, it would mean he held the owner of that handkerchief in his heart.
‘Lexion. How dare you!’
Isabelle knew this too. However, she never imagined that he would discard her handkerchief along with the others.
‘I will surely have you under my feet. I will make you kneel and beg before me!’
Clenching her fists tightly and gritting her teeth, Isabelle resumed her dignified stride.
+++
Marquis Stephan waited for Lexion in front of the shower room set up on one side of the arena.
The Imperial valets, bringing clothes for Lexion and Evans to change into, glanced at Stephan.
‘Ernst’s dog… or a traitor…’
That was Stephan’s nickname. Ernst’s dog and traitor. A strange fellow who sold his country to become a Marquis, yet still served the deposed prince of that country as his superior.
It was likely that thirteen-year-old Lexion could survive until now because Stephan was by his side.
“Your Highness, Duke. We have brought clothes for you to change into.”
“Leave them there.”
As the valets entered the dressing room, Lexion and Evans, who had already finished showering, waited with towels wrapped around their lower bodies.
Large and small sword scars were visible on Lexion’s muscles, honed through real combat. Having become a Sword Master at twenty, these scars must have been from before then.
“A small banquet will be held at Jasmine Palace. There is an order from His Majesty to attend.”
The valets adjusted the clothes of Lexion and Evans as they finished dressing.
“Understood. Let’s go, Lexion.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Lexion and Evans left the dressing room and headed towards the palace where the banquet was held, guided by the valets. Stephan followed behind Lexion.
A small banquet was held primarily for the players who participated in the Shogan match and the delegation from the Tiola Empire.
“You two were truly amazing!”
“The ball only moved between you two!”
The nobles of Petrus gathered around Lexion and Evans, excitedly discussing the game once again.
Lexion, after responding appropriately, headed towards the garden for some fresh air. Stephan followed him out, but the nobles only showed a fleeting hint of contempt in their eyes and did not find it strange.
In the palace garden, which was in full bloom in spring, lilacs filled the air with a subtle fragrance. The temperature difference was now minimal, and there was not much fog.
“Someone is coming.”
In the dark night, there were no bees on the lilac trees. Only a long-tailed swallowtail butterfly flitted diligently among the lilac trees even at night.
“Such a pointless act.”
“She will arrive before the coming-of-age ceremony. She will be registered as my daughter.”
Lexion turned his body to look at Stephan.
If the Ernst woman crossed the sea safely and arrived before the coming-of-age ceremony, he could avoid marriage with Princess Isabelle. He could marry that woman and protect the bloodline of Ernst.
“You are a very wicked man.”
“Pardon?”
“Having an illegitimate child outside. What a sly man.”
“Ahem… Duke. Shall we go in now?”
For some reason, Stephan found Lexion’s acceptance of that proposal unpleasant.
“At what age did you have her? Sixteen? Seventeen? A complete piece of trash. A total scumbag.”
“Duke… Please stop.”
It must have been Stephan’s imagination that Lexion sounded like he was saying what he always wanted to say.
+++
After that incident, Lexion did not enter the bedroom where Adelina was.
In the dark room, Adelina curled up small in the mirror. She was just turning twenty and perhaps felt loneliness.
‘Hehehe. Oh… Wow… Such a wonderful story. Thank you, dear god!’
Adelina, who looked melancholic, was reviewing the adult romance novel the god had instilled in her from the beginning.
“Everyone, leave.”
As the dark room lit up with all the light stones, a familiar man’s voice was heard.
<“Hey! You Siberian tiger. Raccoon monkey. Tiger butterfly!”>
When Lexion started undressing alone in the room, Adelina shouted.
‘Do you think I wanted to see you! Do you think I was worried! I wasn’t worried at all! I didn’t want to see you at all! I was doing just fine on my own! I was living very happily reading two adult novels!’
Adelina fumed, glaring at the back of Lexion’s head. If she had a physical body, she would have been so angry that she would have hit the back of his head.
‘Oh… Another crack has appeared…’
Adelina looked sadly at the newly formed crack. The previous one seemed to have lengthened a bit because Lexion had left it unattended.
‘Well… young man~. Over here, young man. Something’s cracked here…’
Though her pride was hurt, she decided to repair her home first.
She was about to call him “darling” but changed the term upon realizing her hair was silver.
Lexion, having removed his shirt, walked over to Adelina. Without a word, he took resin from the drawer and applied it to the crack.
‘Still. You’re alive and well. That’s a relief.’
As Adelina’s monologue ended, Lexion stared intently at his red eyes reflected in the mirror.
+++
Two days later in the morning, Stephan sped up his horse to catch up with Lexion, who was heading to the sea. The escort knights of the Duke’s residence, sent by the Emperor, followed them.
An hour ago, Marquis Stephan had visited the Duke’s residence to deliver bad news to Lexion.
-“The ship. It encountered pirates. There were no survivors.”-
Upon hearing the news, Lexion immediately rode out of the Duke’s residence.
-“Duke! Where are you going!”-
-“Move aside!”-
Whether they were guards or escorts, the knights tried to stop him, but Lexion leaped over the main gate and escaped that prison.
It was almost evening when Lexion finally stopped his horse at Inis Harbor, also known as the Moon’s Port.
Ships arriving from the distant continent were unloading people and goods. However, the ship that was supposed to arrive from the Kingdom of Ernst today was nowhere to be seen.
“Duke.”
Stephan slowly approached Lexion on horseback.
‘If only he would cry… or scream…’
The expressionless face of Lexion made Stephan’s heart break even more.
“How many were on the ship?”
“…It is said there were 60 people.”
The sunset over the horizon was as red as Lexion’s eyes. Soon, the sunset turned into a darkness as deep as his heart.
When Lexion turned his horse away from the sea, the knights of the Duke’s residence rode up to him and Stephan.
“Your Grace, you must return. Neither of you can move without reporting to the Imperial Family.”
Though he was the captain of the knights of the Duke’s residence, his words were unbearably arrogant.
“Let’s return. Stephan. Let’s go back.”
Lexion gave a bitter smile.
The eastern region of the capital, where the third Duke and the fourth Marquis resided, was a place everyone envied, but in reality, it was a massive fortress and prison where Emperor Grain controlled their movements.
Lexion and Stephan rode back towards that prison.
‘I still… must wait. This waiting will end soon!’
Lexion urged his horse faster, gritting his teeth because the people of the Duke’s territory were still waiting for him.
+++
Returning to the Duke’s residence, Lexion asked a valet for the remaining cherry eau-de-vie and entered the room where Adelina was.
He stood in front of Adelina and silently looked into the mirror.
‘Oh… What’s wrong? What happened?’
Adelina, seeing the sadness now reflected in Lexion’s eyes, reached out and touched the mirror’s surface with both hands.
His red eyes seemed to burn with intensity as if he might cry at any moment, yet no tears fell.
“Your Grace, here is the cherry eau-de-vie and ice, along with some simple snacks.”
“Leave it and go.”
Until the valet set the drinks and snacks on the sofa table and left, Lexion continued to stare into the mirror.
“Mirror… If I go to kill him now, is it possible?”
Lexion asked, glaring at his reflection’s red eyes in the mirror.
<“15%. It means you’d die a dog’s death if you go. It’s not worth it. Just wash up and sleep tonight.”>
Lexion’s eyebrows twitched as he glared more fiercely at the mirror.
‘Darling~… No, young man~. It’s a misunderstanding. Just… don’t go today. Let’s go next time. Next time.’
Adelina, surprised by her own words, began to smack her lips in an attempt to explain.
“The possibility increased. I must go kill him now.”
Lexion seemed ready to leave immediately, with his bastard sword strapped on both sides, as he headed for the door.
<“Hey! I said you’d die! Where are you going!”>
It was clearly not 51%, but 15% she had mentioned!
As if Lexion was about to go kill Emperor Grain right away, Adelina reached out to stop him.
A large crack appeared in the mirror, and light poured in through the gap.
Adelina’s body slipped out of the mirror.
“Oh!”
“Oh no!”
Lexion reflexively caught Adelina as she was about to fall to the floor, sitting down with her.
By the time Adelina’s silver hair settled calmly, she was already nestled in Lexion’s arms.
“Ah! Don’t look!”
Adelina quickly hugged Lexion to prevent him from seeing her naked body. She intended to hold on for a few minutes, knowing clothes would appear soon.
With a cracking sound, the mirror’s fracture lengthened both up and down.
“Ah! My mirror! My home!”
Adelina was on the verge of going crazy. She had no clothes yet… the mirror seemed about to shatter completely, with the cracks growing larger.
As a white dress formed on Adelina’s body, Lexion released her arms that were holding him.
“Who are you?”
He roughly grabbed Adelina’s chin with his hand.
“Ha. Synesis. A living repository of knowledge. The greatest intellect of this era, containing a total of 203 encyclopedias, 2 martial arts novels, and 4 adult romance novels.”
Adelina wished she could sew her own mouth shut, but it babbled on its own.
“You’ve added more adult novels in a few days.”
“Three more encyclopedias too.”
As she replied, the sound of more cracks forming in the mirror was heard.
“Um… young man. Could you let go of my hand? I have somewhere urgent to be.”
Adelina gently tried to remove Lexion’s hand from her chin with both of hers, but his hand didn’t budge.
Instead, the mirror’s cracks spread with a loud noise. It seemed she might never return inside the mirror again.
“No.”
Lexion’s firm voice was heard.
‘How can this young man be so inflexible!’
Adelina lowered her eyes and quickly thought.
Raising her eyes again, Adelina looked at Lexion slyly. Then, she suddenly kissed Lexion on the lips.