TBDNS - Chapter 31

Episode 31. Let’s Get Married Suddenly


“Is this the corpse?”

Christine’s voice echoed through the cold basement.

He was now in the morgue.

The most remote and oldest black castle in the north of the palace had a columbarium, crematorium, and mortuary.

Among them, the mortuary was located on the lowest floor, the coldest underground, to prevent the corpse from decaying. There was an eerie atmosphere, perhaps because of the rumor that it had been used as a torture chamber long ago.

“You’d better prepare yourself mentally.”

The coroner cautioned, pulling back the yellow linen covering the corpse.

“Ugh!”

Zimmer, who accompanied Christine, unconsciously covered his mouth.

The condition of the corpse devoured by the beast was so gruesome that even Zimmer, who had been through battle, turned his head away.

However, Christine approached closer and examined it closely.

“There are five claw marks.”

There were five distinct claw marks from the face to the neck, which were so damaged that it was unrecognizable.

“Yes, that’s strange. The only animals with five claws living nearby are bears and weasels. However, they are too small to be bears, and too big to be weasels. Judging from the claws on the footprints and the short fangs, it’s most likely a wolf.”

“But wolves should have four claws.”

“That’s why it’s strange.”

“Then what do you think?”

“That... This is just my opinion..."

The coroner hesitated and trailed off.

“Tell me.”

“It seems like it was done by a human...”

“Why did you think that?”

Christine’s voice became even colder.

“Most animals hunt to get food, but this one only tore apart the body and didn’t eat it. And it attacked the vital points last. Until the last breath, the prey felt all the pain. It seems like it hunted for fun or to show off its strength.”

Christine frowned in horror.

This was never his hunting pattern. Furthermore, if Adele’s mother had been killed by the same guy, she would have been killed so horribly.

Never... He could not forgive him!

“I understand. But His Majesty does not want any more ominous rumors to spread in the palace. Treat him as if he had been killed by a wolf and cremate him. Please organize the detailed autopsy report and send it to me.”

“Yes, Count.”　

***

“You called, Your Majesty.”

Christine left the black castle and went into the office at Jan’s call.

Jan, who was sitting at the desk, handed over a document he had just signed and said,

“This is the schedule for the royal guard commissioning ceremony in three days.”

Christine, who was absentmindedly reading the document, furrowed her brows and stared at Jan. Her engagement announcement was the last event on the commissioning schedule.

Was he going to proceed with the engagement with April on his own?

“Have you not heard anything from the Princess?”

Jan waved his hand as if he could not think about it any longer.

“April’s story is not important. The problem is that the whole country believes that she is pregnant with your child.”

“It is the parents’ job to correct their children’s mistakes.”

Christine said, forcing himself to gather his patience that was on the verge of bursting.

“You clearly said that, right? You will gladly accept the punishment for visiting April late at night. So I will punish you by taking responsibility for the child. The rumors are not unfounded.”

Jan, who had been solemnly declaring, lowered his posture and tried to appease Christine.

“Think about it. Even if it is not true, which family would take a woman rumored to have conceived a child out of wedlock? I absolutely cannot see my daughter become the laughing stock of the nobles.”

“That is not my business.”

Jan finally burst out in anger at Christine, who remained stiff to the end.

“What on earth do you hate about our April so much?”

“It’s not that I hate her.”

“Well, the problem is that your heart is already somewhere else.”

Christine did not deny it.

Then Jan clicked his tongue sarcastically.

“A war hero would be captivated by a villainess who poisoned her husband...”

“She was just framed.”

Jan shook his head firmly.

“If I said so, then so be it.”

In that moment, Christine realized what she had been overlooking. He was the Emperor of the Empire. He had the power to kill or spare anyone he wanted.

“What a shame. To give your heart to a woman who was about to be hanged.”

“What the...!”

Christine frowned, but...

“Get out.”

Yan picked up his pen again and began signing the piled-up documents as if he were busy.

Shuk!

In an instant, the pen that Jan was holding was cut off, and black ink splattered on the documents.

“You really...!”

The corners of the Emperor’s eyes trembled in anger.

Shuk!

But instead of apologizing, Christine stabbed his sword deep into his desk.

The cool silver blade shook and reflected the Emperor’s angry face.

“Then what will I do, Your Majesty?”

“Are you going to bite me here?”

Jan glared at Christine with the majesty of an Emperor, even as he trembled in fear.

“No way. Would I, a noble of Kalame, do such a beastly thing?”

Christine smiled faintly. In this situation, his smile was so beautiful that it made him feel even more devilish.

Soon, Christine pulled his sword out of the desk and put it back in his scabbard.

“If that woman poisoned her husband, I was behind it.”

“What?”

Jan glared at him narrowly, unable to figure out his true intentions. However, there was no need to think long.

“And I will state that His Majesty was behind all of this. It is a well-known fact that His Majesty did not get along with Marquis Oswald. She was simply following His Majesty’s orders.” 

Christine laughed softly, as if the mere thought was amusing.

“Then it will be interesting to see how the noble council will react.”

“You want me to fight the council?”

“Your Majesty started the fight. Of course, Your Majesty can stop it.”

The man in front of him was still smiling, but Jan broke out in a cold sweat.

When they first met, he was just a violent and foolish beast. So he thought it would be easy to use him, but it wasn’t.

Christine had already taken the initiative in this relationship.

Thinking back now, even that foolishness might have been planned.

“Bring me the blank document first. We’ll negotiate again then.”

“I am deeply moved by your wise judgment, Your Majesty.”

Christine bowed with a comical exaggeration.

“Let’s go, Zimmer!”

Christine’s steps were hurried as he left the Emperor’s office.

Zimmer, who had been waiting anxiously outside, quickly followed him and asked.

“Where are you going?”

“Baron Castler’s clinic.”

“You’re going there again?

“I’m thinking of proposing.”

“Huh? Proposing to Baron Castler...!”

Then, when he met Christine’s eerie eyes, Zimmer smiled slyly.

“Of course you wouldn’t. But do you think the Marchioness would accept?”

“I have to do whatever it takes to make her accept.”

The Emperor, who had realized that Adele was his weakness, couldn’t just step down. That’s why he had to announce it to everyone as soon as possible. No one would dare touch Adele if they knew she was his woman.

She had lived a miserable life up until now.

He wanted to make her smile happily like before.

He will do whatever it takes to prevent the shadow of misfortune from falling any longer.

Christine’s hurried footsteps were leaving the palace corridor and crossing the garden.

***

In the evening, Mark came into the examination room where Adele was resting.

“How are you, Adele?”

Adele, who was sitting on the bed and staring blankly out the window, turned around and smiled quietly.

The sky outside the window was turning crimson at dusk. Perhaps that was why her smiling face looked unusually peaceful.

“Thanks to you, I’m feeling much better. But you seem more like a patient, Mark.”

Mark felt a little choked up, perhaps because of Adele’s smile or because of her words of recognition.

“Is that so? The past few days have been really hard.”

“I think so. Let’s sit down and rest for a bit and then go.”

Adele pointed to the chair next to the bed.

“Then, should I stay for a while, even if it’s rude?”

“Of course.”

Mark sat on the chair and looked at the scenery outside the window that Adele had been looking at a moment ago. The wide field beyond his mansion’s fence was peaceful. The sun, flickering red between a few trees with bare branches, was like a painting.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a sunset. I guess I haven’t had much time in my heart for years.”

“Maybe it’s because I almost died and came back to life, but today’s sunset is particularly touching to me.”

Mark asked sarcastically.

“But who saved your life?”

“Of course not. You’ll always be my benefactor.”

“How about your husband, rather than your benefactor?”

He stared at Adele, who was flustered, seriously, then quickly scratched his head with a flushed face.

“Haha, I guess I’m in trouble. Please pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”

Adele carefully opened her mouth as she watched him hurriedly get up from his seat.

“...Mark, you’re a really good person.”

“It’s okay. If you don’t mean that you like me, then leave it at that.”

When Adele made an awkward expression, Mark forced a smile with slightly sad eyes.

“I know. There’s someone in your heart.”

“...!”

“You called that name dozens of times last night while struggling between life and death. Still, I did my best to convey my feelings to you, so I have no regrets, Adele.”

When Mark turned around, Adele hesitated and said.

“I’m sorry, Mark. Now that I think about it, you’re not a good person... You’re a wonderful person.”

“You might regret losing such a wonderful person.”

“Maybe so.”

“Ha...!”

Christine, who was leaning against the wall of the examination room and listening to their conversation, laughed in shock.

Should he be happy about this situation or angry?

'If you're going to refuse, do it firmly. What kind of wonderful person is that?'

But for now, he was going to let them be alone. That was the last consideration he gave to Mark, Adele's benefactor.

"You called that name dozens of times last night while you were struggling to live."
　
Well, I heard that too.

***

"Have you met the coroner?"

Adele asked urgently when Christine came into the hospital room.

"Can you take a breath and talk?"

He said, taking off his gloves and cape.

"Oh, sorry."

"How's your body?"

He hung the cape on a chair and touched Adele's forehead out of habit. There was no fever anymore.

"I think I'm almost better."

"What did you eat?"

"Just a little soup."

"No. You need to eat well to recover quickly."

He acted strictly and kindly like a guardian. Adele felt like a child for some reason.

"My throat still hurts, so it's hard to eat."

Was that why? Her answer came out a little childish. Even though the fever had gone down, her throat and mouth were still so sore that she couldn’t eat.

“Look.”

“What? In my mouth?”

When Adele panicked, Christine came closer.

“We need to know how much you hurt to properly nurse you.”

“Why are you nursing me...”

“Because I'm going to be my husband.”

For a moment, Adele doubted her ears.

“Husband? You’re not mine?” 

She thought it was nonsense as she asked back.

However, Christine sat down on Adele’s bed and held her pale hand.

“Let’s get married, Adele.”

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