I Have A Terminally Ill Duke As My Husband - Chapter 50

He said he had eaten rats and snakes when there was nothing to eat on the battlefield, and how surprised he was when he went to the mountains, hunted a wild boar, cut it in half, and left it in front of the house. On top of that, he was quite good at cooking, though I don’t know when he learned it.

This doesn’t help my purpose of making him suffer at all.

Mercian muttered with a smile, watching Ruan busily moving around the store.

He’s doing better at the store work than I expected.

And not just doing well, but doing exceptionally well.

He learned to make sandwiches in a few days, making them almost as well as Mercian, and even learned how to brew tea from Zelda, starting to sell tea along with the sandwiches.

And as Ruan’s beauty improved day by day due to regular work, meals, and exercise, the number of young female customers from neighboring villages gradually increased, more than the male customers coming to see Mercian.

“Thanks to the well-hired employee, sales are hitting record highs almost every day. Zelda, at this rate, I might become the richest person in Phenomenon village.”

Mercian muttered, looking at the female customers filling the store.

“Hohoho, that’s right. Plus, as that person’s appearance keeps improving, our Rosalyn’s future looks bright with customers overflowing in the store?”

Zelda also said, looking at the female customers in the store.

“But, Zelda. Hasn’t that woman been staring at Ruan too blatantly for a while now?”

As Mercian pointed with her eyes at a woman sitting in front, staring intently at Ruan, Zelda tilted her head and said,

“Is that so? I’m not sure? Oh? Now that Rosalyn mentions it, she really is just staring at him.”

Mercian muttered, looking at the female customer sitting next to her, glancing at Ruan.

“Plus, that female customer has been coming here for days now. I casually asked her the other day, and she said she lives in Pekaon village. My goodness, no matter how delicious the sandwiches are, would she want to come from a place that takes an hour by carriage from here?”

Seeing Mercian’s displeased expression as she watched the female customers who came to see Ruan, Zelda smiled slightly and said,

“Rosalyn, are you perhaps jealous?”

Me? No way that could be.

It’s just. Well, the women who come to see Ruan don’t buy sandwiches and leave, so the store turnover isn’t good.

Me, jealous of Ruan? That’s nonsense!

Mercian jumped up at Zelda’s words and said,

“What? Zelda, what are you saying? Me, jealous? That’s not it!”

Mercian waved her hands at Zelda’s words and said.

“Hmm, Rosalyn, you say it’s not, but you’ve been watching only the women who keep looking at that person since yesterday? If that’s not jealousy, what is it?”

“Well, that’s. I’m just worried that Ruan might be distracted from his work. And they only order one sandwich and don’t leave, so the store turnover isn’t good. That’s why, absolutely not because I have any other thoughts.”

“Oh, is that so? Well, if Rosalyn says so, then it must be.”

As Zelda nodded at Mercian’s excuse, Mercian said with a serious face,

“I’m telling you it’s true!”

“Alright, I got it. Who said otherwise? Well then, I’ll be going now. See you later.”

“Yes, Zelda.”

Me, jealous?

Ah. No, that can’t be.

Mercian watched Ruan working hard for a moment after Zelda left, then shook her head, assuring herself that it couldn’t be, and went into the warehouse.

“Excuse me? When does work end here?”

“Customer, is there something you need?”

As Mercian went into the warehouse, the woman who had been watching Ruan spoke to him.

“How much do you get paid to work here? I’ll pay you twice, no, three times more. How about working with me?”

“I’m sorry, but that would be difficult. If you’re not going to order, I’ll be going now.”

“Hey, you!”

“Yes, customer, did you need something?”

“I need you. What do you say? Shall we have dinner after your work ends today?”

Seeing the woman’s lustful smile, Ruan’s expression, which had been a kind smile until now, suddenly turned fierce as he said in a low voice,

“I don’t need anything, so if you’re not going to order, I’d appreciate it if you’d get out of this store.”

The woman stood up abruptly from her seat, embarrassed by Ruan’s outright rejection and telling her to get out.

“Wh-what? What did you just say to me?”

Ruan approached the woman and glared at her with a cold expression, saying,

“If you’re going to talk such nonsense, get out of this store right now!”

“Ah. No, being handsome isn’t everything. What on earth did I say for you to… How dare you treat me, a customer, like this?”

Looking at the woman who kept mentioning being a customer, Ruan glanced at Mercian’s seat.

After confirming she wasn’t there, he put down the tray and glared at the woman with a murderous gaze, saying,

“Customer, I’m sorry, but it seems our boss keeps getting bothered because of you. I don’t care if you come here and stare at me all day, but if it makes our boss uncomfortable, that’s a problem. I should be trying to impress the boss, not this. So, just get out. If I see you one more time, it won’t end with just a warning, so be careful!”

Frightened by Ruan’s words as he looked at her as if he would kill her at any moment, the woman’s face turned red as she stood up abruptly and slammed the door shut as she left.

“And you…”

As Ruan looked at another woman sitting next to where the woman who just left had been, the woman said, seemingly frightened,

“M-me?”

“If you look at me with that strange gaze one more time, I might gouge out your eyes. This is a place to sell sandwiches, not a place to come and stare at me.”

“Y-yes. I understand. I should be going now too.”

The woman also stood up abruptly and left through the door, and Ruan cleaned the table where the women had been sitting, smiling kindly as if nothing had happened.

“Oh? Did those women from earlier leave?”

As Mercian, coming out of the warehouse with some items, looked at the place where the women had been, Ruan, who had suddenly approached, took her load and said,

“Rosalyn, let me handle things like this. Here, I’ve brewed some rosemary tea that’s good for your mind and body, so have a rest while drinking it.”

“For my mind and body? Well, anyway, thank you, Ruan.”

While Mercian was drinking the tea, Ruan started finishing up the work in the store as if nothing had happened.

“Isn’t it hard?”

As they were walking home after closing the store, Mercian asked, and Ruan replied with a smile,

“Not at all. This time I spend with you all day is so precious to me that every day feels like it’s passing too quickly, and I only feel regret.”

At Ruan’s words, Mercian felt her heart flutter unknowingly.

At the same time, she wondered if this was right.

Is it okay to keep holding onto someone called a hero of the Empire like this?

Mercian had allowed Ruan to work at the store after hearing his words, but she was constantly bothered by the fact that he was still a Duke of the Empire.

“Ruan, do you still want to be forgiven by me?”

At Mercian’s question, Ruan nodded and answered,

“Of course. If you forgive me, I will never disappoint you again.”

“Ruan, honestly, I can’t say I forgive you right now. To be honest, I still feel uncomfortable when I see you as that incident suddenly comes to mind.”

“I know. I know I won’t be easily forgiven. If you feel you can’t bear it when that incident comes to mind, come to me anytime. You can do whatever you want until your anger subsides. As you know, I’m quite tough. But please remember this one thing. Even if years pass, my feelings for you now won’t change.”

Mercian, who was about to tell Ruan to return to the Duke’s family, hesitated for a moment at Ruan’s words.

Mercian had no intention of leaving Phenomenon village.

Life as a Duchess was good, but she always felt uncomfortable with the thought of it being a contract.

But life here was the life she had dreamed of since she was at the Viscount’s family.

Yes, if I tell him to go back now, Ruan will definitely not go back.

It’s been just over two weeks now, so let’s pretend to watch him for two more weeks.

And after that, I’ll tell him I’ve forgiven him, so he should return to his place.

If I forgive him, his feelings for me will be sorted out.

Right now, Ruan is not acting this way because he loves me, but because he feels sorry for me.

When the feeling of sorry disappears, he might worry that I’ll cling to him instead.

So, to prevent any lingering feelings for each other, I should send him back to his world after just two more weeks.

I’ve lived well without Ruan until now, right?

And now that I know Ruan isn’t dead, I don’t have to be sad anymore, and I can live comfortably too.

As Mercian made this decision, she felt much lighter.

“Thank you for saying that. Then, see you tomorrow.”

Mercian smiled and said goodbye before going in.

But Ruan didn’t go into his own house, instead staring at her house for a long time before turning around to find the mud-covered Ruan wagging its tail happily at the sight of him.

“Ruan. Where have you been again? You make the madam struggle every day because of you. Come here, I’ll wash you again today.”

Ruan carefully picked up the puppy Ruan and went into his house.

A few days later.

“Rosalyn? Oh, I’m sorry. I mistook you for someone I know.”

Zelda approached a woman walking in front of her and quickly apologized.

“Oh my? What nonsense is this, that there’s someone who looks like me in this backwater place? How unlucky.”

How unlucky?

Zelda glared at the woman with the rude tone and shouted,

“H-hey, what are you saying?”

“Anyway, this is why I hate the countryside. It’s noisy… Hey, do you know where they sell sandwiches around here? I heard a handsome man sells them…”

At the words of the woman who looked like a noble despite wearing a somewhat shabby dress, Zelda replied with a crooked smile,

“Haa. You must have heard rumors about him again. Look, miss, you seem like a noble, and I don’t know why a noble lady came to this backwater place, but if you’re so confident, find it yourself. Gosh, how unlucky!”

“Wh-what? Ha! Do you have any idea who I am? This is why commoners are problematic. Anyway, I heard Ruan was in this countryside… I heard he had a hard time for a while after Mer left, but who would have thought that plain-looking man would become so handsome. It’s fortunate that Mer came to her senses and left, knowing her place. I may have dressed a bit countrified, but I look similar enough to Mer like this, so I should be able to take care of Ruan, right? Now, where could Ruan be?”

Lucienne examined the dress she had received from Mercian once more, then walked elegantly into the village.

.

.

.

Six months ago, Beano-man Viscount’s estate.

“What do you mean? Is it true that the Duke really died?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m worried about Mer. The Duke died sooner than expected…”

“Mother, who are you worried about now? Have you forgotten? Mer took all our dowry using her position as the Duke’s wife. She’s always been good at pretending to be kind and making people around her her allies. That’s why all the people in that Duke’s family, and that Duke himself, all protect Mer like that. Even now, when I think of that day, I still can’t sleep.”

Lucienne frowned, recalling the incident at the pottery shop.