Mercian felt incredibly dumbfounded and bewildered.

“So you’re saying that the only people who didn’t know about your fake death were that scoundrel, I mean the former crown prince, and me?”

“No, most of the people in the duke’s household didn’t know either.”

“Most? That means I was also among those ‘most people’ to Ruan.”

“My lady, that’s not what I meant. I’m saying it was that difficult to keep the secret. I considered telling you the truth several times, but the matter was so serious and absolutely could not fail. I’m truly sorry, my lady.”

Right, to this man I was just a wife with a 6-month expiration date.

Maybe I shouldn’t be so angry about this.

After all, our contract has already ended, and to me, my husband is dead.

Mercian suddenly felt like she was about to burst into tears, but she held them back and said to Ruan:

“I see. So that’s what happened. I didn’t understand well before, but after going through this, I fully understand. Why you’re the empire’s hero. You truly are the empire’s hero. You even faked your own death to work for the empire. I truly respect you, Ruan.”

Ruan couldn’t tell if Mercian’s words were praise or criticism of him.

“My lady, I understand you’re angry, but please try to understand the unavoidable situation.”

Understand?

Mercian quietly glared at Ruan, who was looking at her, feeling her anger rising at his words.

How do you think I felt watching you cough up blood and collapse?

With what feelings do you think I left the duke’s household?

How much effort do you think I put into trying to forget you for months, thinking you were dead…

And all you have to say after coming to find me is that everything was for the empire so I should understand?

Mercian felt her anger rising at Ruan’s attitude of speaking as if it were no big deal.

“Ruan, I’ve heard your explanation for why you’re alive.”

Not understanding Mercian’s feelings, Ruan smiled at her words and said:

“My lady, now that you know the reason I’m standing here, let’s go back home.”

Home? Home, he says.

Mercian suddenly felt like she was about to burst into tears at Ruan’s words.

After Ruan died, she had left because she missed him so much that she felt she couldn’t possibly live in the duke’s household.

Even after somewhat collecting herself, she always thought of the people in the duke’s household.

Edward and Clea who were always kind to her, and Charles and the other people in the duke’s household, and even Olivia.

She missed them so much, but because it was difficult to think of Ruan, she couldn’t even consider going back…

The reason I left that place with such difficulty was because of whom

And now after 5 months you just appear as if nothing happened and say let’s go home?

Do I look that easy to you?

“My lady.”

As he approached Mercian, who was standing with an unreadable expression at his words, she took a step back.

And the puppy Ruan that had been in Mercian’s arms jumped out and started barking at Ruan again as if to protect her.

“Ru, Ruan.”

“Yes, my lady. I’m right here.”

“No. Not you. Ruan, bite!”

As soon as Mercian’s cold words finished, the puppy Ruan fiercely charged at Ruan.

Woof! Woof! Woof!

With the sound of intense barking, Ruan was chased out of Mercian’s house.

“My, my lady, please listen to me for a moment. My lady. I explained everything…”

Bang!

The door opened at Ruan’s cry and Mercian walked out.

“My lady.”

“I’m sorry, but my husband died 5 months ago. So even if you’re alive, our contract ended 5 months ago. I’m sure I set a condition back then, didn’t I? That when the contract period ended, I would leave the duke’s household. Anyway, congratulations on not dying and surviving. But our relationship is already over, so please don’t come looking for me again.”

Mercian spoke slowly and clearly to Ruan, who had a desperate expression, with a cold look before going inside and slamming the door shut.

Bang!

“Your Grace,”

As Cassel, who had been waiting outside, quietly approached, Ruan muttered with an incomprehensible expression.

“I, I explained everything to my lady. Why won’t she accept me?”

“You didn’t tell her exactly as it was, did you?”

“Of course I told her exactly as it was. Last time I had no choice but to deceive my lady, but now I don’t want to deceive her. So I told her everything as it was, but?”

As expected. He’s lacking.

You told her everything exactly as it was?

Cassel shook his head as he looked at Ruan’s dumbfounded expression.

No, at the very least you should have emphasized that you had no choice, begged for forgiveness while crying, said you were wrong… it wouldn’t have been enough even then, but you just told her the facts as they were…

It seems the reunion of the lady and Your Grace will be difficult.

Cassel sighed at Ruan’s words and said:

“Isn’t that obvious? Did you think if you explained the truth to the lady, she would say ‘Oh my! So you really didn’t die? What a joyous thing. Ruan, I missed you.’ Something like that and then fall into Your Grace’s arms?”

“… Uh, is that not right?”

Ha. He’s not just lacking, he’s severely lacking.

“Your Grace, consider yourself lucky you weren’t hit in this situation. If it were me, I would have… well, you know what I mean.”

“That damned dog bit me and my lady didn’t even blink an eye as she chased me out.”

“Let’s go back to the duke’s household for now. When we get there… no, where are you going now?”

Cassel called out to Ruan, who was leaving the carriage before he had even finished speaking.

“What’s the point of me buying a house in this area? Just wait and see, I’ll definitely get my lady’s forgiveness and bring her back to the duke’s household.”

Sigh.

What is all this really about?

After chasing Ruan out of the house, Mercian sat down at the table, utterly exhausted.

Was that man really alive?

[You know, there’s a rumor going around that someone who was supposed to be dead came back to life, but for some reason he half-killed that crown prince, so he probably won’t be able to function properly as a person for the rest of his life.] [Came back to life after dying?] [I guess the wife thought the man was dead and ran away with the money and property? They even put the wife’s portrait in the newspaper, and on top of that, they’re offering a huge reward just for information on where the wife is.]

So the man who came back to life that Zelda mentioned last time was Ruan?

Mercian sat blankly for a while before suddenly jumping up from her seat.

The more I think about it, the more infuriating it is.

So when that guy was coughing up blood and collapsing, I couldn’t even eat properly while nursing him, but it turns out I was just writing my own novel to that guy’s show.

And not only did my husband not die, but I cried and fainted alone, literally acting like a stupid female protagonist…

Mercian went to the kitchen and gulped down water repeatedly.

How could he deceive me so perfectly?

Mercian felt her anger rising again as she recalled Ruan’s words that he had no choice but to keep the secret.

How do you think I felt when you were coughing up blood right in front of my eyes?

How do you think I felt when I put your dead body in the coffin…

How much pain and suffering did I go through believing you were dead?

Damn that man. I don’t want to see him ever again.

It’s a relationship that’s already over anyway. I’ll just think he’s dead and forget about him.

I might have wavered in the past, but not now.

The store has stabilized somewhat, and everyone here treats me kindly, and I even have a new family in Zelda.

Living as Rosalyn is enjoyable and happy too.

Mercian thought that while she was glad Ruan was alive, she no longer wanted to continue their relationship.

After steadying her wavering heart, Mercian quickly finished her preparations and left the house.

Contrary to her thoughts that he might be waiting for her, there was no one outside the house.

I guess he left?

While feeling relieved that Ruan wasn’t there, Mercian also felt strangely empty.

Right, he and I should live our own lives now.

Mercian took a deep breath and hurried to work at the store.

However, contrary to her resolution, Mercian kept making mistakes all morning, causing Zelda to ask her worriedly:

“Rosalyn, are you alright?”

Mercian responded with a weak smile to Zelda’s question.

“Yes, Zelda. I’m fine. I think I might be coming down with a cold.”

“Oh dear, go and get some rest.”

“I’m sorry.”

Mercian apologized with an apologetic expression to Zelda, who was helping with her store work while leaving her own tea shop unattended.

“No, it’s okay. I still have the sandwiches you made, so I’ll just sell these and then close up.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Thinking that business would be difficult in her current state of mind, Mercian entrusted the store to Zelda.

“Alright, go home and take care of yourself. Oh, and Rosalyn, be careful just in case.”

“Pardon?”

“The elder was saying yesterday that there have been strange people coming and going in the village lately, so be careful just in case.”

At Zelda’s words, Mercian thought of Ruan again and replied with an awkward smile.

“Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“No, tomorrow’s the weekend anyway, so take a break and I’ll see you on Monday. I have some business in the capital over the weekend, so rest well during the weekend.”

“Alright, then I’ll head in first.”

Returning home, Mercian sat on the bed and became lost in thought.

It wasn’t an addiction, but a curse.

Sigh, come to think of it, we lived as a married couple for nearly 5 months, but I don’t really know anything about Ruan.

Anyway, now that the curse is broken, I guess he won’t die.

If the curse is broken, he could marry a noble lady befitting his position and live happily.

Why did he come looking for me?

His body seemed much better than when he was with me. Why does his face look so haggard?

Is he still not sleeping well?

What am I thinking right now?

Why do I keep thinking about someone I won’t see anymore?

Mercian jumped up from the bed, opened all the windows in the house, and started cleaning.

After cleaning for a while, Mercian suddenly burst into tears.

I thought I had finally forgotten and was living my life, so why did he suddenly appear in front of me?

If I had just lived thinking he was dead, at least my life in the duke’s household would have remained a good memory…

When I first saw him, I was so surprised that he was alive. I was really happy and grateful that he was alive.

But when I heard that he had faked his death, I got angry that he had deceived me. And now his haggard face, even though he looks healthy, keeps bothering me.

No, why am I worrying about that person now?

What does it matter whether he sleeps or not?

I was sick for a month thinking that man was dead, but why did I get sick and cry and make such a fuss?

Over a man who was perfectly alive.

If he was looking for me so much, why didn’t he at least contact me to say he was alive…

Ah. Is it because he didn’t know where I was, so he couldn’t contact me?

Is that what’s important right now? What’s important is that he deceived me from the beginning.

Mercian sat blankly, alternating between being angry at Ruan and worrying about his condition.