The Villain's Sickly Wife Dislikes Being Overprotected - Chapter 2.20

Lady Stober, feeling that Kyron was lending an ear to her words, began to speak passionately.

“Yes. I still don’t understand why the Duchess hated me so much. Perhaps she was anxious, not satisfied with the attention Your Grace gives her, thinking it wasn’t enough.”

To say such things while I’m right here listening to everything.

“There was also an incident in the waiting room today. The Duchess insulted me. There were probably many people who heard it, so you can call witnesses to confirm.”

“Wasn’t it you who spoke insultingly first, my lady?”

I rebutted, but Lady Stober completely ignored my very existence. She continued her words as if I wasn’t even there.

“The Duchess said things to me that I had never heard before. Even though at that time, I had first extended my hand to her, wanting to become friends.”

“I see.”

“Your Grace, you must know how cunning the Duchess is! I have never, ever tried to poison the Duchess. If you doubt me, you can bring a lie detector and check. I can confidently undergo the test.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t entirely wrong. She didn’t try to poison me. She gave me a hallucinogenic drug.

Kyron, who had been quietly listening to her words all along, nodded lightly.

He beckoned his subordinates with a flick of his hand. The subordinates who approached stood close to Lady Stober.

“Alright, I understand your claim.”

“You must believe me, Your Grace! You absolutely must not trust that wicked woman’s words…”

“If you say the same thing in the underground prison, I’ll consider whether to believe you or not.”

Kyron cut off Lady Stober’s excited voice.

“Y-Your Grace?”

Lady Stober, who had believed that Kyron was listening attentively to her words until now, had a dumbfounded look on her face.

“Take them both away.”

At Kyron’s order, the subordinates grabbed both people by the arms. Lady Stober began to be dragged away.

“Your Grace! Your Grace! How can you do this to me?!”

In front of the struggling Lady Stober, Kyron waved a notebook.

“Everything you said to the servant is written down here, so don’t feel too wronged.”

“W-What…?”

“Ah, and one more thing.”

As if he had almost forgotten, he added one more sentence, and the subordinates momentarily stopped.

“You seem to have a misunderstanding, but there was never any marriage talk between us. It was your family unilaterally trying to flatter me.”

At Kyron’s nod, the subordinates pulled her away more forcefully. Lady Stober couldn’t resist their strength.

The more she struggled, the more her carefully styled hair became disheveled, and the hem of her dress was trampled as she was dragged away. The last image of her in my eyes was pitiful.

Even after Lady Stober, who had been screaming at the top of her lungs, was taken away, the room was still chaotic.

People trying to find out what had happened, spectators who had gathered to see Lady Stober being dragged away, all tangled together.

“It’s noisy when we need to rest.”

Kyron spat out as if annoyed. He instructed the subordinate who remained in the room.

“Drive out all those making noise. Or lock them up with that woman from earlier.”

“Yes, sir.”

But the following voice halted all words and actions.

“Does that mean I can’t enter either, Duke?”

It was a voice that felt aged. I could immediately recognize the owner of the voice.

“Am I going to be locked up in the Duke’s underground prison this time too? Heh heh.”

The Emperor…?

A person who exudes an unapproachable aura even in old age.

From afar, he looked like a grandfather coming to watch a children’s performance, but up close, an undeniable majesty flowed from him. Even though he was throwing out light words.

“Your Majesty, what brings you here?”

Kyron stood up. I too tried to stand up like Kyron, but the Emperor quickly stopped me.

“Oh no, the Duchess must still be unwell, please remain seated.”

The Emperor showed his hand with a benevolent smile.

“Duke, since I’ve come in here and interrupted, am I going to be locked up in your underground prison?”

He joked with a voice tinged with laughter.

“I’ve seen the Duke’s face so rarely that I’d even welcome being locked in the underground prison now, heh heh. Shall we have a chat over tea in the underground prison?”

It was a joke with a sting to it.

“I’ve been busy.”

True to his reputation as the epitome of cold human relationships, it was a curt reply.

“Even today, you attended the banquet, seemed to dance once, and then disappeared? Without even greeting me or glancing at me. I was quite disappointed.”

“I had a lot of work today as well.”

“I know that.”

The Emperor’s gaze shifted to me.

“Duchess, I know how much you’ve suffered today. I’ve seen and heard everything.”

The Emperor’s voice when addressing Kyron was like playfully scolding a young grandson, while his voice addressing me was as kind as if speaking to a friend visiting his grandson’s house.

“I was startled when you got hurt while dancing, and earlier my heart nearly stopped. I’m glad you’re alright now.”

Thinking that the Emperor had been watching everything that happened today made me feel a bit embarrassed. To think that not only the regular nobles but even the Emperor had seen that commotion.

“Watching the two of you today, I had various thoughts, I did.”

“What… kind of thoughts?”

It’s not like I did anything particularly noteworthy, just sprained my ankle and stopped everyone’s dance, and coughed up blood turning the banquet into chaos.

Honestly, until the Emperor appeared, I had been feeling guilty, wondering if I had ruined the entire banquet. Strictly speaking, one could say that Lady Stober, who caused the initial problem, had a larger share of the blame.

Or did he realize the importance of health management after seeing me ill? Or is he going to add a word of nagging about my weakness?

Instead of being upset that the banquet was ruined, he said he had various thoughts, which made my head complicated with various thoughts of my own.

But the words that came out of the Emperor’s mouth were beyond my expectations.

“It’s so impressive how the Duke, who was always indifferent to everyone, could change like this. Ah, love is truly a beautiful thing.”

He had an expression as if he was about to cry.

Ah…

I think I finally understood a bit what it meant when they said the Emperor liked melodrama.

He seems to be quite an emotional person.

“For the past few years, I’ve only seen nobles fighting at banquets, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a lovely couple. I think I can end the banquet on a good note today. Of course, I hope the Duchess recovers soon.”

He smiled at me gently.

It seems… the melodrama the Emperor likes, this year it’s us?

“Ah yes, and those who have done wrong should receive appropriate punishment.”

The Emperor’s gaze returned to Kyron.

“I’m sure you’ll handle it well, but your behavior today was so different from what I know of you, I’m just saying this out of an old man’s concern.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Kyron answered firmly. Even I could see there was no need to worry about that.

“Well, it’s about time for the banquet to end.”

“Isn’t it time for Your Majesty’s favorite part?”

“That’s right! You know well! The Best Couple Award!”

In contrast to the Emperor who was delighted like a child, Kyron wore an expression of utter exasperation.

“How long will you continue with such a subjective award without any criteria…”

“Come on out, both of you.”

The Emperor cut off Kyron’s complaints and nodded for us to come out.

“My wife is still recovering. We won’t be going out.”

“Oh my!”

He made a ‘tsk’ sound as if scolding a child.

“We’ll prepare a separate chair so the Duchess can watch comfortably, so come out slowly. We’ll wait.”

“I’m not interested in such an award. I have even less intention of bringing a sick person to watch.”

The Emperor, who had looked hurt by Kyron’s cold response, changed the subject of his question to me.

“Does the Duchess feel the same way?”