IABCBMH Chapter 38

Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.

(athanasiafrost)

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‘Yujei’s obsession is far more intense than I had anticipated.’

Despite having married someone else, he hadn’t foreseen that upon arriving in the north, she would promptly lead a delegation and inform him of her visit. Even after he had firmly rejected her in his own manner, he sighed at her lingering inability to forget him.

‘I can’t just dismiss Yujei while she’s staying here anyway…’

He wasn’t inclined to purposefully escalate the situation and had concluded that it would be more effective to discourage Yujei by demonstrating Eloise’s secure position during the few days of Emmenta’s delegation visit.

“Hehehe, isn’t that the Duke?”

Returning to his room after observing Eloise’s study session, Johannes encountered Braeden. Braeden beamed, his eyes gleaming.

“Are you returning after seeing your wife?”

Johannes clicked his tongue inwardly at the thought of running into Braeden.

Internally clicking his tongue at the unexpected encounter with Braeden, Johannes, despite Braeden being his esteemed teacher and an old knight with admirable insight, found him excessively inquisitive about matters between men and women.

He tried to avoid being noticed by Braeden as much as possible. However, Eloise had chosen a room in a peculiar corner, making it impossible to hide the fact that he was coming from her room just by observing his movements.

“No, I haven’t seen her.”

“Aha! You were secretly watching!”

Braeden squinted his eyes, stroking his white beard. Detecting a nuance, Johannes responded straightforwardly.

“I had something to inquire about, but she was engrossed in her studies, so I returned.”

“Ah. On this late night, you intended to engage in a conversation but ended up just passing by after witnessing her dedication to her studies.”

Despite Johannes glaring at Braeden, who had misconstrued his words, Braeden continued to smile kindly, as though he were impressed, and added the following remark.

“But these days, she’s putting in a great deal of effort. Even though I assigned her a somewhat challenging task, she made sure to memorize it all.”

“… She appears to be quite focused. Despite the leg.”

“Well, Duke. A sprained ankle doesn’t hinder the use of one’s intellect. But I understand your concern for your wife.”

“Braeden.”

“yes.”

“… Very well then.”

Johannes was about to say something to his old teacher, but he held back. Then he bowed briefly and turned around.

“Yes, Duke. Good night.”

Braeden departed with brisk steps. Despite the likelihood that this conversation would circulate throughout the Dukedom by tomorrow, it was a trial that needed to be endured. Left alone, Johannes strolled slowly, lost in thought.

Yujei’s delegation was imminent, so it was crucial to purposefully propagate the rumor within the castle that the two were on amicable terms. Considering the timing, it seemed likely that Yujei’s informant had clandestinely infiltrated the ducal castle.

In truth, Johannes had contemplated divorcing Eloise and sending her south soon. However, given the current circumstances, it was prudent to keep these thoughts to himself. Thus, he endured his old teacher’s jests with remarkable patience. All he needed to do was feign ignorance until Yujei’s visit concluded.

Afterward, if he formally ended things with Eloise and descended to the capital, he could avoid annoying encounters with Yujei.

Hence, he concluded that for now, he should postpone discussions about divorce and delay confronting her privately to discern her genuine sentiments. Still, he acknowledged it as a form of self-justification.

“… Interrogation, interrogation… No matter how much pain and suffering you subject me to… you won’t be able to extract a background that doesn’t exist.”

She was truly a strange woman. Despite exuding an air of menace, she smiled unflinchingly. Yet, at the mere mention of ‘interrogation,’ her entire being quivered.

(athanasiafrost)

“I-I don’t know how much torture you plan to inflict, but I-I saved Leo…”

Her desperate and resolute manner of speech didn’t appear to be an act. Rather, it was evident that she vehemently wished not to be discovered. Truly, she seemed to have endured considerable torture…

Johannes had always been wary of her, but at that moment, he felt a peculiar sensation. She was flustered because her fear of being caught by him was glaringly apparent.

Contrarily, even though the typical course of an interrogation is to capitalize on such vulnerability and press further, he instinctively reassured her that he wouldn’t resort to torture.

The reason Johannes hastily arrived in the North was due to the disparities from his expectations. If someone had been harmed, they wouldn’t have ascended. It made no sense for the temple to dispatch such a magical beast to the north.

Upon hearing that Eloise was among the group awaiting him, he rushed to engage her in conversation because he harbored suspicions about her. He believed there was absolutely no reason for her to endure the frigid night when she couldn’t even ride her horse.

He anticipated that there must be an ulterior motive, that something untoward would occur. Naturally, he never imagined she would sacrifice herself for Leo.

He wasn’t one to leave unsettling matters unresolved. Especially since the North needed to be securely handed over to Leo, there were more than a few matters that required investigation. Yet, in the midst of this, he received news that a delegation from the Kingdom of Emmenta was on its way, leaving him with little time for a thorough inquiry.

Moreover, the behavior of the malevolent spirit was atypical. According to the reports from the knights, the demons behaved as if they had a will of their own. It was perplexing.

‘With a suspicious wife occupying my attention, I can’t even spare the time to track down the Blue Ruby.’

Johannes released a soft sigh and once again contemplated the image of Eloise immersed in a thick book, with slightly furrowed brows and engrossed blue eyes.

During his stay at the Duke’s castle over the past few days, it became evident that many residents had already been captivated by Eloise. Her unwavering positivity and radiant energy seemed to quietly fortify the North’s inhabitants worn down by prolonged conflict and demons.

Despite appearing delicate, as if a mere touch would make her crumble, she harbored an inner strength. Unfazed by the malevolent spirit incident, and she wasn’t offended by the bluntness of the northernersand even rejecting the need for an escort.

Following the incident where she intentionally fell off her horse to lure the evil spirit away from Leo, admiration for her soared among the populace. Not only Leo but even skeptics like Katie couldn’t help but naturally develop positive feelings toward her.

‘At this rate, everyone will fall for her before we uncover her true intentions. No, she has already surpassed that.’

She was truly a strange woman. He had no words to describe it other than that modifier. Initially perceived as having a charming and dazzling personality during their first encounter and marriage proposal, Johannes found her serious demeanor more impressive on the second meeting. The shared experience of leaping off a cliff on A-Day during their third encounter stirred a peculiar déjà vu and suggested a potential shared history.

Johannes has been seeing her in the Duke’s castle lately, Johannes marveled at her ability to adapt. Despite initial reservations about the North’s harsh environment, Eloise thrived and endeared herself to those around her. Johannes couldn’t help but chuckle at the recollection of the castle residents rushing to tend to the injured Eloise without acknowledging him.

Reluctantly acknowledging Eloise’s success in the North, Johannes found her laughter at his previous misconceptions both intriguing and bemusing.

‘Really…’

‘She’s such a strange woman.’

She was a woman who was difficult to understand from beginning to end. Despite their limited interactions, she made incisive comments about his life, as though intimately acquainted with him for a considerable time. It was as if she saw through the life he deemed worthless, hitting the mark.

“Duke, you have everything. Why throw away your life for so little?”

Her eyes conveyed sincerity, hinting at a deeper narrative. While there was an evident past connection, Johannes couldn’t decipher the specifics.

“Isn’t your amazing life precious to you?”

Johannes had long discarded any semblance of attachment to his life. It now served solely to rectify past wrongs, making him impervious to most disturbances.

“Then you should be kicked out.”

Yet, Eloise persistently stirred him. Her unpredictable actions complicated his already turbulent state of mind.

He couldn’t mock the northerners who had already given her their hearts, fervently hoping she was a genuinely good person. Eloise’s unpredictability fueled such hope. However, she continued to reveal unexpected facets to Johannes.

It wasn’t a lie when he said he liked her. He genuinely wanted to observe the workings of that small head and comprehend the unhesitant words flowing from those lips, eager and resolute until the mention of ‘interrogation.’

During the night spent alone in the forest with her, engaging in a conversation that was truthful yet not entirely accurate, Johannes experienced an ominous premonition. He had an ominous intuition that if he continued to be with her like this, she would shake up his entire life.

More so than any other ‘woman,’ even the elusive ‘Blue Ruby.’

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