The Villain's Sickly Wife Dislikes Being Overprotected - Chapter 2.21

I wasn’t particularly interested in the Best Couple Award either, but… still, since we came to the banquet, we should at least watch. Besides, the Emperor is urging us like this.

“I want to go and see. My husband doesn’t attend banquets every day, and because of him, I don’t get to come often either. When an opportunity like this comes, I should see as much as I can.”

Kyron flinched at my direct words.

The Emperor seemed slightly taken aback but soon nodded.

“Well said. The Duke shouldn’t prevent his wife from enjoying the banquet.”

He smiled at Kyron with a ‘Did you hear that?’ expression.

“…We’ll go, so please wait a moment.”

Finally, Kyron couldn’t insist anymore and gave in.

“Can you walk, dear?”

As if he had decided to push the ‘beautiful love’ concept that the Emperor had stamped on us, Kyron asked an unnecessary question.

He should know well that I always return to my normal state after coughing up blood.

“Of course. Walking is fine.”

The Emperor chuckled.

“Then I’ll go ahead and wait.”

As the Emperor left first, Kyron, who had been standing, extended his hand to me.

What is this behavior?

I stared down at the hand suddenly held out in front of me.

Is he pretending to take care of me because of the Emperor?

As I remained motionless and just stared, Kyron soon grabbed my hand first.

“Take it.”

His words were close to a command.

As my hand was almost forcibly taken, I looked up at my husband’s face while standing up. However, my husband wasn’t looking at me, so I couldn’t tell what his expression was.

Kyron placed my hand on his arm. As if I was linking arms with him.

We walked out. Outside was still noisy. Our appearance seemed to add fuel to the commotion.

Kyron wrapped his arm around my shoulder as if to protect me from them harming me.

Even if I’m sick, I don’t need that much protection.

We headed to the seats that the Emperor said he had prepared. It was a high place with a good view of the banquet hall.

Almost as soon as Kyron and I took our seats, the Emperor began to speak.

“Thank you all, citizens of the Empire, for attending today. I hope it has been a beneficial time for everyone to catch up with familiar faces you haven’t seen in a while and to meet new people.”

He slowly looked around the entire banquet hall as if surveying it.

“Now, are you all curious as to why I suddenly stood up on this platform?”

No one seemed to be particularly curious.

“Isn’t the most enjoyable time waiting for us at the end of the banquet? It’s the Best Couple Award ceremony!”

A few nobles clapped with a ‘Wow’. Some others looked indifferent.

“First, there were couples who showed us wonderful dances today. Please come forward.”

The couples who had already been selected as the best dancers went to the front of the platform.

“And there were also those who set an example for everyone. The young lord of Count Arco and Lady Clover of Baron Clover, gave up their turn to others. The Viscount Dove couple performed a good deed by personally wiping up spilled drinks. Would these two couples please come forward as well?”

Couples who had made their contributions today were also called.

The Emperor looked at them proudly and thanked each couple for gracing this occasion.

“We plan to give a small prize money to those who have brightened today’s event. Congratulations!”

The sound of applause continued.

Is the banquet ending now?

The applause stopped at the Emperor’s next words.

“Ah, and… there was a couple who went through various incidents today.”

There was still a couple the Emperor hadn’t mentioned.

Usually, the more important ones come later.

“Watching this couple today, I was surprised and my heart was touched. It was a beautiful love.”

The Emperor wore an expression of being impressed. Somehow, it looked similar to the expression I saw in the room earlier.

“I was almost moved to tears seeing how he took care of his wife with utmost devotion, regardless of people’s eyes. It was the image of an ideal couple who love and cherish each other despite obstacles.”

I had a feeling, no way…

The next moment, I was stunned by the words that came out of the Emperor’s mouth.

“Duke and Duchess Dermond, please come forward!”

We are… an ‘ideal’ couple?

“Us…?”

Without realizing it, I pointed at myself while looking at the Emperor on the platform.

“We are the best couple…? An ideal couple…?”

“Please come quickly, both of you.”

The Emperor urged us with a beaming smile.

“I knew this would happen.”

Kyron muttered as if he had expected it.

We being the best couple, oh my.

Even as I was pushed towards the platform, I found this situation laughable. How could Kyron and I be the best couple? We’re not even as good as an ordinary couple.

The Emperor’s couple selection criteria were likely to cause complaints from people.

There must be at least ten, no, twenty couples here who are more loving than us.

“This, this award doesn’t suit us, Your Majesty.”

“Ho ho, you’re even being modest.”

Once on the platform, I clearly confessed that this award doesn’t fit us. However, the Emperor seemed to take this as just an expression of humility.

It’s true though.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt uncomfortable with this situation. Looking around from the platform, the reaction from the audience wasn’t good either.

While some nodded in agreement with the Emperor’s opinion, others seemed to want to argue, ‘But the Duke and Duchess have always had such a bad relationship!’

Especially those who had been glaring at me in the waiting room earlier.

They exchanged glances among themselves. Their faces said this situation made no sense. A strange sense of defeat could be seen on their distorted faces.

As I was looking at the nobles, I suddenly spotted those who had been gossiping about me during the previous restaurant visit.

You’re at the banquet too?

Those two people were staring blankly at us, but when they realized I was looking at them, they startled and averted their gaze.

That’s what you get for running your mouths carelessly.

Seeing the two people who had been gossiping, I felt somehow triumphant.

Regardless of the audience’s reaction, the Emperor handed us the trophy that had been prepared in advance. Even though I wondered if this was an award deserving of a trophy, I couldn’t refuse to accept it when applause erupted.

“These two are today’s Best Couple!”

The Emperor confirmed our first place once again with his announcement.

“Haha…”

On one hand, I still found it absurd, and on the other hand, I felt good.

Anyway, since we received an award, doesn’t that mean there’s prize money?

“I sincerely hope the Duchess recovers soon.”

The Emperor winked at me.

We are the best couple. Even a passing dog would laugh at this.

***

On the way back from the banquet, our carriage was considerably heavier than when we left. It was because of the weighty box of gold coins that accompanied us.

The first prize for the Best Couple Award was generous. Now I understand why people even go as far as to put on an act for this banquet that happens once a year.

“What are you going to do with the prize money?”

Kyron was sitting in the carriage, leaning back with a tired face.

Unlike his exhausted appearance, I actually felt more energetic now than earlier when I was suffering from coughing and hemoptysis. Prize money can lift one’s spirits.

“I don’t have any plans yet.”

“Then shall we split it half and half?”

At my words, Kyron raised one eyebrow. As if it was strange.

“We’re a married couple anyway, why bother splitting it?”

Until now, Ekette had been a person without luxury or vanity, so she had no greed for money.

She never asked Kyron to set aside more money for her share. As Kyron said, it didn’t make sense to distinguish between yours and mine since we’re a couple anyway.

But I thought it was necessary to have at least some emergency funds.

Unlike the original Ekette, I often fell ill, and life is unpredictable. It was good to prepare in advance as a precautionary measure.

“I contributed to earning this money together with you.”

Of course, the biggest contribution was the Emperor’s melodramatic taste.

“It’s precious to me. I want to save it preciously and buy something I want later.”

I tried to persuade him to split the money, making up a suitable excuse.

“Together…”

Kyron repeated my words. He seemed to think for a moment, then unexpectedly agreed readily.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

“Really?”

I was happier at this moment than at any other time today. My cheeks lifted involuntarily.

“You can have it all without splitting if you want.”

For some reason, he was being very generous today.

“All… of it?”

Usually, at times like this, one would refuse out of conscience or courtesy… but I know. The Duke is already quite wealthy. He probably doesn’t need this money.

“Are you sure?”

I quickly accepted his kindness.

“Don’t change your mind later.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Upon arriving at the ducal residence, several servants struggled to carry the box of gold coins to my room.

Although so many things had happened during the day, at this moment, I couldn’t think of any of them. In the end, money is what remains, after all.

That night, I fell asleep with a big grin on my face.