Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband [Novel] Chapter 138

Marriage With A Suspiciously Demure Husband – Chapter 138

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I stumbled backward, overwhelmed by a shock too immense to bear.

"No…"

I struggled desperately to withstand the crushing blow I had just received.

However, even the next day, I couldn't wake up from this nightmare.

---

I felt hunger and emotions.

It was far too long and vivid to be just a dream.

To the point where.

"Ah!"

I felt the sharp pain of an embroidery needle pricking my finger while trying to gather my scattered thoughts.

"Hah…"

I remained trapped in this state for several more days.

It couldn't be considered a failure.

Because I had seen with my own eyes the pillars of the Grand Altar collapsing and the heavily corrupted, dark land disappearing before I lost consciousness.

We absolutely couldn't have failed this time.

"Madam, the Master has returned."

A maid informed me briefly before disappearing.

Even in a dream, the maid was reading the room and walking on eggshells.

"……"

I let out a sigh and stood up.

Steeling my resolve, I went to find him, only to see Cailus changing his clothes.

"Cailus."

"……"

I forced back my rising emotions and put on a smile.

"Where did you go today?"

"None of your business."

At his even colder response, I felt as if I was facing a massive wall once again.

"What exactly do you want to do with me? You said you loved me not too long ago, and now this. I am so confused about what you really want."

It was then.

He spoke up as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.

"I don't want to do anything. Ah, if I really must say something, I want you to leave now. Because I'm sick of you."

"……"

Startled by my own action, I swallowed my breath.

The palm I had raised stung fiercely.

I turned my back on him and walked out just like that.

I had wanted to say more to him, but my body moved on its own accord.

I couldn't tell if my mind and body were out of sync because I was truly furious, or if everything was feeling increasingly disjointed because it was a dream.

And then, what felt like a few days passed.

I didn't catch a single glimpse of Cailus, and I remained in the exact same miserable mood I felt that day.

I was sitting blankly in the study when the communication sphere flashed.

When I placed my hand on it, Lily Dayworth's voice rang out.

"Yes, Lily. What's the matter?"

Lily Dayworth's name flowed naturally from my lips.

I was frustrated and angry because of Cailus anyway, so I figured it would be good to at least hear her out.

Maybe I could even find out the reason why Cailus was acting like that.

But words tumbled out of my mouth on their own.

"I will do that. When works best for you?"

"Sounds good."

---

The Imperial Palace.

I became absolutely certain that this place was entirely within a dream.

Because I was face-to-face with Lily, who had already become the Crown Princess.

Even though I still couldn't explain the pain I felt when I slapped his cheek, or these vivid emotions.

"It must have been a tiring journey."

"I only had to take a gate, after all."

As we exchanged greetings and sat across from each other, Lily handed me a box, saying it was a gift.

When I opened it, there was a silver bracelet inside.

"I was having tea with some noble ladies briefly yesterday. Madam Elburn brought a jeweler along, and it looked so pretty. It's just for a change of pace. Try it on. I thought it would suit you, Hazel."

"……"

I accepted it and put it right on my wrist.

Honestly, I didn't want to wear it.

Although Lily had fought for us until the very end, I still harbored suspicions because of what the Imperial Family had done in the past.

Perhaps because it was a dream, whenever I hesitated for a moment, my body moved on its own.

Like a marionette programmed to perform its required actions.

"It's pretty."

"I knew it would be."

Looking at the bracelet, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

The Crown Prince and Lily didn't attend my wedding.

I remembered seeing a line of carriages dropping off what Madam Tene called gifts from the Imperial Family.

Even after meeting, there was no mention of the wedding.

I thought it was strange, but before I knew it, the topic shifted, and I was conversing with Lily.

And after quite some time, our conversation came to an end.

"It probably won't be a problem."

"That's a relief."

I opened my mouth, intending to get up soon.

"I should get going now."

"……"

"I'll contact you as soon as the wizards finish setting up the barrier. Thank you for today. And for the gift, too."

I said my goodbyes and stood up from my seat.

Puzzled by Lily's silence, I headed for the door, but the guards blocked my path.

"Hazel."

Lily's voice came from behind me.

I turned around and looked at Lily.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry, Hazel. You cannot leave this place. You can't."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said, you cannot leave this place."

Lily said to me, clutching her dress tightly. Her face was stiff, as if she were tense.

The same woman who had been smiling lightly just moments ago.

"…Until everything is over? If you make a face like that, it doesn't look like a joke, it looks real."

"I'm sorry."

"……"

I tried to cast an illusion to escape, but I couldn't.

The moment I tried to use my power, the bracelet emitted a strong light and constricted around my wrist.

It was the bracelet Lily had given me.

"This is all for your sake, Hazel. The safest method for you."

Just like that, I was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace.

---

This couldn't be a more messed-up situation.

To think I was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace.

I couldn't even use an illusion to escape.

Because I couldn't use illusion magic.

If I had known that the damn bracelet Lily gave me was a device that forcefully sealed my dark mana, I never would have put it on.

No, I probably would have put it on anyway.

Because my body moved on its own.

And it had been several days now.

Even though I was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace, Cailus never reached out to me once.

There was no contact, nor did he come to get me.

Even though his own wife was locked up in the Imperial Palace.

"Haha…"

I buried my face in my hands.

Someone walked into the room.

I heard the faint clinking of a teacup being set down on the table with a soft thud.

"Hazel, please eat something at least."

Lily's voice echoed in the room.

After I dismissed all the maids assigned to serve me, including Lily's own ladies-in-waiting, she had come personally.

"It seems you want to play house after locking someone up, Your Highness the Crown Princess."

"……"

Despite my sharp question, Lily merely approached and sat next to me.

It didn't take me very long to realize that all of this was Cailus's arrangement.

---

A few days… no, it had been strange since our wedding day, so it had already been several weeks.

I had been receiving treatment from the imperial citizens that was far worse than what the worshippers received.

I only just found out that they had been clamoring to send me to the execution block as soon as possible.

While Cailus was out of his mind fighting after he returned.

A rumor had spread that I was the final sacrifice for the Demon King's descent, and that monsters were swarming everywhere just to find me.

No.

Now they believed that the worshippers, the monsters, everything was all because of me.

There were even people emerging who believed the danger would only disappear if I was eliminated.

The situation had changed drastically just when I came here, but I didn't know because I had come straight away after Lily sent a carriage and guards to the gate for me.

In reality, there were so many people who supported me, who said they would fight for me.

"Duchess!"

"I request an audience with His Majesty."

I ran so fast I was out of breath and reached the doors of the Emperor's audience chamber.

"Please return, Duchess."

The Emperor's aide blocked my path.

"I request an audience with His, Majesty."

I bit my lip hard to hold back my tears.

I absolutely despised myself for becoming so powerless, unable to do anything but beg for an audience.

But I couldn't afford to break down here.

After hearing everything from Lily, it was hard for me to even stand properly.

Unable to control my trembling body, I clenched my fists tightly.

"Please, please, I must see His Majesty."

Even as the aide and the guards tried to stop me, I stood my ground stubbornly.

Two days passed in front of the audience chamber.

And on the third day.

I collapsed right then and there.